Ohio's Sept.
Unemployment Rates
Ohio and U.S. Employment Situation (Seasonally Adjusted)
Ohio's unemployment rate was 10.0 percent in September, down from 10.1 percent in August.
The September unemployment rate for Ohio was down from 10.7 percent in September 2009. The U.S. unemployment rate for September was 9.6 percent, unchanged from August.
"While Ohio's employment situation was largely unchanged in September, an increase in education and healthcare hiring helped drive the unemployment rate down for the sixth consecutive month," said ODJFS Director Douglas Lumpkin. In the Region:
Hocking: 10.4%
Meigs: 13.3%
Monroe: 13.0%
Morgan: 12.5%
Noble: 13.1%
Perry: 11.6%
Wash.: 8.1%
From The Ohio Department of Development:
Ohio's strategic location and abundance of world-class logistics assets provides companies with low-cost access to customers and partners.
- Ohio is within 600 miles of 61% of all American manufacturing and retail establishments and 59% of the population.
- Ohio ranks fourth overall in the value of goods shipped ($563.2 billion, excluding exports).
- Third in the value of goods shipped by truck alone ($437.8 billion) according to the 2007 Commodity Flow Survey.
- Ohio also ranks second in the value of goods shipped via the multimodal combination of rail and water ($119 million).
Reasons for these top rankings include the concentration of high-value manufacturing in Ohio - notably primary and fabricated metal products, machinery and non-metallic minerals, electrical and transportation equipment, and rubber and plastic products - as well as the centrality of the state.
To discuss how Ohio can help companies leverage these logistics assets to reduce costs, contact
Region's Project Featured in White House Report
The White House has released a new report highlighting 100 of what the report calls "the most innovative and effective" Recovery Act projects nationwide.
The report, entitled "100 Recovery Act Projects That Are Changing America" focuses on projects that are putting people back to work and helping transform the American economy by laying the foundation for sustainable economic growth and job creation. Six Ohio projects are among those featured in the report, including projects in Cleveland, Nelsonville, Circleville, Toledo and Youngstown.
View Report |
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Buckeye Hills Hosts Semi-Annual Meeting and Presents Legislator Awards
Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District (BH-HVRDD) hosted its Semi-Annual Meeting in Oct. with keynote speaker, Barbara Riley, Director of The Ohio Department of Aging.
Nearly 100 representatives from across the region and from state and federal agencies attended. Leaders from Buckeye Hills and its Area Agency on Aging (AAA8) provided semi-annual updates on programs in the district and honored three of the region's legislators.
 U.S. Senator George Voinovich was honored by Ohio's four Appalachian districts with The National Association of Development Organization's (NADO) Congressional Partnership Award. The honor recognizes Members of Congress who have demonstrated leadership in promoting regional community and economic development. Nick Gatz of the Nelsonville Regional Office accepted on the Senator's behalf. Shown above from left is Gatz representing Senator Voinovich, Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission Exec. Director John Hemmings and Buckeye Hills-HVRDD Exec. Director Misty Casto.
 The Ohio Appalachian Districts also honored Congressman Charlie Wilson with a NADO Partnership Award for his advocacy on behalf of the nation's Appalachian Region and his support for funding of the Appalachian Regional Commission. Wilson's regional and Washington DC office staff have also been champions of rural broadband and economic development issues and they are focused on helping rural communities. Congressman Wilson accepted the award. Shown above from left is OVRDC Exec. Director John Hemmings, Rep. Charlie Wilson and Buckeye Hills Exec. Director Misty Casto.
In addition, the Buckeye Hills Area Agency on Aging presented a Legislative Partnership Award to Ohio Rep. Jennifer Garrison (D-93rd) for her support over three terms in The Ohio House of Representatives. In this past term, she worked to help end managed enrollment for Ohio's Medicaid Waiver programs such as PASSPORT and Assisted Living. Rep. Garrison has worked with the Buckeye Hills AAA8 to advocate for program budgets and worked to understand rural home care issues by participating in district PASSPORT home visits. Garrison was also a supporter of the bipartisan Home First legislation that helps older Ohioans access in-home long-term care services. The program allows older adults immediate enrollment in home and community services, if they are at risk of nursing facility placement.
 Shown at left presenting the AAA8 Legislative Partnership Award is Rick Hindman, AAA8 Director; Rep. Jennifer Garrison and Misty Casto, Executive Director. |
PASSPORT Waiver Featured on Legislator Visit
Area Agency on Aging (AAA8) staff invited Ohio Senator Tim Schaffer to a home visit with a PASSPORT Waiver client in Logan (Hocking County). Shown from left are Rick Hindman, AAA8 Director; Senator. Schaffer; show at center is PASSPORT client Jesse Hackney; AAA8 Case Manager, Jayne Yates, RN; and Mike Gibson from Fosterbridge Home Care. PASSPORT serves more than 28,000 Ohioans with home and community-based services. |
Around the District:
 Solar Farming Comes to OhioNearly 40 years ago, it was a strip mine used by the Central Ohio Coal Company. Now, 500 acres of land adjacent to The Wilds conservation park is set to house a $250 million, 49.9-megawatt solar array.
"We recognized the future when we established our state's aggressive renewable portfolio standard, invested in the energy industry and eliminated taxes for new energy facilities to create jobs and grow Ohio's advanced energy industry," said Ohio Gov.Ted Strickland, nodding to an executive order he signed in September.
"Today," he announced on Oct. 5, "the future has recognized Ohio."
Placing land-hungry solar generation facilities on swaths of land already roughed up by mining is increasingly common in the Western United States, especially the sun-blessed Southwest, as our David Rosenfeld reported recently. "Existing transmission lines, available water and roads capable of supporting wide, heavy loads provide ready-made infrastructure," he wrote. "And reclaiming land that's already been disturbed will reduce permitting costs."
This Turning Point Solar project, however, is in Appalachia, known more for its coal mining detritus and less for its renewable energy portfolio. In Turning Point's case, there was disturbed land aplenty: It's going in on a mining site created by Big Muskie, one of the biggest mining machines ever created. Twice as much earth reportedly was removed for this mine than occurred during the building of the Panama Canal.
Turning Point also hosts another superlative: Backers say it would be the largest photovoltaic solar farm in the United States. In addition, prairie planting tests are currently being conducted in hopes that the fallow land under the solar panels into an organic carbon sink.
It also includes a manufacturing component - expected to provide more than 300 permanent manufacturing jobs - not included in most Western plans.
Pending approval by the state and local governments, two solar power manufacturers from Spain, Prius Energy and Isofoton, have agreed to open new manufacturing facilities to help construct Turning Point's 239,400-panel solar array.
Turning Point Solar's project developers, New Harvest Ventures and Agile Energy entered into a 20-year purchase agreement for the facility's power with American Electric Power.
Source: Appalachian Regional Commission News Oct. 21
Athens & Monroe County: Annual OEDA Excellence Awards Noted in Region
The Ohio Economic Development Association presented its annual Excellence Awards at its 2010 Annual Summit, held October 25-27 at the Conference Center at NorthPointe in Columbus. The Ohio Economic Development Association's annual excellence awards program recognizes the achievements of individuals and organizations in Ohio in the areas of economic and workforce development.
In the Buckeye Hills-HVRDD region, the following were honored:
Excellence in Economic Development Innovation
Finalist - Ohio University Innovation Center - Innovative Outreach to Clients, Stakeholders, and Potential Entrepreneurs
Excellence in Volunteerism
First Place Award Winner - Tom Scott of Team Monroe in Monroe County
Athens County: Foundation for Appalachian Ohio Receives $300,000 Walmart Foundation Grant
The Walmart Foundation awarded $300,000 to the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio to support its Child of Appalachia student writing contest and the Strive for Excellence teacher grant program for the 2010-11 school year.
"An accessible education is the foundation for enhanced quality of life and growth of economic prosperity in Appalachian Ohio," said FAO President and CEO Cara Dingus Brook. "The Foundation is delighted to partner with the Walmart Foundation to ensure our region's students and educators have access to the educational opportunities for success."
 Meigs County: Pomeroy to Get a New $2 Million Family Healthcare Facility
Meigs County residents will soon benefit even more from the services of Family Health Care, Inc., a non-profit healthcare provider based in Chillicothe. In October, a ground-breaking ceremony was held for the new $2.3 million dollar outpatient facility at Pomeroy that will employ nearly 25 staff.
Last year, the current Middleport clinic treated 2,000 patients during 8,600 visits. The new 10,714 square-foot clinic will be located on Pomeroy Pike and will include 11 exam rooms, a procedure room, and five dental suites, as well as laboratory and administrative offices. The facility was made possible in part by a $1 million grant through the federal economic stimulus program and a $1.3 million USDA/Rural Development loan. |
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Ohio Department of Aging Director Visits Region
Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District (BH-HVRDD) hosted its Semi-Annual Meeting with Barbara Riley, Director of The Ohio Department of Aging, as the keynote speaker. Following her presentation, Director Riley also visited at The O'Neill Center in Marietta.
Nearly 100 representatives from across the region and from state and federal agencies attended. In addition, leaders from Buckeye Hills and its Area Agency on Aging (AAA8) provided semi-annual updates on programs in the district.
During her presentation, Director Riley shared thoughts on the current and future demands for Ohioans aging population.
- Ohio is an aging state. By 2020, the 60+ population will grow by 28% while the state's total population will increase by only five percent.
- 12,000 Ohioans turn 60 each month.
- By 2020, the population over 85 will increase by 43%.
Because of this tremendous growth, Director Riley shared that Ohio has been carefully looking at how we will be able to afford to support the ever-growing aging population. The state's Unified Long-Term Care Budget program has developed subcommittees to help find a better balance for long-term care funding between home and community-based settings and nursing homes.
"We need to think differently," said Director Riley. "We need to work to build a better system with the focus on the consumer."
According to AARP, nine out of 10 people surveyed would prefer to receive long-term care services in their own home or community. Allowing older adults to receive their long-term care services at home results in Medicaid cost savings.
Director Riley shared that in 2003 Ohio was funding 67% of people in nursing facilities and only 33% of people in home settings. In 2008, that ratio had shifted to 58 percent in nursing facilities and 42% at home. The state's goal is to continue to provide support for individuals to remain at home and work to have a 50/50 ratio.
If the state succeeds in employing a series of prevention and self-care strategies to help individuals with disabilities remain independent longer, the state could reduce the number of people with a severe disability who rely on Medicaid by one percent annually. This one percent reduction in demand could reduce the number of people relying on Medicaid by 11.5% by 2020 - the savings combined with reducing the numbers in nursing facilities could result in a $1 billion savings.
 Know a Senior Citizen Who Needs to Save Money in Their Monthly Budget? Ask Them to Call AAA8: 1-800-331-2644
AAA8 can help low-income seniors potentially find money in their monthly budgets with programs like Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) and the Medicare "Extra Help" prescription program.
Application assistance and program details are available at AAA8 by calling 1-800-331-2644. Details are also available at www.areaagency8.org. |
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