Senator Fontana attended the Honor Roll Dedication Ceremony in Brookline on Saturday where a new plaque was presented.  The new plaque lists the 56 heroes who lost their lives in defense of our country during World Wars I and II, the Korean War, and Vietnam War.

Senior Fair this Thursday!

This Thursday is my annual, FREE Senior Fair at the Dormont Recreation Center, located at 1801 Dormont Avenue, next to Dormont Pool.  The Senior Fair will run from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.  Light refreshments will be served.

New this year, attendees will have the chance to learn about Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program!

Do you suffer from chronic pain, cancer, anxiety disorders, or one of the other 23 qualifying medical conditions? Do you have questions about medical marijuana or need help obtaining your Pennsylvania medical marijuana card? Join Dr. John Metcalf and pharmacists from Maitri Medicinals at my Senior Fair for on-site medical marijuana card certifications and education. Contact 1-833-667-4665 or [email protected] to ensure you come prepared to the event with the necessary medical information.

American Healthcare Group will once again be on hand to provide flu shots for attendees.  There is no charge for the flu shots to anyone with a Medicare Part B card.  Please bring your card with you.

At this Thursday’s Senior Fair, attendees can also:

• Drop off unwanted medications as part of Sheriff Mullen’s Project D.U.M.P.
• Have your photo taken to receive a new, updated Senior ConnectCard that will allow you to ride Port Authority buses and light rail for free
  
• Visit with a pharmacist from Duquesne University’s School of Pharmacy to ask about medications
  
• Get blood pressure checked
  
• Receive important information from participating organizations on services and resources available to seniors

I’m pleased that the following organizations will be participating at this year’s Senior Fair:

Anyone with questions can contact my district office at 412-344-2551.  If you need a flu shot, want to learn more about medical marijuana, have unwanted medications you need to dispose of, or want to receive important information from some of our region’s finest organizations and senior advocates, I hope you’ll consider attending this free event.

Beechview Update

I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to the City of Pittsburgh planners and public works employees for the work they’ve done on Broadway Avenue in Beechview and for utilizing state and city funds in such an effective and productive manner.

The partnership between Councilperson Coghill and his staff, Mayor Peduto and his administration and myself has resulted in positive safety enhancements along Broadway Avenue for walkers, bicyclists, transit riders and motorists.  These enhancements include the elimination of inside passing lanes at transit stops, newly painted crosswalks and parking spots.  I want to thank the many residents of Beechview who have taken the time to contact me about this project and for their willingness to express their opinions, the overwhelming majority of which have been very positive.

Our communities are much stronger when everyone is pulling in the same direction.  I look forward to continued enhancements along Broadway and surrounding areas in the near future and remain committed to working with stakeholders and other elected officials to continue bringing positive change to Beechview.

New Senior Citizen ConnectCards

The Port Authority of Allegheny County is in the process of issuing new Senior Citizen Connect Cards and my office can assist. The new cards will replace the current blue or yellow PA Senior Transit ID cards and will have a photo of the cardholder on the card. These new cards will enable the user to ride Port Authority and other public transit vehicles for free across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Both my Brookline and Kennedy Township offices are equipped to help seniors get their new cards. Simply visit either office and bring with you ONE valid document that shows proof-of-age.  This includes a driver’s license or state-issued photo ID card, birth certificate, PACE ID card, or passport to name a few. My staff will enter your information into Port Authority’s system and upload your photo and a copy of your proof-of-age document. 

Upon receiving the information from my office, the Port Authority will produce a new Senior Citizen ConnectCard and then mail the card to my office where you can return to pick up the card. New cards should take a couple weeks to arrive at my office from the time Port Authority receives the information. When you return to get your new card, please bring with you your current senior bus pass so we can exchange it for your new ConnectCard.

Anyone age 65 or over is eligible to receive this new card and ride Port Authority and other public transit vehicles for free.

Meat-Processing Grants Supporting Small Businesses

A second grant program made possible by the PA Farm Bill is now accepting applications. The Very Small Meat Processor Grant Program will provide funding to reimburse a portion of inspection and certification requirements for businesses that meet the federal definition of “very small meat processors”.

The grants make up to $50,000 available to meat-processing businesses with annual sales of less than $2.5 million and fewer than 10 employees, or new businesses aiming to be that size. Funds can be used to pay for up to 50 percent of the cost of a first-time purchase of equipment necessary to comply with the Federal Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan, a requirement processors must meet to ensure that meat is safely processed.

Grants can fund up to 50 percent of actual costs of equipment required to comply with federal HACCP certification, or the costs of technical assistance or advice from a food safety specialist to develop their plan.

The PA Farm Bill is a package of legislation that provides support for and continued investments in the commonwealth’s agriculture industry. The legislation provides for business development and succession planning, accommodations for a growing animal agriculture sector, removing regulatory burdens, strengthening the ag workforce, protecting infrastructure, and making Pennsylvania the nation’s leading organic state.

Qualified businesses can apply for the grants at www.esa.dced.state.pa.us/login.aspx. The application period closes on Sept. 30.

For more information about the PA Farm Bill, the Meat-Processor Grants and investments to support Pennsylvania agriculture, visit www.agriculture.pa.gov.  

Students Invited to Develop Technologies, Solutions to Combat Roadway Litter

The PA Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) have announced that students in grades 9-12 are invited to participate in the third PennDOT Innovations Challenge which encourages students to use their problem-solving, creative and strategic-thinking abilities to solve real-world transportation challenges in a competition among their peers.
 
This year’s Innovations Challenge asks students to look at cost-effective technologies and innovative solutions - aside from laws, programs and educational campaigns - that can be developed in the next five to 10 years to help PennDOT more efficiently, effectively and safely control litter along roadways. 
 
Last year, PennDOT spent nearly $13 million cleaning up roadside litter across Pennsylvania.  In addition, nearly 5,000 volunteers spend countless hours participating in the Adopt-A-Highway program each year. These dollars and volunteer hours could have otherwise been spent on delivering a better transportation network and making Pennsylvania a better state in which to live. 
 
The Innovations Challenge aims to not only help students explore real transportation challenges that PennDOT is facing, but also open their minds to the very real possibility of working for PennDOT after graduation.
 
Regional Innovations Challenge winners will be selected and invited to compete in Harrisburg for the state championship. This year, the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) and the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful (KPB) organization are providing a combined total award of $3,000 to be divided among the first, second and third place statewide winning teams.
 
For complete Innovations Challenge details, visit www.penndot.gov/innovation. The deadline for submissions is December 20, 2019.

REAL ID Reminder

I want to remind anyone interested in getting a REAL ID how to go about it.  In March, PennDOT began issuing REAL IDs to customers for the first time.

If you received your first Pennsylvania driver's license, learner's permit or photo ID card AFTER September 2003, PennDOT may already have your required REAL ID documentation on file.

If you fall into this category and would like PennDOT to verify that your required REAL ID documentation is on file, please click here to begin the REAL ID Online Pre-Verification application process. Once PennDOT has reviewed your record, you will receive an email stating whether your documentation is on file with the department. If you did not provide an email address, once PennDOT has reviewed your record, you will receive a postcard stating whether your documentation is on file with the department. If your documentation is on file with PennDOT, you will be able to order your REAL ID online without visiting a driver's license center at www.dmv.pa.gov and your REAL ID will be sent through the mail.

Individuals who wish to obtain a REAL ID and received their first product BEFORE September 2003 must visit a PennDOT Driver License Center with the required documentation to pre-verify in person. Required documentation includes the following:

• Proof of Identity (original or certified copy of a birth certificate with a raised seal, issued by an authorized government agency, or a valid U.S. Passport)
• Social Security card
• Proof of all legal name changes (marriage certificate, court order or divorce decree)
• Two proofs of current, physical PA address (examples include a current PA license or ID and no more than a 90-day old bank statement or utility bill with the same name and address)

For additional information about REAL ID in Pennsylvania please visit www.penndot.gov/REALID or  http://www.pasenate.com/RealID/.
 
Getting a REAL ID is optional for Pennsylvania residents but as a reminder, beginning October 1, 2020, Pennsylvanians will need a REAL ID-compliant driver's license, photo ID card, or another form of federally-acceptable identification (such as a valid passport or military ID) to board a domestic commercial flight or enter a federal building or military installation that requires ID.

Stowe Township Rib Fest

The Stowe Township Police Association is hosting their 4th annual Rib Fest on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 1 p.m.  The event will take place at the Kennedy Township Fireman’s Hall, located at 1796 Pine Hollow Road and is being catered by Mission BBQ.  In addition to ribs, the event features raffles, prizes, games and more.  Proceeds benefit the Stowe Police Association Fallen/Injured Officer Fund and charities supported by the association.

Fontana Fact

It was on this day in 1783 that The Treaty of Paris was signed, marking the formal end of the American Revolutionary War. American statesmen Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and John Jay negotiated the peace treaty with Great Britain. In the Treaty of Paris, the British Crown formally recognized American independence and ceded most of its territory east of the Mississippi River to the United States, doubling the size of the new nation and paving the way for westward expansion.

Brookline District 1039 Brookline Boulevard Suite 2 Pittsburgh, PA 15226 Phone: 412-344-2551 Weekdays – 9 am – 5 pm	Harrisburg 543 Main Capitol | Box 203042 Harrisburg, PA 17120 Phone: 717-787-5300 Fax: 717-772-5484 Weekdays – 8:30 am – 5 pm	Kennedy Township Kenmawr Plaza 524 Pine Hollow Road Kennedy Twp, PA 15136 Phone: 412-331-1208 Weekdays – 10 am – 4 pm
Beechview Satellite 1660 Broadway Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15216 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. – First Tuesday of each month or by appointment