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In this Update:
Great week at the PA Farm Show!
Every year, the Pennsylvania Farm Show Scholarship Foundation awards funds to college students with a background in agricultural education. This year, there are three scholarship recipients from the 32nd district receiving part of the $2 million raised by the foundation:
Congratulations Serena, Caleb and Trey!
Among the vendors in the Farm Show’s Main Hall is On Point Adventure Foods – a freeze-dried food company based in Somerset County! It was great to connect with owners Justin and Sabrina about their plans to expand their business and see the freeze-dried goodness up-close.
This week, the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee along with the Senate Communications and Technology Committee held a joint town hall highlighting technological innovations in Pennsylvania’s agricultural sector. We heard from Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, we heard from Penn State University’s Agricultural Sciences Dean Troy Ott, and other tech-based agricultural industry leaders. REAL ID Event in Somerset on Monday
To ensure that residents are prepared for the upcoming federal REAL ID enforcement deadline of May 7, 2025, PennDOT District 9 announced that it will hold special REAL ID service hours at its Somerset Driver License Center at 5593 Glades Pike, Somerset on Monday, January 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, visit PennDOT’s website. Senate Republicans Kick Off 2025-26 Session with New Members, Leadership Team
The Pennsylvania Senate convened on Tuesday for the start of the 2025-26 legislative session, highlighted by the swearing in of new and reelected members. The proceedings also included the formal reelection of Sen. Kim Ward (R-39) as senate president pro tempore, as well as a vote on rules to govern the body for the next two years. Voters gave Senate Republicans a 28-22 majority in the November 2024 General Election. Learn which members took the oath of office for the first time, who was sworn in following reelection and who is serving as part of the leadership team here. Still to come are member committee assignments for the 2025-26 legislative session. Scholarships Available Soon for Students Earning Degrees in In-Demand Jobs
Pennsylvania students pursuing a degree for an in-demand occupation will soon be able to apply for a $5,000 scholarship through the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) because of a law passed by Senate Republicans. To bolster industries with lots of open positions, the law requires them to agree to live and work in Pennsylvania in an in-demand occupation for at least one year for each year they accept the scholarship. Those occupations include agriculture, computer science, business, education, special education, STEM education, engineering, nursing, allied health, criminal justice and other programs approved by PHEAA. The list of in-demand occupations will be adjusted regularly to reflect Pennsylvania’s workforce needs. Out-of-state students are eligible for scholarships that allow them to pay in-state tuition rates. If a student receives a scholarship but does not complete the educational program or fails to meet other terms of the agreement, the scholarship will be converted to a loan and must be repaid by the student. The application is expected to be available on PHEAA’s website in the coming weeks, and more information will be shared then. Online Resource Tracks State Plows
Winter weather can impact safety on the roads, particularly before snow is cleared and salt is spread to mitigate icy spots. As the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) crews work to keep roads passable, you may be wondering where the plow is in your area. All of PennDOT’s roughly 2,200 owned and rented plow trucks are equipped with automated vehicle location systems, which use in-truck technology to log and share data in real time for that truck. View the routes of these interstate and expressway trucks here. PennDOT maintains nearly 40,000 miles of roads and 25,400 bridges statewide, which translates to more than 95,000 snow-lane miles. More Veterans are Eligible for Free Birth and Death Certificates
New this year, more veterans and their families are eligible for free birth and death certificates from the Pennsylvania Department of Health because of legislation passed by Senate Republicans. All veterans who were discharged or released from services under conditions other than dishonorable can receive a veteran fee waiver. Previously, they were only available for military members who were in active service or who were honorably discharged. Normally, there is a non-refundable $20 fee per copy, but with this law, up to 10 free copies will be available. The fee waiver may be applied to applications for the veteran, spouse and dependent children. To be eligible for the waiver, applications for birth and death certificates must be submitted with documentation proving military status. Schedule Your Free State Capitol Tour
If you’re looking for a fun educational activity for your family, you can tour the state Capitol for free. During a 30-minute guided tour, Capitol tour guides point out architectural and artistic highlights as they make the Capitol’s history come alive. There is also an Interactive Welcome Center and Capitol Gift Shop to enjoy during your visit. Guided tours are offered every half hour Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Weekends and most holidays, tours are offered at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Schedule a tour online or by calling the Tour Guide Office at 1-800-TOUR-N-PA (868-7672). Groups of 10 or more require advanced reservations. For your safety, group size is limited to 40.
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