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In this Update:
Breathing New Life into Rural Pennsylvania
The Center for Rural Pennsylvania visited beautiful downtown Jim Thorpe for their quarterly meeting, where they discussed strategies to breathe new life into older communities and the need for more housing in rural areas. The center also toured two revitalized sites in Carbon County – the Narrow Valley Sportsplex in Nesquehoning at the site of the former KME plant and the former St. Michael the Archangel Church in Lansford, which is currently being transformed into overnight accommodations and a wedding venue – The Sanctuary, Accommodations & Events. As we’ve seen in nearby Tamaqua and Jim Thorpe, preserving and reusing historic properties can breathe new life into older towns. We’re working to bring similar strategies to other communities in Schuylkill, Carbon, and Luzerne counties – and beyond. Reclaiming Abandoned Mine Lands
Rep. Tim Twardzik and I announced that projects by the Schuylkill Conservation District and Woodlands for Wildlife to reclaim abandoned mine lands and restore polluted streams in Schuylkill County were awarded almost $1.5 million in highly competitive grant funding. Thanks to these awards, there will now be fewer black wastelands and polluted rivers and streams in our area. Mining companies currently in operation are required to remediate the lands where they operate. The sites that received this funding are remnants of mine operations in the distant past, by companies that are long out of business. We’ve made significant progress since I grew up near abandoned coal pits in Tamaqua’s east end, but much work remains ahead. I sponsored the original Growing Greener program, the largest investment in conservation in Pennsylvania history, because our quality of life is improved substantially when we care for our environment. These dollars mean more green fields, clean streams, and healthy communities. 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 Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce’s bee can be found here. More information about the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce’s bee can be found here. Drug-Free Calendar Contest Winners Visit Harrisburg
My office welcomed two special visitors to our State Capitol this week – Isis Dawson of Blue Mountain Elementary West and Violet Uher of Panther Valley Intermediate School. Isis and Violet were both selected as winners of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Drug-Free Calendar Contest.
For the past 28 years, students from across Pennsylvania have submitted calendar designs with a message about the dangers of drug use to this contest. Congratulations to Isis, Violet, and all winners, who were selected from more than 1,800 submissions! 2025 Pennsylvania Farm Show: Jan. 4-11
The 2025 Pennsylvania Farm Show will take place from January 4-11 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg. Every year, this massive event showcases farmers and employers from Schuylkill, Carbon, and Luzerne counties and beyond. Cadence Kline of Barnesville won this year’s PA Farm Show National Anthem Contest! She will perform live to kick off the week at 8 a.m. on Saturday, January 4. Alexandra Bet of Barnesville will also be performing the National Anthem on Tuesday, January 7 at 10 a.m. at the Junior Livestock Sale. Congratulations to you both – I have no doubt you will represent the 29th district well! Last Week of the Christmas Village in Hazleton!
A city-wide initiative – Hazleton for the Holidays – has brought holiday cheer to Hazleton this year! If you haven’t visited yet, Hazleton’s Christmas Village at CAN DO Community Park will be open for the final time on Sunday Dec. 22 from 2-7 p.m. Learn more about everything the village features here. Supporting PA Veterans and Military Families
Pennsylvania owes a debt of gratitude to all the brave men and women who have defended our freedom, as well as the citizens who continue to protect our nation and its interests across the globe. The Senate approved new laws to support our veterans and their families throughout the past two years. One new law expands access to benefits for disabled veterans. Another provides additional community outreach services to help ensure that all veterans are aware of the resources available to them. Because mental health often impacts veterans, we also passed a law that would allow them to fish for free in therapeutic recreation events and programs. The relocation associated with being a military family can present a challenge for children in school. To help with that, we passed laws to provide educational support for children of National Guard and Reserves members and ensure students receive in-state tuition when their military parent is re-assigned out-of-state. Read more about legislation to honor our veterans and defend our freedoms. New Military License Plates to Honor PA Veterans
Pennsylvania now offers six new license plates to honor military veterans. Three of the plates recognize service members who received medals or honors for individual achievements or deployments. They include the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Registration Plate, the Operation Inherent Resolve Veterans Plate and the Borinqueneers Congressional Gold Medal Registration Plate. For $26, the plates – which bear a graphic of the medal awarded – can be used on cars or trucks. The other three new plate designs recognize female veterans. Two are available for motorcycles and the third is for cars and trucks. They include the Women Veteran Motorcycle Registration Plate and the Women Veteran Registration Plate both for $26 and the Honoring Our Women Veteran Motorcycle Registration Plate for $41. Driver Training Program to Improve Work Zone Safety
A new, statewide training program is available to all motorists – particularly new drivers – to improve driver safety and roadway worker protection. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s program uses videos, infographics, knowledge checks and testimonials to teach new drivers work zone laws, signage and key facts. It also offers real-life scenarios to enhance understanding. The free, 35-minute virtual course is available in English and Spanish. There are more than 1,400 work zone crashes across Pennsylvania annually, with more than 600 resulting in injuries and 15 in death. Giving the Gift of Education with PA 529
If you’re still looking for a gift for the children in your life, consider the gift of education. A gift made to their PA 529 College and Career Savings Program will help make their future bright, no matter what path they take. PA 529 offers two plans: the PA 529 Investment Plan and the PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan. Friends and family can also help save using Ugift, a free gifting platform. The unique code they need to contribute to your child’s account can be found in your PA 529 account online. Contributions to a PA 529 account made by Dec. 31 qualify for deductions on 2024 PA state income taxes, including those made by a gift giver. 2025-26 FAFSA Form is Live
The online and paper form of the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available now. Colleges and career schools use the FAFSA form to determine how much financial aid students are eligible to receive. The aid may include grants, scholarships, work-study funds and loans. Students must apply for aid every year. The Department of Education addressed issues with the FAFSA system and modernized internal systems and processes. It also updated resources to help students and families better navigate the FAFSA form and process. Learn more. |
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