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In this Update:
Rodney Craig Walker Memorial Ceremony
On October 24, 2024, a memorial service was held to honor Rodney Craig Walker at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Huntingdon County Maintenance Facility where he worked as a Diesel and Construction Equipment Mechanic for 18 years. Craig, who was counting down the weeks to a hard-earned retirement, was injured in a workplace fall in December 2023 and passed away due to complications from his injuries on August 30, 2024. I was honored to participate in this ceremony, along with PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll, PennDOT District 9-0 Executive Vince Greenland, PennDOT Bureau of Maintenance Director Christa Newmaster, Highway Maintenance Manager Tony Tanzi, and Pastor Gordon Trimer. In addition, Craig’s wife of 44 years, Rosie, along with their children, Wendy Beckwith and Ryan Walker, remembered their father as a happy, selfless man. Remembered for his infectious laugh and smile, Craig was a skilled mechanic who could fix anything, including a devoted husband, father and grandfather. Flowers were laid at the base of a white cross draped in an orange vest and hardhat bearing Craig’s name. Craig Walker was the 11th PennDOT District 9-0 employee to lose his life in the line of duty since 1971. His name has been added to the PennDOT Traveling Worker’s Memorial, which includes 91 crosses, each representing a PennDOT employee who died in service to their fellow Pennsylvanians since the department’s creation in 1970. This traveling memorial remains on display outside the PennDOT Huntingdon County Maintenance Facility. We are thankful for the service of Craig and all PennDOT employees who risk their lives daily to serve the traveling public. May God bless Craig’s family, his PennDOT family and all those affected by his loss. Join Us for Our Veterans Appreciation Luncheon on Thursday!
In coordination with the American Legion, Post 516, this free veterans appreciation luncheon will be hosted on Thursday, November 7 from Noon to 2 P.M. at the American Legion Park Social Hall in Hollidaysburg. An RSVP is required. Please call my office at 814-695-8386 to register. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5
Election Day is on Tuesday, Nov. 5, and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you are in line by 8 p.m., you will be able to vote. If you have already applied to vote with a mail-in or absentee ballot and received it, your county election office must receive it by Tuesday, Nov. 5, at 8 p.m. Track your ballot to confirm it was received. If you have any questions, you can contact your County Election Officials, you can search it here. Any voter who requested to vote using a mail-in or absentee ballot but would prefer to vote in person may do so. You must bring the ballot and the envelope to surrender at the polls and sign a declaration to vote in person at the polls if you have requested a mail-in or absentee ballot. If you don’t have those materials, you may vote in person using a provisional ballot if you requested a mail-in or absentee ballot. Call 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772) if you experience any issues. Certain State Funding Programs Due at the End of Month
Throughout November, many state funding programs are due if you are applying for the program. Multimodal Transportation Fund’s deadline is 4 P.M. on Tuesday, Nov. 5. PAsmart’s deadline is Friday, Nov. 8. Main Street Matters’ deadline is Friday, Nov. 15. Statewide Local Share Account’s deadline is Saturday, Nov. 30. Boating Facility Grant Program deadline is Saturday, Nov. 30. The Multimodal Transportation Fund program provides grants to ensure that a safe and reliable system of transportation is available to the residents of this commonwealth. The program is intended to provide financial assistance to municipalities, councils of governments, businesses, economic development organizations, public transportation agencies, and ports and rail freight entities to improve transportation assets that enhance communities, pedestrian safety, and transit revitalization. PennDOT is currently accepting applications for the FY 2025-26 Multimodal Transportation Fund until 4 P.M. on Nov. 5. PAsmart grants support high-quality STEM and computer science learning and professional development opportunities to communities across Pennsylvania, including within early learning centers, libraries, out-of-school time providers, career and technical centers, post-secondary institutions, and K-12 schools. The department awarded over 475 PAsmart grants since the 2018-19 school year. PAsmart Career and Technical Education Innovation Grants Request for Application. The Pennsylvania Department of Education is accepting applications for the PAsmart grant program until Nov. 8. With the work of Senate Republicans, Main Street Matters was funded in the 2024-25 budget to provide funding opportunities for community revitalization efforts in planning, business support, aesthetic improvements and increased safety and security measures. Applications for this programing are now being accepted until 11:59 P.M. on Nov. 15. Visit Main Street Matters for more information. The Statewide Local Share Account program application window is open through Nov. 30, for grants up to $1 million. No match is required. For program guidelines and more eligibility information visit the LSA Guidelines here. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is now accepting applications for the 2025 Boating Facility Grant Program! The Boating Facility Grant Program provides grants for planning, acquisition, development, expansion and rehabilitation of public boating facilities located on waterways in Pennsylvania. Funding requests require a 50% match. The deadline for applications is Nov. 30. More information can be found at Boating Facility Grant Program. PA Families to Receive More Support Saving for the Future
Because of a bill Senate Republicans passed, families saving for educational expenses and costs for those with disabilities could soon have more support from their employers. A tax credit will encourage employers to contribute to their employees’ PA 529 College and Career Savings Program accounts and PA ABLE accounts. Beginning January 2025, employers will receive a 25% tax credit on matching employer contributions of up to $500 per employee per year. The law helps employers offer their employees a significant benefit so they can attract the best workers while receiving a financial incentive themselves. It supports Senate Republicans’ priorities of empowering Pennsylvania families and protecting Pennsylvania jobs. New Law Creates Rape Kit Tracking System
Having received unanimous support from the General Assembly, a bill to establish a statewide rape kit evidence tracking system is now law. Act 122 of 2024 allows survivors to track the status of their rape kits throughout the testing process, from collection to destruction. With this legislation, Pennsylvania joins 35 states and the District of Columbia that have already implemented rape kit tracking systems. It brings Pennsylvania into compliance with the Fairness for Rape Kit Backlog Survivors provision of the recent Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization. To comply with VAWA, the law provides a waiver for survivors who file untimely claims for compensation due to delays in rape kit testing. Survivors would not need to undergo an appeal process for consideration of this waiver. Bill Giving Parents Info About Student Tick Removal Now Law
Legislation giving parents the opportunity to access important information about their child’s health was approved by the Senate and is now law. It requires schools to notify a parent or guardian if a tick is removed from a student and provide the tick to them for testing. When discovering a tick on yourself, a family member or a pet, it’s important to send it to the Pennsylvania Tick Research Lab at East Stroudsburg University. For free, the tick can be tested for common illnesses to provide you and your health care provider with valuable information about potential exposure. For more than a decade, Pennsylvania has had more cases of Lyme disease than any other state in the nation. While Lyme disease is reason enough to take precautions, ticks also carry a host of other illnesses with undesirable symptoms. Time to Turn Clocks Back This Weekend
Daylight saving time will end at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3, so Pennsylvania residents should turn their clocks back one hour before going to bed on Saturday night. Biannual time changes can be a great reminder to check or change the batteries in smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms. Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms should be replaced every 10 years and located near bedrooms and on each level of the residence. Out and About in the 30th DistrictHuntingdon-Mifflin-Juniata Employment Coalition Recognition Event We had the honor of attending this year’s Huntingdon-Mifflin-Juniata Employment Coalition Event held by Juniata Valley Behavior and Developmental Services. This is the HMJ Employment Coalition’s 6th Annual Celebration of employers who create workplace opportunities for people with disabilities. Jonathan Cunningham, president/CEO of NuVisions, is pictured accepting one of the Employer Awards on behalf of NuVisions along with Kathy Whalen, administrator from Juniata Valley Behavior and Developmental Services. Robert Fairbanks, one of the honored employees who has been working at NuVisions for almost a year, is pictured accepting a 2024 Employee Award.
Pheasant Stocking Begins My staff and I had a fabulous experience pheasant stocking with the Pennsylvania Game Commission! We release 135 birds and it was an educational experience for all of us. Thank you to Sergeant Pfister, Warden Onder and Warden Hazlett for showing us the ropes!
Trinity Plastics Plant Tour I was able to tour the Trinity Plastics Plant in Lewistown, where they employ over 500 people at their plant. Plant Manager Matt Cram and Human Resources Director Kathy Hatch took me on a tour of the facility. Trinity makes a variety of plastic bags for numerous vendors.
Bridge Dedicated in Huntingdon County in Memory of PFC Pawuk The bridge carrying State Route 3006 over Great Trough Creek in Todd Township, Huntingdon County, was recently dedicated as the Private First Class Wasco “Spider” Pawuk Memorial Bridge. This well-deserved bridge naming was included in an omnibus bridge naming bill which became Act 63 of 2024 and was signed by the Governor on July 15, 2024. PFC Pawuk served as a Rifleman and Combat Infantryman who saw action in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany during World War II. He received multiple military honors, including a Silver Star Medal, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and Three Battle Stars on European Theatre of Operations Ribbon. Naming a bridge after a local veteran is a way to memorialize them, and it’s always an honor for me to sponsor legislation in the Senate to name a bridge after a local veteran who honorably and selflessly served our great country. It is an act of love to give respect to these local heroes, and it means so much to their families. It lets them know that we are grateful for their sacrifices, and we will never forget. This PFC Wasco “Spider” Pawuk Memorial Bridge serves as a reminder of his dedicated service to our country and the sacrifices he made for our freedoms.
Temple Beth Israel 150th Celebration Temple Beth Israel celebrated 150 years with a weekend celebration and a dinner at the Casino in Altoona. Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer was the keynote speaker. Many citations were presented including a PA Senate citation. Congrats to Temple Beth Israel on 150 years!
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