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In this Update:
Miners 1928 Hotel Now Open in Downtown Pottsville
At the invitation of entrepreneur Bill Metzinger, I recently stopped by the newly opened Miners 1928 Hotel in Downtown Pottsville.
In the last few days, the hotel opened its doors to the public and hosted their first wedding, with another 30 already scheduled for the next year. In addition, the hotel features a coffee shop and restaurant, which are both open to the public, as well as conference spaces.
The best news: the property is currently being expanded to include the neighboring Ramada Hotel, adding an additional 60 brand-new rooms to the complex, providing much-needed accommodations for the Film Festival, Lager Jogger, and the more than 70,000 annual visitors to the Yuengling Brewery. A new day spa will also open at the hotel in early 2027.
The finished product is truly incredible, and I encourage everyone to check it out. I enjoyed catching up with Pottsville Councilwoman Dottie Botto while grabbing a coffee at the Lounge 28. Future Students Tour Temple’s New Dental Education Center & Clinic
I was recently invited to meet with the inaugural class of dental students at the Temple University Rural Dental Education Center & Clinic in Tamaqua as they toured the future campus. The group also stopped by the future downtown student apartments, the St. Luke’s Hospital Miners Campus, and local businesses in Tamaqua. I was VERY pleased to learn that two Schuylkill County natives—Brian Boyle of Barnesville and Nick Wall of Tamaqua—will be completing their final two years of dental school at the Tamaqua campus. This is EXACTLY the goal of the center: retaining young talent and building a pipeline of dental professionals right here in our community! Read more about the students’ tour here. Busy Week Around the District
Rep. Barton and I received an update on the ongoing progress at the Temple Dental Education Center & Clinic. We were joined by Dr. Amid Ismail, Dean of Kornberg School of Dentistry at Temple University, and Nathan Gerace, Northeast Regional Director for Sen. Dave McCormick.
I met with Eric Dixon from the Ohio River Valley Institute to discuss abandoned mine lane reclamation efforts across PA. We discussed a variety of issues, including how our local waste coal plants have successfully restored thousands of acres of land across PA.
Rep. Tim Twardzik & I held a town hall at Girardville Borough Hall. We discussed a variety of issues, including the effect of blight on local communities, local truck traffic, and more.
Rep. JoAnne Stehr and I held a town hall meeting in Tower City on Friday. We discussed a variety of issues, including farmland preservation, America’s 250th celebrations, property taxes, and the nearly $1.2 million in state funding recently awarded to Tower City, Porter Township, and the Hegins-Hubley Authority for water line upgrades.
I was recently invited to meet with members of the Tower City Borough Authority and review their plans for upgrades to the borough water lines and water distribution facility. This project is expected to move forward later this year. Rep. JoAnne Stehr and I were pleased to secure a competitive state grant totaling $400,000 to assist with these critical infrastructure upgrades.
Rep. Tim Twardzik and I held our Annual Shredding Event at the Fairlane Village Mall. Special thanks to All Shred for providing shredding services for this year’s event, and to all for braving the heat!
Alexander Krapf was recently honored for earning the rank of Eagle Scout! Alexander is a very active member of Troop 745. For his service project, he completely transformed a vacant lot at the intersection of Oak and Lehigh Streets in Frackville into a community park and green space. Rep. Tim Twardzik, Schuylkill County Commissioner Gary Hess, and I congratulated Alex and all those who guided him down the long trail to Eagle at his court of honor in Frackville. Many years ago, when I served as a young leader in my Tamaqua Troop, Alex’s father, Karl, was an active scout with my brother Doug. It really is a small world!
Nesquehoning’s 250th Celebration was amazing as the region welcomed Union Pacific’s legendary Big Boy #4014—the largest steam locomotive in the world, as part of its “Coast-to-Coast Tour” in celebration of America’s 250th birthday.
Rep. Doyle Heffley and I very much enjoyed the festivities and parade. Congratulations to all who made this historic day possible, and thanks to Donnie Serfass for the photos!
Rep. Tim Twardzik and I were invited to Frackville’s First United Methodist Church’s 146th Anniversary Celebration. Congratulations to Pastor Arturo Bautista Jr., Mayor John Morgan, and all who have served this congregation!
I was invited to attend Carbon County Trail Fest in Lehighton, hosted by the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor. Rep. Heffley and I were pleased to see everyone enjoying the live music, food trucks, craft vendors, children’s activities, and cornhole tournament.
Rep. Tim Twardzik and I hosted another town hall meeting in Palo Alto on Monday. We discussed several issues, including property tax relief for seniors, energy issues, and two state grants recently awarded to Palo Alto and Port Carbon totaling over $1,280,000 for municipal facility upgrades. Special thanks Port Carbon Mayor Jim McBreen and Palo Alto Borough Council President Brian Dries for stopping by to discuss these projects, as well as to Schuylkill County Commissioner Larry Padora for joining us.
I was invited to attend the Groundbreaking Ceremony at the Hazleton Creek Commerce Center. I was pleased to advocate for state funding for this important project. As I shared with those on hand—any time we can take almost 400 acres of mine scarred land and turn it into good family-sustaining jobs, we should all work together to make it happen! The project is slated to develop multiple manufacturing and distribution facilities. I was also joined by Hazleton Mayor Jeff Cusat.
Sherri Hammer from Rep. Twardzik’s office and I recently stopped by Dunkin’s Westwood location in Pottsville to congratulate Jason Bower and his team on 50 years in business in Schuylkill County. Bowers Donuts operates three Dunkin locations in Pottsville and Saint Clair. Discussing Temple’s Dental Education Center & State Related Issues with 7,220 Residents
Thank you to the 7,220 residents who joined me, Rep. Jamie Barton, and our special guest, Micah Gursky from the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership, for our Telephone Town Hall on Tuesday. A new record! I enjoyed hearing from people from every corner of this large Senate district. The call focused on the Temple Dental Education Center & Clinic that is coming to downtown Tamaqua later this year. We were able to answer questions about the state of rural dental care, what services will be covered at the clinic, and MUCH more. Tonight’s call reinforced the need for this clinic in our region! I will be hosting more of these events in the coming months! Stay tuned! Remembering Summit Hill’s David Wargo
I was saddened to learn of the passing of my friend David Wargo, who served as the Borough Council President of Summit Hill. David loved the Summit Hill community and dedicated much of his life to serving it, including four terms on borough council, as a founding member of the Summit Hill Historical Society, the Summit Hill Heritage Center, and countless other organizations. Beth and I send our deepest condolences to his wife Katie, daughter Kai, and his entire immediate family. Focusing on Our Local Communities: Meet White Haven’s John Klem
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 White Haven Borough Council President, John Klem. A lifelong resident of White Haven and a Democrat, Klem graduated from Crestwood High School in 1969 before earning a degree in Fire Science Technology from Luzerne County Community College. For more than 50 years, he has worked as a meat cutter, and he continues to work part-time in the profession today. Klem has dedicated more than 25 years to serving the people of White Haven as a member of borough council. “I ran because it seemed like the borough needed help, so a few of my friends and I got together and decided to run. I just wanted to do everything I could to make the town better,” said Klem. “White Haven is a great small town. Everyone gets along. It’s the perfect environment to live in and raise a family.” In addition to his council service, Klem has been a member of the White Haven Fire Company for 50 years, where he currently serves as treasurer. He is also deeply involved in St. Patrick’s Church and serves on the White Haven Recreation Board. “We’ve been able to accomplish a lot in the borough. We’ve secured grants to help with infrastructure and streetscape improvements,” said Klem. “We’ve always supported the White Haven Library, which is a great community asset, and the D&L Trail, which is huge for our community. White Haven is a special place, and we’ll keep working to make it even better.” Happy Father’s Day!
On Sunday, we celebrate fathers and fatherhood and honor the dads who influenced us throughout our lives. Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers and father figures who contribute so much to our families and communities. Quote of the Week
“It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.” ― George Washington |
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