Aug. 16, 2024

 
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#Listrak\DateStampLong# The latest news from the State Capitol

In this Edition:
  •   National Night Out Provides Summertime Fun
  •   Slow Down for School Buses
  •   ‘Back to School’ Scams Target College Students
  •   Attention Hunters: DMAP Permits Now Available
  •   I-83 Closure Planned for Aug. 24
  •   Derry Township SD Awarded Grant for Low-Emission Vehicles
  •   Sign Up Today for These Upcoming Events!
 
 
National Night Out Provides Summertime Fun

South, East and West Hanover townships came together Tuesday to host National Night Out festivities for families at Patriot Park. The event was postponed due to inclement weather a week earlier.

National Night Out is an annual event designed to link first responders with the communities they serve.

Derry Township will hold its National Night Out celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20, in the first block of West Caracas Avenue, Hershey.
 
 
 
Slow Down for School Buses
Students are or soon will be returning to class, and that means we will be seeing school buses back on our roads. Motorists, parents and children are encouraged to refresh their memories about how to share the road safely.

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 activated. This applies to motorists when they are behind or traveling alongside a school bus, as well as when meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus has stopped.

Vehicles should remain stopped until the red lights have stopped flashing and the stop arm is withdrawn. Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety.

If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping.

Penalties for failure to obey school bus safety laws can result in a $250 fine, five points on a driving record and a 60-day license suspension. Violators will also be assessed a $35 surcharge to be deposited into the School Bus Safety Grant Program Account.

Parents are reminded to ensure their children are at the bus stop early to avoid rushing. Students should stay where the bus driver can see them while boarding or exiting the bus.

Click here for more information and tips on school bus safety.
 
 
‘Back to School’ Scams Target College Students
The Federal Communications Commission is warning college students to be on alert for scammers seeking to capitalize on the busy academic season.

Such scams may be harder to spot alongside legitimate fundraisers and other efforts that genuinely seek to assist students and their parents. Top student scams include scholarship, tech support, and roommate and rental scams. Campus scammers aren't just using cold calls or robocalls to hijack personal information; they're also sending deceptive emails and text messages that appear to be official.

Things for students and their families to keep in mind: 
  •   You are not required to make loan payments over the phone.
  •   Student scams are not limited to the start of the school year; be mindful of scams year-round.
  •   Never provide personally identifiable information over the phone, including Social Security numbers, bank account and routing numbers, and credit and debit card numbers.
  •   Be sure to keep any student loan information guarded, as scammers tend to target students with loans.
  •   Monitor your financial records and bank account information closely and often.
  •   For more information on how to avoid phone scams and other unwanted calls or texts, visit www.fcc.gov/robocalls.

If you’ve been the target of unwanted calls and spoofing or other matters, you are encouraged to file a complaint with the FCC. Click here for details.
 
 
Attention Hunters: DMAP Permits Now Available
Pennsylvania hunters may now purchase Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) permits on an array of public and private lands.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) is offering 7,000 DMAP permits on 41 game lands encompassing more than 360,000 acres. View PGC’s available DMAP areas here.  

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is offering 30,328 permits in 101 units totaling more than 1.3 million acres. View DCNR’s available DMAP areas here.

Permits are also available on participating private lands. The goal of the program is to help landowners better manage the deer population and habitat on their properties.

DMAP permits cost $10.97 for Pennsylvania residents and $35.97 for nonresidents. They can be purchased from any license issuing agent or online at www.huntfish.pa.gov. Hunters must identify the DMAP unit number when purchasing a permit.
 
 
I-83 Closure Planned for Aug. 24

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has announced a closure is planned the night of Saturday, August 24, on Interstate 83 between Exit 44B (19th Street) and Exit 45 (Paxton Street/Bass Pro Drive) in the Harrisburg area, so the 29th Street bridge spanning the interstate can be demolished. The bridge is slated for replacement as part of East Shore Section 3 of the I-83 Capital Beltway Project.

Traffic will be detoured. Additionally, there are already nighttime lane restrictions in both directions of I-83, so the bridge can be prepped for demolition.

Weather permitting, left lane restrictions are expected to be implemented in both directions of I-83 between Exit 44B (19th Street) and Exit 45 (Paxton Street/Bass Pro Drive).at 7 p.m. on Saturday, August 24. This will be followed by a full closure of the interstate in this area at 11 p.m.

One lane of traffic is expected to be open in each direction of the interstate by 5 a.m. Sunday, August 25. All lanes are expected to be open by 8 a.m.

A detour will be in place during the closure:

  •   Southbound I-83 traffic will take Exit 45 (Paxton Street/Bass Pro Drive) to Paxton Street, then proceed west on Paxton Street to 17th Street and the ramp to southbound I-83.
  •   Northbound traffic will exit at 19th Street, then take 19th Street south to Paxton Street, then Paxton Street east to Eisenhower Boulevard north to the ramp to northbound I-83.

This work is associated with the first of two contracts for East Shore Section 3 of the larger I-83 Capital Beltway Project. This contract includes widening and reconstructing portions of the I-83 roadway, construction of overhead bridges at 29th Street and 19th Street, construction of the new Cameron Street Interchange, removing the 13th Street interchange, and roadway improvements along the Cameron Street, 19th Street and 29th Street corridors.

There may be significant impacts to traffic during the life of this project, including traffic shifts, lane restrictions and road closures/detours. Advance notice will be issued prior to any major traffic impacts.

New Enterprise Stone and Lime Company Inc. of New Enterprise, Pa., is the contractor on this $154.6 million project.

All work on this contract is expected to be completed by Oct. 12, 2027.
 
 
Derry Township SD Awarded Grant for Low-Emission Vehicles

As part of a recent Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) grant announcement, Derry Township School District will receive $50,000 to help purchase five propane school buses.

DEP announced projects aiming to improve air quality through cleaner fuel transportation infrastructure. In Pennsylvania, 47 percent of nitrogen oxide emissions come from gasoline and diesel vehicles, and transportation contributes up to 22 percent of Pennsylvania's overall greenhouse gas emissions.
   
 
Sign Up Today for These Upcoming Events!
I am hosting two upcoming events this fall; sign up today to reserve your spot by calling 717-534-1323.

Home Title Protection Seminar, Thursday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to noon at Middletown Volunteer Fire Hall, 10 Adelia St., Middletown. The Dauphin County Recorder of Deeds Office will discuss a fraud alert service to protect your home’s title from theft.

Annual Veterans’ Appreciation Breakfast, Friday, Nov. 8, from 8-10 a.m. at the Lower Swatara Fire Department, 1350 Fulling Mill Road, Middletown. This event is open to active-duty military personnel and veterans. Accommodations can be made for disabled attendees requiring assistance. Registration is required. 
 
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