It is encouraging to see Democrat mayors and their erstwhile supporters beginning to wake up. Sanctuary cities were never the friend of the legitimate U.S. residents living there. They are nothing more than feigned wokeness to play to a political base.

As of last week, a total of 50 members of Congress, including seven members of the U.S. Senate and 43 members of the U.S. House, have announced they would not seek re-election this year.

One thing, though, is becoming clear: Many of those volunteers and businesses are not pleased with the city's lack of transparency on the Shaffer Park decision. To the best of my knowledge, this issue has not been discussed in open session with members of Hillsboro City Council. The mayor never formally announced Gregory's hiring at a council meeting. Why not? For a new $58,000 city position, shouldn't city council – and the city's residents and taxpayers – be informed?

With such a crowded field for Ohio's Second Congressional race to succeed U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup, it came as no surprise whatsoever that a candidate today tossed his support to another. In fact, I predicted as much in December 2023.

Have you heard that there's a March primary election to see who will succeed current Rep. Brad Wenstrup in Ohio's Second Congressional District? If you are blissfully unaware of this political circus, count yourself among the fortunate ones.

Fauci did not need a mask or a vaccine during COVID-19. He needed a muzzle. Sadly, aside from Fauci's admissions of misinformation, he will not be held accountable for any of it. Good riddance.

The 2024 primary may very well resemble a 1993 congressional race between former Republican congressmen Bob McEwen and Rob Portman. McEwen won four of the five counties in the district – Adams, Brown, Clermont and Warren. In Adams, once part of his district, he received 77 percent of the vote, 67 points ahead of Portman. Portman won only Hamilton County, but by a large enough margin to win the primary with 17,531 votes.

Now here at The Rock, there are two rules and only two rules. Rule No. 1: Obey all rules. Rule No. 2: There will be no writing on the walls. OK. This is not the Mayberry Jail. But here at The HCP, there is one rule: HCP Karma never fails.

Today's Word of the Day is groma. I was happily ignorant of the word until my son – who is a schoolteacher – said to me (paraphrasing): "You used to be a surveyor, do you know what this is?" Colin had drawn a rudimentary picture of a groma.

I first met Brad Wenstrup in 2012, along with his former staff member Brian Shrive, who is now an attorney with the Clermont County Prosecutor's Office. I enjoyed speaking with both men. In our first meeting, Dr. Wenstrup talked about the core values associated with leadership, saying, "The Army has an acronym for 'leadership:' Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity and Personal Courage (LDRSHIP)."

The day before Halloween 2023 was a Monday. It was a real Monday all the way around.

This has been an impressive week for Whiteoak High School. Longtime baseball coach Chris Veidt was selected to the 2024 class of the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and cross-country runner Landen Eyre won the Southeast District Division III Cross Country Championships at the University of Rio Grande for the second straight year.

Throughout Thursday, Oct. 12 and Friday, Oct. 13, almost every national news report included something about avoiding crowds on Oct. 13. I try avoid crowds every day, so it's an easy assignment for me. Except on Friday the 13th.

I have had AEP service for more than four decades at my home and business. I am not upset with my AEP billing or service. Had I discarded what at first glance I thought was junk mail, I would have unwittingly changed billing services. No thanks. I'll keep my billing – and more importantly my customer service – with AEP Ohio.

There's a right way and a wrong way to enter foreign countries. Some are more tolerant than others. I suspect if U.S. News and World surveyed the estimated 10 to 20 million illegals in the U.S., they would agree, this is the greatest nation on earth. Let's act like it – and let's be grateful that it is. If we can keep it.