Rick O’Dell has been selected to become a member of the Institute of Investment Management Consulting. The Institute of Investment Management Consulting (IIMC) was developed to help financial advisors drive success in their consulting practices through educational programs, ongoing communications forums and networking with other financial advisers.

The executive order authorizes the ODNR Division of Wildlife to adopt a new rule that prevents new private ownership of wild animals that are dangerous to human health and safety, requires existing private owners of dangerous wild animals to register the animals with the state, and details the type of facilities that can own and rehabilitate dangerous wild animals.

The following is the Greenfield Police Report for Jan. 1-4.

To combat the growing problem with heroin-related crimes, the Lynchburg Police Department has begun the development of a K-9 unit, funded through donations from area residents who want to be proactive in combating the village's drug problem. LPD Chief Brandon Wooten said the department has been working with Dave Johnson, of the Brown County Sheriff's Department, who does K-9 training for departments in the area.

The Highland County Board of Commissioners held its first meeting of 2011 Wednesday, Jan. 5 and welcomed new commissioner Jeremy Shaffer, a Lynchburg Republican and former mayor of Lynchburg.

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) today released the Ohio Bed Bug Workgroup report. Workgroup members from a diverse group of professional backgrounds and perspectives, including pest management, housing, government, and public health worked together to develop 10 recommendations which outline strategies that will assist future bed bug prevention and control efforts.

The 2011 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that Congress passed on 12/22/2010 contains numerous provisions advocated by Rep. Michael Turner of Dayton that will strengthen military sexual assault prevention and response policies. Rep. Turner, recently selected as Chairman of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee, was inspired by the tragic story of Marine Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach to advocate for greater protection against sexual assault in the military.

State Representative Cliff Rosenberger (R-Clarksville) was sworn in Jan. 3 as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives during the 129th General Assembly’s opening day ceremony.

Charges are pending following a triple stabbing that occurred in a number of apartments on Taylor Drive early New Year's day.

The following is the Greenfield Police Report for Dec. 28-31, 2010.

As of Jan. 1, 2011, Ohio's minimum wage has increased to $7.40 per hour, thanks to a decision by voters in 2006 that ties the minimum wage to inflation.

Governor Ted Strickland has signed an executive order authorizing emergency rules that require only very large emitters of greenhouse gases (GHG) to obtain clean air permits for their Ohio operations. These rules will enable Ohio businesses to operate without additional federal red tape and regulations.

Representing four different areas of government, four officials took their oaths of office Thursday night at the Hi-TEC Center in Hillsboro, to represent Highland County constituents.
 Republicans Jeremy Shaffer, Highland County Commissioner; Cliff Rosenberger, Ohio's 86th House District Representative; David Daniels, Ohio's 17th District Senator; and Bill Fawley, Highland County Auditor, were each elected during the Nov. 2 general election.

The followiing is the Hillsboro Police Report for Dec. 23-29, 2010.

Among the 29 passengers who originally survived the crash, was Bluffton baseball coach James Grandey, who was left in critical condition. Grandey is a McClain High School graduate and the son of Highland County Prosecutor Jim Grandey.