State Senator Lindsey M. Williams, Your District 38 Update

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*EMT
Injury Reminds Us All to Move Over and Slow Down **

Our hearts and
well-wishes go out to Kelly Jackson, a Citizens Hose EMT who was
struck by a vehicle while responding to an accident on Burtner Road in
Harrison during Saturday's icy weather. Kelly sustained numerous
serious injuries in the accident, which is a painful reminder of why
in Pennsylvania drivers are required by law to move over and slow down
when approaching an emergency response area.

We need our first
responders, construction workers, tow truck operators, and others who
work to keep us safe on the road to go home to their families
uninjured. Please remember to drive responsibly this
winter.

Surviving crash 'truly a miracle' for Citizens Hose EMT |
TribLIVE.com [link 1]

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*Slow Down, Move Over Law**

*Pennsylvania's Slow
Down, Move Over Law* [link 3] requires drivers approaching an
emergency response area who are unable to safely merge into a lane
farther away from the response area to "pass the emergency response
area at a speed of no more than 20 miles per hour less than the posted
speed limit and reasonable for safely passing." An emergency response
area is where an emergency vehicle has its lights flashing, or where
road crews or emergency responders have lighted flares, posted signs,
or try to warn travelers.

To read about Pennsylvania's Slow Down,
Move Over Law law click here [link 4].

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*Chief
McIntire Memorial**

Last week I joined the Brackenridge community,
along with the other members of the Allegheny Valley communities, to
remember Brackenridge Police Chief, Justin McIntire on the one-year
anniversary of his death in the line of duty. My heart and thoughts go
out to the family and loved ones of Chief McIntire as they mourn his
loss. I offer my heartfelt thanks to those first responders who
continue to face incredibly dangerous and demanding situations every
time they answer the call.

Brackenridge remains resilient 1 year
after death of Chief Justin McIntire | TribLIVE.com [link 5]

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*Upcoming
Events**

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*2024
Event Planning Survey*

We're planning our 2024 Events Schedule, but
need to know what types of events would be most beneficial to you and
your families! Please help us plan by filling out a brief survey by
visiting [link removed] [link 6]. We look
forward to seeing you in 2024!

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*Library
Days with Lindsey*

Library Days with Lindsey are back for 2024 and
we are kicking them off at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's East
Liberty Branch on Wednesday, January 24! Appointments are strongly
encouraged, but limited walk-in spots may be available. Please call or
email to make an appointment: 412-364-0469 (Ross); 724-224-2131
(Natrona); [email protected] [link 7].

We look
forward to meeting with you on the 24th!

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*VSO
Appointments Available!*

My office is offering American Legion
Veterans Service Officer (VSO) appointments every 3rd Tuesday of the
month from 9 am - 1 pm! Appointments will rotate between my two
district offices each month.

Upcoming Dates:

-
Tuesday,
January 16, Ross Township office, 5000 McKnight Road, Suite 405.

-
Tuesday, February 20, Natrona Heights office, 1826 Union
Ave.

Whether you have a question or just need a fresh review of the
benefits you've earned, call or email our office to schedule a
one-on-one appointment: 412-364-0469 (Ross) 724-224-2131 (Harrison).
Appointments fill up quickly!

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*Good
News**

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*Pittsburgh
Glass Center Expansion Tour*

Last Thursday, I toured the Pittsburgh
Glass Center' [link 8]s new facility expansion, which will provide
affordable artist housing and meeting and event space for the
community and non-profits. So much progress has been made since their
groundbreaking last March and I am thrilled that this premier glass
facility will soon be able to provide even more public access and
education to the community and the region!

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*An
Evening with the PSO and Afro-American Music Institute*

On Tuesday
evening, I joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra [link 9]'s Marty
Bates in partnership with Dr. Johnson (Dr. J.) and the Afro-American
Music Institute [link 10] for Discovery & Drinks - Finding Home at St.
James AME Church - Pittsburgh [link 11]. I'd like to thank the
symphony's quartet Kristina Yoder and Dennis O'Boyle, violins; Andrew
Wickesberg, viola; and Allie Lee, cello for an absolutely inspiring
performance. The audience was THRILLED with the evening, and the
orchestra already has requests to repeat this program in other
communities!

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*Legislative
Update**

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[link 12]

*Basic Education Funding Commission Wrap-Up*

The Basic
Education Funding Commission completed its work this week by releasing
its final report. A full copy of the report, all Commission hearings,
and all testimony and materials can be found on my website at
SenatorLindseyWilliams.com/BEFC [link 13].

My vote against this
final report was rooted in a moral conviction that the future of
Pennsylvania depends on getting our system of public education to not
only pass constitutional muster, but exceed it - from Pre-k to higher
ed.

We have spent decades defining the problems in education. And
while legislators have talked in circles, generations of kids continue
to suffer under an unconstitutional system. I wanted this Commission
to define the solutions and fight for those solutions to happen now.
The majority report doesn't go far enough in doing that.

I could
not in good faith vote for a compromise report that will ultimately
serve as the starting point for upcoming budget negotiations. I did
not want the public to look at a unanimous Democratic-only report and
think that it represents our shared goals for the 2024-25 budget. It
does not. A unanimous Democratic-only report risks setting the ceiling
for negotiations--and this report is closer to my floor.

Thank you
to all of the Senate and House staffers who worked incredibly hard
over the last several months, and to all of the testifiers who offered
their expertise to this Commission.

You can read my full statement
here: Sen. Lindsey Williams Releases Statement Following BEFC Vote
Today (senatorlindseywilliams.com) [link 14].

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[link 15]

*Pennie Open Enrollment Ends January 19!*

If you need
health insurance for the coming year, there is still time to get
covered!

*The Annual Open Enrollment period for **Pennie* [link
16]*, Pennsylvania's Health Insurance Marketplace, has been extended
to next* *Friday, January 19, 2024 for coverage starting February 1.
*This is your only opportunity to shop and sign up for a 2024 plan. If
you miss the deadline you will need to wait until next November to
enroll unless you have a qualifying life event like losing other
health coverage or moving!

Pennie is the only place Pennsylvanians
can get financial savings to reduce the cost of coverage and care from
top insurance companies. Currently, 9 in 10 enrollees qualify and save
over $500 a month on average with Pennie. All health plans offered
through Pennie provide comprehensive coverage, including care for
pre-existing conditions and many free preventive screenings and
vaccines.

Waiting until an illness or injury strikes will be too
late, so visit pennie.com [link 17] or call Pennie Customer Service at
1-844-844-8040 from 8 am - 7 pm and get coverage and peace of mind for
the rest of the year!

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[link 18]

*Public Input on Flood Insurance Access and Affordability
Needed!*

In response to the devastating floods of 2023 and the
alarming number of residents without flood insurance, Pennsylvania's
House and Senate passed bi-partisan legislation [link 19] to create
the
Pennsylvania Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force [link
20]. This Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) [link 21] Task Force
is charged with making recommendations for policies that increase
awareness of and access to affordable flood insurance coverage in the
Commonwealth. Submit your comments today and be a part of the effort
to protect more Pennsylvanians from flood loss.

Public comments on
flood insurance are due by February 5, 2024 and may be emailed to
[email protected] [link 22], or mailed to:

Caroline Beohm,
Director of Policy and Planning

Office of the Insurance
Commissioner

1326 Strawberry Square

Harrisburg, PA
17120

Click on the link below for more information on the Task
Force and how to submit your comments:

Pennsylvania Bulletin
(pacodeandbulletin.gov) [link 23].

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[link 24]

*Keystone Historic Preservation Grant Applications
Open!*

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC)
[link 25] is now accepting applications from nonprofit organizations
and local governments for the Keystone Historic Preservation Grant
Program [link 26]!

Grants support projects that identify, preserve,
promote, and protect historic and archaeological resources in
Pennsylvania for both the benefit of the public and community
revitalization. The grants receive funding from the Keystone
Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund. A total of $2 million has been
set aside for this program.

Two categories of grants - construction
[link 27] and planning [link 28] - are available for historic
resources in Pennsylvania that are listed, or eligible for listing, in
the National Register of Historic Places. Applicants may apply for
only one type of grant.

*Applications are due Friday, March 1*.
Grants will be awarded through a competitive selection process and are
contingent on the availability of funds.

Applicants are invited to
join the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO)
[link 29] for webinars on Keystone Historic Preservation Grant
applications:

-
Thursday, January 18 ? 3 - 4pm
(Construction)

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Friday, January 19 ? 3 - 4pm (Planning)

For
more information on the webinars or to register, click here [link
30].

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[link 31]

*Violence Intervention and Prevention Grants Still
Available!*

$40 million in Violence Intervention & Prevention (VIP)
[link 32] grant funding is available through two competitive grant
programs administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and
Delinquency (PCCD) [link 33] :

-
VIP Competitive Grants Program:
Under this solicitation, eligible applicants can request funding for a
wide range of programs that address community violence intervention
and prevention efforts.

-
Coordinated Community Violence
Intervention (CVI) Strategies Grants Program: This initiative invests
in collaborative community violence intervention and response
strategies within focused service areas. Grants will support local
planning and implementation of short-term intervention, mid-term
prevention, and long-term strategies designed to increase local
coordination to more effectively prevent, intervene, and respond to
gun and group-related violence.

Eligible applicants are
Community-based or nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status,
institutions of higher education, municipalities, counties, and
district attorney's offices.

*Deadline to apply: Thursday, January
18, 2024 at 9:00 PM.*

For details and more information go to Gun
Violence Grants & Funding (pa.gov) [link 34].

*Youth Opportunities
*

*
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[link 35]*

*Deadline for PennDOT's 2023-2024 Innovations Challenge
is January 26, 2024*

If you formed a team this fall at your school
to find a solution to this year's PennDOT Innovations Challenge [link
36], the deadline is Friday, January 26. If you didn't, you still have
2 weeks to create and submit your plan!

This year's Innovations
Challenge asks students 9-12 to develop a plan for the replacement of
an aging multi-lane roadway that reconnects previously separated
neighborhoods and incorporates community needs, such as accommodating
bicycle and pedestrian traffic, allowing for new business development
and ensuring the smooth flow of traffic. The proposed solution has to
consider additional costs to restore the affected community. Winning
teams receive $4000 donated by contest sponsors!

For details on
PennDOT's Innovations Challenge go to Innovations Challenge (pa.gov)
[link 37].

We can't wait to see what our region's young people come
up with this year!* *

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*2024 Litter Hawk Youth Award Program*

Keep
Pennsylvania Beautiful [link 39] is looking for students grades 2-6 to
become "Litter Hawks" in order to bring attention to public litter.
Students are invited to create a poster, essay, or video that shows
the damage litter causes in our communities:

-
Grades
Kindergarten through 4 - Poster

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Grades 5 - Essay

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Grade 6
- Video

First place and second place will receive ribbons and a
certificate. All participants will receive a litter hawk sticker.
*Deadline to participate is January 31st.* Winners will be announced
in May in coordination with a display of winning entries at the PA
State Capitol Building.

For more information and an application,
visit Litter Hawk 2023-2024 - Keep PA Beautiful [link
40].

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[link 41] *

*PennDOT 2024 Summer Employment Program Posted!*

The
postings for PennDOT's 2024 Summer Employment Program are now open and
accepting applications through September 2024.
PennDOT offers
seasonal opportunities for both students and non-students across the
Commonwealth looking for internships or work for the summer.

-
College students seeking an Engineering Internship should apply to the
*Engineering Internships - PennDOT (College)* posting here [link
42].

-
College students seeking an Non-Engineering Internship
(Press Office, Safety) should apply to the applicable posting within
the *Non-Engineering Internships - PennDOT (College)* posting here
[link 43].

-
College students seeking a hands-on summer job with
a competitive rate should apply to the *Student Summer Worker* -
*PennDOT (College) *posting here [link 44].

-
Non-students
seeking a seasonal position with PennDOT over the summer that may lead
to permanent employment should apply to the *Summer Employment Program
- PennDOT (Non-Student) *posting here [link 45].

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*Offices
Closed in Observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day*

In observance
of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, our offices will be closed on Monday,
January 15. We will reopen on Tuesday, January 16!

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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 46] (Ross Office), 724-224-2131 [link
47] (Harrison Office) or by email at
[email protected] [link 48]. My staff will return
your call/email within 24 hours (Monday-Friday).

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Senator
Lindsey Williams

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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
Monday ? Friday 9-5

Harrison
Office
1826 Union Avenue
Natrona Heights, PA 15065
Phone:
724-224-2131
Fax: 724-224-2145
Monday ? Thursday 9-5

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


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