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Senator Argall

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Toll Free: 1-877-327-4255

Harrisburg Office
Senate Box 203029
171 Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3029
717-787-2637
717-783-8657 FAX

Email: dargall@pasen.gov

District Offices
 

One West Centre Street
P.O. Box 150
Mahanoy City, PA 17948
570-773-0891
570-773-1675 FAX

61 North Third Street
Hamburg, PA 19526-1501
610-562-3411
610-562-6895 FAX
(Shared with Representative
Jerry Knowles)

100 North Centre Street
Pottsville, PA 17901
570-621-3400
570-622-6629 FAX
(Shared with Representative Mike Tobash)

Spring Township
2850 Windmill Road
Spring Township, PA 19608
1-877-327-4255

237 West Broad Street
Tamaqua, PA 18252
570-668-1240
570-952-3374 FAX
(Shared with Representative
Jerry Knowles)

Follow Sen. Argall on Twitter for Senate happenings – @SenatorArgall

 

In this Email Update:

  • Deep-fried turkey safety tips
  • Dear Tamaqua celebration
  • Winterizing your home
  • LIHEAP application process now open
  • Holiday shopping in PA
  • Preventing identity theft
  • Hunters Sharing the Harvest
  • Scholarships for PA mining-related engineering or science majors
  • Don’t forget: Finnegan Foundation summer internship opportunity

Deep-fried turkey safety tips

With Thanksgiving only a day away and as you prepare to make delicious food to share with your loved ones, it is important to keep in mind some safety measures if you are planning on deep frying a turkey this year.

According to the Pennsylvania Office of the State Fire Commissioner, approximately 4,300 fires happen on Thanksgiving Day nationwide, resulting in 15 fatalities and $27 million in property damage. The office also noted that several of these fires are caused by deep-frying accidents.

In order to prevent this type of incident from occurring and to ensure that the turkey remains the centerpiece of your meal, the office encourages citizens to adhere to the following safety tips when deep frying:

  • Carefully read the owner’s manual to your fryer.
  • Make sure the turkey is thoroughly thawed.
  • Adhere to the recommended amount of oil to be used.
  • Do not leave the fryer unattended.
  • Keep children and pets away from the fryer.
  • Use proper gear to protect your hands while operating the fryer.
  • Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby in case of a fire.
  • Utilize your deep fryer outside and away from your home, trees, walls, garage, porch, deck, etc.

Dear Tamaqua celebration

The revitalization of our communities is essential in order to spark economic growth, attract residents to the area and keep our rich history alive.

In my latest edition of the Argall Report, I highlight the revitalization efforts in Tamaqua that have brought in new businesses and jobs to the downtown area and made it a more vibrant, attractive, and modern place for residents and visitors to enjoy.

November 2015 - Dear Tamaqua

Watch the latest report on the Dear Tamaqua celebration here, or learn more here.


Winterizing your home

As we quickly approach the cold winter season, it is important to take the necessary steps to ensure that our homes and our loved ones remain protected and warm, while also being energy and cost efficient.

According to information released from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, a typical Pennsylvania family uses over 10,000 kWh of electricity each year and spends more than $2,000 annually on energy bills. Fifty percent of the energy utilized in Pennsylvania homes is used for space heating.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is encouraging Pennsylvania residents to properly prepare their homes for the winter in order to save both energy and money. DEP recommends these home winterization tips that will keep residents’ homes warm and their energy bills less:

  • Reduce the thermostat – each degree that is lowered can save up to 3 percent on heating.
  • Clean baseboard heaters, radiators, and warm-air registers on a regular basis to ensure they are running correctly and are not hindered by furniture, drapes, etc.
  • If you can feel air coming through your windows or doors, use weather-stripping to prevent air from flowing into your house.
  • Open your curtains during the day to let direct sunlight warm up your home; and at night close all of your curtains.
  • Do not utilize heat in spaces of your home that are unused (except for areas that need to have heat to prevent pipes from freezing).
  • Close vents in rooms that are not utilized.
  • If you utilize a wood stove for heating, be sure to clean the flue vent and the inside of the stove on a regular basis.
  • If you utilize a fireplace for heating, keep the damper closed to lessen heat loss from the fireplace.
  • If you utilize a furnace for heating, have it inspected by a heating professional to ensure that it is running efficiently; also replace the air filter.
  • Air seal and insulate your windows, doors, gaps around chimneys and recessed lighting in insulated ceilings to prevent air from flowing inside.

For more information from DEP on how to winterize your home, please click here. For more information on ways to save energy, click here.


LIHEAP application process now open

With the days becoming darker sooner and the temperatures dropping faster, families who are in the midst of a heating crisis or are having a difficult time paying their heating bills are encouraged to apply for assistance through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

LIHEAP offers assistance to help low-income families pay for their heating bills and handle heating issues such as a broken furnace.

For more information on how and where to apply, please click here.


Holiday shopping in PA

‘Tis the season for Black Friday deals and buying gifts for our family, friends and colleagues. Lucky for Pennsylvania residents that our state boasts a plethora of stores and markets to help complete our holiday shopping lists.

For more information about where to shop and enjoy the holiday season, VisitPA, the state’s official website of tourism, provides consumers with detailed information on stores, attractions and holiday activities, as well as where to stay and what sights to visit around the state. For more information, visit their site here.


Preventing identity theft

While we spend our holiday season running around from store-to-store trying to find the best buys and deals, it is important that we remain diligent about monitoring our bank account activity and credit reports in order to ensure that we have not fallen victim to data breaches and identity theft.

Databases that have been compromised can reveal names and home and email addresses, while information that has reached the hands of an unauthorized party such as social security numbers, driver’s license information, military identification and passport numbers can result in identity theft.

In order to maintain your personal well-being and financial security, consumers are encouraged to request a free credit report from each of the three credit reporting companies every twelve months:

  • Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
  • Experian: 1-888-397-3742
  • TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289

For more information about how to prevent or handle identity theft, please visit the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue here .

If you have additional questions about breaches and theft, contact the Pennsylvania Bureau of Consumer Protection at: 1-800-441-2555 or by email at: Consumers@attorneygeneral.gov.


Hunters Sharing the Harvest

Approximately more than 1.1 to 1.8 million families in Pennsylvania live in hunger, and as we give thanks this year for our many blessings, it is important to remember those in need and lend a helping hand.

Since its creation in 1991, the Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) program has donated approximately 100,000 pounds of processed venison meat annually to twenty regional food banks and 4,000-5,000 local provider charities such as homeless shelters, churches, missions and directly to families in need.

Hunters are encouraged to participate in the program in order to help feed the hungry – one average-sized deer can feed up to 200 individuals.

For more information about how to donate a deer or make a monetary donation, please click here.


Scholarships for PA mining-related engineering or science majors

The Pennsylvania Anthracite Section of Society of Mining Engineers/AIME recently announced the 2016-2017 John Kaminski Memorial Scholarships for Pennsylvania students majoring in mining-related engineering or science.

One scholarship valued at $500 will be granted to a graduating high school senior and one to a college or university undergraduate. The one-time only grant is used toward the enrollment and attendance in a mining-related engineering or science program at a Pennsylvania school.

The deadline to be considered for this scholarship is May 16, 2016. For more information about this scholarship opportunity, please contact your school’s guidance counselor or the Pennsylvania Anthracite Section SME/AIME Chairman, John R. Ackerman, at jrackerman@twinoaks.biz.


Don’t forget: Finnegan Foundation summer internship opportunity

As a reminder, the James A. Finnegan Fellowship Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2016 Summer Internship Program.

Undergraduate students enrolled at a Pennsylvania institution or Pennsylvania residents attending a school elsewhere are encouraged to apply for this internship opportunity within the Pennsylvania state government.

The deadline for applying is February 6, 2016. More information on how to apply for the program can be accessed here.

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