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In this update:
Mahanoy City Recovers After Tornado
On Monday evening, a rare tornado touched down in Mahanoy City, causing damage to homes, employers, and the Mahanoy Area High School. It missed my office by about 20 yards. Rep. Dane Watro and I met with Superintendent Joie Green and Business Administrator Jack Hurst from the Mahanoy Area School District today to see the damage at the high school and offer our full support as repairs begin. What we learned from them is that the repairs are already underway, the damage was very limited, the nearby creek channel needs to be cleared to avoid future flooding—BUT had the tornado moved a few yards south, it would have been much, much worse for their schools. Residents of the area with storm damage should contact their homeowner’s insurance, take pictures of the damage, and keep any receipts. Damages should also be reported to the Mahanoy City Borough Office at 239 E. Pine Street, Mahanoy City, PA 17948 or the Schuylkill County Office of Emergency Management at 570-622-3739. Read more here. White Haven Celebrates 200th Anniversary
White Haven celebrated its 200th anniversary during their annual Memorial Day weekend parade. Earlier this year, White Haven Borough was accepted into the Blueprint Communities program, which works with local leaders to help them obtain resources to bring new opportunities to their community. This is a VERY important next step for local revitalization efforts. With the opening of the new entrance to the D+L Trail from Lehigh Gorge State Park and new train excursions from Jim Thorpe and other communities, I’m convinced the borough’s best days are ahead! Rep. Mike Cabell, Luzerne County Councilman Jimmy Sabatino, and I congratulated the borough on this milestone. Transforming a Former Lansford Church into a Community Center
Rep. Doyle Heffley and I visited Lansford to see a former church now set to be renovated into a muti-use public facility containing a Second Harvest food pantry, meal center, public recreational facility, local outreach office, job support, and county assistance services. Thanks to a productive partnership between Lansford Borough and Grace Community Church, this mostly vacant building will be restored to public use. Rep. Heffley and I worked to secure over $250,000 to support the creation of this center, which will benefit the people of the Lansford area for many years to come. This is a very positive next step for our bipartisan efforts to breathe new life into the Panther Valley! Hazleton Integration Project Fights Hunger
The Hazleton Integration Project (HIP) hosted an open house showcasing their work to fight hunger. As the new state senator for the Hazleton area, I’m learning a good bit about everything HIP does for the community – providing childcare, afterschool programs, adult citizenship classes, summer camps, and more. I was pleased to work with Rep. Watro to secure a state grant for $100,000 to continue the much-needed renovation of their Hazleton One Community Center. As noted in this photo, the highlight of the evening for my new legislative intern, Jonathan Ulicny, was meeting Joe Maddon, co-founder of HIP and 3-time Major League Baseball Manager of the Year. Jonathan is from Tamaqua and is currently a sophomore at Susquehanna University. 50 Years of Polka Joe on Magic 105.5 WMGH
“Polka Joe” Manjack and his Polka show on Magic 105.5 WMGH celebrated 50 years on the air this past weekend. A Tamaqua native, Polka Joe has been on the air since 1974, honoring the cultural heritage of the coal region. I was pleased to attend the celebration and presented Polka Joe with a Senate citation. Here’s to many more successful years on the air! Memorial Day: Honoring Veterans in Schuylkill, Carbon, and Luzerne Counties
On Memorial Day, I visited West Hazleton, Schuylkill Haven, and Schoentown to honor our service members who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country. In Schuylkill Haven, I joined county commissioners Larry Padora and Gary Hess to honor veterans from the borough. In Schoentown, I attended the annual service at the Veterans of Vietnam War Post 29 Joseph C. Cappella Memorial Home. The brave men and women who laid down their lives to protect our nation are heroes without equal, and their sacrifices should be honored, remembered, and revered not only on Memorial Day, but always. CARES Centers Support People with Intellectual Disabilities
I visited the Hazleton CARES (Community and Residential Empowerment Services) members this week to learn more about their important work. They provide person-centered services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism. Thank you for inviting me! State Grants to Fix Lansford, Bowmanstown Roads
Rep. Heffley and I visited Brimble Road in Lansford and Lincoln Avenue in Bowmanstown, which will both be repaired soon after being awarded highly competitive state grants. I’m thankful I was able to work with Rep. Heffley and officials from both communities to secure this funding and turn these important local goals into reality. In Lansford, a deteriorating wall that supports a portion of Brimble Alley threatens a local home. The repairs will prevent debris from falling into Snyder Avenue and ensure all roads remain structurally sound. The repairs to Lincoln Avenue will allow for safer access to the Bowmanstown Borough’s wastewater treatment plant. Meeting with Municipal Leaders to Breathe New Life into our Communities
I hosted two seminars this week with local leaders from Carbon, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties to share information and resources about how the state can support their work. Rep. Heffley and Carbon County Commissioner Wayne Nothstein joined me in Lansford, while Reps. Watro and Cabell joined me in Hazle Township. Building strong partnerships between local, county, state, and federal governments improves our communities. Thank you to everyone who took the time to join us! Replace Damaged License Plates for FREE in Pine Grove
Thank you to everyone who stopped by the free license plate replacement event Rep. Heffley and I hosted in Palmerton this week. Rep. JoAnne Stehr and I will host a similar event at the Pine Grove Borough Building on June 21 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. For more information or to RSVP, call 570-773-0891. Legislative Update at Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce Breakfast
The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce hosted a breakfast with all five state legislators from the county – Reps. Jamie Barton, JoAnne Stehr, Tim Twardzik, Dane Watro, and me. We discussed the severe childcare crisis, Governor Shapiro’s harmful plan that would cripple abandoned mine land remediation, and the upcoming state budget. Planning Outdoor Adventures
As we celebrate Great Outdoors Month in June, it’s the perfect time to engage in recreational opportunities that allow us to enjoy the lakes, mountains, waterfalls, beaches and forests that Pennsylvania offers. Get a jumpstart planning your trip with information about lodging, dining, things to do, and, of course, outdoor adventures.
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