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In this update:
Merry Christmas to You and Yours
On behalf of our Granddaughter Amelia, Merry Christmas! She enjoyed her first ski trip with our son AJ and his wife Frances. My district office hours will be limited due to the holidays. Please call ahead to be sure my offices are open. Protecting Rivers and Streams AND Building Stronger Communities Across Our Region
Photo by Jacqueline Dormer/Staff Photographer for the Republican Herald This week, 23 highly competitive state grants totaling more than $14.2 million were awarded to important water and sewer system projects in Schuylkill, Carbon, and Luzerne Counties. Of special note: $2.5 million was awarded to make massive improvements to a 50-year-old wastewater treatment plant in Coaldale that overflows in heavy rainstorms. Anyone who lives near the Panther Creek between Coaldale and Tamaqua has seen the NASTY results of what can happen when we have issues with our sewer systems. This highly competitive state funding will not just prevent local pollution. It will also make Tamaqua’s plans for a new waterfront park possible and allow for new buildings to be erected in Coaldale, Lansford, and Summit Hill for the first time in many years! Grants have been approved for the following communities: In Schuylkill County: Ashland, Hegins Township, Hubley Township, Tower City, Tremont, Pine Grove, Coaldale, New Ringgold, Tamaqua, Orwigsburg, Ringtown, McAdoo. In Carbon County: Bowmanstown, Lansford, Summit Hill, Palmerton, Lehighton, Buck Mountain Village. In Luzerne County: Freeland, Hazle Township, Hazleton. See the full list of awarded grants on my website. Bill to Combat Package Thefts Signed into Law
The Senate took action to combat crime in our communities last week. In addition to my bill to punish looters and thieves, a bill to combat porch pirating – the theft of packages delivered to people’s homes – was signed into law last week. Senate Bill 527, now Act 41 of 2023, implements specific penalties for theft of mail, which includes a package, bag, or letter. According to Forbes, Americans spent $1.7 trillion shopping online since 2020 and nearly eight in 10 Americans have had a package stolen in 2022. New Hegins Township Municipal Building Nears Completion
The new municipal building in Hegins Township is almost fully constructed. Rep. JoAnne Stehr and I worked to secure a highly competitive state grant to support this important project, which will help them to better serve their over 3,300 residents. Currently, township meetings are held in their garage—this will be a BIG improvement! Morgan Foundation Brings Opportunity to Region
Since Lehigh Carbon Community College’s Morgan Center opened its doors 20 years ago, it’s changed the lives of so many people in the area. LCCC provides an important low-cost option for people of all ages throughout our region, with a special offer to Tamaqua Area High School graduates. Over 600 associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates have been awarded to people from Tamaqua in that time. Students who graduate from Tamaqua Area High School are eligible to receive the Morgan Success Scholarship, which provides those who choose to attend LCCC with free tuition. Of the 750 students who graduated from TAHS in the past five years, more than a third have enrolled at LCCC, taking advantage of this incredible opportunity to earn a college degree and learn career defining skills. I’m proud to have been a part of the partnership (which included the John E. Morgan Foundation, LCCC, Tamaqua Area School Board President Larry Wittig and his colleagues on the board, countless teachers and administrators, and state government) that made higher education a reality so close to home. For the past 20 years, it has truly been the gift that has kept on giving! The Argall Report that covered the 20th anniversary celebration of the Morgan Center is here. New Law Gives Students Strong Financial Literacy Foundation
Legislation sponsored by Senator Chris Gebhard to provide students with basic money management skills was recently signed into law. It requires completion of a half-credit personal finance course to graduate high school. The course will give high school students the understanding they need about topics like credit and credit scores; savings and investments; college, home and auto loans; and planning for postsecondary education and retirement – all necessities in today’s world. Finnegan Foundation Offers State Government Internships
College students interested in state government can apply for summer internships in Harrisburg through the James A. Finnegan Fellowship Foundation. The deadline is January 26th. This is a great opportunity for Pennsylvania’s future leaders. The Finnegan Foundation allows college students from across Pennsylvania who are interested in politics and government to take their experience to the next level. I was a Finnegan intern during my college career – it was a very valuable experience. Internships are awarded through an essay contest. Applicants must write between 1,500 and 2,500 words about their opinions of the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS) Program, which would offer students in struggling schools grants to explore other educational opportunities. Sharing the Holiday Spirit with PA Veterans
If you would like to support our veterans and military families this holiday season, making a monetary donation goes a long way toward helping the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs provide members, veterans and their families with essential programs and services that would not be available otherwise. Donations can be made by mail or online. They are tax-deductible, and gifts of any amount are appreciated. Learn more about making a donation. Driving Safely During Inclement Weather
Pennsylvania has nearly 40,000 miles of roads – which translates to 96,000 snow-lane miles – that must be maintained during inclement weather so people can travel safely. The approximately 2,200 PennDOT-owned and rented plow trucks have in-truck technology that logs and shares data in real time so the public can monitor the routes of their interstate and expressway travels on www.511PA.com. Of course, drivers should avoid the roads until they have been cleared, if possible. Anyone who must travel is urged to use extra caution by slowing down, increasing their following distance and avoiding distractions. Read more winter driving tips here.
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