Upcoming Events

Free Screening: Local 1196: A Steelworkers Strike
GQT Movies at Pittsburgh Mills, Thursday, March 21, 6:30 pm

“The old American dream just seems to be gone,” says Walt Hill, the Contract Coordinator for Local 1196 in the steel town of Brackenridge, Pennsylvania.

In March of 2021, the steelworkers of USW 1196 struck, citing unfair labor practices. From late night conversations on the picket lines, to fiery debates at the union hall, to the homes of the members, the documentary film “Local 1196” takes the viewer on the ground during a steelworkers strike in the decaying town of Brackenridge, Pennsylvania.  As days on strike turn to weeks, and weeks to months, union leaders realize they’re playing with a short stack. Will they be able to stick together? As Walt says in the film, “I think that this fight shows that, at least here, we’re fighting back.”

Local 1196 is an Official Selection film festival across the country and has broadcast on a series of PBS channels. Come check it out on the big screen on Thursday, March 21 at 6:30 pm at GQT Movies at Pittsburgh Mills!

Tickets are free, but space is limited. To reserve your free ticket (popcorn and pop included), please register at: tinyurl.com/local1196.

Spring Shredding Events

Are you getting a head start on your spring cleaning? Protect your identity by shredding documents that contain personal information such as your name, address, phone number, social security number, or bank account information.

There is a limit of two bankers boxes per car at each event (for reference, a bankers box is about the size of a microwave). Only paper will be accepted– please remove all metal fasteners other than staples! Shredding will be performed on site.

**UPDATED TIME AND LOCATION** Our first event will be with Rep. Emily Kinkead on Saturday, March 23, 2024 from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM at the Ross Township Department of Public Works, 225 Cemetery Lane, Pittsburgh, PA 15237.

The second event will be with Rep. Lindsay Powell on Saturday, April 27, 2024 from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM at Kiwanis Park, 399 Wetzel Road, Glenshaw, PA 15116.

Good News

American Legion Post #80 Receives AED Donation from West Penn Hospital

Thank you to Allegheny Health Network West Penn Hospital for their generous donation of a new AED to the Ross Township American Legion Post #80!

While I hope that this equipment never has to be used, I'm grateful that it will be there in case of an emergency. The members of Post 80 have dedicated their lives in service to their country, their community, and to one another. This donation will allow them to continue that mission by allowing them to be as prepared as possible to render aid in the event of an emergency.

Thank you to the members and families of American Legion Post #80 and all of our Veterans for their service.

Hometown Heroes Fundraiser Honoring EMT Kelly Jackson

I was honored to join the Allegheny Valley community this weekend to celebrate Citizens Hose Fire/Rescue/EMS heroes Kelly Jackson and Jim Erb. Hilltop Hose Ladies Auxiliary hosted a spaghetti dinner that raised enough money to pay for EMT training for 10 new recruits through the Allegheny-Kiski Health Foundation. I'm incredibly grateful to see this training program, which I helped establish a few years ago through state grant funding, continue to train amazing EMTs like Kelly and Jim!

https://triblive.com/local/valley-news-dispatch/fundraiser-for-injured-harrison-emt-will-pay-tuition-for-future-emergency-responders/

Legislative Update

Senator Williams Calls for Moratorium on New Cyber Charter Approvals

Following the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Senate Appropriations Hearing on Wednesday during which PDE struggled to meaningfully answer questions about the Department’s recent approval of a deficient cyber charter school, I circulated a co-sponsorship memo that would institute a moratorium on the approval of new corporate-managed, publicly funded cyber charter schools. 

I was incensed last month when PDE approved a new cyber charter managed by a for-profit, corporate education giant. This is the first new cyber charter school to be approved by PDE in eight years and its application was deficient on its face.

By any metric of success, Pennsylvania’s 13 existing cyber charter schools consistently underperform both brick and mortar charters and district schools. 

Additionally, every one of Pennsylvania’s cyber charter schools has been identified as needing some level of support and improvement under the state’s accountability system. More than half are currently operating under expired charters. And PDE lacks the capacity that it needs to provide financial and academic oversight for these schools.

Despite this, Pennsylvanians already spend roughly $1 billion every year on tuition for our current cyber charter schools, making this one of the leading drivers of property tax increases. Tuition at these privately run, publicly funded schools is not tied to the actual cost of education, and many cyber charters bring in significantly more money than they spend on educating students.

Cyber charters spent nearly $17 million in taxpayer money in 2021-2022 alone on advertising and promotions such as sponsoring local fireworks nights at minor league baseball games, catering, branded giveaways, and gift cards. Despite this waste of taxpayer dollars, over half of cyber charter schools have fund reserves that are equal to a third or more of their entire annual operating budgets.

Pennsylvania’s students and taxpayers are footing that bill.

More than a year has passed since the Commonwealth Court ruled that Pennsylvania’s system of public education is unconstitutional. Students in underfunded and inequitably funded districts are still waiting for long overdue relief. But every new cyber charter school diverts additional taxpayer dollars away from traditional public school districts and the students they serve.

Sending millions of taxpayer dollars to a new cyber charter school that is managed by a giant for-profit corporate entity when we have yet to address the school funding court decision is not only unconscionable – it is unconstitutional. 

Therefore, I am calling for a moratorium on the proliferation of cyber charter schools until common sense, bipartisan reforms that legislators and school boards across the state have been asking for can be implemented. We must strengthen charter school accountability and transparency, prevent fraud, better serve high-need students, and ensure that neighborhood public schools are not adversely affected. I will continue to fight to secure these broader reforms – but in the meantime, we must stop making the problem worse.

Ballot Drop Off Locations are Back! 

In addition to dropping off your ballot and voting “over the counter” at the downtown County Office Building (542 Forbes Avenue) for the upcoming 2024 Primary Election, the County Elections Division will also operate five staffed absentee/mail-in ballot drop off locations around the county!

The additional five drop off locations will be open the two weekends before Election Day on Saturday, April 13 and April 20 from 9 am – 5 pm and Sunday, April 14 and April 21 from 11 am – 7 pm. Voters may drop off mail-in or absentee ballots at these five locations:

• East End: Carnegie Public Library of Squirrel Hill
• South: South Park Ice Rink
• North: North Park Ice Rink
• East: Boyce Park Four Seasons Lodge
• West: 911 Call Center

For more information, visit Countywide Ballot Drop Off Locations - Allegheny County, PA.

New EMS Agency and Worker Reimbursement Program

To better support Pennsylvania’s EMS industry, Governor Shapiro launched a new program this month to provide $1 million per year over the next 3 years to reimburse Emergency Medical Service workers for their training expenses and EMS agencies for recruiting and retention programs. The program is funded with money from the Fireworks Tax Act.

Pennsylvania residents who obtained a Pennsylvania state certification as an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT), or Paramedic after July 1, 2023, are eligible to have a portion of their tuition reimbursed. 

Certification Level	Amount
EMR	Up to $300
EMT	Up to $800
AEMT	Up to $1000
Paramedic	Up to $5000

Additionally, Pennsylvania licensed EMS agencies are eligible for up to $1250 per fiscal year to be used for reimbursement of recruitment and retention expenses.

To be reimbursed through this program go to EMSIB 2024-02 Provider Tuition Assistance and Agency Recruitment & Retention Expense Reimbursement.pdf (pa.gov).

Public Comment Needed!

Pennsylvania wants to hear from you on the new 10-year plan to better meet the needs of seniors called Aging Our Way, PA: A Plan for Lifelong Independence. This is a draft and input from the public is essential to creating a Master Plan that helps older adults pursue their best lives here in the Commonwealth. Comment period runs from February 20 - March 20, 2024. 

You can review the plan at Aging Our Way, PA. 

Provide feedback by:

• Completing an online form: https://tinyurl.com/wes2mstz
• Mailing comments to: “Aging Our Way, PA” at 555 Walnut St. 5th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101
• Emailing: [email protected].

Citizens Hose Fish Fry

Don’t cook on Good Friday! Support Citizens Hose 167 in Natrona Heights and feed the family at their March 29 Fish Fry. Orders must be placed by March 25. Tickets and orders can be placed by calling or texting 724-972-7012.

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