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In this Update:
Progress Continues at Temple Dental Education Center & Student Apartments
Construction continues to move forward at the future Temple Dental Education Center and Clinic and Student Apartments in Downtown Tamaqua!
The exterior of the education clinic is taking shape, while interior work continues with dental suites being framed. Work is also progressing at the student apartments, where construction continues to move forward.
Dr. Amid Ismail, Dean of the Kornberg School of Dentistry, was recently interviewed by the Philadelphia County Dental Society, where he discussed this first-of-its-kind project and the importance of perseverance. I strongly agree with Dean Ismail’s closing message: “NEVER give up! With vision, perseverance, trusted partnership, and a commitment to serving others, seemingly impossible ideas can become a reality!”
Twenty dental students will soon call Tamaqua home while providing quality dental care to thousands of patients throughout our region. This project will help address our statewide dental workforce shortage, expand access to care, and create lasting opportunities for generations to come. This is truly some of the most exciting news for our region in a very long time!
For those who might be interested in a career as a Dental Assistant at the Tamaqua Clinic—send an email to TempleDentalDA@temple.edu. Applications are due on August 15! Around the District
Thank you to the nearly 40 people who joined Rep. Jamie Barton, me, and our staff members in Hometown to replace damaged license plates. Special thanks to the Rush Township Police Department for assisting with the event and carrying out the plate inspections and the Hometown Fire Company for hosting us. Is it just my imagination, or did most people seem especially interested in meeting our new terrier, Rufus Batman Argall? If you can focus more closely on Rufus’ chest, you’ll understand why he earned his middle name, much appreciated by my granddaughter!! We’ll be hosting more of these events soon. See the full list of my upcoming events here.
The Schuylkill County Fair showcased the best of our region! During my visit, I met Abby and Jacob Russo from the Tamaqua Area, who were showing their goats at the fair, and had the chance to catch up with the Mayor of Orwigsburg, Barry Berger.
Congratulations to Grant Johns on earning the rank of Eagle Scout! Grant is an active member of Troop 777 in Tamaqua who will soon be studying as a freshman at George Washington University. For his Eagle Scout service project, he organized an extensive voter registration drive in the Tamaqua area. Grant is now the 108th Eagle Scout in Troops 776 and 777 since 1960. He follows in the footsteps of his father, Nathan Johns, and many of my best friends, my brother, and my son. I knew some of the founders of the troop very well—they’d be proud to know that this long tradition continues! As the troops’ Eagle #15, I joined Rep. Jamie Barton in congratulating Grant and his family and all those who guided him down the long trail to Eagle at his court of honor on Saturday in West Penn Township.
I visited the Carbon County Fair near Palmerton to congratulate Leroy Wentzel of New Ringgold, the 2026 Friend of the Fair. Leroy serves on the Carbon County Fair Association Board of Directors and as the Fair Area Coordinator. Joining me to recognize Leroy during the fair’s opening ceremony were Rep. Jamie Barton, Rep. Doyle Heffley, and Zack Sobeck from Congressman Ryan Mackenzie’s office.
Thank you to the 50+ people that joined me and Rep. Jamie Barton at our Certified Hunter Program in New Ringgold on Tuesday night. Special thanks to the PA Game Commission for delivering an informative seminar and discussion on their new efforts to help farmers struggling with crop damage.
For National Night Out, I visited Jim Thorpe, Palmerton, and Tamaqua on Tuesday evening. Hundreds of people showed up to spend time with their local law enforcement officers. To our law enforcement officers: THANK YOU for the dangerous and often thankless work you do to protect and serve our communities!
Rep. Jamie Barton and I recently held a very successful Unclaimed Property Event with PA Treasurer Stacy Garrity’s staff at the Orwigsburg Free Public Library. In just over three hours, we helped return more than $22,000 in unclaimed property to its rightful owners, one of the highest totals for this type of event. One individual alone will receive $6,156 in unclaimed funds. If you think the PA Treasury may be holding unclaimed property that belongs to you, contact one of my offices to learn how we can help.
I recently joined the Schuylkill County School Superintendents at the Schuylkill Technology Center South Campus in Mar Lin. I was joined by Brennan Malentovich, Field Director for Scouting America, Hawk Mountain Council. Together, we talked about the lasting impact Scouting can have on young people. Thank you to the Schuylkill County Superintendents for the invitation! I Want to Hear from You: Take my Legislative Poll
In the last few weeks, the PA Senate has acted twice to address the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s ruling on Second-Degree Felony Murder. The Court gave the General Assembly 120 days to address the issue and establish a new sentencing framework. Senate leaders have worked with victim advocates, law enforcement, prosecutors, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General to create new guidelines to ensure the punishments fit the terrible nature of these crimes. As a result, Senate Bill 1400, a bipartisan piece of legislation, passed the Senate by a vote of 30-20 in late June and has the support of Attorney General Dave Sunday, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association. In return, the PA House passed House Bill 1042 on a near-party line vote of 102-100, which does not establish a set minimum sentence for individuals convicted of second-degree murder. Because the House refused to vote on the Senate’s bipartisan solution, these inmates can now begin to challenge their sentences, potentially allowing for up to 1,200 felons to walk free. I want to hear from you—which bill do you support? Learn more about the issue, and take my legislative poll here. Focusing on Our Local Communities: Meet Freeland’s Joshua Richie
Welcome to the latest edition of “Focusing on Our Local Communities,” where we interview, on a bipartisan basis, a key local leader in one of the 102 municipalities that I represent in Carbon, Schuylkill, and Luzerne counties. This week, we focus on Freeland Borough Council President Joshua Richie. Richie, a Democrat, grew up in the Freeland area and graduated from Bishop Hafey High School in 1994. He now works for EIFO Academy, an online after-school program staffed by degreed, state-certified teachers. Richie founded EIFO, which has now served more than 10,000 students. Richie’s involvement with the borough began when he noticed multiple vacancies on council, with only one person running for five open seats. “The council had so many vacancies and they needed people to step up. So, I ran a write in campaign and here I am two and a half years later,” said Richie. “I’m also doing double duty now as the mayor because we have a vacancy there, so I have been filling in as acting mayor, too.” Richie has also taken an active role with the Freeland YMCA, helping them establish a 12‑student STEM classroom. He assisted the YMCA in securing a $10,000 Amazon grant to equip the room with computers, 3D printers, STEM LEGOs, and more. This fall marks the program’s third year. He is equally proud of the infrastructure improvements the council has prioritized in recent years. “Updating and upgrading our storm water infrastructure and paving our streets have been top priorities,” said Richie. “We also just obtained an LSA grant to help put a new roof on the Freeland Borough Municipal Building, so we want to thank Senator Argall for his support there. Next, we’re looking to build a new facility for our fire department. Their building has become obsolete, so we have already purchased the land and we’re taking the steps to get that project moving forward.” Join the First-Ever Great Pottsville Cleanup
Join the first-ever Great Pottsville Cleanup on Saturday, August 15, and Sunday, August 16. This is a great opportunity to give back, take pride in the city, and make Pottsville an even better place to live, work, and visit. Congrats to Councilman Andy Wollyung for organizing this effort! More information on how to get involved can be found here. August 13: License Plate Replacement Event in West Hazleton
Is your license plate worn out? Rep. Dane Watro and I are hosting a Free License Plate Replacement Event on Thursday, August 13, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Hazleton State Police Barracks (250 Dessen Drive, Hazleton). A local police officer will be on-site to inspect your license plate and determine if it qualifies for a free replacement. For more information or to RSVP, call 570-453-1344. Quote of the Week
“The only man who never makes mistakes is the man who never does anything.” |
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