Rep. Salisbury's weekly e-newsletter: healing with horses; student teacher stipends; transportation survey

Rep. Salisbury's weekly e-newsletter: healing with horses; student teacher stipends; transportation survey – and more!

Rep. Abigail Salisbury March 10, 2025 | 4:59 PM

THE WEEK IN HARRISBURG

As budget hearings ended last week, I questioned officials from:

the state Department of Agriculture about food safety and what the department is doing to ensure the public that our food is safe to eat.
the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission about what can be done to ease a burdensome 2-year work requirement for licensing that is a barrier for entrepreneurs who want to start their own moving business.

In the weeks ahead, I’ll be working with my colleagues to negotiate a spending plan that prioritizes the needs of our residents and community.

AROUND THE DISTRICT

The Woodland Hills Foundation’s recent gala was a wonderful event held to support the group’s Backpacks of Hope program, which provides students facing food insecurity with backpacks containing easy-to-prepare meals each week throughout the school year.

Rankin Council President Glenn Ford recently brought me out to visit Bella Terra Stables, which does meditation, trauma work, and a variety of programs using equine therapy. The programs have helped youth in our district, and Glenn hopes to get more people involved. Thank you to Bella Terra for hosting us!

If you or someone you love needs information and other resources about overdose prevention or other public health issues, mark your calendar for the Overdose Prevention Resource Fair, which will be held Wednesday, March 26 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Wilkinsburg Public Library, located at 605 Ross Ave.

Come join folks from Humane Action Pennsylvania on Saturday, March 29, at 10 a.m. for the next Swissvale Pollinator Garden Volunteer Day! Volunteers are needed to help remove litter and freshen up the pollinator parklet to get it ready for spring. The park is located at 7702 Edgewood Ave., between Lucci’s Collision and Arby’s. Visit this page to register.

Wood Towers residents – my staff will be hosting a mobile office on the premises on Thursday, March 20 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Stop by for help filing for a Property Tax/Rent Rebate, applying for a Senior Citizen ConnectCard bus pass, and more! Questions? Call my office at (412) 273-3400.

Vendors: The Swissvale Farmers Market is calling for vendors who want to showcase their products and services at the market, which is held June through October. Fill out your interest forms at this page. Learn more about the market here.

STUDENT TEACHER STIPEND PROGRAM NOW OPEN!

The 2025-26 Student Teacher Application for PA is now open and provides $10,000 to eligible student teachers who are currently unpaid. Visit this page to read more about the program and apply.

In other education grant news, the PHEAA Grow PA Scholarship Program, which opens Thursday, March 13, can provide up to $5,000 per academic year for qualifying students who are studying certain in-demand occupations in Pennsylvania. After graduation, students must commit to work in Pennsylvania in the in-demand occupation for a number of years equal to the number of years they received the grant. You can learn more here.

NOMINATE YOUR OUTSTANDING SCHOOL EMPLOYEE
OF THE YEAR!

The state Department of Education is seeking nominations for the Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) award, which honors outstanding, non-teaching school employees who go above and beyond for their students. You can learn more here and submit your nomination here. The deadline for nominations is June 30.

MOTORCYCLE INSPECTIONS NOW AVAILABLE YEAR-ROUND

Motorcycle owners: you can now get your bike inspected year-round, not just March through October. Annual motorcycle inspections are still required, and once a motorcycle passes, the new safety inspection sticker will be valid for one year from the expiration of the previous sticker. Visit this page to learn more, and this page for state information on motorcycle safety.

In other transportation news, PennDOT is seeking public comment on its update to the 12-Year Program – a planning tool that lists planned transportation projects and allocates funding over a 12-year period. The law requires PennDOT to update the program every two years, and the agency seeks public comment as part of the process. Please take a few minutes to add your input by taking the survey. You can read more here.

During Women’s History Month, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is reminding drivers that purchasing a women veterans license plate honors the contributions of PA women who served and supports the Veterans’ Trust Fund. You can read more here, and you can find other specialty plates here.

FINDING FUNDING – AND HELP WITH STATE MATTERS

This is a reminder that the state has a new grant-search tool that can help you navigate all the available programs by topic. You can also find the latest state grant openings at this page.

As always, if you need assistance with any state-related matter, don’t hesitate to contact my office.

Readers with disabilities – please remember that you can read my e-newsletter in a way that’s preferable to you by visiting my legislative website here and clicking on the accessibility icon in the lower right corner.