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In this edition:
Coterra Energy Completes New Welding Workspace
It was great to join Coterra Energy this week as they celebrated completing the expansion of their new Parkway West Career & Technology Center welding workspace. This investment through the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) in the Parkway West Career & Technology Center welding workspace will continue to grow the program and benefit students for years to come! Check out more photos my tour of the new workspace here. Thank You for Attending our Senior Assistance Clinic
Thanks to those who came out for the Senior Assistance Clinic that Rep. Natalie Mihalek (R-40) and I hosted earlier this week. Our experienced staff were able to assist over 100 seniors with applications for useful government services like Property Tax and Rent Rebates (PTRR), Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) Senior ConnectCards, and reclaiming unclaimed property. Check out more photos from the clinic here. For those who were not able to make it, I am hosting another PTRR Clinic on Wednesday, March 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Robinson Township Municipal Complex at 5440 Campbells Run Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15205. More information about the upcoming clinic is available here. Oldest Pittsburgh Cold Case SOLVED Thanks to State Funding
This case was brought to my attention when I was first elected in 2020, which was the oldest case of an unidentified murder victim in Allegheny County. After learning about it and how it could be solved with some funding assistance, I worked to secure a grant to help the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office build out a DNA model with Othram, Inc. to identify Mr. Keener. I hope this discovery gives his family the closure they deserve after decades of waiting for answers. Read the full article from DNASolves® by Othram, Inc. about the case and how it was solved here. Rescue Dogs to Join Urban Search & Rescue Strike Team 1
Urban Search and Rescue Strike Team 1 (USAR) is an invaluable resource to the safety and emergency response preparedness of Southwestern PA residents, which is why I fought so hard to create it in 2024 and secure additional funding for it in 2025. As the 2026-27 state budget process is underway, I will continue to be a strong advocate for USAR, ensuring that they get the new equipment and necessary tools they need – including rescue dogs – to give disaster victims the best chance of survival. Read the full article from Pittsburgh Media Partnership about USAR’s rescue dogs here. Robinson Hosts Municipal Leaders’ Brunch
I recently hosted a brunch for newly elected municipal leaders from around the region at my Franklin Park office. This time to connect with them and thank them for their service to our community was so valuable. Together, we work to ensure our constituents’ needs are met and our communities continue to grow! Check out more photos from the brunch here. The Football Town Premiers TODAYThe new movie by NFL Films – The Football Town – presented by United States Steel Corporation, will premiere at the Kamin Science Center TODAY! This great film showcases our region’s rich football history leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft in April. Western Pennsylvania has shaped the sport of football, and I hope the film inspires future generations of Pittsburgh football players! 🏈 Learn more about the film and get tickets here. Ross/West View EMS and Rescue Annual Meeting
Thank you to Ross/West View EMS and Rescue for your continued service to Ohio Township and neighboring communities! Their annual meeting highlighted the heroic efforts of the Ross/West View EMS and Rescue crew, which helped save or assist over 8,400 patients last year while averaging 23 calls a day. This busy and dedicated team also found time to staff 129 community events. Great work! Key Points from this Week’s Senate Budget Hearings
Efforts to trim the governor’s $53.3 billion proposed state budget – which would spend $2.7 billion (5.4%) more than the current budget – began this week with Senate budget hearings. Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee questioned officials from the Department of General Services (DGS) and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) about missing revenue, investigating and prosecuting those who commit internet crimes against children, funding projections, and more. I was pleased to have the opportunity to ask Acting PSP Commissioner George Bivens about cracking down on new, more sophisticated fake IDs, which is a massive problem in our area. PSP’s proposed budget is more than 9% higher than the current fiscal year and DGS seeks an 11.8% spending increase for 2026-27. The committee also focused on containing the growing cost of Medicaid and other entitlement programs and how to identify and eliminate fraud during the hearing with the Department of Human Services, the highest-spending agency in the state budget. I asked DHS Secretary Valerie Arkoosh about the funding allocations and bed capacities for Pennsylvania’s remaining two intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The department requests a 6.6% increase for 2026-27. You can find recaps of every budget hearing, plus video and a schedule of remaining hearings, which run through March 5, here. Hearing Explores Ideas to Combat State Housing Crisis
Efforts to make housing more attainable for working families were reviewed during a Senate hearing with local government officials, housing advocates, builders, and developers. The Senate Majority Policy Committee heard how housing shortages drive up costs for Pennsylvania families and stall economic growth. Among the solutions explored were infrastructure partnership programs to help lower upfront development costs, state tax credits, development incentives and bond financing specifically targeted to middle-income housing development, and more. Forming a robust strategy to increase housing supply, lower costs, and stimulate economic activity is a key focus for the Senate this year. Video of the full hearing and written testimony can be viewed here. Paraquat Ban Advocates Visit Harrisburg
Thank you to these advocates for coming to Harrisburg in support of my legislation to ban the toxic pesticide, Paraquat, in Pennsylvania. Exposure to Paraquat has been linked to Parkinson’s and other diseases, so it’s long overdue for our Commonwealth to BAN this chemical! Learn more about my Paraquat Ban bill here. Kamin Science Center 2026 Summer Camps Registration OPENThe Kamin Science Center in Pittsburgh has officially opened registration for their 2026 full-day summer camps for ages 6-14. Staffed with knowledgeable educators guiding children through a diverse curriculum of hands-on lab experiments ranging from space science to robotics and so much more, the Kamin Science Center’s summer camps aim to make science fun. Learn more about the summer camp options and register to attend here. Apply for the Military College Assistance ProgramThe Military College Assistance Program (MCAP) is a partnership between Valley Forge Military College and the Pennsylvania National Guard that provides a virtually cost-free college education in exchange for service to our Commonwealth. I’m proud to support this program to help make higher education affordable for Pennsylvania’s next generation of leaders. Applications for the MCAP are DUE March 15, 2026, for the 2026-27 school year. Learn more about the program and apply here. Share Your Thoughts with the Highway Safety Survey
Pennsylvania motorists have until TOMORROW to provide input on traffic safety and driving behaviors through an anonymous online survey. The aim is to understand attitudes on state Department of Transportation safety measures and reduce crashes and fatalities. The survey takes about five minutes to complete. The number of people who lost their lives on Pennsylvania highways decreased to 1,127 in 2024, the second lowest since record keeping began in 1928. While 2025 fatality data is not yet complete, preliminary numbers indicate crash fatalities have again decreased. Record-Breaking Unclaimed Property Returns to PA Residents
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced that the Pennsylvania Treasury Department returned more unclaimed property in 2025 than ever before: $334.1 million. Unclaimed property can include dormant bank accounts, abandoned stocks, uncashed checks, and more. Property is always available for the rightful owner to claim. Tangible property – often the contents of forgotten safe deposit boxes – may be auctioned after three years, but proceeds remain available to claim in perpetuity. Among the reasons for the record property returns was the General Assembly’s passage of a law that allows Treasury to automatically return unclaimed property valued up to $500. In the program’s first year, nearly $50 million was returned this way. To see if any unclaimed property is available for you, visit patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property. Saturday is School Bus Driver Appreciation Day
School bus drivers play a critical role in the safety and well-being of students, but shortages of these vital workers can disrupt schedules and learning. Thank you to all the men and women performing this critical task in our area. Individuals interested in becoming a school bus driver can visit the commonwealth’s Become a School Bus Driver webpage or the School Bus Hero website to learn more.
I’m proud to represent you in Harrisburg. Please contact me if my team can assist you with any state-level issues or services, including PennDOT, PA Department of Revenue, PA Department of Aging, PA State Treasury, etc. I’m always happy to hear from constituents, but if you need assistance or have concerns regarding a federal issue, you may want to contact your U.S. Senators and/or your member in the U.S. House of Representatives. Thank you. For anyone who hasn’t already signed up to receive my e-newsletters, you can get on the mailing list here. |
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