Gov. DeWine visits Timi’s
CADIZ—Governor DeWine stopped along his campaign trail to eat lunch at Timi’s cafe last Tuesday. Local officials joined him to chat and share updates on the county’s progress just days before the election. DeWine explained the importance of touching base with such individuals who have roots in the county and who know and live each need specifically. Representatives from the courthouse and supporting government offices made a strong showing, as did many significant local businesses and committees in the area.
“What I do often is meet with mayors, commissioners, and other key people to learn what they need,” explained DeWine. “It is important to me to see citizens, just like I am here at Timi’s, so they can inform me of what specific issues are close to their home.”
DeWine paid a visit to Cadiz last October to award $9.1 million in funding for the construction of a new jail in Harrison county. During this visit last week, he inquired about the project’s progress and stated that “Harrison County is doing very well. The jail is a big need that is being met, and I’m glad our office could be part of the solution through funding. I am eager to see the benefits from it for local law enforcement.”
DeWine continued to praise Harrison County and spoke highly of Ohio’s and Appalachia’s forward momentum. He noted inflation as the number one basic concern of citizens from his innumerable conversations, along with high school graduation rates and Ohio’s population retention rates trailing closely behind.
“Ohio is moving; things are coming back…we have incredible natural resources, especially in gas, and we need to be more aggressive about getting that gas out. As far as our children go, people should see the career centers if they have not yet toured one. The training and facilities continue to improve and produce important, skilled people in the community. We want our kids to stay here and have the jobs and ability to succeed–be it Cadiz or anywhere. People want to live where they grew up. We have a good business climate in Ohio, and we must put a great emphasis on education in order to continue the forward momentum we’ve been seeing.”
When prompted, DeWine affirmed his pro-life stance and the unique opportunity the state legislature has in rewriting Ohio’s rules for abortion (in response to the repealing of Roe vs. Wade). He urged lawmakers to recognize the significance and importance of writing sustainable laws that will last in light of the current political climate.
County Commissioner Paul Coffland weighed in on his dealings with DeWine and spoke to his anticipation of newfound funding for our county.
“For so many years, this side of the state was ignored. It is so nice to have Governor DeWine show interest in us and then back it up with the support he’s given us. We are looking forward to his $500 million commitment to Appalachian counties in the state. We are having a seminar on Friday at the library to decide whether the county should partner as a region or with individual villages to secure some of that money.”
Coffland also stressed the immediate need for better internet connectivity. He hopes to see results in the next few years, results that may impact the attraction/retention of new and existing Harrison County residents.
“Now, with so many being able to work from home, good internet is a must. His [DeWine’s] commitment to broadband has been significant, though we have not been able to see it. Until we receive federal money in addition to the state money we’ve received, we won’t be able to attract those bigger companies who are investing in the necessary infrastructure. They are going where the biggest returns are initially—Guernsey and Jefferson Counties are seeing some progress, and we will too, in time.”
