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In this update:
Remembering W.O. Martin Bixler of Glen RockLast Friday, Representative Kate Klunk (R-York/Adams) and I joined family, friends, community leaders and veterans to honor, remember and pay respects to U.S. Army Warrant Officer Martin Bixler, who lost his life in the Vietnam War.
In 1967, Martin answered his nation’s call to undertake the tough mission of fighting a war against a determined foreign enemy on hostile soil. After training and qualification as a helicopter pilot, he was later assigned to the 1st Aviation Brigade in the Republic of Vietnam where he flew combat missions. On October 3, 1968, Martin was piloting his helicopter on an urgent mission to re-supply our troops. The helicopter was hit by enemy fire, crashing and bursting into flames. After freeing himself from the wreckage, and under intense enemy fire, Martin rescued his aircraft commander who was pinned beneath the burning ship; Martin was subsequently fatally wounded minutes later. He was 21 years old. The bridge carrying Valley Street over the South Branch Codorus Creek in Glen Rock will forever be known as the W.O. 1 Martin E. Bixler Memorial Bridge.
Thank you, Martin’s family, friends and fellow servicemen for participating in Friday’s very fitting tribute that paid respects to a true American hero. Agricultural Council banquet showcases best of York CountyEarlier this week, the best of York County was showcased at the annual York County Agriculture Business Council banquet. Rick and I had a great time meeting with so many individuals who are dedicated to making a brighter and better future for York County. Thank you for your hospitality!
United Clubs of York County banquet highlights charitable contributions of orgs throughout countyRepresentative Stan Saylor (R-York) and I provided a legislative update to the officers and members of the United Clubs of York County. The organization includes local Legions, VFWs, and other lodges committed to serving veterans, police, first responders as well as helping children and families in need throughout our community. These clubs play a vital role in contributing to causes that benefit our local communities, thus saving tax dollars. I was able to share some updates from the state Capitol on changes to the small games of chance law, as well as changes to the state’s liquor code to help with raffles and prizes during fundraising events.
I also outlined my forthcoming bill that has been written with the assistance of Harold Redding that would designate days throughout the year to recognize veterans who served during different conflicts. You can read the memo I circulated to my colleagues on that proposal here. York City Fire Company visitI was invited by York City Fire Chief Deardorff to meet with our firefighters in York City, tour their facilities and discuss state legislation that could impact our first responders in the city and throughout York County. I was especially grateful for the hospitality to see the opportunities and challenges for the department in order to learn how they can provide effective and professional response operations to best serve the public.
We toured the historic Laurel Fire Station, which is a community icon but also a place of historical significance. The station was built in 1877 and is the oldest operating fire station in the nation. Lyme Disease preparation for 2019 as weather improvesThe Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is surveying all counties to track tick habitats, life stages, peak activity levels and disease detection. Between July 2018 and mid-March 2019, DEP collected 3,663 adult black-legged ticks. Now the Department of Health is conducting a public awareness campaign to decrease the transmission of tick-borne diseases. Take steps to avoid contact with ticks in your backyard, hiking, or on a camping trip. Recommendations include:
Individuals are encouraged to see a doctor within 3 to 30 days of a tick bite if symptoms appear, including fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, with or without a skin rash or bull’s eye. Current Lyme Disease treatment includes oral or intravenous antibiotics. Elder financial abuse tipsDuring a recent meeting I had with Secretary Robin Weissmann, who leads the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, I was alarmed to hear how prevalent elder financial abuse is in the Commonwealth.
In fact, the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities witnessed a 17 percent increase in elder financial abuse, constituting 40,000 allegations of elder abuse in the last fiscal year. Whether it’s older family members or elderly clients with whom you engage socially or in business, the department encourages you to look for warning signs of elder abuse, including:
Consider appropriate questions and guidance if decision making appears impaired, there are signs of suspicious behaviors, or evidence of unexplained account activity. If you or someone you know has witnessed any possible warning signs, please call the Elder Abuse Hotline 1-800-490-8505 to report it. Local infrastructure projectsOn Wednesday, North York Borough hosted PennDOT and local stakeholders for an update on the ongoing project to widen Interstate 83. I relayed your frustration that we cannot repeat the same mistakes of the Mt. Rose interchange debacle. My focus is ensuring that this project is on time and on budget.
Earlier this week, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania began nighttime installation of a new pipeline under a stream south of Country Club Road between Fairview Drive & South George Street. Traffic will be closed on Fairview Drive between Country Club Road and Edgewood Drive. According to Columbia Gas, work will be ongoing until they complete the stream crossing. PennDOT also announced that starting on Monday, April 8 at 7 a.m., its bridge maintenance crew will close a section of Larue Road between Route 616 and West Springfield Road in the Village of Larue. The closure is expected to last one month. You can find out more about this project here. PennDOT will also close the bridge on Route 216 over Pierceville Run in southwestern York County in Codorus Township on April 15, weather permitting. Read more about this project here. You can report any local infrastructure problem by calling the district office at 717-741-4648 or reaching out to PennDOT directly here. Subscribe to my podcast!My podcast will give you more in-depth discussion on important policy issues important to the residents of the 28th Senatorial District as well as local updates on important projects. I recently updated my website to include instructions on how you can automatically receive my podcasts when they are released directly on your smartphone. They are also always available on my website.
Please visit www.SenatorKristin.com/podcast for instructions on adding my podcast to your device. Please let me know what you think about my podcast by replying to my email. I always appreciate your feedback. I have some exciting guests who will join me in the coming weeks to discuss issues affecting state government and our local community. Stay tuned and please subscribe! Unclaimed property – make sure the state Treasury doesn’t have YOUR moneyMy office is in the process of reaching out to local residents about unclaimed property that is sitting in the state Treasury. I am helping connect people with their money. You may not be aware, but the state Treasury could be sitting on money that is legally yours, but because of an error, wrong address, misspelling or other reasons, it’s sitting in the state Treasury.
Residents are owed anywhere from $50 to thousands of dollars. Make sure you don’t have money sitting at the state Treasury by calling my office. We have a list of local residents who have money at the state Treasury. Please call 717-741-4648. You can also visit the Treasury’s website to see if you are owed money. My office is happy to walk you through the process to get your money. To date, my office has reunited $36,508.88 to residents of the 28th Senatorial District over the past two weeks! REMINDER: Real ID event on April 15Last week, I, along with Representatives Klunk and Jones, announced our rescheduled REAL ID pre-verification event for Monday, April 15 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. The event will be held at the New Freedom Community Center at 150 E. Main Street, New Freedom.
You can find more information here. If you have further questions, please call the local office at 717-741-4648 or email me at senatorkristin@pasen.gov for more information. Southern Elementary students tour CapitolOn Monday, I was fortunate to spend a few minutes with students and teachers from Southern Elementary, part of the Southern York County School District in between meetings at the state Capitol! If you or someone you know is interested in visiting the state Capitol, please contact my office.
On deckThe Senate of Pennsylvania reconvenes for voting on Monday, April 8 at 1 p.m.
You can find out more about next week’s Senate session by visiting www.SenatorKristin.com/session. |
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