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In this Update:
Working Together for Erie’s Schools
I had a great meeting with Dr. Gibbs, Superintendent of Erie’s Public Schools, and Angie Amatangelo of the Erie School Board to discuss both the challenges and opportunities facing our schools. These conversations are critical to making sure the voices of students, educators, and families are heard. I’ve been a strong champion for the Erie School District and will continue fighting to ensure our schools have the support they need to succeed. Erie deserves a consistent advocate in Harrisburg who understands our community and delivers real results—and I’ll keep working every day to keep Erie’s needs front and center. Listening to Concerns
I visited the picket line at Parker Lord in Summit Township to hear directly from IAM workers about their concerns. During challenging moments like this, it’s important to listen, and I appreciate everyone who took the time to share their perspective with me. I’m hopeful for a speedy and fair resolution and encourage both sides to return to the negotiation table so an agreement can be reached. My goal is to see this dispute resolved and everyone back at work as soon as possible. How I Can Help
If you or someone you know is having trouble accessing state programs or services, or if you have questions about a law or government program and aren’t sure where to turn, my team and I are here to help. We can guide you through the process, connect you with the right resources, and provide support on a wide range of issues to make things easier for you. Returning Whole Milk to Schools
Last June, I joined my Pennsylvania Senate colleagues in voting to approve a resolution urging Congress to pass the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. Whole milk provides 13 essential vitamins to help build strong bones and maintain a healthy immune system. The evidence is overwhelming that both 2% and whole milk should be offered to our students in schools. We applaud the recent enactment of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act at the federal level, which allows U.S. schools to now offer whole and 2% milk as options for students, in addition to the current reduced-fat, low-fat and fat-free milk. The bill was in response to enactment of federal legislation in 2010 that permitted only low-fat and fat-free milk options in public schools. Within the first two years of the law taking effect, 1.2 million fewer students drank milk with their lunches. Pennsylvania ranks second in the number of dairy farms and eighth in total milk production, making this change a great positive for children while also supporting our dairy farmers! Jan. 31 Submission Deadline for Student Anti-Litter Contest
Students in grades K–6 have until Jan. 31 to submit entries for the latest Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful “Litter Hawk” anti-litter campaign. This year’s theme is Celebrate America250 – Keep It Beautiful, incorporating the nation’s semiquincentennial. Students can craft their message through art, writing or video. Winners will be announced in April and will be invited to take part in a Capitol ceremony. Contest details and application can be found here. PA Department of Revenue Job Openings
Are you good with numbers? The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue lists openings for full-time, part-time, temporary and student positions. The department receives and collects all of the commonwealth’s General Fund tax revenue. In addition, it annually processes more than 10 million business and individual tax reports and payments. Positions include accountants, tax examiners, research analysts, clerical assistants and others, some of them seasonal. You can review what’s currently available and subscribe for job alerts to receive automatic email notifications when new vacancies are posted in your field of interest. Take Part in the Wild Turkey Sighting Survey
Pennsylvanians are asked to report wild turkey flocks they encounter to help the state Game Commission with winter research, population monitoring and leg-banding efforts to track survival and harvest rates. If you’d like to take part, please report the location of any turkey flocks you see through March 15 on this webpage. Game Commission crews will assess sites for the potential to trap turkeys. Turkeys will not be moved; they’ll simply be leg-banded and released on site. Trapping turkeys during winter is part of the Game Commission’s ongoing population monitoring. National Blood Donor Month
The American Red Cross reports a blood shortage as requests from hospitals exceed the available supply, drawing down the blood supply by about 35% over the past month. The shortage is especially serious for platelets and type O, A negative and B negative blood. Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. It is essential for surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses and traumatic injuries. Whether a patient receives whole blood, red cells, platelets or plasma, this lifesaving relies on friends and neighbors making donations.
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