Upcoming Events

Demystifying Harrisburg: Office of Consumer Advocate-Your Voice in Utility Matters
Hampton Community Center, 3101 McCully Rd, Allison Park, Thursday, April 18, 6:00 pm

My Demystifying Harrisburg series has been one of my favorite events to do as a Senator, and I am excited to bring you the first installment of 2024 with the Office of Consumer Advocate - Your Voice in Utility Matters. Join me and Pennsylvania’s Consumer Advocate, Patrick Cicero, to learn about utility rate hikes, choosing new utility providers, filing utility complaints, and available financial assistance. 

Register at https://www.senatorlindseywilliams.com/demystifyinghbg/. 

Demystifying Harrisburg is designed to take a closer look at how Harrisburg works—or doesn’t work—for people every day. The series also seeks to provide easy steps and access points for people to get involved and engaged in what can feel like overwhelming processes. Look for the next installment of my Demystifying Harrisburg series this summer!

You can watch all of the previous videos in the series on my website at SenatorLindseyWilliams.com/DemystifyingHbg.

Good News

Hampton’s WPIAL and PIAA Champs Recognized in Harrisburg

I was proud to welcome Hampton School District’s 2023 WPIAL Class 3A Girls Volleyball Champions and 2023 PIAA Class 2A Boys Cross Country Champions to the Senate last Wednesday! The entire senate chamber gave them standing ovations and both teams were treated to a day of activities at our beautiful capitol.

The talented Girls Volleyball team is the first in the program’s history to win a WPIAL title, following a truly impressive undefeated season. While Hampton lost in the PIAA finals, they had an absolutely outstanding season, going 25-0 into their last match and only losing 3 sets the entire season. 

This year Hampton’s Boys Cross Country won their third consecutive WPIAL title. After a tough fourth place finish in PIAAs last year, the team triumphantly brought home their first PIAA cross-country win in the program’s history.

Congratulations to both teams and I am sure you will be just as successful in all of your future endeavors!

March is Social Workers’ Month!

Last week I joined NASW Pennsylvania for their rally in Harrisburg to celebrate March as Social Workers' Month.

Our social workers do amazing work all year long, and while we're taking some steps to provide more support for their work in Harrisburg, there is much more we can do. That includes addressing licensing issues at the state level, making it easier to see clients, and increasing wages.

I'm proud to support legislation that achieves these goals and empowers social workers to do what they're great at every single day.

"Local 1196: A Steelworkers Strike" Screening at GQT Pittsburgh Mills Cinema in Tarentum

Thank you to the Bertelsmann Foundation and The Battle of Homestead Foundation for co-sponsoring last Thursday’s screening of "Local 1196: A Steelworkers Strike.”

This was an incredible event showcasing the strength and bravery of the workers at ATI who stood up for themselves and all of us and what we deserve: a living wage, fair benefits, and dignity and respect in the workplace.

If you missed seeing “Local 1196: A Steelworkers Strike” on the big screen last week, you can still watch the for FREE at: Bertelsmann Foundation Documentaries | Films for Transatlanticists (bfnadocs.org).

Shredding Event in Ross

THANK YOU to the Ross Township Department of Public Works, Ross Township Police Department, the Ross Township Fire Police, Ross West View EMSA, and Allegheny County 911 for keeping our shredding event with Rep. Emily Kinkead running as smoothly as possible on Saturday.

Despite all of our best efforts, after two trucks broke down, we know we didn't get to everyone. Our next FREE shredding event with Rep. Lindsay Powell is coming up in April!

• Saturday, April 27, 2024
• 9:00 am - 11:00 am
• Kiwanis Park, 399 Wetzel Road, Glenshaw, PA 15116.

Legislative Update

School Counseling Services Act

When I talk to students and educators, one of the biggest concerns that they share with me is the need for more mental health support and for more caring adults in their school buildings who can provide that support. I heard this feedback over and over again during the Basic Education Funding Commission hearings last fall as a top priority for districts across the state.

School districts are working hard to bring in school psychologists, social workers, and other mental health supports. But I often hear concerns from these professionals that they don’t get to spend enough of their time providing direct services to students because they’re pulled from their regular duties to pitch in and cover classrooms and other areas as needed.

Currently, Pennsylvania is the only state in the country that doesn’t require standardized counseling services in all schools. That’s why Rep. Dan Miller, Rep. Mandy Steele, and I have proposed the School Counseling Services Act. This legislation would require that schools develop a robust and comprehensive school counseling plan that includes having school counselors spend at least 80% of their working time engaged in direct and indirect services to students. 

This week, the School Counseling Services Act passed the Pennsylvania House, making it one step closer to becoming law! The legislation, HB1665 now comes to the Senate Education Committee for consideration. I hope that we are able to join our House colleagues in taking this important step forward for student mental health.

Women's History Month

This week we are featuring three of Pittsburgh’s notable women in the visual arts!

Summertime by Mary Cassatt, c. 1894

Mary Cassatt - Painter and Printmaker

Did you know that world famous Impressionist painter Mary Cassatt is from Pittsburgh - Allegheny City at the time? Cassatt was a renowned artist, a rare feat since the art world was inaccessible for most women. She produced the majority of her work in France at the height of the Impressionist movement at the turn of the 20th century and mainly painted women and children.  

Aside from her legacy as a painter, Cassatt also subsidized and promoted the work of many other artists.

Learn more about Mary Cassatt at Mary Cassatt - Wikipedia.

Lois Weber - Groundbreaking Filmmaker

Lois Weber (1879-1939) was a filmmaking pioneer and actress born in the North Side, in what was then Allegheny City. The first American woman to direct a feature-length film in 1914, she directed over 138 films during her illustrious career. In 1915 she said, "I like to direct because I believe a woman, more or less intuitively, brings out many of the emotions that are rarely expressed on the screen. I may miss what some of the men get, but I will get other effects that they never thought of." 

(Image source: Portraits for the Home Front | Portraits for the Home Front (wqed.org) 

Elizabeth Black, Portrait Artist and WWII Hero!

In the 1930s, Elizabeth Black had a promising art career in Pittsburgh, frequently commissioned for portraits of prominent figures and families. She left all of that behind during the height of WWII to join the Red Cross. During her time overseas, she created thousands of treasured sketches of soldiers to send back to worried families and loved ones. 

Seventy years later, Black’s son discovered photographs of her sketches, scrapbooks, and memorabilia in a forgotten footlocker. These treasured items form the basis of a PBS documentary on Black’s  her lost career and service during WWII.  

You can watch the documentary at Engage Veterans | Portraits for the Home Front: The Story of Elizabeth Black | PBS.

Total Solar Eclipse Planning

On Monday, April 8 between roughly 3:10 - 3:25 pm., most of Pennsylvania will be able to see a total solar eclipse. This is when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, completely blocking the sun’s light and for nearly four minutes, the afternoon sky will go dark. We won’t have another total eclipse for 20 years, so don’t let this opportunity pass you by!

The path of the eclipse will cross North America from the Southwest to the Northeast, which in Pennsylvania includes Erie, Crawford, Warren, and Mercer counties. This path is called the “path of totality.” Most of Pennsylvania lies within the 90 percent eclipse coverage range, so even if you aren’t in the path of totality, there will be excellent viewing across the state.  

REMINDER: You need to protect your eyes to view the eclipse safely. Looking directly at the sun with the naked eye, through an unfiltered camera lens, or with any kind of standard sunglasses may result in permanent eye injury!

For complete information on the eclipse in Pennsylvania go to the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources'  2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Pennsylvania (pa.gov) page. You’ll find the list of state parks in the path of totality, tips on planning and what to bring to the viewing, what you will see, ways to protect your eyes, precise viewing times for any location, and NASA information on the total eclipse. 

If you are traveling, you should also go to Total Solar Eclipse 2024 (511pa.com) for routes, weather, and road conditions for your trip.

Interested in joining a group close to home to watch the partial eclipse? Attend the Springdale Free Library’s solar eclipse viewing at 2 p.m.on April 8th. It will be at Desmond Field, on Marion Avenue across from the Springdale High School parking lot. The library has a limited number of glasses to hand out on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, call 724-274-9729.

My District Offices will be closed to walk-ins on April 8th. Staff will still be available to help you by phone or email. 

Fake SNAP Site

Scam Assistance Facebook Post 

 

SNAP Social Media and Phone/Text Scam Alerts!

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) is warning people who receive or are applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to beware of social media and phone scams. 

The newest social media scam is primarily on Facebook, but if you see any social media post with a link to a “sites.google.com” address asking for your personal payment information to  apply for “$750 in emergency SNAP benefits” and there is an application deadline (SNAP has no deadlines) - IT IS A SCAM! See examples in the graphics above.

Always remember, DHS never asks for personal information on Facebook, on a Google site, in an unsolicited email, text message, or phone call. If someone claims to be from or affiliated with the Department and asks for your personal information - IT IS A SCAM. 

There are legitimate informational text messages and phone calls DHS sends to people who receive SNAP, Medicaid, and other benefits from the number 1-833-648-1964. A schedule and copies of legitimate DHS communications is available at Individual Communications (pa.gov).  However, DHS' text messages and phone calls will NEVER include:   

• Details about a person’s benefits, such as the amount of SNAP they are authorized to receive,   
• A request for specific personal information, and/or   
• Links to unofficial sites. Most DHS texts will direct people to dhs.pa.gov, COMPASS, or a site that ends in .gov or .org. 

Please immediately report any texts or calls about DHS benefits that seem suspicious by calling the DHS fraud tip line at 1-844-DHS-TIPS (1-844-347-8477) so the proper authorities can investigate. If you have questions about whether a call, text, letter, or other communication is legitimate,you can contact DHS Office of Income Maintenance.   

Applications for public assistance programs can be securely submitted online at www.dhs.pa.gov/compass. On-site County Assistance Office (CAO) services are available for those who cannot access online services or need assistance that cannot be accessed through the COMPASS website, the MyCOMPASS PA mobile app, or by calling the Customer Service Centers at 1-877-395-8930.

Jump Start Grant Program

Horizon Farm Credit is now accepting applications for their 2024 JumpStart program!

JumpStart is a competitive grant program for farmers in the business start-up phase and is open to people who meet eligibility criteria. Up to fifteen, $10,000 grants are available. The application period runs from March 1 through April 19.

To be eligible for this grant program, applicants must:

• Be 18 years of age or older as of April 19, 2024
• Have two years or less of farming experience OR be planning to start farming within the next two years
• Reside in Horizon Farm Credit's territory

Learn more and check your eligibility at JumpStart | Horizon Farm Credit (horizonfc.com).

Be a Poll Worker!

The Allegheny County Elections Division is looking for poll workers for the April 23rd Primary Election. Poll workers learn about elections in our commonwealth, gain valuable experience, and get paid for training and working Election Day.

Interested in working? 

• Call the Elections office at 412.350.4500, and select option 5
• Email the Elections office at [email protected]
• Stop by suite 312 in the County Office Building, 542 Forbes Avenue, downtown Pittsburgh
• Complete the online application.

Did you know students can serve as poll workers? 

Allegheny County’s Student Poll Worker Program works with students and school districts to give young people the opportunity to participate in democracy. Students 17 years or older get paid or receive community service hours in return for serving on Election Day. Currently, Fox Chapel, North Hills, PGH CAPA 6-12, Saint Joseph, South Fayette, and Springdale School Districts are partnering with Allegheny County Elections to give students this valuable experience serving their communities. 

If you or someone you know are interested in this program, more information is available at Student Poll Worker Program - Allegheny County, PA.

Our elections are made possible by thousands of regular citizens. Become a democracy champion today by signing up at Be a Poll Worker (pa.gov)!

STEAM Outside Camp at Tree Pittsburgh!

Summer is just around the corner and families are starting to plan for their children’s summer camp options. 

If your child likes the outdoors and is interested in the environment, consider applying for STEAM Outside Camp at Tree Pittsburgh, located on a 5-acre riverfront campus in Upper Lawrenceville. This camp is for 4th - 6th graders who will participate in interactive activities guided by STEAM principles:Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. Activities focus on the benefits of trees, nature in an urban environment, exploration of riparian forests and river habitats, and the life of a tree from seed to sapling.

Two sessions are available: June 24-28 and July 8-12.

For more information and to register go to STEAM Outside Camp @ Tree Pittsburgh.

Three Rivers Youth is Training Certified Recovery Specialists!

Looking for a job that makes a difference in people’s lives? Apply to become a Certified Recovery Specialists (CRS) with Three Rivers Youth! This century-old non-profit provides services to at-risk children, adults, and families and is providing training and placement for CRS professionals. Candidates receive 4 weeks of paid certification training that lasts a lifetime and is transferable anywhere in the country.

Three Rivers Youth also offers Anger Management, Outpatient D/A Treatment, Employment, Intervention, Diversion and Mental Health Treatment service. If you know anyone that needs these services, Three Rivers Youth can help! Call them at 412-441-5020 or email [email protected] for more information.

Children's Fishing Day in Shaler!
Fawcett Fields, 411 McElheny Rd, Saturday, April 6, 2024, 8:00 am - Dusk

Want to introduce a child you know to the lifelong sport of fishing? Come to Children’s Fishing Day at Shaler Township’s Fawcett Fields. The Allison Park Sportsmen’s Club will be on hand with equipment and bait to teach the fundamentals and the kids get to enjoy a freshly stocked Little Pine Creek for opening day.  

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