Senator Joe Biden, the next Vice President of the United States, is expected to make an appearance in our area this week. According to an invite circulated by State Rep. Bryan Lentz (PA-161), Joe will be at Linvilla Orchards on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 5 p.m.

The next in Bryan Lentz’s town hall meetings will take place close by at the Hedgerow Theater. This is your chance to hear an update on a range of issues, as well as to ask any questions you might have of your state representative.

Where: Hedgerow Theater, 146 W. Rose Valley Road [map]
When: Wednesday, September 19, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m

Residents who cannot make it to the town meeting are reminded that Lentz’s district office is located at 630 Fairview Road, Suite 104. You can call the office at (610) 544-7301.

State Rep. Bryan Lentz (D, PA-161) invites all district residents to a town hall meeting. Bryan will hear from constituents and discuss some of the critical issues recently debated or coming up in Harrisburg, including mass transit funding, energy independence and legislative reform. He will also be discussing his proposal to create a Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Airport Authority to help relieve the overcrowded air traffic at Philadelphia International Airport.

Where: Ridley Municipal Building, 100 E. MacDade Blvd, Folsum. [map]
When: August 30, 2007, 7:00 to 9:00 PM

Residents who cannot make it to the town meeting are reminded that Lentz’s district office is located at 630 Fairview Road, Suite 104. You can call the office at (610) 544-7301.

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Update: The Delco Times covered the town hall meeting, which ranged over a variety of issues.

This Sunday (8/5/2007) at 11:30, the NBC-10 News Live @ Issue program will focus on the controversial FAA airspace redesign. Both Congressman Joe Sestak and State Representative Bryan Lentz are expected to appear.

The FAA released its final Environmental Impact Study (EIS) in the Federal Register on August 3. Within 30 days, the FAA can issue its Record of Decision. Implementation of new flight paths would take at least 8 months. By that time, the Government Accountability Office will have released its study of the process. Congressman Sestak has this to say on the issue:

“I have worked aggressively with leaders in Congress, as well as with those at the state and local level, to address the concerns my constituents have over the noise and environmental impact of this redesign,” stated Congressman Sestak. “I’ve said all along that the FAA’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement is based on flawed models and assumptions. The study conducted by GAO will give us the investigatory results for stopping the FAA Airspace Redesign Project in its entirety. This GAO report will serve as an accountability study of whether a true cost-benefit analysis was done, and will serve to halt this project until a proper analysis is done, forcing the FAA to look at other options because Congress is now provided with an objective government study outlining why this process is flawed, forcing it to be ended.”

In the meantime, Rep. Lentz is advancing his proposal for a regional airport authority in Harrisburg. The transportation committee held a public hearing at Ridley High School on July 23rd. His legislation, H.B. 1182, has bi-partisan co-sponsorship from legislators throughout suburban Southeastern PA. The legislation would create a regional approach to planning and operations among the area’s airports. The authority would also coordinate with neighboring state authorities.

* * * UPDATE * * *

The full program on the FAA/Philadelphia Internation Airport can now be viewed online.

Press Release from Bryan Lentz’s office:

State Rep. Bryan Lentz, is reminding residents that their registration with the Pennsylvania Do Not Call list could expire soon and subject them to unwanted phone calls.

The state’s Do Not Call law, passed in 2002, allows residents to register their phone numbers on the Do Not Call list for five years to avoid getting calls from telemarketers. If a phone number was first listed in 2002, it must be re-registered by Sept. 15, or else it will expire Nov. 1. Registration on Pennsylvania’s Do Not Call list automatically registers residents with the national Do Not Call program.

To register or re-register, visit www.nocallsplease.com or call 1-888-777-3406. Registration is free.

If people who are registered continue to receive unwanted telemarketing phone calls, complaints can be filed with the Bureau of Consumer Protection in the Attorney General’s Office by calling 1-800-441-2555 or online at www.attorneygeneral.gov. Violation of the law carries a civil penalty of up to $1,000 and as high as $3,000 if the person contacted is 60 or older.

However, Lentz noted, the law does not prevent telemarketers from calling those with whom they have had an established business relationship within 12 months preceding the call, or calls from charities, political parties or candidates.

State Rep. Bryan Lentz (D, PA-161) invites all members of the district to a town hall meeting. Bryan will talk about a lot of the current issues before the House, including public transit and healthcare reform. This is also an opportunity for other concerns and questions to be addressed.

Where: Rutledge Borough Community Center, 212 Unity Terrace
When: July 12, 2007, 7:00-9:00 PM

**UPDATE**

An emergency session to approve the final version of state budget will require Bryan’s presence in Harrisburg on July 12. As a result, the town hall meeting has been rescheduled. Here are the new details:

Where: Ridley Municipal Building, 100 E. MacDade Blvd, Folsum.
When: August 30, 2007, 7:00 to 9:00 PM

Residents who cannot make it to the town meeting are reminded that Lentz’s district office is located at 630 Fairview Road, Suite 104. You can call the office at (610) 544-7301.

House Bill 906, sponsored by Bryan Lentz (D-161), seeks to renew the Volunteer Fire Company and the Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant program through 2012. The direct state grant program provides grants to volunteer fire, rescue and emergency medical services organizations for upgrading equipment, training volunteers, renovating buildings, or reducing debt from qualified purchases.

The grant program had expired in 2006. It was a critical source of funding for communities like Nether Providence. In the previous grant cycle, volunteer fire companies and EMS units in Delaware County received over $640,000 in grants. Among them were Nether Providence’s own Garden City Fire Co. ($12,654) and South Media Fire Co. ($10,761).

Failure to renew the program in 2007 would leave almost every Delaware County community scrambling to keep their emergency services funded appropriately.

State Rep. Bryan Lentz (PA-161) has added his name to the growing list of prominent local officials who are endorsing David Landau for County Council in the May 15 primary. At a press conference in the Nether Providence Township building on Sykes Lane, Lentz asserted that David Landau was the most qualified candidate in the field. He also cited Landau’s role in his own successful campaign in 2006, and the compatible approach the two wished to take on major issues of the day, especially open government initiatives and a strategic, comprehensive approach to transportation issues in the region.

For residents worried about transportation or parking for the Federal Aviation Administration hearing on its airspace redesign plans at Philadelphia International Airport, state Rep. Bryan Lentz is offering a bus to the event.

The hearing is the only currently scheduled event in Pennsylvania for public input directly to the FAA.

When: Tuesday, May 1. 6:30 to 10:00 PM.
Where: Holiday Inn, Philadelphia International Airport, Essington, PA.

Reservations for the bus seats are first-come, first-serve basis. Call his office at 610-544-7300 to reserve a seat. It will leave from his constituent service office on Fairview Rd, Swarthmore.

Both Lentz and Congressman Joe Sestak have been active on the FAA/airport issue since taking office in January. For further recent news, articles and releases are available online:

Joe Sestak meets with FAA Administrator Blakey and Transportation Committee Chairman Oberstar.

Lentz has shown some forward-thinking initiative at the state level by introducing legislation a new regional airport authority for Southeastern PA. The bill has bi-partisan support from area legislators. For more information, see the Philadelphia Daily News story from Delco beat reporter Bill Bender.

State Representative Bryan Lentz will open an additional constituent services office in Brookhaven. The Brookhaven office opening party being held this Saturday, March 17, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm in the Brookhaven Borough Municipal Building (2 Cambridge Road).

Lentz and his staff will be available to answer questions and hear concerns on PennDOT, PACE/PACENET, Property Taxes/Rent Rebates, CHIP (children’s health insurance) and other topics.

While on the topic of Lentz, the Nether Providence Democrats wish to extend on our congratulations to him and his wife Jennifer on the birth of their son. Joseph Thomas Lentz was born on March 13, 2007. Mother and son are reported healthy.