January 5, 2021
A Western Pennsylvania lawmaker who won re-election in November was not sworn-in to the state Senate on Tuesday with the rest of the victors, as Republicans voted to deny his seating and ponder a challenge by his electoral opponent.
Sen. Jim Brewster, a McKeesport Democrat who has represented the 45th District for the last decade, defeated Republican Nicole Ziccarelli by 69 votes in the Nov. 3 contest, but didn’t get to take the oath of office on the Senate floor with the 24 others who won their races in this cycle.
January 5, 2021
A long-awaited $8.7 million project to rehabilitate 11 historic homes and other structures throughout Washington Crossing Historic Park in Upper Makefield should start next month, state Senator Steve Santarsiero, D-10, Lower Makefield announced.
The work, which has faced several delays since originally being funded nearly a decade ago, is expected to be finished in the spring of 2022, he added.
January 4, 2021
WASHINGTON CROSSING, PA — The groundbreaking for the $8.7 million rehabilitation project at Washington Crossing Historic Park will be held in February, local elected officials announced Monday.
The project, which will involve fixing 11 historic homes and other structures throughout the park, has faced several delays since it was first funded nearly a decade ago, State Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks) said.
December 30, 2020
A total of $3.5 million in state grant funds have been awarded to improve local infrastructure, health and safety, and arts and culture in Bucks County, state Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-10) said.
The awards will go to New Hope Borough, Doylestown Hospital, Bucks County Children’s Museum and the Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), a Commonwealth grant program for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects.
December 30, 2020
NEWTOWN, PA — The Bucks County Conservation District will receive $262,558 in grant funding for a water quality improvement project at an equine facility in Newtown Township, state elected leaders announced Wednesday.
The improvements that will be made through the project will “protect Neshaminy Creek and help raise awareness within our local equine community about the importance of conversation,” State Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-10) said. Funding is being provided through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Growing Greener program.
December 29, 2020
WEST CHESTER — State Sen.-Elect Carolyn Comitta, state Sen. Tim Kearney, and state Sen. Steve Santarsiero will hold a virtual town hall meeting with Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine to answer residents’ questions about the COVID-19 vaccine and discuss the Commonwealth’s vaccination plan.
The meeting, set for Wednesday, Jan. 6, at 3 p.m., is focused on the southeast Pennsylvania region and will likely include additional state lawmakers representing the area. It will be held via Zoom and is free and open to the public.
December 29, 2020
NEW HOPE >> New Hope Borough has been awarded a $1.75 million dollar grant towards the construction of a new parking garage, funded by Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.
“Council and I extend our deepest gratitude to State Senator Steve Santarsiero who supported our proposal, and to Governor Tom Wolf for his forward-looking leadership,” said Council President Connie Gering in announcing the grant.
December 28, 2020
The nonprofit Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center (OHMTEC) has been awarded $500,000 in Pennsylvania state funding through the Redevelopment Assistance Capitol Program (RACP). RACP is a commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects.
December 28, 2020
BUCKS COUNTY >> State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) has announced that $3.5 million in state grant funds to improve local infrastructure, health and safety, and arts and culture in Bucks County, which will help grow and strengthen businesses, while providing a needed economic boost to the region.
The awards will go to New Hope Borough, Doylestown Hospital, Bucks County Children’s Museum and the Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP). RACP is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects.
December 24, 2020
MORRISVILLE BOROUGH >> State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) and State Representative Perry Warren (D-31) have announced $1.5 million in state grant funding for improvements in Morrisville Borough.
The Redevelopment Authority of the County of Bucks will receive $1 million for its Manor Park Landfill project and Morrisville Borough will receive $500,000 for a project at Patriots Park at Historic Summerseat.
December 23, 2020
A new, five-level parking garage in New Hope is one of several projects included in some $7.5-million in state grants awarded Tuesday to wide-ranging economic redevelopment projects throughout Bucks County.
The 350-car garage will receive about $1.75 million in grant funding and is expected to help make the historic borough more accessible to visitors, a news release from state Sen. Steve Santarsiero states.
September 29, 2020
For Middletown Supervisor Anna Payne and others living with cystic fibrosis, a potential decision from the U.S. Supreme Court could be a matter of life and death, she said Tuesday.
Payne joined Gov. Tom Wolf and state lawmakers in Doylestown Borough on Tuesday morning where officials said they are poised to pass state-level provisions of the federal Affordable Care Act if a high court ruling dismantles a decade-old health care law.
September 29, 2020
LOWER MAKEFIELD >> In the quiet solitude of the Slate Hill Cemetery, residents and community leaders gathered on Sept. 25 to rededicate six Civil War tombstones, two that had faded with time and four that were stolen, destroyed or never placed.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6393 Commander Russ Davidson officiated at a ceremony held to unveil the new stones and to honor each veteran for their contribution and sacrifice during the Civil War, America’s deadliest conflict with close to 500,000 killed.
September 25, 2020
In these fractious times, we often use this space to critique our state legislature for the things it isn’t doing, often because partisan politics gets in the way.
So it’s only fair that today we praise the 14 members of the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee for voting — unanimously — to approve Senate Bill 868.
The bill that got nine Republicans and five Democrats to say “yea” — and that we fervently hope now gets a similar outcome before the full Senate — is Kayden’s Law. It’s named for Kayden Mancuso, a 7-year-old Lower Makefield girl who was murdered by her rage-filled, suicidal father during an August 2018 court-ordered weekend visitation in Philadelphia.
September 25, 2020
East Rockhill officials were suspicious of a nearby quarry’s records to keep an active mining permit, where 500 tons of stone had to be removed annually to keep a state permit.
On Tuesday, supervisors unanimously approved a resolution asking the state legislature and Department of Environmental Protection to require inactive quarries keep a scale onsite to weigh trucks hauling out stone.
Permit rules currently require active quarries keep a scale on-site to weigh loaded trucks, but inactive quarries can be weighed elsewhere, according to township officials.
September 22, 2020
The nonprofit Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (PABC) in Doylestown recently began a $19 million expansion project.
A total of 41 companies work at the location, but there are more than 70 member companies.
Expansion is expected to create more than 100 jobs and attract dozens of new companies and millions of dollars in commercial activity.
September 22, 2020
LOWER MAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP, PA — A child-protection bill named for a slain 7-year-old from Lower Makefield is now making its way through the Pennsylvania legislature.
S.B. 868, known as Kayden’s Law, was unanimously voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday and is now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
September 17, 2020
DOYLESTOWN, PA — Three Doylestown-based veterans’ groups will receive $37,312 in awards through the Veteran Trust Fund Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
American Legion Post 210 will receive $12,500, Operation Homefront will receive $10,000, and Bucks County Veterans Affairs will receive $14,812.
September 16, 2020
DOYLESTOWN >> Two Bucks County cultural institutions were featured in a Senate committee hearing that highlighted the value of historic, arts and cultural organizations to our local and state economies, and the support they need to survive the challenges of the pandemic.
State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) on Sept. 14 co-hosted the Senate Democratic Policy Committee Hearing on the Impact of COVID-19 on the Arts, Cultural, and Historical Institutions of Pennsylvania.
September 16, 2020
BUCKS COUNTY >> State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) announced $211,408 in funding through the COVID-19 Cultural and Museum Preservation Grant Program, administered through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).
The funds were part of $20,000,000 in CARES Act funds awarded statewide. The funding awards in the 10th State Senate District are as follows:
September 15, 2020
Pennsylvania is one step closer to joining a regional program meant to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
The Environmental Quality Board on Tuesday approved a draft regulation to enter the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The vote was 13-6.
The board’s vote opens the next phase in the regulatory process. The draft will be open for public comment for a 60-day period. The Department of Environmental Protection plans to hold five hearings. Dates have not been set.
September 15, 2020
A state environmental board took a key step on Tuesday to advance Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to curb carbon dioxide emissions by making Pennsylvania’s fossil fuel power plants begin paying to release pollution that contributes to climate change.
The Environmental Quality Board voted 13-6 to publish the proposed rules for public comment — opening a 60-day period in which everyone will have a chance to weigh in on a debate that has been dominated for months by coal and gas interests, environmental groups, building trade unions, the governor’s office and Republicans in the General Assembly.
September 10, 2020
BUCKS COUNTY >> State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) has announced that $8,512,517 in funding from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) will be helping Bucks County organizations and localities serve victims of crimes and assist with offender probation programming.
September 9, 2020
After a contentious move on the floor of the state Senate, a measure to stop Pennsylvania from entering a regional program to curb greenhouse gas emissions is heading to Gov. Tom Wolf’s desk.
House Bill 2025 would require legislative approval for Pennsylvania to enter a program such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
September 7, 2020
Tuesday is the first day back to school virtually for students in the Pennsbury School District.
PECO, as part of an ongoing maintenance project, had planned to shut off service at times between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Tuesday in parts of Falls Township.
