The farm, on Palm Road in Lower Heidelberg Township, is owned by the Wolfskill family.

“Our farmlands play a crucial role in the vitality of our state and local economy, so it’s imperative that we preserve our agricultural industry,” said state Sen. Judy Schwank, a preservation board member. >>Read more…

According to the senator, the following farm will be preserved:

Family                                   Municipality                            Acres Preserved

Wolfskill Family Farm       Lower Heidelberg Twp.           111.9

“Our farmlands play a crucial role in the vitality of our state and local economy, so it’s imperative that we preserve our agricultural industry,” Schwank said. “I’m pleased that another family farm has been preserved, thanks to the preservation board.”

Statewide, 4,243 farms totaling 459,007 acres have been preserved since the program’s inception.  In Berks County 635 farms consisting of 64,403 acres have been preserved.  Berks County has preserved more acreage of farmland than any other county in the state program.

The Agricultural Land Preservation Board is intended to permanently preserve large clusters of viable agricultural lands by acquiring agricultural conservation easements (ACE). An ACE prevents the development of the land for any purpose besides productive agriculture.

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“This is good news for families who are seeking information about their loved ones and for researchers who are looking to learn more about their communities,” Schwank said. “The new law will make it more convenient to search the state’s archives for this important information.” >>Read more…

“This is good news for families who are seeking information about their loved ones and for researchers who are looking to learn more about their communities,” Schwank said. “The new law will make it more convenient to search the state’s archives for this important information.”

Under the new law, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and the Department of Health are expanding public access to birth and death certificates. Birth certificates are now available to the public 105 years after issuance and death certificates are available 50 years after issuance. This means that births from 1906 and deaths from 1906 to 1961 are available, and one year of births and deaths will be added each year from now on. Records prior to 1906 are held at the county level.

To access the records, visit www.health.state.pa.us and click on the “Birth and Death Certificates” link, or visit the State Archives at 350 North St. in Harrisburg. Researchers would need t know the year of the event, the correct spelling of the name they are searching for, and/or the county of the birth or death.

Access to the records is free. The Department of Health will continue to charge a $3 processing fee to order non-certified copies online. Copying fees may also apply at the State Archives, as well as research fees for search requests.

The legislation received unanimous support in the Senate and was signed into law as Act 110 of 2011.

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You wouldn’t know that if you listened to or read his speech. Not once did the Republican governor mention the bottom line. The numbers he did mention didn’t tell us anything about which departments were getting cut and by how much.

State Sen. Judy Schwank, a Ruscombmanor Township Democrat who represents Reading and most of eastern Berks County, was chosen by the Senate Democrats to prepare their official response, no easy task considering the lack of details. >>Read more…

“Once again, we have been offered a budget proposal that focuses more on short-sighted cuts than long-term strategic investment,” Schwank said of the $27.14 billion 2012-13 state budget. “The budget proposal announced today fails to foster job creation, close corporate tax loopholes or find a long-term transportation infrastructure funding solution. >>Read more…

And Corbett failed to produce a jobs plan or a workable transportation initiative, Senate Democrats charged in their budget response prepared by Sen. Judy Schwank of Ruscombmanor Township. Schwank was chosen by the leadership to prepare the response. >>Read more…

“Once again, we have been offered a budget proposal that focuses more on short-sighted cuts than long-term strategic investment,” Schwank said of the $27.14 billion 2012-13 state budget. “The budget proposal announced today fails to foster job creation, close corporate tax loopholes or find a long-term transportation infrastructure funding solution.

“While the governor’s budget proposal includes no state tax increases, we will certainly feel the pain of the budget cuts in our wallets,” Schwank said. “School districts are once again victims of the budget. They will be forced to cut programs, lay off more educators, and turn to the taxpayers to make up the difference through property tax hikes.”

“Higher education has also become a target of significant budget cuts,” Schwank said. “These cuts will not only hurt the quality of education that our colleges and universities provide, but also put an affordable college education further out of reach for too many families.

“Foreign companies will continue to take advantage of the Delaware Loophole and avoid paying taxes to this commonwealth, but the middle class will be forced to empty their pockets at a time when money is already so tight,” she said.

Schwank said she has seen the consequences of failing to assist  existing local businesses that want to expand and create jobs.

“When we turn our backs on the businesses that want to be here, they are lured away to other states, and we lose,” she said. “In the coming months I will be working with my senate colleagues to develop a more sustainable and responsible budget.”

Schwank delivered the Senate Democratic Caucus response to the governor’s budget address, which can be viewed online.

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At a Capitol news conference with Pennsylvania State Education Association President Mike Crossey at his side, DePasquale outlined his plan, known as Priority Assistance Grant for Education (PAGE) program, that would direct $30 million to districts in academic or fiscal distress. Sen. Judy Schwank, D-Berks County, is introducing an identical bill in the Senate. >>Read more…

State Sen. Judy Schwank’s responses:

Biggest accomplishment

I consider my biggest accomplishments of the past year being elected to serve the citizens of the 11th District, reconnecting with my constituents, and providing them with the conscientious representation and constituent services they deserve. >>Read more…