Also in this newsletter:

• Getting ready for my first Senior Fair & Vaccine Clinic
• Support for Parental Leave Policy
• SHIM flips the switch on solar energy

I’m thrilled to announce that more than $2 million in grant funding from the commonwealth’s Local Share Account program will go toward projects serving our communities! The program directs gaming revenue toward community improvement projects throughout Pennsylvania.

I was proud to partner with state Sens. Nick Pisciottano and Wayne Fontana to secure funding for four important projects:

• Castle Shannon - $580,000 to fund stabilization of the slope and roadway near Belleville Street, helping protect the roadway and the people who regularly use this route.
• Dormont - $550,000 toward construction of an underground stormwater storage facility, helping the borough better manage stormwater during periods of heavy rainfall, such as the intense storms our region has experienced over the past few weeks.
• Mt. Lebanon - $400,000 toward demolition of the South Parking Garage, helping move forward a major local infrastructure project.
• Mt. Lebanon, Dormont, Castle Shannon and Baldwin Township - $265,201 to fully fund a new ambulance for Medical Rescue Team South Authority, helping ensure our first responders have reliable equipment throughout the communities they serve.

I also partnered with state Sen. Devlin Robinson and Rep. Natalie Mihalek to secure $253,043 for the purchase of a new emergency medical response vehicle for Tri-Community South EMS. This investment will strengthen emergency response in Upper St. Clair and neighboring communities.

These projects address everyday needs like safer roads, better stormwater management, dependable emergency services, and stronger local infrastructure. Major emergency response purchases and infrastructure projects can be extremely difficult for local governments to fund alone, and bringing state resources home helps relieve that burden. I’m grateful to be in a position to help bring these investments home to the district.

My first Senior Fair and Vaccine Clinic is almost here! After months of planning and preparation, the event will take place next Friday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Salvation Army located at 1060 McNeilly Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15226.

More than 35 local organizations will be there to provide free resources, support, and information about programs and benefits for seniors and their families. I'll be on hand with my team, ready to answer your state-related questions and provide services like assistance with PRT Senior ConnectCards.

Pathways Wellness Program will also be on-site offering flu, high-dose flu, and COVID-19 vaccinations. Walk-ins are welcome, but advance registration will help things move along smoothly! You can register at this link. Please bring your insurance card.

Allegheny County’s paid parental leave proposal has generated widespread regional response. Pittsburgh’s PublicSource recently reviewed approximately 1,400 comments and found that support outnumbered opposition by about two to one. Roughly one in 10 commenters supported the goal but wanted changes to the proposal.

This week, the county Board of Health revised the proposal, reducing the amount of paid leave from 18 weeks to 12 weeks, exempting businesses with fewer than 15 employees, and excluding temporary and seasonal employees.

I strongly support paid parental leave. New parents should not have to choose between caring for a child and paying their bills, and time at home supports postpartum recovery, bonding, breastfeeding, and medical care. Research has associated paid and longer leave with a reduction in symptoms of postpartum depression and allows non-birthing and adoptive parents to participate more fully during a critical period for the entire family.

I recognize that providing paid leave can be difficult for some small businesses, nonprofits, and essential service providers, but this debate points to a much larger problem. The United States is the only high-income country without a national paid maternity leave guarantee. Families and employers should not have to navigate a patchwork of local policies. We need a national program that shares the cost and makes paid leave both accessible and sustainable.

I was glad to join South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM) this week to celebrate the unveiling of a new rooftop solar system at its Bethel Park headquarters! I was joined by state Sen. Devlin Robinson, Rep. Natalie Mihalek, SHIM staff, supporters, community partners and other friends.

SHIM serves neighborhoods throughout the South Hills and beyond, and this new system will generate more than 43,000 kilowatt-hours of clean energy annually, reduce carbon emissions by approximately 36,500 pounds, and save SHIM about $4,000 in energy costs each year.

These savings will go right back into SHIM's work, helping to provide an additional 500 pounds of food to neighbors experiencing food insecurity. It's a terrific example of how an investment in sustainability can also strengthen the essential services families rely on in our community.

Local libraries are among the most useful and welcoming places in the district, and I get to celebrate them with Love Your Library Month across Allegheny County!

Places like the Mt. Lebanon Public Library, Castle Shannon Library, Dormont Public Library, and Upper St. Clair Library provide much more than just books. They provide children's programs, research and technology assistance, digital books and audiobooks, meeting space, community programming, and connections to important services. I'm also grateful to these spaces for welcoming my office for special events.

If you haven’t been to your local library in a while, now is the perfect time to stop in, sign up for a library card, attend a program, or offer your support.

Join myself and top local legal experts for a free Renters’ Rights and Responsibilities Forum from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at Dormont Public Library.

I'll moderate a discussion featuring Judge Hilary Wheatley, Daniel Vitek of the Community Justice Project, and renters' rights specialist Michael Pisarcik. We will discuss leases, repairs, security deposits, common landlord-tenant disputes, and where renters can turn when they need assistance. Attendees can also ask questions of the panel!

Additional parking for the event can be found across the street from Dormont Public Library.

• Hometown Torch Run: Friday, Sept. 18, 9 a.m., Mt. Lebanon police and school district participants will complete an approximately two-mile team run along Washington Road in support of Special Olympics Pennsylvania.
• Club Lebo Favorite Sports Team Night: Friday, Sept. 18, 7-9 p.m. at Jefferson Middle School, middle school students are invited to wear a favorite team jersey.
• Dormont Library LEGO Club and STEAM Workshop: Saturday, Sept. 19, LEGO Club begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by a STEAM workshop at 11 a.m.
• Mt. Lebanon Recycling Drop-Offs: Saturday, Sept. 19, yard waste will be accepted at the golf course from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., electronic equipment recycling will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Public Works Yard.
• Mt. Lebanon Festival of Bands: Saturday, Sept. 19, from 4:30-9 p.m. at Mt. Lebanon High School Stadium, marching bands from across the region will compete in an evening of music and school spirit.

My district office can assist with Property Tax/Rent Rebate applications, PennDOT and driver's license questions, unemployment compensation, state benefits, disability placards, birth and death certificates, unclaimed property, professional licensing, and other state-related concerns.

Call us at 412-343-3870 or visit 650 Washington Road, Suite 102, in Mt. Lebanon. Our regular hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with extended hours on Thursdays until 6:30 p.m.

District Office

650 Washington Rd., Suite 102
Mt. Lebanon, PA 15228

(412) 343-3870

Pennsylvania State Capitol

117B East Wing

Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 783-1850