08.28.2009: Attorneys Must Register by Tuesday, September 1
08.27.2009: Department of Transportation's Single Largest Stimulus Investment Ready for Construction
08.26.2009: Governor Strickland Announces 2009 Inductees Into Ohio Women's Hall of Fame
08.26.2009: Voices of More Ohioans to shape Ohio's 3C "Quick Start" Passenger Rail Plan
08.25.2009: Patt-McDaniel, Shanahan Announce State Energy Program Opportunity
08.25.2009: Emerald Ash Borer Confirmed in Two Southern Ohio Counties
08.21.2009: Governor Strickland Announces Appointments
08.21.2009: Plan Ahead – Designate a Sober Driver – Cops are Cracking Down
08.19.2009: Riding the Rails Competes with Highway Drive Times Along Ohio's 3C Corridor
08.17.2009: Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife Honored with Agency of the Year Award
08.14.2009: Ohio to Receive $1.2 Million in Federal Stimulus Funds for Grid Emergency Preparedness
08.13.2009: Department of Transportation Snow Plows Receive State's First Green Fleets Status
08.13.2009: Maintenance To National Bureau of Motor Vehicles Verification Systems Planned for Saturday Morning
08.12.2009: State Awarded $1.8 Million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funds for Brownfield Redevelopment
08.11.2009: ODPS Announces American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Grants for Criminal Justice and Public Safety Programs
08.10.2009: Governor Strickland Appoints Ohio Lottery Commission Executive Director
08.08.2009: Forty-Nine Ohio Students Recognized in Annual State Severe Weather Awareness Poster Contest
08.06.2009: Ohio Fall/Winter Calendar of Events Now Available
08.05.2009: Governor Strickland Establishes Ohio Auto Industry Support Council
08.03.2009: New Ohio Driver License and Indentification Cards in Circulation Statewide
Columbus, Ohio – The Supreme Court of Ohio Office of Attorney Services sent letters and e-mails this week to non-registered attorneys reminding them of their need to register by Sept. 1.
Every odd-numbered year, all Ohio attorneys on active or corporate status must register with the Office of Attorney Services by Sept. 1 and pay a $350 registration fee, according to Susan Christoff, director of Attorney Services. Attorneys who fail to register and pay fees by Tuesday's deadline or within the late registration period will be suspended.
Attorneys who register after Sept. 1, but within 60 days of the deadline, will be subject to a $50 late fee in addition to the registration fee. Those that fail to register within the 60-day late period will be suspended, Christoff said.
Attorneys can register either by mail or electronically. To make the registration process easier, attorneys can also click on a "Biennial Attorney Registration - Due Sept. 1" icon on the front page of the Court's Web site. The one-stop shop icon is the fourth button down from the top located on the right-hand side of the page and will take the user directly to the Attorney Registration Web page. From there, the user should click on the "Access Online Attorney Services" link.
Attorneys are encouraged to register and pay their fees online by credit card, although registering by mail and paying by check or money order are still available, Christoff said. Attorneys who successfully complete the process will receive confirmation by mail. Those who don't receive confirmation should contact Attorney Services. Mailed registrations will be deemed timely if postmarked by Sept. 1, or earlier. Online registrations must be completed by 11:59 p.m., Sept. 1 to be deemed timely.
Attorneys have a continuing obligation to keep the Supreme Court apprised of their most current residence, office and e-mail addresses to ensure registration and other materials are timely received. Attorneys may update their own records online or mail the changes directly to Attorney Services.
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Columbus, Ohio – With the awarding of $138 million in contracts to complete the US Route 33 Nelsonville Bypass, the Ohio Department of Transportation's (ODOT's) single largest stimulus investment is ready for construction.
Combined with the transportation infrastructure contracts awarded so far using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, ODOT has awarded more than $374.2 million for construction work on 110 projects - a combination of interstate, local roadway and bridge modernization projects.
For the month of July alone, these investments by the state lead to the retention and creation of 1138 direct jobs on stimulus-funded transportation construction projects, with workers clocking in more than 42,000 hours in labor and a total payroll of nearly $1.5 million.
"Ohio is making historic levels of investment into every mode of our multi-modal transportation system in every region of the state," said ODOT Director Jolene M. Molitoris. "Because of the leadership in Washington to advance the Recovery Act, ODOT is investing, overseeing, and monitoring more than $1.1 billion in transportation stimulus funds made available to our state."
Advancing the Nelsonville Bypass
Earlier this week, ODOT awarded the final of two phases of construction for the eight-mile Nelsonville Bypass project. Kokosing Construction Company was awarded the $45.2 million contract for phase two; earlier this month Beaver Excavating Company was awarded the $92.88 million contract for phase three. Construction on phase one of the project was completed earlier this summer.
The Nelsonville Bypass has been on the state's radar since the late 1960's, however, the 1973 Oil and Gas Embargo halted further planning due to lack of transportation funds. With funding from the Recovery Act, ODOT was able to advance construction on the historical bypass five years earlier than scheduled.
With up to $150 million of stimulus funds to be invested in this project, the Nelsonville Bypass represents ODOT's largest single investment of stimulus funds. The largest stimulus-funded project in the state is the Interstate 90 Innerbelt Bridge in Downtown Cleveland, estimated at $400 million (including $85 million in stimulus funds).
ODOT estimates show that US 33 carries more than 1,700 trucks daily from Columbus to Charleston, West Virginia, making it the eighth busiest truck route in Ohio. US 33 through Nelsonville - where it currently narrows from a four lane highway to a two-lane local roadway - carries roughly 1,500 heavy load trucks per day. The Nelsonville Bypass is the final upgrade of US 33 in southeast Ohio, providing safe, efficient routes in the heart of Appalachia.
Making Investments in Ohio's Urban Areas
More than 150 transportation projects have been prioritized for stimulus funding by Ohio's eight major Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) which were directly sub-allocated $161.5 million in transportation infrastructure stimulus funds.
To date, FHWA has authorized more than $47.5 million in projects sponsored by the MPOs in Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo, and Youngstown.
These urban investments by the state's largest MPOs are in addition to the nearly $420 million in stimulus-funded transportation infrastructure projects committed to by ODOT in urban areas around the state.
In addition, more than $134.5 million in transit-specific stimulus funds through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have been approved and obligated for urban transit investments across the state. These investments will assist 27 regional and local transit agencies in the purchase of new buses and equipment, construction of new facilities, and operating costs, on a limited basis.
FTA has also approved and obligated ODOT's plans for $20.6 million in stimulus-funded investments in Ohio's rural transit agencies.
With these approvals from FTA, all of Ohio's transit systems have their entire ARRA apportionment obligated or have sufficient funds obligated that no funds will lapse.
Putting Ohioans to Work
To track the number of jobs being created and retained by Ohio's stimulus investments, ODOT requires all contractors to complete monthly reports on the direct, on-the-project jobs associated with stimulus-funded projects.
For the month of July, Ohio contractors reported 1138 direct jobs, working a total of 42,279 hours and earning a total payroll of $1,470,499.
This job data only includes employees actively engaged in stimulus-funded projects on the jobsite, in the project office, in the home office or other alternative office locations. These numbers do not account for the thousands of jobs being created and retained by firms that provide materials and equipment used in highway construction, or those jobs supported by consumer expenditures resulting from wages to 'construction oriented' and 'supporting industries' employees.
The monthly employment report for August will be available in mid-September.
Investing in More Construction-Related Jobs
As part of ODOT's original announcement of the projects to be advanced with ARRA funds, the department targeted $57 million for necessary planning and design work to advance some of the state's most transformational regional long-term projects.
After close consultation with the Federal Highway Administration and the US Department of Transportation, ODOT instead directed those dollars to shorter-term projects, aimed at creating and retaining construction-related jobs quickly. By selecting projects in which future state funding had already identified, ODOT is able to reinvest, dollar-for-dollar, in the continued planning and design of those regional projects, including the Cleveland Opportunity Corridor, Cincinnati Eastern Corridor, and the Ohio Hub High Speed Rail Plan.
As announced in June, a majority of the $57 million of ARRA stimulus funding was invested in nine state roadway and bridge projects. The remaining resources will be dedicated to six pavement modernization projects, which were previously identified for state funding. Those existing ODOT projects include:
Brown County/State Route 32 pavement modernization - $4,989,548
Fayette County/State Route 41 pavement modernization - $1,479,000
Noble County/Stare Route 145 pavement modernization - $3,300,000
Fairfield County/State Route 204 pavement modernization - $1,968,349
Sandusky County/State Routes 600/300 pavement modernization - $4,000,000
Wood County/State Route 582 pavement modernization - $1,500,000
View the up-to-date list of the transportation infrastructure projects prioritized for stimulus funding - with updates on projects which have been authorized by FHWA, contracts which have been awarded, and new employment opportunities.
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Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today inducted 13 Ohio women into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame at an event at the Ohio Statehouse.
The Ohio Women's Hall of Fame was established in 1978 to publicly recognize the many outstanding contributions that Ohio women have made to their state and nation. Members of the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame have each demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to excellence, achievement and service to others.
"Frances and I offer our sincere congratulations to these impressive Ohio women for their broad range of achievements," Strickland said. "The inductees represent various walks of life and will inspire generations of Ohioans to come. We honor their contributions to society."
To date, nearly 400 women have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Many have forged new pathways for women and overcome significant boundaries to success.
The 2009 Inductees:
Glenna Watson - Watson, of Cleveland, serves as the chief of personnel for the Ohio Department of Development. She previously served 22 years at the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA). Additionally, Watson has served on the Medical Mutual Insurance of Ohio Board of Directors, diversity advisory council for Baker and Hostetler L.L.P., and the women's service board of Grant Medical Center. Watson was named "Outstanding Black Professional Woman" by the Oho House of Representatives.
Sharon Howard - Howard, of Dayton, is the executive director of community and public relations for WDTN-TV in Dayton. In 2006, Howard founded the Crown Jewels of Dayton calendar initiative to benefit the Kettering Medical Center Foundation's Women's Wellness Fund. She has been recognized for her journalistic work with the Regional Communicator of the Year Award by the International Communications Training Institute, as well as multiple National Communicator and Telly Awards. She has received several recognitions from her work in the community, including the central region volunteer of the year from the National Urban League, the James E. Stamps Communication Award from the Dayton Inter-Alumni Council of the United Negro College Fund and Dayton YWCA Women of Influence Award and Distinguished Ambassador Award.
Celia Williamson - Williamson, of Toledo, developed the Lucas County Prostitution Roundtable in 2006 and the 2009 Lucas County Human Trafficking Coalition. She has been an active force in securing an FBI task force in Lucas County to address the issue of rescuing children from the sex trade in Toledo. She organized and co-chaired five national and international conferences on prostitution, sex work and human trafficking. She has also given testimony to the U.S. Review on Commercially Exploited Children in America in preparation for the Third World Congress.
Gail Collins - Collins, of Cincinnati, joined The New York Times in 1995 as a member of the editorial board and later become an op-ed columnist. In 2001, she became the first woman ever appointed editor of the Times' editorial page. She has also published a "When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present." Before her work at The New York Times, Collins served as a columnist at New York Newsday and the New York Daily News and a reporter for United Press International.
Bernett Williams - Williams, of Toledo, currently serves as a board member of SUMMA CARE Insurance and the vice president of the National Urban League Association of Executive (central region). She serves on several other boards and committees including the First Merit Bank advisory board and the executive committee member of the Summit County Social Services advisory committee. Williams has won several prestigious awards such as Crain's Cleveland Business Magazine 40 under 40 Club, Kaleidoscope Magazine 40/40 Award, YWCA Women of Achievement Award, 2001 Kent State University Community Service Award recipient, the Ohio Black Women's Leadership Caucus Incredible Women Making a Difference Award, and the 2002 Harold K. Stubs Humanitarian Award Recipient.
Carol Kuhre - Kuhre, who currently resides in Athens, has served as the president of the Athens Foundation, vice president of the Sugar Bush Foundation, and vice president of the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation. In 1990, Kuhre became the executive director of Rural Action, an organization working to bring about sustainable development in the Appalachian counties of Ohio. She later went on to become co-director of the United Campus Ministry, an ecumenical ministry at Ohio University. Additionally, she helped create a number of social justice organizations that include the Appalachian Peace and Justice Network.
Beverly Gray - Gray, of Chillicothe, is the co-founder and coordinator of the David Nickens Heritage Center and was named a Jennings Scholar by the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation of Ohio University. Gray has also served as the south regional coordinator of the Friends of Freedom Society/Ohio Underground Railroad Association and the Ohio consultant for the oral history research project for the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation. Additionally, she is a past president of the Ross County Genealogical Association and a past board member and featured speaker with the Speakers' Bureau of the Ross County Historical Society.
Virginia Manning - Manning, of Sandusky, was an activist who tirelessly worked for the equality of women in the workplace. She is specifically known for her successful efforts challenging the protectionist laws of Ohio with regard to working women. Manning's suit changed Ohio law and set a precedent for the 49 states by forcing state laws to comply with the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. She was the oldest of 15 children and grew up during the Depression. She helped raise her siblings, and made many daily sacrifices to help meet their needs so that her parents could both work outside the home to make ends meet.
Mother Mary Adelaide - Mother Mary Adelaide, of Cincinnati, founded the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania in 1916 at age 42. This group grew into the largest congregation of religious women in the Diocese of Toledo based at this 89-acre Sylvania campus known for its exquisite natural beauty, its artwork from around the world, and art by the sisters. Mother Mary served as its Mother General for 48 years, and then she carried the title of Mother Foundress for the last 10 years of her life.
Kim de Groh - de Groh, who currently resides in Hinckley, is a senior materials research engineer in the space environment and experiments branch at NASA Glenn Research Center. She is an internationally renowned technical leader in areas relating to the durability of spacecraft materials. de Groh has participated in shuttle flight experiments, two Russian Space Station Mir experiments, and she is the principal investigator for 12 International Space Station experiments. Her research has directly impacted the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station. Additionally, her work is influencing spacecraft material design choices made by NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense and the nation's space industry.
Judith Rycus - Rycus, who currently resides in Columbus, co-founded the Institute for Human Services in Columbus and has served as program director since its inception. She is also the co-founder and a senior policy analyst with the North American Resource Center for Child Welfare and has served as associate editor of the APSAC Advisor, the quarterly news journal of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children. She has directed the development and statewide implementation of the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program (OCWTP) since the program's inception in 1985 and has consulted internationally to establish and sustain training systems and organizational infrastructures that promote best practice in the field.
Dr. Pamela Davis - Davis, who currently resides in Cleveland Heights, is the dean and vice president for medical affairs at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, where she is the Arline H. and Curtis F. Garvin Research Professor and professor of pediatrics, physiology and biophysics, and molecular biology and microbiology. Davis has directed the Center for Clinical Investigation as well as the Willard A. Bernbaum Cystic Fibrosis Research Center and served as chief of its pediatric pulmonary division. She holds seven U.S. Patents and is a founding scientist of Copernicus Therapeutics, Inc. She has also served on the Advisory Council to NIDDK and the Board of Scientific Counselors for NHLB.
Helen Moss - Moss, who currently residents in Bratenahl, is the founder and managing trustee of the Helen Moss Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Moss is now a nine-year survivor of metastatic breast cancer. She was appointed by Governor Dick Celeste to the Ohio Arts Council and has founded the Akron chapter of the National Organization for Women. Moss has served on many boards, including the Cleveland Music School Settlement, the Cleveland Ballet, the Great Lakes Theater Festival, the Cleveland Opera. She also served as treasurer of the Modern Art Society of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
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Columbus, Ohio – On-line, on the phone, on the radio, and in person - more Ohioans are making their voices and opinions heard on Ohio's 3C "Quick Start" Passenger Rail Plan.
The Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) are gathering broad public input on the 3C "Quick Start" Passenger Rail Plan, which will connect Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati as part of the nationally-prioritized Chicago Hub Network.
Public input and expert technical analysis are helping ORDC and ODOT identify the most viable routes for the initial 79-mph 3C "Quick Start" service. With funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the 3C "Quick Start" plan would have conventional-speed passenger service running by as early as 2011, generating jobs and economic development, and putting travel choice in reach of more than 60 percent of Ohio's population.
Thousands of Ohioans across the state have already proclaimed, "Ohio's 3C is Me!" by logging on to 3CisME.ohio.gov, an online portal to find the latest news and share public comments on passenger rail. The website has registered more than 5,000 hits since its launch in July.
Today, ORDC and ODOT are adding several more ways for Ohioans to provide comment and learn more about the passenger rail proposal:
Statewide radio - now airing as a public service announcement on approximately 200 radio stations in Ohio in cooperation with the Ohio Association of Broadcasters.
3C is Me Hotline - can be reached toll-free 24 hours a day at: 1-877-7-3CisMe (1-877-732-4763).
3CisME.ohio.gov - provides an overview of the plan, provides access to presentations and study documents, and invites comment through an online survey. Please note that Internet access is also available at public libraries.
Public meetings - in September, there will be public open-house meetings in each of the 3Cs. Each open house is located on a bus line and is accessible for people with disabilities. The meetings will be held from 4-7 p.m. at:
People with special communication needs who are interested in attending the public meetings should contact Miranda Terrill at MurphyEpson at mterrill@murphyepson.com or (614) 221-2885 at least 48-hours in advance.
ORDC and ODOT will use information collected from the public comments to finalize Ohio's application for stimulus funding, which is due by October 2.
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Columbus, Ohio – Lisa Patt-McDaniel, interim director of the Ohio Department of Development, and Mark Shanahan, energy advisor to Governor Ted Strickland, today announced that the Ohio Department of Development's Ohio Energy Office is accepting applications for $14 million in funding available through the Deploying Renewable Energy: Wind and Solar grant program. This announcement marks the first set of renewable energy grants to be funded through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) in Ohio.
"Ohio has demonstrated a potential to realize significant job growth by deploying renewable energy derived from wind and solar installations," Patt-McDaniel said. "Combined with the aggressive pursuit of energy efficiency through the Recovery Act, Ohio is well-positioned to meet the goals set forth in Governor Ted Strickland's Advanced Energy Portfolio Standard."
The grant program is part of Ohio's $96 million proposal for the State Energy Program that was accepted on June 26, 2009 by the U.S. Department of Energy. This prompted the release of Recovery Act funds to the state for direct funding of eligible energy projects.
"These grants are a great opportunity to meet the growing interest and use of wind and solar energy across the state," Shanahan said. "By investing in these new technologies, we will create jobs in a growing industry and position Ohio for economic development and future success."
Deploying Renewable Energy: Wind and Solar, a $14 million program, seeks eligible applicants including individuals, partnerships, companies, and entities that meet the minimum size and other requirements listed in the request for proposal for the installation of qualified solar electric, solar thermal and wind electric technologies. Projects that involve third-party ownership and financing arrangements are also eligible to apply.
Awards will range between $250,000 and $1 million and will be selected through a competitive process. All eligible projects must be located within the State of Ohio, include a match investment of a minimum of 50 percent of total costs, demonstrate completion within 12 months, and provide direct economic impacts in Ohio.
Interested applicants must submit a one-page project proposal no later than 5:00 p.m. on September, 21, 2009, at http://recovery.ohio.gov/opportunities/state/. If you have already submitted a proposal at you will not be required to submit again. To submit forms on the website, applicants should click "submit your proposal", then choose the program category "Energy and Environment" and the subprogram "State Energy Program". Only projects that have submitted initial proposals to www.recovery.ohio.gov will be considered for formal proposals in response to this request.
Applications are due to the Ohio Energy Office by 3 p.m. on Friday, September 25, 2009.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act State Energy Program will accelerate the goals of renewable energy development in Ohio, including job preservation or creation, increased energy efficiency, and energy assistance to Ohioans impacted by current economic conditions.
For more information about the Deploying Renewable Energy: Wind and Solar grant program and requirements, please visit: http://www.development.ohio.gov/recovery/FundingOpportunities.htm.
Working with our partners across business, state and local governments, academia, and the non-profit sector, the Ohio Department of Development works to attract, create, grow, and retain businesses through competitive incentives and targeted investments. Engaged every day in marketing, deal-making, innovating, investing, and collaborating, the Ohio Department of Development works at the speed of business to accelerate and support the teamwork that is absolutely necessary for success by providing financial, informational, and technical assistance to those making an investment in Ohio's future.
The Ohio Energy Office works to grow the economy of the state by connecting companies and communities to financial and technical resources in order to deploy renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency.
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Columbus, Ohio – Ohio's Emerald Ash Borer quarantine was expanded today by the Ohio Department of Agriculture to include Pike and Scioto counties. The quarantine helps slow the spread of the ash tree-killing insect by prohibiting the movement of all hardwood firewood and ash tree materials.
Specimens confirmed by U.S. Department of Agriculture officials mark the first known infestations in both counties. The Pike County specimen was taken from a purple trap in Mifflin Township, and the Scioto County specimen was taken from a purple trap in Clay Township. Purple traps are detection tools set and monitored by Ohio Department of Agriculture employees.
Since Emerald Ash Borer was first discovered in Ohio in 2003, the department has placed 52 counties under quarantine. The quarantine makes it illegal to transport ash trees, parts of ash trees, and all hardwood firewood from any quarantined county into a non-quarantined county without a compliance agreement from the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Violation of this quarantine could result in fines up to $4,000. Due to a federal quarantine, it is also illegal to take these items from the state of Ohio.
Firewood dealers, businesses, or woodlot owners interested in marketing and transporting ash trees or firewood from quarantined areas can do so only with a department-approved compliance agreement. These agreements stipulate handling practices that mitigate the artificial spread of Emerald Ash Borer.
Ash trees infested with Emerald Ash Borer typically die within five years. The pest belongs to a group of metallic wood-boring beetles. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length, one-eighth inch wide, and fly from early May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees and leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide when they emerge as adults.
For information on the Emerald Ash Borer, maps, compliance agreements, firewood restrictions, purple traps, and quarantine updates, visit www.agri.ohio.gov or call 1-888-OHIO-EAB.
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Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland announced today appointments to several state boards and commissions.
The State Lottery Commission acts as an advisory body to the administration of the state lottery. Members should have prior experience in business administration, management, sales, marketing, or advertising.
Patrick McDonald, of Columbus, has served as the deputy treasurer for the Ohio Treasurer of State since 2005. He previously served as the assistant director for the Ohio Department of Commerce from 1999-2005 and as a finance director for the Ohio Secretary of State from 1991-1999. McDonald received a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from the University of Dayton.
William Morgan, of Stoutsville, currently serves as the executive director of Ohio BankPac and the secretary of the Ohio Bankers Association's Service Corporation. He previously served as the senior vice president for the Ohio Bankers Association and as the mayor for the City of Shawnee. He also serves as the treasurer of the James A. Rhodes Leadership Foundation and as the executive director of the Ohio Rural Development Partnership.
Allan Krulak, of Cleveland, currently serves as the vice president and director of community affairs for Forest City Enterprises. He also serves as an administrator for the Corporate Partnership Program with the Cleveland Public Schools and as an advisory board member for the Cleveland Bridge Builders. Krulak attended the Ohio State University, Mexico City College and Marquette University.
The Washington State Community College Board of Trustees appoints the administrative officers, faculty and staff necessary to operate the college.
Larry Holdren, of Little Hocking, currently serves as the executive vice president for business and corporate development for Peoples Bank. He has also served as a board member for the Washington County Educational Service Center for the past 35 years and as the chairman of the audit committee for the Ohio School Board Association. Holdren received a bachelor's degree from Kent State University.
Holly Dexter, of Marietta, currently serves as the accountant for Dexter Chiropractic. She previously served as the treasurer for Marietta City Schools from 1994-1997. Dexter also serves as board member for the St. Mary School Foundation. She received a bachelor's and a master's degree from Ohio University in 1988 and 1990, respectively.
The Belmont Technical College Board of Trustees has the power to build, own and operate a technical college in their designated district. It sets tuition and fees of the college. It shall hire and fix compensation of all the college's employees and do all else necessary to ensure the successful operations of the college.
D. Suzanne Pollock, of Jerusalem, served as a music teacher for 31 years before retiring to become one of the founding members of the Monroe County Arts Council. She previously organized and coached Olympics of the Mind for the Switzerland of Ohio School District. She also organized, implemented, and taught in the talented and gifted program for the Switzerland of Ohio School District. She received a bachelor's degree from West Liberty State College.
The Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy sets the tuition and fees of the university, hires and fixes the compensation of the school's employees and does all that is necessary to ensure the successful operation of the university.
Denise Zeman, of Cleveland, has served as the president of the Saint Luke's Foundation of Cleveland since 2000. She previously served as the vice president and chief operator for Euclid Hospital from 1992-2000. Zeman also served as a member of the board of trustees for Ursuline College. She received a bachelor's degree from Ursuline College and a master's degree from John Carroll University.
The Ohio Higher Education Facility Commission reviews and issues tax exempt bonds for the construction of facilities for private colleges in the State of Ohio.
Susan Tate, of Grove City, has served as the vice president of business and finance and as the university treasurer for Capital University since 2007. She previously served as a fiscal controller for Washington and Jefferson College from 2002-2006 and as the director of financial operations for Wheeling Jesuit University from 1997-2002. Tate also serves as a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She received a bachelor's degree from West Liberty State College in 1981 and a master's degree from West Virginia University in 1993.
The Ohio Private Investigation and Security Services Commission advises the director of public safety on all matters related to the regulation of private investigation and the business of security services. The commission advises the director on the format, content, and all other aspects of all private investigation and security services licensure examinations.
Steven Cotner, of Perrysburg, has served as the co-chief operating officer of Corporate Intelligence Consultants since 1977. He also serves as an active member of the American Society for Industrial Security and Investigation Services. Cotner is a former board member of the Ft. Meigs YMCA. He received a bachelor's degree from Bowling Green State University.
The Governor's Residence Advisory Commission provides for the preservation, restoration, acquisition, and conservation of the Governor's Residence.
Pamela Bennett, of Springfield, has served as a horticulture educator for the Ohio State University Extension in Clark County since 1992. She also serves as the state master gardener volunteer coordinator for Clark County. Bennett had previously served as a horticulturalist for Tom & Jerry's Gardenland from 1981-1992. She received a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from the Ohio State University in 1981 and 2001, respectively.
Richard Bowen, of Chagrin Falls, has served the president of the architectural firm of Richard L. Bowen and Associates since 1959. He also serves as an active member of the American Institute of Architects and the Architects Society of Ohio. Bowen received a bachelor's degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1959.
The Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council (ODDC) is a planning and advocacy body committed to community inclusion for people with developmental disabilities.
Fawna McWilliams, of Vincent, has served as an adjunct faculty member for the Washington State Community College since 2005. She previously served as a teaching assistant at Marshall University from 2002-2003. McWilliams also serves as the president of the Marietta City Commission on Disability. She received a bachelor's degree and master's degree from Marshall University in 2002 and 2006, respectively.
The Third Frontier Advisory Board coordinates and administers science and technology programs to promote the welfare of the people of the state and to maximize economic growth through expansion of the state's high technology research and development capabilities and product and process innovation and commercialization.
Thomas Brady, of Holland, has served as the chief operating officer of Plastic Technologies since 1985. He previously served in increasingly responsible positions for Owens-Illinois from 1971-1985. Brady received a bachelor's and a master's degree from Dartmouth College. He also received a doctorate in plastic materials engineering from the University of Michigan.
Lloyd A. Jacobs, of Toledo, has served as the president of the University of Toledo and a professor for the department of surgery for the University of Toledo College of Medicine since 2006. He previously served as the chief operating officer for the University of Michigan Health System from 1998-2003 and as the senior associate dean for the University of Michigan Medical School from 1996-2003. He received a bachelor's degree from Miami University in 1965 and a medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1969.
Sandra Degen, Cincinnati, has served as the vice president of research for the University of Cincinnati since 2004. Degen also serves as a board member for TechSolve and the Ohio Aerospace Institute. She received a bachelor's degree from the University of California in 1976 and a doctorate from the University of Washington in 1982.
The Ohio Real Estate Commission investigates complaints concerning the selling of real estate without a license, issues brokers licenses and administers licenses examinations.
Gary Froelich, of Dayton, serves as an attorney in private practice. He has also served as a real estate law adjunct instructor at Sinclair Community College since 1974. Froelich previously served as a trustee for the Children's Medical Center for 12 years and currently serves on the Leadership Dayton Board of Governors. He received a bachelor's degree from Miami University and a law degree from the Ohio State University.
The Industrial Relations Commission Nominating Council makes recommendations to the Governor for the appointment of members to the Industrial Commission. The Nominating Committee must submit a list of three separate names for each of the seats on the Industrial Commission.
Harriet Shaw Applegate, of Cleveland Heights, currently serves as the executive secretary of the North Shore AFL-CIO Federation of Labor. She previously served as a national representative for the AFL-CIO from 2000-2006 and as the director of the Greater Cincinnati Occupational Health Center from 1986-1998. She received a bachelor's degree from the University of Rochester and a master's degree from the University of Cincinnati.
Jodie Marie Taylor, of Columbus, has served as an associate attorney for Scott, Scriven & Wahoff since 2001. She previously served as assistant to Commissioner Patrick Gannon of the Ohio Industrial Commission from 1997-2000 and as an associate attorney for Sheerer, Pitts & Zerebniak from 1995-1997. She received a bachelor's degree from Miami University in 1991 and a law degree from the University of Akron in 1995.
The Ohio Medical Transportation Board is responsible for issuing permits for privately operated ambulances and new transport vehicles, licenses private ambulance operators and is the sole supervisory board regarding the licensing of nonemergency medical services organizations in Ohio.
Michael Bakes, of Kent, has served as the director of transportation for Family and Community Services since 1991. He previously served in a variety of marketing positions from 1973-1991, including serving as the director of marketing and business strategies for the Ohio State University Hospitals. He received a bachelor's degree from Kent State University in 1973 and a master's degree from the Ohio State University in 1989.
The Ohio Board of Dietetics is charged with adopting, amending or rescinding rules governing selection and approval of a dietitian licensure examination.
L. Leah Reibel, of Worthington, has practiced law in the private sector since 1996. She previously served as a special assistant to the chief judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals from 1992-1996. She received a bachelor's degree from the Ohio State University in 1984 and a law degree from the District of Columbia School of Law in 1991.
The Banking Commission reports to the Superintendent of Banks its proposals on the issuance of certificates to form new banks and on the examinations of banks. The Banking Commission also conducts hearings for the removal of bank directors or officers when the occasion demands and establishes limits and regulations regarding banking procedures that affect other banks.
Stephen Gary, of Clarksburg, has served as the president of the Saving Bank in Circleville since 1979. He previously served as a senior assistant manager for the Public Finance Corporation from 1972-1979. Gary also currently serves as the secretary for the Circleville-Pickaway Corporation and as the treasurer from the United Methodist Church in Clarksburg. He received a bachelor's degree from Ohio University in 1973.
Paul Reed, of Middleport, has served as the president of the Farmers Bank and Savings Company since 1992, and previously served as the chief fiscal operator from 1988-1992. Reed also served as a board member for the Ohio Bankers League and the Ohio Bankers Benefit Trust. He received a bachelor's degree from Ohio University.
The Public Health Council is the primary rule-making body for the Department of Health. It adopts, amends, and rescinds rules pertaining to public health.
John Clough, of Gates Mills, currently serves as a staff physician for the Cleveland Clinic. He previously served as the executive director for the Center for Health Affairs from 1991-2004 and as the editor of The Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine from 1997-2004. Clough also currently serves the secretary for the Center for Health Affairs and is a member of the Cleveland Society of Rheumatologists. He received a bachelor's degree and medical degree from George Washington University in 1961 and 1965, respectively.
The Southern Ohio Agriculture and Community Development Foundation endeavors to replace the production of tobacco in southern Ohio with the production of other agricultural products and to mitigate the adverse economic impact of reduced tobacco production in the region by preparing, implementing, and keeping current a plan to develop means for tobacco growers to grow other agricultural products voluntarily.
Kenneth Davis, of Leesburg, is the owner and operator of a corn, soybean, wheat, and cattle farm. He also serves as the chairman of the South Central Power Company and as a board member for the Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. Davis previously served as the president of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation from 1998-1999. He received a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from the Ohio State University.
Pat Raines, of Seaman, currently serves as the owner and operator of a corn, soybean, wheat, hay, and tobacco farm. He also serves as the treasurer for the Burley Growers Cooperative and as a member of the Adams County Farm Bureau. Raines graduated from Seaman High School and attended classes at Southern Community College.
The Oil and Gas Commission reviews claims by persons who feel they have been adversely affected by an order of the Chief of the Division of Oil and Gas.
Karen Fryer, of Dublin, has served as a geology professor for Ohio Wesleyan University since 1999. She previously served as a geologist for the Consultants in the Geological Sciences. Fryer also serves as a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. She received a bachelor's degree from Wellesley College and a master's degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She also received a doctorate in geology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1986.
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Columbus, Ohio – The message is clear: if you drive impaired, you will be caught and arrested. This year, 952 Ohio law enforcement agencies joined thousands of other law enforcement and highway safety agencies throughout the nation to take part in the Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. Crackdown on impaired driving. The enforcement blitz began today and lasts through the Labor Day holiday weekend.
During the enforcement period, law enforcement partners have planned more than 5,700 enforcement hours, approximately 40 checkpoints and more than 1,700 hours of saturation patrols around the state. If you drive drunk, you will be caught and arrested.
"We are serious about saving lives and so are our partners, from law enforcement to safety advocates," said Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Henry Guzmán. "We've seen a decline in alcohol-related fatalities on Ohio's roads over the past three years and we want to make sure that trend continues, so we're working to ensure everyone knows that drunk driving is simply not worth the risk."
In 2008, 449 people died in alcohol-related crashes on Ohio's roads (down from 473 in 2007 and 495 in 2006) and more than 8,000 people were injured. Impaired driving also continues to be a problem nationwide. Nationally, in 2007, nearly 13,000 people died in highway crashes involving a driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.
The picture for motorcycle riders is particularly bleak. Nationally, in fatal crashes in 2007, a higher percentage of motorcycle riders (27 percent) had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher than any other type of motor vehicle driver. In Ohio, in 2008, motorcycles made up the second largest vehicle group (behind passenger vehicles) in fatal crashes involving alcohol.
The national Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. Crackdown is a program organized by the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that focuses on combining high-visibility enforcement with heightened public awareness through advertising and publicity. It is locally administered by the Ohio Department of Public Safety's Ohio Traffic Safety Office, which funds a majority of the enforcement hours through federal funds from NHTSA.
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Columbus, Ohio – While the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) continue to advance the 3C "Quick Start" Passenger Rail Plan, early estimates by the state's top passenger rail engineers show that the travel time by rail can be competitive with highway driving times between Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati.
Ohio's 3C "Quick Start" Passenger Rail Plan will connect those cities as part of President Barack Obama's nationally-prioritized Chicago Hub Network. With funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), Ohio's 3C "Quick Start" plan would have initial conventional-speed service running by 2011 using the safest, most efficient and cost-effective route.
ODOT and ORDC are currently working with Amtrak and the state's freight railroads to complete updated studies on routing and ridership. Public input is also helping to identify the most viable routes for the 79-mph 3C "Quick Start" service.
Based on early projections and analysis of travel times on potential routes, it's estimated that a trip on the 3C "Quick Start" service from downtown Cleveland to downtown Columbus would take approximately 3 hours. That competes with the expected time for highway travel of about two-and-a-half hours along the 145-mile route.
For a trip from downtown Cincinnati to downtown Columbus (through downtown Dayton), a ride on the 3C "Quick Start" service is projected to take approximately 3 hours. That competes with a highway travel time of about 2 hours, 20 minutes - along the 130-mile route.
"What makes the time on the train competitive is how you can use it," said ORDC Executive Director Matthew Deitrich. "The business traveler can be on the phone or connected to a laptop the minute he or she gets on the train. Travel time no longer has to be down time."
Questions about travel time are likely to be a part of the public discussion this Thursday, when ORDC and ODOT host the second in a series of workshops for the 3C "Quick Start" Passenger Rail Plan. Public feedback at this workshop will guide the identification and selection of a preferred route and stations.
This second workshop will be from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Thursday, August 20th at the Fawcett Conference Center, 2400 Olentangy River Rd. (off State Route 315) in Columbus. A third workshop will be held September 15th in Columbus to discuss the preferred corridor, stations and next steps.
Public meetings will also be held in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati during the week of September 15th.
ORDC and ODOT must submit its 3C "Quick Start" ARRA application to the Federal Railroad Administration by October 2nd.
The latest information on Ohio's 3C "Quick Start" Passenger Rail Plan can be found online at 3CisME.ohio.gov.
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Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today commended Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Director Doug Lumpkin and Ohio Medicaid Director John Corlett on setting a record for cost containment in managing the state's Medicaid program in fiscal year 2009.
"Doug and John's leadership has saved the state nearly $800 million in Medicaid expenditures through cost containment strategies in the midst of a severe economic recession," Strickland said. "Fiscally responsible and common sense management like this makes our continued investments in education and job creation possible, despite limited resources."
These cost containment strategies enabled the state to end fiscal year 2009 under Medicaid spending targets while experiencing record caseload increases for 19 months.
Two key elements of cost containment strategies are "cost avoidance," which is the identification of a third party to pay a claim before Medicaid does, and "pay and chase," which occurs when Medicaid has paid a claim on which it later identifies a third party.
Cost avoidance efforts made it possible for the state to direct nearly $704 million worth of billed claims to commercial insurers and Medicare, which is an increase of $83.4 million over fiscal year 2008.
Pay and chase strategies made it possible for the state to recover $92 million, an increase of $15 million over fiscal year 2008.
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Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife was recently honored with the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) Agency of the Year Award.
Each year, QDMA recognizes a state Department of Natural Resources for its dedication to the quality deer management philosophy and the positive results it has yielded. The ODNR Division of Wildlife has realized extraordinary results from new programs it has established, as well as through continued efforts to maintain excellence in seasoned programs.
Some examples of white-tailed deer management improvements enacted last fall by the Division of Wildlife include making a reduced-cost permit available during archery season that resulted in the harvest of more antlerless deer earlier in the season, as well as the harvest of fewer bucks than in previous years. Other programs that positively affect Ohio's deer herd include numerous controlled deer hunts, including hunts designated for people with mobility disabilities, youth and women. The goal of the hunts is to present those who do not have access to hunting an opportunity to harvest game.
"It's an honor to accept this award on behalf of the ODNR Division of Wildlife, especially when you consider the caliber of programs that Ohio is competing with for this distinction," said Mike Tonkovich, wildlife research biologist and deer project leader for the Division of Wildlife.
Founded in 1988, QDMA is a national nonprofit wildlife conservation organization with more than 50,000 members in all 50 states and Canada, and several foreign countries. To learn more about QDMA, call 800-209-3337 or visit www.QDMA.com.
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Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Department of Development Interim Director Lisa Patt-McDaniel and Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chairman Alan R. Schriber announced today that Ohio will receive approximately $1.2 million in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to improve Ohio's state energy assurance and emergency preparedness plans and to help reduce recovery times from energy supply disruptions.
"Maintaining a consistent and effective energy supply is important for the safety of Ohio's businesses and residents," said Patt-McDaniel. "These funds will enable Ohio to enhance its ability to respond to potentially damaging incidents and better prepare us to incorporate renewable energy sources into our grid."
In May 2008, Governor Ted Strickland signed Senate Bill 221 into law that establishes new alternative energy portfolio standards and encourages the development and implementation of advanced metering infrastructure, also known as Smart Grid. Ohio applied to the program and received these funds through a formula-based allocation by the United States Department of Energy through the Recovery Act of 2009. Ohio will use the funds to update and integrate new energy resources and Smart Grid capabilities into energy emergency response and energy assurance plans.
"Emergency response and energy assurance planning is critical to Ohio," Schriber stated. "These funds will assist Ohio's agencies in developing comprehensive energy assurance plans that incorporate our new alternative energy portfolio standards and both the capabilities and vulnerabilities of Smart Grid technology."
Ohio will refine existing emergency response plans for energy supply disruption risks and vulnerabilities to lessen the significant impact that such incidents can have on the economy and the health and safety of Ohioans. Ohio will modernize the processes for tracking energy emergencies and assessing restoration and recovery times of supply disruptions; train appropriate personnel on energy infrastructure and supply systems, including Smart Grid applications and vulnerabilities; and conduct and participate in state and regional energy emergency exercises to evaluate the effectiveness of the energy assurance plan.
Energy assurance support will also help Ohio address cyber security concerns and develop regional energy assurance capability to improve coordination and communication among states on energy security, reliability and emergency response issues. Ohio agencies will coordinate best practices to build both state-level and regional resiliency for the grid.
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Columbus, Ohio – This coming winter will be more "green" in Ohio. By reducing diesel emissions and using more alternative fuels on nearly 800 snow plows, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has earned one of the state's first "Ohio Green Fleets" certifications.
Officials from Clean Fuels Ohio, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority certified ODOT's effort at the inaugural Ohio Green Fleets Award Ceremony today in Columbus.
Over the past eight months, nearly half of the dump trucks and snow plows ODOT uses for combating ice and snow have become "Green Fleets" certified.
"This is a great start! Our 'Go with Green' initiative is meant to take our efforts to the next level," said ODOT Director Jolene M. Molitoris, who expects the remainder of ODOT's snow plow fleet to be certified by the end of the year. "Each day, we are working to make ODOT a more environmentally-conscious department and a green leader in the nation."
As part of the "Go with Green" initiative, ODOT crews are reducing engine idle time on these large trucks - which reduces diesel emissions into the air - and are using more biodiesel as an alternative fuel whenever possible.
Over the past year, ODOT purchased more than 1.8 million gallons of B20 biodiesel for its fleet statewide. B20 (a blend of 20 percent by volume biodiesel with 80 percent by volume petroleum diesel) has demonstrated significant environmental benefits with a minimum increase in cost for fleet operations.
According to Clean Fuels Ohio, ODOT's fleet has made great strides to reduce harmful vehicle emissions and petroleum fuel consumption.
Clean Fuels Ohio is a statewide nonprofit, organization dedicated to increasing the use of cleaner and energy-efficient domestic fuels and vehicles in order to improve air quality and health, reduce climate change, curb dependence on imported petroleum, and support Ohio's economy.
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Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles will be impacted on Saturday, August 15 by scheduled maintenance of national verification systems. The maintenance is being performed by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) and will temporarily prevent the issuance of driver licenses and State IDs at the more than 200 BMV deputy registrar agency locations statewide.
AAMVA acts as a portal through which all states must access federal databases in order to verify information before being allowed to issue any driver license or state ID card.
The maintenance will begin at 5:00 a.m., EDT, on Saturday, August 15, 2009 and will last approximately until 9:00 a.m., EDT. During that time, service connections to the Commercial Driver License Information System (CDLIS) and Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS) will be unavailable.
PDPS is used to search the National Driver Registry (NDR), a repository of information on problem drivers provided by all 51 U.S. jurisdictions. Based on information received as a result of an NDR search, PDPS will "point" the inquiring jurisdiction to the State of Record(s) (SOR), where an individual's driver status and history information is stored. Based on the information received from the SOR(s), the issuing state will decide if the applicant is eligible to receive a new license or renew his/her driver license.
Mandated by the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986, states must be connected to CDLIS and the NDR in order to exchange information about commercial motor vehicle drivers, traffic convictions, and disqualifications. A state must use both CDLIS and NDR to check a driver's record, and CDLIS to make certain that the applicant does not already have a CDL.
Customers should call ahead to their local BMV Deputy Registrar Agency before driving to the location on Saturday, since it is possible that their transaction may not be able to be processed. The Ohio BMV apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause; however system maintenance must be done at the national level periodically to ensure that all states are able to issue driver licenses and identification cards.
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Columbus, Ohio – Lisa Patt-McDaniel, interim director of the Ohio Department of Development, today announced that the state will receive $1.8 million in additional funding for the Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund Program through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
"Investments in brownfield redevelopment have a direct economic and environmental impact and provide our communities with lasting benefits," said Patt-McDaniel. "These American Recovery and Reinvestment funds are critical in not only cleaning up contaminated sites and improving the health and quality of life for Ohioans, but also create good jobs for our citizens."
The funds, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will be allocated to government entities and nonprofit organizations to provide subgrants up to $200,000 per shovel-ready project to assist with environmental cleanup. Distribution of funds is expected to begin in November and continue over the next two years.
The Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund, administered by the Ohio Department of Development's Urban Development Division, offers below-market rate loans to assist with the remediation of a brownfield property to return it to a productive economic use in the community. Properties receiving assistance from the Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund must have been contaminated from hazardous substances.
"Ohio's brownfield activities are vital in helping to create and sustain economic growth in our communities," said William Murdock, director of the Department's Urban Development Division. "Our Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund has leveraged $24 million in public and private cleanup and has created more than 200 jobs."
For American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency required applicants to submit a list of shovel-ready projects. The Urban Development Division developed a list of potential projects from Ohio communities already registered on the Recovery.ohio.gov Web site along with projects from Ohio brownfield stakeholders. Guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding the distribution of funds is expected in late fall.
Project funding is prioritized for historic buildings in need of asbestos abatement. To be eligible for Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund Program funding, projects must create and/or retain jobs. Grantees must own the entire project property that has contamination on the site prohibiting redevelopment, and pass all appropriate inquiry stipulations for eligibility. To view all appropriate inquiry stipulations, visit http://epa.gov/brownfields/aai/aai_final_factsheet.pdf. In addition, projects must have financing for the entire remediation. More information will be released as it becomes available.
To date, the state has received more than $10 million in Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund Program funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund Program is directed at the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's goals: to create and preserve jobs, promote economic recovery, and assist those most impacted by the recession. For more information about the American Recovery and Investment Act and the Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund Program, visit recovery.ohio.gov.
The Urban Development Division assists communities with place-based redevelopment which creates wealth from personal, business and community successes. The Urban Development Division works to identify the resources and financing necessary to enhance the economic viability of local communities.
Working with our partners across business, state and local governments, academia, and the non-profit sector, the Ohio Department of Development works to attract, create, grow, and retain businesses through competitive incentives and targeted investments. Engaged every day in marketing, innovating, investing, and collaborating, the Ohio Department of Development works at the speed of business to accelerate and support the teamwork that is absolutely necessary for success by providing financial, informational, and technical assistance to those making an investment in Ohio's future.
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Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Henry Guzmán announced the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) awarded $33.8 million in economic stimulus funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to support more than 380 criminal justice projects across the state.
"This announcement represents a significant investment in Ohio's communities, which depend daily upon the services provided by local law enforcement and criminal justice agencies," Guzmán said. "The need for these services is greater than ever, and these federal stimulus funds will keep Ohioans working and our communities safe."
Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) ARRA Program grants totaling $29,461,744 will support activities to prevent and control crime and improve the criminal justice system. Program areas of concentration that have been established by federal grant guidelines for JAG funds include: law enforcement and multi-jurisdictional task forces; prevention and education; corrections and community corrections; prosecution, court and victim services; research evaluation and technology improvement; and law enforcement equipment.
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) ARRA Program grants totaling $4,336,299 will aid victim service providers, law enforcement and prosecutors in efforts to improve the criminal justice system's response to violence against women as well as strengthen law enforcement and prosecution strategies to combat these crimes. Grants provide personnel, equipment, training and educational opportunities, technical assistance and information systems for victim service providers, law enforcement, prosecution, and court personnel throughout the state.
The project selection process included a compliance review to verify eligibility, the history of the applying agency in submitting required reports and audits and the proposal's budget. Applications were also reviewed and scored by an outside team of subject matter experts selected for each of the program areas before going through a final review by in-house subject matter experts and executive staff. Special emphasis was placed on projects that seek to create and/or retain jobs in Ohio's criminal justice system.
A full list of Ohio's ARRA funded criminal justice projects and other information about the state's ARRA public safety investments can be viewed at http://publicsafety.ohio.gov/odps_ocjs/index.stm.
"Grant programs such as these support community initiatives aimed at enhancing public safety, making an important difference in Ohio's efforts to reduce crime and violence," said OCJS Director Karhlton Moore.
OCJS is administering a total of $38 million in JAG funding and $4 million in VAWA funding from the ARRA. The ARRA funds have given Ohio an opportunity to direct funds toward prisoner re-entry programs. A separate Request for Proposal (RFP) will be released this fall with an additional $5 million in ARRA JAG funding that will concentrate on re-entry. More details of this RFP will be released at a later date.
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Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today announced the appointment of Kathleen Burke, a highly-regarded Ohio attorney, as the Ohio Lottery Commission executive director.
Burke, 60, of Shaker Heights, is currently a partner at Jones Day in Cleveland, where she has been a corporate litigator since 1973.
"Kathy has established herself as an attorney with impeccable integrity and credentials through her work as a partner at one of the nation's largest law firms and as a leader in her community," Strickland said. "Kathy is accustomed to managing people, projects and organizations and achieving results. Her role as a corporate litigator has required her to repeatedly take on very complex cases with high monetary stakes. I am confident that Kathy's character, skills and commitment to service will be of great value to the Ohio Lottery Commission."
A corporate litigator for more than three decades, Burke has extensive experience in business and commercial litigation and appellate practice in state and federal courts.
Burke served as the first woman president of the Ohio State Bar Association from 1993-1994. As president, she led the successful effort to, for the first time, have the Supreme Court establish contribution limits for judicial campaigns.
She also served as president of the Ohio State Bar Foundation from 2000-2001 and is currently a board member for the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation.
Burke is a member of the Notre Dame College board of trustees, serving as chair from 2002-2006. She has also served in numerous leadership capacities for the American Bar Association, including her current role as state delegate for Ohio and co-chair of the Federal Practice Task Force.
Additionally, Burke has received numerous professional recognitions. Crain's Cleveland Business recognized her as a Woman of Note in September 2002, and she was named by Cleveland Magazine as one of the 29 Most Influential Women in Business in 1997. She was recognized in the 2007-2009 editions of "The Best Lawyers in America" and received the 2008 St. Thomas More Award from the Lawyers Guild of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland.
"I am grateful to Governor Strickland for giving me his confidence and the opportunity to take on this new responsibility in service to the state," Burke said.
"I will draw on my experience in the business community as a corporate litigator for more than 30 years to ensure the Ohio Lottery's continued success," Burke said. "I believe that leadership involves providing strategic direction to an organization, inspiring people to do their best and setting an ethical tone. Along with the ongoing operations of the Ohio Lottery, we have a lot of work to do between now and May of next year. It is important that we not only get the job done, but that we do it in a way that assures the confidence of the people of Ohio."
Burke will begin as executive director on August 24. Her salary will be $129,500 annually. She has asked current executive director Mike Dolan to serve in an advisory capacity for the transition for a duration of one to two months.
Burke received a bachelor's degree from St. John's University in New York City in 1969 and a law degree from St. John's University in 1973. In the time between receiving her bachelor's degree and returning to law school, Burke served as a reporter for the Yonkers Herald Statesman, a Gannett newspaper in Yonkers, N.Y., and also worked for CBS Network News.
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Columbus, Ohio – Sydney Michael, a fourth grader in Adams County during the 2008-09 school year was recognized today at the Ohio State Fair as the overall state winner in a statewide poster contest. Sydney's poster artistically illustrated tornado safety and preparedness information. The safety message was "Don't Monkey Around with Tornadoes!" The Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness chose Sydney's poster as "the most informative, accurate and creative out of the many posters received during its annual Severe Weather Awareness Poster Contest.
As the overall state winner, Sydney received a variety of awards and prizes from the committee and its partners, to include a $100 savings bond, a letter of congratulations from Gov. Ted Strickland, a plaque from the National Weather Service, a t-shirt and thermos from Ohio News Network, a personalized trophy, and later in the fall, her school will receive an engraved "traveling" trophy to showcase for the remainder of the school year. In an effort to promote severe weather preparedness, the committee will feature Sydney's poster throughout the year.
Seven students, one from first through sixth grades and individualized instruction classes, were announced as state-level winners and received prizes and awards to include $50 savings bonds, plaques, personal-sized rain gauges, smoke detectors and a letter of congratulations from Gov. Strickland. They are: first-grader Connor Galloway of Pike County; second-grader Michael Adams of Geauga County; third-grader Kaitlin Hartman of Pickaway County; fourth-grader Rachel Jenkins of Miami County; fifth-grader Kristen Deal of Wood County; sixth-grader Darby Fogler of Pickaway County; and sixth-grader Alex Price of Montgomery County.
This year, a total of 49 students from 29 Ohio counties were honored as regional winners. The students represented grades 1-6 from 33 schools. As regional winners, every student artist received a certificate from the National Weather Service and a sling backpack full of prizes from the offices and their partners that make up the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness.
For more than 30 years, the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness has conducted its annual poster contest. Since its inception, students have designed informative posters on severe weather safety and preparedness. The efforts of these students have helped the committee meet its overall goal - to educate Ohioans about the actions they can take to protect themselves and others before, during and after severe weather occurs.
(*) Denotes state winners; (**) Denotes the overall state winner
Courtney Beckley, Tuscarawas
Allison Dewees, Medina
Connor Galloway *, Pike
Curtis Hurt, Jr., Montgomery
Ben Janita, Perry
Jalyssa Mahle, Mahoning
Miquela Mundy, Seneca
Katie Vaughn, Madison
Michael Adams *, Geauga
Brianna Brown, Tuscarawas
Baeli Garner, Warren
Emily Heath, Perry
Krista McGee, Auglaize
Michaela O'Hara, Lorain
Erin Spangenberg, Wood
Curtis Young, Fairfield
Hannah Bowen, Perry
Ben Flecha, Cuyahoga
Kaitlin Hartman *, Pickaway
Chayce Hayman, Logan
Juliette Hooper, Stark
Isaac Massie, Lawrence
Jared Orth, Wood
Lydia Truitt, Adams
Brittany Whitehair, Tuscarawas
Alexandra Banks, Crawford
Aidan Hatcher, Franklin
Rachel Jenkins *, Miami
Jasmen Little, Mahoning
Korbyn Martin, Defiance
Sydney Michael**, Adams
Sherry Purpura, Cuyahoga
Shannon Regula, Tuscarawas
Kristen Deal *, Wood
Andrew Guillaume, Williams
Sarah Mattison, Tuscarawas
Nicole Naporano, Franklin
Sarah Obradovich, Mahoning
Emily Rowley, Highland
Haleigh Staugler, Mercer
Andrew Svente, Lorain
McKenzie Brizes, Lake
Darby Fogler *, Pickaway
Nora Kinder, Williams
Kyle Kozlaker, Lucas
Alex Price *, Montgomery
Brittany Spratt, Adams
Joshua Thomas, Pickaway
Jillian Timko, Cuyahoga
All posters will be available to view on the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness Web site: www.weathersafety.ohio.gov.
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Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio Tourism Division today unveiled the 2009-10 Fall/Winter Ohio Calendar of Events, a resource for those starting to plan a fall or winter getaway. With more than 850 listings, the 68-page, full-color Fall/Winter Ohio Calendar of Events provides Ohio travelers with dates, descriptions and contact information for fun and engaging festivals and events found throughout Ohio from September 2009, through February 2010.
The calendar can be ordered free of charge online or by calling 1-800-BUCKEYE, Ohio's toll-free tourism hotline. Online visitors can also download a PDF version of the calendar. PDF
"Fall and Winter in Ohio are truly seasons for the senses. Enjoy the smell of apple butter being made at a harvest festival; a kaleidoscope of sun-kissed autumn colors on a fall foliage tour; the dazzling sparkle of holiday light displays and a bounty of other exciting events awaiting visitors during crisp Ohio days," State Tourism Director Amir Eylon said. "We invite you to participate in traditions of the past while creating your own holiday traditions of the future from eating a pumpkin burger at the Circleville Pumpkin Show to listening to the dulcet tones of the Cleveland Orchestra's performance of Handel's Messiah."
The semi-annual Ohio Calendar of Events, in tandem with the continuously updated event listings on DiscoverOhio.com, offers travelers a valuable travel planning resource including:
Free Ohio Travel Planners and Ohio Calendars of Events can be ordered anytime day or night from DiscoverOhio.com or 1-800-BUCKEYE. Trained travel counselors are available to assist callers from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the week and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends.
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Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today announced the establishment of the Ohio Auto Industry Support Council, a public-private partnership charged with assisting Ohio businesses, workers and communities to develop and implement coordinated strategies aimed at stabilizing and growing the auto industry.
"The automotive industry will continue to drive Ohio's economy," said Strickland. "Now more than ever, we need a unified, coordinated approach to support and strengthen Ohio's auto sector. The Ohio Auto Industry Support Council will work to assist our auto businesses up and down the supply chain, to support workers who deserve a more certain future, and to partner with our automotive communities as they respond to the impacts of the automotive crisis at the local level."
The governor appointed representatives from manufacturing and labor organizations to serve as co-chairs of the Council: Eric Burkland, president of the Ohio Manufacturers' Association, and Ken Lortz, director of Ohio's United Auto Workers Region 2B.
"Ohio's auto workers and the communities in which they reside are bearing the brunt of the nation's economic instability," said Lortz. "Ohio's workforce is second to none. To keep it that way we have to work together to provide the training and support that will bring relief to our struggling workers and recovery to our communities."
"Ohio has the nation's broadest and deepest automotive supply chain," said Burkland. "Auto manufacturing is not only Ohio's past, it is Ohio's future. Ohio needs to position itself as the premier hub of automotive manufacturing and lead the industry transition."
The Council will be comprised of voluntary members including the co-chairs; the Directors of the departments of Development and Job and Family Services and the Chancellor of the Board of Regents; individuals with expertise in worker retraining, industry transition and community stability; a representative of auto dealers; and one legislator recommended by each of the four legislative leaders. The Council will also closely coordinate its activities with the General Assembly's Joint Select Committee on the Auto Industry.
The co-chairs named Dennis L. Wojtanowski president of the new Ohio Auto Council. As president, Wojtanowski will lead the efforts to stabilize and strengthen Ohio's auto sector.
"I can't think of a stronger individual to lead this important effort," Strickland said. "Denny has my full support, and I look forward to working closely with him in the weeks and months ahead to develop the coordinated strategies that will preserve and grow Ohio's auto industry."
Wojtanowski served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1975-1981 and as executive assistant for legislative affairs under Governor Richard Celeste. He was chairman and CEO of the Success Group. He has served on a number of boards and foundations, including the government affairs steering committee of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, the visiting committee of the College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University, and the Ohio Arts Council. He has also served as a national board member of the Camphill Foundation.
"I'm honored to take on this responsibility and will begin our critical work immediately to support Ohio's communities, workers and this great industry in these uncertain economic times," said Wojtanowski.
Wojtanowski's first official act will be joining Governor Strickland in Detroit today and Thursday during his quarterly meetings with the Big 3 automakers.
The Center for Community Solutions has volunteered to serve as the Ohio Auto Council's fiscal agent to receive and manage monetary donations to the council and make expenditures from any such donations as it deems appropriate. The OMA, UAW and the Center for Community Solutions have committed funds to support the Council's work. CCS is also making two senior staff members available to assist the project, Senior Fellow John Habat and Fellow George Coulter, and will retain Wojtanowski on a contract basis, providing his compensation and expenses.
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Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) has completed the implementation of equipment to produce a new format of Ohio's Driver License (DL) and Identification CCards (ID) on a statewide basis. In April 2009, the BMV began issuing the new format for state driver license and identification cCards on a pilot basis.The pilot occurred at select agencies in Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo.
"Whether it's through preparedness exercises, Homeland Security or the BMV, we are always working to keep Ohioans safe and secure," said Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Henry Guzmán. "The new driver license has helped Ohio take a significant step toward keeping with national standCards and improving security."
With the implementation of the new equipment statewide, customers, law enforcement, grocers and others will begin to see the new licenses and IDs in wide circulation. The new format is significantly different in appearance and includes additional security features.Changes include:
Individuals holding a DL or ID printed in the old formats are still valid until the DL or ID is expired.Customers are not required to obtain a replacement DL or ID if they have the old format. Anyone with questions regarding the new format should contact the Ohio BMV at: 614-752-7500. Get more information and view images of the new driver license and identification cCards. PDF