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In this Update:
The Downtown Shenandoah Center for Education, Business & the Arts is Now Open!
I was recently invited to offer my congratulations in many of the different languages spoken in Shenandoah during the last 100 years at the Center for Education, Business & the Arts’ grand opening! This community has been the home of so many people from its beginning in 1866, from all over the world. When my Grandmother Argall and her Howells family relatives lived in “the Heights,” this was one of the most vibrant downtowns in Schuylkill County. However, after a terrible fire in 2007, a big, ugly hole was left on Main Street. Fortunately, thanks to a VERY dedicated group of volunteers, we have now worked together in a bipartisan effort to breathe new life into Shenandoah and the surrounding area.
Thanks to the relentless work of volunteers and the power of partnerships, Shenandoah will now serve as a hub for budding entrepreneurs, community events, healthcare, and a Penn State classroom. I was pleased to work with former Rep. Neal Goodman, Rep. Tim Twardzik, and Rep. Dane Watro to help secure over $6 million in state funding through four different programs over ten years to bring this project to life. Congratulations to all on this incredible milestone, especially the local volunteers who raised $3.6 in private donations! Watch my remarks from the event here. PA Senate Honors America’s 250th Birthday
On Tuesday, the PA Senate gathered for a rare meeting in Philadelphia to honor America’s 250th birthday. The event also featured students from across the state.
During the meeting, I introduced a resolution commemorating the most historic square mile in the United States, Independence National Park in Philadelphia. I was joined by Max Almanzar-Castillo, a sophomore at Hazleton Area Academy of the Sciences. He is the son of Maximo Almanzar and Shaskya Castillo. Watch the meeting here. Around the Capitol
It was a busy week of meetings in my Capitol office this week. I started it off with members of the PA School Boards Association and local representatives from the Panther Valley School District to discuss key issues impacting public schools.
I sat down with Miss Luzerne County, Madelyn Rowan. We discussed Seante Bill 381, also known as the “Beagle Bill.”
I met with the PA Optometric Association to discuss Senate Bill 720, which aims to increase the effectiveness of student vision exams. At this meeting, I welcomed Jude Sohon, a junior at Blue Mountain High School, as my job shadow. Jude had the opportunity to attend multiple meetings with me in the State Capitol. I wish him all the best as he continues in his education.
I sat down with Avery Hower, Assistant Principal of Jim Thrope Area High School, to discuss teacher staffing issues.
I also joined Jim Thorpe Superintendent Robert Presley and Rev. Maureen Duffy Guy to discuss public school funding.
Rep. Doyle Heffley and I joined with student representatives from the Weatherly Area High School. We discussed the importance of investing in violence prevention and youth safety programs.
Rep. Heffley and I also spoke with students from S S Palmer Elementary School. We discussed the daily job of a state legislator. If you are interested in visiting our beautiful State Capitol, please reach out to my Harrisburg office.
The Senate Urban Affairs & Housing Committee advanced several bills to make homeownership a reality for more people. Across Carbon, Schuylkill, and Luzerne counties, I have heard from many employers, workers, and families that we urgently need more quality housing. We have seen some recent successes with new market rate housing in Pottsville, Hazleton, Weatherly, Shenandoah, and Frackville, but we must do more. My Senate Majority Policy Committee recently confronted this hard truth: housing development in Pennsylvania is too long, too expensive, and too uncertain! I am pleased to see these commonsense measures advance, cutting through red tape and bureaucracy. All the bills passed with strong, bipartisan support, and now await a vote in the full Senate. Read more about the bills here. Around the District
I was invited to the Schuylkill Elder Abuse Prevention Alliance’s Annual Hornbrook Memorial Luncheon in Ashland. During the event, John Blickley and Joe Taglieri were honored with the Hornbrook Memorial Award for their dedication to Schuylkill County’s seniors. Multiple local high school seniors were also awarded scholarships from SEAPA to help them as they work toward a career in providing for our seniors. Congratulations to all!
Rep. Doyle Heffley and I joined with local leaders from across Carbon County to discuss the Big Boy Train event on June 13 in Nesquehoning and the ongoing development of the 9/11 Trail.
I traveled to the Schuylkill Technology Center’s SkillsUSA National Signing Day event at the North Campus in Frackville, which celebrates students from our local vocational schools that have been offered employment, a military assignment, or college acceptance upon their graduation.
I enjoyed Helping Harvest’s 3rd Annual Celebration of Community & Hope, which highlighted the services provided to thousands of individuals living in Schuylkill County who struggle with food insecurity, including an update on the new Helping Harvest Community Kitchen.
I was invited to participate in the Legislative Luncheon at Luzerne County Community College. The discussion focused on new college initiatives that aim to address the educational, workforce development, and economic needs of our region. I highlighted the Temple Dental Education Center and Clinic coming to downtown Tamaqua this fall, which will train 20 dentists here in our region. Thank you for inviting me!
Rep. Dane Watro and I were invited to the Hazle Township Fire & Rescue Company 50th Anniversary Dinner. During the event, we presented company officers with Senate and House citations to mark this milestone. Thank you for your selfless service and dedication to keeping our communities safe!
Community Safety Day was recently held at Mauch Chunk Lake Park, which featured a helmet safety station, a bicycle giveaway, emergency service agencies, and water rescue demonstrations with Landseer Newfoundlands, one of my favorite parts of this annual event. Thank you to Carbon County Kids Zone for hosting this event with my office, Rep. Doyle Heffley, and the Carbon County Commissioners.
Brad Hurley from my Hazleton office recently took part in a ceremony at the PA State Police, Troop N barracks, honoring the 105 state troopers who have died in the line of duty since the founding of the Pennsylvania State Police 121 years ago. Thank you to all law enforcement officers for all you do for our communities! Congratulations to Penn State Hazleton & Schuylkill Graduates!
Congratulations to Penn State Hazleton & Schuylkill’s Class of 2026! I was pleased to learn that 80 of the 129 graduates from Penn State Schuylkill’s Class of 2026 are Schuylkill County residents. This is exactly why we came together to save Penn State Hazleton & Penn State Schuylkill last year, with over 5,400 responses to our survey and over 96% support to save our local campuses. Penn State Hazleton is a workforce engine placed in one of the fastest growing areas of Pennsylvania, offering degrees including computer science, criminal justice, project and supply chain management, and much more! Similarly, Penn State Schuylkill offers degrees including accounting, biology, business management, information technology, nursing and much more! I am pleased to see both campuses continue to deliver for our entire region! Focusing on Our Local Communities: Meet Hazleton’s Tony Colombo
Welcome to our 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 Hazleton City Councilman, Tony Colombo. Colombo, a Democrat, has been a member of city council for nine years. Colombo graduated from Hazleton High School in 1980 and went on to Luzerne County Community College where he studied to be a paramedic. Colombo served as a paramedic for over 25 years and worked for PennDOT for 22 years, retiring as a Highway Foreman II. Colombo has always been an active member of the community. He’s the founding president of Hazleton Helps, which provides hot meals and many other services to people in need. He’s also a member of the Hazleton Heights Fire Department and the Hazleton Elks. “Before I ran for council, I was out helping people and doing whatever I could to try and help the community. Whether that was helping when we had floods or fires or helping to raise money for people when they got sick. I just really love Hazleton, and I wanted to do even more, so I ran for council,” said Colombo. “I was very humbled by the support I received.” Colombo is proud of the work council has done for the community over the past nine years. “We’ve been able to get the fire department stronger, buying them a lot of new equipment. Our police department has really grown. Crime is down throughout the city,” said Colombo. “We’ve been able to do more paving projects than ever before and this summer we’re going to do even more paving. So, I think we’ve been working well together to get good things done.” Good News from the No. 9 Coal Mine & Museum!
The No.9 Coal Mine & Museum recently completed the addition of the Dorrance Fan Exhibit Building. The exhibit will showcase two of the largest steam-powered mine ventilation fans ever used in the Anthracite Region, along with larger mine equipment never before on display. This new attraction is expected to attract even more than the 15,000 visitors in 2025. The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau is also supporting a new future for Lansford’s former Lehigh & New England railroad station, recognizing it as an historic asset with major potential to complement the No.9 Mine and expand tourism beyond Jim Thorpe. Open April-November, Wednesday through Sunday, 10AM-4PM every day. Quote of the Week
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.”– Ronald Reagan |
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