State Senator Lindsey M. Williams, Your District 38
Update

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*Upcoming Events**

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*Thanksgiving on Every Table Collection*

*October 16 -
November 6*

North Hills Community Outreach is collecting items to
make a complete Thanksgiving dinner for hundreds of families in our
area who are experiencing hardship.

In need are:

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Large boxes
of stuffing mix

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Large boxes of instant mashed potatoes

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15-ounce can of cranberry sauce or yams

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16-ounce can of
vegetables

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Any dessert mix

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Corn muffin or biscuit
mix

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Turkey gravy mix

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Napkins

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Canvas shopping
bags

Our McKnight Road and Natrona Heights Offices will collection
donations for NHCO during regular business hours (Natrona Heights is
closed on Fridays). Thank you for helping to make a family celebration
complete this year!

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*Water, Sewer, and Stormwater Infrastructure Policy
Hearing*

*Wednesday, October 25, 2023, 1:30 PM*

On October 25th,
Senator Katie Muth, Senator Maria Collett, and I will hold a Senate
Democratic Policy Hearing hearing on addressing the increasing
challenges that stormwater issues cause our communities. Last year, I
advocated for legislation that was adopted as part of the budget that
allocated $320 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for new
water, sewer, and stormwater grants. Despite this progress, the
overwhelming demand for these funds highlights a stark need for a more
robust investment to adequately address Pennsylvania's water, sewer,
and stormwater concerns. Investing in this infrastructure is key to
addressing the Commonwealth's significant backlog of water and sewer
projects that lack necessary funding.

This hearing will stream live
on my website at SenatorLindseyWilliams.com/live [link 3] and on my
Facebook page at Facebook.com/SenWilliamsPA [link 4].

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*Fall Senior Fair*

*Ross Municipal Building, Thursday,
October 26, 2023, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM*

Come meet Rep. Emily Kinkead
[link 6] and Senator Lindsey Williams at their fall Senior Resource
Fair. It will be held at the Ross Municipal Building on Thursday,
October 26th from 10 am - 12 pm.

This FREE event includes a vaccine
clinic, expired and unused medication disposal drop off, information
on benefits and services for seniors and caregivers, light
refreshments, and much more! Staff from our offices will also be
available to process Port Authority Senior ConnectCards and help with
Pennsylvania Treasury Unclaimed Property searches. Hope to see you
there!

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*Good
News**

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Allegheny River Tour with PA Fish and Boat
Commission*

Thank you to the PA Fish and Boat Commission Bureau of
Law Enforcement [link 8] and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
[link 9] for taking me on a tour of the Allegheny River and the
in-depth look at what our Waterways Conservation Officers do to keep
us safe on the river every single day!! Our waterway infrastructure,
particularly our locks and dams, is incredibly important for both
commerce and recreation. I'm proud to serve as a member of both the
Game and Fisheries Committee in the Senate and the Port of Pittsburgh
Commission and to work to expand opportunities for our
waterways.

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*Celebrating
Decades of Service*

Congratulations to Bob Sims on 75 years of
service and Chief Engineer Terry Chambon on 50 years of service to the
Highland Hose Volunteer Fire Company [link 10]! My office was proud to
recognize these amazing volunteers for their countless hours of
training, work, and service to their community.

Highland Hose
members Bob Sims and Terry Chambon set example in community service |
TribLIVE.com [link 11]

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*THANK
YOU!!*

A huge thank you to everyone who donated to our Halloween
Costume Drive for North Hills Community Outreach [link 12]! Thanks to
your generosity, we filled our donation box three times over. With
options ranging from spooky, brave, whimsical and wild, a lot of
children will have a cool costume to don while
trick-or-treating.

NHCO is now accepting appointments for their
Coat Shop for children ages infant to 18. Give them a call to make an
appointment! 412-487-6316 x3143.

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*Breakfast
by the Westinghouse Culinary Students*

Thank you to the Culinary
Students at Pittsburgh Westinghouse Academy 6-12 [link 13] Career and
Technical Education - Pittsburgh Public Schools [link 14] for making
and serving an amazing breakfast for the Basic Education Funding
Commission hearing!

These students provided a fantastic example of
what CTE students can do for our Commission Members!

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*Fighting
for Our Students*

I was proud to join PA Schools Work, 412 Justice,
and the Education Rights Network for a rally before the Pittsburgh
Basic Education Funding hearing to talk about what *ALL *students
across Allegheny County deserve.

We're fighting for full and
equitable school funding because districts shouldn't have to choose
between a special education teacher and an art teacher.
Extracurricular programs, sports, and the arts improve academic
performance, attendance, and help students learn time management,
dedication, and so much more. These aren't luxuries; they're the
basics that all of our students deserve.

Schools tell Pa. lawmakers
career and tech education needs investment | 90.5 WESA [link
15]

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*Legislative
Update **

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*Senator Williams Hosts Pittsburgh Basic Education
Funding Commission *

Last week, I hosted the Basic Education
Funding Commission at Pittsburgh Westinghouse Academy 6-12 for our
Pittsburgh hearing, the first in the series of state-wide hearings to
be held in Western Pennsylvania.

The hearing's first panel focused
on Career and Technical Education (CTE) and included testimony from
Angela Mike [link 17], Director of CTE, Pittsburgh Public Schools and
Dr. Darby Copeland [link 18], President, Pennsylvania Association of
Career & Technical Administrators, Executive Director, Parkway
West.

"CTE students receive hands-on instruction in labs equipped
with state-of-the-art equipment that mirror real-world work
environments," said Ms. Mike. "Taught by teachers who are industry
professionals in their respective fields, our students learn how to
use the tools, techniques, software and hardware necessary to enter
the world of work."

Ms. Mike shared several stories of recent
Pittsburgh Public Schools CTE graduates who are succeeding in their
chosen fields, saying, "There are thousands of success stories like
these that could be shared by the CTE providers in our state. But
there are challenges in continuing to provide quality programs that
will yield the kind of results that our students need and that our
economy demands." CBS Morning recently featured PPS CTE programs and
their benefits to students. You can watch that video here [link
19].

The second panel focused on the impacts of early childhood
education, special education, and the need for additional student
supports within a school building. It included testimony from Dr.
Robert Scherrer [link 20], Executive Director, Allegheny Intermediate
Unit; Emily Neff [link 21], Director of Public Policy, Trying
Together; Jeni Hergenreder, Esq [link 22]., Staff Attorney, Disability
Rights Pennsylvania; and Dr. Laura Ward [link 23], Past-President
Pennsylvania School Librarians Association, Librarian at Fox Chapel
Area School District.

"A 'thorough and efficient' system of
education begins even before kindergarten," said Dr. Scherrer. Ms.
Neff continued, "Research has shown both short- and long-term academic
and health benefits for children who attended high-quality pre-k. The
impacts are even greater for children facing systemic economic and
social challenges, helping to reduce achievement gaps between
low-income and affluent children." Ensuring that all families have
access to high-quality pre-K was an important component in the Court's
school funding decision.

"The Basic Education Funding Commission
has been tasked with something bigger than just tweaking our education
funding formula," said Senator Williams. "The Courts have told us we
need to finally fund an education system that addresses adequacy and
equity for all students. By fully and fairly funding these resources
that students need--access to high quality pre-K, career training
programs, mental health resources, school librarians, and other caring
support staff throughout the building--we will begin to improve
student outcomes and equity for all students."

Full video and
written testimony from all of the BEFC hearings, including the
Pittsburgh hearing, can be found at SenatorLindseyWilliams.com/BEFC
[link 24].

Read more about last week's hearing:

-
Pittsburgh
educators share needs of western Pennsylvania schools with state
commission - Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com) [link
25]

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State Senators learn what programs Pittsburgh Public
Schools stands to lose without adequate funding - WPXI [link 26]

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Pennsylvania commission on public school funding in Pittsburgh
(wtae.com) [link 27]

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Stephen Herzenberg: Pa. must invest in
career-related learning for high school students | TribLIVE.com [link
28]

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*Voter Registration Status*

Have you recently moved or
changed your name? Is your voter registration accurate and up to
date?

*Pennsylvania's municipal election is* *Nov. 7, 2023*. Now is
the time to check your registration status here [link 30] and make
sure your voter registration information is current.

Visit
vote.pa.gov/Register [link 31] to:

-
register to vote,

-
change your name, and/or

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change your address.

*You must
update your voter registration by Monday, Oct. 23, 2023*, for any
changes to take effect by Nov. 7.

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*Citiparks Track and Treat*

*Saturday, October 21,
2023, 12:00 - 4:00 p.m.*

Join Citiparks for this FREE healthy
lifestyle event that's fun for the entire family!
Bring your bike or
borrow one from Citiparks!
Cycle around the Bud Harris Cycling Track
and stop to enjoy refreshments, food trucks and bike safety
Instructions.
Have fun decorating your bike, playing games and
entering the Halloween Costume Contest at 2:00 pm!
Click here [link
33] to learn more.

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*Boo Festival *

*Saturday, October 28, 2023, 1:00 -
4:00 p.m.*

The Tarentum Recreation Board Boo Festival [link 35]
will take place on October 28, 2023 in Tarentum's Riverview Memorial
Park Park from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Come down for events, games, prizes
and giveaways!

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*Mission of Mercy Free Dental, Vision, and Hearing
Clinic*

*Friday, October 27 - Saturday October 28*

Mission of
Mercy Pittsburgh [link 37] is a FREE two-day dental, vision and
hearing clinic held at then end of October at the David L. Lawrence
Convention Center

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Doors open at 6am on both Friday, October
27th, and Saturday, October 28th.

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No appointments or patient
scheduling.

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Care is given on a first come, first serve
basis.

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No eligibility requirements - no insurance needed, no
payments.

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Veterans are prioritized.

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Adults and children
2 and up are welcome.

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Children must be supervised by a parent
or guardian at all times.

If you have any questions regarding the
event or would like to volunteer, visit: [link removed] [link
38]

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*It's
National School Bus Safety Week!*

Each year, during National School
Bus Safety Week, PennDOT works with state and municipal police
departments to conduct Operation Safe Stop, a proactive approach to
educate the motoring public that *passing a stopped school bus, when
children are loading or unloading, is dangerous and illegal*.

Each
year, through Operation Safe Stop, law enforcement agencies, school
transportation providers, pupil transportation associations and
PennDOT have combined their efforts to raise public awareness about
potential consequences and reduce the occurrence of illegal school bus
passes.



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Pennsylvania's School Bus Stopping Law requires
motorists to stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that have
their red lights flashing and stop arm extended.

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Motorists must
stop when they are behind the bus, meeting the bus or approaching an
intersection where a bus is stopped.

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Motorists following or
traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights
have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children
have reached safety.

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If physical barriers such as grassy
medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming
traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed
without stopping.

For more information, visit Operation Safe Stop
[link 39].

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*FAFSA Release Date Delayed!*

*The 2024-25 **FAFSA
(Free Application for Federal Student Aid)* [link 41]* will be
available in December 2023.*

The FAFSA for the upcoming academic
year is typically available on October 1, but was delayed this year as
it undergoes changes as a result of the FAFSA Simplification Act,
which aims to streamline the FAFSA process for user convenience. The
new form will be easier for students and parents to complete, offering
a shorter form, simplified questions, and data that is automatically
populated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for tax filers. These
long-awaited changes will make Pell Grants and other federal aid more
accessible. Due to the scope of the changes involved, the application
form will be delayed by 2 months.

Completing the FAFSA is a
critical step in the financial aid process as it is the application
for federal and state aid programs, including the PA State Grant
Program.

I will share the exact date in this space as soon as it is
known. In the meantime, you can create an account at StudentAid.gov
[link 42] to get email updates on the FAFSA availability. You can also
get prepared for the FAFSA on PHEAA's website [link 43] with tips for
collecting your documentation and getting organized.

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*Trick
or Treat in District 38*

Get ready for Trick or Treat in your
neighborhood! Check the times for your municipality and make sure that
your little (or not-so-little) ghosts and goblins are safe while they
trick or treat by following these safety tips!

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Dress children
in brightly colored or light-colored costumes.

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Use reflective
tape, flashlights, or glow sticks for added visibility.

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Make
sure costumes and shoes fit properly to prevent trips or falls.

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Make sure your porch and front yard are clear of any potential
tripping hazards.

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Replace any burned-out bulbs in your outdoor
lights.

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Use battery-operated votives instead of lit candles in
your Jack-o'-lanterns.

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Restrain your pets or keep them in
another room.

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Secure inflatable Halloween decorations [link
44].

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Drive slowly and be on the lookout for trick-or-treaters,
including those in dark clothing.

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Exercise extra caution at
crosswalks and intersections.

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Don't text or look at your phone
while you're driving.

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Turn your headlights on earlier in the
day.

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Do not wear Halloween masks or costumes that can obstruct
your vision while driving.

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As
always, please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have
by phone at 412-364-0469 [link 45] (Ross Office), 724-224-2131 [link
46] (Harrison Office) or by email at
[email protected] [link 47]. My staff will return
your call/email within 24 hours (Monday-Friday).

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Senator
Lindsey Williams


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mailto:[email protected]

Contact
Information:

Website:
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Office Location:
District
Office
5000 McKnight Road
Suite 405
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Phone:
412-364-0469
Fax: 412-364-0928

Harrison Office
1826 Union
Avenue
Natrona Heights, PA 15065
Phone: 724-224-2131
Fax:
724-224-2145

Harrisburg Office
366 Capitol Building
Senate Box
203038
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3038
Phone: 717-787-6538
Fax:
717-787-8625

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