On Monday, Governor Mike DeWine visited the Cox Fine Arts Center at the Ohio State Fair to see Scott Hagan, Ohio's famous "Barn Artist," paint murals of generals Ulysses S. Grant and Charles Young commissioned by the Ohio History Connection. This year is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Ulysses S. Grant in Point Pleasant, Ohio. General Young, who moved to southwest Ohio as a child, died 100 years ago and received his general's star this year. Scott Hagan painted Ohio's bicentennial logo on a barn in each of Ohio's 88 counties to celebrate Ohio's bicentennial in 2003.

Also on Monday, First Lady Fran DeWine hosted events in the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Park and the Bricker Building of the Ohio State Fair. She painted caterpillars, created butterflies, and crafted treasure stones with kids in Natural Resources Park and in the Bricker Building, she hosted a book reading at the "Help Me Grow" booth, a collaborative effort by Bold Beginning and the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities to highlight early childhood intervention and home visiting.

On Tuesday, Governor DeWine announced that more than 1,000 K-12 schools across Ohio will receive state assistance to pay for security upgrades that enhance the safety of students and staff.

While speaking at the Ohio School Safety Summit in Columbus, Governor DeWine announced that 1,183 schools in 81 counties will receive nearly $47 million in grant funding as part of his Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant Program. The funds will be used to cover expenses associated with physical security enhancements such as security cameras, public address systems, automatic door locks, visitor badging systems, and exterior lighting. 

"With the start of the new school year quickly approaching, we want students, staff, and parents to know that we care about school safety, and we're working every day to make sure that rural, urban, and suburban schools alike have the safety and security resources they need," said Governor DeWine. "Helping schools pay for important security improvements is just one component of our comprehensive school safety approach that also supports the mental well-being of our kids and the work of local law enforcement to prevent crime."

Governor DeWine first launched the K-12 School Safety Grant Program in 2021 with an appropriation of $5 million in Senate Bill 310 of the 133rd General Assembly, which was awarded in May to 98 schools in 27 counties. This year, the Governor and legislature partnered to increase the grant program by an additional $100 million with support from the American Rescue Plan Act. 

Governor DeWine also announced that Mary Davis, former executive director of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy, has been selected to serve as the as chief training officer overseeing the Ohio School Safety Center's new Safety & Crisis Division. House Bill 99, which was signed by Governor DeWine in June, created the Safety & Crisis Division to develop and provide training for school staff members whose districts opt to allow certain employees to be armed on school grounds.

On Tuesday, Lt. Governor Jon Husted provided remarks at an event to celebrate the high school students who have been participating in professional development, soft skills training, and career exploration through American Electric Power's (AEP) immersive Project One internship program. Participation in the program prepares students to earn the OhioMeansJobs-Readiness Seal.

Governor DeWine announced the appointment of the new superintendent of the Ohio State Highway Patrol on Wednesday.

Effective August 12, Lieutenant Colonel Charles A. Jones will assume the responsibilities of the superintendent of the Ohio State Highway Patrol and will be promoted to the rank of colonel. Lieutenant Colonel Jones will replace the outgoing superintendent, Colonel Richard S. Fambro, who will retire on August 12 after nearly 32 years of distinguished service.

"The appointment of Lieutenant Colonel Jones to superintendent of the Ohio State Highway Patrol will further enhance the agency's exemplary public safety services for the citizens of Ohio," said Governor DeWine. "I am confident he has the experience and vision to ensure that Ohio's roads and communities remain safe for all Ohio families."

Following his appointment, Lieutenant Colonel Jones announced that he has selected Major Joshua M. Swindell to serve as a new assistant superintendent of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Major Swindell will be promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and will fill the assistant superintendent position vacated by Lieutenant Colonel Jones. Major Swindell will serve alongside current assistant superintendent Lieutenant Colonel Marla Gaskill.

Lt. Governor Husted met with a group of students in Marietta at Building Bridges to Careers on Wednesday to discuss STEM high school internships and how there are multiple affordable pathways to earning a degree or industry-recognized credential in Ohio.

Governor DeWine spoke at the National Black State Troopers Coalition's 37th Annual Training Conference on Wednesday to recognize state troopers from across the United States for keeping our roads safe, promoting traffic safety, and educating young motorists.

Additionally on Wednesday, Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted announced that the State of Ohio and the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) have been awarded a three-year, $23,492,808 federal grant through the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) $500 million Good Jobs Challenge program.

The initiative aims to strengthen workforce partnerships that lead to well-paying jobs. Awardees were announced by the EDA on Aug. 3. The OMA-State of Ohio proposal is one of 32 grants funded nationwide.

The proposal highlights partnerships on initiatives, partner support, and more than $100 million in leveraged funds from entities including the Ohio Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, the Ohio Department of Development, JobsOhio, Ohio MEP, the Ohio Department of Higher Education, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, and others.

“By providing Ohioans with opportunities to upskill or be trained in cutting-edge careers, we will grow Ohio’s workforce, especially in the manufacturing, broadband, and electric vehicle sectors,” Governor Mike DeWine said. “We want to continue to help provide Ohio employers with qualified workers in order to grow their businesses, and this grant will help us do just that.”

“Since the start of the DeWine-Husted Administration, we have focused on creating opportunities to upskill and reskill Ohioans at all levels, including through programs such as TechCred and IMAP,” said Lt. Governor Jon Husted, who serves as director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation. “While the Good Jobs Challenge grant will mainly focus on upskilling Ohioans for jobs in the manufacturing industry, strengthening this sector will only help strengthen Ohio’s economy and the rest of our workforce as a whole.”

Also on Wednesday, Governor DeWine and First Lady DeWine joined kids participating in My Project USA's Student Education Day at the Ohio State Fair. First Lady DeWine read a book from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio and encouraged more Ohio children under the age of 5 to enroll in the free program, which provides a free book each month.

Governor DeWine helped induct the Class of 2022 into the Ohio State Fair Hall of Fame on Thursday.  The Ohio State Fair Hall of Fame was established in 1976 for the purpose of recognizing individuals who have made outstanding contributions toward making the Ohio State Fair one of America’s premier expositions. Each year, the governor inducts a new class into the hall. 

On Friday, Lt. Governor Husted participated in a ribbon-cutting at Mason’s AtriCure Inc. for a newly acquired and renovated, $2.6 million, 40,000 square-foot manufacturing building, which will double the company’s production capacity and include a state-of-the-art medical manufacturing clean room.

Also on Friday, Governor DeWine spoke at the Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame ceremony.

The Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame honors four agriculturalists each year for their superior service, dedication, leadership, and plentiful contributions to agriculture. Enshrinement in the Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame is Ohio’s highest recognition of an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the industry.

On Friday, Governor DeWine announced that 16 local and state law enforcement agencies will receive a total of $5.7 million in grant funding to help prevent and solve instances of violent crime. 

Governor DeWine is awarding the grant funds as part of the sixth round of the Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant Program. As part of this program, the Governor has awarded $28.7 million to 99 Ohio law enforcement agencies to date. A total of $58 million will be awarded as part of the grant program overall.

“Law enforcement agencies have created innovative and strategic initiatives to prevent and disrupt crime across the state,” said Governor DeWine. “Each agency’s needs may be slightly different, but they share a common goal of creating safer communities, and my office is proud to support them.”