When Hillsboro voters, the people for whom the city is supposed to be organized, were asked the question, they voted by 59% in favor to 41% opposed to have wards drawn within 5% of the ideal population for a ward which is just the 2010 census population of the city divided by four.

By identifying government as the problem, and never the solution, Ronald Reagan gave Americans something to pound on like a pinata instead of accepting  responsibilities of citizenship.

National Assisted Living Week (NALW) will take place Sept. 11-17, and will feature the theme “Forever Proud.” On Friday, Sept. 16, we welcome Hillsboro Mayor Dick Zink, who will be honoring the Highland House residence for National Assisted Living Week.

While the Highland County Chamber of Commerce and the Ohio Chamber of Commerce are affiliated and have a close working relationship in order to keep our local business community members educated and informed on legislative issues, the Ohio Chamber does not speak for our local Chamber.

Unless we the people go beyond what the right wing noise machine and its partners in the corporate media pump out practically 24/7 and seek the whole truth we are in danger of making the United States into one big version of Texas. WHAT THEN?

Why resort to removing legislative members from committees? Why deny us the right to testify on the bill? Why try to split the referendum into pieces on the ballot, and attempt to confuse voters by ignoring our constitution on whether this should be a yes or a no vote?

On Aug. 24, the Highland County Community Action Organization, Inc. will be holding our annual golf outing at Buckeye Hills Country Club with all proceeds going back to the organization to help support the numerous individuals and families we serve. HCCAO, Inc. is seeking your assistance in helping make this golf outing a success. You can help in several ways.

SB5 must be repealed in its entirety now. That is the only compromise that is acceptable. If not this, the voters will end SB5 in November.

Will 2011 be the first year a Hillsboro city council draws new council wards based on the latest census on time in the history of the city?

I agree with Mr. Rory Ryan regarding "Let's stop spending money that isn't there."

I have always had a special place in my heart for Greenfield and Edward Lee McClain High School. I believe every young person that attended this school has a great love and respect for it. We were fortunate to have had that privilege and honor. There is not another school in the country that can compare to it. I am concerned: if Greenfield continues this "downslide," what will happen with our beloved Edward Lee McClain High School in the future?

Why is it then that right-wingers want to have an amendment to the Constitution that requires that the government not be able to borrow money in an emergency? Shouldn't the government have the ability to fix things so that it can keep on working just like we do?

Yes, Mr. Turner, celebrating our Independence Day is all well and good. However, if only we could also celebrate the end of separation of church and state for good and let God rebuild our nation and return it to the dreams of our Founding Fathers.

The Losey family is once again setting up a booth at the Greene Countrie Towne Festival for the Hannah Losey Memorial Scholarship.

Mayor Zink has served our city for 27 years of his life, and if only 1 percent of our population would continually step up as he did, this would be a far better community. 

Thank you, Mr. Zink, for your years of committed service and your support for SWAP. I have learned from your example and hope that someday I might also be an encouragement to youths and young idealists as you were to me.