Sunday, March 24, 2013
House Bill 421 would prevent workers from collecting unemployment if they quit a job to prevent losing pension benefits.
State Rep. Joe Emrick (R-Northampton) joined his House colleagues in unanimous support for House Bill 421, legislation that prevents state workers from collecting unemployment benefits through "triple dipping." The bill will now be taken up by the state Senate. "We already have an unemployment compensation system that is just now returning to solvency thanks to legislation passed last session," said Emrick, who represents Palmer and Forks townships. "This bill addresses a loophole that has allowed Commonwealth employees to collect benefits unjustly and ensures that unemployment compensation support is going to individuals who truly need and deserve it," he said. Situations have arisen where state employees who have retired and are …
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
State Rep. Joe Emrick announces that Palmer Township and Forks Township are the recipients of DEP recycling grants.
The state has handed out some gifts to Palmer and Forks Townships. State Rep. Joe Emrick, R-Northampton, who represents Forks and Palmer Townships, has announced that Palmer Township and Forks Township have received recycling grants through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Palmer Township was awarded $250,000 while Forks will get $52,053, Emrick stated in congratulating both townships. He said that Upper Nazareth Township, which is also in his district, was awarded $237,292. Williams Township is also receiving a $250,000 grant. They are among 131 in the state to share $17.8 million in recycling grants, Emrick said. "Recycling plays a key role in improving Pennsylvania’s economy and protecting its environment," DEP …
State Rep. Joe Emrick, who represents Palmer and Forks townships, is supporting a bill to bolster special education funding legislation.
State Rep. Joe Emrick, R-Northampton, is endorsing a bill which would create a legislative commission to address discrepancies in funding for special education. The legislation may now be taken up by the full House following unanimous passage Monday by the House Education Commission. "Our schools and our taxpayers are in desperate need of this legislation, which speaks to sufficient funding for education and efficient distribution of taxpayer dollars,” said Emrick, a committee member who represents Forks and Palmer Townships. House Bill 2 creates a legislative commission to recommend a new formula for distribution of state funding for special education. The current method is based on an estimate that the average daily enrollment of each …
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Shawnee Elementary School parents says that half days shouldn't count as full days in meeting 180-day school mandate.
Dear Patch.com, I agree with you 100 percent about your My View column on Nov. 18 in which you stated that children aren't spending enough time in school these days. Thank you for finally writing about this. Last year, I wrote to State. Rep. Joe Emrick and to Secretary of Education Tomalis about the missed number of days at the elementary school level here in the Easton Area School District. In the 2010-2011 school year, we had a total of 26 half-days... the 12:25 dismissal time. That equals 78 hours of missed in-class instruction, because the usual full school day goes until 3:25. I found that number alarming, and I do not understand how that can be acceptable with state requirements. On the official 2010–2011 school calendar, a total of …
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
State Rep. Joe Emrick beats former Bangor Mayor Joe Capozzolo to retain his seat in the 137th legislative district.
Republican incumbent Joe Emrick will keep his 137th district state House seat after defeating Democratic challenger Joe Capozzolo Tuesday, according to unofficial results. With 85 percent of the precincts reporting, Emrick received 16,327 votes compared to 9,473 for Capozzolo, the former Bangor mayor and first-time candidate. All vote tallies are unofficial until certified by county election officials. "I feel great," Emrick said late Tuesday. "I'm deeply honored to serve the residents of the district for another term. I appreciate the opportunity to go back to Harrisburg and represent them for the next two years." Emrick won several precincts in Forks Township, all three in Nazareth and also won Tatamy with 342 votes to Capozzolo's 164. …
Palmer and Forks residents gathered at area polls to cast their votes in the presidential race Tuesday.
Election Day was not a disappointment as far as turnout in Palmer and Forks townships was concerned. Voters flooded the seven polling places in Palmer and three in Forks as crowds gathered as soon as the polls opened at 7 a.m. Even State Rep. Joe Emrick, running for re-election, was one of the first out, standing outside the Forks Community Center to greet voters. Emrick was re-elected. Do you have photos from the election. If so, upload them on our Pics and Clips.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Former Bangor Mayor Joe Capozzolo is challenging State Rep. Joe Emrick to represent the 137th legislative district.
Editor's Note -- This is the second of two parts on the candidates running Nov. 6 to represent the 137th state legislative district. Joseph Capozzolo believes he is the right Joe for the job. "I think I can do the job better than it's being done," he said. The 49-year-old former Bangor mayor is taking on State Rep. Joe Emrick on Nov. 6 in the 137th legislative district race. Capozzolo, having served as a two-term mayor, says he's more of a people person than Emrick. Another area the Democrat says he has sufficient experience in is job creation. Capozzolo, who has four daughters, is vice president of Windjammer Inc., his family's business. "I want to make this a better place for my children and other children," he said. "I want to make a …
Thursday, October 25, 2012
State Rep. Joe Emrick is running for re-election in the 137th Legislative District on Nov. 6.
Editor's Note -- This is the first of two parts on the candidates running Nov. 6 to represent the 137th state legislative district. State Rep. Joe Emrick feels good. As he sits over breakfast recently at the Forks Diner for an exclusive interview with Patch.com, Emrick believes that he has made a difference during his two years representing the 137th state legislative district. "We've gone in and legislated the exact issues we campaigned for," the 42-year-old Upper Nazareth resident said. "We've started to achieve goals. But a lot of work needs to be done. I'm looking forward to continuing down that path." The Republican Emrick faces former Bangor Mayor Joe Capozzolo, a Democrat, in the Nov. 6 race for state representative. Emrick had …
Saturday, October 20, 2012
State Rep. Joe Emrick receives award for helping small businesses.
State Rep. Joe Emrick (R-Northampton) has been named a Guardian of Small Business by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). Guardians of Small Business are awarded to members of the General Assembly who voted favorably on key small-business issues at least 75 percent of the time during the current session. Emrick is running for re-election in the 137th Legislative District Nov. 6 against former Bangor Mayor Joseph Capozzolo.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
State Rep. Joe Emrick squares off against challenger Joseph Capozzolo in the Nov. 6 election for the 137th Legislative District.
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Thursday, October 4, 2012
Rasterone
10:42 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
This is a hidden tax increase yet again and does nothing to solve the problem of runaway costs --an big tax increase if you live in Forks or Palmer!! Goes from BAD to WORSE ---Currently some public schools in PA get to write own IEPs and turn on their own essentially unlimited use or abuse of these funds --no real controls on abuse. Likewise some years ago PDE essentially funded schools on a … more ›