Vacation, politics and a call from Ratchethead Ledbottom

Taking a vacation is a little like not receiving The Highland County Press: Miss a week, miss a lot.

(After all, our newspaper reaches almost five times the number of homes as the Philadelphia-owned publication. They know it and we know it.)

There was just a bit of news last week that I, indeed, missed out on. But thanks to the capable HCP staff, you did not miss out on it. You received your all-local, weekly newspaper right on time – as if the publisher was neither necessity, nor missed.

Truth be told, that's like we like it.

For all of you who contributed to Highland County's only locally owned and operated newspaper in my weeklong absence, please accept my humble and sincere thanks. We couldn't do it without you.

This week's special words of praise and appreciation are extended to Nelson Thompson and Greg Grant, both of whom provided coverage of special events in the community.

Nelson provided a news photo of former Ohio first lady Frances Strickland at the annual Highland County Democratic Party picnic.

Greg offered a news story and several photos of an emergency medical training session with Miami Valley Hospital at the Hillsboro Fire Station on Aug. 11.

Thanks, Nelson and Greg.

* * *

After a week at the Southern Outer Banks in North Carolina, one of the first things I heard upon returning to The HCP this weekend was that the former Hillsboro fire station on High Street has been offered by the mayor of Hillsboro as a possible location for Liberty Township to house its Paint Creek Joint EMS/Fire District substation.

(And no, the irony was not lost on your local newspaperman.)

Fire Chief Bradley George confirmed that the mayor had offered the former Hillsboro fire station to the Paint Creek board, but the board hadn't made a decision. Chief George said there were a few other locations under consideration as well.

That's good.

Because whenever public officials enter into such "public-private" partnerships, taxpayers are right to be somewhat wary. The mayor already has one such lease agreement with a public entity in uptown Hillsboro. Maybe one more is acceptable. Maybe two or three more is OK.

But at some point, taxpayers may begin to question how much of their hard-earned dollars are distributed and then redistributed to a public official.

Of course, if the mayor is willing to house in his properties public entities such as the Adult Parole Authority and the Paint Creek Joint EMS/Fire District at no cost to taxpayers, well, God bless him.

However, Highland County and other counties across the state – and nation – have witnessed what can happen when public officials commingle their respective energies.

(I might ask the mayor about such matters, but I'm fortunate enough that he is one of at least two people – the other is his admitted personal admirer – in the uptown block who have nothing to say to me. I sure hope their condition is permanent.)

Surely, the Paint Creek EMS/Fire District board will think this one through before making any hasty decisions.

* * *

On a much more pleasant and palatable note, did I tell you about the sweet corn we had last week?

Our longtime neighbors, Roger and Robin Thatcher, are also among those enviable souls who raise a great vegetable garden each and every year, no matter the climatic conditions.

Their son, Matt, stopped by a week or two ago with a dozen ears of the best-tasting sweet corn we've had in a long time. Unlike a lot of the store-bought corn, these ears were tender, sweet and so delicious. We devoured them in no time.

Roger always has an impressive garden, but this time I think he was almost bragging. That sweet corn was absolutely delicious. Maybe if he reads this, we'll get another half-dozen ears. I sure hope so.

If not, we will always be blessed to have such great neighbors. We have watched Roger and Robin's children grow up as they have watched our children grow up. There are no better people in this world than our kind and considerate neighbors.

(The only downside for them is that they have to live near me!)

Thanks, Roger. And anytime you want to sell an extra dozen ears of sweet corn, just call!

* * *

As if things weren't hectic enough trying to return to my own private business that I guess I didn't build, Ratchethead Ledbottom was tying up my landline Saturday morning as I was attempting to watch CNN – no, I don't always watch FOX News – regarding the inevitable selection of a Ryan to round out the hottest ticket in town.

"You knew it was gonna be Ryan," Ratchethead's voice bellowed through my receiver. "All that talk about Portman, but you knew it was Ryan, didn't ya? You guys are probably second cousins."

Still nursing a first cup of coffee a little after 8 a.m. and after driving non-stop for the previous 12 hours, I asked the caller: Who is this, anyway?

"You know darned well who it is," Ratchethead replied. "What I want to know is this: Is the world ready for a Ryan in the White House?"

The vote is to decide the next president, I said, still trying to grasp the enormity of a Saturday morning call from a friend whose internal clock knows no limitations. Besides, Ratch, the president and his family occupy the White House. I believe the vice president and his family live at the U.S. Naval Observatory in northwest Washington, D.C.

By the way, Ratch, one of my favorite writers, most likely P.J. O'Rourke or Hunter Thompson, once described northwest Washington, D.C. as "that rich place with all the cops and no crime."

"Sure, go ahead and change the subject," RH replied. "But you kept telling all of us about Rob Portman when you had to know it was gonna be your cousin."

Lord knows, I've come to deal with mornings like this. But that doesn't mean I have to enjoy them.

My response was as direct as my latest hit of caffeine.

"Listen, Ratch, I had no idea that Mitt Romney would name Paul Ryan as his running mate. Yes, I had, in fact, played around with the notion of writing a 'Ryan as VP' column, just as Mike Royko may have done in 1972 if Nixon had a Congressman Royko under consideration as his running mate. But the fact of the matter is this: I firmly believe that Romney needs to carry Ohio and that Sen. Portman is his best chance to carry the Buckeye State and its 18 electoral votes."

"Then you don't support the Republicans?" Ratchethead asked.

"I don't support the current inhabitant of the White House based on his many actions that were contrary to his campaign promises. But before I can commit to saying I support Romney, he's going to have to earn it. He's got just a little more than two months."

Rory Ryan is publisher of The Highland County Press.