2024: The Year in Review, Part 3

The Highland County Press is recapping some of the top stories from 2024. The following is Part 3 of the series.

July

• Honda presented Weastec, Inc. of Hillsboro with an Excellence In Value Award, as reported July 2.

• One week after hearing a proposal from Highland County Health Commissioner Jared Warner to both condense the Health Department’s two levies into one, and to decrease their tax revenue sought, commissioners voted 3-0 via resolution “to approve the proposed tax levy of replacement with combination and reduction for the Highland County Department of Health for the General Election to be held Nov. 5, 2024” July 3.

• The 2024 Festival of the Bells was held at Crossroads Park in Hillsboro July 4-6, with concerts by Riley Clemmons, Shane Profitt and Tyler Braden, as well as a record-setting car show, among the highlights.

• After unveiling new state-of-the-art pickleball courts at Railroad Park, the Hillsboro Pickleball Association hosted a well-attended pickleball tournament July 4-6.

• Donald J. Jordan II, 32, of Washington Court House pleaded guilty July 9 to aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine in the vicinity of a school zone and was sentenced to three years in prison. The sentence came as Jordan was serving a separate four-year sentence out of Fayette County imposed last year.

• Riley Friend, a 2019 Fairfield graduate, was been selected for an audio/visual production internship at the 2024 Paris Olympics games, as reported July 10.

• At a special board meeting July 10, the Lynchburg-Clay Board of Education hired Ron Sexton as the interim superintendent for 2024-25.  

• Three weeks after the Ohio Power Siting Board ruled that New Market Solar violated minimum setback requirements, Highland County commissioners held a virtual conference with OPSB representatives July 10.

• Bob Krauss, Assistant Professor of Mathematics for Southern State Community College, graduated as a fellow of the newest class of the Ohio Leadership Academy for Student Success, as reported July 11.

• Fifteen ordinances and resolutions considered at the July 11 Hillsboro City Council meeting included council members taking a look at zoning code changes, financial matters and park updates. In addition to reviewing a lengthy list of new legislation, Hillsboro City Council members heard feedback on several already approved items, including waste collection bids, street paving, the city’s DORA and the Marriott Hotel project.

• The Hillsboro City Schools Board of Education voted July 15 to approve the 2024-25 high school/middle school handbook that includes a provision to keep smartphones in locked pouches during the day.

• Highland County commissioners voted July 17 to approve an initial resolution for Highland County Children Services’ third consecutive attempt at passing a tax levy to help offset costs to care for children in the agency’s custody.

• On July 18, Beth Justice, Superintendent of Southern Ohio Educational Service Center (SOESC), was celebrated at the annual Martha Holden Jennings Award Banquet at the Marriott Cleveland East in Warrensville. She was chosen to receive one of the five Superintendent Awards of Excellence from the Jennings Foundation.

• Jamie Herrmann was named Executive Director of the Area Agency on Aging District 7 (AAA7), as reported July 18.

• On July 18, Rossalin Rose Wass, 41, of Lynchburg was arrested and charged with murder after a 61-year-old female resident of Gossett Road was found deceased.

• Ryan O. Coleman, 35, of Greenfield was sentenced July 18 to two and a half years in prison after being convicted at trial of five charges, including two counts of compelling prostitution.

• The annual Edward Lee McClain Day was recognized July 20 in Greenfield.

• Special screenings of the documentary film, "The Lincoln School Story," that tells the story of African American mothers who fought for school integration in 1954 in the town of Hillsboro, were held during the Ohio State Fair July 24-Aug. 4.
• In a split decision, members of the Hillsboro Finance Committee voted July 29 to deny a request from developers of the long-planned Marriott Hotel to extend the length and amount of their tax increment financing (TIF) agreement.

• State Senator Shane Wilkin announced July 31 that Southern State Community College will receive $2,575,000 from the state capital budget process to establish the Information Technology Center of Excellence.

• On July 31, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) celebrated and honored Ohioans for their lifetime achievements in conservation and protection of Ohio's natural resources with a ceremony to recognize Cardinal Award winners. Linda Allen, the SATH Executive Director and KAMP Dovetail Director, was a recipient of the Cardinal Award.

August

• Mad River Local Schools dedicated the Stebbins High School gymnasium in memory of the late Ronald Coleman, a McClain High School graduate and former coach and educator, Aug. 3.

• Rossalin R. Wass, 41, of Lynchburg woman was indicted on four counts, including charges of aggravated murder and murder, during the Aug. 6 Highland County grand jury session.

• Highland County commissioners voted to amend the county’s sewer use rules to add a section on the county’s right to install shutoff valves at property owners’ expense Aug. 7.

• Emma Yochum, of Hillsboro, Ohio, was elected as Region 1 Junior Director of the American Junior Maine-Anjou Association Board of Directors, as announced Aug. 7.

• The third annual Tri-County Battle of the Bands was held Aug. 10 at Crossroads Park near uptown Hillsboro, hosted by the Highland County Visitors Bureau. Vinyl Countdown, representing Clinton County, defended their title and was chosen as the winner.

• Greenfield’s school board met Aug. 12 and recognized three students — Stetson Alexander, Porter Roe and Jayden Lanning — for achieving perfect scores on state tests.

• It was announced Aug. 13 that in the USA Spirits Ratings competition, which took place in San Francisco in July 2024, Pap’s Coffee Moonshine and Pap’s Caramel Apple Pie Moonshine from Pap’s Hilltop Distillery in Bainbridge each won a silver medal.

• The Main Street Downtown Greenfield Board selected Kyle Barr as their executive director, as reported Aug. 14.

• Hillsboro Mayor Justin Harsha announced that longtime local business owners and philanthropists Darrell and Jane Tissot were donating funds to build a ninja course playground at the Railroad Street Park at the Aug. 15 Hillsboro City Council meeting. Also during that meeting — after a year of off-and-on discussion — a proposed ordinance to adjust the salary of the city auditor was voted down by Hillsboro City Council Aug. 15.

• It took only three games in being a varsity program, but history was made for the Whiteoak Wildcats co-ed soccer team, with the current program earning their first varsity victory in boys soccer, defeating the Western Latham Indians, 5-1 in a home match played at Bright Elementary Aug. 19.

• Paige Teeters was hired as the newest ag teacher and Hillsboro Great Oaks FFA adviser at Hillsboro High School, alongside Brian Cummings, as announced by the chapter Aug. 21.

• Former Highland County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Brandon Stratton filed legal action against the Highland County Board of Commissioners, Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins and former Highland County Sheriff Donnie Barrera, citing a federal retaliation statute contained in 18 U.S.C. Code 1962-1964, as reported Aug. 23.

• Kaleigh Easter, 23, of Greenfield was sentenced Aug. 27 to four and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of gross sexual imposition.

• Highland District Hospital was chosen as a host site for a rural road trip hosted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), as announced Aug. 28.

• Highland County Auditor Alex Butler shared statistics and information on the county’s 2024 property tax appraisals during Highland County commissioners’ Aug. 28 meeting. Residential properties in Highland County will see an average 30-percent increase in valuation.

September

• The 2024 Highland County Fair was held Sept. 1 through Sept. 7. Sydney Hamilton was presented the Bob Shanks Outstanding Youth Scholarship Award. Emma Yochum won the Showman of Showmen Contest. Kathryn Cluff and Alexis West received the Outstanding Junior Leader Award. Kenley Juillerat received the Ivor Jones Outstanding Citizenship Award.

• Richard Mizer, MD, retired Sept. 1 from his longtime practice in Greenfield and surrounding areas.

• On Sept. 5, National Grid Renewables announced the start of onsite construction at its Dodson Creek Solar Project (Dodson Creek) in Highland County.

• Ashland University esports welcomed its third head coach, Lynchburg-Clay graduate Phillip “PJ” Fiscus, on Sept. 9.

• Two U.S. Army veterans from Highland County in Rep. Brad Wenstrup and Gerold (Buzzard) W. Wilkin were named to the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2024, as announced Sept. 9.

• The City of Hillsboro issued a Phase II Water Emergency Sept. 10 due to ongoing drought, with the order continuing for nearly three months.

• McClain volleyball seniors Katie Cook and Kylea Toney were recognized for impressive milestones for their careers Sept. 10 in a loss to Miami Trace. Cook was honored after registering her 500th dig in a tri-match at Unioto the previous week. Toney broke the school kills record against the Lady Panthers when she recorded her 643rd career kill in the second game of the match.

• The Ohio Department of Development issued an “order establishing service payment for tax year 2024” for an area solar project, as the county should be collecting the initial PILOT payment for New Market Solar I in spring 2025, approximately two years after the county issued its first invoice. The news was discussed at the Sept. 11 Highland County commission meeting.

• Two days after issuing a Phase II Water Emergency citywide, Hillsboro Safety and Service Director Brianne Abbott addressed concerns about the city’s water reserves — which she said were at approximately an 80-day supply — during the Sept. 12 Hillsboro City Council meeting.

• McClain volleyball senior Anna Eikenberry recorded the 500th kill of her high school career in a loss to Chillicothe Sept. 12.

• The Ohio Department of Education and Workplace Sept. 13 released the Ohio School Report Cards for the 2023-24 school year, with Highland County districts and individual schools graded on their achievements for the most recent academic year.

•  On Sept. 13, several local FFA members took high honors at the Eastern States Exposition, better known as the Big E. Those included the McClain FFA team of Brooklyn Baldwin, Addison Goddard, Avery Murphy, Reese Roble, Maguire Ross, Olivia Stegbauer and Toree Wareikis (Agricultural Issues, first place) and Hillsboro Great Oaks FFA members Carter Boyd (Prepared Speaking, first place) and Corbin Winkle (Employment Skills, second place).

• Fairfield Lady Lion senior Jobey Hattan collected her 1,000th career dig in a loss to North Adams Sept. 13.

• The Main Street Greenfield 225th Celebration was held Sept. 14 at Mitchell Park.

• With a crowd of concerned parents and students among those in attendance at the Sept. 16 Hillsboro City Schools board meeting, district superintendent Tim Davis addressed an alleged social media threat — as well as rumors and backlash also posted on social media — in his report. Treasurer Ben Teeters also administered the oath of office to the school board’s 2024-25 student representative, Madison Dearmon.

• The Hillsboro VFW Post 9094 made a $5,000 donation to the Highland County Historical Society Sept. 18 as one of the first contributions toward a new endowment fund being established by the Society.

• Alex Roman Nguyen, 29, a California man indicted federally in 2022 after being apprehended in Texas with a juvenile from Hillsboro, was sentenced Sept. 18 to 11 years in prison.

• The Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs boys golf team completed their goal of hoisting the 2024 Southern Hills Athletic Conference championship trophy on Sept, 19, winning their first conference title since 2012 and second in school history.

• At the September Lynchburg-Clay Schools board meeting, the board recognized five students for earning perfect scores on the state tests, as announced Sept. 20. Those five students are: Jack Bennett, Owen Faust, Riley Markey, Tony Mullen and Jonah Turner.

• On Sept. 23, the Paint Creek Joint EMS/Fire District announced that former fiscal officer James Barrett has been charged with misdemeanor counts of dereliction of duty misuse of a credit card and withholding taxes from qualifying wages.

• Lori K. Greene, 48, of Seaman was sentenced Sept. 25 to three years of community control, plus three months in jail, after pleading guilty in August to theft of nearly $420,000 from a Highland County business owner.

• Rossalin R. Wass, 41, a suspect accused of murdering a Lynchburg woman in July, was found not competent to stand trial at the present time, with the case being placed on the inactive docket Sept. 25 in Highland County Common Pleas Court while she undergoes “a period of restoration,” according to Judge Rocky Coss.

• Commissioners declared a state of emergency in Highland County due to the ongoing drought Sept. 25.

• Greenfield City Manager Todd Wilkin announced his resignation, effective Oct. 15, according to a letter addressed to the Greenfield community posted Sept. 26. Wilkin’s resignation came after more than six years with the village.

• Ohio Governor Mike DeWine reappointed Rachel D. Cummings of Seaman and Jeffrey D. Newman of West Union, both Adams County representatives, to the Southern State Community College Board of Trustees Sept. 27.

• Rufus L. Brummett, 50, of Seaman was sentenced to life in prison without parole Sept. 30, after a jury seated in Highland County Common Pleas Court found him guilty of three first-degree felony counts of rape, including one count with a specification the victim was under the age of 10. It took the jury less than 45 minutes to find Brummett guilty of all three counts. In addition to the sentence of life without parole imposed by Judge Rocky Coss, Brummett was sentenced to two additional consecutive terms of 10 years to life in prison.

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