Dear Neighbor & Estimado Vecino,

I hope you are well. I want to share important information about my ongoing work. As always, please feel free to reach out to my office for help with any state-related issues. To stay informed,?visit my official page. You can also check your?preferences?to make sure you're signed up for?my emails.?

Espero que estén bien. Me gustaría compartir información importante sobre mi trabajo en curso. Y no olvides?visitar mi página oficial?para mantenerte informado.?También puede verificar sus?preferencias?para asegurarse de que está registrado para recibir mis correos electrónicos.   

I will be joining with Senator Judy Schwank to host a FREE paper shredding event on Saturday, April 11 at the Masonic Lodge in West Reading (400 South Seventh Avenue).

We can help you safely dispose documents that might have personal information, such as Social Security, credit card, or bank account numbers. You can bring up to three boxes of paper to be securely shredded and recycled.

After being first envisioned five years ago, Reading School District held a ribbon cutting this week to mark the opening of the new Reading High School Innovation Academy.

This new building will serve as a place where our local students can develop in a career-connected environment to focus on various STEM topics. I look forward to seeing the skills that this new academy fosters in our future leaders!

I also had the opportunity this week to meet with some of my youngest constituents as I joined Mrs. Yoder's first grade and Ms. Cartwright's second grade classes at Riverside Elementary in Reading to take part in Agriculture Literacy Week.

I had a wonderful time meeting with our students and getting to read Cows Can Moo! Can You? All About Farms to teach more about agricultural discovery and community connection!

Last week, I joined Reps. Danilo Burgos and Ana Tiburcio to attend the first ever Dominican Leaders Forum with elected officials from across the nation.

The Dominican community in Pennsylvania and across the country has achieved so much, it was incredible to recognize those achievements and discuss how to continue the great work we are doing!

I had the honor of presiding over the House as Speaker Pro Temp during session this week. It is always incredible to lead the legislative process!

Last March, the House passed HB 439 - also known as the Pennsylvania CROWN Act - which makes it illegal to discriminate against someone based on the way in which they wear their hair.

A year later, it is now the law in Pennsylvania! On Monday, I joined several of my colleagues, including the bill's prime sponsors, Rep. La'Tasha D. Mayes and Speaker Joanna McClinton, to celebrate this historic legislation.

I also joined my colleagues, Reps. Ismail Smith-Wade-El and Ed Neilson, in support of their legislation that would aim to stop the spread of Legionnaires' disease, a severe form of pneumonia that can develop in freshwater.

I am always excited when I get to welcome guests from our community to Harrisburg, whether it be to celebrate their accomplishments, hear their viewpoints, or to help them learn more about state government.

I hosted Bill Murray, executive director of the Reading Area Water Authority, and Bill Dorwood, president of Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 19 Union to discuss how we can continue to collaborate to support workers and our local government resources.

Murray was also in Harrisburg to take part in advocacy to protect from Legionnaires' disease, as improved water quality management can prevent the spread of the disease.

I also had the chance to meet with Ashley Chambers, senior vice president of United Way Berks County, and Violet Emory, executive director of Tec Centro Berks during their visit to Harrisburg.

I also had the honor of joining with Reps. Manny Guzman and Jacklyn Rusnock to host a visit from Rick Perez, the executive director of the Olivet Boys & Girls Club.

It was also an honor to meet with the Young Women's Summit and Lean In Girls Program from the Junior League of Reading as they came to Harrisburg to see government in action!

These young women are our next generation of leaders, advocates, and changemakers, and I am proud to stand up for them every day! 

The deadline to register to vote is approaching! To vote in the Primary Election on May 19, you must be registered by May 4. You can register to vote here.

Applications for Property Tax/Rent Rebates are available! This program gives money back to PA renters and homeowners for the taxes they paid in 2025 - including seniors, widows and widowers, and those with disabilities.

You can learn more here and contact my office for support with your application. Applications are due by June 30.

Many Pennsylvanians have unclaimed property - money from dormant bank accounts, insurance payments, uncashed checks - and you may be one of them!

My office can help you receive this unclaimed property. Contact us or go to PATreasury.gov/unclaimed-property to see if there is anything available in your name.

Join the Borough of Wyomissing on Saturday, March 28, at 11 a.m. for the Annual Egg Hunt at Wyomissing Hills Memorial Park! Families are invited to gather for a morning filled with laughter, smiles, and plenty of “egg-citement.”

Children ages 1–12 are invited to participate, with staggered start times by age group to ensure a safe, fair, and fun experience for every little egg hunter. Colorful eggs and sweet surprises will be hidden throughout the park, just waiting to be discovered.

There will be a community resource fair on Saturday, March 28th, at 2 p.m. at Barbey's Playground in Reading. The event will have food and housing assistance, employment opportunities, and more!

If you or someone you know needs food assistance, please reach out to my office to find out where you can find help. You can also click here to go to Helping Harvest's website, which has a map of over 350 charitable food program partners in our area.

Helping Harvest will also be collecting non-perishable food items throughout the year at their programs and events. You can learn more about those and how to ensure our neighbors are fed here.

RIZE Youth Arts will be hosting a free youth dance program on Wednesdays at GoggleWorks (201 Washington St., Reading). Latin dance lessons begin at 5 p.m., and hip hop dance lessons begin at 6 p.m. Registration can be found here.

Routine mammograms are important to find the first signs of breast cancer. Tower Health has started its Mobile Mammography stops for 2026, with stops across our community. You can find locations and days here.

As always, my team and I are here to help you navigate state programs and services. Please reach out with any questions, concerns, or ideas. If you can't make it into my district office, you can visit one of my satellite offices! Find my office information below:

Centro Hispano Casa Senior Center

25 N. 2nd St., Reading, PA, 19601

Every Thursday from 9 a.m. to Noon

Spring Township Municipal Building

2850 Windmill Road, Sinking Spring, PA, 19608

2nd and 4th Fridays of each month from 9 a.m. to Noon

We also host DAV Services (Disabled Amer