Heroin & Opiate Awareness Events

Heroin and opioid-related overdoses are the leading causes of accidental deaths, killing more Pennsylvanians than traffic accidents and continue to plague our communities.

Last year I joined Representative Dan Deasy in hosting two Community Awareness Town Hall meetings to discuss ways to combat this epidemic.  I am pleased that we will host two more town hall meetings this spring.

The first meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 10 at 6 p.m. at the Mt. Washington Senior Center, located at 122 Virginia Avenue on Mt. Washington.  Rep. Harry Readshaw is also co-hosting this event. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. A panel of experts on the topic will be present and available to answer questions. Participants include the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office, Allegheny County District Attorney’s office and Gateway Rehabilitation. Attendees can also bring unwanted or unused prescription medication to this event and the medication will be collected and safely disposed of by the Allegheny County Sheriff’s office as part of their Project D.U.M.P. initiative.

The second meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 20 at 6 p.m. at the McKees Rocks VFW, located at 1242 Chartiers Avenue in McKees Rocks.  Rep. Anita Kulik is also co-hosting this event.

Popular Bubba Show Raising Awareness on Heroin/Opioid Addiction Issue

The radio station, The Star Pittsburgh100.7 FM is helping to battle opioid and heroin addictions in our communities and the effects that they cause.  The popular Bubba Show is teaming up with the experts at Cove Forge Behavioral Health for their next awareness campaign to “Erase the Epidemic.”

“Erase the Epidemic” focuses on bringing awareness to the opioid and heroin addictions that are killing our friends and families in our communities.

High schools have an opportunity to participate.  Anyone interested in participating can nominate your school (grades 9-12) to have a Bubba Show assembly.  The station will select two schools for the Bubba Show assembly, one smaller school and one larger school. The assembly will take place in April.

The Star 100.7 FM is also asking all parents and children to take their own steps to Erase the Epidemic and sign their Star Plan. The Star Plan is an agreement that says, no matter what, if the child is in a situation that makes them uncomfortable or is unsafe that the parent will pick them up to get them out of the situation and talk to them about it.  Please click here to download the Star Plan.  You may also access the plan at http://starpittsburgh.cbslocal.com/.

Thanks to The Star 100.7 FM and the Bubba Show for their efforts in combatting this important problem.

Upcoming Shredding Events

I want to alert everyone about two upcoming shredding events.  On Saturday, April 22, together with Representative Dan Deasy and Crafton and Ingram Boroughs, we are hosting a shredding event at Crafton Park from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.  Then on Saturday, May 13, along with Rep. Deasy and Green Tree Borough, we are hosting a shredding event in Green Tree Park from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Documents at both events will be shredded on-site by a reputable and bonded company.  Also, all papers must be loose, no binder clips or paper clips, and documents cannot be in binders.

With consumer fraud and identity theft continuing to be an issue, we are hosting these events to not only to raise awareness and promote prevention, but also to provide individuals with the opportunity to have unneeded, confidential documents destroyed free of charge.  You may bring documents that contain personal information such as social security numbers, credit card numbers and bank account numbers. 

Great American Cleanup

This year’s Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania runs through May 31.  This project is an annual effort organized by Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, PennDOT, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and other partners, with the goal of keeping our communities clean and green, and improving the overall quality of life for everyone.  Groups participating in PennDOT’s Adopt-A-Highway program, which involves volunteers cleaning roadsides year round, are also encouraged to participate.

If you are interested in registering a cleanup event, please click here or visit www.gacofpa.org and click on the “Organize an Event” tab on the left side.  If you are interested in volunteering, you may also visit the site where you can find a listing of cleanup events, resources for organizing a cleanup, and other information.  These events can include cleaning up litter and trash along roadsides, streams, parks, forests and in neighborhoods, the planting of bulbs and trees and removing graffiti.  All registered events being held through May 31 are eligible for free work gloves, safety vests, and trash bags while supplies last.

2017 Environmental Excellence Award Winners

Last week the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced that 21 organizations across the commonwealth will receive the prestigious 2017 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence for 16 projects that represent the very best in innovation, collaboration, and public service in environmental stewardship.

Among the winners were the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) South and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA).

CCAC received the award for their “South Campus Energy Project.” The physical plant was revamped with new boilers, electric chillers, lighting, ventilators, and plumbing to reduce natural gas usage and lower water treatment and maintenance costs. Summer natural gas use decreased from more than 2,000 MCF (thousand cubic feet) to 2 MCF per month.

The URA was recognized for their “Parking Garage Lighting Retrofit and Best Practices.” In five municipally operated garages in the city, metal halide light fixtures were retrofitted with LED fixtures with occupancy and daylight sensors. Kilowatt hours of usage dropped an average of 57 percent, for a savings of $123,000 in the first 9 months.

Any individual, business, school, government agency, or community organization in Pennsylvania was eligible to apply for the award. DEP chose the winners from more than 50 applications, a 25 percent increase over 2015-2016.

The awardees will be recognized at an event hosted by DEP and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council on April 25 at the Hilton in downtown Harrisburg.

Congratulations to both CCAC and the URA!

Summer Environmental Careers Camp

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is accepting applications from students interested in attending the Exploring Careers Outdoors (ECO) Camp.  The six-day camp begins July 9 at Camp Kresge in Luzerne County, located near Nescopeck State Park.

This free camp will introduce students in grades 10-12 to conservation and environmental careers.  From wildlife conservation projects and stream sampling of aquatic life, to forestry skills, daily activities will offer students a hands-on, team-building learning experience in an outdoor setting.  Participants explore a wide range of career experiences, including water quality assessments, geology field studies, and overnight camping experiences.  Students will also meet conservation professionals to learn about potential career opportunities.  After the camp, attendees will have a chance to seek internships, job-shadowing and other career-related opportunities through the camp’s mentor program.

The application deadline is April 15.  For more information about the ECO Camp and to download a brochure and application, please click here or visit http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/ecocamp/. You may call 717-425-5330 for more information.

ALCOSAN Clean Water Assistance Fund

The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) has launched its Clean Water Assistance Fund, which will help low-income families and individuals pay their ALCOSAN bills. ALCOSAN has committed nearly one million dollars to this vital customer assistance program for qualifying residents in the 83 municipalities that make up the authority’s service area.

The fund will provide a $30 credit every three months to homeowners as well as tenants who have accounts in their own names for sewage service.  To be eligible, applicants must meet income limits set by the federal government.  Currently, that means that a family of four earning $36,450 or less per year would be eligible.   The authority’s board of directors created the fund to make sure low-income residents have access to adequate wastewater services for their homes.

The fund is being administered for ALCOSAN by Dollar Energy Fund, Inc., which partners with dozens of local social service agencies to process applications.  They are taken in person and applicants must provide a copy of their water/sewage bill, Social Security numbers for all members of their household, and proof of the household’s monthly income.  In most cases residents should call in advance for an appointment. 

For more information on this program, including eligibility, participating agencies, and a program fact sheet, please visit www.alcosan.org.

Easterseals Walk with Me

Easterseals Western and Central Pennsylvania are hosting the 15th annual one-mile Walk With Me at Kennywood Park on May 7.  Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. with the Walk beginning at 9:45 a.m.  Participants are encouraged to stay for the post-Walk celebration which will feature music, food, family fun and much more.

Easterseals Western and Central Pennsylvania provides exceptional programs and services to ensure that over 17,000 children and adults with disabilities and other special needs and their families have equal opportunities to live, learn, work and play in their communities. Walk With Me is a national fundraising event to raise awareness and support for families living with disabilities.

For more information on the event and how to register, please visit www.eastersealswcpenna.org or call 412-281-7244, ext. 1229

Fontana Fact

It was on this date in 1969 that Dwight D. Eisenhower, our 34th president passed away.  After a distinguished and decorated military career, Eisenhower was elected president in 1952 and re-elected in 1956.  Upon leaving office in January 1961, President Eisenhower and his wife Mamie Doud Eisenhower retired to his farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

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