On Monday, Governor Mike DeWine announced the first round of funding to be awarded to local first responder agencies as part of the new Ohio First Responder Recruitment, Retention, and Resilience Program.

A total of 26 agencies will receive $1.67 million to help them support the wellness needs of law enforcement officers, dispatchers, firefighters, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians (EMTs). 

“Our first responders face the daily challenge of providing the highest level of response and care to Ohioans during traumatic circumstances, having little to no time to effectively process the stress brought on by these situations,” said Governor DeWine. “We created this grant program to help our first responders take care of themselves so that they can continue taking care of others."

Also on Monday, Governor DeWine announced that Ohio’s 37 public institutions of higher education may apply for their share of $5 million available in the Ohio Campus Safety Grant Program.

“Ohio continues to make investments to help protect our students and staff, whether they are in kindergarten or pursuing a graduate degree,” Governor DeWine said. “Everyone should be able to learn in a safe, supportive environment so they can succeed both inside and outside the classroom.”

Also on Monday, First Lady Fran DeWine hosted a book reading at Mt. Orab Elementary School in Brown County  to promote Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio.

Lastly on Monday, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, Director of InnovateOhio, joined state and local leaders in the city of Dayton to announce a broadband expansion project that, once complete, will provide high-speed internet to three community recreation centers. The announcement was part of Lt. Governor Husted’s Next Generation Jobs Tour, which is aimed at highlighting Ohio's in-demand jobs and programs the state has created to support economic growth.

The state of Ohio, through the Office of BroadbandOhio, has allocated $250,000 in funding for the initiative. The funding will go towards the infrastructure necessary to create Wi-Fi systems at the following community recreation centers: Greater Dayton Recreation Center, the Lohrey Recreation Center, and the Northwest Recreation Center. These community recreation centers are open to the public and are free to enter.

“You cannot be a part of the modern economy without access to high-speed internet,” said Lt. Governor Husted. "This administration has continued to close the digital divide in Ohio’s rural and suburban areas, and here in our urban areas. This project will give people in the community a place to go to access online services for completing job applications, finishing homework, or taking classes."

On Tuesday, Governor DeWine and Ohio EPA Director Laurie A. Stevenson announced that the village of Lowell in Washington County will receive $200,000 in H2Ohio funding to improve drinking water quality.

The village of Lowell will use the H2Ohio funding to purchase new water filters to remove iron and manganese from its water and improve long-term water quality in the village.

“Clean and safe drinking water is vital for every community in Ohio, and I am pleased that H2Ohio is continuing to invest in infrastructure and equipment to assist communities like Lowell that have water quality issues that must be addressed,” said Governor DeWine.

Also on Tuesday, in conjunction with National Workforce Development Month, Governor DeWine announced that ApprenticeOhio sponsors can apply for grants of up to $25,000 each to help cover apprenticeship training costs incurred since July 1, 2020. Ohio employers with registered apprentices in their workforces also can apply for the grants. The program is available through Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS).

“As our economy grows and more companies choose to expand in Ohio, good-paying jobs in the skilled trades will continue to grow,” said Governor DeWine. “Apprenticeships provide a proven path to success for those Ohioans looking to build their careers.”

Also on Tuesday, Governor DeWine visited Youngstown to announce a JobsOhio grant for the Youngstown Business Incubator that will be used to help new and expanding businesses and bring jobs into downtown Youngstown. 

Lastly on Tuesday, Lt. Governor Husted's Next Generation Jobs Tour made stops in Central and Northeast Ohio. 

Lt. Governor Husted participated in a roundtable discussion with career tech superintendents in Central Ohio to highlight the administration’s partnership with career tech schools, including through the Innovative Workforce Incentive Program (IWIP) and College Credit Plus. He also toured Lorain County Community College’s "Class 10,000 Clean Room" and participated in a roundtable discussion to learn about the college's microelectronics manufacturing program which trains Ohioans for jobs in the semiconductor industry.

On Wednesday, Lt. Governor Husted's Next Generation Jobs Tour made stops in Marietta and Zanesville. 

The Lt. Governor participated in a roundtable discussion to highlight the launch of the Certified Fiber Optic Technician Training Program mobile trailer being shared by four schools in Southeast Ohio. He also visit AMG Vanadium LLC, the global leader in spent catalyst recycling and metal reclamation and the largest ferrovanadium producer in the United States.

Also on Wednesday, Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine made stops at two locations in Richland County.

The First Lady hosted a book reading at St. Peter's Montessori School to promote Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio, then toured Richland Pregnancy Services to learn about the services they offer and their plans for the future.

On Thursday, Lt. Governor Husted's Next Generation Jobs Tour stopped in Columbus to participate in a roundtable discussion with representatives from the National Center for Urban Solutions (NCUS). 

On Friday, Governor DeWine announced that 13 local law enforcement agencies will receive a total of $8.2 million to help them prevent and investigate incidents of violent crime in their communities.

The grants represent the eighth round of the Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant Program. To date, Governor DeWine has awarded $45.9 million to 132 Ohio law enforcement agencies as part of this program. A total of approximately $100 million will be awarded to local law enforcement agencies in total.

“By investing in our law enforcement agencies and our peace officers, we're also investing in the safety of our citizens,” said Governor DeWine. “The goal of this grant program is to support the around-the-clock work of local law enforcement authorities so that they can enhance their efforts to keep citizens safe."

Also on Friday, Governor DeWine toured the Fairfield County Workforce Center and the Pickaway-Ross Career Technical Center. While visiting, the Governor met with students and manufacturers that partner with the school for workforce development opportunities. 

Also on Friday, the First Lady made stops in Clark, Champaign, Logan, and Wyandot counties. 

In Clark County, she spoke at the Second Harvest Food Bank of Champaign, Clark, and Logan Counties’ 2022 Harvest Breakfast. 

Following the breakfast, several of the events highlighted Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio with book readings. 

Lastly on Friday, Lt. Governor Husted's Next Generation Jobs Tour made stops in Lordstown and Kent for roundtable discussions about pre-apprenticeship programs and the utilization of TechCred.