WEEK IN REVIEW
Friday, September 9, 2022

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Week in Review

For the week ending September 9, 2022

Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted with QQE officials.

On Tuesday,?Governor Mike DeWine?and Lt. Governor John Husted were joined by a number of state and federal officials to tour QQE in Beavercreek.

QQE, which moved its headquarters from California to Ohio in 2020, is a leading supplier of fused quartz, an essential component for semiconductor manufacturing.

On Wednesday,?Governor DeWine?announced that more than two dozen local drug task forces in Ohio are receiving state support for their work to disrupt the drug trade and promote substance use awareness, prevention, and recovery.?

Nearly $2.3 million in grants from Governor DeWine?s RecoveryOhio Law Enforcement Fund will be awarded among 30 existing drug task forces to help them identify high-level drug traffickers, dismantle large drug trafficking organizations, interrupt the flow of money and drugs from international cartels, and prevent the sale of illegal narcotics to those suffering from substance use disorder.?

?I'm committed to supporting our local drug task forces, which are working hard to stop the cartels that continuously push drugs into our communities, causing crime and addiction," said Governor DeWine.?

Also on Wednesday, Governor DeWine and the First Lady hosted a Fish Fry for members of the sportsmen and women, wilderness, and conservationist communities from all around Ohio.? A proclamation was presented recognizing September 24, 2022 as National Hunting and Fishing Day.?

On Thursday,?Governor DeWine,?Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Ohio Office of Budget and Management (OBM) Director Kimberly Murnieks announced that Fitch Ratings upgraded Ohio?s long-term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ?AAA? from ?AA+? reflecting a material strengthening of the state?s financial resilience and budget?management, particularly over the past two biennia.

The rating action is Ohio?s first ?AAA? rating with Fitch,?which began rating Ohio?s credit in the 1990s and represents the highest rating for Ohio?s IDR by one of the three main rating agencies since 1979.?The benefit of a higher credit rating allows Ohio to achieve a lower cost of borrowing which ultimately achieves success on behalf of all taxpayers.

?This historic move by Fitch to upgrade Ohio's rating to 'AAA' comes as a result of our economic policies and fiscal stewardship that have brought measurable results," said Governor DeWine. ?Today's news is additional validation that Ohio?s fiscal management is on solid footing and our economy is surging ahead."

?This announcement is real-world validation that we have put Ohio on the most solid financial footing the state has enjoyed in decades,? said Lt. Governor Husted. ?It shows how fiscally strong and expertly managed we are as a state.?

The First Lady reading to a group of children while promoting Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio.

Also on Thursday,?the First Lady made stops in Shelby County, Auglaize County, and Miami County to promote Dolly Parton?s Imagination Library of Ohio.

Lastly on Thursday, in accordance with the orders issued by the President of the United States of America and in remembrance of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Governor DeWine ordered that the flags of the United States and the State of Ohio be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout the State of Ohio until sunset on the day of interment.

Governor DeWine, the First Lady, and Lt. Governor Husted breaking ground on Intel with various leaders from the state and federal government, and Intel.

On Friday, Governor DeWine, the First Lady, Lt. Governor Husted, and the Second Lady joined Intel to officially break ground on the corporation's new semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Ohio. Intel plans to invest more than $20 billion to build two state-of-the-art facilities that will generate more than 20,000 Ohio jobs, including 3,000 direct Intel jobs, 7,000 construction jobs, and tens of thousands of additional indirect and support jobs.

Lastly on Friday,? in honor of those killed in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Governor DeWine ordered that all U.S. and Ohio flags be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout the state on Patriot Day.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Dan Tierney: 614-644-0957