East Palestine Update – 3/31/23

 

(EAST PALESTINE, Ohio)— The following are updates from the State of Ohio regarding remediation work at the site of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

Rail Safety Legislation

Governor Mike DeWine today signed House Bill 23, which includes new measures to target increased safety and transparency of Ohio’s freight and hazardous materials shipping by rail.Read full story

Governor DeWine Signs $13.5 Billion Transportation Budget

(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine joined Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Director Jack Marchbanks and members of the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Senate today to sign House Bill 23, the state’s next two-year transportation budget.  

The bill, which takes effect July 1, directs how the state will spend approximately $13.5 billion in state and federal revenue over the next two years.Read full story

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Availability of $1 Billion to Help Farmers, Ranchers and Rural Businesses Invest in Renewable Energy Systems and Energy-Efficiency Improvements

 

President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act Lowers Energy Costs, Builds America’s Clean-Energy Economy in Rural America

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2023 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is accepting applications starting on April 1 for $1 billion in grants to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses invest in renewable energy systems and make energy-efficiency improvements.Read full story

2023 Law Enforcement Certification Report Continues Progress in Meeting Collaborative Standards

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced today that 89% of Ohio’s population is now served by a law enforcement agency meeting or seeking to meet standards developed by the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board.  

“Uniform standards for Ohio law enforcement increase the trust between the public and local agencies,” said Governor DeWine.Read full story

Brown, Brownley Introduce Bill to Give Children of Disabled Vets Same Access to Health Care as Other Young People Under ACA

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 31, 2023 – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA-26) introduced legislation to allow children of disabled veterans to remain eligible for VA health care until they are 26 years old – the same age the Affordable Care Act requires private-sector insurance plans to allow children to stay on their parents’ plans, as well as the military’s TRICARE program. Read full story

BBB Scam Alert: Small Businesses Spot an Invoice Scam Posing as the Geek Squad or PayPal

You may have encountered a fake invoice if you are running a small business (or keeping books for one). Phony bills have long been a favorite and effective trick of scammers. Recently, BBB Scam Tracker has gotten multiple reports of a new version of this scam, where con artists pretend to be contacting you as part of the Geek Squad, which is owned by Best Buy (BBB Accredited Business) or through PayPal (BBB Accredited Business).

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