By Rep. Lindsay Powell

Hello neighbors, happy November! Jack Frost has been leaving his imprint on a regular basis, so if you have someone in your life who is struggling with paying their utility bill, the LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance program) application is now open. Someone from my office would be happy to help you or a loved one apply to lower your energy bill!

In exciting news, myself, Reps. Abney, Deasy and Jessica Benham, and state Senators Wayne Fontana and Jay Costa helped to bring $5 million through the Public School Facility Improvement Grant Program’s to Pittsburgh Public Schools! This allocation will help the district install new HVAC systems at the following 11 educational institutions:

• Arsenal PreK-5
• Arsenal 6-8
• Carrick High School
• Classical 6-8 (PCA)
• Clayton Academy
• Concord PreK-5
• CAPA 6-12
• Grandview PreK-5
• King PreK-8
• Weil PreK-5
• Westinghouse Academy 6-12

Getting students ready to learn and excel in the classroom is imperative, and these funds will help ensure Pittsburgh School District students can perform their best in all academic endeavors. We’ve seen how old HVAC systems, coupled with climate change, can result in an unbearable learning environment. I’m proud to partner with my fellow Allegheny County members to see that these dollars go a long way towards benefitting generations of young neighbors for years to come.

Speaking of utilities, my office is hosting a Utility Savings event on Nov. 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at my district office, located at 5154 Butler St., Pittsburgh, PA 15201. We’ll have representatives from North Hills Community Outreach, Peoples Gas, and my office on hand to help you apply for Dollar Energy Fund, Customer Assistance Program (CAP), LIHEAP, and other assistance programs. Please bring your proof of income, a form of ID, and your utility bills to speed up the process. Sign-up isn’t required, but please keep in mind that attendance will be high, and may require you to wait. We hope to see you there!

As you know, my office hosts a Veteran Service Officer (VSO) from the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. (VFW) on the second Monday of each month. In November, the VSO will be in our office on Nov. 18-20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you are a veteran or know a veteran who would like help in accessing their benefits, please call my office at (412) 7812750 to schedule an appointment.

My district office is located at 5154 Butler St., Pittsburgh, PA 15201. We are open and ready to serve you, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and by appointment in the evenings on Wednesdays. We also have office hours at our Shaler office at the Shaler Municipal Building located at 300 Wetzel Road, second floor, Glenshaw, PA 15116. We will be there every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or any weekday by appointment.

Any state related issue, or assistance that you may need, please give my office a call; even if we cannot directly help, we will do our best to put you in contact with someone who can. Here are some examples of ways we can help, but are not all encompassing of the support we offer:

• PennDOT services: car registrations and disability placard applications
• *NEW* Free notary services
• Taking an acknowledgement
  • Administering an oath or affirmation
  • Taking a verification on an oath or affirmation (which includes an affidavit)
  • Witnessing or attesting a signature
  • Certifying or attesting a copy or deposition
  • Taking a note protest of a negotiable instrument
• Complaints about road conditions or infrastructure
• Unemployment compensation problems
• Property tax/rent rebate applications
• Issues related to utility companies
• Birth certificate applications and finding copies of your vital records
• Senior ConnectCard applications through Port Authority of Allegheny County

Call: (412) 781-2750 or Email: Rep-Powell@pahouse.net or stop by our office during the hours listed above.