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Coming Up: Game Commission Night
Join us for our upcoming Game Commission Night on Thursday, Sept. 10, from 6-8 p.m. at the Wellsboro Fire Company Annex.
Hunting is such a great tradition here in the Northern Tier, and I love the opportunity to bring fellow sportsmen and women together. It is also a great opportunity for families to come out, bring their kids and get excited about hunting together.
This year, we will hear from Pennsylvania Game Commission officials and learn all about bears. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about Pennsylvania’s bear population and hunting opportunities.
Admission is free, but registration is required. Register at www.RepOwlett.com/events to reserve your seat. This event typically fills up fast, so be sure to register early!
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Victaulic Breaks Ground on $100 Million Lawrenceville Foundry Expansion
On July 30, Victaulic held a groundbreaking ceremony for its $100 million expansion of the Lawrenceville Foundry here in Tioga County.
The project will add 180,000 square feet to the facility and create more than 200 new full-time jobs, representing a significant investment in our local economy and workforce.
If you’ve ever wondered about the impact Victaulic has on our community and the ways its operations benefit Tioga County, take a few minutes to watch our recap video of the groundbreaking ceremony. It offers a closer look at this exciting project and what it means for the future of our community.
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Investments in Tioga County Infrastructure
On Aug. 19, Sen. Gene Yaw and I were happy to announce that Tioga County has been awarded more than $700,000 in state funding through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (PennDOT) Multimodal Transportation Fund (MTF) to replace the deteriorating Queen Street Bridge over Kelse Creek in Wellsboro.
The current bridge has significant structural deficiencies, making replacement essential to ensuring long-term safety and reliability. I’m pleased to see the state investing in this important project and helping strengthen the infrastructure that keeps our communities safe, connected and thriving.
You can read the complete press release here.
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Agriculture Innovation Grants Strengthen Regional Growth
On Aug. 13, Sen. Gene Yaw and I announced that two Northern Tier businesses received important investments through the state’s Agriculture Innovation Grant Program. It is exciting to see local agriculture leaders adapting, growing and thriving through innovation.
In Tioga County, Woodland Biomass Innovations secured $305,035 toward its woody biomass-to-gasoline conversion facility. The award builds on the $50,000 the company received last year for site planning. In Bradford County, Cummings Lumber Company received $129,800 to support an automated lumber-handling system.
You can read the complete press release here.
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Veterans Service Officer Outreach in Troy
The Troy district office is hosting free veterans’ assistance hours on the second Thursday of each month to all veterans and their dependents. Call the Troy office at 570-297-3045 to schedule an appointment to speak with Bill McGovern, Veterans Service Officer from the American Legion. We are now scheduling appointments for Sept. 10.
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Mark Your Calendars
Join the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) for an informative day exploring Tioga State Forest, where you will explore Pennsylvania’s minerals - past and present.
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Hearing Highlights Need for Accountability in Second-Degree Murder Sentencing
Pennsylvania’s lack of a clear sentencing framework for second-degree murder could produce inconsistent sentences, overwhelm courts and force victims’ families to repeatedly relive the murders of their loved ones, prosecutors testified during a House Republican Policy Committee hearing last week.
The hearing, “Protecting Pennsylvania: Accountability and Justice in Second-Degree Murder Sentencing,” was held after House Democrat leaders failed to allow consideration of a bipartisan solution to a March ruling by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that found a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole was unconstitutional in second-degree murder cases.
As part of its decision, the court set a deadline of July 24 for the General Assembly to rectify the issue. The House was called into session July 23, and I was prepared to vote in favor of a bipartisan plan that would have set clear guidelines to ensure justice and protect public safety. It would have immediately gone to the governor and likely would have been signed into law.
Instead, House Democrats, who control the agenda in the House, amended a bill to significantly water down the sentences in these cases – cases where real people lost their lives and families and loved ones continue to suffer because of those actions. The bill also provides loopholes through which these criminals could avoid serving their sentences.
I will always stand up for public safety and the rights of victims and their families. Video of the full hearing is available here.
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Headed to the Little League World Series? Check Out 511PA!
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is encouraging motorists traveling to the Little League World Series in Williamsport to plan their trip using the enhanced real-time travel and alternate-route information available on a specialized web page at www.511PA.com/map/page/LLWS.
The website is dedicated to monitoring traffic conditions on the primary travel routes to the event, providing average travel times for those routes, as well as one or two alternates. Users will also see incidents, construction, traffic cameras and traffic speeds on the map.
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Treasury Announces Bonus for Families’ Education Savings
Pennsylvania families with qualified PA 529 College and Career Saving Program Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP) accounts could receive a $1,000 bonus contribution, enhancing education savings for about 107,000 Pennsylvania families.
The bonus is being paid for through surplus dollars in the GSP Fund. As of June 30, the GSP fund was 156.04% funded, reflecting a surplus of $1.06 billion. Nearly 107 million in surplus funds will be distributed across 106,914 PA 529 GSP accounts, representing 89% of participants in the plan.
PA 529 GSP savers with at least a $1,000 account balance, or those with at least a $100 balance with contributions made since 2022, as of July 31, are eligible for this bonus deposit. Account owners will see this deposit reflected in their third-quarter statement.
Visit pa529.com to learn more.
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Applications Open for Motorized Trails and Recreation Grants
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) announced it is accepting applications for snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, motorized trails and facilities-related project grants.
The program, now named the Motorized Trails and Recreation Program, awards grants from the ATV and Snowmobile Management Restricted Accounts for projects proposing land acquisition, planning, development, rehabilitation, maintenance, equipment purchase or relevant educational programs.
Eligible applicants include for-profit organizations, nonprofit organizations, and counties and municipalities in the Commonwealth.
Proposals must be submitted via DCNR’s online grant application portal by Wednesday, Sept. 30. Click here for additional information.
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