Pennsylvania colleges and universities must fight campus antisemitism.
I called a public hearing of the Senate Education Committee today to hear directly from students about the dramatic rise in antisemitism on college campuses since the October 7 massacre, where Hamas terrorists killed more than 1,000 Israelis, most of whom were civilians.
We heard very disturbing accounts today of a student wearing Nazi propaganda, displays of footage from the October 7 massacre, and masked protesters chanting about a globalized intifada, invoking a troubling period of heightened violence and suicide bombings in Israel in the early 2000s. Unfortunately, testifiers were worried that these antisemitic instances will continue in the coming academic year.
It’s deeply troubling to hear that blatant antisemitism was allowed to fester on our campuses. Action must be taken to prevent this from happening here again.
https://education.pasenategop.com/argall-pennsylvania-colleges-must-fight-campus-antisemitism/
Pennsylvania colleges and universities must fight campus antisemitism.
I called a public hearing of the Senate Education Committee today to hear directly from students about the dramatic rise in antisemitism on college campuses since the October 7 massacre, where Hamas terrorists killed more than 1,000 Israelis, most of whom were civilians.
We heard very disturbing accounts today of a student wearing Nazi propaganda, displays of footage from the October 7 massacre, and masked protesters chanting about a globalized intifada, invoking a troubling period of heightened violence and suicide bombings in Israel in the early 2000s. Unfortunately, testifiers were worried that these antisemitic instances will continue in the coming academic year.
It’s deeply troubling to hear that blatant antisemitism was allowed to fester on our campuses. Action must be taken to prevent this from happening here again.
https://education.pasenategop.com/argall-pennsylvania-colleges-must-fight-campus-antisemitism/
Showing gratitude to local heroes.
I thanked local veterans for their service and sacrifice on behalf of our nation yesterday at a veteran‘s event at the Schuylkill Center in Pottsville. We honored more than 20 veterans of the Korea and Vietnam wars, presenting them with pins and certificates. Many of them shared experiences with us about their service.
Thank you to Compassus for organizing this very moving tribute.
Showing gratitude to local heroes.
I thanked local veterans for their service and sacrifice on behalf of our nation yesterday at a veteran‘s event at the Schuylkill Center in Pottsville. We honored more than 20 veterans of the Korea and Vietnam wars, presenting them with pins and certificates. Many of them shared experiences with us about their service.
Thank you to Compassus for organizing this very moving tribute.
A BIG day for the Weatherly area!!!
The 1901 Schwab School building in Weatherly, which has sat vacant and blighted for 33 long years, will soon be fully restored and transformed into 30 apartments.
As the new state senator for this area, I placed the restoration and reuse of this historic old structure at the top of my priority list and now, thanks to an innovative public-private partnership with the Alliance for Building Communities (ABC), we are breathing new life into this decaying building. @repheffley and I joined Mayor Paul Hadzick and Borough Manager Harold Pudliner yesterday to announce the plans, which include rehabilitating the school into 12 two-bedroom and 18 one-bedroom apartments.
To our friends at ABC, who have successfully rebuilt several abandoned factories into quality housing in the neighborhood where I grew up in what we called “a half a double” in the East End of Tamaqua, THANK YOU for assisting us with this effort! We have seen the power of community revitalization in similar successful efforts in Jim Thorpe, Tamaqua, White Haven, and other communities.
And now, to the people of the Weatherly area who NEVER gave up on the dream of saving this beautiful old building, CONGRATS! Your BIG day has finally come!
A BIG day for the Weatherly area!!!
The 1901 Schwab School building in Weatherly, which has sat vacant and blighted for 33 long years, will soon be fully restored and transformed into 30 apartments.
As the new state senator for this area, I placed the restoration and reuse of this historic old structure at the top of my priority list and now, thanks to an innovative public-private partnership with the Alliance for Building Communities (ABC), we are breathing new life into this decaying building. @repheffley and I joined Mayor Paul Hadzick and Borough Manager Harold Pudliner yesterday to announce the plans, which include rehabilitating the school into 12 two-bedroom and 18 one-bedroom apartments.
To our friends at ABC, who have successfully rebuilt several abandoned factories into quality housing in the neighborhood where I grew up in what we called “a half a double” in the East End of Tamaqua, THANK YOU for assisting us with this effort! We have seen the power of community revitalization in similar successful efforts in Jim Thorpe, Tamaqua, White Haven, and other communities.
And now, to the people of the Weatherly area who NEVER gave up on the dream of saving this beautiful old building, CONGRATS! Your BIG day has finally come!
@repwatro and I visited the Hazleton YMCA building today to see its ongoing transformation into an early education and childcare center. According to today’s update from the Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA, construction is planned to be completed by mid-November.
Reliable childcare services are a necessity for working families. Once completed, the center will serve up to 150 children, providing them with a quality education and allowing their parents to participate in the workforce. Rep. Watro, @repcabell, and I worked to secure over $300,000 in state funding to assist with this project last year.
My children both learned to swim at the Hazleton Y, so like so many others in Hazleton, I’m very excited by the transformation of this blighted and vacant structure into something we can all be proud of!
From left to right: me; David Pedri, The Luzerne Foundation President & CEO; Jim Thomas, GWVA YMCA CEO; Lissette Dishmey, Hazleton YMCA Executive Director; Rep. Dane Watro; Kevin O’Boyle, GWVA YMCA Board President; Chris Pavlick, Executive Assistant, Hazleton City Hall; Amy Michelli, District Legislative Aide, Office of Rep. Mike Cabell.
@repwatro and I visited the Hazleton YMCA building today to see its ongoing transformation into an early education and childcare center. According to today’s update from the Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA, construction is planned to be completed by mid-November.
Reliable childcare services are a necessity for working families. Once completed, the center will serve up to 150 children, providing them with a quality education and allowing their parents to participate in the workforce. Rep. Watro, @repcabell, and I worked to secure over $300,000 in state funding to assist with this project last year.
My children both learned to swim at the Hazleton Y, so like so many others in Hazleton, I’m very excited by the transformation of this blighted and vacant structure into something we can all be proud of!
From left to right: me; David Pedri, The Luzerne Foundation President & CEO; Jim Thomas, GWVA YMCA CEO; Lissette Dishmey, Hazleton YMCA Executive Director; Rep. Dane Watro; Kevin O’Boyle, GWVA YMCA Board President; Chris Pavlick, Executive Assistant, Hazleton City Hall; Amy Michelli, District Legislative Aide, Office of Rep. Mike Cabell.
Rep. Jamie Barton and I met with more than 40 constituents in New Ringgold this morning for an interesting discussion about education reform, roads and bridges in need of repairs, election integrity, and more.
If you have concerns you would like to share, I will host more of these soon in Schuylkill, Carbon, and Luzerne Counties. Stay tuned!
Rep. Jamie Barton and I met with more than 40 constituents in New Ringgold this morning for an interesting discussion about education reform, roads and bridges in need of repairs, election integrity, and more.
If you have concerns you would like to share, I will host more of these soon in Schuylkill, Carbon, and Luzerne Counties. Stay tuned!
Bryan Dunnigan of West Hazleton was honored with a Quilt of Valor last weekend, recognizing his fourteen years of service in our armed forces. Thank you for inviting me to join this special celebration!
Mr. Dunnigan serves as the President of the Sophia Coxe Foundation and Education Center. Sophia was the wife of Eckley B. Coxe, who owned many local coal mines in the nineteenth century. Sophia gave away over ninety percent of her income to charitable works and was known as the “the angel of the coal fields.”
Her beautiful 1869 home is preserved in Drifton to educate people about our local mining history.
Bryan Dunnigan of West Hazleton was honored with a Quilt of Valor last weekend, recognizing his fourteen years of service in our armed forces. Thank you for inviting me to join this special celebration!
Mr. Dunnigan serves as the President of the Sophia Coxe Foundation and Education Center. Sophia was the wife of Eckley B. Coxe, who owned many local coal mines in the nineteenth century. Sophia gave away over ninety percent of her income to charitable works and was known as the “the angel of the coal fields.”
Her beautiful 1869 home is preserved in Drifton to educate people about our local mining history.
Stone tablets with the names of eighteen men from Carbon County who lost their lives in the Vietnam War were dedicated in Palmerton Saturday evening, ensuring that their sacrifice on behalf of our great nation will never be forgotten.
These memorials join the existing veterans’ monument in Palmerton Borough Park.
Thank you to the Palmerton United Veteran’s Organization for your hard work to honor local fallen heroes and for inviting me and Carbon County Commissioner Michael Sofranko to join you for this very special memorial tribute!
Stone tablets with the names of eighteen men from Carbon County who lost their lives in the Vietnam War were dedicated in Palmerton Saturday evening, ensuring that their sacrifice on behalf of our great nation will never be forgotten.
These memorials join the existing veterans’ monument in Palmerton Borough Park.
Thank you to the Palmerton United Veteran’s Organization for your hard work to honor local fallen heroes and for inviting me and Carbon County Commissioner Michael Sofranko to join you for this very special memorial tribute!
Rep. Tim Twardzik, County Commissioners Larry Padora and Gary Hess, and I were invited to cut the ribbon for the new kayak launch area in Schuylkill Haven Island Park yesterday. The new drop off, driveway, and ramp will vastly improve access to the Schuylkill River for boaters.
This launch point would not have been possible when I was growing up in Tamaqua. I wasn’t allowed to retrieve a ball from the Little Schuylkill River because the water was often more black and orange than clear. Now, people are fishing, swimming, and kayaking in the river again, thanks to the work of many dedicated community volunteers.
If you’re interested in planning a day on the river this summer, @schuylkill_river_greenways has all the information you would need.
Rep. Tim Twardzik, County Commissioners Larry Padora and Gary Hess, and I were invited to cut the ribbon for the new kayak launch area in Schuylkill Haven Island Park yesterday. The new drop off, driveway, and ramp will vastly improve access to the Schuylkill River for boaters.
This launch point would not have been possible when I was growing up in Tamaqua. I wasn’t allowed to retrieve a ball from the Little Schuylkill River because the water was often more black and orange than clear. Now, people are fishing, swimming, and kayaking in the river again, thanks to the work of many dedicated community volunteers.
If you’re interested in planning a day on the river this summer, @schuylkill_river_greenways has all the information you would need.