The weather may still be rainy and cold, but the Festival of the Bells committee is in full swing preparing for hot summer nights of music, food and family fun in the streets of downtown Hillsboro.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine testified last week before the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee regarding the astronomical amount of U.S. taxpayer dollars going to pay for attorney fees to defend Fannie Mae and its former executives. At least $132 million has been spent by taxpayers on legal fees in the case so far, and the tab keeps rising.

An employee was overpaid and held two positions at the same time in the village of Richwood according to the results of an audit released by Auditor of State Dave Yost.

Congressman Mike Turner questioned Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Norman Schwartz on the future of the Expeditionary Combat Support System (ECSS) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The ECSS program has been undergoing a Critical Change Report (CCR) process which has extended beyond the originally forecasted completion date and is threatening the program's funding.

The board of the Highland County Convention and Visitor's Bureau has voted to pay a portion of a bill for advertising with a Highland County publication, but is withholding payment on the entire bill until further documentation is presented.

An Adams County law enforcement officer is recovering from injuries sustained after two suspects attacked the officer in West Union.

New legislation proposed to the Hillsboro City Council, seeking to lessen the amount of water flow to the wastewater treatment plant, could possibly prevent the sale of real estate in some situations.

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), former director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and a member of the Senate Budget Committee, along with Ohio Sen. David Daniels and Rep. Cliff Rosenberger, expressed concerns this week over the lack of funding for critical projects provided in President Obama’s budget proposal, such as the American Centrifuge Project in Piketon.

Former Ohio State University and Miami Trace High School quarterback Art Schlichter has been charged with allegedly stealing $1 million from the widow of a former restaurant chairman and chief executive.

Fifty-eight counties saw decreases in the number of year-over-year foreclosures compared to the 30 counties who experienced an increase in 2010. Highland County had a 19-percent decrease in foreclosures from 381 in 2009 to 307 in 2010. Madison County, with 201 foreclosures, reported the sharpest decline from the prior year with 26 percent fewer foreclosures. On the other end of the spectrum, Noble County reported a 294-percent increase in the number of foreclosures from 32 in 2009 to 126 in 2010.

"You can't do the job we do without the dedicated staff that we have," Ward said. "Everyone from the civil division to the communications divisions that disseminates the calls to the patrol, and the bigger crimes that get investigated by the detectives, and the jail divisions. Everyone works hard." – Sheriff Ron Ward

A Humanitarian Award presented to VFW Post 9094, Hillsboro, on Friday, Feb. 11 in recognition of and sincere appreciation for their charitable contribution to the community, homeless veterans, and military assistance to support active duty troops and their families.

The Ohio Livestock Coalition (OLC) will host its Annual Meeting and Industry Symposium on April 4 at the Fawcett Center at the Ohio State University, Columbus.

County commissioners from Adams, Brown, Clermont, Clinton, Fayette, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Scioto, and Vinton counties will meet on Feb. 25, 2011 at the Pump House Center for the Arts on North Mulberry Street in Chillicothe with area members of the Ohio General Assembly to discuss the state/county partnership and its ability to deliver vital services to the citizens of Ohio during a period of increasing responsibilities and limited resources.