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In this Update:
Celebrating New Partnerships in Bloomsburg
I am pleased to invite you to two special community events happening on Thursday, September 4, at the HUB at Mulberry Mill, 160 West 6th Street in Bloomsburg. At 3:00 PM, Central Susquehanna Opportunities, Inc. (CSO) will celebrate the one-year anniversary of its Mobile Food Pantry and officially unveil a new Mini Mobile Pantry with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. This program has been an incredible resource for families across our region, and I am grateful for the dedication of CSO and its partners in expanding access to food and support services. Immediately following, from 4:00 to 6:00 PM, I will host an Open House and Ribbon Cutting for my new Bloomsburg District Office. This new location at the HUB allows us to serve constituents in a more accessible setting while being surrounded by outstanding community organizations like CSO. Both events are free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be available. I hope you will join us as we celebrate this exciting new chapter for our community. $32.2 Million Invested to Connect Our Community to High-Speed Internet
The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) has provisionally awarded $32,220,784.83 to expand high-speed internet access in the 27th district. This is part of a federally funded program known as BEAD, which is aimed at providing fast and reliable broadband to every corner of the Commonwealth. The funds will be used by providers including Amazon Kuiper, Centre WISP Venture Company LLC, Comcast, Commonwealth Telephone Company LLC, eCommunity Holdings LLC, SpaceX, Upward Broadband, and Verizon to connect unserved and underserved homes, schools, and businesses. This investment is a major step forward in ensuring every Pennsylvanian has access to reliable internet. You can learn more about the PBDA here. ARC POWER Grants Available for Coal-Impacted Communities
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is now accepting applications for its POWER Initiative, which supports economic growth in coal-impacted communities. Counties in our region eligible for this funding include Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Union, and Luzerne. Eligible applicants include local governments, nonprofits, and higher education institutions. Projects may focus on workforce development, broadband expansion, entrepreneurship, and other community and economic development efforts. Key Dates: · Sept. 12: Letters of Intent due (required before applying) Grants range from $400,000 to $2 million for implementation ($2.5 million for broadband) and up to $100,000 for planning. I encourage local leaders and organizations to explore this opportunity to bring investment into our communities. Submit your letter of intent here. Salem Township Hosts Touch A Truck Event
I was glad to join families in Salem Township for their annual Touch A Truck event in Luzerne County. This community gathering gave children the chance to see fire trucks, construction vehicles, and emergency response units up close while learning from the professionals who operate them. Events like this spark curiosity in young people, highlight the work of our first responders and local workers, and bring families together for a day of fun and education. I want to thank the organizers, volunteers, and participants who made the evening such a success. Townhall Scheduled on Proposed Transmission Line Project
I am hosting with Representatives Dane Watro and Jamie Walsh a public townhall on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at 5:30 PM at Hazleton Area High School regarding the proposed Sugarloaf PPL 500kV Transmission Line Project. The townhall will feature the PA Office of Consumer Advocate, which will lead the discussion, provide important information, answer questions, and listen to concerns from residents and property owners. This event will give the community the opportunity to: It is critical that affected residents have access to clear, accurate information and the chance to make their voices heard as this process moves forward. Improving Public Safety
Public safety is one of my top priorities, and the Senate has taken many important steps this year. We passed new laws closing a legal loophole to require sports officials and nonprofit volunteers and employees convicted of sexual assault to register as sexual offenders, and improving the enforcement of Protection from Abuse petitions. To boost fire protection, we enacted measures targeting Pennsylvania’s volunteer firefighter shortage, fixing issues with emergency services funding and making it less cumbersome for firefighters to obtain their certification. Legislation passed by the Senate and awaiting action in the House of Representatives includes a bill prohibiting non-monetary bail for the most dangerous individuals and cracking down on thieves using new technology to steal vehicles by spoofing key fobs. I’ll keep working hard to make our communities safe. You can review other measures we passed to increase public safety and address other subjects here. Senate Acts to Help Charitable Organizations Raise Funds
More Pennsylvanians are using cashless payments for transactions, so we approved legislation to allow charitable organizations to accept electronic payments, such as credit cards and Venmo, to raise funds. Senate Bill 416 would allow nonprofits such as volunteer fire companies, youth sports leagues, churches and veterans’ groups to accept electronic payments for raffle tickets. Under current law, nonprofits are limited to accepting only cash or checks for these transactions, which has made it harder to raise funds in today’s increasingly cashless society. The legislation also adds safeguards to ensure accountability and transparency in the use of digital payment methods. Organizations must still comply with the Small Games of Chance Act. The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration. Social Media Safety and Parental Awareness Week in Pennsylvania
It’s Social Media Safety and Parental Awareness Week in Pennsylvania – the first initiative of its kind in the U.S. A Senate resolution would address the alarming rise in online child exploitation and help schools, parents and community leaders promote education and prevention of internet dangers to children. Some resources include:
The resolution builds on recent legislative efforts to protect children from threats online. Act 125 of 2024 criminalized the creation and distribution of an intimate or sexual deepfake of a person and classified explicit deepfakes of minors as child sexual abuse material. Act 35 of 2025 classified digital impersonation and deepfakes as a form of criminal forgery giving law enforcement new tools to combat online abuse. August is Back to School Month
As we head into the late stretch of summer, children and parents across our area are preparing for the return to school. It’s a time filled with lots of excitement and more than a little nervousness. Please keep an eye out for more child pedestrians along the roads, particularly around bus stops. Here’s to a new year of learning and making memories!
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