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The latest news from the State Capitol |
In this Edition:
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New Plant Opens in Derry Township |
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Stay Alert in Work Zones |
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Arrow of Light Prepares Fifth-Graders |
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Donate Life Month |
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Three Mile Island: Anatomy of a Restart |
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Happy Easter! |
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New Plant Opens in Derry Township
The Hershey Co. on Wednesday opened its new, state-of-the-art Reese Chocolate Processing facility, which is its first fully-integrated digital manufacturing plant and the first new manufacturing facility built at its headquarters in Dauphin County in over three decades.
Gov. Josh Shapiro highlighted how this expansion is a major win for Pennsylvania’s workforce, communities and economy. The 250,000-square-foot chocolate processing facility sits on a 55-acre site between the Hershey Technical Center and the existing Reese’s plant. It will produce the chocolate used in a variety of beloved brands including Reese’s, KitKat, Symphony and Special Dark.
In my remarks, I talked about how chocolate produced right here in Derry Township represents the best of Pennsylvania – the fresh milk from our dairy industry, the history of innovation, the tourism that supports our economy, the talented workers who manufacture and sell Hershey’s products, and, importantly, the legacy of Milton and Catherine Hershey’s philanthropy.
The facility is part of Hershey’s broader $1 billion investment strategy, which includes the addition of 13 new production lines and upgrades to 11 existing lines across North American facilities. It will support more than 125 new jobs and build on Hershey’s longstanding legacy as a major employer in Pennsylvania, where the company already supports over 6,000 jobs.
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Stay Alert in Work Zones
Next week, April 21-25, is National Work Zone Awareness Week, a time to remind drivers to be cautious, alert and respectful while traveling through areas of roadway and bridge construction. This year’s theme is “Respect the Zone So We All Get Home.”
The message is all the more poignant after a highway worker was killed in a work zone crash on Route 581 near Harrisburg earlier this week.
When you encounter work zones, PennDOT offers the following tips: drive the posted work zone speed limit; stay alert and pay attention to signs and flaggers; maintain a safe distance around vehicles; use flashers if traveling slowly; avoid distractions; and be patient.
State law requires motorists to travel with their headlights on in all posted work zones, not just active work zones. Daytime running lights are not sufficient; drivers must have their headlights on to also activate their taillights.
Drivers also should be aware that interstate work zones with a project cost exceeding $300,000 will have a speed-monitoring device to alert motorists of their speed prior to entering the work zone.
For more information about work zone safety, click here. Remember: The men and women working on our roadways are parents, children, siblings and spouses. They deserve to return home from work each day safely.
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Arrow of Light Prepares Fifth-Graders
On Saturday, Hershey’s Pack 65/Troop 65 held an Arrow of Light ceremony for fifth-graders getting ready for Scouts BSA. I’m thankful they invited me to participate in the program.
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Donate Life Month
April is Donate Life Month, an opportunity to raise awareness about the growing need for organ donation across the Commonwealth and the country. According to Donate Life PA, 16 people on average die each day while waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.
Across the country, more than 100,000 people are waiting for a transplant to save their lives, and more than 4,000 are added to the waiting list each month. In Pennsylvania alone, more than 6,000 people are on the waiting list for a life-saving organ transplant.
About 5 million Pennsylvanians have added the donor designation to their driver’s license, learner’s permit or state identification card, but this represents only half of those eligible to register. If you’d like to register as an organ donor, you may sign up here. You are also encouraged to let your loved ones know of your wishes.
For more information about organ donation, visit donatelifepa.org.
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Three Mile Island: Anatomy of a Restart
A recent article in The (Hummelstown) Sun provides a thorough update on Constellation Energy's plans for the Crane Clean Energy Center, which is the new name for Three Mile Island. Several hundred people have already been hired to work at the nuclear plant.
The Sun has provided a gift article for you to read about the timeline, tax revenue implications, emergency alerts system and more.
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Happy Easter!
My offices will be closed Friday, April 18, for the holiday weekend. Wishing everyone celebrating Easter a blessed and holy day filled with hope and peace.
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