Uecker joins Portsmouth community to celebrate America's Best Communities competition
State Senator Joe Uecker (R-Miami Township) joined the Portsmouth community to celebrate and promote Portsmouth's selection as a national semifinalist for the America’s Best Communities Competition.
Fifteen communities across the country, including Portsmouth, were selected as semifinalists for the honor. More than 350 communities nationwide entered the competition after its launch in 2014. Each quarterfinalist was awarded $50,000 to develop a Community Revitalization Plan and worked with a corporation to foster the plan through the competition’s Adopt-a-Community Program.
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"Communities like Portsmouth represent the best America has to offer," Uecker said. "Smaller, rural communities often face great adversity yet work together as a community to ensure success and revitalization."
Eight communities will be named finalists and presented $100,000 to finalize their plan. Three communities will then be chosen as America's Best Communities, with the first place community receiving $3 million.
"I certainly hope to see Portsmouth selected as the winner of this competition,” Uecker said. “However, I think we already know that the Portsmouth community is one of America's best."
The event was attended by over 125 people, including many government and community leaders from Portsmouth and Scioto County.
Portsmouth, Ohio will compete for the prestigious designation with Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; Charleston, W.Va.; Statesboro, Ga.; Valley County/Meadows Valley, Idaho; Chisago Lakes Area, Minn.; Huntington, W.Va.; DeKalb, Ill.; Fort Dodge, Iowa; Darrington/Arlington, Wash.; Valparaiso, Ind.; Tualatin, Ore.; Wenatchee/East Wenatchee, Wash.; Madison, Ind.; and Angola/Fremont, Ind..