NEW CASTLE, Dec. 1 – A newly approved low-interest loan of $2.25 million will allow a Pennsylvania developer to move forward with plans for an industrial park in Mahoning Township, state Rep. Chris Sainato, D-Lawrence, announced today. Sainato said the funding to Regional Industrial Development Corporation of Southwestern PA Growth Fund – approved by the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority – will allow the developer to acquire nearly 250 acres for the future site, located at Route 422 and Baird Road. “Securing this loan is going to lay the groundwork for a project that promises to create jobs, invite new business activity and generate additional investment in this region,” Sainato said. “It’s going to be exciting seeing the changes that take shape as the park’s construction brings more people back to work and infuses new life into this area.” Sainato said RIDC of Southwestern PA was approved for the 15-year, $2.25 million loan at a 2.5% fixed interest rate. Additional costs for the project – which has an estimated total cost of $3 million – include new roadways, utilities, stormwater management, earthmoving, fine and rough grading, and placement of erosion and sediment controls. More information about the funding is available here . Read more

ERIE, Dec. 1 – A grant of more than $1.64 million to the Erie County District Attorney’s Office will fund measures to reduce gun violence, bolster law enforcement, and provide former offenders the supports and services needed to resume productive lives in the community, state Reps. Pat Harkins and Bob Merski announced today. The lawmakers, both D-Erie, said the grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency will fund resources over a 24-month period to help implement UnifiedErie’s Group/Gun Violence Reduction Strategy. “This grant is going to fund targeted intervention strategies, street outreach, and other programs that have proven to reduce violence and help former offenders transition back to productive lives,” Merski said. “All are investments in a safer, stronger community.” Harkins said, “The funding awarded today is going to support programs that give residents a greater voice in fighting crime, expand outreach to at-risk youth beyond the schools and into the neighborhoods, boost law enforcement’s ability to track and prosecute offenders, and connect former offenders with job resources and other supports to help them turn their lives around.” The grant is part of a package of $15.7 million in funding from PCCD to support local strategies to stop gun and group violence. More information about the grants is available here . Read more

Grants available to connect vets with jobs, remove barriers Read more

HERMITAGE, Nov. 19 – State Rep. Mark Longietti and state Sen. Michele Brooks announced today that the Commonwealth Financing Authority has awarded $426,067 in grants to fund expansions to the Hermitage Athletic Complex and improvements to Greenville’s Riverside Park and Hermitage’s Bobby Run stream. The Hermitage Athletic Complex was awarded $183,167, helping to advance a planned expansion that would include open play fields, softball and baseball fields, parking facilities, playgrounds, access drives, sidewalks and amenities related to the recreation complex. “From the day it opened, the Hermitage Athletic Complex has been tremendously popular with the community, both as a venue for local sports teams and their supporters and as a green space for folks looking to get outside and exercise,” Longietti said. “Now, the city will have the funds needed to acquire nearly 20 more acres to expand the complex and accommodate the growing demand for recreational opportunities.” “The impact of this award will extend far beyond the city of Hermitage,” Brooks said. “Residents from surrounding municipalities – including the cities of Sharon and Farrell and the boroughs of Sharpsville, Wheatland and West Middlesex – and truly the county as a whole will benefit from this expansion as competitions bring teams and their families into the area.” In addition to Read more

NEW CASTLE, Nov. 19 – A state grant of $1 million will help fund multiple improvements to bring safer, smoother travel in New Castle’s Enterprise Park section, state Rep. Chris Sainato, D-Lawrence, announced today. Sainato said the grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority’s Multimodal Transportation Fund will help finance construction of a new road, intersection and signals; pavement repairs; installation of new sidewalks and streetlights; railroad crossing upgrades; and a bike trail extension. “A safe and efficient commute is a quality-of-life issue,” Sainato said. “The funding we secured today is going to bring motorists, pedestrians and cyclists smoother travel, improved traffic flow, safer roads and sidewalks, and better connections. I’m excited that the work is also going to create new jobs and invite future economic development.” Sainato said the newly funded projects include: Pavement repairs to Produce, Kurtz and Countyline streets and to an unnamed alley. Construction of a new roadway by extending Grove Street to the intersection with East Washington Street. Installation of traffic signals and other improvements to this new intersection as well as the intersection of Grove, Neal and Taylor streets. Upgrades to railroad crossings on South Mill, Taylor and Produce streets. Replacement or construction of sidewalks and 30 streetlights along East Read more

Burns worked with communities to bring funding to region Read more

ERIE, Nov. 18 – Help is still available through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, and state Reps. Bob Merski and Pat Harkins are urging residents who may be struggling with rent or utility payments to apply now. “With eviction protections no longer in place, it’s important for residents to remember that help is still available through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program,” Merski said. “The program can provide up to 18 months of assistance for past-due rent or utilities dating back to March 2020, or for future payments. It can also help with housing-related expenses such as relocation, security deposits, application fees, accrued late fees and attorney fees related to eviction proceedings. “But residents – especially those facing an imminent risk of eviction or utility shutoff – should not wait. Applying now may help prevent those circumstances and other major life disruptions.” Harkins said, “As we head into winter, I urge anyone who is having trouble paying rent or utilities to apply for emergency assistance. Help is available even if residents are living in subsidized or Section 8 housing, as long as those costs are not reimbursed through another program.” To qualify, a household must be responsible for paying rent and must meet the following criteria: One or more household members has qualified for unemployment benefits, had a decrease in Read more

HARRISBURG, Nov. 15 – State Rep. Chris Sainato joined colleagues on both sides of the aisle today to honor the Civil Air Patrol, which functions as the civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, on its 80th anniversary. Sainato, who is Democratic chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, said CAP’s Pennsylvania Wing traces its roots to the patrol’s earliest days. “The patrol’s Pennsylvania Wing has played a key role dating back to 1942, when members convinced the Army Air Force that they could fly cargo and courier flights for the military,” Sainato said. “The Pittsburgh Squadron’s Aviation Cadets Program also helped vet and train young men for the Air Force and became a model for similar programs around the country. “Today, Civil Air Patrol members perform a broad range of emergency services, from reconnaissance flights during flooding to hurricane relief to search-and-rescue missions. Their efforts have saved lives. At the same time, these volunteers inspire in young generations a love for service and an excitement in aviation. I am so proud to honor the patrol for its decades of achievement.” Sainato and fellow lawmakers presented a House of Representatives citation recognizing the patrol’s 80th anniversary and many accomplishments, including, among other things, deterring enemy submarine operations during WWII, assisting rescuers and state agencies after Read more

HARRISBURG, Nov. 10 – With Veterans Day approaching, a newly passed bill promises to give Pennsylvania’s military men and women an easier path back to the civilian workforce by making the professional licensing process more veteran-friendly, according to the bill’s co-prime sponsor, state Rep. Chris Sainato, D-Lawrence. Sainato, who is Democratic chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, said he introduced H.B. 1868 – which passed the House unanimously today – with state Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny; Zach Mako, R-Lehigh/Northampton; and several other lawmakers to address problems veterans commonly face when applying for professional licenses. "Men and women in the Armed Forces put their lives on hold to serve our nation, but many face a tough transition to civilian life, particularly when returning to the workforce,” Sainato said. “One problem is that professional licensing board members don’t always fully understand how military skills and experience translate to civilian license requirements. Our bill would fix that by adding more veterans to boards, mandating use of specific guidelines, and implementing other measures to make the process more veteran-friendly." “As a veteran, I know the challenges people face when they leave the service and rejoin civilian life. That transition isn’t always easy, which is why I Read more