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Driving Notes

The Official Blog of WNZR's Afternoon Drive

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Afternoon Drive

The NZ Top 10 for 1/30/2026

It’s the last NZ Top 10 countdown for the month of January! Here is this week’s countdown:

10. Leanna Crawford – Honest

09. Anne Wilson – God Story

08. For KING & COUNTRY ft. Taylor Hill – World On Fire

07. Chris Tomlin – How Good It Is

06. Crowder – STILL

05. TobyMac – Heaven On My Mind

04. Seph Schlueter – Won’t Start Now

03. Lauren Daigle – Let It Be A Hallelujah

02. Jeremy Camp – No Survivors (7th week at #2)

01. Jamie MacDonald – Left It In The River (9th week at #1)

New Music This Week:

Matthew West – Good

We The Kingdom – Rescue Me

Don’t forget! Starting this Monday on The Morning Thing, we are starting our Spread the Love Valentine’s Giveaway!

Each day of the contest, our DJs will select Valentine’s gifts to put in the WNZR Valentine’s box.  
During The Morning Thing and The Afternoon Drive, the DJs will give a cue to call 740-397-WNZR (9697).  

Caller #5 gets the chance to answer a Valentine’s question to win a prize.

You can learn more about this contest on our website HERE!

Thank you for listening!
– Joe and Ethan

Be God’s Walking Church!!

Today on Praise Thursday we went through devotionals and gave important updates. Here’s what we talked about:

Having a terrible memory is frustrating, but it is a chance to rely on God’s grace and the Holy Spirit’s help to recall what matters most. While you may forget daily details or past sinsGod promises to “remember them no more” (Hebrews 8:12), encouraging you to focus on the present “new thing” He is doing (Isaiah 43:18-19). Use the Holy Spirit as your memory, a “bad memory” can be a blessing, focus on the present, exercise and routine: treat your memory like a muscle, improving it through consistent, daily study of scripture, replacing, not just forgetting.

We often use the word “hope” as wishful thinking—a desire for things to go a certain way, with no guarantee they will. But the hope that Scripture offers is something far greater. As believers, our hope is alive. It’s grounded in the unshakable reality of Jesus Christ, who defeated death and rose from the grave. Living with biblical hope requires shifting our perspective. Instead of hoping for specific outcomes, we trust God’s sovereign wisdom. We know He works all things according to His perfect will. Our hope is grounded in God’s promises, not in possibilities or probabilities

Knox County is NO longer under any snow emergency.

Coshocton is under a level 1 snow emergency

Announcements for Thursday 1/29/26 (updated at 3:30pm on Thursday 1/29/26):

The Weather Vane Women’s Clothing Boutique will reopen on Thursday 2/5. They are currently closed due to a heating issue.

The Community meeting at the Danville Community Center is cancelled for tonight. This public meeting to share ideas for the Village has been rescheduled to February 26.

1 hour delays: Centerburg

2 hour delays:

– Danville

– Fredericktown

– Knox County Community Center

– Mount Vernon

Closed:

– Johnstown Monroe

– Mount Gilead

Our Name That Tune was Danny Gokey with “I Got You!” Congratulations to Ryan of Mount Vernon for taking home TWO $5 to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in Tomorrow with Ethan and Joe for the NZ Top 10!

Thanks so much for listening!

– Joe and Gabriella 🙂

Crowder, Jamie MacDonald, and For KING & COUNTRY On This Week’s Artist News Day!

We covered a lot for Artist News Day on The Afternoon Drive today! Here is this week’s artist news:

Crowder announced his LIVE! concert, and he’s bringing his friends Seph Schlueter and Patrick Mayberry along with him!

You can catch them in Akron Ohio this spring on Sunday, May 3!

You can find ticket information here!

Jamie MacDonald debuted her first, self-titled album last Friday!

This record includes your favorite #1 hits from Jamie, including Desperate and Left It In The River, and has many new ones you’re sure to love. With raw honesty, worship, and humble vulnerability, this album is sure to touch your heart in more ways than one!

Learn more about Jamie MacDonald’s new album here!

Last week, the Ohio State Fair announced For KING & Country as a part of their concert lineup this summer!

The Australian brother duo will stop by the state fair on August 3rd, and will be seen in the Ohio State Fair’s Celeste Center! You can find more information about For KING & COUNTRY on our website here!

Tickets can be purchased online here!

We had a stumper from last week! These Song Poetry lyrics are worth two $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Here were this week’s lyrics:

And I don’t need to see it to believe it
For my whole life, You’ve been that all I’ve needed
And I, I’ve felt You in the fire and the rain

This week’s Song Poetry was, once again, a stumper! If you think you know the song title and artist these lyrics are from, tune in next week for a chance to potentially win three $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

On Wednesday, there will be a shortened version of The Afternoon Drive. The show will end at 4:40 to start the MVNU Cougars Women’s Basketball . We’ll see you here at 4pm for a condensed Who Knew Wednesday!

Thank you for listening!
– Xander and Ethan

The NZ Top 10 for 1/23/2026

On this week’s top 10 list, we saw songs shift up and down, with a new song entering the chart! Here is this week’s countdown:

10. Phil Wickham – What An Awesome God (former #1 for 12 weeks)

09. For KING & COUNTRY ft. Taylor Hill – World On Fire

08. Chris Tomlin – How Good It Is

07. Josiah Queen & Brandon Lake – Can’t Steal My Joy (former #1 for 4 weeks)

06. Crowder – STILL

05. TobyMac – Heaven On My Mind

04. Seph Schlueter – Won’t Start Now

03. Lauren Daigle – Let It Be A Hallelujah

02. Jeremy Camp – No Survivors (6th week at #2)

01. Jamie MacDonald – Left It In The River (8th week at #1)

New Artist On WNZR:

Peter Burton

Peter Burton is from California, and seeks to write songs to lead people to hope. When overcoming mental illness, Peter would experience the beauty of how blessing and suffering can go hand in hand, and how faith can transcend feelings. The message of hope he brings is solely through Jesus Christ the foundation of his life and music.

Peter’s solo career may have just begun, but he is well-versed in the industry, having written for and toured with Lincoln Brewster, and joining Matthew West on his Don’t Stop Praying Tour. He also helped start Thrive Worship, contributing to their first album which charted at #1 on Billboard charts.

Read more about Peter Burton HERE!

New Music This Week:

Peter Burton – Where Would I Be

BREAKING NEWS: WinterJam 2026 will be postponing the Columbus, OH show to Monday, February 16 to avoid safety concerns regarding the winter storm warning this weekend. Stay warm. Stay safe.

Stay updated with cancellations on 90.9FM WNZR, and our Facebook page!

Thank you for listening!
– Joe and Ethan

God’s Word AND Giveaways?!

Most importantly, the Spirit of God lives in each believer, knitting us together so powerfully that the Bible compares us to the interconnected parts of the human body. First Corinthians 12:13 says, “We were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body”—the body of Christ.

God often works in our lives through others who love Him, whether they’re near or far, known or new acquaintances. In our loneliest times, we can ask Him to send His people—even as we offer ourselves to be used by Him to encourage others. Click HERE to read more!

God said, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing.” These verses were spoken to Israel during their exile in Babylon—a period of deep despair and longing for restoration. God commanded His people to not fixate on their past failures or the pain of captivity but to look forward to the new work He was about to do—a new and more significant exodus—their deliverance from Babylon and return to their homeland. He wasn’t just erasing the past but “making a way” (v. 19) to a future filled with hope and purpose.

Instead of dwelling on failures or regrets, let’s trust that God has “scrubbed” our past sins, regrets, and shame and—through Jesus’ sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10)—“remembers [our] sins no more” (Isaiah 43:25). God propels us toward the future He’s preparing. Click HERE to read more

Congratulations to Wyatt for guessing the WinterJam Trivia correctly and taking home a pair of WinterJam 2026 passes!

Congratulations to Robin of Fredericktown for guessing our Beat The Box Office Giveaway for the Ohio State Fair! For more information go to our website wnzr.fm!

We had a stumper for this week’s Name That Tune, but come back next week for a chance to win TWO $5 to Watts Restaurant in Utica!!

Tune in Tomorrow with Ethan and Joe for the NZ Top 10!

Thanks so much for listening!

– Joe and Gabriella 🙂

Get a hug in your cheesy socks!

Today is one of those wacky celebration days on two fronts:

1- National Hugging Day! (from DaysofTheYear.com)
The best way you can celebrate this holiday is by hugging people! Hug your mom, your dad, your grandparents, your kids – hug everyone you know. You also might want to raise awareness of why National Hugging Day is so important. It is an opportunity to push back against fear and isolation and join together as communities. Everyone agrees that there’s a need for more love and compassion in the world.

Hugging helps to break down both physical and emotional barriers between people.

2 – National Cheesy Socks Day!
It wasn’t that long ago that socks were simply a utilitarian accessory that had no other purpose than keeping those feet warm. But in this modern day, socks have become a fashionable way for people to express themselves. And the more outrageous the better.

For King & Country was announced as The Ohio State Fair’s Christian artist in their concert lineup! You can see them at the Celeste Center on August 3rd at this summer’s fair!

This week, we have been giving away Beat The Box Office tickets by playing for King & Country Name That Tune!

Anna from Mount Vernon was today’s winner for our giveaway on The Afternoon Drive. Keep listening on The Morning Thing and The Afternoon Drive on Thursday for your chance to win!

For King & Country will be seen at the Ohio State Fair, in the Celeste Center, so don’t forget this date: This summer, August 3rd! Regular ticket sales go live on Friday!

For more information, go to our Facebook post HERE!

  1. I was born January 21, 1940 in Columbus, Ohio.
  2. I played football and golf at Ohio State, eventually settling on golf.
  3. I was AP’s Athlete of the Decade for the 1970’s.
  4. I won 18 major championships, including 6 Masters tournaments!
  5. I now stay involved hosting the Memorial Tournament and designing courses.

I am… Jack Nicklaus!

Congratulations to Keryn from Mount Vernon for calling in and correctly guessing correctly, taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

If you tune in from 4-6pm on Thursday, you’ll have one more chance to win a pair of WinterJam 2026 passes and a pair of Beat The Box Office tickets to see for King & Country at the Ohio State Fair! And of course, we will be singing worship music and sharing devotionals throughout the show.

We’ll see you here tomorrow!
– Joe and Ethan

Chris Tomlin Talks About WinterJam 2026!

WinterJam 2026 is finally arriving in Ohio this Saturday! We’ve been anticipating their arrival to Columbus, Ohio by talking with the WNZR artists that are a part of this year’s lineup! We wrapped up our conversations with Chris Tomlin! You can listen to our conversation here:

WinterJam isn’t the only big concert we’re excited to cover! This morning, the Ohio State Fair announced their Christian artist taking part in their concert series this Summer 2026! This year’s artist is none other than for King & Country!

We’re celebrating this announcement by giving away “Win It Before You Can Buy Them” tickets by playing for King & Country Name That Tune!

Linda from Utica was our first winner for our giveaway on The Afternoon Drive. Keep listening on The Morning Thing and The Afternoon Drive Wednesday and Thursday for your chance to win!

For King & Country will be seen at the Ohio State Fair, in the Celeste Center, this summer on August 3rd! Regular ticket sales go live on Friday!

For more information, go to our Facebook post HERE!

On top of our two ticket giveaways, we also played a game of Song Poetry for our $5 Watts Restaurant gift card giveaway!

Here were this week’s lyrics:

And I don’t need to see it to believe it
For my whole life, You’ve been that all I’ve needed
And I, I’ve felt You in the fire and the rain

This week’s Song Poetry was a stumper! If you think you know the song title and artist these lyrics are from, tune in next week for a chance to win two $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in on Wednesday for another chance to win a pair of WinterJam 2026 passes and a chance to win “Win It Before You Can Buy Them” tickets to see for King & Country at the Ohio State Fair! You’ll also hear some fun facts for Who Knew Wednesday!

Thank you for listening!
– Xander and Ethan

Life Centered on GOD!!

On this week’s Monday Motivation Joe and Gabriella focused on how important having a God centered life is. Plus we did our Winter Jam Artist Trivia and our Mystery Monday! Here’s what we talked about:

Joe’s Motivation: We need to have God in the center of our life. Changing the perspective on our lives and understanding that life WILL be miserable when God is not the center of the life. The song “Center” by Bethel Music is a great worship song about centering God in your life. Place Jesus at the core of life because Jesus needs to be your focus, reflecting biblical calls to love God wholeheartedly and live for His glory, “You, be the center of it all”!

Gabriella’s Motivation: Taking apart 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)-“Things which are seen are temporal”: – Our bodies, possessions, status, and suffering will eventually pass away. “Things which are not seen are eternal”: God’s presence, love, truth, the inner spiritual self, and the future hope of heaven, which are everlasting. Focusing on the Unseen: Paul urges Christians to train their minds and hearts to focus on these eternal truths, not worldly gain. It’s all about perspective focus on the unseen promises of God, knowing that temporary struggles are producing an eternal weight of glory!

Congratulation to Justin of Mount Vernon for guessing our artist Trivia correctly and taking home a pair of Winter Jam passes home!

Name a question people ask their dogs. 

  1. Wanna eat/treat? (37) 
  1. Wanna go out (24) 
  1. How are you? (9) 
  1. What do you want? (5) 

Congratulations to Pat of Mount Vernon for guessing the top two answers correctly and taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in Tomorrow with Ethan and Xander for Artist Newsday and Gametime Tuesday!

Thanks for listening!

– Joe and Gabriella 🙂

The NZ Top 10 for 1/16/2026

We’re already halfway through January! With another Friday, comes a fresh NZ Top 10 list on WNZR! Here is this week’s countdown:

10. Leanna Crawford – Honest

09. Hope Darst – Mighty Name Of Jesus

08. Phil Wickham – What An Awesome God (former #1 for 12 weeks)

07. TobyMac – Heaven On My Mind (peaked at #2 for 1 week)

06. Lauren Daigle – Let It Be A Hallelujah

05. Crowder – Still

04. Seph Schlueter – Won’t Start Now

03. Josiah Queen & Brandon Lake – Can’t Steal My Joy (former #1 for 4 weeks)

02. Jeremy Camp – No Survivors

01. Jamie MacDonald – Left It In The River (7th week at #1)

New Music This Week:

MercyMe – Make It Well

MercyMe’s new song is tied to their upcoming movie, I Can Only Imagine 2, which is coming to theatres February 20th! This sequel is a follow-up to the story of the first I Can Only Imagine movie, and we’ll see how Bart Millard takes on the father role this time!

You can learn more about I Can Only Imagine 2 HERE!

Thank you for listening!
– Joe and Ethan

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