Soergel Orchards receives new grant funding; Local students win KD Quiz Championship; Celebrating our local Indian-American community – and more! Read more
FRANKLIN PARK, Aug. 12 – Soergel Orchards, a family-owned homestead, market and orchard based in Franklin Park with farms across Allegheny and Butler counties, will receive a $24,584 state grant with support from state Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-Allegheny, and state Sen. Devlin Robinson, R-Allegheny. The funds will allow Soergel Orchards to purchase an agricultural drone. Common uses for drones in agriculture include mapping and surveying, crop monitoring, water management, and precision application of fertilizer and pesticides. “I am always proud to support our local farmers and ensure they have the resources they need,” Venkat said. “This is especially true for Soergel Orchards, which has been a staple of the North Hills for over 170 years and still finds new ways to develop and innovate their work. I look forward to seeing how this funding backs their work for our community.” This project is one of 97 recently announced by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture through its first-in-the-nation Agricultural Innovation Grant Program , which helps agricultural businesses implement innovative technology to improve efficiency, increase production, protect soil and water resources, and generate clean, renewable energy. Read more
Taking part in National Night Out; Opportunities for former residents to return to Pittsburgh; Local grants accepting applications – and more! Read more
Read my Fall 2026 print newsletter here! Read more
Pushing for responsible AI implementation; My upcoming shred event; Highlighting our local parks; New grant opportunities available – and more! Read more
Supporting our local public education; Working with nationwide AAPI leaders; Making some “Good Trouble”; New economic development grants – and more! Read more
New grants for our community; Supporting our retired public servants; Explore our state parks – and more! Read more
McCANDLESS, July 16 – State Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-Allegheny, today announced $2.35 million in grant funding from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program to support two projects in the Town of McCandless – one aiding local youth recreation and the other benefiting first responders. North Allegheny School District will receive $1.25 million to renovate the school’s aquatics center, including upgrades to extend the life of the existing diving and teaching pool, the creation of a separate diving well, and expansion of spectator and locker areas. “North Allegheny’s aquatics center helps keep many of our local students and community members active and healthy,” Venkat said. “The swimming and diving teams at North Allegheny are frequent WPIAL champions, with the girls having 18 consecutive titles and the boys winning back-to-back PIAA state championships this year. “Athletics are crucial for many of our students, and these funds will go a long way to help our student-athletes achieve these regional and state victories.” The other local grant in this announcement will award $1.1 million to the Allegheny Police and Fire Academy to support electrical work, replacing the academy’s existing generator and installing a new, larger generator to better support the entire building and its role as an emergency operations center. “Our first responders help keep Read more
Celebrating Independence Day; Getting out in Hampton; How to stay cool this summer – and more! Read more
Happy Independence Day; Birthright citizenship upheld; Local students compete in Washington; Franklin Park wants to hear from you – and more! Read more
Welcoming my interns to Harrisburg; Two of my bills passed by the House; FAFSA deadline rapidly approaching – and more! Read more
HARRISBURG, June 23 – The Pennsylvania House has unanimously passed two bipartisan bills introduced by state Reps. Arvind Venkat and Kristin Marcell that would eliminate administrative burdens to make it easier for physician assistants to receive their licenses. In hospitals, PAs are often overseen by both allopathic and osteopathic physicians. Current law requires PAs to be licensed by both boards that oversee these occupations, the State Board of Medicine and the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine. House Bills 75 and 76 would eliminate this redundancy and allow PAs to work under the supervision of either type of doctor, regardless of licensing board. “As an emergency physician, I have worked hand-in-hand with physician assistants for my entire career. The work they do is absolutely crucial to the delivery of high-quality healthcare,” said Venkat, D-Allegheny. “This legislation will eliminate an unnecessary barrier for PAs to continue doing this lifesaving work. I am thankful to Rep. Marcell for her collaboration on this legislation and to my other colleagues for the overwhelming support for these bills.” “These bills remove unnecessary red tape and make it easier for physician assistants and physicians to work together in caring for patients," said Marcell, R-Bucks. "I am grateful to Rep. Venkat for his partnership on this effort and pleased to see the House come together in support of Read more
Meeting with local youth leaders; Supporting our regional fine arts; Check updates to PRT routes – and more! Read more
HARRISBURG, June 18 – As federal officials continue to threaten public health, state Reps. Arvind Venkat, Tarik Khan and Bridget Kosierowski, all healthcare professionals, have announced their intention to introduce legislation that would require insurers to continue to cover previously recommended forms of preventive care and allow the Pennsylvania Department of Health to update those recommendations based on the best scientific evidence informed by healthcare professional organizations. The proposed legislation would require insurers in Pennsylvania to cover all forms of preventive services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the Health Resources and Services Administration as of Jan. 1, 2025. These three agencies have seen significant leadership changes since that time, raising concerns over their independence and scientific credibility. Under the Affordable Care Act, insurers must cover preventive medical care services recommended by these federal bodies without patient financial responsibility. With the federal changes in these critical entities, Venkat said the validity of their recommendations is very much in question, threatening the insurance coverage of preventive medical care for all Pennsylvanians. “As a physician-legislator, I have seen how access to evidence-based preventive medical care is under attack,” said Venkat, Read more
Working to make healthcare affordable; Learning more about nuclear energy; House Fellowship program now accepting applications – and more! Read more
House passes my homeowner protection bill; Welcoming guests to Harrisburg; McCandless Birthday 5K coming up – and more! Read more
HARRISBURG, June 2 – The Pennsylvania State House has passed bipartisan legislation, 190-11, in favor of regulating shared equity agreements, a novel home lending product, according to the bill’s co-prime sponsors, state Reps. Arvind Venkat and Lindsay Powell , both D-Allegheny, and Tim Twardzik , R-Schuylkill. Shared Appreciation Agreements are contracts in which a homeowner receives funds in exchange for granting a third party a future interest in the appreciation, equity, or value of their home. The legislation, H.B. 2120 , would add Shared Equity Agreements to current laws that provide statutory safeguards for other home-secured financial products, such as residential mortgages. “For most Pennsylvanians, their home is their most valuable asset,” Venkat said. “Homeowners may enter into these agreements believing they are making a beneficial decision for their family’s future, but when marketing is unfair or deceptive, they could face significant financial hardship down the road. “Given the importance of homes and their value to so many Pennsylvanians, we must expeditiously bring shared equity agreements into a regulatory framework similar to that of mortgages so that Pennsylvanians can be assured of transparency and protection against predatory lending practices in these products.” The legislation would require shared equity agreements to meet disclosure requirements, Read more
New grant funding for Hampton Township School District; Honoring our fallen heroes; Walk to End Bladder Cancer this weekend – and more! Read more
PITTSBURGH, May 26 – The Pennsylvania Department of Education awarded a $20,000 grant to Hampton Township School District to support students who are interested in becoming special education teachers, state Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-Allegheny, announced today. The funding for this project comes from the Developing Future Special Educators Program, which will give more than 800 Pennsylvania high school students early exposure to a career as a special education teacher and opportunities to earn college credits before graduating from high school. “Special education is a vital part of our school system. This funding will ensure that our students have the teachers they need and that those who want to shape the future of education have access to the resources they need to begin their careers,” Venkat said. “I am proud to support this program, and I look forward to seeing the incredible work that comes out of Hampton with this new funding.” Special education programs as set forth by the Department of Education can support students who have disabilities, which can include autism, deafness and blindness, intellectual disability, multiple-affecting disabilities, orthopedic impairment, emotional disturbance, a specific learning disability or other health impairment, a traumatic brain injury, or a speech or language impairment. Read more
Celebrating our Talented Student-Athletes; Working on Affordable Health Insurance; Park Ranger for a Day Contest – and more! Read more
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