STATEHOUSE NEWS

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(COLUMBUS, Ohio)— In honor of the life and service of Perrysburg Township Firefighter and Paramedic Troy Bernhard, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has ordered the flags of the United States and the state of Ohio to be lowered upon all public buildings and grounds throughout Wood County, the Ohio Statehouse, the Vern Riffe Center, and the Rhodes State Office Tower today, and will remain until sunset on the day of his funeral, October 5, 2024.
All other public buildings and grounds throughout the state may fly the flags of the United States and the state of Ohio at half-staff at their discretion for the same time period.

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(Columbus, OH)—The Ohio Statehouse will celebrate National Fossil Day, Oct. 16, 2024, by offering a FREE fossil tour on Capitol Square. The special tour will take place Wednesday, Oct. 16 from noon until 1:30 p.m. Expert geologists will explore the limestone walls, stairs and columns that support the Ohio Statehouse. This fossil tour is a unique opportunity for anyone fascinated by geology and natural history.

The tour will start in the Worthington Center, located on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse. The tour will be conducted by Dale M. Gnidovic, Curator of the OSU Orton Geological Museum and Mark Peter, Paleontologist at ODNR Division of Geological Survey.

While the event is free and public, participants are asked to RSVP to tours@ohiostatehouse.org by Tuesday, Oct. 15.

Each visitor will receive a free copy of the booklet, Statehouse Fossils: A Guide to Fossils of the Ohio Capitol, by Mark E. Peter.

National Fossil Day is an annual celebration of geology. It occurs during Earth Science Week, which is Oct. 13-19 this year. These celebrations encourage young people to explore careers in earth science and engage everyone in the importance of our resources and environment.

This tour is one of many activities during Earth Science Week in Ohio. The website for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources lists more fun activities and events for families and friends. https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-odnr/geologic-survey/educational-resources/earth-science-week-ohio.

The Statehouse Museum Shop has gemstones, fossils, and fossil related items available for purchase. They will be open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Photos are available on the Ohio Statehouse website. http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/galleries/geology-fossil-tour

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(Columbus, OH)—The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) and the Capitol Square Foundation (CSF) are pleased to announce that 81 schools will be awarded Transportation Grants for the 2024-2025 academic year. The online application will open on Monday, Sept. 23, at 9 a.m. and remain open until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 30.

The grants will help schools defray bus transportation costs for field trips to the Ohio Statehouse and its museum. Each grant’s amount will be based on one-way mileage from the visiting school to the Ohio Statehouse.

Since the creation of CSF’s program in 2009, more than 75,000 students from all 88 counties in Ohio have visited the Ohio Statehouse through the assistance of these grants. “Thanks to Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc.'s generous support, students can visit the Ohio Statehouse, providing them with a firsthand experience of how the government works.” said Charles Moses, CSF Chair, “It’s an opportunity in furthering their education in a way a textbook cannot.”

27 grants will be awarded in each of three mileage categories:
1 to 50 miles ($200)
51 to 100 miles ($300)
101+ miles ($400)

This year, teachers and administrators will have eight days to submit applications. CSRAB will use a random number generator to choose 27 schools from each mileage category.

“These grants allow us to offer unique educational experiences outside the classroom, inspiring our students to become more engaged citizens.” said Laura Battocletti, CSRAB Executive Director, “We are always very excited for an opportunity to work with the new generations.”

The Transportation Grants will be available to any school in Ohio that receives state funding. Grants are limited to students in the 4th through 12th grades during the 2024-2025 academic year. Only one Transportation Grant will be awarded to each school, regardless of the number of buses or students visiting the Ohio Statehouse. Additionally, schools must have a minimum of 20 students on their field trip in order to be eligible for a grant, and recipients must schedule and attend a guided tour of the Statehouse in order to receive their funds. Please contact Dayna Jalkanen at Dayna.Jalkanen@ohiostatehouse.org with questions or for additional information.

Only online applications will be accepted and must be submitted by an authorized teacher or school administrator. Applications will be accepted for eight days, from Sept. 23-30. Grant recipients will be notified of their status by Oct. 2, 2024.

Detailed information about the program is available, and the online application will be posted on the website: https://www.ohiostatehouse.org/visit/school-and-group-tours/school-bus-transportation-grant-program.

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In honor of those killed in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Governor DeWine has ordered the flags of the United States and the state of Ohio to be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout Ohio from sunrise to sunset on September 11, 2024.
Governor DeWine asks that all Ohioans observe a moment of silence beginning at 8:46 a.m. to honor the innocent lives lost as a result of the terrorist attacks

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UPDATE (10-18-24): All tickets have been sold out in 2024.

Columbus, OH—On Tuesday, Sept. 10, tickets for the Ohio Statehouse’s Haunted Tours go on sale. The much-loved eerie tours will take place Friday, Oct. 18; Saturday, Oct. 19; Friday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Oct. 26 at the state Capitol.

TICKETS FOR THIS EVENT MUST BE PRE-ORDERED.

Ticket prices are $15 for adults ages 18 and older and $7 for students ages 12 to 17, plus a $3 processing fee per order. The tours through the darkened halls of the building depart every half hour between 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Affordable event parking will be available in the Statehouse Underground Garage.

Tickets may be purchased in three ways:

• Online at statehouseshop.com


• In-person at the Statehouse Museum Shop on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse


• Over the phone by calling 614-728-9234

If participants dare to embark on an adventure through the dark chambers and haunted hallways of the Statehouse, they will hear spooky tales from Ohio’s past in a manner that combines history with legend. By lantern, guides will lead visitors through one of the country’s oldest functioning capitol buildings to create a ghostly environment that is most appropriate for ages 12 and older.

Pictures from previous years are available at ohiostatehouse.org/galleries/haunted-tours-photos.

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The Ohio Statehouse will participate in the Ohio History Connection’s Ohio Open Doors event by offering live tours that will begin at noon on Monday, September 9, and continue each day at noon through Friday, September 13. The tours are led by Statehouse experts and will feature a different theme each day. These tours are free and open to the public.

Monday, September 9: Greek Revival Architecture
Learn how to spot the first truly American style of architecture as you look closely at the building elements of the Statehouse.

Tuesday, September 10: Early Ohio History
Engage in stories about Ohio’s early days as part of the Northwest Territory and path to statehood.

Wednesday, September 11: Civic Engagement
Learn about flag policy, voting rights, committee testimony, and the many ways you can be an active state citizen.

Thursday, September 12: Civil Rights in Ohio
Discover the role Ohioans and the state played during the Civil Rights Movement.

Friday, September 13: The Ohio Statehouse Then and Now
See the amazing changes Capitol Square went through during the restoration of 1989-1996.

The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center is one of more than 200 organizations participating in this statewide educational project. Learn about Ohio’s past as historic Ohio buildings and landmarks open their doors to tours and events from Friday, September 6 through Sunday, September 15. All Ohio Open Doors events are free. For a full list of events and activities available, visit Ohio History Connection.

About the Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center

The Ohio Statehouse Museum is open seven days a week, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on state holidays. The Museum includes interactive, hands-on exhibits that challenge visitors’ knowledge about Ohio history and the workings of state government while equipping them to participate more fully as citizens. Displays include original pages of the Ohio Constitution and interactive learning about our state’s founding documents.

About the Ohio Statehouse

The Ohio Statehouse is more than a monument to our past; it’s where history happens! The Ohio Statehouse is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on state holidays. Cell phone tours and self-guided tour brochures are available in the Map Room, easily accessible from the Third Street entrance. Virtual tours and other resources can be found online at ohiostatehouse.org/Assets/Files/1005077.pdf.

The Capitol Café is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Statehouse Museum Shop is also open on weekdays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For education and museum information, contact 614-728-2697 or OhioStatehouse.org.


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(Columbus, OH) – The Capitol Square Review and Advisor Board is seeking proposals for graphic design for a 44-page booklet which will include a front and back cover, and 40 pages of content on the early history of Ohio. As we prepare to celebrate America 250, “The Founding of the State of Ohio” booklet discusses the importance of Ohio’s history in the shaping of the country beyond the original 13 colonies.
The chosen designer will be responsible for creating an original design for 44 individual page layouts, including the selection of fonts, color schemes and all graphic elements, including a timeline on Ohio’s early history. CSRAB will provide the text and a bank of images to be incorporated into the design. The booklet will be printed by CSRAB and distributed to the public, free of charge, at the Ohio Statehouse.

For the full information including requirements, click here.

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(Columbus, OH)— The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) will commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, with a memorial flag display on the west lawn of the Ohio Statehouse. A short program will begin Tuesday, September 10 at 5 p.m. on the west steps of the Ohio Statehouse and will feature remarks from state officials. After the program, volunteers from across central Ohio will install the 2,977 flags that comprise the memorial beginning at 5:45 p.m.

The Ohio Statehouse has been the venue for the annual 9/11 memorial from 2002 through 2024, only missing 2020 due to the pandemic. The flags represent the 2,977 victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93. When seen from above, the design represents the World Trade Center towers, with a space in the shape of the Pentagon and an open strip representing the field in Pennsylvania. Located on the West Lawn of the Ohio Statehouse, the memorial will be open to the public from 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 10 until 12 p.m. Monday, September 16.

The September 10 program will include brief remarks by several dignitaries from the state government in Ohio including:

Director Deborah Ashenhurst, Ohio Department of Veterans Services
Senator Hearcel Craig, Ohio Senate District 15, Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board
Secretary of State Frank LaRose, and
Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon.

The flag display is a memorable and moving scene on the Ohio Statehouse lawn. The volunteers installing the flags include individuals from across the State of Ohio. The flags will be checked daily by staff and volunteers. Please contact Emily Volkmann, Emily.volkmann@ohiostatehouse.org or 614-466-9335 to volunteer for this event.

Photos of the event in 2023 are on the website, https://www.ohiostatehouse.org/galleries/flags-for-9-11-in-2023.

Watch live on OhioChannel.org https://www.ohiochannel.org/live/special-events

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