Hillsboro City Schools Superintendent Rick Earley was the guest speaker at the Sept. 22 meeting of the Highland County Board of Realtors, and one of the things he told the local business professionals was this: "One of the questions I always ask during an interview (for a teaching position): 'Is this a calling or a job?'"

Three of my favorite people have birthdays this week: Clyde Pidcock turned 93 on Sept. 17; Mike Royko would have been 79 today (if my arithmetic is correct); and my niece, Claudia, turned 6 on Sept. 16. I spoke with Clyde this past Thursday and am happy to report that the World War II Navy veteran is as cantankerous as ever in Springfield. He sends his best to everyone in Highland County, too.

Three of my favorite people have birthdays this week: Clyde Pidcock turned 93 on Sept. 17; Mike Royko would have been 79 today (if my arithmetic is correct); and my niece, Claudia, turned 6 on Sept. 16. I spoke with Clyde this past Thursday and am happy to report that the World War II Navy veteran is as cantankerous as ever in Springfield. He sends his best to everyone in Highland County, too.

Is there any connection between this summer’s announcement of a new tavern at the Ohio Statehouse and this week’s initial proposal for redrawing the state’s congressional districts? That might help explain a few things.

Opponents of Senate Bill 5 – now State Issue 2 – can be expected to have a field day with this report. And why not? After all, it's Gov. Kasich and the Republican majority who have been preaching  – ad nauseam – about smaller government, pension reform, collective bargaining reform, etc., etc.

Pastor Shane Montgomery organizes a local 9/11 observance. This year’s event will be from noon-2 p.m. Sunday outside the Highland County Courthouse. Pastor Montgomery tells me the community doesn’t seem interested in attending a Sept. 11 commemoration. That’s unfortunate. Because we ought to remember the date Sept. 11, 2001 for the rest of our lives. In fact, we’d better remember.

What a difference a few months make. Back in January of this year after the Arizona shooting that left six people dead and 20 wounded, including Arizona Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, President Obama called on the nation for "civil and honest public discourse." Maybe the president forgot this request. Or maybe it just doesn't apply to him or his supporters.

The "chain gang" for the Hillsboro Indians has outlasted any head football coach in the school's recent history that I can name. One of my former co-workers, the inimitable Tom Pennington, is beginning his 31st season as a member of the chain gang. Tom, Terry Britton, and Mike Ward are the guys entrusted with keeping the proper down and distance and line of scrimmage for the Indians' five home games each season. I know Larry Cole had done this job in previous seasons and I'm sure there were others as well.

The "chain gang" for the Hillsboro Indians has outlasted any head football coach in the school's recent history that I can name. One of my former co-workers, the inimitable Tom Pennington, is beginning his 31st season as a member of the chain gang. Tom, Terry Britton, and Mike Ward are the guys entrusted with keeping the proper down and distance and line of scrimmage for the Indians' five home games each season. I know Larry Cole had done this job in previous seasons and I'm sure there were others as well.

Citizens would be wise to keep a more watchful eye on their government. Attending a town hall meeting once every five or 10 years is all well and good, but government – on all levels – works best when the taxpayers are keeping close tabs. More modest increases in salaries, wages and benefits during the city's Gilded Age would have left some funds available for infrastructure. Of course it didn't happen.

Kelly Walker opened her Saturday, Aug. 20 performance at the Fling Barn with Bobbie Gentry's 1967 classic "Ode to Billie Joe," a song about the day "Billie Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge." Kelly, a.k.a, Kelly Red, dedicated the song to her late husband, Whiteoak High School graduate Kevin Walker, who passed away two months ago at the too-soon age of 47, just 11 days before the couple's 20th wedding anniversary.

Think about it. When a distinguished scholar like 81-year-old Reid Buckley says America’s people have become vile and servile, our governing institutions corrupt, our Congress cowardly, and our vision materialistic, solipsistic, and contemptible, who can argue?

Adams County and the society of Ohio professional journalists lost a great friend this week. For Stephen Kelley to leave us at 62 years of age isn't fair.

A friend of mine has always insisted that a hard-working individual needs at least two weeks’ vacation each year just to recharge the biological battery.
    I can’t argue with that.
    But I can’t always get away for two consecutive weeks, either. As the Rolling Stones say, You can’t always get what you want.

Think about it. An officer of the law whose professional duty is to protect and serve, threatens an American citizen and pretends to be cop, prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner all in the same breath. (Well, at least these are Canton's tax dollars at work and not yours.)