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In this update:
Wishing You a Happy Thanksgiving
From my family to yours: I hope you have a happy and relaxing Thanksgiving! This time of year is always extra busy for my wife Beth’s family’s fourth-generation turkey farm at Koch’s, near Tamaqua. Pennsylvania has a rich history related to celebrating the day of thanks, as the first nationally recognized Thanksgiving was celebrated in York County in 1777. Americans had just soundly defeated the British in the Battle of Saratoga in the American Revolution. To mark the victory, the Second Continental Congress proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving. The first Thanksgiving Day Parade was also held in Pennsylvania in 1920 – four years before the first Macy’s parade. 125 Students from Schuylkill, Carbon, and Luzerne County Become “Senators for a Day”
Photo by David McKeown, Staff Photographer for the Republican Herald Yesterday, I hosted one of my largest Senator for a Day student seminars ever – over 125 students traveled to Penn State Schuylkill to transform ideas into public policy. The students had the chance to debate voter ID, drug tests for welfare recipients, limits on high school sports and more, learning about the realities of legislative policy—the good, the bad, and the truly ugly. Rep. Tim Twardzik, Rep. Jamie Barton, and Rep. JoAnne Stehr joined me. We were all very impressed with our local students’ ability to carefully debate some of the most complex topics before us in Harrisburg. Thank you to everyone who worked to make yesterday possible! The Good Old Days?
When I visited Middleport last week to review a nearby coal mine reclamation site, I stopped at my great grandfather and grandmother Argall’s home from 100 years ago, on the corner of Coal and Kaska Streets. On the same day, the Republican Herald reminded its readers that 75 years ago, while my grandfather was a local teacher, Blythe Township officials announced that couldn’t pay their teachers—for months and months–due to the decline of the local coal industry and the loss of their tax payments. Like many other local women, my grandmother’s job at a local sewing factory helped the Argall family to survive throughout some very difficult times. The good old days? Not always! Christmas Tree in the Capitol from Carbon County
Today marked a tradition in our state Capitol – the raising of the Christmas Tree. This year’s tree was again from Crystal Spring Tree Farm of Lehighton. If you’ve never seen the tree in all its glory during December, it’s worth a visit! Congrats Eagle Scout Thomas Graham!
Rep. Barton and I were invited Sunday afternoon to offer our personal congrats to Thomas Graham– the 96th Eagle Scout from Troop 777 in Tamaqua since 1960! Congrats also to his parents and all the volunteer leaders who aided him in his long climb up this steep trail. Thomas earned an enormous number of merit badges, many more than necessary for his Eagle, while serving as the Troop’s Senior Patrol Leader and active in many other activities. In many youth organizations like the Scouts, deep family ties extend back for many years. That is certainly true for Tom—I was a volunteer leader with the troop a generation ago when his dad Mike became our 45th Eagle Scout. On Sunday I conveyed my personal congratulations as Eagle #15, as well as from my younger brother Doug #26, and my son A.J., #70. I look forward to celebrating #100 soon with the young men and women of this great organization! I also joked with them that I have begun to suggest that my granddaughter Amelia should begin to plan to work for her Eagle…. but at two months old, I might be a bit premature. Supporting Long-Term Care Centers
Many of our families have faced the difficult decision of helping a beloved parent or grandparent to move into a long-term care center. I saw first-hand the love and care that the workers in facilities like Providence Place Senior Living in Pine Grove have for their residents. Now, many of our long-term care centers are struggling because they cannot find enough qualified, well-suited employees. We need to give these workers and residents a boost. Last Friday, I announced legislation which will encourage more people to pursue this career path. Joining me in Pine Grove was the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, Rep. Barton, and Rep. Twardzik. No. 9 Coal Mine and Museum Preserving More Coal Mining History
The No.9 Coal Mine & Museum in Lansford announced this week that they’re moving forward with a project to preserve two giant mine fans from the 19th century. For the many coal miners who worked deep inside the mountains of the area, these fans were lifelines – they ensured that there was fresh air and cleared out toxic gas. They’re both close to 30 feet wide. Once this project is complete, the thousands of visitors who see the mine and museum every year will be able to visit a new building to learn more about what it was REALLY like for the people like my great-grandfather Howells who worked in the mines. If you’ve never been to the museum before, it’s open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Their season ends on November 26th, so this is the final weekend this year to visit. They will reopen in April. |
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