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Capitol Report
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#Listrak\DateStampLong#
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The latest news from the State Capitol
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Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link.
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Pancake Breakfast THIS Saturday
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Meeting With Members of the Local Business Community
This week, I had the pleasure of attending the West Shore Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting and dinner for our local business community. I was glad to team up with Rep. Sheryl Delozier (R-88) to present joint citations to the honorees who have been strong advocates for businesses in our districts. Congratulations to all who were recognized for their hard work.
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Celebrating the Festive Season at Silver Spring Winter’s Night
Allie and I had a great time with our neighbors at Silver Spring Winter’s Night at the Silver Spring Fire Company this week! It was great to see so many families taking in holiday festivities and to see our friends at the Silver Spring Township Veterans Committee as well. I stopped by to chat about potential road improvement ideas for the Carlisle Pike, which will make our community a safer place. I hope to see everyone back again next year!
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Celebrating Culture at AIACPA Gala
Last Sunday, I attended the Asian Indian Americans of Central Pennsylvania’s (AIACPA) annual gala. We celebrated the 30th anniversary of the gala and the Indian ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu said a few words. AIACPA events are always a vibrant celebration of culture and community in Central PA, and it was great to speak with the Indian Ambassador about the relationship between our countries.
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CAED Opens New Office in Mechanicsburg
Congratulations to the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation (CAED) on the opening of its new office! CAED now has an office in Mechanicsburg. CAED works to promote economic development, job growth and tourism in Cumberland County. It was great to see so many people from our local business community at the ribbon cutting this week to celebrate CAED’s new space and raise the quality of life in our county.
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Beware of Holiday Scams
The Office of Attorney General is once again warning us all about common scams that typically ramp up during the holiday season.
These include email and text phishing, in which you receive an email or text message directing you to enter personal information on a fraudulent website; home delivery stealing; credit card skimming; romance scams; online pet scams; online pop-up advertisements; and online marketplace deals. Read more about each of these scams here.
To further protect yourselves, you are encouraged to:
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Set up email or text alerts with your credit card company or bank, so you will be alerted quickly to all purchases, including fraudulent purchases. |
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Install the latest security updates and run virus scans regularly on your computer or mobile device. |
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Never use your home’s smart device to find a customer support number for any company and have the system dial it for you. Go directly to the company’s website, call the number on the back of your credit or debit card, or use the number on your billing statement. |
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Never pay with a prepaid gift card, CashApp, or Venmo or wire someone money when you’re trying to buy a gift online. Use your credit card, not a debit card, for better protection. |
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Never click on a hyperlink in an email, social media ad or text message to make a purchase. Go directly to the website of the store you wish to purchase from to ensure you are shopping at the right place. |
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Gift cards are for gifts; you cannot pay a bill or debt owed to the government through a gift card. |
Anyone who believes they may have been scammed should file a police report, and file a complaint with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General online here, or by emailing scams@attorneygeneral.gov or calling 1-800-441-2555.
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Plan Now for Parks, Recreation Grants
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is reminding county and local governments, nonprofit organizations, state heritage areas and others of the next round of Community Conservation Partnerships Program Grants.
The application period for the grant program, which supports an array of parks, conservation and recreation projects, opens Tuesday, Jan. 16.
Videos to learn about the grant program and eligible project areas are available here.
Additional information about the grants and how to apply is available here.
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Saving for Higher Education
If you’ve been thinking about saving for your child’s future education, now may be the time to do it. The Pennsylvania Treasury, which administers the state’s tuition savings programs, recently announced the PA 529 Investment Plan (IP) was named one of the two best plans in the entire country.
The PA 529 IP received its first-ever Morningstar Gold Rating, rating it as one of the very best plans for families. The PA 529 IP was previously rated as silver for three consecutive years (2020-22) and bronze in 2019. The upgrade to gold reflects outstanding management and recent fee reductions which make the PA 529 IP one of the most cost-effective plans in the country.
There are two PA 529 plans available for families to choose from when saving for their child’s future education – the PA 529 IP, and the PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP).
PA 529 plans help families steadily and strategically save for education expenses like tuition, fees, books, room and board, and more at qualifying technical, collegiate and apprenticeship programs. PA 529 plans provide great state and federal tax benefits, and savings don’t impact Pennsylvania state financial aid eligibility.
Learn more at www.pa529.com.
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Watch Out for Deer!
‘Tis the season for deer-related crashes. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID), Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Pennsylvania State Police are reminding motorists to stay alert and watch carefully for deer darting across and along roadways.
Figures compiled by State Farm show Pennsylvanians have a 1-in-59 chance of being involved in an animal-related crash, the third highest in the nation. According to PennDOT data, there were 5,849 deer-related crashes in Pennsylvania last year, resulting in 1,265 injuries and nine fatalities. The average cost of a deer-related collision is approximately $4,300, based on industry reports.
The following tips can help reduce the possibility of being involved in a crash with a deer:
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Slow down and use caution, particularly where deer crossing signs are posted, and increase following distance between vehicles. |
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Make young drivers aware of increased deer movement. |
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Be especially watchful during morning and evening hours when wildlife is most active. |
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Exercise caution when one deer crosses a roadway. Since deer often travel in small herds, one deer will usually be followed by others. |
For more information, click here.
Pennsylvanians can report a dead deer for removal from state-maintained roads by calling 1-800-FIX-ROAD.
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