ERIE, Jan. 21 – Students and staff in the Iroquois School District will benefit from a $24,500 grant awarded to fund security equipment, state Rep. Pat Harkins, D-Erie, announced today. Harkins said the funding was awarded by the state Department of Education under the competitive 2021-22 Safe Schools Targeted Grants program. “Schools need to be safe, supportive places where students and staff feel secure and protected,” Harkins said. “The funding awarded today will ensure that schools in the Iroquois School District have the resources to maintain that environment so teachers and kids can go about the business of teaching and learning, unbothered by fear or safety concerns.” The grants are part of a package of $8 million in competitive grants awarded statewide. More information on the specific awardees and amounts is available here . Read more

NEW CASTLE, Jan. 21 – More than $167,200 in grant funding will boost safety at Lawrence County schools, state Rep. Chris Sainato, D-Lawrence, announced today. Sainato said the funding – administered by the state Department of Education under the competitive 2021-22 Safe Schools Targeted Grants program – will pay for security equipment and personnel at schools in the New Castle, Mohawk, and Shenango area school districts and the Lawrence County Career and Technical Center. “Our schools must be safe havens where students can feel confident to learn and thrive, free from worry or distraction, and staff can focus on teaching and supporting students,” Sainato said. “The grants awarded today will help our area schools maintain that kind of secure, productive environment.” Sainato said the grants include the following: New Castle Area School District: $60,000 for a school resource officer and $23,824 for security equipment. Mohawk Area School District: $19,892 for security equipment. Shenango Area School District: $40,000 for a police officer. Lawrence County Career and Technical Center: $23,510 for security equipment. The grants are part of a package of $8 million in competitive grants awarded statewide. More information on the specific awardees and amounts is available here . Read more

HERMITAGE, Jan. 21 – The Hermitage and Sharpsville Area school districts were each awarded $60,000 to fund continuing school resource officer positions, state Rep. Mark Longietti, D-Mercer, announced today. Longietti, who is Democratic chairman of the House Education Committee, said both grants were awarded under the 2021-22 Safe Schools Targeted Grants program, which is administered by the state Department of Education “No student or school staffer should ever have to worry about safety in the classroom, the halls, or any other school setting,” Longietti said. “The grants awarded today will allow the Hermitage and Sharpsville Area school districts to continue school resource officer positions, which help both districts maintain the kind of productive, secure environment that promotes confidence and learning.” The grants are part of a package of $8 million in competitive grants awarded statewide. More information on the specific awardees and amounts is available here . Read more

NEW CASTLE, Jan. 10 – Grant funding of $1.25 million will help homeowners in Union Township and throughout Lawrence County maintain their homes, state Rep. Chris Sainato, D-Lawrence, announced today. Sainato said the funding includes $750,000 to Lawrence County and $500,000 to Union Township, each awarded in partnership with the Lawrence County Community Action Partnership. “For homeowners, taking care of needed repairs is an essential part of protecting the health and safety of their family – and the value of their largest investment,” Sainato said. “This grant funding is going to ensure residents in Union Township and throughout Lawrence County have the help they need in maintaining their properties.” The grants – awarded under the HOME Investment Partnerships Program – are part of a package of more than $8.2 million in funding to 15 counties statewide. More about the funding is available here. Read more

HERMITAGE, Jan. 10 – Hermitage homeowners will have help with needed home repairs thanks to $600,000 in new grant funding, state Rep. Mark Longietti, D-Mercer, announced today. Longietti said the funding to the city, awarded under the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, will provide key help for residents maintaining older properties. “Home maintenance can place a big strain on household budgets, especially in the case of older homes,” Longietti said. “Securing this funding is going to help ensure residents have the resources they need to maintain safe, secure premises for themselves and their loved ones while also protecting the value of their largest investment.” The grant is part of a package of more than $8.2 million to support affordable housing in 15 counties. More about the funding is available here. Read more

NEW CASTLE, Dec. 30 – A new state grant of $70,000 will fund multiple improvements to Mahoning Township Park, state Rep. Chris Sainato, D-Lawrence, announced today. Sainato said the funding from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will make the park safer, more accessible and more attractive for residents. “The new funding is going to help bring needed improvements to the park, including renovation of the pavilion, construction of a pedestrian walkway and parking area, and installation of playground equipment with required safety surfacing,” Sainato said. “Part of the work will include ensuring that the area is ADA accessible so everyone in our community can enjoy it.” In addition to those structural improvements, Sainato said the project will include landscaping, project signs and other site improvements. The grant is administered by DCNR through the Community Conservation Partnerships Program. The “C2P2” program funds projects such as planning, acquisition and development of public parks and recreation areas, motorized and non-motorized trails, river conservation and access, and conservation of open space. More information about the grants awarded today is available here . Information about the C2P2 program is available at https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/Communities/Grants/Pages/default.aspx . Read more

ERIE, Dec. 30 – New grants totaling nearly $600,000 will enhance area attractions by funding improvements to the Erie Zoo and equipment for maintaining snowmobile trails, state Reps. Bob Merski and Pat Harkins, both D-Erie, announced today. The lawmakers said the funding from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources includes $500,000 to the Erie Zoological Society for rehabilitation and construction of a giraffe exhibit with public viewing structures and related improvements. “The grant to the zoo will help fund construction of a unique exhibit that is part of the zoo’s efforts to expand its ‘Wild Open Spaces,’ where visitors can observe animals in their natural habitat,” Merski said. “The improvements will expand the zoo’s capacity, increase tourism revenue, and help educate visitors about wildlife and conservation.” Other funding includes nearly $100,000 to three snowmobile organizations for purchase of equipment needed to construct and maintain trails. “Erie is an all-season destination, with miles of trails for winter recreation,” Harkins said. “Some of the grants awarded today will fund equipment needed for construction, maintenance and grooming of nearly 120 miles of snowmobile trails to ensure the sport remains safe and enjoyable for residents and visitors.” The snowmobile grants include $38,200 to Wales Sno-Drifters, Read more

Grant to purchase equipment to train students in high-demand careers Read more

HERMITAGE, Dec. 20 – New grant funding of $35,813 to the Mercer County Career Center will ensure that students benefit from state-of-the-art training tools, state Rep. Mark Longietti, D-Mercer, announced today. Longietti, who is the Democratic chairman of the House Education Committee, said the funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Education awarded under the Career and Technical Education Equipment Grant Program will provide resources that are key to remaining competitive. “The most critical aspect of career training is ensuring that students land in the modern workforce with the skills they need to compete, which includes the ability to work on state-of-the-art equipment, adapt to fast-paced changes in technology, serve as a resource to coworkers and prepare to step into leadership roles,” Longietti said. “Securing this funding will ensure that Mercer County Career Center has the resources it needs to continue providing that kind of leading-edge training so graduates secure good-paying jobs and our regional workforce remains competitive.” More about the funding is available here. Read more

NEW CASTLE, Dec. 20 – Three Lawrence County building projects are receiving $600,000 in grant funding, state Rep. Chris Sainato, D-Lawrence, announced today. Sainato said the funding – awarded by the Department of Community and Economic Development under the Keystone Communities Program – will revitalize areas of New Castle and Union Township. “The funding awarded today is going to help transform the landscape for areas of New Castle and Union Township,” Sainato said. “Some of the money will fund ongoing renovation and restoration of New Castle’s Wright Building to give this vacant, mixed-use property new life, while other funding will boost new façade programs for businesses in New Castle and Union. The projects promise to invite new business and residential activity to these areas while at the same time creating jobs. These are exciting developments.” Sainato said the funding includes the following: $50,000 to DON Enterprise, Inc., to establish a façade program for businesses in the Elm Street-designated Lower East Side neighborhood of New Castle City. $500,000 to DON Enterprise, Inc., for phase 2 restoration of the Wright Building – a vacant, mixed-use building located in the City’s Elm Street designated neighborhood on East Washington Street in New Castle. $50,000 to Lawrence County to implement a new residential façade Read more