News Releases
Sens. Hughes, Blake Introduce Bills to Help PA Manufacturers Produce Much-Needed Personal Protection Equipment
HARRISBURG – April 3, 2020 – State Senators Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) and John Blake (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) unveiled their plan to help manufacturers retrofit their facilities to begin producing much-needed personal protection...
Blake: $61 Million in State Aid Available to PA Small Businesses
HARRISBURG, March 18, 2020 – State Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) today announced that $61 million in low-interest loans will be available to Pennsylvania small businesses to deal with the effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The $61 million will...
Blake Announces Nearly $7.5 Million in Liquid Fuels Payments for Local Municipalities
SCRANTON, March 2, 2020 – State Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) today announced that communities across Lackawanna County are the recipients of $7.48 million in liquid fuels payments to help with the maintenance of roads and bridges. The announcement is...
Blake Announces Over $2 Million in School Safety Grants for Local Districts
SCRANTON, February 26, 2020 – State Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) today announced $2.08 million in School Safety and Security grants for 15 school districts across the 22nd District. The grant funding announced today was part of a $52.5 million...
Blake: Budget Prioritizes Education, Public Safety
HARRISBURG, February 4, 2020 – State Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) today released the following statement regarding Governor Tom Wolf’s proposed $36.055 billion state budget: “I appreciate the work of Governor Wolf and his administration on a...
Blake Announces Property Tax/Rent Rebate Outreach Schedule
SCRANTON, January 29, 2020 – State Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) today released his office’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Outreach Schedule for the month of February where his staff will assist residents in applying for the state’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate...
Blake, Policy Committee Hold Hearing on Corporate Tax Fairness
Harrisburg, January 29, 2020 – At the request of Senators Katie Muth (D-Berks/Chester/Montgomery) and John Blake (D-Lackawanna), the state Senate Democratic Policy Committee today held a public hearing on ways to make corporate taxes more equitable. Much of the...
Blake Announces Over $4 Million in LSA Grants for District Projects
SCRANTON, January 22, 2020 – State Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) today announced over $4 million dollars in state grants for important community and economic development projects throughout the 22nd Senatorial District. The funding was...
Blake Announces Over $3.7 Million in Regional Grant Funding
SCRANTON, November 12, 2019 – State Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) today announced over $3.7 million in state grants for 10 projects throughout the 22nd Senatorial District. The grant funding, approved earlier today, was awarded through the Pennsylvania...
Blake Announces Nearly $400k in Regional Grant Funding
SCRANTON, September 17, 2019 – State Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) today announced nearly $400,000 in state grants for six projects throughout the 22nd Senatorial District. The grant funding was approved earlier today at a meeting of the Commonwealth...
Sen. Blake Announces Availability of Fire, EMS Grants
SCRANTON, September 6, 2019 – Sen. John Blake (D- Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) today announced that the Pennsylvania Office of the State Fire Commissioner is currently accepting grant applications for the 2019-20 Fire Company, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Company...
Sen. Blake Announces $352,500 Grant for Scranton Park Project
SCRANTON, August 28, 2019 – Sen. John Blake (D- Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) today announced that the City of Scranton will receive a $352,500 Industrial Sites Reuse Program grant for site cleanup associated with the proposed downtown public park. “This funding is great...
Sen. Blake Announces $5.5 Million in Grants for Regional Redevelopment Projects
SCRANTON, August 1, 2019 – Sen. John Blake (D- Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) today announced that five redevelopment projects throughout his 22nd Senatorial District will receive $5.5 million in state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grants. “The RACP...
PA Senate Democratic Caucus Decries Changes to SNAP Program, Urges PA Congressional Delegation to Oppose
Harrisburg, Pa. – July 29, 2019 – Members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus sent a letter to the state’s congressional delegation, urging that the federal Department of Agriculture does not end automatic eligibility for Supplemental Nutritional Assistance...
Sen. Blake, Rep. Carroll Announce Funding for Local Affordable Housing Projects
SCRANTON, July 11, 2019 – State Sen. John Blake and state Rep. Mike Carroll today announced that three local affordable housing projects in Lackawanna and Luzerne County received over $1.2 million in funding through the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and...
Sen. Blake: ‘19-‘20 Budget Invests and Balances
HARRISBURG, June 27, 2019 – State Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) today released the following statement regarding Senate passage of a $34 billion state budget for the 2019-20 Fiscal Year. “For all the positives on which we were able to reach...
Members of Pa Senate Democratic Caucus Request Disaster Declaration on Gun Violence
Harrisburg, Pa. − June 24, 2019 − Members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus today jointly sent a letter to Governor Tom Wolf requesting a disaster declaration for gun violence in the Commonwealth. “We believe it is necessary to raise the public’s awareness...
Sen. Blake, Rep. Mullins Announce $100K Grant for Lackawanna College
SCRANTON, June 6, 2019 – State Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) and state Rep. Kyle Mullins (D-112) today announced a $100,000 grant to repair the historical roof at Angeli Hall on the campus of Lackawanna College. The grant funding was awarded through...
Blake Announces Winners of Student Ambassador Competition
SCRANTON, June 4, 2019 – State Senator John Blake recently hosted high school seniors from 14 local high schools for a legislative competition at Penn State Scranton as the final event of the 2019 Student Ambassador Program. The student ambassadors from schools across...
Blake Named Chair of PA Military Community Enhancement Commission
HARRISBURG, April 23, 2019 – State Sen. John Blake (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Monroe) today was unanimously voted chairman of the Pennsylvania Military Community Enhancement Commission (PMCEC). The 17-member commission, which was formally established by Act 161 of 2014, is...