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In this Update:
This Weekend: Steam Celebration in Nesquehoning
Union Pacific’s legendary “Big Boy” #4014—the largest steam locomotive in the world—will make a special one-way journey from Pittston to Nesquehoning this Saturday, June 13th and Sunday, July 14th, offering a rare opportunity to experience historic rail travel during the United States semiquincentennial celebration. Thousands of visitors are expected to visit the Panther Valley, with a variety of activities throughout the day in Nesquehoning, including a parade, food trucks, community organizations, a fireworks display, and more! In conjunction with this historic event, Reading & Northern will operate steam-powered excursions using their own locomotive, 2102, traveling round trip through the Lehigh Gorge to Pittston. No. 9 Mine & Museum Awarded State Grant
Rep. Doyle Heffley and I were pleased to learn that the No.9 Coal Mine & Museum in Lansford was recently awarded nearly $99,000 for a much-needed HVAC system to better preserve their historic mining artifacts, as well as additional safety equipment in the mine. This historic attraction brings more than 15,000 visitors per year to our region. These upgrades will complement the recently completed Dorrance Fan Exhibit Building, which showcases two of the largest steam-powered mine ventilation fans ever used in the Anthracite Region, along with larger mine equipment never before on display. Stop by and see all the updates Wednesday through Sunday, 10AM-4PM. Around the District
I was recently invited to attend the America 250th Birthday Bash sponsored by the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership to benefit Liberty Tree Park, home of the Schuylkill County Liberty Tree and Liberty Bell. Congrats to all on a successful event celebrating our nation’s history! Thank you to Donnie Serfass for sharing this photo.
Hawk Mountain Council, Scouting America, recently hosted their 11th annual Service to Youth and Community Breakfast, honoring volunteers who go above and beyond in their work to support scouting and build a stronger community. This year’s Distinguished Citizen Honoree was Kelly Malone, the recently retired Director of the Schuylkill United Way. Throughout her tenure, she helped advance the United Way’s mission of supporting local nonprofits and improving health, education, and financial stability for families across Schuylkill County. Life Scout Breonna Zelinsky of Shenandoah served as our scout speaker. She described her experience growing up with older brothers in Scouting and how it inspired her to join a local troop and climb through the ranks. Congratulations to all!
I was invited to raft the Lehigh River in northern Carbon County for a good cause on Sunday. Reuniting America by Fostering Trust joined Whitewater Challengers near Weatherly to demonstrate that we are all “in the same boat” regardless of our differences. Navigating through the rapids north of Jim Thorpe demonstrated the importance of working together. Rafting the Lehigh is always one of my favorite days! Senate Majority Policy Committee Examines Mine Reclamation Efforts
The Senate Majority Policy Committee recently reviewed efforts to reclaim abandoned mine lands and restore streams polluted by decades of mining across Pennsylvania. For nearly 50 years, Pennsylvania’s waste coal electric power plants have helped generate much-needed electricity while restoring our landscape. Since the 1980s, these plants have remediated over 1,200 miles of streams and reclaimed over 7,200 acres of mine-scarred land, supporting nearly 1,000 jobs. Sites that were choked with coal waste for a century have been transformed into green hills and forests. Approximately half of Pennsylvania’s waste coal piles have been removed thanks to years of bipartisan work to support this ongoing remediation effort – not only impacting communities in Carbon, Luzerne, and Schuylkill counties, but also those downstream. We have made significant progress since I grew up near abandoned coal pits in Tamaqua’s East End, but MUCH work remains! My Comprehensive Eye Exam Amendment is Approved
The Senate Education Committee approved my amendment to Senate Bill 720 to establish a statewide requirement for comprehensive eye exams for students. Under this amendment, when a child enters school, they will get their vision checked early in the school year so that if any problems are found, parents are quickly notified. 80% to 90% of all classroom learning is visual—undiagnosed vision issues quickly lead to reading difficulties, poor academic performance, and behavior issues that are often mistaken for learning disabilities. The committee also unanimously approved House Bill 1877, sponsored by Rep. Joe D’Orsie (R-York), to encourage high school graduates who demonstrate high proficiency in English and at least one other language. Studying another language in high school provides students with valuable skills as they enter the workforce. Watch the full committee hearing here. Locust Lake Updates
DCNR recently shared some updates with me regarding the ongoing upgrades at Locust Lake State Park.
Argall Report: Opening the Shenandoah Center for Education, Business, and the Arts
This month’s Argall Report highlights a community effort to build an innovation center and community hub at the former site of a row of blighted buildings in downtown Shenandoah. Local leaders recently gathered to celebrate the opening of Downtown Shenandoah, Inc.’s Center for Education, Business, and the Arts. A fire in 2007 led to a vacant, unattractive hole in the middle of downtown Shenandoah on Main Street. In the aftermath, dedicated volunteers led by DSI began their work to breathe new life into the lot. Working with Rep. Tim Twardzik, Rep. Dane Watro, and former Rep. Neal Goodman, our legislative delegation helped to secure over $6 million in bipartisan state grants, matched by $3.6 million in private donations. The Center for Education, Business and the Arts will provide training for budding entrepreneurs and artists, a business incubator, community event space, a healthcare center, and Penn State classrooms. Watch the Argall Report here. Focusing on Our Local Communities: Meet West Mahanoy Township’s Paul “Pepper” Martin
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 southern Luzerne counties. This week, we focus on West Mahanoy Township Supervisor, Paul “Pepper” Martin. Martin, a Democrat, serves as the chairman of the Board of Supervisors. Martin was born and raised in West Mahanoy Township, graduating from Shenandoah Valley High School in 1975. Martin worked at the Ashland State Hospital and PennDOT, retiring after 33 years. “Way back, I was approached by a bunch of people in the community to run. They were looking for a new supervisor at the time. So, I ran and here I am still, 19 years later,” said Martin. “I care a lot about this community. Ever since I was capable, I helped at the block parties when I was eight or nine years old. I love it here.” Martin has been a member of the Altamont Fire Company for 50 years, where he served as a past vice president. Martin is a past member of the Holy Ascension Russian Orthodox Church Council. Updating equipment and taking care of the roads have been top priorities for Martin in his time as a supervisor. “I have a background in heavy machinery, having been a trainer for PennDOT down at Fort Indian Town Gap on the backhoes, graders, and other heavy equipment. So, one of the first things we did was go out and get that type of equipment for the township, so we could do our own work,” said Martin. “We’ve also done drainage work and a lot of preventative work on our roads. Our road crew guys do a great job. We have 16 miles of roads and three guys. We’ve done all that and we haven’t raised taxes in 10 years. We watch what we spend.” Next Tuesday: Join Me for a Telephone Town Hall
Join my telephone town hall on Tuesday, June 16th at 6:00 p.m. In addition to in-person town hall meetings, I’ve held over twenty of these calls in the past few years. I always appreciate hearing directly from YOU about the issues facing our state government. In the past, we’ve had thousands of people from Schuylkill, Carbon, and Luzerne counties join these calls to ask questions, respond to straw polls, or just to listen in. No state government-related question is off limits! We will also be welcoming special guest Micah Gursky from the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership to discuss the Temple Dental Education Center & Clinic. If you’ve participated in the past, you should receive a call from me inviting you to participate. Simply stay on the line to be connected to the call. If you’d like to join, sign up to receive a call by clicking here. Next Saturday: Electronics Recycling Event in Schuylkill Haven
Rep. Tim Twardzik, Rep. Jamie Barton, and I are hosting an electronics recycling event at the Schuylkill Haven Area High School (501 E. Main Street, Schuylkill Haven) parking lot on Saturday, June 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. We can accept a variety of items—please see the flyer above for details. Please note that a fee will apply for larger items due to recycling costs. If you have any questions, please call (570) 773-0891. Quote of the Week
“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” – Winston Churchill |
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