Also in this newsletter:

• A visit from PA's Secretary of Education
• Porchmont
• Mt. Lebanon Partnership Artists' Market

This Friday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to noon, my first Senior Resource Fair and Vaccine Clinic will take place at The Salvation Army on McNeilly Road. My office and I are bringing nearly 40 organizations together in one place so that older adults, caregivers, and family members can find reliable information and connect directly with people who can help. Participating organizations will also bring some great giveaways for attendees!

I know that finding the right resources can be confusing, especially when programs are spread across different agencies and organizations, and this event will make reliable information easier to find! You can ask questions about healthcare, Medicare, transportation, utility assistance, estate planning, caregiving, housing, ways to remain active and independent, and more. My team and I will also be available to answer state-related questions and assist with services like PRT Senior ConnectCards.

Pathways Wellness Program will be on site offering flu, high-dose flu, and COVID-19 vaccines, and you can register in advance at this link. Walk-ins are welcome, but advance registration will help things run smoother. Please bring your insurance card.

Thank you to all the participating organizations offering support, such as ACCESS Transportation, the Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging, Pittsburgh Regional Transit, LifeSpan, Agewell at the JCC South Hills, Highmark and UPMC. I also appreciate my sponsors and partners on this event, including Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, Peoples Natural Gas and St. Clair Health. All of this support makes this a useful and welcoming event for the community.

This fair is free and open to the public, so please come out and take advantage of all these resources!

Last week, I had the privilege of joining Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe, Sen. Nick Pisciottano, Rep. John Inglis and the Baldwin-Whitehall School District community at Baldwin High School. We saw firsthand how increased state education funding, including Pennsylvania’s Ready to Learn Block Grant, is helping the district expand programs and create new opportunities for students.

As part of the visit, I observed American Sign Language and kindergarten classes, learned more about the district’s internship and Elementary Practicum programs, and stopped by the student-run coffee shop Baldwin Bean. I loved seeing how natural inclusion is built into everyday life at Baldwin, as every student deserves to be included, respected, and treated with dignity. As a former teacher, I was glad to see those principles reflected throughout the school.

Today, I joined Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato and other community partners at the Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank to discuss the county’s revised paid parental leave proposal and why supporting families during a child’s earliest months is a public health priority.

The updated proposal would provide up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave during the first year following a birth or adoption, and apply to employers with 15 or more eligible employees. Full- and part-time workers would qualify after working at least six months and 625 hours. The revised language also includes provisions for parents who experience a stillbirth and gives employers additional time to implement the policy. The county’s Board of Health introduced the revised proposal after receiving extensive public comment on the original version. It has not yet taken final action.

I am a strong supporter of paid parental leave, and I appreciate that the board listened to feedback while preserving the central goal of giving more parents the time and financial security to care for a new child.

While in Philadelphia for this month’s ceremonial session of the House of Representatives, I was able to join a Policy Committee roundtable with the Pilots’ Association for the Bay and River Delaware, and get a tour of Philadelphia’s working waterfront.

I was able to learn more about the skilled professionals and critical infrastructure that keep goods moving, support thousands of jobs, and connect Pennsylvania businesses with markets around the world. River pilots use their specialized knowledge of local waterways to guide ships safely through the Delaware River and Bay and into one of the commonwealth’s most important commercial ports.

Investing in waterways, ports, and transportation infrastructure is also important here at home, as it means investing in jobs, commerce, and our economic future. Recently, I helped secure a $550,000 state grant for Dormont’s stormwater improvements, protecting the health of the larger river system and maintaining strong infrastructure in our neighborhoods!

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is accepting applications for its Spring 2027 Legislative Fellowship Program through Oct. 1. The program gives undergraduate juniors and seniors, graduate students, and law students an opportunity to gain firsthand experience with the legislative process while working in a House leadership or committee office in Harrisburg.

Applicants must attend a Pennsylvania college or university, or be a Pennsylvania resident attending an out-of-state school. Students of any major with a GPA of 3.0 or higher are encouraged to apply, and fellows receive a biweekly stipend. You can learn more and apply at this link.

Renting comes with legal rights and responsibilities, but it’s not always easy to know what they are or where to turn when a problem arises. On Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 6-8 p.m. at Dormont Public Library, my office will host a free Renters’ Rights Forum to help residents better understand Pennsylvania’s landlord-tenant laws, common housing issues, and the resources available to renters who need assistance.

I’ll moderate a discussion with Judge Hilary Wheatley, Daniel Vitek of the Community Justice Project, and renters’ rights specialist Michael Pisarcik; and attendees can ask questions about issues like leases, repairs, security deposits, and the court process. I’ll also be joined by representatives from South Hills Interfaith Movement who will be able to provide additional resources and support. This forum is free and open to the public!

I had plenty of reasons to get outside last weekend, including spending some time at Dormont’s Art in the Park! This event celebrated local creativity and the welcoming community that make Dormont such a special place.

The Mt. Lebanon Partnership’s Sip & Stroll also brought neighbors together for shopping, refreshments, and time with friends while supporting local businesses. A big thank you to the organizers, participating businesses, artists, volunteers and everyone else who made Art in the Park and the Sip & Stroll such a success.

Uptown Mt. Lebanon will become an outdoor gallery this weekend as the Mt. Lebanon Partnership Artists’ Market returns Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 26-27, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The juried market will feature more than 65 professional artists offering original work in jewelry, ceramics, sculpture, glass, fiber and more! Visitors can meet the artists, enjoy live music throughout the weekend, and explore the market in the Academy Lot behind The Saloon and cross from the rear entrance of Rollier’s. Admission is free.

On Saturday evening, Dormont will host its second-annual Porchmont community porch crawl from 5-9 p.m. Neighbors throughout the borough will open their porches as gathering places, featuring music, art, refreshments and activities! Visitors can follow the official Porchmont map, explore different parts of Dormont, and connect with friends both old and new.

Hispanic Heritage Month continues through Oct. 15, offering an opportunity to recognize the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. I’m proud to join communities across Pennsylvania in celebrating the generations of Hispanic Americans whose leadership, creativity, service, and traditions continue to strengthen our commonwealth.

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