Since 1981, no Republican Senator has joined the Senate Finance Committee more quickly than Portman. In addition, Portman announced that Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), the incoming Senate Minority Whip, has asked him to continue serving on the Whip team as a Deputy Whip.

Greenfield Village Council voted Wednesday to name Highland County Court/Madison Township court administrator Ron Coffey as the successor to retiring city manager Betty Bishop.

WILMINGTON – Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATSG) today announced the election to its Board of Directors of Richard Baudouin, an experienced aircraft leasing executive who co-founded Aviation Capital Group (ACG), a global leader in aircraft leasing and finance.

The first-ever agriculture-related event – "Agriculture is Everyone's Business" – hosted by the Highland County Chamber of Commerce will be held 9 a.m. Friday, Jan. 18 at the Southern State Community College Patriot Center. Featured speakers will be Orion Samuelson of RFD-TV and WGN Radio in Chicago, and Ohio Director of Agriculture and former Highland County Commissioner David Daniels. Tickets are $5.

The first-ever agriculture-related event – "Agriculture is Everyone's Business" – hosted by the Highland County Chamber of Commerce will be held 9 a.m. Friday, Jan. 18 at the Southern State Community College Patriot Center. Featured speakers will be Orion Samuelson of RFD-TV and WGN Radio in Chicago, and Ohio Director of Agriculture and former Highland County Commissioner David Daniels. Tickets are $5.

"I am calling on President Obama to withdraw his recent executive order raising federal salaries – including for members of Congress. Until a long-term deficit reduction agreement is reached, we should not consider increasing the pay for Congress.” – Sen. Rob Portman

Ohio's white-tailed deer muzzleloader hunting season will open statewide Jan. 5-8, 2013, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

In response to requests for information relative to planning school safety initiatives, Ohio Homeland Security has partnered with the Ohio Department of Education to assemble informational resources from a variety of reliable sources and is providing them to Ohio’s school administrators and the law enforcement community.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich has appointed Judge Judith L. French from the 10th District Court of Appeals, to the Ohio Supreme Court.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson has announced she is stepping down from her position in early 2013. Jackson was facing scrutiny for the recent revelation of her secondary e-mail account, under the pseudonym “Richard Windsor,” which she said was the name of her dog and her house.

Ohio’s minimum wage is scheduled to increase on Jan. 1, 2013 to $7.85 per hour for non-tipped employees and to $3.93 per hour for tipped employees, plus tips. The 2012 Ohio minimum wage is $7.70 per hour for non-tipped employees and $3.85 for tipped employees, plus tips.

The Fourth Appellate District Court has affirmed a judgment against Wesley Coonrod, a Greenfield man serving 20 years in prison on involuntary manslaughter charges in connection with the deaths of his two young sons.

Highland County Republican county officeholders and State Rep. Cliff Rosenberger had their swearing-in ceremony Friday afternoon at the Hi-TEC Center in Hillsboro. Highland County Republican Party chair Kay Ayres and the local GOP hosted the event.

Airborne Maintenance and Engineering Services, Inc. (AMES) and the Clinton County Port Authority have completed the necessary arrangements to proceed with the financing and construction of a new hangar facility at the Wilmington Air Park.

Crews from the Ohio Department of Transportation – District 9 will continue to patrol and treat the state highway system during the evening and late-night hours as a winter storm progresses through the state.