LANCASTER, July 17 – New funding of $6 million from Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program will go to schools, affordable housing initiatives and business development in the 49th Legislative District, state Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, announced today. “These state investments will deliver wide-ranging and long-term benefits for our communities,” Smith-Wade-El said. “From increasing access to quality education at Thaddeus Stevens to creating affordable housing options and local business growth opportunities at the Crossings at Penn Ridge, this funding will help strengthen our workforce, support economic development and improve quality of life. I will continue advocating for state investments that address our communities’ needs and support their long-term goals.” The funding includes: $4 million for Thaddeus Stevens Foundation to renovate the Lancaster Almshouse to include extensive mechanical upgrades, ADA compliance, and outfitting the building to expand classrooms, lab space, and the Workforce Development Center. $2 million for Crossings at Penn Ridge LLC to develop commercial buildings, mixed-use buildings, and multi-family dwelling units in Millersville. RACP funds design, acquisition, and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects that have a regional impact and generate Read more

LANCASTER, July 17 – New funding of $6.8 million from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program makes critical investments in affordable housing, educational and business development projects the 96th Legislative District, state Rep. Nikki Rivera, D-Lancaster, announced today. “I advocated to fund these strategic investments to help fuel our economy, expand opportunities and increase affordable housing,” Rivera said. “By helping companies grow, supporting education and creating more affordable housing options, this funding is planting the seeds for a community where residents thrive and businesses succeed. I will continue to advocate for state investments that strengthen our communities and help our district reach its full potential.” $3.4 million for Ecore International Inc. to transform a 100-plus-year-old building into a modern corporate office. $2 million for Arconic US for its warehouse expansion and replacing its water piping. $1 million for Franklin & Marshall College to construct a wellness center. $400,000 for the College Avenue Property Holding Company LLC to rehabilitate the parking garage and the former UPMC building site to create affordable housing, retail and commercial space. RACP funds design, acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects that have a regional impact and generate substantial Read more

WYOMISSING, July 17 – State Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz, D-Berks, today announced that Wyomissing Borough will receive a $2 million grant from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program to support the construction of a new, standalone building for the borough’s police department. “This will be an exciting development for both the government and residents of Wyomissing,” said Cepeda-Freytiz. “This will provide our local law enforcement with new opportunities to continue serving our community, while also expanding opportunities for the borough to support our neighbors. “I am proud to support our local police officers and ensure they have the resources they need. I look forward to seeing this new headquarters come to fruition and the new opportunities it will provide for Wyomissing.” In addition to the new police department building, there will also be renovations to house reception, offices and council chambers in the current borough hall. The building’s current parking lot will also be revised to support administrative parking, while the new police department will have a covered, police-only parking lot. The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, also known as RACP, serves to support the design, acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects and is administered by the Office of the Budget. Read more

HARRISBURG, July 15 – As Lancaster County experiences the largest measles outbreak in Pennsylvania in 2026, state Reps. Ismail Smith-Wade-El and Nikki Rivera, both D-Lancaster, are encouraging residents to get vaccinated against the disease and to stay informed about outbreaks through the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s new measles online dashboard. “We urge residents to protect themselves against the measles outbreak by getting vaccinated if they are unvaccinated and by staying informed about outbreaks using the Department of Health’s new online dashboard,” Smith-Wade-El and Rivera said in a joint statement. “We are grateful to the Department of Health for expanding public access to information and increasing transparency about measles cases in Pennsylvania.” Since the beginning of the year, Pennsylvania has reported 105 cases of measles. More than half of those cases — 63 — have been reported in Lancaster County. The new online dashboard provides up-to-date information on measles outbreaks across Pennsylvania, including case details by county, age and hospitalizations. The dashboard is updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon with the latest available data. The Department of Health currently provides school vaccination data at the county and state levels. In August, school-level vaccination information will be available online, giving families additional information to guide personal Read more

HARRISBURG, July 13 – Drawing on her 30 years as a public high school teacher, state Rep. Nikki Rivera, D-Lancaster, highlighted the 2026-27 state budget’s historic investments in education and support for working families as making Pennsylvania a more equitable place to live today and in the future. “I know from my own experience and that as a teacher, a high-quality education opens doors long after graduation,” Rivera said. “This budget will ensure that historically all Pennsylvania’s students have access to the skills and knowledge that will enable them to adapt and thrive in an increasingly competitive global workforce.” The budget makes a $670 million investment statewide in education, which includes a $565 million increase to help rectify historic funding discrepancies and a $58 million increase in basic education and $47 increase in special education funding, to ensure every student can succeed. Rivera said the school districts in the 96 th Legislative District will benefit from significant funding increases: Lancaster School District $4.2 million (4% increase) Manheim Township School District $1.9 million (11.7% increase) Hempfield School District $900,000 (3.6% increase) Rivera was pleased with the budget’s protections of cyber charter school students. “This budget would ensure that cyber charter schools are accountable for student safety by Read more