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In this Update:
Wow! Discussing State Related Issues with 7,200 People in Carbon, Luzerne, and Schuylkill Counties
Thank you to the 7,200 residents who joined me for my Telephone Town Hall on Thursday. A new record! I enjoyed hearing from people from every corner of this large Senate district. In addition to discussing issues including the state budget, waste and fraud in our human services programs, education funding, data centers, and more, I also asked a series of poll questions. Here are the results:
I will be hosting more of these events in the coming months! Stay tuned! Argall Report: Boosting Bipartisanship Locally
This month’s Argall Report highlights local bipartisan initiatives, focusing on Reuniting America by Fostering Trust (RAFT), an effort to bring people from different political parties together. I joined a RAFT event on the Lehigh River near Weatherly and an episode of the Reuniting America Podcast to share my experience and discuss key issues. The theme of the day was “In the Same Boat,” underscoring the importance of working together despite our differences—just as we did while navigating the whitewater rapids on the Lehigh. Watch the full Argall Report here. Protecting PA Drivers
Following the tragic fatal crash in Indiana involving a driver with a Pennsylvania issued, nonresident CDL, Senator Judy Ward, Chairwoman of the Senate Transportation Committee will introduce legislation to:
The federal government is currently investigating PennDOT’s issuance of nearly 12,000 nonresident CDLs. PennDOT has suspended the issuance of these licenses while the review continues. Read more here. Saint Clair Awarded State Funding to Resurface Ann Street
Recently, Saint Clair was awarded $241,611 to resurface Ann Street, one of the busiest local roadways in central Schuylkill County, connecting the Fairlane Village Mall and Route 61. Rep. Tim Twardzik and I were pleased to secure this highly competitive funding. Borough Manager Roland Price put it best: “We are pleased to receive this funding for Ann Street improvements. This project represents a major win for our borough and an important investment in our community’s infrastructure and the quality of life and safety of those who live along this busy stretch of road.” Read more here. Discussing Legislative Progress at NEPA Manufacturers Breakfast
I was recently invited to the NEPA Manufacturers & Employers Association’s Annual Legislative Breakfast, where we reviewed the Governor’s proposed $53.3 billion budget, our successful work to eliminate the RGGI electricity tax, investing in our local Career & Technical Schools, the need for more housing in Carbon, Schuylkill, and Luzerne Counties, tackling blight, and securing transportation funding across the district. We highlighted efforts to breathe new life into communities across the region, including new upgrades in downtown Hazleton, Pottsville, and Shenandoah, and the new hotel opening in Pottsville this spring. We also discussed our successful efforts to keep Penn State Hazleton and Schuylkill open, the continued growth of Alvernia University Pottsville CollegeTowne campus, and the new Temple University Rural Dental Clinic and Education Center opening in Tamaqua this fall. I was joined by Sen. Lynda Culver, Reps. Tim Twardzik, Jamie Barton, Dane Watro, JoAnne Stehr, Doyle Heffley, Jamie Walsh, Eddie Day Pashinski, Robert Leadbeter, and Brenda Pugh. Meeting with Constituents Across the District
Last Wednesday, I was invited to Tri-Valley High School to congratulate their student-athletes on outstanding seasons. Each team captured a District title, including:
Congratulations to the athletes, coaches, and community on a truly exceptional year of hard work and success!
Last Thursday, members of my staff joined the America250PA celebrations in Carbon and Schuylkill counties as part of the organization’s 67-county tour marking the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding. In Carbon County, Brad Hurley from my Hazleton office joined Commissioners Wayne Nothstein, Mike Sofranko, and Rocky Ahner at Jim Thorpe Area High School to help launch the festivities.
In Schuylkill County, Mary Beth Dougherty from my Mahanoy City office attended a packed kickoff event at the Schuylkill County Courthouse alongside Commissioners Larry Padora and Gary Hess, and Rep. Jamie Barton. In Schuylkill County, plans are underway for a major fireworks display in Pottsville on June 25 and a once-in-a-generation parade on June 27, organized by the Pottsville Area Development Corporation. All municipalities, fire companies, civic groups, and schools across the county are invited to participate. Grow PA Scholarship Program Applications Now Open!
The Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program is now accepting applications for the 2026-27 academic year! This program offers grants of up to $5,000 per year for in-state students who pursue a degree or certification in an in-demand occupation and administered by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). I was proud to co-sponsor the legislation that created this program and guide it into law as last session’s Chair of the Senate Education Committee. Qualifying areas of study include agriculture, computer science, business, education, special education, STEM education, engineering, nursing, allied health, criminal justice, and other programs approved by PHEAA. Applicants must complete the FAFSA and commit to living and working in Pennsylvania in their chosen field for 12 months for each year they receive the grant. This announcement builds on our earlier efforts to bring Lehigh Carbon Community College to Tamaqua and establishing Alvernia University Pottsville CollegeTowne in downtown Pottsville. In 2025, so many local people worked together with us to save Penn State Schuylkill and Penn State Hazleton and now, with the new Temple University Rural Dental Education Center and Clinic coming to Tamaqua this year, and the new Center for Education, Business and the Arts in downtown Shenandoah set to open soon, we are building real pathways to family-sustaining jobs across our region. Apply now here. Focusing on Our Local Communities: Meet Beaver Meadows Councilman BJ Cryder
Welcome to another edition of “Focusing on Our Local Communities.” Each week, we will interview, on a bipartisan basis, a key local leader in one of the 102 municipalities that I represent in Carbon, Schuylkill, and Luzerne counties to better understand their goals for their community. This week, we focus on Beaver Meadows native BJ Cryder. Cryder, a Democrat, was born and raised in Beaver Meadows – which has a population of approximately 900 people – and he has been a member of the Beaver Meadows Borough Council for over a decade. Cryder graduated from Marian Catholic in 2000 and then attended the Welder Training and Testing Institute in Allentown. Cryder is a 26-year member of the Boilermakers Union Local 13 out of Philadelphia where he currently serves as the Business Agent. Cryder got his start with the borough as a teenager when he was a part of their teenage maintenance crew program, where the borough would hire two teenagers every summer to do outside maintenance work. “I got involved back then when the borough would hire kids from town for the summer. I loved it and after that I always wanted to get more involved with the town,” said Cryder. “Then around 2008, a union carpenter was on council, and he approached me about an opening on council, and I stepped up and I’ve been involved since then.” The streets department and creating recreation opportunities within the borough are two of Cryder’s top priorities. “I’ve been in charge of the streets department since I’ve been on council. So, improving the infrastructure and maintaining our streets, and doing it right the first time around is important to me. And we’ve been fortunate enough to receive state funding to help do that,” said Cryder. “And recreation is also key. We have our new community center building up and running and it’s really the pride of our community and we’re also in the process of installing new playground equipment in the near future. And again, state funding really helped us with these projects.” Congratulations to the Scholastic Art Awards Winners from Hazleton!
The Everhart Museum is celebrating talented students from across our region in this year’s Scholastic Art Awards. With more than 500 submissions from over 40 schools across 15 counties, these awards showcase the creativity, discipline, and passion of our young artists from our region. Award-winning artwork will be on display at the Everhart Museum in Scranton from February 6 through March 1. Congratulations to the winners from the Hazleton Area School District!
2026 Trout Stocking Schedule Now Available
The 2026 Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission trout stocking schedule is out, searchable by county, with dates, meeting locations for volunteers and the species of trout to be stocked at each location. Learn more here. Celebrating Presidents’ Day
Monday is Presidents’ Day, a federal holiday that began as a celebration of George Washington’s Feb. 22 birthday and was expanded to cover Abraham Lincoln’s on Feb. 12. While it’s now considered an occasion to honor all the nation’s chief executives, the first and 16th presidents hold a special place in the hearts of Americans. General George Washington led the Continental Army and became the nation’s first president, stepping aside after two terms. President Lincoln guided the country through a horrific Civil War, holding the United States together when victory was not assured, and setting the tone for unity by declaring “malice toward none.” |
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