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In this Update:

• Focus on the 46th
• Senate Acts to Provide Funding for Local Bridge Projects
• Legislation to Make PA Leader in Drone Research Approved by Senate
• Children in Hot Cars: Look Before You Lock
• Protecting Yourself on Facebook Marketplace
• Sunday Hunting Days Set for 2025
• Tuesday is National Night Out

Focus on the 46th

Great news coming out of Greene County this week – UPMC unveiled new urgent care centers across the state, reaffirming its commitment to rural healthcare, and we celebrated the opening of one of the new UPMC–GoHealth Urgent Care centers in Waynesburg. This center will expand access to high-quality, on-demand care for residents of Greene County.

All of the centers are open 365 days a year and welcome walk-ins, however you can save your spot online if you’d prefer. They accept most major insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, and offer affordable same-day pricing for patients without insurance.

Dr. Donald Yealy (who cut the ribbon!) reminded everyone that if you’re experiencing severe pain in your chest, abdomen, or head—or if you’re having difficulty breathing—experiencing symptoms such as sudden weakness or numbness in your face, arms, or legs; confusion; difficulty speaking; or changes in vision or balance may indicate a much more serious condition and require a visit to your local hospital emergency room. In Greene County, that would be UPMC Greene.

It was wonderful to share a ‘dream come true’ moment with these amazing women as they cut the ribbon to officially open the Lymphedema & Wound Care Center of SW PA in Southpointe. Lymphedema is a painful condition caused by a buildup of lymphatic fluid due to malfunctioning lymph nodes. The swelling can occur not only in the legs but also in the arms, breast area, and buttocks, potentially leading to open wounds, ulcers, and chronic infections.

Amber Young, a Certified Family Nurse Practitioner, recognized the need to treat both conditions in one office, as wound care centers don’t typically offer lymphedema treatment and lymphedema centers don’t normally provide wound care.

It was a touching moment when Amber shared that the bandage scissors used to cut the ribbon had been given to her 34 years ago by her mentor, the late Dr. James Davidson. Congratulations to Amber, Tammy, Heather, and Marcy on this incredible milestone! I’m thrilled to have you in the 46th District and wish you all the luck in the world.

Yes, it officially rained during this year’s “Rain Day Festival” at 11:21 a.m. and it has rained 119 out of 152 years of celebrating “Rain Day” in Waynesburg. I had a ton of fun perusing the vendors and food trucks and also meeting Rain Day royalty. A big thank you to our 2024 Miss Rain Day, Bryn Lahew, and congratulations to Miss Rain Day 2025, Camryn Hawfield!

Rain Day’s history can be traced back to the late 1800s, when a local farmer began keeping a written record of the fact that it always rained on July 29th. Thus in 1979, the first annual Miss Rain Day Pageant was held to celebrate this occurrence. This event has the bragging distinction of being the only pageant in the world where it is considered a success if it rains!

Last weekend we celebrated Clay Corr of Canonsburg who has officially become an Eagle Scout. He is the son of Patrick and Kelly Corr and is a member of Troop 9191in Cecil. He is the 5th scout from this troop to earn the rank, earning over 30 merit badges.

I was pleased to recognize Clay with an official Senate of Pennsylvania citation! His Eagle project benefitted Bridge to Home Animal Rescue in Washington. This non-profit animal rescues and fosters homeless dogs and works tirelessly to find new homes for them. The project focused on collecting supplies such as food, toys, leashes, and other items to relieve some of the financial burden from both the foster homes and their new “forever” homes.

Congratulations, Clay, and thank you for all that you have done for your community.

The impending thunderstorm may have cut last week’s ceremony short, but it didn’t dampen the excitement of officially opening the Heritage Park / Panhandle Trail Connector Bridge in McDonald. This new bridge not only provides McDonald residents with a safe route over Robinson Run to access the Panhandle Trail, but it also opens up Heritage Park to residents of Cecil Township.

Congratulations to the McDonald Area Redevelopment Association and McDonald Borough Council on this important addition for the community.

Senate Acts to Provide Funding for Local Bridge Projects

The Senate recently approved legislation to provide state funding for local bridge projects, giving counties the flexibility needed to make essential repairs to municipal bridges.

Currently, state Motor License Fund dollars can be used to build and repair county bridges. However, spending guidance fails to address if funding can be used for municipal bridges located within a county.

As a result, municipal bridges often go without repair while bridge funding goes unused due to ambiguous guidance. Senate Bill 205 would give counties the flexibility they need to fund local bridge projects. The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Legislation to Make PA Leader in Drone Research Approved by Senate

Legislation to position Pennsylvania as a national leader in the emerging drone industry was approved by the Senate and sent to the House of Representatives.

Senate Bill 468 permits the state Department of Transportation, with the governor’s approval, to engage in agreements with other states to facilitate the research and use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones.

An interstate compact would make Pennsylvania a key player in UAS testing, training and education, helping to ensure public safety, expand aviation jobs and inspire business development across the commonwealth.

Children in Hot Cars: Look Before You Lock

In 2024, 39 children died of heatstroke in vehicles – up 35% from 2023. Most of these deaths are a result of a parent or caregiver forgetting a child in a car.

• Never leave a child in a vehicle unattended for any length of time. Rolling windows down or parking in the shade does little to change the interior temperature of the vehicle.
• Make it a habit to check your entire vehicle – especially the back seat – before locking the doors and walking away.
• Place a personal item like a purse or briefcase in the back seat, as another reminder to look before you lock.
• Store car keys and fobs out of a child’s reach and teach children that a vehicle is not a play area.

More information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is available here.

Protecting Yourself on Facebook Marketplace 

Transactions through social media platforms have limited consumer protections compared to traditional business dealings, and scams happen.

In a recent case, a Fayette County family was scammed with fake cash when selling a floor buffer on Facebook Marketplace. Pennsylvania State Police are investigating.

There are steps you can take to protect yourself with Facebook Marketplace, such as checking the seller’s Marketplace profile to learn more about them, using online payment methods and verifying the item before paying. Check out more tips here.

Sunday Hunting Days Set for 2025

The new Sunday hunting days for 2025 have been set by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Beginning Sept. 14, and through the second Sunday in firearms deer season Dec. 7, all Sundays that fall within established hunting seasons will be included as part of those seasons and open to hunting.

Migratory game bird seasons are the lone exception. No Sundays will be added to the 2025-26 migratory game bird seasons because those seasons are set through federal frameworks and adding any Sundays at this time would result in a loss of hunting days in 2025-26. You can find more details here.

Tuesday is National Night Out

National Night Out takes place Tuesday, Aug. 5. It’s an annual community-building campaign promoting police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie.

Neighborhoods host block parties, festivals, cookouts and various other community events with safety demonstrations and more. Look for an event near you for a great way to get to know your local police officers.

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