Upcoming Events

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:

• Large boxes of stuffing mix
• Large boxes of instant mashed potatoes
• 15-ounce can of cranberry sauce or yams
• 16-ounce can of vegetables
• Any dessert mix
• Corn muffin or biscuit mix
• Turkey gravy mix
• Napkins
• 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!

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 and on my Facebook page at Facebook.com/SenWilliamsPA.

Fall Senior Fair
Ross Municipal Building, Thursday, October 26, 2023, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Come meet Rep. Emily Kinkead and Senator Lindsey Williams at their fall Senior Resource Fair. It will be held at the Ross Municipal Building on Thursday, October 26^th 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!

Good News

Allegheny River Tour with PA Fish and Boat Commission

Thank you to the PA Fish and Boat Commission Bureau of Law Enforcement and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission 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.

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! 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

THANK YOU!!

A huge thank you to everyone who donated to our Halloween Costume Drive for North Hills Community Outreach! 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.

Breakfast by the Westinghouse Culinary Students

Thank you to the Culinary Students at Pittsburgh Westinghouse Academy 6-12 Career and Technical Education - Pittsburgh Public Schools 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!

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

Legislative Update

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, Director of CTE, Pittsburgh Public Schools and Dr. Darby Copeland, 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.

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, Executive Director, Allegheny Intermediate Unit; Emily Neff, Director of Public Policy, Trying Together; Jeni Hergenreder, Esq., Staff Attorney, Disability Rights Pennsylvania; and Dr. Laura Ward, 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.

Read more about last week’s hearing:

• Pittsburgh educators share needs of western Pennsylvania schools with state commission – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
• State Senators learn what programs Pittsburgh Public Schools stands to lose without adequate funding – WPXI
• Pennsylvania commission on public school funding in Pittsburgh (wtae.com)
• Stephen Herzenberg: Pa. must invest in career-related learning for high school students | TribLIVE.com

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 and make sure your voter registration information is current.

Visit vote.pa.gov/Register to:

• register to vote,
• change your name, and/or
• change your address.

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

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 to learn more.

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

The Tarentum Recreation Board Boo Festival 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!

Mission of Mercy Free Dental, Vision, and Hearing Clinic
Friday, October 27 - Saturday October 28

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

• Doors open at 6am on both Friday, October 27th, and Saturday, October 28th.
• No appointments or patient scheduling.
• Care is given on a first come, first serve basis.
• No eligibility requirements - no insurance needed, no payments.
• Veterans are prioritized.
• Adults and children 2 and up are welcome.
• 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: https://mompgh.org/

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.

 

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

FAFSA Release Date Delayed!

The 2024-25 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) 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 to get email updates on the FAFSA availability. You can also get prepared for the FAFSA on PHEAA’s website with tips for collecting your documentation and getting organized.

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!

1. Dress children in brightly colored or light-colored costumes.
2. Use reflective tape, flashlights, or glow sticks for added visibility.
3. Make sure costumes and shoes fit properly to prevent trips or falls.
4. Make sure your porch and front yard are clear of any potential tripping hazards.
5. Replace any burned-out bulbs in your outdoor lights.
6. Use battery-operated votives instead of lit candles in your Jack-o'-lanterns.
7. Restrain your pets or keep them in another room.
8. Secure inflatable Halloween decorations.
9. Drive slowly and be on the lookout for trick-or-treaters, including those in dark clothing.
10. Exercise extra caution at crosswalks and intersections.
11. Don't text or look at your phone while you're driving.
12. Turn your headlights on earlier in the day.
13. Do not wear Halloween masks or costumes that can obstruct your vision while driving.

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

Senator Lindsey Williams