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In this Update:
I-83 in Harrisburg to be Closed Saturday NightThis Saturday, August 24th, both directions of I-83 between Exit 44B (19th St.) and Exit 45 (Paxton St./Bass Pro Drive) will have left lane restrictions beginning at 7pm. The interstate will then be completely closed in the area from 11pm Saturday to 8am Sunday. The following detours will be in place:
This closure is necessary for the demolition of the 29th Street Bridge, which is part of a larger project that includes widening I-83, reconstruction of the 19th and 29th Street bridges, construction of a new Cameron Street interchange, and removal of the 13th Street interchange, among other improvements. Please use caution when traveling in the area, and check traffic conditions on 511PA. For more information about this project, click here. Regan Meets with Mechanicsburg Person of the YearThis week I had the pleasure of meeting with Jayne Drake, who has been named Mechanicsburg’s Person of the Year for her leadership on the Renaissance Mechanicsburg Project and the Downtown Mechanicsburg Partnership. I applaud the decision to bestow this honor on Jayne Drake as she has been the driving force leading the community charge to revitalize the Mechanicsburg downtown, and I was pleased to hear from her this week of the progress being made so far. Jayne was instrumental in first bringing the Renaissance Project to my attention, and together we were able to secure nearly $1 million in state grants to support this effort, which aims to create a gathering space and community park in the heart of downtown Mechanicsburg. I’ve seen firsthand Jayne’s commitment to this endeavor, which not only betters Mechanicsburg, but also enriches the entire 31st Senate District. Her impactful work and unwavering dedication of the Renaissance Mechanicsburg Project will be seen for years to come. School Safety Funding Now Available, Applications Due Sept. 26thPCCD has announced that applications are now being accepted for all School Safety and Security grant categories, and applications are due by Thursday, September 26th. In this year’s budget, the legislature appropriated once again, $100 million for school districts to address school safety, security need, and mental health concerns. An additional $20 million is available for nonpublic schools. New this year, schools may use their funding for the purchase of lockable cellphone bags to benefit students’ mental health by giving them a much-needed break from their mobile devices while in school. Over the last decade there has been a sharp drop in children’s mental health, which directly correlates to the increased use of cellphones and social media apps. The cellphone bags are another tool schools may choose to use to address this growing concern. Reference guides for funding opportunities are available from PCCD through the links below for each eligible entity:
Senate Approves $75 Million to Expand Educational Opportunities for StudentsParents know best when it comes to the individual needs of their children, which is why Senate Republicans continue to stand up for parental empowerment and involvement in their children’s education. We’ve worked to dedicate an additional $75 million this year to the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC). The EITC program helps to provide students with the opportunity to learn in the environment that best meets their specific educational needs. Through a collaborative approach of providing tax credits to businesses making contributions to create additional educational opportunities for Pennsylvania families, more children are able to receive assistance. Eligible contributions are those made to scholarship organizations, educational improvement organizations and pre-kindergarten scholarship organizations. Students are eligible to receive a scholarship if their household’s annual income is no greater than $112,348 plus $19,775 for each dependent member of the household. Learn more about the EITC program here. Get Customized Travel Alerts with 511PAWe all want to avoid heavy traffic, road closures and anything else that will delay us on the road. With the ever-present roadwork projects I have been alerting you to, I continue to encourage motorists to use 511PA to check traffic conditions. Even better, 511PA now offers the opportunity to sign up for personalized travel alerts based on specific areas and routes, days and times, and road issue (type of trouble and when cleared). On 511PA’s website, navigate to “My 511” at the top to set up an account to begin receiving alerts. Expanded Access to Benefits for PA Disabled VeteransA new Pennsylvania law that went into effect this month exempts 100% of disabled veterans’ benefit payments from income calculations for any commonwealth program or benefit. Act 27 of 2024 ensures veterans who receive disability compensation will not have those payments counted against them when applying to programs such as the Real Estate Property Tax Exemption, the Educational Gratuity Program, the Veterans Temporary Assistance Program and the Military Family Relief Assistance Program. The exclusion also applies to unspent veterans’ benefit payments and is extended to the unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran upon that veteran’s death. Celebrating Back to School Month by Brushing Up on School Bus SafetyAs students head back to school, school buses require additional caution from drivers. School districts are now permitted to use automated cameras on stop signal arms to enforce the school bus stopping law. Learn more and find parent safety tips and a reminder of other laws here. Pennsylvania law requires motorists to stop at least 10 feet away from school buses when their red lights are flashing and their stop arm is extended. Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety. Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety. Penalties for failure to obey school bus safety laws can result in a $250 fine and a $35 surcharge to be deposited into the School Bus Safety Grant Program account, five points on a driving record and a 60-day license suspension.
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