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In this Update:
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. Eckley Miners’ Village Moving Forward with Overnight Lodging, STEAM Center
Eckley Miners’ Village is moving forward with the adaptation of several existing, historic homes of coal miners into a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) research center and overnight lodging for visitors. This will assist with efforts to rehabilitate the village AND provide much needed and unique accommodations for visitors to White Haven, Jim Thorpe, and beyond. If you want to learn more about how our parents and grandparents who worked in the coal mines lived in the days when coal was king, there are few better places to visit than Eckley Miners’ Village – the last remaining authentic 19th century company mining town. They’re hosting their 2024 Christmas at Eckley event on Saturday, Dec. 7 and Sunday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Santa Trains Returning to Minersville, AshlandSanta trains, featuring Santa, Mrs. Claus, and other favorite winter characters, are returning to Minersville and Ashland this year!
Railway Restoration Project 113 is hosting six rides on Saturday, Dec. 14th and Sunday, Dec. 15th, departing from Minersville at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The fully restored steam engine CNJ 113 will pull the trains. Learn more about these rides here.
The Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine and Steam Train will be hosting Christmas train rides every weekend from Nov. 29 through Dec. 22. If you’re never visited Pioneer Tunnel, it’s a great place to learn more about the backbreaking and dangerous labor that our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents needed to perform in the mines to feed their families. 2025 National Civics Bee: How Can You Make a Difference in Your Community?
6th, 7th, and 8th graders interested in civics can share their ideas and compete with their peers in the 2025 National Civics Bee – a nonpartisan competition that encourages young Americans to engage and contribute to their communities. The first step is submitting an essay answering the following questions:
The top-scoring finalists from the essay contest will then have the opportunity to compete at local and state bees, with the winner of the state bee earning the chance to travel to Washington, D.C. for the national championship. The essay submission deadline is Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. More information about the essay contest and other relevant details can be found here. Veterans Outreach Appointments in Mahanoy City
Veterans or their dependents who have issues or questions about what benefits or services they may be eligible for can now schedule an appointment to meet with an American Legion service officer at my joint office with Rep. Dane Watro in Mahanoy City. I would encourage all veterans in Schuylkill, Carbon, and Luzerne Counties to take advantage of the knowledge and expertise of the American Legion’s service officers. Appointments are still available on Friday, Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 1 West Centre Street, Mahanoy City. Call 570-773-0891 to schedule your appointment today. Future appointments are available on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Hazleton for the Holidays
A city-wide initiative – Hazleton for the Holidays – will bring holiday cheer to Hazleton this year starting next week. The events kick off with Mayor Cusat’s City Hall Tree Lighting & CAN DO Community Christmas on Wednesday, Dec. 4 from 5-9 p.m. The CAN DO Community Park Tree Lighting will then take place on Friday, Dec. 6 from 4:30-8 p.m. Hazleton’s Christmas Village at CAN DO Community Park will take place on Sunday Dec. 8, 15, and 22 from 2-7 p.m. Learn more about all the planned events here. Senior Scam Seminar in Lehighton
Rep. Doyle Heffley and I are hosting a scam seminar on Thursday, Dec. 5, at 10 a.m., at the Lighthouse Baptist Church in Lehighton. With scammers becoming increasingly brazen and creative, we all need to be aware of how to protect ourselves from falling prey to these criminals. This event is free and open to the public. Please call 610-377-6363 if you have any questions or need more information. Regular Firearms Deer Season Begins Nov. 30
Regular firearms season runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 14 in most areas of the state. Certain wildlife management units (WMUs) offer additional hunting opportunities. WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D have an extended season from Dec. 26 to Jan. 25, 2025. WMUs 4A, 4D and 5A have an extended season from Jan. 2-20, 2025. Pennsylvania hunters have shared their deer harvest since 1991, helping Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) distribute 2.5 million pounds of venison. Hunters can drop off a whole field-dressed deer at a participating processor. There is no fee to donate a deer. In an average hunting season, HSH hopes to provide the state’s food banks with 100,000 pounds of processed venison. The food banks then re-distribute the meat to more than 5,000 local provider charities such as food pantries, missions, homeless shelters, Salvation Army facilities and churches. Hunters’ donations help combat food insecurity, which more than 1.6 million Pennsylvanians currently experience. Shopping Small Boosts Our Local Economy
To spotlight the role that small businesses play, Small Business Saturday will be held Saturday, Nov. 30. The holiday season is a wonderful time to shop small. More than 1.1 million small businesses in Pennsylvania benefit their local economies and employ 2.5 million people. The state offers helpful information for people who are considering starting or expanding their business. Learn more about writing a business plan, registering your business and choosing a business structure. Senate Passes Bill to Honor Gold Star Families
It’s important to recognize fallen service members and the families they left behind. I supported a bill sponsored by Rep. Joe Kerwin, who serves in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, to authorize construction of a Gold Star Families Memorial Monument at the State Capitol Complex in Harrisburg. The monument, sponsored by the Woody Williams Foundation, will honor Gold Star Families, reminding the public of the ultimate sacrifice made by the country’s bravest patriots.
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