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In this Update:

• Over $7.9 Million in State Funding Awarded to Communities Across Carbon, Schuylkill, and Southern Luzerne Counties
• Remembering 9/11 in Carbon, Luzerne, and Schuylkill Counties
• Around the District
• Focusing on Our Local Communities: Meet Bear Creek Township’s Mark Petlock

Over $7.9 Million in State Funding Awarded to Communities Across Carbon, Schuylkill, and Southern Luzerne Counties

Over $7.9 million in state funding is coming back to Carbon, Schuylkill, and southern Luzerne counties. 

In Carbon County, Rep. Doyle Heffley and I secured over $1.9 million in state funding for the following projects:

• Banks Township was awarded $118,930 on behalf of the McAdoo Fire Company to install a new roof, gutters and down spouting at the fire station.
• Beaver Meadows Borough was awarded $28,254 to purchase new radio equipment for the police department.
• East Side Borough was awarded $250,000 for the construction of a new borough building complex.
• Jim Thorpe Borough was awarded $200,000 to purchase new radio equipment for the police and fire departments.
• Kidder Township was awarded $100,000 on behalf of the Girl Scouts of Eastern PA for improvements to Camp Mosey Wood.
• Lehighton Borough was awarded $85,000 to purchase new radio equipment for the police and fire departments.
• Nesquehoning Borough was awarded $75,000 for the purchase of new radio equipment for the police and fire departments.
• Nesquehoning Borough was awarded $26,716 on behalf of the New Columbus Fire Company to replace the floor and make HVAC upgrades in the fire hall.
• Palmerton Borough was awarded $300,000 on behalf of the Aquashicola Volunteer Fire Company and Bowmanstown Volunteer Fire Company to purchase new radio equipment.
• Summit Hill Borough was awarded $40,000 on behalf of the Diligence Fire Company No. 1 to purchase new radio equipment.
• Summit Hill Water Authority was awarded $100,000 to replace a clear well in the borough.
• Weatherly Borough was awarded $459,838 to demolish the Schwab School Annex.
• Weissport Borough was awarded $133,225 to purchase a backhoe loader with attachments.

In Schuylkill County, Rep. Dane Watro, Rep. Tim Twardzik, Rep. Jamie Barton, Rep. Joanne Stehr, and I secured over $ 5 million in state funding for the following projects:

• Ashland Area Municipal Authority was awarded $275,000 for the Water service upgrades. 
• Branch Township was awarded $82,645 for a mini excavator.
• East Brunswick Township was awarded $58,200 to purchase a parcel of property adjacent to the township park to expand recreation facilities.
• East Norwegian Township was awarded $115,795 for a new dump truck.
• East Union Township was awarded $250,000 to pave approximately 1,950 linear feet of currently dirt and gravel roads in Cove Village, including portions of Stratton, St. Moritz and Alpine drives, Snow Ridge Circle and Jay Peak Lane.
• Greater Pottsville Area Sewer Authority was awarded $500,000 for the Mahantongo Street Sewer project.
• Hegins-Hubley Authority was awarded $277,733 to improve fire protection and emergency water supply in Hegins Township, including new fire hydrants, emergency power, a bulk water fill station and a water main extension.
• Hubley Township was awarded $300,000 toward a new ambulance for the Hegins Area Ambulance Association to replace an aging vehicle serving more than 100 square miles of rural area.
• McAdoo Borough was awarded to $450,000 To repair and repave deteriorated borough roads, including streets that have not been paved in decades.
• McAdoo Fire Company was awarded $118,930 to make upgrades to the company’s Keystone Station facility in Banks Township, Carbon County.
• Pine Grove Borough was awarded $196,159 for a new roof and ADA-compliant entrance door at the borough municipal building to address needed repairs and improve accessibility.
• Plum Creek Municipal Authority was awarded $400,000 to replace a water main located in Wayne and South Manheim townships that services Lake Wynonah to address severe water loss.
• Pottsville Area Development Corporation was awarded $345,000 for blight redevelopment, including the acquisition of two blighted buildings at 106 N. Centre Street and 376 S. Centre St.
• Pottsville City Redevelopment Authority was awarded $100,000 for the Schuylkill YMCA Expansion at Alvernia University Pottsville CollegeTowne.
• Ringtown Borough was awarded $200,000 for the Tanner Street storage-facility roof project, including removal of the existing roof and deteriorated wood, a new metal roof, siding, gutters and related work to protect municipal equipment and materials.
• Ryan Township was awarded $27,061 on behalf of the Ryan Township Emergency Rescue Squad to purchase an inflatable water rescue boat.
• Saint Clair Sewer Authority was awarded $250,000 for the East Mine Pump Station Replacement.
• Schuylkill County was awarded $200,000 for Schuylkill 911 Site Development to create a fully integrated IP-based network connection.
• Shenandoah Borough was awarded $225,000 to help modernize an aging public works fleet used for road maintenance, stormwater work, snow removal and emergency response.
• South Manheim Township was awarded $315,250 to purchase a wheeled excavator.
• Union Township was awarded $76,362 to rehabilitate and pave deteriorated public tennis courts used by youth programs and community residents.
• Walker Township was awarded $200,500 for municipal building improvements.
• West Mahanoy Township was awarded $83,512 for a dump truck purchase.
• West Penn Township was awarded $35,145 for three vehicle-mounted cameras for police vehicles.

In Luzerne County, Rep. Dane Watro, Rep. Jamie Walsh, and I secured nearly $1.1 million in state funding for the following projects:

• City of Hazleton was awarded $319,144 for Broad Street improvements between South Laurel and North Wyoming streets, including work to the center median, crosswalk and stop-bar markings, parking-lane markings, traffic-calming features, electrical work and landscaping.
• Foster Township was awarded $200,000 to convert a vacant recycling center into a multi-use community center.
• Freeland Borough was awarded $200,000 to install new sidewalks, curbing, ADA ramps, lighting and enhanced crosswalks at the 300 block of Centre Street.
• Hazle Township was awarded $136,284 to purchase three box trucks for the township road crew to use for street and inlet repairs, road-sign work and maintenance of township property.
• The Luzerne County Redevelopment Authority was awarded $225,000 on behalf of the Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA to construct a new dining lodge at Camp Kresge in Dennison Township.

Remembering 9/11 in Carbon, Luzerne, and Schuylkill Counties

I attended several 9/11 remembrance ceremonies across Carbon, Luzerne, and Schuylkill counties over the last week.  I was invited to join local leaders and students Weatherly Area Middle School for their Annual 9/11 ceremony.

Rep. Jamie Walsh and I were invited to join Freeland Borough leaders for their event.

Rep. Tim Twardzik, Rep. Jamie Barton, and I were invited to participate in the rededication ceremony of the Michael D. Ferugio Monument in Palo Alto.

Michael, a Palo Alto native, was a 37-year-old insurance broker who tragically lost his life when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center’s South Tower. 

During the ceremony, I noted that we have worked to change the direction of the 9/11 National Memorial Trail to pass directly in front of the Ferugio monument. This trail will connect Palo Alto to Shanksville, the Pentagon and New York City.

May we never forget Michael, and all those who tragically lost their lives 25 years ago.

Around the District

Beth and I were recently invited to the Grand Opening of the Drury’s Dream Exhibit at the Mauch Chunk Museum & Cultural Center in Jim Thorpe. The exhibit celebrates the museum’s founder and champion of all things Jim Thorpe, John Drury and his wife Janet, who moved to the area in 1975 and helped revitalize the town.

Rep. Dane Watro and I were recently invited to attend UNICO Hazleton Chapter’s Veterans and 9-11 Memorial Program, as part of the Bell’ Italia Festival in Hazle Township. The ceremony featured members of the PA National Guard and veterans from across the region. I was honored to thank them all for their service and sacrifice. 

Rep. Tim Twardzik and I were recently invited to meet with borough leaders in Ashland. We discussed a variety of topics, including infrastructure needs, tourism at the Pioneer Coal Mine & Stream Train, truck traffic, downtown revitalization strategies, and more.  Thank you for having us!

You can read more here. Thank you to Skook News for the photo.

I recently attended the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce’s latest Red-Carpet Breakfast, which featured Rep. Dane Watro as the keynote speaker.

Rep. Watro focused his remarks on issues affecting our local area, including the continuing growth of the Hazleton region, from jobs, to housing development, and blight remediation—including the downtown Altamont Apartments and the Hazle Township Airport Beltway’s 300 housing units, in part thanks to state grants we secured, as well as state funding for the demolition of blighted properties throughout the region.

I was recently invited to visit one of our region’s oldest surviving railroad stations—the former 1851 Reading Railroad Depot on East Union Street in downtown Pottsville.

Local engineer John Levkulic purchased the station in utter disrepair in 1988, and completely revitalized the property, which currently serves an engineering office and the home to Schuylkill County’s tourism office.

The history of this building is truly incredible. I thanked John for preserving this important part of our history.

Focusing on Our Local Communities: Meet Bear Creek Township’s Mark Petlock

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’re focusing on Bear Creek Township Vice Chairman Mark Petlock. A lifelong Bear Creek resident and Republican, Petlock graduated from Bishop Hoban High School in 1991 before earning a degree in Architecture Engineering Technology from Penn State University. After college, he joined the family business—Elmlock Kitchens and Millwork—which his father founded in 1958. Today, he operates the business alongside his brother.

With deep roots in Bear Creek Township, Petlock has always made community involvement a priority, ultimately leading him to run for supervisor.

“I started to go to the township meetings back in 2007 and 2008 because of a project that was being proposed at the time in the community. But I’ve lived here all my life, and I’ve always tried to do things to try and better the community. I love this community and I always want to help in any way that I can,” said Petlock. “I was heavily involved in St. Joseph’s Church for many years and served on the parish council as well. In 2010 I was appointed to the Bear Creek Township Planning Commission, and I continue to serve on that today and then I was first elected as a supervisor in 2019, and I was re-elected last year.”

During his time as a supervisor, Petlock has focused heavily on expanding recreational opportunities and organizing events that bring residents together.

“I was proud to work with our township engineer to push for the formation of the recreation board here in the township. We wanted people to have things to do in our community and we wanted to put together a group that was going to promote these events to let the people know what is going on. We had a movie in the park at the end of the summer and 150 people showed up. It was great to see that,” said Petlock. “We’re continuing to work on projects at Recreation Park and Trailwood Park. We’re looking to move forward with a walking trail and a dog walking area, and we’ve already received state funding not too long ago for new playground equipment. There are a lot of positive things happening.”