Old West Theme Park

Plans have been set into motion to build a new Western-themed family establishment. Entitled Old West Festival, the park will be a tribute to the old Wild West days from out of American history. Visitors will be able to enjoy food and drinks at the local saloon, duck for cover during the staged gun fights, and shop for crafts from the times. The park will be open for four weekends a year from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The goal is to completely recreate the look and feel of an old early 1900s western town. The park's debut is expected to be May 24, 2008.

We are excited to see a new business being developed in the local area. Good luck to Drew Diemling as he pursues his Wild West dream!

To read more, click here!

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New Turf for Old Field

The Hillsboro City School Board has plans to rejuvenate Hillsboro High School's Richards Memorial Field. They plan to have new turf in place for football season this fall. The goal is to get the field back into better playing condition so that they can possibly attract playoff games again. Recommendations for the new turf come from the Athletics Director Duane Earley. School representatives have met with experts in the field to make the best decisions. Current problems with the field have been attributed to the fact that in the past, several different people have had different opionions about how to manage and care for the field. The new plan calls for a return to Kentucky bluegrass. Resources within the district will be used to rebuild and resod the field. Financial support is being offered by the Athletic Boosters as well as any indiviudals interested in supporting the funding of part of this project.

Click here to read more!

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Post Secondary Enrollment Option Available for High Schoolers

The Post Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) program allows high school students (grades 9-12) to earn college and high school credits simultaneously by successfully completing college courses. All five school districts in Highland County utilize this program to assist those dedicated students who know what career they want to pursue. This opportunity gives kids a chance to experience college life and it is free! The Ohio Department of Education redirects funds from the public school to the college in order to pay for tuition and books. Enrollment in this program includes a small percentage of the total enrollment at the public schools, which means that the cost to the locals schools is manageable. The PSEO program has allowed several students to earn Associate's degrees by the time they graduate from high school.

This program is not for everyone: challenges are present. Students and parents are encourage to speak with the principal and guidance counselor at their school to find out more information!

Click here to read more!

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Paint Creek State Park - Something for Everyone

Located in Highland County, Paint Creek State Park has made some improvements to its facilities to offer more summer fun for visitors! There are a few new surprises, too!

As in the past, swimming at the 1000 foot beach, and camping are offered with cleaner restrooms and changing houses available. New pontoon boats and deep-bottom boats are also available for those wishing to fish. Hunting is also permitted at the park - license required. Campsites have been updated and provide options for pets! Four long walking trails, over 25 miles of bridle trails, and mountain bike trails invite everyone to enjoy the scenic park lands. A nature center shares a wealth of information with visitors. New to the park this year is a miniature golf course and coming soon - a playground!

On a related topic, those visiting the park are reminded to be safe and cautious with any outdoor activities. One activity that several have been injured from is cliff diving. In an effort to maintain safety at the park, Paint Creek has officially banned cliff diving. This risky behavior is not encouraged or allowed at the park. Fines and unspecified prison time could result. Kite tubing (inflatable devices designed to become airborne when pulled behind high-speed boats) has also been banned at the park. Officials encourage park visitors to engage in fun and safe activities for the summer season!

The Dickey Group encourages everyone to visit and enjoy the local parks! These natural resources provide many fun opportunites for adults and children of all ages!

To read more about Paint Creek, click here or visit this website.

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New Home Sales in April - Highest Monthly Gain in 14 Years

Sales of new homes surged in April by the biggest amount in 14 years. However, the median price of a new home dropped by the largest amount on record. These mixed signals left no clear picture of whether the worst of the nation's housing slump is over.

A 16.2 percent increase in new homes sales has been reported by the Commerce Department. The median price fell a record 11.1 percent decline from the previous month. The big price decline indicated that builders are slashing prices in an effort to move a huge overhang of unsold homes.

A recent steep slump in housing continues to weigh on the economy's performance. Analysts are hoping that spending by consumers and businesses will be able to overcome the weakness in housing and keep the county out of a recession.

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Graduation

Wow! It's hard to believe it's already that time of year, when our local seniors say goodbye to their high school and make those life-changing decisions about their futures. It truly is an opportunity to reach out and make dreams a reality.

This year, our office took a more active role in shaping the life of a local senior. We are pleased to announce that Jennifer Awick, a senior at Whiteoak High School, received The Dickey Group Inc., Realtors $1000 Scholarship. We congratulate Miss Awick on an excellent application and remarkable aspirations. We wish her continued success!

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Glory Restored to Opera House

The new owner of Bell's Opera House, Drew Hastings, is working hard to bring back the historic value of the opera house. Hastings, with help from Jared Trimble, has completed the ceiling of the retail room, giving it a rustic copper look. It took Trimble over a week to redo the roughly 400 square feet ceiling. Trimble, a professional artist, appreciates the idea of restoring the Opera House to its original look and feel - things of importance to Hastings.

The Dickey Group is excited to see this interesting location become a beautiful attraction to downtown! To read more, click here.

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Liberty Park May See Improvements

Liberty Park may see improvements this summer! A volunteer program that will work on beautification and fundamental upkeep to the area has been officially supported by city council. This volunteer program may be modeled after the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Volunteer in Parks (VIP) Program. The park could use basic upkeep, as well as new park benches and picnic tables. The council is taking this opportunity to make a good thing even better!

Click here to read more!

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Heartland Owner Ranked No. 1

After the March 19th issue of FORTUNE, ManorCare announced that it is the most admired company in the health care industry on Fortune's 2007 list of "America's Most Admired Companies."

ManorCare owns Heartland of Hillsboro and was ranked number one in several area of the medical facilities industry. This facility is focused on posthospital rehabilitation, transitioning patients from the hospital to home. This process usually involves therapists, nurses, clinicians, dieticians, and other specialists as well as their doctors.

This commitment to care reflects the dedication of a lot of health care professionals. Hillsboro is very fortunate to have such a industry-leading company!

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Bright Local Gearing Up for Next School Year

The Bright Local School District renewed many employee contracts for the 2007-2008 school year during a recent Board of Education meeting. The Board also reviewed the activities of the local FFA group. The staff presented information on new and different teaching techniques that are now available due in part to technological advances. Reports from the principals provided information on the spring carnival at the elementary and testing and the prom at the high school.

We salute the professionals at Bright Local Schools for making our community a great place for our children!

To read more, click here.

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Hillsboro Bicentennial - Celebrating a Milestone

This summer's All Class Reunion will be a highlight of the celebration commemorating Hillsboro's 200th year. The weekend of June 30th will encompass most of the event, with Alumni from Hillsboro High School from more than 80 years participating in events. Many special events will coincide with the reunion.

Other events will take place as it gets closer to the actual date of Hillsboro's founding. This includes digging up the time capsule and creating a new one. The annual Hillsboro Holiday Parade, held in November, will combine with the bicentennial to celebrate local history.

All of these events provide special opportunities to engage in embracing and learning about our community's past. We hope to see you as we help wish Hillsboro a Happy 200th Birthday!

Click here to read more!

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Coloring Contest Winners

Our newly published paper Your Country Connection recently featured a kids coloring contest. The winners have now been announced....

Wow! Our office received a tremendous response from kids of all ages for our Coloring Contest. This Coloring Contest became an event in our office that brought much discussion and enjoyment. Every day we anticipated the delivery of the mail to see what new entries had arrived. Each entry was unique and truly showcased how talented our readership is! In total, we received over 70 entries with participants ranging in age from 18 months to 88 years old!

We want to thank each and every participant for their time and effort. There were so many fantastic entries that it was difficult to choose the top three winners! We are pleased to announce the first place winner is Amber Gorman. Amber received a $50 gift certificate to Toys “R” Us. The second place winner is Chase Edmisten. Chase received a $25 gift certificate to Toys “R” Us. Third place goes to Samantha Stodgel. Samantha received a $15 gift certificate to Toys “R” Us. Congratulations to all three winners!

A really special entry arrived mid-way through the contest period. It was colored by an 88-year old “kid” named Clyde Pidcock of the Rocky Fork Lake area. Clyde did such an outstanding job that we designed a special award just for him – The Oldest “Kid” Award! Thanks Clyde for making us all smile!

Click here to see pictures!
First Place - Amber Gorman
Second Place - Chase Edmisten
Third Place - Samantha Stodgel

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City Sewer Problems

After checking the sewer lines with a camera, the city of Hillsboro found a few more problem areas than were anticipated. The sewers are worse than city leaders expected; therefore, more funds are needed to complete the sewer project. Funding requirements have increased from 10 million to 15 million, causing this project to be ranked first on the Appalachain Regional Commission list for funding. The ARC will fund up to $250,000 of the project, with the remaining balance to be paid through loans, grants, and city funds. No money from the county will be used toward this project. The EPA has mandated that the city of Hillsboro repair and correct the overflow problem that the city has encountered in recent years.

To read more about this issue, click here.

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Mowrystown FFA Chapter Excels in Evaluations

The results have come in! The Mowrystown FFA Chapter has once again shown that hard work and dedication to the FFA and agriculture has its rewards! Results for the chapter officer books, proficiency awards and state and American degrees are outstanding. Several of the youth in this group have been recognized at the state and national levels.

Click here to read more about these wonderful accomplishments!

The Dickey Group congratulates the Mowrystown FFA Chapter on a job well done!

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Administrative Hirings for Hillsboro City Schools

The Hillsboro City School Board hired Rick Earley and Chris Burrows as high school and middle school principals, respectively. This move was made to keep continuity flowing within the district. These two individuals worked together at the middle school and the new positions will allow everyone to keep heading in the right direction. Other positions will become available due to the moves within the district. This hiring is one of many decisions that will impact the 2007-2008 school year. To read more, click here.

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Rocky Fork Lake - A Close-to-Home Vacation Spot

With many upgrades in 2006 and more scheduled for 2007, Rocky Fork Lake State Park is seeing one of the largest commitments to improving existing facilities. Improvements include new campground resources, water and sewer updates and remodeling of several campground facilities. Increased training for park staff has provided another element of support for the goals of the new community alliance.

Click here to read more.

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McClain Head Coach Named Coach of the Year

McClain head coach Rick VanMatre, who led his Tigers to a district finals appearance, has been chosen as the Division II All-Ohio Coach of the Year. VanMatre led the Tigers to a 23-1 mark this season and has a career record of 438-159. He shares this honor with Dana Addis of Copley.

Congratulations to Van Matre!

Click here to read more!

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Highland County Society for Children and Adults Telethon

The annual radiotelethon for the Highland County Society for Children and Adults raised $217,043, shattering their all-time record by nearly $15,000. In Hillsboro, the telethon was held at Merchants Bank and in Greenfield at McClain High School. All funds raised during this annual event stay in Highland County to support local families that are supporting a loved one with a physical challenge.

Several groups supported this event in tremendous ways - both through monetary and emotional support! For those who would still like to contribute to the Highland County Society for Children and Adults, contact the society at 937.393.2142 or donations may be made at Merchants Bank.

Read more by clicking here.

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Open Enrollment Increases for Hillsboro Schools

During the 2007-2008 school year, Hillsboro City Schools will accept up to 105 interdistrict open enrollment students in grades 1-12. This means that the district will accept students from any school district with limits on the amount accepted at each grade level. Open enrollment works by restricting the amount of students that are coming in from other districts, but you cannot restrict the amount of students leaving the district. The goal is to "break even" or add a few students to the total enrollment so that funding is not negatively impacted. School districts receive state funding in part based on head counts during specific times of the year, with more students the district gets more money.

Click here to read more.

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All Day Kindergarten Approved by Lynchburg

After a research-based presentation to the school board by teachers and the elementary school principal, the school board approved all-day, every day kindergarten beginning next school year. This decision was based on the idea that this type of kindergarten leads to more long-term academic success for more children.

We are excited to see the local schools making strides to promote continuing success for children within the community.

To read more, click here.

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