Good News

Honoring our POW-MIA

I was grateful to join my fellow Allegheny County elected officials and the Pittsburgh Steelers last weekend to rededicate the Acrisure Stadium Chair of Honor, which remembers those heroes who lost their lives, became prisoners of war, or have gone missing in action.

This empty chair, which was first dedicated in 2017, serves as a reminder of all the sacrifices made for our country by these still missing servicemen and servicewomen.

Touring Growing Garden Child Care Center

Last week I had the chance to meet with Heather Wells, the owner and director of Growing Garden Child Care Center in Tarentum. We talked about the challenges facing our early childhood facilities.

Our economy cannot recover if child care is not available to support the workforce– and early childhood education is critical to the development of tomorrow’s workforce. I’m proud to support investments in child care and early childhood education.

McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority Visit

Last week I got to visit McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority and see their brand-new ambulance, purchased with a 2023 DCED grant that I supported. It is a very impressive vehicle. Whenever I visit my EMS companies, I am continually blown away by their high levels of professionalism and readiness.

While I was there, Chief Dell and his staff walked me through some beginner EMT training in their EMS simulation lab. With their help, I learned how to intubate and ventilate a training manikin. I also practice drilling a intraosseous (IO) vascular access that lets EMTs give fluid and medications through the bone when they can’t access a vein in an urgent emergency in the field.

Thank you to our first responders for all they do every day, but especially this holiday season!

Peace, Pizza, and Puzzles

Last week’s Peace, Pizza, and Puzzles event was a huge success! Our event was an opportunity for folks to come and gather and build community, regardless of whether their candidate won the election. It was great to see lots of new faces and neighbors from across D38 who hadn’t met before chat, laugh, break bread (pizza), and team up for some low-stakes puzzle-solving.

It may sound cheesy, but if folks can solve jigsaw puzzles together, tackling the bigger stuff is more achievable than we might think.

PPP was our first time putting together this type of event. There will be many more to come!

Thank you to Shaler North Hills Library for hosting us and Frank's Pizza & Chicken in Shaler for providing the delicious food.

Celebrating the West View HUB

On Thursday, I had the chance to tour the West View HUB and see for myself the amazing work that they do every day to support their neighbors and build community. The HUB hosts groups for new moms to support one another through the difficult transition into parenthood, boasts a performance space and recording studio, maintains a fully-stocked food pantry open to anyone in need, and serves as a library and computer lab.

I was especially excited to let the staff there know that they're receiving a state grant for 37 new laptops, which they'll use in their after-school enrichment and support programs!

Read more about the award for the HUB, The Kingsley Association, and the future Etna Community Organization library here: Bridging The Digital Divide: Senator Lindsey M. Williams Announces Awards Connecting Communities to the Internet - Senator Lindsey Williams.

Charles “Teenie” Harris Exhibit at Carnegie Museum of Art

D38 Staffer Grace was incredibly grateful to attend a tour of Carnegie Museum of Art’s new gallery dedicated to the legendary Pittsburgh photographer, Charles “Teenie” Harris and his archive of 70,000+ photos of Black life in mid-20^th-century Pittsburgh. These photos are a testament to the power of community and making it through tough times together. This new exhibit space is the first time the Carnegie Museum has been able to display Harris’s color photography, as well as his film negatives. For kids today, this is often their first time seeing a roll of film!

If you can’t make it to the museum, you can browse the archive online at Charles “Teenie” Harris Archive — Carnegie Museum of Art. Areas in Senator District 38 are well represented in the archive, including the above photos from the 1950s of the Westinghouse marching band and photos of the Snowflake Ball at the East Liberty YMCA.

 

Thank you to Darieus Veltri of VIZNS Photography for the wonderful photos of the event!

Legislative Update

Indiana Township Receives Municipal Assistance Program Grant

We are thrilled to announce that Indiana Township is receiving a Municipal Assistance Program grant to upgrade their municipal building to create an Accessible Emergency Health Assistance Facility!

This new space will give local EMS crews a permanent sub-station, allowing them to more quickly respond to all areas of the Township. This is an incredible re-use of space, and I'm proud to support this collaboration that brings our EMS crews and community closer together!

First responders such as EMS and fire departments across the state are struggling to keep their doors open and respond with their high standards to an increasing number of calls. For many departments, mergers are the only way forward.

I support any efforts to increase the staffing for our local first responders. I hear from so many people looking for community, and fire departments really provide that opportunity. Regionalization is a very helpful tool, but the state needs to both incentivize and provide more logistical support than we currently do. In an ideal world, the state would pay people directly for their efforts, not make them jump through tax credit hoops that may or may not help them. I don’t think there is one magic bullet solution - we need to be inclusive of every walk of life who wants to serve their community.

For many fire departments, merger may be the only way forward | TribLIVE.com

News You Can Use

Skip the Shopping and Hit the Trail

If you prefer to hit the trails instead of the mall on Black Friday, you can join the Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy for their annual OptOutside Hike! The Trails Conservancy has been hosting this hike for several years now. The goal is to spend time outdoors in nature rather than indoors and shopping.  All are welcome. This event is free and open to the public. (Not stroller friendly)

Please consider bringing new and/or lightly used winter coats and clothes. They will be donated to a local charity.

Meet at the Overlook Shelter at Harrison Hills Park at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, November 29! For more information, check out OptOutside Hike | Facebook.

Art King of Harvest Valley Farms

PA Preferred Spotlight on Harvest Valley Farms

Gibsonia's Harvest Valley Farms is this month’s PA Eats Member Spotlight!

Co-Owner Art King is a strong supporter of the PA Preferred program, which helps people find locally grown and processed PA Agricultural products. “People need to know that they are buying a product that was grown in PA. At our Farm Market we pride ourselves at carrying local products, and it has proven to be an important aspect for our customers time and time again.”

You can find Harvest Valley Farms products at its new farm market location starting late March, 2025 at 5820 William Flynn Highway, Bakerstown and the PA Preferred Monroeville Farmers Market, which runs May through November.

PA Preferred farms and businesses grow and create products with 75 percent of the ingredients grown or harvested in Pennsylvania. Every time you buy a PA Preferred item, you’re investing right into Pennsylvania agriculture, farmers and producers. You can use the PA Preferred locator tool here: Support Pennsylvania Farms - PA Preferred

Telling the Story of Pennsylvania

Did you know that the first aluminum observatory dome was constructed here in Ross Township? Thanks to the Pennsylvania Trails of History Historical Marker Program, this and other important PA historical sites are marked for everyone to see.

The PA Historical and Museum Commission is reopening the Historical Marker Program and accepting applications to mark key pieces of the stories of Pennsylvania.

Final applications for the first round of new markers are due April 1, 2025, with the first of the new markers being cast and installed in 2026.

Nominations for historical markers may be submitted by any individual or organization and are evaluated by a panel of independent experts from throughout the state and approved by the agency’s commissioners. More information on the Pennsylvania Historical Marker Program, including application guidelines, is available online at www.PAHistoricalMarkers.com.

Holiday Light Recycling

Did your holiday lights not survive the off-season? Don't throw them away-- recycle them! D38 has multiple drop off spots:

* Township of Pine

* Richland Township

* Township of O'Hara

* Township of Hampton

Keep these electronics out of the landfill! Proceeds from all recycled lights will go towards Project Bundle Up and new outwear for local children and seniors—a real win-win!

From our families to yours, we wish you a safe, happy, and healthy Thanksgiving!

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