Rep. Bob Freeman

On Friday the city welcomed a new business to downtown Easton with a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for The Sakade. Located in centre square, The Sakade offers axe throwing, arcade games, sake, and more! I was happy to present owners Jason Cooper and Melissa Hirschhorn with a Certificate of Recognition to celebrate the ceremony. Be sure to check out The Sakade in Easton next time you are in the city!

🔸 The Sakade, 42 Centre Square, Easton PA 18042

On Sunday, Christ United Methodist Church in Easton celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the building of their beautiful church! I was honored to present a citation from the PA House of Representatives to the church to mark this historic celebration. In addition to being a house of worship, Christ UMC runs many charitable endeavors in our community such as providing meals to the homeless and serving as a warming shelter for the homeless in the winter. Christ UMC provides spiritual guidance and enrichment to its members, but it is also a place of fellowship with a sense of community and place that connects people through face-to-face contact in a world where virtual contact and communicating through our phones has dominated. Christ UMC provides that personal connection, and we need more face-to-face contact in our society. Congratulations again to Christ UMC and its congregation on the 100th Anniversary of their church!

Last night we celebrated the opening of the new exhibition at the Sigal Museum, Aquí Vivimos: The Hispanic Community in Northampton County. This exhibition is community-driven and was developed in collaboration with local residents, business owners, students, and community leaders. Aquí Vivimos features the voices and lived experiences of Hispanic and Latino individuals and families who live in Northampton County. During my remarks, I talked about how this exhibit gives us an opportunity to recognize and preserve the experiences of Hispanic families and individuals who have made Northampton County their home. It also reminds us that the history of our county is constantly growing. Every generation adds new stories to the historical record. One of America’s greatest strengths is our diversity. Make sure to check out this powerful new exhibition at the Sigal Museum running from September 24th, 2026, through July 10th, 2027!

On Tuesday, the Easton Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the grand opening of McDonald’s in downtown Easton! I was happy to present owner James McIntyre with a Certificate of Recognition to celebrate the opening of the newly remodeled McDonald’s! They did a beautiful job with the renovation, and we are pleased to have them back up and running!

Earlier this week, the City of Easton was host to the Pennsylvania Latino Convention. As part of their convention, the Pennsylvania Legislative Latino Caucus and House Majority Policy Committee co-hosted a hearing on the state of the Latino community of Pennsylvania yesterday at Easton City Hall. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the hearing, where my colleagues and I heard testimony about the positive impact Latinos have had in our workforce and growing the state’s economy, but also how some children of Latino workers are struggling in our education system. We heard from those testifying about several ways the state can help these students succeed in our schools, from making sure we are properly evaluating students to increasing the educational support systems available. It is our responsibility to make sure that every child has a fair shot to succeed in our schools and flourish in our community.

On Sunday I participated in a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Gigi & Alex Restaurant in Hellertown! I was happy to present a Certificate of Recognition to Alejandro and his family to mark this joyous occasion. The new family-owned restaurant will offer wonderful dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Congratulations again to Alejandro and his family for this exciting new chapter and be sure to check out Gigi & Alex Restaurant for a meal when you are in Hellertown!

🔷 Gigi & Alex Restaurant, 605 Main St., Hellertown, PA 18055

Pool improvements, emergency services upgrades and municipal projects will be funded thanks to $2.54 million in state grants awarded Tuesday. These investments focus on reliable services and community spaces that people can enjoy on a regular basis.

Read more details on my website here: https://www.pahouse.com/Freeman/InTheNews/NewsRelease/?id=145206

As our country continues to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States, I joined my colleagues in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives last week for a special session at Congress Hall in Philadelphia’s Independence National Historic Park. It was truly special to meet at the same site where the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights were debated. During this special session, the House considered two resolutions commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the 250th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Constitution, which later helped lay the groundwork for the U.S. Constitution.

I was fortunate to be asked to give an opening prayer and reflection at the beginning of our session. I touched on how the pursuit of freedom inspires the soul and its attainment empowers the most ordinary people, and how the passage of the Declaration of Independence 250 years ago was a moment in time that marks the beginning of our long journey to the attainment of that freedom. It is written that “when justice burns within us like a flaming fire, when love evokes willing sacrifice from us, when, to the last full measure of selfless devotion, we demonstrate our belief in the ultimate triumph of truth and righteousness, then goodness enters our lives and we can begin to change the world.” There is no denying that the Declaration of Independence changed the world and set in motion the long and steady march of society toward the realization of democracy and equality.

Yesterday turned out to be a beautiful day for the 2026 Clam Jam Seafood Festival! It was a good time trying out some amazing food and drinks while listening to great music. I hope everyone that made it downtown enjoyed the festival and thanks to 3rd & Ferry Fish Market for putting together this wonderful event!