 WEEK IN REVIEW
Friday, October 2, 2026
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Week in Review
For the week ending October 2, 2026
Monday, September 28, 2026
 Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine joined the Columbus Crew at Kae Avenue Elementary in Whitehall for a pep rally and special event highlighting the work of both Governor DeWine and the Columbus Crew to bring vision services directly to schools to help students learn their best.
“I want to thank the Columbus Crew for their work to bring vision services to Kae Avenue Elementary,” said Governor DeWine. “We know, though our OhioSEE model, that the only way to make sure kids get the vision care they need is to bring it directly to them at school. Thanks to the work of the Columbus Crew and other OhioSEE partners, every elementary student in this school district today will get vision care. And that’s a huge win.”
Lt. Governor Tressel, athlete mentors Ted Ginn Jr., Christian Bryant, and Donnie Evege, and student athletes from Cleveland State had a great visit with Willoughby-Eastlake students taking part in the Team Tressel Fitness Challenge. Lt. Governor Tressel thanked the teachers and staff for encouraging students to prioritize healthy habits.
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 Governor DeWine, Lt. Governor Tressel, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik announced the approval of five projects that will create 1,173 new jobs, retain 601 jobs statewide, and result in more than $431 million in investments across Ohio.
During its monthly meeting, the Ohio Tax Credit Authority (TCA) reviewed economic development proposals brought to the board by JobsOhio and its regional partners. The projects are expected to result in more than $79 million in new payroll.
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
 Governor DeWine announced that he has directed Ohio EPA to begin the process to end the E-Check vehicle emissions testing program in Northeast Ohio.
The move to end E-Check comes after the U.S. EPA redesignated the region as meeting the federal ozone standard in June. The Cleveland area is now designated as in attainment for all federal air quality standards.
"Decades of work to reduce pollution have finally paid off to the extent that we no longer believe E-Check is needed to maintain federal air quality standards in Northeast Ohio," said Governor DeWine.
 Governor DeWine, Lt. Governor Tressel, and Ohio Department of Development Director Mihalik announced more than $6 million in funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) will be directed toward five projects supporting workforce and economic development in communities impacted by the downturn of the coal industry.
The funding is part of the federal Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative to help address coal-related job loss in the Appalachian region.
“For generations, the hardworking people of Appalachia have helped power both Ohio and the nation as a whole — building strong communities around industries that were essential to our growth,” said Governor DeWine. “As our economy continues to evolve, we have a responsibility to ensure we’re investing in those same communities and the people who call them home.”
Projects from this funding round include efforts to create training programs to increase workforce resiliency, building robust student-to-career pipelines, and improving infrastructure to allow for the expansion of local industry.
“A strong economy starts with a strong workforce, and that means giving all Ohioans the skills and opportunities they need to succeed,” said Lt. Governor Tressel. “These investments will connect more people in Ohio’s great Appalachian region with essential training and good careers, while helping our employers build the roster they need to compete on a global scale.”
Lt. Governor Tressel and Challenge Captain Braxton Miller visited students at North Union Elementary School to keep them excited about the Team Tressel Fitness Challenge. The Challenge is all about finding your starting point, setting a goal, and getting a little better each day.
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In every corner of Ohio, students are setting goals, building healthy habits, and discovering what they can accomplish. Now, Lt. Governor Tressel is calling on Ohio’s business community to join the team and support students across the state.
Lt. Governor Tressel encourages businesses and community organizations to support the more than 655,000 students participating in the Team Tressel Fitness Challenge by connecting with local schools and providing incentives that recognize effort, celebrate progress, and motivate students to reach their full potential.
"Ohio businesses can make a meaningful difference in their local schools by joining the team and giving students one more reason to keep working toward their goals," said Lt. Governor Tressel. "When a community rallies arounds its young people, it sends a powerful message that their health, growth, and future matter."
Businesses can find the list of participating schools in their area at TeamTressel.Ohio.gov and should contact them directly to explore how best to support their students. Schools are encouraged to identify incentives that align with their policies and meet the needs of their students.
Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Governor DeWine speaks with children about H2Ohio at Holy Family School in Cincinnati on Sept. 30, 2026.
Governor DeWine visited Cincinnati and Cleveland Heights to showcase H2Ohio's expansive work to improve water quality in Ohio.
Governor DeWine created H2Ohio in 2019 as a comprehensive, data-driven approach to protect and improve water quality statewide. The program focuses on improving water infrastructure and addressing the root causes of harmful algal blooms.
The visits to Cincinnati and Cleveland Heights focused on Ohio EPA's work to remove lead pipes and decrease road salt contamination. The events are part of a multi-day tour over the coming weeks to celebrate the various methods H2Ohio uses to ensure clean, safe water across Ohio.
Governor DeWine discusses H2Ohio's work to reduce road salt runoff in Cleveland Heights on Sept. 30, 2026.
Lt. Governor Tressel asked the students at Miami Trace to give him their best effort — and they delivered. Former Ohio State & NFL athlete Joshua Perry and Challenge Captain DeVier Posey led the way, with student-athletes from Wilmington College showing what good energy, hard work, and a positive attitude can achieve.
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Thursday, October 1, 2026
Governor DeWine signed the following bill into law:
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House Bill 519, sponsored by State Representative Andrea White (R-Kettering), to prohibit possession of an electronic device while committing a motor vehicle theft offense, to temporarily reduce certain motor fuel taxes, to levy a temporary retail tax on certain motor fuel, to make appropriations to supplement the loss of motor fuel tax revenues, and to declare an emergency.
Lt. Governor Tressel met a lot of future leaders at James A. Garfield Middle School during a Team Tressel Fitness Challenge visit. Leadership begins with how we approach each day — working hard, treating others well, and doing our part to make the team stronger!
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Governor DeWine announced that sales of Ohio’s Dolly Parton's Imagination Library specialty license plate have more than doubled following the beloved country music icon’s death on August 25. From January 1 to August 24, Ohioans purchased 533 plates. Since Dolly's death on August 25, sales have surged to 1,113 plates.
First introduced in January 2025, the specialty plate supports Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio. Each plate generates a $25 contribution to the Imagination Library program in the county where the plate is purchased. Since January 2026, more than $80,000 has been raised for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio. Every plate sold helps cover the local cost of mailing one child a full year of books — 12 high-quality, age‑appropriate titles delivered directly to their home.
“Ohio is proud to help carry forward Dolly Parton’s legacy of inspiring a love of reading in children,” said Governor DeWine. “The surge in license plate sales shows how strongly Ohioans value early literacy and how much they appreciate Dolly and all she has done to put books in the hands of children.”
"Purchasing a Dolly Parton's Imagination Library license plate is a wonderful way to support Dolly's program and her legacy," said First Lady Fran DeWine. "A portion of your purchase helps cover the local cost of mailing books to children in your community, supports the program, and helps to ensure Dolly's beloved legacy as 'the Book Lady' lives on."
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Friday, October 2, 2026
 Governor DeWine visited Toledo to highlight H2Ohio’s work to create and restore wetlands to improve Ohio's water quality over the long term.
Governor DeWine created H2Ohio in 2019 as a comprehensive, data-driven approach to protect and improve water quality statewide. The program focuses on improving water infrastructure and addressing the root causes of harmful algal blooms.
Wetlands absorb excess nutrients, like phosphorus, acting as natural filter to clean the water as it flows downstream into other bodies of water. Phosphorus runoff is a leading contributor to fueling harmful algal blooms, especially on Lake Erie.
“H2Ohio started right here in Northwest Ohio to address the harmful algal blooms on Lake Erie,” said Governor DeWine. "By supporting farming best practices and restoring wetlands, H2Ohio has made significant progress in improving water quality and reducing the amount of phosphorus going into the Lake.”
The students at Creekview Elementary School were ready to work during the Lt. Governor's Team Tressel Fitness Challenge visit! They talked about how strong bodies, strong minds, and strong teams are all built the same way—with good habits, consistent effort, and encouragement from the people around us.
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Governor DeWine joined Bayer and JobsOhio to announce Bayer’s plans to invest $2.2 billion in a new pharmaceutical manufacturing site in New Albany, Ohio.
Bayer is expected to create around 600 high-value jobs in the New Albany International Business Park and roughly 1,500 construction jobs during the facility’s construction.
“Bayer is a globally respected life sciences company that could have chosen to build this new facility anywhere in the United States — and it chose Ohio,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “This project firmly solidifies Ohio’s place among global biomanufacturing leaders as a destination for life sciences investment.”
MEDIA CONTACT:
Dan Tierney: 614-644-0957
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