A Tale of Two Trails

October 22, 2024

 
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A Tale of Two Trails


It was a day of celebration and looking forward last week as we advanced two great rail trail projects in the region! First, it was an honor to share a few words prior to officially opening the Pine Creek Rail Trail South and Charleston Street connector bridge into Wellsboro.

While this certainly will help the public be directly connected to the lodging, retail and restaurants, I focused my remarks on the relationships that will grow deeper while spending time together with family and friends out in God’s creation. It will a be a great space for those looking to spend some time thinking and enjoying a nice quiet walk on their lunch break. Or maybe that young couple who need some quality time away from the hustle and bustle of life. Creating spaces for relationships to flourish will only make us stronger as a community! Special thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make this happen.

We then got to break ground for the Pine Creek Rail Trail North, the FINAL section that is scheduled to be done next October. That section will officially connect the trail to the PA Grand Canyon. I encourage you to take advantage of these and the many other outdoor opportunities here and across the Northern Tier!

 
 
Great Things Happening at Tyoga Container Co.!



Not long after being given the responsibility to represent the 68th Legislative District, I visited Tyoga Container Co. and learned about its business and a future expansion project!

Well, last week Sen. Gene Yaw and I were impressed with the added efficiency and streamlining this expansion has brought to the company. This has opened up so many doors for them and our community! I can’t tell you just how much manufacturing has changed during just my time in office. If you would like to meet and talk about employment opportunities, give them a call. The new equipment has room to grow and maybe you can be part of that future.

   
 
Bringing Grants Back to Our Schools, Communities


Great news! Two school districts and one municipality in our region were collectively awarded nearly $2.5 million in state grants earlier today.

Northern Tioga School District was awarded $900,000 for an emergency roof replacement project at the Westfield Area Elementary School facility. The school is in urgent need of a roof replacement due to severe structural damage to a portion of the roof.

Canton Area School District was also awarded $500,000 to replace two chillers and install new compressors and controls in the school’s HVAC system.

Additionally, Westfield Borough was awarded $981,470 for its sewer rehabilitation project. Funding will be used for the construction, engineering and administrative costs to rehabilitate sanitary sewer lines in the area of North Street, Lincoln Street and Mill Street. The borough also plans to fix or replace all connecting manholes, making the sewer system more reliable and affordable to maintain.

I was pleased to work with Sen. Gene Yaw in obtaining these vital grants for our region.

The school grants were awarded through the Public School Facility Improvement Grant Program, while the grant for Westfield comes from the statewide Local Share Account program.
 
 
Meeting Future Leaders at Troy Area School District


Thank you to Mrs. Kendra Pardoe and her American government/civics classes at Troy Area School District for inviting me into their classroom to talk about government and public service. I always enjoy the opportunity to engage with our future business, community and government leaders who walk the hallways of our very own schools!
   
 
Flood Assistance Efforts Continue

Late last week, I joined Sen Gene Yaw and Tioga County Commissioners Marc Rice, Sam VanLoon and Shane Nickerson in issuing a letter to President Joe Biden advocating for additional help for our communities impacted by Tropical Storm Debby.

In the letter, we are specifically requesting Tioga County be eligible for all programs and categories of Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation to help ongoing recovery efforts. These programs would greatly help our local governments repair damaged infrastructure and take steps to prevent or minimize flooding in the future.

In the meantime, if you have not yet filed for help under the Individual Assistance Program, you have until Nov. 12 to do so. For information about how to apply and more, visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4815.
 
 
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month


With cybersecurity threats on the rise, Treasurer Stacy Garrity and the Pennsylvania Bankers Association have teamed up to highlight steps consumers can take to help keep their personal information safe. They are as follows:

  •   Check your account at least once a day so you notice suspicious activity faster. Report any suspicious purchases as soon as possible.
  •   Change your online banking password regularly; use passwords that combine letters, numbers and symbols; and never share your username and password.
  •   Avoid doing online banking or shopping over public wi-fi.
  •   When shopping online, use reputable merchants and make sure the webpage payment screen begins with “https” and has the tiny padlock symbol at the bottom of the page.
  •   Don’t open emails that appear suspicious, especially if the message contains links to websites.
  •   Always log out of your online banking website when you’re done.
  •   Lock your computer or your smartphone when you’re not using it.

Read more here.
 
 
October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month


October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, which is a time to celebrate our friends with Down syndrome and make others aware of their many abilities and accomplishments.

Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal condition, which is associated with delays in physical growth, characteristic facial features and intellectual disability. Approximately 5,700 babies are born with Down syndrome in the United States each year. However, due to improved research and medical treatments, children born with Down syndrome can live happy, long, productive lives.
 
 
Nominate Your Favorite Trail


If you have a favorite trail that provides unique opportunities, encourages and celebrates diverse user groups, or enhances your community, please nominate it for Pennsylvania’s 2025 Trail of the Year.

Each year, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and its Pennsylvania Trails Advisory Committee (PTAC) designates a Trail of the Year to help build enthusiasm and support for trails and raise public awareness about the value of Pennsylvania’s Trail network. The winning trail will be recognized through a commemorative poster for statewide distribution, a trailhead marker along the trail, and a grant for educational programs to promote safety and environmental protection on the trail.

To nominate your favorite trail, click here. The deadline for nomination is Friday, Nov. 1.
 

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