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| District and Legislative Update |
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The latest news from the State Capitol |
Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link.
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| $1.75 Million Secured in Grant Funding to Benefit Our Communities |
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I am pleased to announce more than $1.75 million in Local Share Account grants were awarded to local governments and authorities in the 40th Legislative District to support infrastructure, recreation and emergency services. Grants awarded include:
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Municipality of Bethel Park – $52,195 to upgrade lighting control systems at Simmons Park, Millennium Park and Park Avenue fields. The project will allow municipal staff to remotely control field lighting and include new equipment, cabinets, conduits and wiring.
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Peters Creek Sanitary Authority – $450,000 to extend sanitary sewer service along Church Hill Road in Peters Township. The project will install approximately 8,100 feet of force main, provide sewer service to 43 existing properties currently using private on-lot disposal systems and eliminate the Old Trail Lift Station, which currently serves approximately 200 customers.
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Peters Township – $1 million to restore the soccer fields at Peterswood Park. The project will replace the existing 133,200-square-foot soccer field with a high-performance turf system featuring permanent lines for soccer.
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Upper St. Clair Township – $253,043 for the purchase of an emergency medical response vehicle for Tri-Community South EMS, which serves South Park Township, Upper St. Clair Township and the Municipality of Bethel Park. The funding will support the purchase of the vehicle and related equipment.
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These grants, awarded through the Local Share Account program, support economic development, job training, community improvement and public interest projects through gaming funds collected under the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act (Act 71 of 2004).
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| Bethel Park High School Students Join me in Advocating for Water Safety |
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Nora Welch and Cami Fisher are seniors at Bethel Park High School, and for their Distribution Education Clubs of America (DECA) project, they have taken on a heartfelt initiative – water safety. Many in the Bethel Park community remember Jon Gentile or “Mr. G.” In 2022, Jon was kayaking with his father on the Delaware River when they were both taken over a dangerous, unmarked dam. The efforts of students like Nora and Cami are extremely moving, not only because of their incredible work to protect boaters and create more public awareness on water safety, but because they are helping keep Jon’s memory and legacy alive.
A component of their DECA project is fundraising for the Big Heart Scholarship. In addition to fundraising, Nora and Cami have also helped advocate for House Bill 961, which would ensure that all of these dangerous dams are marked. Their efforts have resulted in hundreds of signatures and countless calls and messages to my colleagues in the House of Representatives who we are calling on to act. House Bill 961 was passed unanimously by the House Game and Fisheries Committee in November of 2025, and it must be considered before the end of this session or the process begins all over.
I have been fighting for the last four years to update our antiquated laws regarding water safety, but leaders in the House are not acting. Leader Matt Bradford sets the agenda in the House, and he has yet to schedule House Bill 961 for consideration in the House. If you would like to contact him to share your story about Jon and ask that House Bill 961 be brought up for a vote, he can be reached at 717-772-2572 or you can contact him on his website here. To learn more about the work Nora and Cami are doing, watch our episode here.
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| RIVIAN Service Center Ribbon Cutting |
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Rivian just opened its first southwestern Pennsylvania service and demo center in Bethel Park. This facility will add local jobs and broaden electric-vehicle access for our region, making EV ownership more practical and supported right here in Bethel Park!
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| Key Dates for Upcoming Election |
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The 2026 General Election is coming up on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The ballot includes candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, U.S. House of Representatives, and state House and Senate (in even-numbered senatorial districts).
If you are not already registered to vote, the deadline to do so is Monday, Oct. 19. You may register in person at your county elections office, by mail or by visiting the state’s online voter registration website.
The last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot is Tuesday, Oct. 27. Completed ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
For more information about voting in the Commonwealth, including how to check your registration and voting location, visit www.vote.pa.gov.
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| SHIM Launches New Rooftop Solar |
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Recently, I joined the South Hills Interfaith Movement to celebrate the launch of the new rooftop solar panel system! This investment was made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Green Mountain Energy Club. The new system will save SHIM approximately $4,000 annually in energy costs, which in turn, will allow the organization to be of even greater assistance to our neighbors!
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| Free Student Aid Guide, Webinars Available |
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The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) is reminding high school students and their families that its 2027-28 PA Student Aid Guide is now available to help them navigate the college planning process.
The PA Student Aid Guide is Pennsylvania’s most comprehensive financial aid publication, offering in-depth information on the federal student aid process and details about Pennsylvania’s aid programs, including the need-based PA State Grant Program. It is available to all students and families at no cost.
The online version of the PA Student Aid Guide is interactive and provides links to information on grants, scholarships, loans, work study programs and more. The online version, along with a link to view and print a PDF file of the guide, is available here.
Also, in honor of National College Savings Month in September, PHEAA is joining the Pennsylvania Treasury Department in encouraging families to take advantage of upcoming webinars about financial aid and tools to save for higher education:
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| PFBC Offers Fishing, Boating Grants |
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The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is accepting applications for two grant programs key to building on the Commonwealth’s outdoors heritage.
The Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation (R3) Education Grant offers school districts, universities and colleges, community and civic groups, sporting and conservation organizations, and local recreation departments up to $25,000 in funding for projects to promote new and renewed interest in fishing and boating. Learn more here.
The Boating Facility Grant Program provides grants for planning, acquisition, development, expansion and rehabilitation of public boating facilities located on the waters of the Commonwealth. Eligible applicants include townships, boroughs, counties, municipalities and nonprofit organizations such as land trusts, conservancies and watershed groups. Learn more here.
The application deadline for both grant programs is Dec. 1.
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| Keeping Kids Safe in the Car |
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In recognition of September being Child Passenger Safety Month, parents and caregivers are reminded to ensure children are correctly buckled in the right seats for their age and size.
State law requires children up to age 2 to be secured in a rear-facing car seat, while children under the age of 4 must be restrained in an approved child safety seat. Children must ride in a booster seat until their eighth birthday. Parents are also reminded that due to potential dangers associated with air bag deployment, children age 12 and younger should always ride buckled in a vehicle’s back seat.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends keeping a child in a car seat for as long as possible, provided the child fits within the manufacturer’s height and weight requirements.
Learn more here.
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