My staff and I had a great day in beautiful Ohio Township Community Park helping our neighbors shred and recycle their sensitive documents and providing information on how to prevent identity theft.
Many thanks to my staff and the Ohio Township Parks and Recreation staff for making this such a successful event!
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New Funding for our Community
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I am happy to share that over $1.6 million in funding will be coming back to our community, supporting a wide range of projects in our district. I will continue to advocate for support of our community in my role as your state legislator.
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Working Toward Effective Paid Family Leave
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Recently, I testified before Allegheny County Council on the proposed paid parental leave policy. I stated that I support enacting paid parental leave in Allegheny County and our state, that the medical evidence is clear supporting paid parental leave, and that we must get the economic, social and political details correct to minimize the inevitable unintended consequences of such a significant change.
You can read more on the revised proposed county policy here.
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Supporting the PIC5K – and other District Updates
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Veena and I had a wonderful time at the Pittsburgh Indian Community & Friends 5K in North Park in McCandless. This year, the event again supported the Homeless Children's Education Fund. Thank you to the organizers and volunteers for a great 5K and for raising over $900,000 for charities in our region over 13 years.
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During Rosh Hashanah, Veena and I were honored to visit Temple Ohav Shalom in McCandless. In the face of rising Anti-Semitism and attacks on followers of other minority faiths, I spoke of the importance of living up to the ideals of our founding, especially freedom of religious expression, and recognizing the key role that faith can play in the actions we take in the public square. Thank you for the kind invitation during the high holiday and the privilege of representing the vibrant Jewish community of the North Hills.
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I was honored to participate in the annual Pennsylvania EMS Memorial Service at Heinz Chapel. As an ER Doc who continues to work with EMS, I am grateful for the lifesaving services of our first responders.
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North Allegheny Students Achieving Nationally
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17 students from North Allegheny School District have been named semifinalists for the 72nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of more than 16,000 semifinalists selected based on their outstanding academic performance and their scores on the PSAT, among other criteria.
These students now can compete for approximately 6,700 National Merit Scholarships, which total nearly $24 million and will be awarded by the NMSC next spring. Congratulations to all of you on your outstanding academic work!
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PennDOT Innovation Challenge for Students
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The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Innovations Challenge invites grades 9-12 learners to show their creativity and problem-solving skills to create solutions that improve safety in work zones – protecting workers and drivers.
Finalists will present their ideas to PennDOT leaders, with a cash prize awarded to the statewide winner.
All submissions are due by January 29. You can learn more about the competition here.
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CeaseFirePA is conducting a survey of parents and caregivers to share your experiences and views related to the safety of your children at their school and after-school activities. The survey will help inform CeaseFirePA’s work to keep our students safe.
You can respond to the survey here.
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New Proposed Local PRT Changes
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PRT has recently announced newly proposed changes to bus lines across our region, and there are several changes locally. Some of the most notable changes include:
- Increased frequency along McKnight Road.
- Increased frequency for routes connecting the McCandless Park and Ride to Oakland and Downtown.
- A new connection from Downtown to AHN Wexford.
- The discontinuation of the Mount Royal line and Thompson Run Flyer.
- New connections for Emsworth and Ben Avon to Bellevue, West View, and McKnight Road.
PRT wants to hear from you about these changes. There are several ways to make your voice heard, including public hearings detailed in the above graphic, online here, by phone at (412) 566-5525, by email at BusLineRefresh@RidePRT.org, or physical forms at PRT’s Customer Service Center (623 Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh). All responses are due by September 30th.
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The Pennsylvania Resources Council has announced the 2026 Gene Capaldi Lens on Litter Photo Contest, which brings attention to litter problems in communities across Pennsylvania.
The deadline to apply is October 31. You can learn more and apply here.
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Finally, please remember that my talented staff can help you with a variety of state-related matters – from filing an application for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program to obtaining a disability placard or senior bus pass, just to name a few. Contact us or stop by to see how we can help!
You can read my e-newsletter in a way that’s most convenient for you by visiting my legislative website here and clicking on the accessibility icon in the lower right corner.
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District Office
9800B McKnight Road, Suite 130
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
(412) 348-8028
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Pennsylvania State Capitol
101 B East Wing
PO Box 202030
Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 772-2363
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