Ryan Bizzarro Voted in As PA State Representative
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Thursday, November 10, 2016 Volume 116 | Issue 10 Ryan Bizzarro voted in as PA State Representative Bizzarro talks focus going forward, including animal abuse bill, education By Dakota Palmer the federal means in order to get more funding Voices Editor for the region. I’m looking to enhance the overall health and well-being of our area, and Democratic State Representative Ryan that’s why I’m running. Bizzarro was re-elected Pennsylvania’s third I’ve got a great track record and people can district representative Tuesday, beating out see what I’ve done for the district and what I’ve Republican challenger Greg Lucas. accomplished and I want to continue to do it at Being an Erie native, Bizzarro graduated least for another term. from McDowell High School in 2004 and Q: What do you hope to accomplish? graduated from Edinboro University of A: I want to continue to focus on my Pennsylvania in 2008 with an associate degree priorities that I’ve been working on since I’ve in political science and a bachelor’s degree in been elected. Literally in 2013 when I took criminal justice. Additionally, he has a master’s office, we hit the ground running. No other degree in public administration from Gannon legislative office has come close to northwestern University. Pennsylvania with the type of constituent Before becoming state representative of the services that we provide here. Just from Jan. 1 of third district in 2013, Bizzarro was a victim/ 2015 to now we’ve taken care of almost 20,000 witness coordinator and advocate for the Office people and helped them with state related of the Erie County District Attorney and the issues. And that’s just the people we have on Crime Victim Center. Additionally, he worked record. as a behavioral health specialist at McKinley We let the people know we are their Elementary School and created a partnership gateway to Harrisburg and I want to make my between the school and the Big Brothers Big legislative office a one stop shop for all your Sisters program. state government needs. I want to take care Bizzarro worked as a liaison for the local and of people; that is exactly why I’m here and I national campaign offices for Hillary Clinton want to keep focusing on that. Not only do I Photo: Pahouse.com/Bizzarro when she ran for president in 2008. help on the human element of things, but I’m Erie native and McDowell graduate, Ryan Bizzarro, was re-elected as Pennsylvania’s Currently, Bizzarro is a board member for also passionate about animal abuse. I have a third district state rep. He defeated Republican challenger, Greg Lucas. the Northwestern Pennsylvania Big Brothers piece of animal abuse legislation out there that Big Sisters program, a member of the Erie made national news and has come to national County Industrial Development Authority, a attention and I want to get that across the finish with the other side of the aisle in order to get the PASSHE schools additional funding this committee member of the Erie County Truancy line too, but I need a little bit more time to do the job done and I’m proud of delivering for the year and we were successful at doing that. Any Task Force and co-chairman of the Young Erie that. people of this region. It’s way easier to under investment in human capital is investment in Professionals civic engagement committee. Q: During your time as representative, promise and over deliver 100 percent of the our future and you (college students) are our In the days leading up to the election, The what did you accomplish that you are most time than to give somebody your word and not future. be able to fulfill that promise, so that’s why I We have to have a skilled and educated Spectator’s voices editor, Dakota Palmer, proud of? never make a promise that I don’t keep. workforce that can meet the demands of the spoke to the now winner. This story originally A: I would definitely say on the legislative 21st century workforce. appeared on EdinboroNow.com. side of things, bringing attention to a national Q: What is your vision for education in Q: Why did you run again? problem that we’re having that is the abuse of Pennsylvania? Q: Do you support the Fair Funding A: I have a genuine interest in public service animals. It’s something I’m passionate about. I A: I’ve been a big proponent of public Formula for the commonwealth? Why or and people. I want to see this region be at the had no idea that when I introduced this bill it education and what we’ve seen in the past few why not? forefront of Pennsylvania. Erie is the hidden was going to cause this much of a ruckus here in years is a $1 billion cut to public education. If A: It’s an equal distribution of the funds gem of Pennsylvania and is an untapped PA and really start an animal rights movement. you look at that, it’s had devastating effects on that we have; it’s fair to school districts across resource for all intents and purposes. I’m really proud of that and I’m proud of ending classrooms across Pennsylvania. the commonwealth and we’re not so blatantly We need someone down there [Harrisburg] the budget impasse. I’m a big supporter of education and getting who has innovative ideas and who can I was one of 13 Democrats to break ranks to the appropriate funding that we need. We’re supplement what’s going on here locally with stop the 9 and a half month budget impasse and looking at not only K-12 but also higher See State Rep, A2 state funding and try to find state means into I’m very proud of that. I’m proud of working education. I fought tooth and nail to try to get University student involved in McDonald’s hit and run Student victim speaks up about Halloween weekend incident By Macala Leigey she wanted to look ‘tough’ in front of people or News Editor she was just really angry and took it out on me. Either way, not okay. There is no reason to hit Nearly two weeks ago, an Edinboro University me, or anyone, with a car. ” student was hit by a car in the Edinboro Several witnesses, and friends of Cymone, McDonald’s parking lot during the early rushed to her aid after the incident occurred. morning hours of Oct. 29, following a physical Cymone was able to stand after the incident and altercation. was transported to UPMC Hamot for treatment The victim of this collision, Dominique of her injuries. Cymone, was struck by the front end of a car, “The [hospital] experience was terrible. They and rolled over the top of the hood before (hospital staff) did not clean or bandage my making contact with the ground. After striking wounds, [or] check to see if I had a concussion; Cymone, the unidentified driver left the [they] refused to write a prescription for pain McDonald’s parking lot at a rapid speed in an medication, and gave me two Tylenol tablets unknown direction. after I was discharged because I asked, again, for “I don’t know what caused it (the physical something for the pain I was in,” Cymone said. altercation). I was just making sure my friends Edinboro Borough Police responded to the were okay, [and] a big altercation broke out. incident, and charges being filed against the Then when everything de-escalated, she (the driver are not known at this time. driver) left, came back and hit me from behind “It’s still under investigation,” said Chief while I was walking to my ride,” Cymone said. Police Officer Jeff Craft of the Edinboro Police Photo: Macala Leigey She continued, “I do not know her [the Department. Craft was unable to release any An Edinboro University student was struck by a car in the Edinboro McDonald’s parking driver]; she does not know me. This was the further information regarding the incident at lot on Oct. 29. The situation is still under investigation, according to Edinboro police. first time I ever saw her in my life. I assume this time. Index Boro Weather Forecast News..............................................A2 Donald The Arts...........................................A4 Tonight Friday Saturday Sunday Games/Comics...............................A7 Trump wins Event Calendar...............................A8 57 48 44 53 Sports..............................................B1 U.S. Election. Voices..............................................B4 Low: 45 Low: 28 Low: 31 Low: 35 Technology......................................B6 Environment....................................B7 Election...........................................B8 Page B8 edinboronow.com [email protected] Cloudy Rainy Sunny Sunny [email protected] News [email protected] - Volume 116 | Issue 10 - EdinboroNow.com - (814) 732-2266 Thursday, November 10, 2016 Section A n Page 2 website and everything I do country and particularly in the State Rep is transparent. I think we’re a commonwealth. at 9 and a From A1 fairly transparent state. Are we half month budget impasse — Sociology classes host perfect? No, but if you look I’m not even kidding — was picking winners and losers. at us in comparison to some the worst 9 and a half months We’re not giving all the of the others, we have the of my life. I didn’t run for disability expo and dinner suburban districts the money, transparency laws in place. I’m o ce to make people’s lives which I have the suburban not trying to hide anything more di cult and I thought school districts, so obviously I [and] I make things easily that the legislature was in fact love to see them be successful, accessible; you can see what I doing that.