One of the most important tasks that I have as a State Senator is reviewing the governor’s selections for state cabinet positions and confirming their appointments.

Later this year, Pennsylvania voters will hopefully be given the historic opportunity to change how we elect the 31 justices and judges who sit on our three state appellate courts — Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth. Under a proposed constitutional amendment now being debated in the state H…

It was the summer of 1776, near New York City, when Gen. George Washington readied his troops for an attack by the British. As the leading center of commerce, it was imperative that the Continental Army help this vital economic center.   

Last month marked Transgender Awareness Week, Nov. 13-19, a prelude to Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20. This day is set aside to commemorate transgender people lost to violence. Transgender Awareness Week is a week when transgender people and their allies take action to bring atten…

The deadline to enroll in Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) for the 2021 program year is fast-approaching. Dairy producers have until Friday, Dec. 11, 2020, to enroll in DMC through your local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county office here in Pennsylvania.   At about $0.15 per hundredweight, DMC is …

The deadline to enroll in Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) for the 2021 program year is fast-approaching. Dairy producers have until Friday, Dec. 11, 2020, to enroll in DMC through your local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county office here in Pennsylvania.   At about $0.15 per hundredweight, DMC is …

As the General Assembly prepares for the upcoming 2021-22 session, one of the many areas we are addressing is how to aid Pennsylvania’s struggling businesses and reinforce our economy so it is stronger than it was before the business closures and stay-at-home orders were imposed.

Newspapers in Pennsylvania have a long history of providing timely, accurate and informative news to the citizens of the commonwealth. We deliver the stories that matter most to residents of local communities; stories that often cannot be found elsewhere. Despite the challenges and uncertain…

Here in Pennsylvania, our dedicated and highly skilled workers are driving our economy -- and they are powering America. From clean natural gas to coal, Pennsylvania is a bastion of natural resources. For centuries, our region has been steeped in the proud tradition of energy production and …

Pennsylvanians are fed up with government overreach and oppression.

Two of Gov. Tom Wolf’s latest restrictions on restaurant and venue industries put hundreds of thousands of people out of work and caused countless businesses to close.

Shippensburg Borough in Franklin and Cumberland counties will be voting on a so-called non-discrimination ordinance on Sept. 1, but how many of the residents of the borough know this? How many of the residents of the borough know the full ramifications of the proposed ordinance?  During the …

A restaurant from Ohio recently awarded PA Gov. Tom Wolf with its “employee of the month award.”

With the start of the school year fast approaching, everyone from parents and students to teachers and school administrators are likely feeling anxious about what lies ahead. So many kids want and need to go back to the classroom, and our school district officials across the state are workin…

As our nation combats the coronavirus pandemic and its vast economic and health ramifications, we cannot ignore the dangers of another public health crisis wrought at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. For far too long, China has been the largest primary source for fentanyl and fentan…

Pennsylvania’s junior firefighter program received a much-needed update when the governor signed House Bill 1552, my first piece of legislation to be signed into law.

Pain and anger have cut me wide open again with the recent killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. I’ve begun expressing these feelings in conversations with friends in the community and on social media. Maybe because I’m a recently-retired Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) a…

Benjamin Franklin was asked in 1787, “What do we have Mr. Franklin, a Republic or a king?” He responded, “A Republic, if you can keep it.”

I’ve been in law enforcement for more than 18 years. I was elected District Attorney in Lebanon County and served in that capacity from Jan. 1, 2006, through Jan. 28, 2020, when I resigned to take office in the Pennsylvania Senate. I now serve the constituents of the 48th Senatorial District…

The whole world is turned upside down

One of the lessons we have learned from the pandemic is that we are all essential workers. Whether we stay at home or wear masks in public to keep each other safe, or whether we go to work at the grocery store to stock, check out, or sanitize the cart handles, we are all vitally essential. W…

Pennsylvania ranks in the top 10 in tax burden among all states, according to the Commonwealth Foundation, and there have been five tax hikes in the past 11 years.

Tax season is upon us. Forget the other four seasons- spring, summer, fall and winter. Officially, tax season starts Monday, and it is often the most dreaded season of the year. There is no reason for people to dread tax time, however. The local Chambersburg TaxAide program is here to help a…

Transparency and accessibility are very important to me and an attribute that should be expected of every elected official.

Over the summer, I overheard a conversation while tending the sober bar and it went like this:

About a year ago, I was fortunate enough to have been sworn in to represent the people of the 193rd Legislative District in the state House of Representatives. I often reflect on the responsibility you have entrusted to me and want to take a moment to renew that commitment.

Sadly, the birthplace of liberty and freedom has become one of the highest taxed and over-regulated states in the nation. It seems that Harrisburg bureaucrats are continuously looking for new ways to extort revenue from its citizens. We all know the sting of taxation, where sadly, Pennsylvan…

When I was elected to the school board in 2015, my hope was that I would be part of a board that would build better schools for Ship students.

When one looks through a microscope, one sees a ‘small sample’ (i.e. the Big Spring School District) as opposed to when one uses a telescope to view a larger universe (all 499 school districts in PA). I recently attended the PA School Board Association state-wide conference where all 499 sch…

Most Pennsylvanians want to be left alone to live their lives without undue interference from the government.

Think fast – there’s been an accident. Do you know what to do if disaster strikes? Of course you do...call 911. Many of us have called it, and morning, noon or night, you can be sure someone will answer. We are blessed to live in a state where someone will answer, and help will come.

I applaud Gov. Tom Wolf’s recent trip to Lithuania and Poland. He is the first serving governor to travel to the region, and it is a great opportunity to strengthen the state’s military, economic and business ties with these important NATO allies.

If you’ve ever had a conversation with a nurse, doctor or another healthcare worker, you know how inspiring their commitment to patients and our community can be.

It is always exciting when Pennsylvania can claim to be the first in the nation. It is even better when it involves looking after our service members’ families.

Eighteen years ago on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, I remember walking to my first class of the day at Slippery Rock University. It was an early class, so I did not know what terror was unfolding in New York City until after I arrived in the classroom across campus.

School property taxes are crippling homeowners.

Gov. Wolf’s charter school overhaul would cut funding for charters, cap enrollment, and place a moratorium on new cyber charter schools, even as tens of thousands of students are on waiting lists for charter schools across the state. In short, it would deny families the schooling options they seek.

The legislative session has been quite productive. The House passed numerous bills to improve Pennsylvania and those who live here. Though the General Assembly is not currently in voting session, I have been busy here in Adams and Cumberland counties meeting with residents to learn how the b…

Our commonwealth’s foster care and adoption system is in a crisis.

The PA Libertarian and Green Parties agree that SB 300, which will disenfranchise nearly a half million voters, must be struck down.

Pennsylvania is in the process of updating its Clean Water Blueprint to protect and restore rivers and streams critical to our economy, citizens, and quality of life. The plan, formally known as the Phase 3 Watershed Implementation Plan, must specify the actions the commonwealth will take be…

While the national economy is booming due to federal tax and pro-growth policies, our state has seen positive economic growth year over year. For example, sales tax receipts grew 8 percent or $713 million by the end of May, Personal Income Tax grew 5 percent or $633 million, and Corporate Ne…

Since the 2008 recession, Pennsylvanians have watched their communities shrink in population and businesses and factories that were once staples of family-sustaining jobs close. Since 1991, our commonwealth has ranked near the bottom of the list of states in job growth. A major contributing …

Election Day is just around the corner. Tuesday, May 21, is a critical election for our community. These local elections are where significant changes are made. The vote you make on Tuesday will have the most impact in your day-to-day lives and that of your family.

During another challenging time, the late Gov. Robert P. Casey - our U.S. Senator's father - offered the sage advice that "we need to put our heads together instead of banging them together."