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In this Update:
Editorial: “Dental School Brings Smiles in Tamaqua”
A recent opinion by Ed Socha in the Times News titled “Dental school brings smiles in Tamaqua” discussed Temple University’s recent announcement that it will open Pennsylvania’s first-ever rural dental school in downtown Tamaqua. In addition to reviewing how the new school and clinic will expand local access to dental care, he noted at the end of his editorial that “bringing dental students to the area opens opportunities for local businesses, creating jobs and traffic, building on the progress of the last several years, and slowing decades of decay.” I look forward to working with our local community partners to bring this idea to life – the sooner the better! Fighting Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Public Assistance Programs
Criminals and dead people should not receive millions of taxpayer dollars year after year. Rep. Doyle Heffley and Rep. Jamie Walsh offered amendments on the floor of the House to fight waste, fraud, and abuse in state public assistance programs last week. Two of these amendments mirrored bills I introduced which received bipartisan approval in the Senate earlier this year. We need stronger laws on the books to stop this blatant fraud and abuse. Despite this reality, the House majority voted these important measures down. Thank you to all my House colleagues who stood up for our taxpayers! Celebrating Independence Day for a Good Cause in Hazleton
The Paul and Lisa DeAngelo Family Foundation is hosting their fifth annual Independence Day Festival at City View Park in Hazleton on Friday, July 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. This year’s event features at 10K run, 5K run/walk, family walk, and one-mile youth race, as well as live music, food trucks, silent auctions, an exotic car and truck display, and more! All proceeds from the festival support local autism organizations, youth sports, cancer research, and disabled veterans programs. The Farm Store Expands in Downtown Pottsville
The Farm Store was awarded a highly competitive state grant of $250,000 to develop a community kitchen, which will allow them to expand the food offerings at their downtown Pottsville location at 113 E Norwegian St. Angela Meck, the co-owner of the Farm store, said that this funding “allows us to bring value-added equipment into the Farm Store kitchen that we would not have been able to otherwise purchase. With this equipment, we have created additional market opportunities to buy more products from our local farmers. With those products, we can now create new, shelf-stable items like freeze-dried local strawberries, canned peaches, and dehydrated apples.” For residents of Pottsville, this new access to fresh food in downtown is a big deal. Between this new award, the recent announcement of the Rosalia Hotel at the former Miners Bank building, Alvernia University’s new downtown campus, and the other new employers who have opened their doors, it’s clear that Pottsville’s downtown revitalization has real momentum. Cracking Down on Organized Retail Crime
Attorney General Dave Sunday hosted a press conference on the work of the Organized Retail Crime Unit last week – which was created by legislation I introduced and guided into law. AG Sunday outlined the severity of the problem, noting that “Pennsylvanians were being put at risk for simply going to their favorite stores to purchase clothing, electronics, and other goods. For years, the perception of retail theft was shoplifting, but it has become much more complex, even dangerous. And they are violent,” he said. They “prefer locations with other shoppers to provide distractions while they commit their crimes.” I was especially pleased to hear that my legislation, which also strengthened the criminal penalties against the worst of these thieves, has made a real impact. More than 40 criminals were charged and $2 million in stolen good recovered in the past year, and Sunday credits the new penalties for dismantling a 50-person criminal organization. Do You Have Unclaimed Property?
Unclaimed property can include dormant bank accounts, abandoned stocks, uncashed checks, and more. Essentially, it is YOUR money that the Pennsylvania Treasury is holding on your behalf, possibly in the vault pictured here. I would MUCH rather see it back in your pocket than sitting in a state government bank account. To return smaller amounts of unclaimed property as quickly as possible, we created the Money Match program, which returns unclaimed property of amounts up to $500 automatically. The second round of checks went out last week, including to more than 600 people in the 29th district in Schuylkill, Carbon, and Luzerne counties. If you would like us to check if YOU have unclaimed property, contact any of my offices. We’ve connected more than 150 people with more than $400,000 in unclaimed property since the beginning of last year. Jim Thorpe Girl Scouts Visit the Capitol
My office welcomed girl scouts from Troop 30903, Jim Thorpe to our historic State Capitol for a tour. Thank you for stopping in! Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you or your organization would like to visit. We’re happy to set up a tour for you. Training Future Firefighters in Orwigsburg
The Orwigsburg Fire Department celebrated the completion of their fourth annual Junior Academy on Saturday. 20 cadets spent three hours every night for the past two weeks learning about the work of first responders. They visited the Schuylkill 911 center, met with Pennsylvania State Police arson investigators and MedEvac professionals, learned how to scuba dive, and much more. We’re facing a serious shortage of volunteer firefighters throughout Pennsylvania, yet Orwigsburg has seen recruitment rise in recent years. Innovative programs like this one are key to turning these trends around and ensuring our first responders are well-equipped to perform their work to keep us all safe. Congratulations to all! Argall TV Report: Students Become Senators for a Day
The July edition of my monthly tv program visits Penn State Schuylkill, where high school students from across the 29th district learned what it’s like to be a state senator or representative at my Senator for a Day student government seminar. As the son of two public school teachers and in my years as a very part-time college instructor, I’ve learned that some of the best education takes place outside of the classroom. Senator for a Day is designed to bring lessons about history and our government to life. I was very impressed with the students’ knowledge and ability to carefully review and discuss some of the most complex topics now under consideration in Harrisburg. During the program, students shaped the policies and laws that affect their everyday lives by serving on a Senate committee, debating issues with their classmates, and learning what it takes to get a bill signed into law. They also discussed the role state senators and representatives play in more localized issues of community interest by reviewing how local partnerships worked to save Penn State Schuylkill and Penn State Hazleton from closure earlier this year. Happy Independence Day
This week always has a special meaning for my family. Way back on July 8th, 1848, a shoemaker named Thomas Argall arrived in New York Harbor on the Roscius with his wife, Jane, and three children after leaving their mining town in Cornwall, England. He was 28 years old. He would become an American citizen 20 years later. I’m proud to be his great-great-great grandson. When I asked a very distant Cornish cousin why my ancestors left their beautiful little seaside village, the answer was simple: the Irish Potato Famine also devastated Cornwall, the local mines were closing, and they left so they would not starve. The result: Hello, Pottsville! As we celebrate Independence Day, it’s important to remember how many of us share similar stories about how we became Americans. Enjoy this special holiday and remember its meaning. Senate Acts to Prevent Student-Athlete Tragedies
To prevent student-athlete deaths from sudden cardiac arrest, the Senate passed legislation requiring schools to have automated external defibrillators (AEDs) present at sporting events. Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death for student-athletes nationally and can strike without warning, even in young people with no known heart conditions. Timely access to an AED can increase survival rates by up to 70%. In addition to ensuring an AED is present at all PIAA-sanctioned athletic events and practices, Senate Bill 375 would require schools to develop and rehearse emergency plans for cardiac incidents. The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration. |
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