2025: The Year in Review, Part 3

The Highland County Press is recapping some of the top stories from 2025. The following is Part 3 of the series.

July

• Kristine Kinnison, 56, of Clarksville woman was sentenced July 2 to 54 months in prison, and ordered to pay $16,130 in restitution and fines, after pleading guilty to three third-degree felony meth trafficking charges in connection with a Highland County Task Force investigation.

• Highland County commissioners voted to implement a new tax assessment on the county’s two hospitals July 2. The vote came a day after House Bill 96 — the legislation for 2026-27 appropriations — took effect, as the bill included a section to create the Rural Ohio Hospital Pilot Program, through which counties can “set the annual rate” for a new assessment on hospitals. The assessment will be used to “cover … the nonfederal share of Medicaid patients that benefit hospitals in the county” and “administrative expenses” and cannot exceed $150,000.

• As reported July 2, for a second consecutive year, Southern State Community College was selected as a winner of Cincy Magazine’s Family Choice Awards in the Best Local Community/Technical College category.
 
• Mayor Justin Harsha July 7 announced a transition in the City of Hillsboro’s Safety and Service Director position, with Brianne Abbott stepping down effective Sept. 12 after serving since 2020, and Shawn Adkins appointed as SSD effective Sept. 15.

• Six Highland County baseball players were selected to the 2025 Prep Baseball Report All-State team, as reported July 7. Those named included Lynchburg-Clay’s Cole Wells, Josiah Burns, Braedon West and Quin Wells; Fairfield’s Zane Matthews and Corbin Willey; and Whiteoak’s Zander Roades. 

• Daniel Miller, 48, of Greenfield, who had been convicted of felonious assault nearly two years prior, was resentenced July 8 to the same five-year prison term following an appellate court order.

• Matthew O. Jones, 37, of Hillsboro was sentenced July 10 to 50 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of rape of a child.

• The 2025 Festival of the Bells took place July 10-12 at the Highland County Fairgrounds, with Christian artist Austin French kicking off the annual concert series; the inaugural “Rock the Bell” night at the Festival of the Bells, sponsored by Hillsboro Eagles 1161, featuring concerts by Journey tribute band CAPTURED Louisville and Queen tribute band Simply Queen; and country music band Ricochet and other artists closing out the 2025 event.

• Kailyn Greer, a 2025 graduate of Hillsboro High School, qualified for the national high school rodeo competition in barrel racing at Rock Springs, Wyo., July 13-19.

• The Board of Directors of Main Street Downtown Greenfield announced the appointment of Kacie Lytle as the organization’s new executive director starting July 14.

• University of Oregon head women's basketball coach Kelly Graves announced former UO guard and Lynchburg-Clay graduate Peyton Scott was named the program's coordinator of player engagement and operations on July 14.

• Michael Certain, 44 of Greenfield was sentenced July 17 to at least nine and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to charges in three different cases, including charges of meth trafficking and having weapons while under disability.

• Hillsboro Mayor Justin Harsha vetoed a revision to the city’s pay ordinance passed by Hillsboro City Council in June, as discussed at council’s July 17 meeting, in what may have been the first mayoral veto in nearly 15 years, according to Highland County Press records.

• Highland County commissioners voted to execute closing documents for $4.574 million in Ohio Building Improvement Limited Tax General Obligation Bonds for a new truck barn at the engineer’s office during their July 23 meeting.

•  Longtime Hillsboro attorney and Hillsboro City Council member Kathryn Hapner announced her candidacy for judge of Highland County Common Pleas Court July 23.

• From a field of 44 runners in the 70-74 age category, Carol Grate, 74, was second place in the 5K race at the National Senior Olympics on July 24. 

• As reported July 29, Ryan Matthews of Leesburg was named director of communications and media relations for Ohio Farm Bureau. 

August

• Adena Health president and CEO Jeff Graham Aug. 7 announced his decision to retire effective Sept. 30. The Board of Trustees unanimously appointed Katherine (Kathi) Edrington, Adena’s chief operating officer, to succeed Graham as president and CEO beginning Oct. 1.

• James Steven Fettro, 62, of Hillsboro was sentenced Aug. 11 to at least six years in prison and ordered to forfeit and/or pay thousands of dollars in currency, property and weapons. Fettro pleaded guilty to a first-degree felony charge of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and two counts of  aggravated trafficking in drugs, one second- and one third-degree felony. A property on Pigeon Roost Road with an appraised value of $259,400; U.S. currency totaling $48,297; and eight different weapons were among the items ordered forfeited, while Fettro was also ordered to pay a $15,000 fine.

• Highland County commissioners voted to approve a real estate purchase, for 212 Hobart Drive, the site of the former Schwan’s facility in Hillsboro, at a cost of $275,000 on Aug. 13. Daniels told The Highland County Press that instead of constructing a new building, the hope is that the existing building on the property can serve as a “maintenance shed and office space,” as well as potentially a site for recycling.

• The first veto of Hillsboro Mayor Justin Harsha’s tenure was ultimately unsuccessful, as Hillsboro City Council overturned the veto on the city’s pay ordinance in a split, somewhat contentious vote Aug. 14.

• On Aug. 17, the Highland County Historical Society inducted Bill and Janet Butler, the late Alvin and Alice Cassner, Mary Muntz, Dayne “Woop Woop” Puckett and the late Virginia Bell into its Hall of Fame.

• Reese Roble and Maguire Ross of the McClain FFA Chapter in Greenfield were national finalists this year in the Environmental Systems category in Division 6 of the competition, while Brenna Wright of the McClain FFA was a national finalist this year for the Fruit & Nut Production Agricultural Proficiency Award, Oct. 29-Nov. 1.

• Lynchburg-Clay senior Joslyn Rockey earned her 1,000th career dig on Aug. 22 in a win over Ripley.

• Almost 15 years in the making, the Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs soccer program hit a historical milestone by gaining a 2-1 win over the host Eastern Lady Warriors on Aug. 25, marking 100 consecutive games without a loss in Southern Hills Athletic Conference play. 

• Abbott Image Solutions, LLC, in collaboration with JobsOhio, Ohio Southeast Economic Development (OhioSE) and Highland County Economic Development, Aug. 27 announced an investment of over $1.3 million to locate in Leesburg, creating 30 new jobs. 

• Greenfield attorney and current Highland County Court Judge John W. Judkins announced his candidacy for judge of Highland County Common Pleas Court Aug. 28. 

•  The 2025 Highland County Fair was held Aug. 31-Sept. 6 at the Highland County Fairgrounds in Hillsboro.

September

• Hillsboro Law Director Randalyn C. Worley announced her resignation effective Sept. 5.

• The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce released the Ohio School Report Cards for the 2024-25 school year Sept. 15, with Highland County districts and individual schools receiving star ratings based on their achievements for the most recent academic year. Overall, Fairfield Local Schools led the way with four and a half stars. Lynchburg-Clay Local Schools earned four stars. Bright Local Schools, Greenfield Exempted Village Schools and Hillsboro City Schools each earned a 3.5-star overall rating. 

• Superintendent Tim Davis highlighted 19 perfect individual state assessment test scores across the district during the Hillsboro City Schools Board of Education’s Sept. 15 meeting, as 18 students from third grade through high school had a perfect score in at least one subject this past spring. At the same meeting, district treasurer Ben Teeters administered the oath of office to Abigail Fryman, who was selected as the student representative to the board for 2025-26.

• Southern State hosted its 50th Anniversary Celebration, marking five decades of academic excellence, community impact and student success, on Sept. 16.

• The Hillsboro Lady Indians tennis team clinched the 2025 Frontier Athletic Conference championship after winning their seventh games in conference play. On Sept. 16, the Lady Indians finished undefeated in FAC competition for the ’25 season. 

• Playing their Volley for a Cause game on Sept. 17, the Fairfield Lady Lions volleyball team honored the Damron family, supporting their daughter, Lani, as she fights a Wilms tumor. During the game, Fairfield junior Remi Moon gained her 500th career kill.

• After more than 50 years, Highland County resident Charles P. "Chuck" Emery was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his service during the Vietnam War. Emery, who was a specialist in the U.S. Army 4th Infantry Division, was honored at the annual military reunion for Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry (mech.), 4th Division in Omaha, Neb. on Sept. 18.

• The Ohio Auditor’s Office announced Sept. 18 that a Highland County employee transferred more than $450,000 to a cybercriminal impersonating a vendor after the county failed to implement safeguards and training to ensure payment redirect requests were legitimate. The incident led to a finding for recovery of $2,500 that was repaid under audit. The report included a second finding for recovery after the county’s payroll clerk failed to remit and file portions of tax payments in fiscal years 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023, leading to $1,100 in late fees and penalties.

• Lynchburg-Clay senior Joslyn Rockey set a new school record in digs Sept. 19 against West Union, surpassing the previous record of 1,166 set by Ashley Ernst in 2021.

• The Hillsboro senior Jack Cornele led the backfield in Week 5, scoring five touchdowns in a 50-14 win over the Ponitz Career Technology Center Golden Panthers Sept. 19

• As reported Sept. 21, the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs boys golf team became back-to-back champions of the Southern Hills Athletic Conference following four days of matches in a span of two weeks. 

• Fairfield junior Alyssa Bales earned her 500th career dig in a loss at Huntington Sept. 22.

• Michael L. Carson, 45, of Hillsboro man was sentenced to three years in prison Sept. 22, after a jury seated in Highland County Common Pleas Court found him guilty of a third-degree felony charge of aggravated possession of methamphetamine.

• In the USA Spirits Ratings competition, which took place in San Francisco in July 2025, Bainbridge’s Paps Hilltop Distillery was voted American Moonshine of the Year, as reported Sept. 24.

• Hillsboro’s Ryan Wagoner recorded her 500th career dig in a game against Chillicothe Sept. 23.

• Grace Allen, a student at Southern State Community College, was one of 220 Phi Theta Kappa members named a 2025 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar, as announced Sept. 24.

• Director Mark Trumbauer of NextEra Energy Resources discussed plans for a new 200-megawatt battery storage facility off of Mad River Road in New Market Township during commissioners’ Sept. 24 meeting.

• Hillsboro junior Tylee Davis hit a career and school-record milestone with her 921st career dig Sept. 25 in a win over Washington.

• Highland County officially launched its participation in the America 250-Ohio commemoration with a community Heritage Tree Planting Ceremony at Liberty Park in Hillsboro on Sept. 26. 

• The annual Edward Lee McClain Day was held Sept. 27 in the high school cafeteria, where 1955 McClain graduate Larry "Rock" Roosa announced a $250,000 bequest following his passing to the Greenfield Exempted Village Schools.

 • The Ohio Department of Development announced Sept. 29 the release of nearly $2.5 million through two state-funded programs that will strengthen infrastructure and support business expansion. Depot Properties, LLC will receive $500,000 to assist in financing the purchase of a 60,000-square-foot building complex at 260 Depot Street in Leesburg in Highland County. 

• Fairfield sophomore Paisley Stahlhut collected her 500th career assist in Fairfield’s win over Paint Valley Sept. 29.

• The McClain Lady Tigers made history Sept. 30 on their home field when they defeated Frontier Athletic Conference foe Miami Trace, 4-1, capturing McClain’s first-ever girls soccer championship.

Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 26 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.