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In this Update:
Saturday Event to Recycle Unwanted Electronics
You’re invited to attend an e-cycling event on Saturday, April 8, from 10 a.m. to noon at the skating rink parking lot in Sunbury, where you can drop off your old and unwanted electronics to be safely and securely recycled. The skating rink parking lot is located at 249 Memorial Drive. You can bring your computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets, servers, routers, firewalls, printers, CD players, radios and more to be recycled. They cannot accept televisions, washers, dryers, microwaves or freon-related appliances such as air conditioners. This event is being sponsored by the City of Sunbury Code Enforcement Division in partnership with KVS Computers, the area’s official Responsible Recycling (R2) certified recycler. KVS will securely sanitize or destroy any hard drives. All donations will be used by the Sunbury Code Enforcement Division to fight blight in the city. If you have questions, please call the Code Enforcement Division at 570-286-4207. Veterans Assistance Hours at Mount Carmel Office
Local veterans or their families are invited to schedule appointments to meet with an American Legion officer at our Mount Carmel district office on Friday, April 21, for help applying for programs, services and benefits. There are many programs and services available to help Pennsylvania military veterans and their families. This is an excellent opportunity for veterans to learn about their benefits and determine their eligibility. American Legion Department Service Officer Bill McGovern will be at our office on April 21, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Veterans or their family members can call our Mount Carmel office at 570-339-5937 to schedule an appointment. Our office will host veterans assistance hours with McGovern at the same time on the third Friday of each month. We appreciate everything our veterans have done to protect and defend our nation. We want to help our veterans access every benefit they earned through their service to our country. Our Mount Carmel office is located at 10934 State Route 61. Supporting Local Farmers
Our local farmers deserve our support. I was delighted to meet at the Capitol this week with farmers from across our district to discuss their concerns and their legislative priorities for this session. Visiting and Reading to Local Children
I visited the Head Start, Pre-K Counts and preschool rooms at Summit Early Learning at Susquehanna University, where I read the book “Mel Fell” by Corey R. Tabor. It was a pleasure to visit and read to these children this story of a bird who learned that sometimes you have to fall before you fly. Congratulations to These Local Bowlers
I spent some time on April 1 with some very talented bowlers. I attended the Sunbury Area United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame and awards banquet, where I presented Senate citations to each of the Hall of Fame inductees as well as the Shikellamy High School Girls Bowling Team who won their 4th state title in 7 years. Congratulations to all of these talented local athletes. Penn State Students Visit Centralia
A member of my staff joined Penn State students this week during their field trip to Centralia. The students observed and discussed the social determinants of health that predispose communities to future health issues as part of their health policy and administration course. Thank you to Diane Spokus of Penn State University and the staff of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Mine Reclamation for working with and educating these students. Communicate with Your Utility Companies to Avoid Disconnection
As the annual winter termination moratorium effectively ended on Monday, it is more important than ever for consumers with high or past-due balances on their utility bills to call their provider to discuss options to remain connected. Utilities are reaching out to customers who are at risk of utility shutoffs and sending bill reminders, letters, termination notices and Public Utility Commission (PUC)-approved shutoff forms. If a customer’s service is shut off, the utility must provide a notice indicating why the service was shut off and what steps the customer can take to restore service. Utilities can help enroll consumers in assistance programs, guide them to other available resources and discuss new payment plan options to address overdue balances. If a consumer is unable to resolve an issue or obtain needed information from the utility, they may contact the PUC’s Bureau of Consumer Services toll free at 1-800-692-7380. New Military Themed License Plates Now Available
Because of legislation passed by the General Assembly, new military themed license plates will be available throughout the commonwealth. Two of these new plates – the Air Medal license plate and the Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans license plate – recognize veterans’ special contributions during their service. The third is the Blue Star Family license plate for family members of an active-duty, Reserve or National Guard service member. All three are available for passenger cars or trucks with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds for a fee of $23. More information, including eligibility requirements and images of license plates, is available here. Treasury’s Transparency Portal Now Shows Additional Data
The PA Treasury announced a new feature on Treasury’s Transparency Portal that gives the public easy access to county- and state-level data about Pennsylvania’s unclaimed property program, the PA 529 College and Career Savings Program, Keystone Scholars and the PA ABLE Savings Program. The new feature includes four interactive maps displaying data for unclaimed property, PA 529, Keystone Scholars and PA ABLE. Users can now see county-by-county details such as:
Statewide data is also available, and the data will be updated quarterly. Information about all of Treasury’s consumer programs can be found here. Summer Internship Opportunity with the Office of Open Records
The Office of Open Records is offering a paid summer internship opportunity in Harrisburg to undergraduate students and recent graduates who are interested in government accountability and transparency. Interns may work from home on Mondays and Thursdays, but full-time telework will not be approved. The office was established to create a free, simple method for citizens to appeal a public records denial by a local or state government agency. Decisions made by the Office of Open Records have an enormous impact that can lead to changes at all levels of government in Pennsylvania. Email a resume and cover letter that includes your preferred start and end date to openrecords@pa.gov. Applications will be considered until the position is filled. Learn more, including internship requirements, here. Complete an Annual Renewal to Maintain Insurance Coverage
All Medical Assistance (MA) and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) recipients must complete an annual renewal to keep coverage. Pennie, Pennsylvania’s state-affiliated health insurance marketplace, offers financial assistance to lower the cost of health and dental coverage. It can help ensure continuous coverage for Pennsylvanians who have lost or are losing MA benefits. Approximately 30-45 days before Medicaid recipients’ renewal date, they will receive their renewal packet in the mail. This must be completed and returned as soon as possible. They can also complete their renewal online via COMPASS or over the phone. People who are no longer eligible for Medicaid may have options for coverage available through Pennie and CHIP. Happy Easter and Passover to You and Your Family
This week, we celebrate two holy holidays: Easter and Passover. No matter what or how you celebrate, may you and your family enjoy happy, heartwarming time together. Warmest wishes for many blessings.
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