The Xavier Musketeers advanced to the second round of NCAA Tournament play Friday afternoon as they defeated No. 11 seeded Minnesota 65-54.

Bowl for Kids' Sake, sponsored by Big Brothers/Big Sisters Association, is held from March to May each year. The Community Day Bowlers participate on special days during March, April and May. There are five Community Day events; one in Chillicothe, Circleville, Washington Court House, Portsmouth and in Hillsboro.

The signs are all around us that spring is – officially – here.
    Sports fans know the true signs of spring: baseball spring training and the college basketball tournament. I’m not sure that this is an official sign of spring, but daylight saving time has arrived as well.

(Continued from last week.)
    The big night of the 1972 football season turned out to be Oct. 27, the last playing date of the season. On that night, Miami Trace traveled to Circleville to challenge the league leaders. If Circleville won, they were the outright SCOL champions. If the Panthers could prevail, the race would end in a tie.

Hi, my name is Stephen, and I have a basketball problem.
    Since November, basketball has been a part of my life, and with the high school season over in Highland County, I can't seem to kick the habit.

Annual Spring Flea Market
    The Highland County Senior Center will hold its annual Spring Flea Market on Saturday, March 27 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. All kinds of items will be on sale, including antiques and collectibles, clothes, books, tools, toys, jewelry, glassware, decorations, house wares, seasonal items and more.  A delicious highlight will be our handmade Easter candy, back this year by popular demand. Lunch will be available 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., featuring our famous steak sandwiches, assorted soups, salads and sides and homemade desserts. Call the center at 393-4745 for information.

The prestigious American Diabetes Association Education Recognition Certificate for a quality diabetes self-management education program was recently awarded to the Diabetes & You program of Highland District Hospital. ADA believes that this program offers high-quality education that is an essential component of effective diabetes treatment.

With an unemployment rate that exceeds 19 percent, the people of Highland County are facing trying times. Area individuals and families are coping with massive job loss, area government is functioning on diminished dollars, and everyone is trying to do more with less. According to Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward, his office is no exception. A review of the department's 2009 year to date statistics shows the crime that most often resulted in criminal arrest was domestic violence, with 118 incidents. The second highest was theft, with 57 incidents, followed by assault at 50 incidents.