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Who Knew Wednesday

No Taxes Until August 14th!

Today on Who Knew Wednesday, we talk about some fun facts, but also some practical facts, such as August 1st through August 12th being a time where your expenses are tax free!

Originally meant for strictly back-to-school shopping, the state of Ohio holds a tax-free season where “almost all tangible personal property priced at $500 of less is tax-free.” This year, the news is that the state of Ohio is making more than just school supplies tax-exempt, making items like electronics, clothing, home goods, sporting goods, food & beverages, and so many more things tax-free until August 14th!

Enjoy some time where your personal purchases are tax-free until August 14th! If you want to learn more information on what is tax-free and how these sales are handled, click the Ohio Department of Taxation article HERE!

We also were On The Road With Big Blue during the show at the Hartford Fair, and we got to talk with Eric Brown from the Big Blue Crew about all that was going on! There was an exciting Monster Truck show that went on and we got to hear all about the history of the Hartford Fair! You can recap the schedule from the Hartford Fair by clicking HERE!

Today we played a game of Who Am I?. Here were the five clues to our mystery person today!

  1. I was born today, August 6th, in 1965; I’m married to my wife Valarie and we have two children!
  2. I am a follower of Jesus, as well as a philanthropist! I founded the Carver Academy, which is a private school in San Antonio, which was later turned into a charter school network.
  3. I was selected as the #1 pick in the 1987 NBA Draft.
  4. I didn’t join the Spurs until 1989 due to my commitment to serve in the U.S. Navy for two years, where I got nicknamed “The Admiral”.
  5. I was a member of the iconic 1992 “Dream Team”, which was the first U.S. Olympic basketball team to feature active NBA players.

Who Am I?

Today was a stumper! That means next week we’ll be giving away two $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant in Utica if you can be the first person to call in and give us the correct answer next Wednesday on The Afternoon Drive! Tune in tomorrow for Praise Thursday, where we take time to slow down, listen to worship music and read some devotionals! We’ll also play a game of Name That Tune.

Thank you so much for listening!
– Ethan Hershberger

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Hugs and Cheesecake?

For your Who Knew Wednesday today, we talked about National Cheesecake and National Share A Hug Day!

Today is a day where you’re encouraged to share a hug with your friends, family, or whoever may need one! How did this day start? It was by a man named Mike Brundritt. This is his story:

I am Mike Brundritt, I once lived a wonderful life. I was married to the woman of my dreams with plans to be married forever, and had spent 19yrs together. We both had successful jobs, were positive members of the community, and our church. We were raising two great sons; our oldest son was involved with every sport he could play, while our youngest enjoyed video games. As a family, friends and other family members have always surrounded us and have been a part of our lives. I would have said I was pretty fortunate.

On the afternoon of July 30, 2017, everything changed, we were returning home from a family vacation, camping. During our drive we were involved in a motor vehicle collision in which we were hit from behind by a transport truck. This collision, in the blink of an eye changed my whole world. My wife and oldest son passed away immediately. My youngest son and I both survived the accident but we both have mental issues since, and I am also recovering from back injuries. It has been a long road to make a recovery, and it still is.

Fast forward to the first anniversary of the accident. A few days before the anniversary I was thinking of ways that I could honour and remember my wife and son. I was remembering how much of a loving family we were, always sharing hugs, both as a greeting, or a goodbye. It was also a way to say I love you. A hug was also shared between many friends after the accident. A hug is a special connection between people that lets each other know they are cared about. The idea came to me that I could start a hug day to honour the lives of my family.

I woke up on July 30, 2018 with the idea that I wanted to start a special day, the problem was that I did not know how to start it. I started with a post on my facebook profile, and it was shared with friends. Friends and family then shared my message further, and the message magically took off. Within days it was shared across Canada, to various parts of the United States, to England, Lebanon, and Australia. I was contacted by the local news and my message was spread even more. I was amazed how fast and far my message has travelled.

You can find the full article talking about National Share A Hug Day on daysoftheyear.com by clicking HERE!

Today is also National Cheesecake Day!

You can celebrate by enjoying your favorite cheesecake, either by making it yourself or by going out to your favorite cheesecake bakery and enjoying some!

Who knew cheesecake dates back all the way with the Ancient Greeks around 200 AD! This sweet dessert is believed to be one of the first made in the world.

You can read more of the full article talking about National Cheesecake Day by clicking HERE!

We played a game of Who Am I? today! Here were the five biographical hints about our mystery famous person:

  1. I was born today, July 30, 1863 in Dearborn, Michigan.
  2. I was married to Clara Bryant in 1888, and we had one son named Edsel, who later took over my company.
  3. In 1908, I created the first car that was affordable for middle-class Americans, and that car was called the Model T.
  4. In 1903, I introduced the moving assembly line, which assisted in reducing production time and cost of the Model T.
  5. I was best friends with Thomas Edison, and I credit him often for encouraging me to pursue my automobile ideas.

I am… Henry Ford!

Congratulations to Kari from Newark for calling in and guessing him correctly, taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in tomorrow for some devotions and worship music during Praise Thursday!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Joe and Ethan

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WNZR celebrates National Vanilla Ice Cream Day with Round Hill Dairy!

Yesterday the Afternoon Drive celebrated National Vanilla Ice Cream Day by visiting Round Hill Dairy at the Knox County Fair! Marcy and Ethan talked with owner Tyler McCann about the legacy of his family business, and serving the Knox County community. Tyler and his team proudly support the Knox County Fair and the 4H participants.

WNZR thanks Round Hill Dairy for being a broadcast partner for WNZR’s coverage of the Knox County Fair!

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Hot Dogs, Fair time, and Cherries?

We’ve got a large basket of WHO KNEWS today!

Which hot dog would you choose? Ethan chose the Detroit Coney Dog and Joe chose the New York Style Hot Dog!

NATIONAL HOT DOG DAY – here’s a great chart from the Art of Manliness website 🙂

NATIONAL CHERRY DAY (from NationalToday.com)

Cherries have been a staple for centuries. From the Roman Empire to the Chinese dynasties, the little red fruits have been on the plate of millions and came to America by ship with early settlers in the 1600s.

Modern-day cherry production in the United States began in 1852 when Peter Dougherty began planting cherry trees on the Old Mission Peninsula in the state of Michigan. The Midwest area proved to have an ideal climate for growing cherries and mass harvesting soon took place, with the first commercial tart cherry orchards in Michigan being planted in 1893. Soon, production surpassed other major crops and the first cherry processing facility, Traverse City Canning Company, was built with the ruby-red fruit soon being shipped to neighboring cities in the Midwest. Outreach to the entire country was created shortly after.

We’re going to the Knox County Fair starting Sunday, July 20th next week! Sign up for our prize baskets on our website for your chance to win HERE!

Can you guess our mystery famous person that was born on July 16th? Here are the five biographical clues:

🏈 I was born July 16, 1968, in Wichita, Kansas.

🏆 I won the Heisman Trophy in 1988 while playing for Oklahoma State University, after a record-setting season with over 2,600 rushing yards.

🦁 I was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1989, and played 10 NFL seasons, earning 10 Pro Bowl selections and rushing for 15,269 career yards.

🔥 I was known for my elusive running style, balance, and speed and won the NFL MVP in 1997, tying with Brett Favre.

🏛️ I retired unexpectedly in 1999 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

Who Am I?

I am… BARRY SANDERS (photo credit: Pride of Detroit)

Congratulations to Michelle from Mount Vernon for calling in and guessing him correctly, taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in tomorrow for some devotions and worship music on The Afternoon Drive!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Joe and Ethan

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Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About For King & Country and Seph Schlueter!

You may not have known these facts about some of your favorite artists on WNZR! It’s Who Knew Wednesday today, and these were the facts we shared today:

Did you know that for King & Country had made a whole other movie before their big hit movie Unsung Hero? It’s a movie called Priceless, with Joel Smallbone, one half of the Smallbone brothers in the for King & Country band, starring as the lead role. This movie speaks up against human trafficking and has a beautiful message about how women are made innately, beautifully priceless. It goes along with their song called Priceless, which we got to hear during the Afternoon Drive today!

If you want to watch the movie, here is the official Priceless trailer on for King & Country’s YouTube channel:

Also… did you know Seph Schlueter’s real first name is Joseph? If you look closely, you’ll see that “Seph” is just the name “Joseph” without the “Jo”. It’s a pretty cool nickname for someone named Joseph! He’s still known as Joseph around his family, but we’re happy to know him as Seph Schlueter though!

Did you know Seph has actually been in Mount Vernon, Ohio? His wife, Abby, grew up in Mount Vernon, and what’s really cool is that Seph has spent many wonderful times enjoying Happy Bean in Downtown Mount Vernon! It’s so cool that one of our favorite artists on WNZR has been in our own backyard at our favorite local coffee shop!

Today we played a game of Who Am I? where we give you five biographical facts about a famous person born on this day, and you call in and try to guess the person! Here were today’s five biographical facts:

  1. I was born today on July 9th, 1956 in Concord, California.
  2. I am married to Rita Wilson, who I met on the set of a TV show.
  3. I’m famous for many movies, most notably starring in Forrest Gump.
  4. I voiced the toy cowboy “Woody” in Pixar’s first animated movie, Toy Story.
  5. I spoke the famous line “Houston, we have a problem,” in the movie Apollo 13, portraying astronaut Jim Lovell.

I am… Tom Hanks! Congratulations to Maude from Mount Vernon for calling in and guessing me correctly, taking home that $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in tomorrow for Praise Thursday and a game of Name That Tune!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Ethan Hershberger

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249 years of America!

We are just ONE YEAR way from the 250th birthday of the United States of America!

We are celebrating with the July First Friday tomorrow (on a Thursday) with Experience Mount Vernon, and then fireworks all around the county on Friday night, including Mount Vernon’s celebration at Ariel-Foundation Park!

We are going to be giving away a Grab a Sip, Take a Dip, Turn It Up prize basket, featuring a $15 Happy Bean gift card, a Family 4 Pack of One-Day Passes to the Hiawatha Water Park and Pool, a WNZR Bluetooth Speaker, and stuffed with many WNZR goodies as well! Find us at Big Blue next to the Dog Fountain at the Mount Vernon Public Square, and you can get registered to win!

Today is also Made in the USA Day!

Joel Joseph of the Made in the USA Foundation created Made In The USA Day in 1989. The biggest reason for founding this day was to signify American-made products and support the domestic manufacturing sector!

This establishment helped in more ways than just one. First, it would signify the importance of American manufacturing to the economy, and it would also encourage consumers to support American goods production. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also plays a key role in this observance. That’s because the agency regulates the labels and marks that signify the country of origin.

So what are some products you wouldn’t have expected to be American-made? Well for starters, the classic No. 2 pencil is still made in the USA, since the 20th century. The red SOLO cup is also made in the U.S., along with Charmin and Angel Soft toilet paper as well!

Today we played a game of Who Am I?. Here are the five biographical questions about our mystery, patriotic, famous person:

  1. I was born on July 2, 1908, in Baltimore, Maryland.
  2. After I was denied admission to the University of Maryland Law School due to segregation, I graduated first in my class from Howard University School of Law in 1933.
  3. I founded the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, which became a powerful legal arm in the fight for civil rights.
  4. In Brown v. Board of Education, I served as lead attorney, and successfully argued this landmark Supreme Court case, which ruled racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.
  5. President Lyndon Johnson appointed me as the first African American Supreme Court Justice, where I served until 1991.

I am… Thurgood Marshall! Congratulations to Kathy from Mount Vernon for calling in and guessing me correctly, taking home that $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune into the Afternoon Drive tomorrow for Praise Thursday, where we take time to worship God and read some encouraging devotionals!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Joe and Ethan

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Happy Reserves Day!

Reserves Day is a vibrant celebration dedicated to acknowledging the contributions of reservists who balance civilian life with military duties.

These individuals commit their time to serve in the Reserve Forces and are ready to support national security whenever needed. This day highlights their role and brings recognition for their dedication and service!

We got to talk with Faith West today, who is a recent graduate of MVNU and an intern with the Knox County Convention and Visitors Bureau! In her senior year at MVNU, she was able to balance being a student, finishing senior projects, being an intern, and serving as an Air Force Reservist. Her decision towards becoming a reserve stemmed from a heart of wanting to serve, and her family, who is also involved in the military, helped her get involved, and they helped her get involved!

You can find us on the road with Big Blue this weekend in Centerburg! You can catch us on site and broadcasting on the air in studio on Thursday 5-8pm and on Saturday Noon-2pm! We’ll be giving away Family 4 Packs of One Day Passes to the Hiawatha Water Park and Pool while we’re there. To get signed up, find Big Blue at the festival!

Here were today’s 5 biographical facts about our mystery person:

  1. I was born Eric Arthur Blair on June 25, 1903, in Motihari, British India.
  2. I later adopted a pen name for my writing.
  3. I am best known for the dystopian novels 1984 and Animal Farm.
  4. I served in the British Imperial Police in Burma (now Myanmar) and later fought against fascism in the Spanish Civil War.
  5. I died of tuberculosis on January 21, 1950, at age 46. My work remains highly influential in literature, politics, and discussions about surveillance and personal freedom.

I am… George Orwell. Congratulations to Tim from Mount Vernon for calling in and guessing me correctly, taking home that $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in tomorrow for Praise Thursday and a game of Name That Tune!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Joe and Ethan

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Did You Know This About Summer?

Did you know young sunflowers move with the sun and follow it during the day to get as much sunlight as they can so they can grow big and strong? That’s so cool!

For Who Knew Wednesday today, we went over some super fun facts about summer as the season kicks off with the Summer Solstice on Friday, June 20th!

The Summer Solstice is when the Earth is tilted closest to the sun, making it the longest day of the year! To celebrate this day, you can watch the beautiful sunrise or sunset on Friday, and if the sky is clear, you can stargaze at the beautiful stars. If you look closely, you might be able to spot some planets up there in the sky as well, like Venus and Mars!

– Image Credit: Redbubble

Do you like to eat popsicles on a hot summer day? Did you know popsicles were created by accident? That’s right! In 1905, a man named Frank Epperson accidentally left a mixing stick in water and a soda mixture outside in the cold night, and came back to it, and it had become a frozen and delicious treat! He called it the ‘Epsicle’, which would be renamed later to the ‘popsicle’ after his kids came up with the name! It’s so cool to see what God can use out of a happy accident like that!

We played Who Am I? today! This is where you get five biographical facts about a famous person born today, and you try to guess who it is! Here were the facts:

  1. I was born today in a small town in Oklahoma and wrote my first song when I was just 15 years old.
  2. I’ve won 10 CMA awards, 6 ACM awards, and I’ve had over 25 No. 1 country hits.
  3. I was a longtime coach on NBC’s The Voice, where I led multiple contestants to win the competition!
  4. I’m married to the pop star Gwen Stefani, who was also a coach on NBC’s The Voice, and we released a few songs together.
  5. I became a Grand Ole Opry member in 2010!

I am… Blake Shelton.

Congratulations to Brandon from Danville for guessing me correctly! He won that $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica! Tune in tomorrow for Name That Tune!

Thank you so much for listening!
– Ethan Hershberger

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Son and moon? Who knew?

SonFest is back this fall at MVNU and it will look different!

Mount Vernon Nazarene University is excited to announce updates are in store for SonFest 2025, MVNU’s premier one-day Christian music festival. Scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, SonFest will now be held in the newly renovated R.R. Hodges Chapel/Auditorium, making it a rain-or-shine event for the first time.

The 2025 lineup features a powerful lineup of worship, alternative rock, and faith-driven performances, headlined by ELEVATION RHYTHM. Also taking the stage are acclaimed artists John Mark McMillan, Citizens, and central Ohio favorite Rock City Worship, with more artists to be announced.

ELEVATION RHYTHM is the youth expression of Elevation Church (Charlotte, N.C.), crafting music for the next generation to sing, dance, and worship.

Tickets are on sale now at mvnu.edu/sonfest. Due to venue capacity, concert tickets are limited. A full festival schedule will be released soon.

  • General admission: $40
  • Limited availability VIP admission: $75 (includes a Meet-and-Greet with artists and early entry)
  • Group sales (10 to 50 tickets) or Children ages 4-10: $25
  • Children 3-and-under: Free (must sit on a lap)

In true SonFest tradition, the event will feature outdoor activities throughout the day, free and open to everyone. Attendees can also enjoy a variety of food trucks and a vendor tent for shopping and refreshments. Please note: Concert entry requires a ticket; outdoor festivities are free and open to all.

For the latest updates, visit the link above or follow @mvnu1968 on social media. CLICK HERE to hear Xander’s conversation with Ben Slater and Zoe Bricker!

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Last night, the United States witnessed a stunning celestial event: the Strawberry Moon climbed into the night sky. Named after the wild strawberry harvest, this June full moon offered more than just seasonal charm—it broke expectations by appearing at its lowest point in the Northern Hemisphere in nearly two decades. This rare alignment, known as a major lunar standstill, won’t happen again until 2043.

Time Magazine and the London Times reported that the moonrise began just after sunset on the evening of June 10. Peaking at 3:44 a.m. Eastern Time, it hovered near the southeast horizon on the U.S. East Coast. Its proximity to the horizon amplified its size—thanks to the “moon illusion”—and its color shifted to soft golden-orange, tinted by atmospheric scattering

As the first full moon after the summer solstice approaches, its Sagittarius backdrop and energetic feel have inspired celebrations of renewal and growth.

Check out this photo from the BBC!

I was born on June 11, 1913, to an Italian-American family and grew up in a tight-knit Catholic household.

I played college football at Fordham University, where I was one of the famed “Seven Blocks of Granite” on the offensive line.

I became head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 1959 and led the team to five NFL Championships, including the first two Super Bowl victories (Super Bowls I and II).

I was known for my tough, inspirational leadership and for my famous quote, “Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.”

After my death in 1970 from cancer, the Super Bowl trophy was renamed in my honor.

Who Am I? Vince Lombardi. Congratulations to Phillip from Fredericktown, who guessed correctly and wins the $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe

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