Senator Laughlin E-Newsletter

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August 2019

Dear Friend,

I am pleased to present my electronic newsletter. These e-newsletters enable me to provide information about issues, events and activities in Harrisburg and around the 49th Senatorial District to you in a timely manner while saving postage costs.

If you find this e-newsletter useful, I invite you to visit my website www.senatorlaughlin.com for more information about your state government. If you do not wish to receive these e-newsletters, please click the “unsubscribe” button at the bottom of the page.

Sincerely,

Dan

AirBorn Expanding in Erie

I had a great time participating in a groundbreaking ceremony for AirBorn Inc. on August 7. This employee-owned company specializes in building electrical connectors that are used on F-35 fighter jets and systems for outer space. Yesterday they announced their 30,000-square-foot expansion and their addition of about 250 employees! It is always great to see new investments and jobs being created in our Erie County. Best of luck to the folks at AirBorn.

State Must Probe Licensing of Day Care Center

Upon hearing reports of missing smoke detectors, I called for an immediate investigation by the Department of Human Services (DHS) into the licensing of at the Harris Family Daycare center, where five young children perished during a recent fire

State law requires smoke detectors throughout the building, but authorities said they found only one — in the day care’s attic — and reports also suggested an overloaded extension cord was found behind a couch on the first floor.

DHS records indicate that the facility was inspected on December 28. We need to know how and why Harris Family Daycare was approved for a license renewal, given the conditions cited by authorities.

For more information click here.

Girard Unveils New Community Mural

Congratulations to the Girard Community on the beautiful, historically significant piece of art that was unveiled at the start of Dan Rice Days. It was a pleasure to shake hands with the artists and catch the pride of the local citizens stemming from the installation of this spirited mural.

Roundtable Discussion Focuses on Veterans’ Suicide

8/13/19 - Veterans Suicides

I was pleased to join my colleague Senator Mike Regan and Congressman Mike Kelly for a roundtable discussion at the Pennsylvania Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Home in Erie on the issue of veterans’ suicide in Pennsylvania.

Many good ideas were presented at our roundtable; I was glad that I was there to hear from our veterans.

For more information click here.

Three Local Projects Receive State Grants Totaling $4.5 Million

Three local projects were awarded state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RCAP) grants totaling $4.5 million on August 1).

St. Vincent Hospital was awarded $2 million for a major expansion project to improve patient care at the facility. The Erie County General Authority was awarded $2 million for renovations to a building owned by Gannon University at 150 W. 10th Street. Mercyhurst University was awarded $500,000 for renovations to its athletic facilities.

For more information click here.

Helpline Available to Assist Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

A new hotline is now available to assist grandparents raising their grandchildren.

The KinConnector hotline, created by Act 89 of 2018, provides families with information on health, financial and other services designed to help caregivers. Kinship Navigators can also help families apply for federal, state, and local benefits such as Social Security, public assistance, or CHIP.

KinConnector can be reached by calling 1-866-KIN-2111 (1-866-546-2111). Assistance is available Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Safe2Say Program Receives Nearly 23,500 Tips in First Six Months

Nearly 23,500 tips about potential threats were reported through the Safe2Say program from its start on January 14 through June 30, according to a recent report.

Tips included:

Bullying/Cyber Bullying 3,558
Cutting/Self-Harm 2,529
Suicide/Suicide Ideation 2,184
Depression/Anxiety 2,121
Drug Use/Distribution/Possession 1,921
Smoking (Tobacco, E-Cig, Vape) in School 1,448
Inappropriate Language/Behavior/Gesture 949
Threat Against School 607
General Harassment 574
Threat Against person 523

The complete report is available here.

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