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Thank You, Osceola Fire Department!
The Osceola Fire Department recently held its annual banquet and recognized its dedicated volunteers for their commitment to protecting the health and safety of the community. Eight of those firefighters were recognized for milestone years of service…adding up to a combined 280 years! Thank you to Tioga County Commissioner Marc Rice for presenting citations from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on my behalf, as Lauren and I were not able to attend. And thank you to the Wellsboro Gazette for sharing the photo! Pictured from left: Commissioner Marc Rice; Donnie Foster, 55 years of service; Luke Krise, 20 years of service; Shannon Main, 30 years of service; Larry Gleason, 50 years of service; Kevin McLean, 30 years of service; and Brian Beard, 30 years of service. Absent were John Bledsoe, 30 years of service, and Ed Seeley, 35 years of service.
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Supporting Agriculture
There is nothing quite like talking grassroots policy with the Bradford/Sullivan County PA Farm Bureau. Special thanks to everyone to came out to help provide feedback on this year’s policies that will head to Hershey for the annual conference.
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Teaching Our Kids About Farming
The Southern Tioga School District recently was awarded a Pennsylvania Farm-to-School grant to support a program for fourth-graders at Liberty Elementary School.
The $1,816 grant will be used to provide students an immersive, hands-on learning experience growing herbs and vegetables using hydroponic systems.
The Farm-to-School grant program provides grants of up to $15,000 to fund projects aimed at improving access to healthy, local food and increasing hands-on agriculture learning for children in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.
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Protecting Public Safety in Our Communities
Public safety is always a priority, and last week I joined a handful of my colleagues in highlighting our 11-bill package focused on prevention, policing, prosecution and punishment. The primary focus of this event was on prosecution and punishment.
During a press conference in the atrium of the Ryan Office Building at the state Capitol, I talked more about my bill to ensure fair punishment of those who have committed crimes against multiple victims by requiring sentences for each crime to be served consecutively, rather than concurrently. I also highlighted my second bill in the package that would create a specific offense for wearing a mask to disguise one’s identity during the commission of a crime.
I was joined by Rep. Tim Bonner of Mercer County, who discussed his bill to bring uniformity to the application of bail in the Commonwealth, and Rep. Craig Williams of Delaware County, who discussed his bill to limit a judge’s discretion regarding sentencing guidelines for offenders.
The full press conference is available to watch here.
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How Do I Vote by Mail in PA?
Voters unsure if they can or want to go to the polls to cast their ballot on Election Day next month have the option of voting by mail instead.
Your first step should be checking your voter registration statusto ensure you are registered and your information is up to date. If you are not currently registered, the last day to do so is Monday, Oct. 21.
Once you’ve confirmed your registration status, you can apply for the mail-in ballot. Applicants must provide a driver’s license or PennDOT identification number, if you have one. If not, you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security number and upload your signature (if applying online).
To apply online, or to download a paper copy of the application, click here.
You may also apply in person at your county voter registration office. If your county’s ballots are available, you could also vote at that time, assuming your mail-in ballot application is approved. Check the availability of ballots in your county here.
The deadline to apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29. The deadline to return your ballot to your county election office is 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5. Additional information about voting by mail is available here.
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Medicare Annual Open Enrollment Begins Oct. 15
The annual open enrollment period for Medicare beneficiaries begins Tuesday, Oct. 15, and continues through Saturday, Dec. 7. Any new coverage selected or changes to existing benefits will take effect Jan. 1, 2025.
During open enrollment, new Medicare beneficiaries can sign up for Medicare prescription drug coverage and health plans to complement Medicare, and current Medicare beneficiaries can review and join, switch or drop Medicare Advantage or prescription drug coverage so it better meets their needs.
To help Medicare beneficiaries understand their options, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging offers free, objective health benefits counseling through Pennsylvania Medicare Education and Decision Insight (PA MEDI). Available at Pennsylvania's 52 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), PA MEDI counselors can assist Medicare beneficiaries with plan comparisons, help with enrollment in a new plan, and evaluate eligibility for any of Pennsylvania's Medicare cost-savings programs.
To learn more about PA MEDI assistance, click here. PA MEDI can also be reached at 1-800-783-7067 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Older adults also may call their local Area Agency on Aging for assistance. Click here for a link to contact information.
Information is also available at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, an average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States. This amounts to more than 12 million women and men over the course of a single year.
One in four women (24.3%) and one in seven men (13.8%) aged 18 and older in the U.S. have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month aims to help people recognize and put a stop to
this pattern of abusive behavior used to establish power and control over an intimate partner, causing both physical and emotional harm. Victims may be subjected to abuse, harassment, threats, vandalism, trespassing, burglary, theft and stalking.
As one of the most chronically underreported crimes, domestic violence affects men and women in all racial, ethnic, religious, educational, social and economic backgrounds.
More information about domestic violence and services available to help victims is available here.
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PFBC Offers Grants to Inspire Interest in Fishing and Boating
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is seeking applicants for grants to support education programs that promote new and renewed interest in fishing and boating through the recruitment of new participants, retention of existing participants and reactivation of former participants – collectively known as "R3."
The grants will reimburse qualifying organizations up to $25,000 for eligible expenses for projects conducted between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. The grants require a minimum of 25% match of total project costs. The deadline to submit applications is Friday, Dec. 6.
Organizations eligible for funding include school districts, universities and colleges, community and civic groups, sporting and conservation organizations, and local recreation departments. More information, including the application, can be found on the PFBC R3 Grant Program page on the PFBC website.
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PennDOT Seeks Feedback on Construction, Maintenance Services
PennDOT is hosting an online survey to gather feedback on its construction and maintenance services.
The 24-question survey asks respondents how they receive PennDOT roadway information and how often PennDOT meets or exceeds expectations in construction and maintenance activities. Respondents are also asked about their experiences with reporting concerns to the department, and whether or how they use the state's 511PA traveler information services.
The survey is available through Oct. 22. Click here to begin.
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