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In this Update:
Returning Whole Milk to Schools
Last June, I joined my Pennsylvania Senate colleagues in voting to approve a resolution urging Congress to pass the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. Whole milk provides 13 essential vitamins to help build strong bones and maintain a healthy immune system. The evidence is overwhelming that both 2% and whole milk should be offered to our students in schools. We applaud the recent enactment of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act at the federal level, which allows U.S. schools to now offer whole and 2% milk as options for students, in addition to the current reduced-fat, low-fat and fat-free milk. The bill was in response to enactment of federal legislation in 2010 that permitted only low-fat and fat-free milk options in public schools. Within the first two years of the law taking effect, 1.2 million fewer students drank milk with their lunches. Pennsylvania ranks second in the number of dairy farms and eighth in total milk production, making this change a great positive for children while also supporting our dairy farmers! Thanking Sheriff Lance M. Benedict for His Service
Susquehanna County Sheriff Lance M. Benedict has retired after more than two decades of public service. Since 2002, Sheriff Benedict has been a steady leader in public safety, launching initiatives such as the county’s K-9 program, crisis intervention training for deputies and a drug take-back program that removed thousands of pounds of unused medications from our communities. His efforts to strengthen interagency cooperation, expand safety training and support community-based policing have left a lasting impact. I appreciate Sheriff Benedict’s dedication and wish him all the best in retirement. Jan. 31 Submission Deadline for Student Anti-Litter Contest
Students in grades K–6 have until Jan. 31 to submit entries for the latest Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful “Litter Hawk” anti-litter campaign. This year’s theme is Celebrate America250 – Keep It Beautiful, incorporating the nation’s semiquincentennial. Students can craft their message through art, writing or video. Winners will be announced in April and will be invited to take part in a Capitol ceremony. Contest details and application can be found here. Celebrating Maj. Doris Keeler, USMC Veteran
I was honored to join the community in celebrating Maj. Doris Keeler of the United States Marine Corps during a moving Quilt of Valor ceremony. The beautiful quilt, handcrafted by Jan Davis and donated by the Northeast Pennsylvania Quilts of Valor Chapter, was a stunning tribute to Keeler’s service and sacrifice. Maj. Keeler was also recognized with citations from me and Rep. Brenda Pugh, along with flowers presented by Luzerne County Director of Veterans Affairs Kevin Clocker. Thank you to everyone who attended to help honor a truly remarkable veteran. More Than $3 Million in Transportation & Infrastructure Funding for Northeastern Pennsylvania
More than $3 million in state funding has been awarded to support critical transportation, infrastructure, water and sewer projects across Pike, Wayne and Luzerne counties to improve safety and quality of life in our communities. The grants, awarded through the Commonwealth Financing Authority’s PA Small Water and Sewer Program and Multimodal Transportation Fund include:
These awards were secured through collaboration with local partners and state representatives and reflect our ongoing commitment to making targeted investments that strengthen local infrastructure and help communities thrive. I am grateful for the work being done to bring these resources home, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have across northeastern Pennsylvania. PA Department of Revenue Job Openings
Are you good with numbers? The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue lists openings for full-time, part-time, temporary and student positions. The department receives and collects all of the commonwealth’s General Fund tax revenue. In addition, it annually processes more than 10 million business and individual tax reports and payments. Positions include accountants, tax examiners, research analysts, clerical assistants and others, some of them seasonal. You can review what’s currently available and subscribe for job alerts to receive automatic email notifications when new vacancies are posted in your field of interest. Take Part in the Wild Turkey Sighting Survey
Pennsylvanians are asked to report wild turkey flocks they encounter to help the state Game Commission with winter research, population monitoring and leg-banding efforts to track survival and harvest rates. If you’d like to take part, please report the location of any turkey flocks you see through March 15 on this webpage. Game Commission crews will assess sites for the potential to trap turkeys. Turkeys will not be moved; they’ll simply be leg-banded and released on site. Trapping turkeys during winter is part of the Game Commission’s ongoing population monitoring. America250PA Kickoff Rally in Wyoming County
Wyoming County helped launch Pennsylvania’s countdown to America’s 250th anniversary with an America250PA Kickoff Rally on Jan. 18 at the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce in Tunkhannock. The event featured remarks, giveaways and refreshments as part of a statewide tour celebrating Pennsylvania’s role in our nation’s history. I enjoyed this once-in-a-generation opportunity to celebrate our great nation. National Blood Donor Month
The American Red Cross reports a blood shortage as requests from hospitals exceed the available supply, drawing down the blood supply by about 35% over the past month. The shortage is especially serious for platelets and type O, A negative and B negative blood. Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. It is essential for surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses and traumatic injuries. Whether a patient receives whole blood, red cells, platelets or plasma, this lifesaving relies on friends and neighbors making donations.
Please do not reply to this email. If you would like to contact Senator Baker, submit a web contact form here: https://www.senatorbaker.com/contact-me-2/ |
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