We are spiraling. Society is spiraling. It looks pretty dark.

History clearly shows that we have been in dark spaces before. History, therefore, also tells us that we have made it through those days and come out on the other side, even if only to repeat that circle again.

To make matters more complicated, how we judge our present circumstance is almost always topped by what we anticipate future circumstances to be. Pain and joy are rarely as sustained as hope and despair, and many of our decisions are borne out of the latter.

We cannot allow ourselves to spiral further out of control. My ask of you all:

Find the good in your world. Envision the moments of joy that are coming to you in the coming days. Joy and pain coexist. Grief and gratitude coexist. If you walk out of your house at 4 a.m. in the morning and look westward, the skies will be dark.

Shifting your focus might just give you a different view.

It's always the darkest before the dawn.

Last Friday night, I was honored to attend the First Alarm Recognition Event, sponsored by the Abington Township Board of Commissioners and SPS Technologies. The event honored and thanked the many firefighters, police and EMS who responded last February to the SPS fire. 

Thank you again to all the first responders who worked tirelessly during the SPS emergency. 

REMINDER: My Senior Fair is NEXT Thursday, September 18, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel.

Please click here to register if you have not already. 

Please call my office at (215) 572-5210 with any questions that you may have. 

SEPTA has been approved to use state capital assistance funds to keep their operations at the same level. Starting Sunday, September 14, the following changes will take place:

• Full Bus and Metro Service will resume.
• New Regional Rail fall schedules will begin.
• The 21.5% fare increase will be reinstated for all SEPTA modes and fare products.

You can learn more about routes that have been restored here.

You may have heard that a couple of weeks ago, one of Mitzvah Circle Foundation’s storage trailers caught fire. While everyone is safe, and emergency responders were able to put out the fire, the loss was insurmountable. Damage from the fire, water and smoke caused a loss of $1.2 million in new, wholesale-purchased goods that were planned to be distributed to families in their communities.

These items included new clothing and backpacks for students to begin their school year with dignity, undergarments, shoes, diapers and 200 pack n plays. The pack n plays typically go to hospitals, which they give to families who cannot afford a crib, ensuring infants can sleep at home safely.

The initial news story can be found here. 

My office is collecting the items in the graphic above to help replace some of the items they lost. You can drop off these items at my office, 115 E. Glenside Ave., Suite 8. Please call my office with any questions, 215-572-5210.

My staff will be hosting another round of outdoor office hours at James A. Cisco Park (199 W. Montgomery Ave. in Erdenheim) on Tuesday, September 16th from 1–3 p.m.

Stop by for help with state-related services, resources, or questions. Weather permitting—we look forward to seeing you there!

PennDOT is hosting a job fair on Saturday, September 13th, from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the PennDOT Maintenance Office, located at 2005 Swede Rd., Norristown, PA 19401.

Interested individuals are encouraged to create an account at employment.pa.gov and apply for open positions before attending the event. This is a great opportunity to explore career opportunities with PennDOT and speak directly with recruiters.

Harrisburg Office

325 Irvis Office Building

PO Box 202154

Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 783-1079

Glenside Office

115 East Glenside Avenue

Suite 8
Glenside, PA 19038
(215) 572-5210