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In this Update:
Good News from Penn State Hazleton & Schuylkill
There is a lot of positive news coming out of Penn State Hazleton and Schuylkill since so many of us worked together last year to save these important local institutions. At Penn State Hazleton:
At Penn State Schuylkill:
Additionally, a new wave of faculty at both campuses is expected as instructors from closed campuses relocate. The Downtown Shenandoah Center for Education, Business, and the Arts, which recently opened to the public, will also have a Penn State classroom on site. Recognizing Local EMS Professionals
The Emergency Health Services Federation recently hosted its 18th annual recognition event at the State Capitol to thank Pennsylvania’s EMS professionals for their many dedicated hours of care. Congratulations to those awarded from our region, including Scott Herring of Tamaqua, Paul Bray and Joshua Levitsky of Weatherly, Jason Nicholas of Lehighton, Daniel Tristani of Nesquehoning, Terence Mollick of Orwigsburg, and Michael Sninsky of Schuylkill Haven, all of whom have more than 25 years of EMS service. Thank you all for your dedication to our communities! Cleaning Up Scrap Tires
On a recent mountain bike ride near Coaldale, I came across this pile of scrap tires, which reminds us why the General Assembly needs to act on my new Senate Bill 664. One of my first bills to become law created the Waste Tire Recycling Act/Small Business and Household Pollution Prevention Program Act. I introduced it after visiting a burning, illegal dump near Pottsville with 750,000 waste tires. Since this bill became law, 97% of all scrap tires across Pennsylvania – over 31 million tires – have been safely recycled—and the illegal tire dump is now a popular park! My new bill will continue the cleanup of nuisance scrap tires, specifically targeting replacement tires. Read more about Senate Bill 664 here. Argall Report: Reversing the Dental Care Shortage in PA
This month’s Argall Report focuses on efforts to reverse severe workforce shortages in dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants. The hearing featured dental professionals, educators, insurance companies, and advocates who testified how dental workforce shortages harm people’s health and shared successful strategies to encourage more people to pursue these important careers. Charles Cohen of Benco Dental Group explained that dental care is not just a dollar and cents issue. He advocated for new rules for instructors training the next generation of dental hygienists and dental assistants, since it is increasingly difficult to find hygienists willing to teach that have a four-year degree, which contributes to the lack of hygienist training programs across the state. Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC) is in discussion with Temple University to establish a dental assistant program at its Tamaqua campus to train new dental assistants. Watch the full Argall Report by clicking here. Need Help? Call my Offices!
Need assistance with a state-related issue? Call my district offices! Our common requests include providing help with property tax/rent rebate forms, driver’s license applications, obtaining birth certificates, filing unemployment, and retrieving unclaimed property. Since January, we have helped file nearly 500 property tax rebates and 200 birth certificate applications for the residents of Schuylkill, Carbon, and Luzerne counties. If you ever have a state government related question or problem, we’re here to help! The locations and contact information for my district offices in Hazleton and Mahanoy City with Rep. Dane Watro, Pottsville with Rep. Tim Twardzik, and Weissport with Rep. Doyle Heffley can be found by clicking here. Measures Reinforcing Commercial Vehicle Safety Approved by Senate
Two bills to improve safety standards for commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders in Pennsylvania were approved by the Senate in a bipartisan manner. The measures are the result of a fact-finding hearing in December, which revealed deficiencies and loopholes involving criminal illegal migrants. The hearing was prompted by a fatal crash in the state of Indiana involving a Pennsylvania-issued, non-domiciled CDL held by a citizen of Kyrgyzstan. The bills include:
The bills now head to the House of Representatives for consideration. Focusing on Our Local Communities: Meet Foster Township’s Wilson Malloy
This week, we focus on Foster Township Supervisor, Wilson Malloy. Malloy, a Republican, serves as the chairman of the board of supervisors for Foster Township located in Luzerne County. Malloy was born and raised in the Foster Township area, graduating from Freeland High School in 1992. After high school, Malloy served in the National Guard and then went on to work at Fairway Chevrolet in Hazleton. Malloy presently works for Progressive Insurance, where he’s been an employee for the past 22 years. “We had deteriorating infrastructure here in the township. We had drainage issues and the roads were in poor condition. So, I decided to run, because I thought I could make a difference,” said Malloy. In the past, Malloy served as an EMT and the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Northside Community Ambulance organization. Malloy was also an Assistant Fire Chief with the Freeland Fire Department for 14 years. Since being elected, Malloy feels like the supervisors have been able to address a lot of the issues that inspired him to run back in 2021. “We’ve been able to address the drainage issues in the township. I think we have really improved that, and we have started paving our township roads. And we’re going to continue to work on updating our infrastructure and our roads,” said Malloy. “Thanks to the help of Senator Argall and our former and current state representative we’ve been able to take down some blighted properties and make updates to our township building. I also want to thank the community for its support. Our recreation board has been very active for the past 2-3 years and they have put on some great events like, the Trunk-Or-Treat event and the Santa Clause event up at St. Mike’s.” Save the Date: Shredding Event at Fairlane Village Mall
Rep. Tim Twardzik and I are hosting a free shredding event at the Fairlane Village Mall parking lot on Friday, June 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is a great opportunity to fight identity theft by having documents containing personal information shredded on site for free. Attendees are limited to a three bag or box limit. Bring personal financial documents that are no longer needed, including any papers with confidential information, such as account numbers and signatures, which include, but are not limited to: documents containing Social Security, credit card or bank account numbers; credit card applications; canceled or unused checks; insurance and income tax records; bank and credit card statements; and pension information. All shredded paper will be recycled. These events allow for the protection of the safety and security of your personal financial information and help to prevent identity theft. Mammo May: Early Detection Saves Lives
May is Mammography Month in Pennsylvania. It’s an opportunity to spread the word that early detection of breast cancer through mammograms saves lives. This PA Breast Cancer Coalition resource page walks you through the steps of the mammogram process. Mammograms are available at no cost in Pennsylvania. If you haven’t yet, use Mammo May to schedule your mammogram and please spread the word to women in your life. New Specialty Plate Helps Preserve Pennsylvania’s Heritage
Pennsylvania drivers have another special fund license plate to put on the back of their vehicles: the Preserve Our Heritage plate featuring the Liberty Bell and Pennsylvania Bank Barn. Built from about 1790 to 1900, these barns were banked and set into a hillside and became symbols of Pennsylvania’s agricultural roots. The plates are available for cars or trucks with a registered gross weight of 14,000 pounds or less. Each plate costs $64, with $23 going directly to support the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s education and exhibit programs. You can find the plate and order it here. Quote of the Week
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill |
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