HCP notes: A new columnist, dubious legislation, and a few great men

Yes, this weekend, The Highland County Press introduced a new columnist as well as a giant in higher education, particularly in the realm of journalism.

For those of you who noticed, thank you.

Dr. Guido H. Stempel III has graciously agreed to allow us to publish his weekly newspaper columns. He is a distinguished professor emeritus of journalism at Ohio University.

Professor Stempel has a Ph.D. in mass communication from the University of Wisconsin and a master's in journalism from Indiana University.

Since I began interviewing and hiring reporters 20 years ago, some of the best were graduates of Ohio University and the Scripps Howard School of Journalism. That is a testament to Professor Stempel and others in his department.

The professor has been writing for The Athens Messenger for a quarter of a century, and many of his columns will be related to events at Ohio University and Athens County.

I assured him that that’s OK. Highland County has many academic connections to Ohio University. (By the way, my sister and one of the trustees of Cameco Communications, LLC are both OU grads.)

More importantly, with the professor’s contributions, we all will be striving to be better writers and reporters, knowing that the bar has just been raised – considerably.

In his first HCP column, Guido writes: “The First Amendment is needed because free expression on any issue offends some people. The First Amendment gives me the right to write this column even if it offends you.”

Indeed.

Welcome, Professor Stempel, and our thanks to Monica Nieporte, publisher of The Athens Messenger. (I like to think former Messenger Publisher Fred Weber II will be smiling on all of us. He was a good friend and trusted adviser to many of us in this business.)

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Speaking of professors…

A few HCP readers have asked why we have not re-published the final column by former Highland County Press columnist Professor Bill Horne. We will.

Bill’s column, “Be thankful for our greatest gift,” written on the day before his death in 2010, will be published online on Christmas Eve.

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Fiscal Integrity Act more style than substance

This week, Ohio Auditor Dave Yost discussed the state’s Fiscal Integrity Act (House Bill 10), which has passed the House of Representatives.

“This bill will make Ohio a better place – with better skills, better accountability, better integrity for our public finances,” Auditor Yost said.

Mr. Yost then goes on to tout a few of the bill’s highlights, which is all well and fine.

Sadly, at no point does the state auditor mention fiscal officers and public entities which receive tens of thousands of dollars – anonymously.

Earlier this year, when I asked the state auditor’s office to address this potential for questionable actions within government offices, the response was that that’s not something the state auditor does – unless the matter turns up in an annual audit. (One can only hope!)

Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley told me last week that he cannot envision a situation where a check to his office would not be a matter of public record.

In the city of Hillsboro, such checks, apparently, are secrets.

Until the state auditor makes a public statement either for or against public offices receiving tens of thousands of dollars anonymously and refusing to disclose the (perhaps) benevolent donor, his support for the Fiscal Integrity Act is about as worthless as the new Republican majority in the U.S. Congress.

Meanwhile, keep talking about your alleged integrity and transparency. It’s funnier than Second City TV.

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A few great men

• Since the first of this month, three great leaders in their respective communities have left us.

George L. Greer died Monday, Dec. 8, 2014 at Highland District Hospital.

Mr. Greer had served for 32 years as an education administrator. He had been the superintendent of the Leesburg-Fairfield Schools, the East Clinton Schools and also was Highland County Superintendent of Schools.

My only real memories of Mr. Greer (he was always “Mr. Greer”) are from around 1970.

When I was working for my late father’s surveying company, which had an office above the old Lord’s Department Store at 106 1/2 North High Street, I would see Mr. Greer occasionally. The county education department offices were next door to Ryan Surveying and Mapping.

Mr. Greer knew that I loved baseball, but he would offer this advice: “Get an education, work hard and save your money.”

His words were very similar to my own father’s advice. (Granted, I was not then, nor have I ever been, the best of listeners.) Still, after 44 years, I can’t think of better advice to today’s young people. Education. Work. Save.

Over the many years that he has been the president of the Highland County Board of Commissioners, I can recall only one time in which Shane Wilkin spoke on behalf of the entire board. That was on Wednesday, Dec. 10 when he offered condolences and prayers to the Greer family.

In addition to his many years of community service, the lasting legacy of George Greer is his wonderful family.

Godspeed.

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• Starley Gustin lived a full and productive life for 95 years, most of them in Adams County.

Mr. Gustin died on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014 at Mercy Hospital Anderson near Cincinnati.

He was born in Peebles on Dec. 7, 1919, the son of the late Thomas and Della (Storer) Gustin.

When I read that Mr. Gustin died on his birthday, I immediately thought of something another longtime Adams County resident, Joe Himes of Manchester, told me when I was in his English class at Whiteoak High School.

As we get along in years, we have an innate tendency to hang on for that next birthday. I don’t know if Joe’s observation was based in fact, but I have witnessed this many times.

If, in fact, Mr. Gustin were hanging on to make it to Dec. 7, I am glad he did.

He was an Army veteran of World War II, a member of the Adams County Republican Club and a charter member of the Louisville Grange.

During the years that I covered the November elections in Adams County, seeing Mr. Gustin was always a treat. His son, Dennis, and all of the family have my best wishes during this time.

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I can’t remember meeting Burton McFarland, but more than likely, I did. Probably when I was very young and when we shopped at Butch Gordley’s IGA in Peebles or when I had my very first passbook savings account at the Peebles bank.

Burton McFarland was 97 when he died at the Ohio Veterans Home in Georgetown.

He was born in Peebles on July 21, 1917, the son of the late Ernest and Grace (Taylor) McFarland.

He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, and he was the owner and operator of the McFarland Ford and Mercury dealership in Peebles for 43 years.

My friend, John Condon, grew up in Peebles and remembers Burton McFarland for being a man of great generosity to his community.

One of the things that John said to me recently was that men like Mr. McFarland ought to be remembered by the younger generations for the good things that they did.

I agree.

One more thing, Burton McFarland’s brother is Ernest McFarland, with whom I was honored to serve on the Southern State Community College Board of Trustees.

There is not a finer gentleman than Ernie McFarland. I suspect the same can be said of his older brother.

Three great men. Each served his country during times of war. Two Army veterans and one Navy veteran. Two from World War II and one from the Forgotten War in Korea.

Is it any wonder that we refer to such men who came of age more than 60 years ago as part of our Greatest Generation? Their service to their communities and to our nation must not be forgotten.

Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press.