00:08 - Representative Jamie Flick.

00:11 - Williamsport is part of your legislative district.

00:14 - For our viewers who are considering

00:16 - a visit there, what do you want them to know?

00:20 - Well, absolutely beautiful.

00:21 - We're in the heart of Lycoming County.

00:24 - If they're looking to visit this month,

00:25 - we're now into the month of August.

00:27 - Certainly the little League World

00:28 - Series is at the top of the list.

00:31 - Millions of visitors each year.

00:34 - We've expanded the 20 teams this year.

00:36 - So anywhere from a team could be here in the northeast.

00:39 - And we've got Cuba coming.

00:41 - Big, big news if you're coming here.

00:44 - If you're here, certainly Pine Creek,

00:46 - Loyalsock Creek, a ton of outdoor activity.

00:48 - So we would welcome,

00:50 - as we say during the World Series, welcome the World.

00:53 - What sets Williamsport apart

00:55 - from other parts of the state representative here?

00:58 - I do think just to touch on what I just mentioned, the

01:01 - the creeks fishing, the hunting.

01:04 - We're usually number one and bear kills every year.

01:07 - So the number of cabins,

01:09 - certainly

01:10 - the recreational and as previously mentioned,

01:13 - the Little League World Series sets them apart

01:14 - from the entire world quite on it.

01:17 - Now, I understand you have quite a lengthy personal history

01:20 - there, Representative. Tell us about it.

01:22 - Sure. I'm a native.

01:23 - First of all, stories born in the waves were hospital.

01:25 - But if you're saying in regards

01:27 - to Little League, I've been a volunteer for over 40 years

01:31 - as a coach, as a manager, as a, by gosh, grounds crew.

01:36 - And with the World Series on what's called a team uncle

01:38 - or a team host.

01:40 - There's 20 of us.

01:41 - So each year we are assigned to a team

01:43 - from anywhere, anywhere around the world.

01:45 - For example, last year I had a

01:46 - tie was so pretty much from sunup to sundown.

01:50 - You're working with the kids,

01:51 - with the coaches, in that case, with the interpreter.

01:54 - This year, have a great lake. So

01:57 - it's fun

01:58 - volunteerism and it sort of is the backbone of

02:01 - of the city of Williamsport and the surrounding area.

02:03 - Can you tell us a brief history of the event of the Little

02:07 - League World Series?

02:08 - In other words, how did it end up

02:09 - in Williamsport in the first place?

02:11 - Sure.

02:13 - I believe the year five.

02:14 - I have my history,

02:15 - right, was 1939, a gentleman named Carl Scott.

02:19 - You know, he was a baseball fan and he thought,

02:21 - why not do something for the kids?

02:22 - So he sort of knocked the field size down by two thirds.

02:25 - He got a couple of sponsors that were locally

02:28 - local to buy uniforms.

02:30 - So I set up a couple teams and I think it was maybe

02:33 - eight years later, somewhere around 1947,

02:36 - that where they had the first Little League World

02:39 - Series, mostly with local teams,

02:40 - maybe a team from New Jersey and the surrounding states.

02:43 - And it grew, exploded really.

02:45 - It was eventually moved across the river.

02:47 - ESPN got involved and it is now the largest

02:50 - youth event in the entire world.

02:52 - So now tell me more about your job as a

02:56 - they call it a team uncle or an ambassador for a little league.

03:00 - And this has to do with being assigned to visiting teams.

03:04 - How was that worked out?

03:06 - Yeah, there's 20

03:07 - teams this year,

03:08 - so it has grown quite a bit over the last two decades.

03:11 - And each year

03:12 - a team host, there are I think there's 47 of us total.

03:16 - There's 20 teams to host four teams

03:18 - and then a few members that sort of float around

03:21 - when we're working.

03:22 - So you randomly reach under a bucket,

03:24 - you pull out a baseball and that's got a region,

03:27 - as mentioned before.

03:28 - Last year I had Taiwan, this year have Great Lakes.

03:30 - So you have them with that whole team

03:32 - throughout the next couple of weeks, sunup to sundown.

03:35 - And you do everything

03:37 - from driving them to batting practice to,

03:40 - you know, taking care of their daily needs.

03:41 - Sometimes it's support.

03:42 - These are 12 year old, 11 year olds

03:45 - that may be halfway around the world that just need a

03:48 - sometimes a shoulder to lean on.

03:50 - Likewise with the coaches also.

03:52 - So then you sit in the dugout during the game,

03:54 - you help them with weather activities.

03:56 - I would love to say I teach them how to hit

03:58 - and teach them how to pitch.

03:59 - That's that's they're they're well beyond me,

04:02 - even though they do level as well as those categories.

04:04 - So it's just great fun.

04:06 - It's 100% volunteerism,

04:08 - and I couldn't be more proud to have that job.

04:12 - Now, earlier

04:12 - you said that a team from Cuba is going to be there this year.

04:16 - That is correct. First time ever.

04:18 - So it's probably kind of a shock to the senses

04:21 - culturally to come to Williamsport.

04:23 - So as a team ambassador,

04:25 - what can you do to make that transition

04:27 - as pleasant as possible for that visiting team?

04:30 - Yeah, that's that's a great question, Larry.

04:32 - It really depends on at times the coach.

04:35 - You know, some teams are pretty strict

04:37 - about batting practice a couple of times a day,

04:40 - you know, not too much outside,

04:41 - but for the most part, these are kids being kids.

04:44 - So when they have an off day,

04:45 - if they don't have a game that day as a host.

04:48 - Pretty much the door's open to do whatever you want.

04:50 - I take them out of the community.

04:52 - And it also depends where they come from.

04:54 - It was the team from Taiwan.

04:55 - I might take them to an authentic meal.

04:57 - Definitely.

04:58 - We spend time on the river, Susquehanna River.

05:00 - As far as Little League is concerned,

05:02 - and many of your viewers may not know that

05:04 - Susquehanna River

05:04 - sort of gets its start in Cooperstown,

05:06 - New York, the Hall of Fame for the Major Leagues,

05:08 - and carves its way down through New York

05:11 - and into Pennsylvania and right through

05:13 - Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

05:14 - So spend time on the river on our Hiawatha Paddle Wheeler.

05:18 - We take them on picnics, fishing

05:22 - and almost

05:23 - grow, which is a sort of a hot spot

05:26 - and maybe to a Yankee game, a Pirates game or Phillies game.

05:29 - So it sounds like there's

05:30 - a whole lot more to enjoy than just the game itself

05:33 - and playing in the series.

05:35 - Oh, absolutely.

05:36 - Some of these games get up to 40,000 fans.

05:39 - Imagine that for 11 and 12 year olds, 40,000

05:42 - people are watching these games.

05:43 - So there's

05:44 - not just for the players and the coaches and at times

05:47 - the interpreters,

05:48 - but for everybody coming in the community,

05:50 - there's just a fun to do in a way.

05:52 - So let's get back

05:53 - to Williamsport in general, Representative.

05:55 - Tell me about the drivers of your economy up there.

05:58 - Sure.

05:58 - Well, certainly

05:59 - natural gas is at the forefront as they came into play over

06:02 - a decade ago.

06:03 - The Act 13 legislation was phenomenal for our area,

06:06 - has done so much.

06:08 - Work representing a void is that briefly Act 13, tell us.

06:11 - Oh, sure, that is revenue that is generated from drilling

06:16 - parts of that state in the community where you have

06:19 - a blast with natural gas.

06:21 - And that in fact has been used to help out local

06:24 - little leagues, to build tennis courts, to

06:27 - strengthen roads, really, to strengthen the community.

06:30 - So the Act 13 is a godsend to our community

06:33 - and other communities across the Commonwealth.

06:36 - Are there certain big, prominent employers up there?

06:39 - What's keeping people busy in Williamsport?

06:42 - Sure.

06:43 - Well, the colleges, Lycoming College, fantastic college

06:46 - in the city,

06:47 - right in the heart of which we're also Pennsylvania

06:49 - College of Technology, two big employers,

06:51 - UPMC is one of the largest employers, Lycoming Engines,

06:55 - which makes engines throughout the world.

06:57 - It's funny, my I've got a bunch of kids.

06:59 - One of them just called me a couple of days ago.

07:01 - He is early in the flight school and Arizona is like, Dad,

07:04 - you won't believe where the engines are.

07:06 - Yeah, I think I know where you're going.

07:08 - So it's like Coleman

07:09 - engines, of course,

07:10 - which was the county seat of Lycoming County.

07:12 - So those are a few of the big economic drivers.

07:15 - Now, I understand that Williamsport lays claim

07:18 - to being the gateway to 2 million acres of public land.

07:22 - That sounds like a lot. So what is there to do up there?

07:25 - That's a lot.

07:26 - I hunt. I fish.

07:27 - I am on the game and fish committee

07:31 - and the Wild's been involved with that.

07:33 - So those 2 million acres.

07:35 - Yeah.

07:35 - Explore every inch of them snowmobile when we're fortunate

07:39 - enough to have snow when I say that I like snow ATV

07:43 - but big area come fall for our hunting.

07:47 - You know that's another driver of the economy so people

07:50 - from all around the world come here for its sports game.

07:55 - And what if you just want to look at wildlife up that way?

07:57 - What is there to see?

07:59 - Well, we're we're not too far from Elk County.

08:01 - So you want to see elk.

08:02 - You just drive a little bit through.

08:03 - As you can see out here, we got tons of trails

08:06 - throughout the community

08:07 - and some of those, again,

08:08 - come from the 13 drivers and from the

08:10 - from the natural gas industry.

08:12 - But hiking, we've got state game land 75 just north of the city

08:16 - that's got

08:17 - I believe it's

08:18 - 27,000 acres that you can hike on through state game land.

08:22 - So definitely it's an outdoor community and I love it.

08:27 - Can you tell us about a recent legislative accomplishment

08:30 - that would benefit the people of Williamsport?

08:34 - Something that I've done. Yeah.

08:35 - Or your Escalade? Sure.

08:37 - A few weeks ago, I was a co-sponsor of a bill

08:39 - for a playground accessibility bill for handicapped children.

08:44 - So that passed the House,

08:45 - I believe, was to a 2 to 1, obviously very, very bipartisan.

08:49 - So we've got

08:50 - just a ton of playgrounds and all of our boroughs

08:53 - and municipalities around the area.

08:55 - So that was a piece of legislation.

08:57 - I was very proud to be a part.

08:59 - What kind of changes are you advocating as far

09:02 - as making these playgrounds more accessible to disabled kids?

09:06 - Well, it's mostly funding is what we're talking about there.

09:08 - When we're going to upgrade playground,

09:11 - install a new playground, which we will work with D.C.

09:13 - and our on that and with the borrower,

09:15 - with the community that it's being installed with.

09:17 - So we're just saying when we

09:18 - start a new playground project that we want to make sure that

09:22 - kids with disabilities handicapped

09:24 - have the same accessibility to it as every other child.

09:29 - So would state government use money

09:31 - from an existing source to fund this project?

09:34 - Absolutely.

09:35 - And usually that would be DCR.

09:38 - Mm hmm.

09:39 - And just

09:40 - how much funding are we talking that would be in

09:44 - the form of grants for a project like this?

09:46 - That varies.

09:47 - There is a borough.

09:48 - I was just at a few days ago,

09:50 - the Boystown Borough, which is in my district

09:51 - just south of of the city of Westport.

09:55 - They're looking at probably a $200,000 upgrade.

09:58 - We're still defining that trout

10:00 - run just north of the city looking at an upgrade.

10:02 - A white Deer Township

10:04 - just sits in the northern

10:06 - tip of Union County, sort of between Lewisburg

10:09 - and Williamsport, is also looking for funding.

10:11 - We want to get kids outdoors, right?

10:13 - We have to get kids outdoors.

10:15 - It comes into play with mental health, substance abuse, with

10:19 - physical health.

10:20 - So our objective one of my objectives

10:23 - is really to get children to see

10:26 - and also to get their parents

10:28 - to see the benefits of being outdoor.

10:30 - So the bill to upgrade playgrounds has been approved

10:33 - by your chamber. What happens next?

10:36 - Well, it's got to get approved by the Senate and I expect it

10:39 - to be swiftly approved.

10:40 - I've talked to a few senators

10:41 - and then the governor has signed off on it

10:44 - and then the funding will be released.

10:46 - Obviously, we've got to get through this budget

10:47 - and I expect that to happen relatively soon also.

10:50 - But once those funds are released,

10:52 - we've got upgrades to be made right here in my district

10:55 - at White Deer Township at the Boystown Burrow

10:59 - to get kids outdoors and to get these upgrades done.

11:02 - And we want

11:03 - kids to turn off the cell phones and get out to the parks.

11:07 - On a somewhat related note, I understand your office

11:10 - brought in $2 million for public safety projects.

11:14 - Can you give me some examples, particularly those

11:17 - that would affect the citizens of Williamsport or.

11:21 - I will.

11:21 - I'll give you three examples.

11:23 - In the surrounding

11:23 - area, part of it, Williamsport, part of it,

11:25 - just touching the borders of Williamsport.

11:27 - The borough of Southwell work

11:29 - just across the river,

11:29 - which is actually where

11:30 - the Little League World Series is played.

11:33 - I believe we gave them $1 million

11:35 - or funding for $1 million to build a new municipal building

11:39 - just in the park.

11:40 - That ties into what we're just talking about.

11:42 - Excuse me.

11:43 - It will sit actually in the southwest for community park.

11:46 - So the building itself will have access to 88 acres

11:50 - of hiking, walking trails,

11:54 - baseball course, soccer and whatnot.

11:57 - And we also have one in the boys town

11:58 - just adjacent to Southwest work

12:00 - that needs upgrades for Pickleball

12:03 - and other activities at that at that location.

12:05 - Here's a good legislative thing to end on.

12:07 - I understand

12:08 - you co-founded a caucus called Meet Me in the Middle.

12:12 - So first, tell us what's behind that name.

12:15 - Sure.

12:16 - Meet me in the middle is as sort of what

12:17 - the name implies, and that is the choice of

12:19 - members of both parties, Democrats and Republicans.

12:21 - I mean, we're at a stalemate right now.

12:23 - It's one on one, one on one.

12:25 - The beauty of that is, is every legislator is critical.

12:29 - Right.

12:29 - Whether it's one or two, one, two, one, one, one, one or one

12:32 - every vote matter.

12:33 - So Meet Me in the middle was a way to sort of

12:36 - knock out some barriers, knock down some walls.

12:38 - So there are two members of the Republican Party,

12:41 - one being myself,

12:42 - two members

12:42 - of the Democrat Party that got together to

12:45 - meet me in the middle.

12:46 - And if nothing else, let's humanize everybody.

12:48 - By the end of the press conference

12:50 - or by the end of that day,

12:52 - we had 50 members of the State House sign up.

12:55 - So I believe it was 28 Democrats and 22 Republicans.

12:59 - So we're going to start meeting monthly and just share ideas

13:01 - that they're not going to be the huge things

13:03 - gun rights and abortion,

13:05 - but they're going to be

13:05 - the smaller things that we really can communicate

13:08 - and we can reach across the aisle

13:10 - and do what we need to do

13:11 - to get things done for Pennsylvanians.

13:13 - So how does the Meet Me in the Middle

13:15 - Caucus seek to influence the rest of the legislature?

13:18 - That's a lot of other minds you have to change.

13:21 - That is a lot of minds.

13:22 - I will say

13:22 - the feedback we've gotten locally

13:24 - and even statewide has been phenomenal.

13:27 - If you look at the

13:27 - growth of the parties, it's not the Democrats

13:30 - or the Republicans that are growing, it's the independents.

13:32 - People want things to get done or the nonaffiliated.

13:35 - So the support from the perimeter has been phenomenal.

13:39 - Working with Patty Kim

13:41 - and Steven Kinsey and Jill Cooper,

13:43 - the other three reps that are on that committee.

13:45 - We've got a great relationship.

13:47 - So we're looking really to get a lot of bills passed

13:49 - and working with each other and again

13:51 - for the betterment of the community

13:53 - and for the Commonwealth.

13:54 - Representative Flick, thank you very much.

13:57 - All right. Thank you, Larry. Have a great day.