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In this Update:
Thank You!
Tuesday’s results were amazing—and historic. I was very pleased to win every single precinct in this Senate district for the first time in Carbon, Schuylkill, and southern Luzerne counties, with 71 percent of all voters, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. My main goal remains the same: To continue to work with my local partners to breathe new life into all of our towns across this large Senate district and to improve our local schools, from pre-school to grad school! From Palmerton and the Poconos, to Pottsville and Pine Grove, to Hazleton and White Haven and beyond, I want to thank the voters who made this historic victory possible. Recognizing Our Veterans
Veterans Day is a time to appreciate the brave men and women who selflessly dedicated their time to preserving our American freedoms. Many organizations throughout our area are honoring our veterans this week. This morning, I attended the annual Veterans Breakfast hosted by the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce at the Orwigsburg Veterans Memorial Hall, along with Reps. Jamie Barton and Tim Twardzik and County Commissioners Padora, Hetherington, and Hess. Rep. Doyle Heffley and I attended the Veterans Day Dinner hosted by Together with Veterans NEPA at Penn’s Peak on Wednesday. Brad Hurley, who works in my Hazleton office, attended the Carbon County Veterans Affairs annual Veterans Day Observance this morning at Josiah White Park in Jim Thorpe on my behalf. Expanding Pottsville CollegeTowne
Alvernia University’s Pottsville CollegeTowne will now feature a Schuylkill YMCA gymnastics facility thanks to a highly competitive $1 million state grant Rep. Twardzik and I worked with local leaders to secure. We’ve seen time and time again the power higher education has to breathe new life into older towns. What was formerly a blighted, abandoned grocery store is now training the next generation of nurses, educators, and entrepreneurs AND expanding athletic opportunities right in downtown Pottsville. In 2021, Alvernia University purchased the former Giant grocery store in downtown Pottsville and fully renovated it into Pottsville CollegeTowne. An additional $3 million in state funding and $2 million in federal funding secured by Congressman Dan Meuser supported this work. The campus opened its doors to students in early 2023. This new funding will renovate additional, never-used space in the building into a new gymnastics facility. Currently, Schuylkill YMCA provides gymnastics to 75 youth, with more than 200 on a waiting list. The goal – to continue to breathe new life into downtown Pottsville. Holding Looters and Thieves Accountable
The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General has charged nine people under the new, stronger penalties for organized retail theft in my bill which the Governor signed into law. These individuals operated a significant organized retail theft operation that targeted stores in southeastern Pennsylvania, stealing more than $850,000. Because of the increased number of major retail thefts, I wrote the bipartisan law that strengthened the penalties these thieves were charged with and gave law enforcement more resources to hold them accountable. This crime ring shows exactly why I advocated so strongly for this change. Theft at this scale doesn’t just hurt employers – it results in the loss of jobs and makes our communities less safe. Fighting the Spread of Blighted and Decaying Buildings
I hosted a seminar in Hometown for over 50 local government officials with Rep. Heffley, Rep. Barton, and Rep. Twardzik about how to fight the spread of blighted buildings in our neighborhoods.
Blight affects us all – it lowers our property values, it strains the real estate market, it hurts our schools, it breeds crime, and it poses a serious threat to our safety and well-being. Sometimes, we can restore and reuse an old building. Other times, demolition is the only path forward. It’s a nasty and complicated problem, but we’ve made progress in recent years in giving communities the tools they need to fight back. I wrote a bipartisan law that allows county governments to create demolition funding programs – 26 counties are now demolishing blighted buildings with funds raised through these programs, including Schuylkill and Carbon counties. I’ve worked with our local state representatives to secure additional millions of dollars in state grants for both demolitions and restorations. There are many challenges to addressing these issues, but by ALL of us working together – local, county, state, and federal government officials; community leaders and volunteers – we can make real progress in transforming our neighborhoods, step by step. Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce Recognized as Chamber of the Year
Congratulations to the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce as the 2024 Chamber of the Year! I’ve worked closely with them on MANY projects to breathe new life into our area. They were instrumental in securing the funding to widen State Route 61 from Frackville to St. Clair – anyone who has driven on this dangerous stretch of road knows how much this was needed. The $115 million project is the largest PennDOT project in the history of Schuylkill County. November 12: Replace Your Damaged License Plate for Free in Freeland
Is your license plate worn out? You can get it replaced for free at an event I’m hosting on Tuesday, November 12 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Freeland Borough Building. A local police officer will be on hand to inspect your plate to determine if it’s illegible. For more information or to RSVP, call 570-773-0891. November 18: Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission in Palmerton
The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission is hosting a community meeting about rights and protections against discrimination at the Palmerton Area Library on Monday, November 18 at 5 p.m.
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