The Ohio House has voted 56 to 36 to approve of the state's congressional districts, which would place Highland County in the 15th district. Ohio's 86 District Rep. Cliff Rosenberger voted for the passage of the bill. The proposed district, most of which is now represented by Republican Steve Stivers of Upper Arlington, would include Highland, northern Ross County, and all or portions of Vinton, Hocking, Athens, Morgan, Perry, Muskingum, Madison, Clark, Union and Franklin counties.

To date, the county has received $3,979,270.43 in tax revenue for 2011, compared to $3,876,245.60 for the  same period in 2010. The  permissive sales tax received in September for the month of July was $477,925.99, down slightly from $481,773.18 from last year.

To date, the county has received $3,979,270.43 in tax revenue for 2011, compared to $3,876,245.60 for the  same period in 2010. The  permissive sales tax received in September for the month of July was $477,925.99, down slightly from $481,773.18 from last year.

Highland Count Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss called a Greenfield woman's actions "despicable" after she took pills, knowing they would make her fall asleep, and left her 10-month-old daughter in the care of a 4-year-old. As a result, her infant daughter drowned in a bathtub.
 Coss sentenced Jessica Miller to seven years in prison on the third-degree felony charge. The court noted that she had no prior criminal record, but that she chose to take the pills, knowing they would make her go to sleep, "and as a direct result of that conduct, your youngest child died. And your reaction was to blame the 4-year-old."

The finance committee of the Hillsboro City Council will investigate the steps that need to be taken for a performance audit of the city.
 The proposed performance audit was discussed this week during the Hillsboro City Council's September meeting.
 In a separate action, council found that there was "urgent necessity" to renew the city's existing liability insurance with the current provider for a 10-month period.

A Lynchburg man was taken by CareFlight to Miami Valley Hospital Saturday after he sustained injuries in two-vehicle crash on U.S. 50 near Worley Mill Road.

History was equaled in Ringgold, Ga., this past weekend as Allensburg's Rick Wilkin became only the second person to win the Beat the Heat World Championship for a second time. Wilkin, racing his 1991 DARE Chevrolet Camaro with a 540-cubic-inch engine, defeated Jose Ayala in the Pro Cop finals and bested Modifiers champ Mike Carroll for the championship on Saturday, Sept. 10.

History was equaled in Ringgold, Ga., this past weekend as Allensburg's Rick Wilkin became only the second person to win the Beat the Heat World Championship for a second time. Wilkin, racing his 1991 DARE Chevrolet Camaro with a 540-cubic-inch engine, defeated Jose Ayala in the Pro Cop finals and bested Modifiers champ Mike Carroll for the championship on Saturday, Sept. 10.

For many Septembers, the shores of Rocky Fork Lake have been rocked with the quakes of powerboats during the annual Thunder in the Hills. As financial hardships have prevented organizers from hosting the event in 2011, a group of area residents said they wanted to create an event that would “fill the void” until Thunder in the Hills returns in 2012.

According to Sharon Fulkerson, their comfort bears are distributed to patients in the Hospice of Hope – Ohio Valley region, which includes inpatient and home-health patients in Adams, Brown, Clermont, Clinton, Highland and Pike counties.

After three months of discussion and consideration, the Hillsboro City Council voted 5-0 to pass a resolution approving a 15-percent increase to sewer rates over three years.
 Council members said following Monday's meeting that the increase will go into effect immediately. The rates will increase 5 percent per year for the remainder of 2011, 2012 and 2013.