State Rep. Steve Samuelson

Of $52.5 million in grants for 225 Recreation and Conservation projects around the state, Samuelson said two are for the City of Bethlehem. These include $500,000 to help the city connect the South Bethlehem Greenway with the Saucon Rail Trail, allowing access from Bethlehem to Quakertown, and $250,000 toward improvements at Friendship Park on North Street, including pedestrian walkways, a plaza, pavilion, basketball court and splash pad.

A $108,650 state grant awarded will allow the city of Bethlehem to update its recreation plan, announced state reps. Steve Samuelson and Jeanne McNeill.

Samuelson said the grant was provided through the Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program, which funds projects that involve development, rehabilitation and improvements to public parks, recreation areas, greenways, trails and river conservation. Grants can be awarded for up to $250,000 for any project. A 15 percent match of the total project cost is required.

The CFA is an independent state agency that oversees the distribution of Pennsylvania’s economic stimulus packages to support public projects.

State Rep. Susan Wild

Congresswoman Susan Wild announced that Pennsylvania has been awarded $193,486,298 in funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. This investment will help individuals and families with low incomes pay home heating costs this winter, as well as prevent energy shut-offs, weatherize homes to increase energy efficiency, and make minor energy-related home repairs.

Pennsylvania was awarded a total of $193,486,298.

•$193,080,868 from the regular LIHEAP block grant funding.

•$3,405,430 in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for Fiscal Year 2024.

Visit energyhelp.us to learn more about how to apply for LIHEAP and identify if you are eligible for assistance using the LIEAP Eligibility Tool or call the hotline at 1-866-674-6327.

Wild announced Nov. 7 over $2.2 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been slated for Pennsylvania. These investments will fund repairs to roads and bridges in our commonwealth and invest in our electric vehicle charging network.

The resources Pennsylvania will receive from the U.S. Department of Transportation for Fiscal Year 2024 include:

•$1.9 billion for road replacements and improvements.

•$353 million to repair and rebuild bridges.

•$36.5 million to build electric vehicle chargers.

Pennsylvania is expected to receive over $13.2 billion over the next five years to fund improvements to our roads and bridges. These investments will address the 3,353 bridges and over 7,540 miles of highway in or commonwealth currently in need of repair.

whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Pennsylvania-Fact-Sheet-E3.pdf for more information about how the Bipartisan Infrastrucure Law is getting to work for Pennsylvania.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey

Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Safe Schools Improvement Act to safeguard against bullying and harassment in K-12 schools. The bill would require school districts to adopt codes of conduct specifically prohibiting bullying and harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics), disability, and religion. Companion legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA-38).

The Safe Schools Improvement Act will require schools and school districts receiving federal funding to specifically prohibit bullying and harassment; provide annual notice to parents, students and education professionals on prohibited conduct and procedures for students or parents to report incidents of bullying or harassment; and support efforts to prevent and respond to incidents of bullying and harassment both in school and online through prevention programs and policies with proven effectiveness.

Casey announced in early November new federal initiatives to support economic revitalization and workforce development for Pennsylvania energy communities and workers. With the announcement of a Rapid Response Team, Pennsylvania energy communities will be able to access federal resources to train workers and invest in an energy economy of the future more easily. The announcement was followed by panels by Administration and state officials on how local Pennsylvania communities can better compete for federal investments.

Casey and Rick Scott (R-FL) Nov. 9 introduced the Disclosing Investments in Foreign Adversaries Act to provide transparency into investments made by American hedge funds and private equity firms in countries of concern like China and Russia. Currently, private equity, hedge funds, and venture capital firms can invest Americans’ savings and pensions in China without the American people’s knowledge. The legislation would require these private investment funds to annually disclose any assets invested in countries like China to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); require the SEC to publicly release a report of firms investing assets in countries of concern and the percentage of those invested assets; entities selling stock in the private markets would also be required to disclose the recipient of the investment, the intended location of the investment, and the investment’s intended purpose.

State Treasurer Stacy Garrity

Garrity has announced it is National Unclaimed Property Month, that the Pennsylvania Treasury returned more than $211 million in unclaimed property in 2022. Treasury also returned 90 military decorations and memorabilia to veterans or their families. Unclaimed property can include dormant bank accounts, abandoned stocks, uncashed checks, and more. Property is always available for the rightful owner to claim.

Northampton Co. Executive Lamont G. McClure

The Northampton County Farmland Preservation Board celebrated the 250th preserved farm in at the Good Work Farm property in Upper and Lower Nazareth townships. This small but crucial working farm is a testament to show even smaller farms add value to the agricultural output and stability of Northampton County’s working farms.