A capacity crowd attended Hillsboro City Council’s December meeting Monday evening, with citizens calling for action after reading Hillsboro Mayor Drew Hastings’ recent controversial Facebook post.

Sheriff Donnie Barrera reports for the week of Dec. 7-13, the Highland County Sheriff’s Office received 368 911 calls, answered 174 requests for service, dispatched 136 fire and EMS runs, took 33 offense reports and investigated five traffic crashes.

Outside on an unseasonably warm Saturday afternoon, there was golf being played on the Hillsboro Elks course. But inside the Hillsboro Lodge, it was a whole different story as more than 200 area residents gathered for a time of fun and fellowship at the annual Highland District Hospital Foundation Holiday Ball. “It may be 70 degrees outside, but in here, it’s a winter wonderland,” said Foundation Chair Vicki Rhude.

Outside on an unseasonably warm Saturday afternoon, there was golf being played on the Hillsboro Elks course. But inside the Hillsboro Lodge, it was a whole different story as more than 200 area residents gathered for a time of fun and fellowship at the annual Highland District Hospital Foundation Holiday Ball. “It may be 70 degrees outside, but in here, it’s a winter wonderland,” said Foundation Chair Vicki Rhude.

Outside on an unseasonably warm Saturday afternoon, there was golf being played on the Hillsboro Elks course. But inside the Hillsboro Lodge, it was a whole different story as more than 200 area residents gathered for a time of fun and fellowship at the annual Highland District Hospital Foundation Holiday Ball. “It may be 70 degrees outside, but in here, it’s a winter wonderland,” said Foundation Chair Vicki Rhude.

On Friday, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) announced that his Church Plan Clarification Act of 2015 to support the retirement security of our nation’s clergy, church lay workers and their families has passed the Senate.

On Friday, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) released the following statement on Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine’s announcement that his office has concluded its investigation into Planned Parenthood.

The investigation showed that the disposal methods documented by the Planned Parenthood affiliates violate Ohio Administrative Code 3701-47-05, adopted in 1975, which requires that a “fetus shall be disposed of in a humane manner.”

Second District Rep. Brad Wenstrup will be joining Republican Reps. Ken Calvert of California and Mike Pompeo of Kansas as the House plans an investigation and special task force to look at allegations that U.S. Central Command officials pressured analysts to discard parts of their reports that reflected poorly on the war effort in Iraq and Syria.

U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio), co-chair of the Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, announced Wednesday that several of his provisions passed the Senate as part of the Every Child Achieves Act of 2015 and are headed to the President for signature.

On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio), a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, questioned Administration officials about what steps are being taken to strengthen our Visa Waiver Program in light of the terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino.

Highland County Commissioners Shane Wilkin, Jeff Duncan and Tom Horst discussed the county budget for 2016 during their weekly meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 9.

Local law enforcement and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) representatives met with the Highland County Victim/Witness office Monday afternoon to raise awareness for MADD’s annual “Tie One On For Safety” campaign.

On Monday, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) announced that the House has passed the Microbeads Free Waters Act of 2015, legislation that would address plastic microbeads which are found in common household products and are detrimental to wildlife and human health.