WEEK IN REVIEW
Friday, October 8, 2021

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Week in Review

For the week ending October 8, 2021

As of Monday,?Ohioans ages 12-25 who have received a COVID-19 vaccination?can enter to win one of 150 $10,000 scholarships, or one of five $100,000 grand-prize scholarships through the Ohio Vax-2-School program. Registration is open online using the Ohio Vax-2-School portal at?www.ohiovax2school.com.

Eligible Ohioans can enter using the?online?portal?or by phone at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634) to win one of the scholarships, which will be awarded in Ohio 529 College Advantage plans, and can be used at the Ohio college, university, technical/trade school, or career program of the winner?s choice. Entering using the Vax-2-School?online?portal?is quicker, and the odds of winning one of the scholarships is the same as entering by calling. The Ohio Department of Health is using a portion of its Coronavirus Relief Funds to fund this innovative public outreach campaign and initiative.

On Monday,?Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced the approval of assistance for 12 projects set to create 2,426 new jobs and retain 3,252 jobs statewide. During its monthly meeting, the Ohio Tax Credit Authority (TCA) reviewed economic development proposals brought to the board by JobsOhio and its regional partners. Collectively, the projects are expected to result in more than $108 million in new payroll and spur more than $162 million in investments across Ohio.

Lt. Governor Husted and InnovateOhio announced on Monday that the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) will now provide individuals with valid Ohio credentials the ability to order one reprint of their driver license or identification card (ID) online.? This new service will save an average of 500,000 visits to Deputy Registrar agencies per year. ?This priority project of InnovateOhio is another example of our work to change the culture of state government to be more customer-service friendly,? said Lt. Governor Husted, Director of InnovateOhio. ?Instead of having to take a trip to the BMV, customers can now order an exact reprint of their license from the convenience of their home.?

On?Tuesday,?Governor DeWine announced that $4 million in grant funding is now available to help local law enforcement agencies implement new violent crime reduction strategies in their communities.

Governor DeWine prioritized the creation of the new Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant Program in the state's 2022-2023 operating budget which was passed by the Ohio General Assembly in June.

"Local law enforcement officers are already out there doing everything they can to protect the public, and these grants will help them do even more," said Governor DeWine.?"Public safety strategies are constantly evolving, and these funds will help ensure that local agencies have the tools they need to protect our neighborhoods and hold violent offenders accountable."

Also on Tuesday, Lt. Governor Husted, who serves as Director of the Governor?s Office of Workforce Transformation, announced the results of the August round of TechCred, which will provide the opportunity for Ohioans to earn 2,400 tech-focused credentials.

?Since the launch of TechCred two years ago, we have helped tens of thousands of Ohioans earn new technology credentials so they can advance their careers and achieve greater earning potential and job security,? said Lt. Governor Husted. ?This program allows businesses from all industries to integrate new technologies into their operations and ensure their employees have the skills to thrive in the workplace, making the employer and the employees competitive with anyone in the world.?

The August round of TechCred ?marked the tenth round of the program. Today, during a meeting of the Governor?s Executive Workforce Board, Lt. Governor Husted announced that 267 Ohio employers were approved for funding, resulting in Ohio employees earning up to 2,400 technology-focused credentials. Businesses of all sizes are utilizing the program, with 109 new employers joining the program for the first time this round.

Governor DeWine and Major General John C. Harris visit the Texas-Mexico border wall during their trip.

Governor DeWine, First Lady Fran DeWine, and Major General John C. Harris were in Texas on Tuesday where they met with Ohio National Guard members who have been deployed for nearly a year in support of the United States Customs and Border Protection Mission. On Wednesday, Governor DeWine and governors from several other states received a briefing from Texas Department of Public Safety on the issues of fentanyl trafficking and the humanitarian crisis at the border.?

On Wednesday,?Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted announced two new loan programs to help minority- and women-owned businesses grow and boost the Ohio economy.

The new Women's Business Enterprise Loan Program and Ohio Micro-Enterprise Loan Program were both priority initiatives of the DeWine-Husted Administration included in the 2022-2023 operating budget, which was passed in June by the Ohio General Assembly.?

?Helping our minority-owned and women-owned businesses thrive helps Ohio?s economy," said Governor DeWine. "These businesses are vitally important to our success, and these new loan programs will provide capital infusion to help them get on their feet and build for the future.??

?Ohio?s economy supports a broad landscape of opportunity in a variety of industry sectors,? said Lt. Governor Husted. ?The loan programs announced today will give a boost to minority- and women-owned businesses, providing them resources to invest in their companies so they can grow and create jobs.?

Lt Governor Husted speaks to students at Columbus State Community College.

Also on Wednesday,?Lt. Governor Husted provided remarks to students and toured the National Association of Manufacturers and the Manufacturing Institute?s Creators Wanted event aimed at showcasing what modern manufacturing looks like at Columbus State Community College. The event was an on-the-ground, interactive mobile tour designed to inspire Ohioans to pursue high-tech, high-paying jobs in modern manufacturing.

Governor DeWine and First Lady DeWine speak with a student while on a tour of Bowling Green State University.

? On Thursday,?Governor DeWine, First Lady DeWine, and Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Randy Gardner visited the campus of Bowling Green State University for a tour of the School of Nursing?s simulator labs.

On Friday, Governor DeWine appeared with Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business to discuss fentanyl deaths and drug and human trafficking issues related to the southern border.?

The full interview is available here.

As of?Friday, there have been 1,458,747 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Ohio. Additionally, 22,819 confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths have occurred. A total of 75,188 people have been hospitalized, including 9,646 admissions to intensive care units.

CASE DATA/VACCINE INFORMATION

In-depth COVID-19 data for Ohio:?coronavirus.ohio.gov.?

Ohio's central scheduling system:?gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov

Ohio mass vaccination information:?coronavirus.ohio.gov/massvaccinationclinics

All vaccine providers:?vaccine.coronavirus.ohio.gov

More vaccine information:?coronavirus.ohio.gov/vaccine

For more information on Ohio's response to COVID-19, visit?coronavirus.ohio.gov?or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Dan Tierney: 614-644-0957