That’s more than half a million dollars of appraised value on just seven recently condemned properties in less than half of a city block. There are other condemned properties around town, too. On June 7, I asked the county auditor how this process might work with so many condemned properties.

That’s more than half a million dollars of appraised value on just seven recently condemned properties in less than half of a city block. There are other condemned properties around town, too. On June 7, I asked the county auditor how this process might work with so many condemned properties.

After more than two weeks since an initial public records request submitted to the city of Hillsboro, the city has responded. Thank you. The fact that it took the city 15 days to find one and only one record remotely related to the records requests speaks volumes. The city did not produce more than one record of all building and/or property inspections conducted on any and all such buildings and/or properties owned, rented, leased or shared by any member of Hillsboro City Council or members of the city administration.

No taxpaying citizen deserves to be called “stupid” by a mayor whose salary is paid by the taxpayers. In the private sector, try calling your boss “stupid” and see where it gets you. What passes for the Republican mayor of Hillsboro who calls citizens “stupid,” is very similar to Hillary Clinton’s “basket of deplorables” comment a few years ago. The GOP must be so proud. Stupid. Deplorable. Whatever. You work for us. You are paid by us. And the only thing you need to say to us is “thank you.”

More often than not, it is reasonable to believe that when a small-town politician receives $23,000 from three power-players on the same day – March 2, 2018 – that politician will follow his marching orders. As such, some Ohio Republicans appear ready to reconsider left-wing Congresswoman AOC’s Green New Deal. Get on board, already, C-Bus. As always, follow the money: https://www6.sos.state.oh.us/ords/f?p=CFDISCLOSURE:45:203331229730678::….

How about that. The same former governor just two years ago warned Ohio lawmakers that Ohio is “on the verge of a recession.” Meanwhile, he can ride off into the New Hampshire primary with 2020 vision, knowing that he left DeWine with a considerable “Rainy Day Fund,” Ohio counties and townships with considerable cuts in local government funding and the state of Ohio as home to the country’s worst oversight of charter schools. Cha-ching.

"During World War II, American soldiers from every city and walk of life rolled through North Platte on troop trains en route to their ultimate destinations in Europe and the Pacific. This small town, wanting to offer the servicemen warmth and support, transformed its modest railroad depot into the North Platte Canteen. Every day of the year, every day of the war, the Canteen – staffed and funded entirely by local volunteers – was open from 5 a.m. until the last troop train of the day pulled away after midnight."

“In this country, the PC culture is continuing to fuel conflict where none should exist and in places where common sense prevails,” Mr. McBride told the DDN. “As a person of Irish heritage and with a name of Patrick McBride, I could take offense of Notre Dame’s mascot, the ‘Fighting Irish.’ I don’t, because I have better things to do with my time.” Leave it to an Irish Mick (can this Irishman call another Irishman a “Mick?”) to make sense of all this nonsense. Surely, all school boards, administrators and faculty have far more important issues than whether the Warriors should be called the non-Warriors.

From a personal perspective, Dave Hilliard and Stew Gardner are a great team. They may be at their best in the fourth quarter of an already-delayed game when penalty flags outnumber players. And leave it to Dave to make observations like this one when they announced the Reds’ score against the Miami Marlins, and Dave noted: “I bet there aren’t more than 10 people at that game.”

From a personal perspective, Dave Hilliard and Stew Gardner are a great team. They may be at their best in the fourth quarter of an already-delayed game when penalty flags outnumber players. And leave it to Dave to make observations like this one when they announced the Reds’ score against the Miami Marlins, and Dave noted: “I bet there aren’t more than 10 people at that game.”

For some of us, the month of September and the Highland County Fair are almost synonymous with the end of summer. For those of us who are baseball fans – especially fans of the Cincinnati Reds – the end of summer means the end of warm summer nights, sitting back on the deck, watching the stars appear one by one after dusk, and listening to the Reds’ broadcast from Hall of Famer Marty Brennaman and his on-air partner, former Major League pitcher Jeff “The Cowboy” Brantley.

As the nation celebrates its 242nd birthday, and as the city of Hillsboro celebrates its annual Festival of the Bells, there is cause for just a bit more celebration this week. On July 3, Hillsboro City Council member and council president pro tempore Justin Harsha informed me of his decision to run for mayor of Hillsboro in 2019.

For the past decade, I’ve seen Shane Wilkin on more Wednesday mornings than I care to – or probably can – remember. From my perspective – with absolutely no entangling alliances – Shane has been a hard-working county commissioner. As president of the Board of Commissioners since 2009, he has been forged in fiscal fire on many occasions.

On Memorial Day, Judy McCray has often read “The Symbols for the Folds of the Flag” at the Highland County Courthouse ceremony. The first three folds are as follows: “The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life; the second fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life; and the third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks, and who gave a portion of his or her life for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.” On Memorial Day 2018, let us not forget that third fold.

On Memorial Day, Judy McCray has often read “The Symbols for the Folds of the Flag” at the Highland County Courthouse ceremony. The first three folds are as follows: “The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life; the second fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life; and the third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks, and who gave a portion of his or her life for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.” On Memorial Day 2018, let us not forget that third fold.