First -generation Dominican American Vanessa Acosta is the Republican Candidate for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for District 49, encompassing the southern half of Lancaster City, Lancaster Township, and Millersville. She’s running against incumbent Democrat Ismail Smith- Wade-El

She describes herself as a single mother, child trafficking survivor, and licensed insurance agent who understands firsthand the power of resilience and opportunity. She says her experiences have shaped her commitment to protecting and uplifting her community.

“I’m running for State Representative to ensure every voice is heard and every family has the chance to thrive. I will fight for safer communities, stronger economic opportunities, and policies that bring people together to build a brighter future for our state.”

Rabbi Jack Pastkoff is a rabbi at Congregation Shaarai Shomayim in Lancaster, PA, a Reform congregation with approximately 320-325 member families that serves as a major hub for Jewish life in the area.

He often travels to Israel and meets with approximately 10 peacemaking groups, which includes volunteers from Israel and Palestinian.

Rabbi Pastdoff graduated from Brandeis University, and then spent his first year of Rabbinical School in Jerusalem, before returning to the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, New York campus. He was an intern at Temple Judea of Manhasset.

After he was ordained in 1988, he became the associate rabbi at the Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple in New Brunswick, NJ, where he spent 5 years there and completed a unit of CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education.

Rabbi Pastkoff says, “building trust is not an overnight task. When I met with Yoav Hass, the chairperson of Torat Tzedek, an Israeli human rights nonprofit, I asked him if he and his organization’s Palestinian partners saw one another as friends. He wasn’t sure, suggesting that there was still too much suspicion. That still didn’t keep them from doing the work."

He has lived in Lancaster with his wife, Risa since 1993.

Rev. Bradley Mattson, a priest in the Episcopal Diocese of the Susquehanna, talks about ICE plus changing denominations and the reasons for it.

He enjoys exploring the ways the Gospel intersects with public life and current affairs. He also serves on the board of the Episcopal Evangelism Society. He is a frequent op-ed writer in the local press and was featured by Deutsche Welle’s Living Planet, an environmental podcast.

He has helped lead grant-supported projects that bring church and community together throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Besides being a priest he leads a financial service organization.

He lives in Lancaster with his wife and four children.