 |
|
|
|
|
Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link. |
This Week: Senior Expo Friday, Aug. 7
We have two exciting events coming up this week and next for our senior community!
Join me and my team at our Senior Expo to gather important information, explore valuable resources, and learn about programs and services designed to support and empower our seniors.
Then, join us for Senior Citizens’ Day at the Tioga County Fair next Tuesday, where you’ll learn helpful tips on protecting yourself from scams and staying safe.
Can you guess what Dottie’s favorite part of the Senior Expo is? Watch our fun video and find out here!
|
Thursday, Sept. 10 – Game Commission Night
Join us for a fun and informative evening at the Wellsboro Fire Company Annex from 6-8 p.m. You will hear from our Pennsylvania Game Commission officials and learn all about bears. Register here to reserve your seat. This event typically fills up fast, so be sure to reserve your seat.
|
U.S. 15 Officially Becomes I-99
On Thursday, July 30, the 62-mile stretch of U.S. Route 15 through Tioga and Lycoming counties officially became Interstate 99 (I-99), extending from Williamsport to the New York state line.
For years, our region has benefited from interstate-quality roads without being officially connected to the Interstate Highway System. Now that this designation is official, new federal regulations will apply, particularly for our agricultural community. While this milestone brings tremendous opportunities, it also presents new challenges that we hope to address by working closely with our federal partners.
As we celebrate this investment in our future and work together to develop fair, practical solutions that ensure that our farmers and rural communities can continue to thrive, we also celebrate the stronger, more connected future this designation represents. I-99 will strengthen our economy, attract new businesses, create family-sustaining jobs and help keep opportunities here at home for the next generation
Keeping our students and graduates in our region strengthens our communities, preserves family connections, and ensures future generations can continue learning from parents, grandparents, mentors, and neighbors. Projects like this are investments not only in our economy, but also in our families and communities.
This milestone would not have been possible without the dedication of countless individuals who spent decades working to make it a reality. Among them was C. Frederick LaVancher, who championed the development of this highway beginning in the early 1960s. His persistence, vision, and unwavering commitment did more than advance a transportation project; it helped create new opportunities for generations of Pennsylvanians.
As we celebrate the completion of I-99 to the New York state line, we also recognize the legacy of those whose determination made this day possible. Their work has strengthened our region's connectivity, expanded economic opportunity, and laid the foundation for continued growth across northcentral Pennsylvania.
|
Celebrating 150 Years at the Troy Fair
It was a pleasure to welcome Secretary Russell Redding to Bradford County as we celebrated the Troy Fair's 150th anniversary. For a century and a half, the Troy Fair has showcased our rich agricultural heritage, strengthened community connections and supported local businesses.
The evening also recognized the dedicated volunteers who make this long-standing tradition possible each year. Congratulations to 2026 Friend of the Fair, Mike Heyer, whose lifelong commitment to agriculture and years of service to the fair –from the tractor pull committee and dairy barn to grandstand events and equipment donations – have made a lasting impact on our community.
|
Join Us at the Tioga County Fair
The Tioga County Fair begins on Monday, Aug. 10. Our local fairs provide wonderful opportunities to celebrate our agricultural community, support local exhibitors and vendors, build relationships with community members, and create lasting memories with family and friends. I encourage everyone to come out, enjoy the fair, and show your support for the Tioga County Fair and the people who make it such a special tradition.
|
Celebrating Canton High School's Alexis McRoberts
While at the Troy Fair, I had the opportunity to meet with recent Canton High School graduate Alexis McRoberts, who recently earned second-place finishes in the Class AA Girls' Shot Put and Discus at the 2026 PIAA State Track and Field Championships. Alexis began her high school track and field career as a runner before discovering her passion for the throwing events, where she has excelled. She was also recently named Canton High School Female Athlete of the Year, a well-deserved honor that reflects her dedication, hard work, and leadership.
I was honored to recognize Alexis for her outstanding achievements before she heads to East Stroudsburg University this fall. There, she will continue competing in both soccer and track and field while pursuing a degree in physical therapy. I look forward to following Alexis's continued success and am excited to see all she accomplishes as she makes a positive impact both on campus and in the communities she serves. Congratulations, Alexis, and best of luck in this exciting new chapter!
|
Celebrating a Century: Honoring Glen Campbell
It was a privilege to recently welcome Glen Campbell into my office and hear about his remarkable life as he celebrated an incredible milestone.
Born on July 17, 1926, at the former Governor Stone Farm in Shippen Township, Glen celebrated his 100th birthday in July with family and friends. A man of hard work, faith and dedication, he spent more than 25 years as a truck driver, earning the Safe Driver of the Year Award in 1975. Though his formal education ended after the eighth grade, Glen continued learning throughout his life, earning advanced conservation and wildlife management certifications.
Glen and his late wife, Annabel, raised four children together. Today, he is the proud grandfather of eight grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.
In his free time, Glen enjoys cooking and baking. When asked about the secret to his long, healthy life, he quickly credits his faith in God and his decision to never drink alcohol or smoke. He also takes great pride in living independently and maintaining a clean, organized home and helping people whenever he can.
Spending time with Glen was a true privilege. His stories and positive outlook are an inspiration, and his century of life serves as a reminder that hard work, lifelong learning, strong faith and a love for family can leave a lasting legacy.
|
Setting the Record Straight on Felony Murder Sentencing
Public safety and victims’ rights are being threatened in the Commonwealth because of the actions of House Democrats, who hold the majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Late last week, we were called back into session one day before a deadline established by the PA Supreme Court to correct sentencing guidelines for second-degree murder, also referred to as felony murder. The court ruled the current guidelines, which call for a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison without parole, unconstitutional.
A bill to rectify the situation, which had passed with bipartisan support in the Senate, was poised for a vote and could have been promptly signed into law. Instead, Democrat leaders chose to play politics with this crucial public safety issue, risking the release of hundreds of people convicted of felony murder. Imagine being the loved one of a murder victim and learning the justice you thought was secured for him or her was now at risk because of this failure by Democrat leaders to act responsibly on their behalf.
The bill that was ultimately put up for a vote significantly waters 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 could not in good conscience vote for it.
I value public safety and the rights of victims and their families to justice, and I will always stand up to defend them.
|
New Telemarketing Law to Benefit Consumers
Telemarketing companies will be prohibited from “spoofing” and limited in when they can make calls under a new law unanimously approved by the General Assembly and signed into law by the governor.
Act 47 of 2026 specifically bans telemarketing companies from faking their name or spoofing a local phone number on a caller ID in an attempt to trick people into answering. It also limits calling hours to between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, instead of the current 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Calls will be prohibited on Sundays and holidays as well.
Additionally, the law requires clear, upfront disclosures about the purpose of the call, the telemarketer’s identity and what’s being sold. It requires immediate cessation of a solicitation call when requested and expands to prohibit all deceptive or abusive telemarketing acts.
The law takes effect in 90 days.
|
|
|
