The return of this year’s Ohio State Fair, which takes place from July 27 to August 7, 2022, will be more accessible and inclusive for everyone!

Fairgoers will enjoy continued accessibility enhancements: wheelchair/mobility device charging stations, technology to connect people who are blind or have low vision to an agent who can help with navigation, accessible picnic tables, service animal relief areas, and a dedicated sensory-friendly morning.

“I am pleased that the Ohio State Fair is committed to inclusion and accessibility,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “This year’s enhancements will help even more people celebrate Ohio’s products, businesses, people, and history. Whatever you are looking for, you can Find It Here at the Ohio State Fair!”

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) teamed up with the State Fair to make complimentary wheelchair/mobility device charging stations available. The stations are in marked areas in the Bricker MarketPlace Building, Kasich Hall, Lausche Youth Center, Natural Resources Park Pavilion, Taste of Ohio Café, and WCOL Celeste Center.

“The Ohio State Fair is a great way to recharge from work and enjoy the summer,” said OOD Director Kevin Miller. “Since visitors usually spend the entire day at the Fair, it’s important that charging stations are available to keep wheelchairs, scooters, and other mobility devices going strong.”

On Tuesday, the Ohio Third Frontier Commission approved $83.2 million in grants to help entrepreneurs develop innovative products and to grow technology startup companies.

“Ohio’s future is rooted in technology and innovation,” said Governor DeWine. “We are investing in opportunities that will support our work to be the most innovative, creative, and entrepreneurial state in the Midwest.”

“By supporting our entrepreneurs and their innovative ideas, we are strengthening Ohio’s economy,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development and chair of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission. “These technology startups are building the companies and jobs of tomorrow.”

Entrepreneurial Services Provider Program Awards

The Ohio Third Frontier Entrepreneurial Services Provider Program (ESP) supports six regional partners around the state and their networks, which provide a variety of resources to help entrepreneurs get their ideas to the marketplace. The following resources are available to help Ohio’s startup and early-stage technology companies:

- Mentorship by seasoned entrepreneurs and industry professionals.
- Access to investors and capital.
- Business support, including legal, tax, and accounting services.
- Assistance developing intellectual property and marketing/sales strategies.
- Recruiting talent.
- Incubators providing state-of-the-art workspaces.
- Accelerators guiding entrepreneur teams through business “boot camp.”

First Lady Fran DeWine visited Flying Horse Farms Wednesday morning.

Flying Horse Farms is a camp for children between the ages of seven and 15 with serious illnesses. Volunteers – including medical doctors and nurses – provide healing, transformative experiences for children who aren’t able to attend a traditional camp.  

During her trip, First Lady DeWine toured the camp during a camp session for kids with rheumatic, pulmonary, and craniofacial conditions as well as rare diseases. 

Also on Wednesday, Lt. Governor Husted, Director of InnovateOhio, joined local leaders in Cuyahoga County to announce a broadband expansion project that once complete will provide high-speed internet to approximately 25,000 households in the county.

The State of Ohio, through the Office of BroadbandOhio, has allocated $9.7 million in funding for the initiative, with Cuyahoga County providing matching funds, for a total of nearly $20 million. The state and county have partnered with a local nonprofit, PCs for People, to provide in-home, high-speed internet access to roughly 25,000 Cuyahoga County households. The affected neighborhoods are some of the least connected in the county due to affordability. The project will provide internet to these communities at a cost of $15 a month, and in some cases free.

“The funding will mean that more residents in Cuyahoga County will soon be able to connect online with essential services including health care providers, employment services, and educational institutions,” said Governor DeWine. “We are committed to closing the digital divide, whether due to lack of access or affordability, so that these critical services are available to all Ohioans.”

“This project is a result of focused efforts on both the state and local level to address a critical need in Cuyahoga County,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “In order to participate in the modern economy, education and healthcare system, Ohioans need access to broadband, and with this announcement, we are making that access a reality. As our administration continues to prioritize broadband expansion, we look forward to working with our partners on the local level, along with the private sector, to bridge the digital divide wherever we can.”

On Thursday, Governor DeWine made appointments to several boards, including to the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Council, Public Benefits Advisory Board, Materials Management Advisory Council, and more.

On Friday, Governor DeWine announced that the state will assist more than a dozen law enforcement agencies with local efforts to combat violence, including gun crime and human trafficking. 

Fourteen agencies will receive grants totaling $3.5 million as part of the fifth round of Governor DeWine's Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant Program. To date, the Governor has awarded $23 million to 83 Ohio law enforcement agencies to aid in their work to hold accountable the small number of criminals responsible for most violent crime in the state. A total of $58 million will be awarded as part of the grant program overall.

“Violent crime not only impacts public safety but also quality of life, and I am committed to doing all we can to protect Ohio's citizens from violence,” said Governor DeWine. “By giving local law enforcement agencies these additional resources, they'll be able to do more to prevent crime so that community members feel safe.”

Also on Friday, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) Director Matt Damschroder announced that the State of Ohio will use a $13.5 million U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant to buy food from Ohio farmers and other producers and provide it to those in need.

“This important collaboration will go a long way toward interconnecting our underserved producers of abundant, safe, and wholesome food to our growing populations and food-insecure communities,” said Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Dorothy Pelanda. "The Ohio Department of Agriculture couldn’t be happier to be part of this project that not only helps our farmers and food producers, but also those who need access to that food.”

ODJFS will lead the project, in partnership with USDA and the Ohio Association of Foodbanks (OAF).

“So many Ohioans win because of this funding,” said Damschroder. “This grant allows those who supply food and those who lack food to benefit each other and Ohio’s economy.”

The two-year project began this month and will be administered through the Ohio Community Agriculture and Nutrition (CAN) Project. OAF will purchase locally produced foods from approximately 50 suppliers, at least half of whom will be socially disadvantaged.