WILKES-BARRE — Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Secretary Dr. Khalid N. Mumin and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn this week announced the third annual Pennsylvania Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip, which provides virtual early learning and literacy activities for kids that inspire kids to read and learn more about the great outdoors.

The Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip is an eight-week virtual road trip throughout Pennsylvania, geared towards families with young children up to kindergarten age — but easily adaptable for older kids.

Resources include the Road Trip Map and the Road Trip Travel Journal and highlight the Pennsylvania State Parks and Libraries with book recommendations from librarians and family friendly activities. Activities can be done anywhere, so every family can take part, no matter where they live.

“Pennsylvania has an amazing park system with educators at most locations. This road trip is a great way to encourage learning and reading while exposing children to new ways to learn and new experiences in nature,” said Secretary Mumin. “Collaborating with our sister agencies to promote fun learning opportunities for Pennsylvania’s youngest minds will help them stay engaged during the summer months when school is not in session.”

“Outdoor education is a major part of DCNR’s Bureau of State Parks mission and we are excited to have eight state parks participate in this years’ Summer Literacy Road Trip,” said Secretary Adams Dunn. “This will help connect the newest generation of readers to the great outdoors, which will create memories and help to influence the next generation of nature enthusiasts. We look forward to welcoming visitors this summer to all 124 state parks across the Commonwealth.”

Road Trip resources, in both English and Spanish, can be found on the PA Promise for Children website.

Pennsylvania’s Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip was developed by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and all activities complement the PA Early Learning Standards and can be done anywhere.

“At OCDEL, we are always trying to make learning and literacy more accessible and exciting to early learners and the Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip does all that and more,” said OCDEL Deputy Secretary Shante’ Brown. “This virtual road trip is so much fun for the whole family and hopefully brings some education and nature into things you’re already doing.”

This year’s Road Trip theme represents elements from the 2024 Pennsylvania One Book selection, Slug in Love by Rachel Bright. Look through the travel journal and map to find friends from the book who tag along on the Road Trip.

State officials visit small businesses in Danville for Main Street Matters program

Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Deputy Secretary Rick Vilello this week joined local leaders in touring small businesses in downtown Danville, Montour County, to highlight proposed investments by Gov. Josh Shapiro to support main streets, downtown business districts, small businesses, and local communities across Pennsylvania.

Gov. Shapiro and his Administration are working to strengthen the Commonwealth’s communities and Main Streets, including a $25 million proposal in the governor’s 2024-25 budget proposal for the new Main Street Matters program.

“Gov. Shapiro’s call for $25 million for the Main Street Matters program is an investment that our Pennsylvania communities deserve,” said Vilello. “The Main Street Matters program will give communities, like Danville, the resources they need to create vibrant, resilient main streets and downtowns where people want to live, visit, and work.”

Main Street Matters, which builds upon and modernizes the existing successes of the Keystone Communities program, will be administered through DCED.

Gov. Shapiro recently announced nearly $7 million in Keystone Communities grants to support 49 community improvement projects in 25 counties across the Commonwealth — after receiving 117 applications for the program requesting more than $24 million in funding.

“The Governor’s proposed $25 million for the Main Street Matters program is a game-changer for communities like ours,” said Rebecca Dressler, Executive Director of the Danville Business Alliance. “This investment will provide our small businesses with the support they need to thrive and will help us to continue creating a vibrant, welcoming downtown that attracts visitors and fosters economic growth. In Danville, our downtown fosters a strong sense of community, supports local entrepreneurship, and preserves our unique heritage. We are grateful for the Governor’s commitment to strengthening our main streets and are excited about the positive impact this program will have on our community.”

Run by DCED, the Keystone Communities program encourages the creation of partnerships between the public and private sectors that support the growth and stability of neighborhoods and communities; social and economic diversity; and a strong and secure quality of life. Local governments, redevelopment and housing authorities, nonprofit organizations, community development corporations, and business, neighborhood, and downtown improvement districts are all eligible to apply for this grant funding.

The Governor’s 2024-25 budget calls for significant investments directly tied back to Pennsylvania’s first Economic Development Strategy in nearly two decades.

In addition to the $25 million to create the Main Street Matters program, other proposed economic development investments in the Governor’s budget include: $500 million in PA SITES funding to bring more commercial and industrial sites to Pennsylvania; $20 million to support large-scale innovation and leverage Pennsylvania’s best-in-class research and development assets; and $3.5 million to create and launch the Pennsylvania Regional Economic Competitiveness Challenge to incentivize regional growth.

Rep. Cabell to host Senior Expo Aug. 1 at Misericordia

Rep. Mike Cabell, R-Butler Township, will host a Senior Citizens Expo on Thursday, Aug. 1, in Dallas.

The expo will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Misericordia University’s Insalaco Hall, 301 Lake St.

The expo will feature dozens of exhibitors from nonprofit agencies; local, state and federal governments; and area businesses that will provide information on benefits and services available to older residents on a wide range of topics, including health care, insurance, nutrition and exercise, fire safety, financial planning, fraud protection, government, personal safety and more.

Free health screenings will be offered, courtesy of area health care providers, including blood pressure and hearing. Special sessions will be available with experts on specific topics such as cyber security, financial scams, elder law and senior driving laws.

Seniors can also take part in a tai chi presentation, which is a form of “gentle exercise” that benefits physical and mental health.

Finally, a Treasury Department representative will be on hand to help seniors search for any unclaimed property being held by the state.

For information, contact Cabell’s district office in Dallas at 570-675-6000.

Deluzio looks to lower prescription costs, protect patients and small pharmacies

U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pittsburgh, this week met with independent pharmacists from his congressional district and across Western Pennsylvania to discuss the impacts that Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are having on both patients’ prescription bills and the pharmacies themselves.

Deluzio heard from local pharmacists that PBMs are often involved in marking up the cost of prescription drugs for patients, pushing pricier medications, and even limiting where patients can fill their prescriptions. Many meeting participants shared stories about how PBMs frequently steer customers toward their own chain pharmacies—hurting the bottom lines of independent pharmacies and to the inconvenience of many customers.

“I will always fight back against big corporations trying to rip off the American people and trying to play games with people’s healthcare,” Deluzio said. “I am glad I had a chance to hear directly from local, independent pharmacists about the impacts that Pharmacy Benefit Managers have both on their patients and their own ability to conduct business in our communities. We have to stand strong against out-of-control corporate power to lower healthcare costs and protect our small businesses.”

Deluzio is a co-sponsor of the HELP Copays Act and the PATIENT Act. The HELP Copays Act would protect patients from harmful insurance and Pharmacy Benefit Manager practices that raise patient out-of-pocket drug costs, and the PATIENT Act would expand hospital price transparency requirements and establish additional reporting requirements with respect to prescription drugs and PBMs.

Municipal Police Officers’ Commission accepting letters of interest for academies

The Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC) will begin accepting letters of interest for potential new Act 120 police academies on Aug. 1, the commission announced.

“Those interested in opening a new police training academy should submit an initial letter of interest for review by MPOETC staff,” said Major William Brown, executive director of MPOETC. “The staff will conduct studies to determine the police population in the area and if there is currently adequate police training available. The Commission will then vote to accept full application packages from potential schools in areas where there is a demonstrated need for a new academy.”

MPOETC voted to accept letters of interest for new academies during its June 2024 quarterly meeting.

The initial form — MPO-246-New School Letter of Interest Application — can be found on the Commission’s website.

Letters of interest will be accepted from Aug. 1 to Nov. 30, 2024. Completed forms should be emailed to [email protected].

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.