Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to fund Browns Lane sidewalk connector Read more

PITTSBURGH, April 26 -- State Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, announced today that Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children will receive a $450,000 state safety and security grant through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to fund physical and staff-related security improvements and behavioral health resources for students. “We are incredibly lucky to have this historic institution that serves children with complex needs in our community, and I am always working to ensure that they have the resources they need,” Frankel said. “With this funding, the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children can help keep kids and staff safe so they can focus on learning.” Frankel said the funding for Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children was part of $47 million in competitive school safety and security grants announced this week for schools across Pennsylvania, grants that round out a total of $155 million in school safety funding contained in the 2023-24 state budget. The safety and security funding is aimed at ensuring all Pennsylvania students are able to learn in schools where they are safe and have access to the behavioral and mental health support they need, Frankel said. Read more

BRADDOCK, April 26 – Stronger security measures and new mental health resources are coming to schools in the Pittsburgh, Wilkinsburg Borough and Woodland Hills school districts, thanks to new grant funding of $1.38 million from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, state Rep. Abigail Salisbury, D-Allegheny, announced today. Salisbury said the funding includes $199,451 to the Woodland Hills School District; $144,007 to the Wilkinsburg Borough School District; and $1.04 million to the Pittsburgh School District, which serves schools in the 34 th Legislative District and several surrounding legislative districts. “The path to learning isn’t always simple, but it should always be safe,” Salisbury said. “This new funding will help ensure that our schools have the security resources they need to keep students and staff safe and the supports necessary to help students who may be facing mental health issues.” More information about the funding is available here: https://www.media.pa.gov/pages/PCCD-details.aspx?newsid=105 . Read more

Below are multiple state grant programs that are currenctly open for application. Please contact my office if you have questions. NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Commission on Crime and Delinquency: National Incident-Based Reporting System Compliance Efforts Who May Apply: Local law enforcement agencies, campus or university police, railroad or street railway police, airport authority police, and county park police. Use: Funds for the proposed program shall be used to improve reporting of crime statistics by upgrading technology infrastructure to report incident-based crime data to the FBI’s NIBRS. Funds: $10 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding is available. PCCD expects to fund approximately 50 grants with budgets not to exceed $200,000 over the two-year project period. Application Deadline: June 13. 2024 More information: PCCD Website Department of Environmental Protection: Growing Greener (Watershed Restoration and Protection) Plus Program Who May Apply: Incorporated watershed associations, counties, county conservation districts, council of governments, tax-exempt corporations under 501(c)(3) of the IRS code, educational institutions, or municipal authorities. Use: Projects that reduce nonpoint source pollution—especially nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution from agricultural and stormwater runoff. The Department is particularly interested in design and Read more

PITTSBURGH, April 25 – State Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-Allegheny, announced that several educational institutions in the 30th Legislative District have been awarded a total of $728,022 in federal and state grants. The funds, facilitated by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, will be utilized for a combination of aspects, which include school-based mental health support, behavioral health support, physical security enhancements, and school personnel needs. Grant recipients are: Avonworth School District: $157,938. Hampton Township School District: $172,629. North Allegheny School District: $247,455. A.W. Beattie Career Center: $70,000. Eden Christian Academy: $5,000. Nazareth Prep: $75,000. “As a physician-legislator, I am committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our students,” Venkat said. “Thank you to bipartisan colleagues for their collaboration on getting these essential dollars to our next generation of Pennsylvanians.” A total of $155 million in federal and state school safety funding has been approved by the School Safety and Security Committee, part of the PCCD, in appropriations for the 2023-24 fiscal year budget. Full lists of grant awardees, public and nonpublic schools, statewide can be found here . Read more

Covid-19 not only resulted in immeasurable loss of life, it also permanently altered life as we knew it. The base of operations that is home shed its more proverbial association and became the place where business in all its forms got done. Computers and internet access represented a lifeline for people forging ahead through this once-in-a-generation health crisis. Read more

HARRISBURG, April 18 – State Rep. Lindsay Powell, D-Allegheny, has been selected to join the board of the Pennsylvania Children’s Trust Fund . Powell was appointed to the board by House Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Delaware/Phila., and Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila., who is the House chair of the Children and Youth Committee. “I’m honored to be a member of the PA Children’s Trust Fund board and lend my voice to the tremendous work and advocacy done on behalf of the health and well-being of children across the Commonwealth. Every child deserves the right to live their best life and have all opportunities available to them to succeed,” Powell said. “Thank you Speaker McClinton and Rep. Bullock for entrusting me with this new role.” The Pennsylvania Children’s Trust Fund, established almost 35 years ago, is dedicated to funding innovative and creative community-based child abuse and neglect prevention programs. Specific emphasis for funding is placed on primary prevention programs, which focus on the prevention of abuse before it occurs. The organization’s board consists of three members of the state House of Representatives, three members of the state Senate, and nine citizens appointed by the governor and confirmed by majority vote in the Senate. Read more

BRADDOCK, April 18 – State Rep. Abigail Salisbury announced today that her staff has helped residents of her legislative district recover more than $623,000 in unclaimed property since she took office. Salisbury said her staff helped locate $365,000 in unclaimed property for one constituent, $258,544 for another constituent and smaller amounts for other residents. “I’m thrilled that we were able to help residents recover this property,” said Salisbury, D-Allegheny. “It’s always a great feeling when we can connect someone with services or help them find solutions to state-related problems, but it’s even more exciting to be a part of their joy when we help them recover lost property. “The state Treasury reports that it is holding more than $4.5 billion in unclaimed property and that one in 10 Pennsylvanians has property waiting for them. We want to help find more of that property right here in District 34. I encourage everyone to stop by or give us a call so we can search the database.” Salisbury also reminded residents of other services her office can provide. “My talented staff can assist in so many ways, from helping people apply for Property Tax/Rent Rebates, home energy assistance and other state programs, to solving problems involving PennDOT and other agencies, to providing free notary services. Even if folks don’t need help, I urge them to stop Read more

HARRISBURG, April 17 – State Reps. Roni Green and Tarik Khan, both D-Phila., were joined by a bipartisan group of their legislative colleagues, public safety telecommunicators and advocates at the state Capitol today to celebrate “National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week” and discuss how the legislature can work to help Pennsylvania’s telecommunicators and 911 dispatchers. The telecommunicators and advocates who were present included Jack Morgan III, 911 operator from Allegheny County; Sara Slote, dispatch manager, Lancaster County 911; Bill Perkins, state constable; Garrett Rienhardt, recipient of life-saving care; Tyler Griffith, dispatcher; AFSCME members; and Gordon Zimmet, Local 1637 president. At the news conference, the legislators discussed a resolution (H.R. 377), introduced by Green that recognizes the week of April 14-20 “Public Safety Telecommunicators Week” in Pennsylvania. The resolution was adopted by the House later in the day. “911 dispatchers are the point of first contact between the caller and first responders. The speed and efficiency with which they work saves lives. They parse through heaps of information in very chaotic situations and support callers during what is often one of the most difficult moments of their lives,” Green said. “It’s time for the commonwealth to give back to 911 dispatchers the kind of support they give us. My daughter worked Read more