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In this Update:

• Felony Murder Sentencing, PA Crime Highlighted at Senate, House Hearing
• National Night Out 2026
• Understanding Digital Threats to Children
• History and Heritage on Display at Plymouth Alive Kielbasa Festival
• Reporting Suspected Benefits Fraud
• Triton Hose Company Carnival Brings Community Together
• Getting Potholes Filled

Felony Murder Sentencing, PA Crime Highlighted at Senate, House Hearing

Law enforcement officers and other public officials shared the on-the-ground reality of their efforts to fight crime and how the General Assembly could support their mission during a joint public hearing of the Senate Majority Policy Committee and the House Republican Policy Committee. Keeping our communities safe is among our top legislative priorities, so I appreciated the opportunity to offer the perspective of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday discussed sentencing for felony murder after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled mandatory life sentences for this crime are unconstitutional. He stated Senate Bill 1400, passed twice by the Senate, would provide an appropriate sentence for felony murder. But the House changed the bill, he said, “and in doing so provides a huge break to convicted murderers.” Sunday said, “Victims deserve better than legislative gamesmanship.”

The committees learned that violent crime is down across the commonwealth, but drug offenses are on the rise, with the Bureau of Narcotics removing 56.5 million doses of fentanyl off the streets of Pennsylvania last year. Read more about the hearing and access video and testimony here.

National Night Out 2026

National Night Out is a day of community building and neighborhood pride intended to build and strengthen relationships with law enforcement.

Thank you to the many first responders who organize special events like the celebrations held in Dallas, Newport and Dingman townships, and for all the hard work they do throughout our communities every day of the year!

Understanding Digital Threats to Children

Aug. 17 – Aug. 23 is “Social Media Safety and Parental Awareness Week” in Pennsylvania. This first-of-its-kind designation is designed to help parents, guardians and students better understand potential threats in the digital world, including cyberbullying, sextortion, AI-generated child sexual abuse material, grooming and other dangerous forms of abuse.

Find a Back-to-School Checklist and more tips on social media safety at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

My legislative colleagues and I have worked to keep kids safe from dangers online. This includes laws criminalizing deepfakes, giving law enforcement tools to combat online abuse, creating the Task Force on Child Protection in the Digital Age and more. The Senate has also passed legislation (pending in the House of Representatives) providing safeguards for AI chatbots, prohibiting “nudification” apps and protecting young people against AI-generated child abuse materials.

History and Heritage on Display at Plymouth Alive Kielbasa Festival

With more than 100 vendors, live bands, and plenty of family-friendly activities, this year’s Plymouth Alive Kielbasa Festival was a wonderful showcase of history and heritage.

As usual, the 22^nd annual event also included the legendary kielbasa tasting competition with Leonard’s Market taking top honors in the fresh category and Schiel’s Family Market placing first for its smoked variety.

Reporting Suspected Benefits Fraud

You can help eliminate fraud in benefits programs such as cash assistance, food stamps, childcare, home energy assistance and medical assistance.

Suspected fraud can be reported to the Office of the State Inspector General. A complaint should be completed only if an individual has been issued benefits that you believe the individual was not entitled to receive.

Report suspected fraud to the State Inspector General here.

Triton Hose Company Carnival Brings Community Together

Serving as the fire company’s main fundraiser, the annual Triton Hose Company Carnival is one of the largest in northeastern Pennsylvania. This year’s parade was one of the wettest ever, but there were plenty of rides and top-notch entertainment. Of course, the Triton food stand had everyone lined up for a taste of their famous pizza.

It was great to see the community come together once again to enjoy summer activities and support our local volunteers.

Getting Potholes Filled

If you spot a pothole on a Pennsylvania road, you can report it through the PennDOT Customer Care Center.

If you notice an urgent issue, please check the list of district engineering offices and contact the one for the county in which the issue is found. 

For immediate safety concerns, call 1‑800‑FIX‑ROAD (1-800-349-7623), and always call 9‑1‑1 for emergencies.