Julie Sidoni to Serve as Moderator on WVIA’s Call the Doctor

WVIA News Director Julie Sidoni will serve as moderator of the upcoming 34th season of WVIA’s television series Call the Doctor. The season will feature an updated look and presentation when it premieres Wednesday, March 2nd at 7 p.m. on WVIA TV.

The new season will feature 16 episodes that will premiere Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. on WVIA TV.

“Call The Doctor is a program that viewers have come to rely on for more than 30 years,” said Sidoni. “The newly-formed WVIA News team is ready and excited to report on a number of health and medical topics, contributing to the show in a way that hasn’t been done before.” 

“We believe having the show premiere in consecutive weeks along with Julie’s experience reporting health issues in our region allows us to better serve our audience and address their medically related questions,” said Carla McCabe, WVIA President, and CEO. 

“We are excited to premiere a new look and style for this program this season while still presenting the information our viewers look for each week,” said Ben Payavis II, WVIA Chief Content Officer. 

The new season of Call the Doctor will kick off with “Missed Health Screenings Due to COVID-19” on March 2nd, followed by “Lung Cancer on the Rise: Types and Treatments” on March 9th, “All About Alzheimer’s Disease” on March 16th, and “The Future of Telehealth” on March 23rd. 

Show topics to be featured later in the season include obesity/bariatric surgery, prostate cancer, breast cancer, COVID-19 side effects, joint replacement, back injuries, arthritis, sleep disorders, and more. More information on the upcoming season can be found at wvia.org/ctd. Watch a preview for the first episode of the season here.

Viewers can call in with their questions ahead of time to have them answered on-air by calling 1-833-408-9842.

Wolf Administration Highlights Benefits of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Officials from the Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation (PennDOT) and Environmental Protection (DEP) today highlighted benefits to Pennsylvania from the passage of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), specifically for electric vehicle (EV) and alternative fuel infrastructure.

PennDOT also unveiled its EV Equity Guiding Principles for private industry and other agencies to consider as they plan and deploy EV charging infrastructure. The principles aim to increase accessibility to the infrastructure and maximize benefits for all Pennsylvanians.

“PennDOT and our sibling-agency partners are well positioned to advance our transportation and EV charging networks to meet current and future needs,” said PennDOT Acting Executive Deputy Secretary Melissa Batula. “These investments are a significant opportunity, and we are committed to delivering benefits across the state.”

Signed by President Joe Biden in November 2021, the BIL provides states with $7.5 billion to expand the EV charging network. Over five years, Pennsylvania will have access to $171.5 million in formula funds for EV charging infrastructure and $2.5 billion in discretionary grant funding opportunities for all alternative fueling infrastructure. The funding supports the commonwealth goal of expanding EV charging along the previously designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs) (list) and Interstate lookalikes. Federal AFC criteria was updated this week to require AFC designated ready corridors to have charging stations no more than 1 mile from an Interstate exit or highway intersection (previously 5 miles) and no more than 50 miles apart. The department will review all corridors to align ready and pending corridors with the new criteria.

“DEP is grateful for the federal infrastructure support and excited to partner with PennDOT in expanding charging station locations across the state, as we work to bring the health and environmental benefits of zero emission transportation to all Pennsylvanians,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell.  

Formula funds will flow through PennDOT and will be primarily focused on developing electric charging infrastructure on AFCs, taking miles from pending to ready status. From PennDOT’s most recent update, there are currently 1,051 Interstate miles pending and 692 Interstate miles in ready status, under the previous designation criteria. Should PennDOT determine, and U.S. DOT certifies, that the AFCs are fully built out, then Pennsylvania may use funds to build EV charging equipment on any public road or in any publicly accessible location, including but not limited to parking facilities at public buildings, public schools, and parks.

The new discretionary grant program will allow Pennsylvania’s eligible entities like municipalities, school districts, planning organizations and more to apply for funds to support local communities in installing, operating, and maintaining EV charging equipment. Grant funds will also be available for electrifying school bus fleets and EV battery manufacturing and recycling programs.

PennDOT and DEP – following guidance issued from U.S. DOT – will collaborate with key stakeholders such as network companies, planning partners, and businesses on EV charging development. The newly announced equity principles will help the department evaluate EV proposals in accordance with the federal guidance and fall into five categories:

  • Make EVs more affordable;
  • Make EV charging more accessible;
  • Invest in fleet electrification;
  • Invest in traditionally underserved, low-income, persons of color and otherwise vulnerable population areas; and
  • Increase EV awareness, education, and technical capacity.

The commonwealth’s previous work and the new funding will support growing EV usage and industry transitions. There are more than 23,000 EVs registered in Pennsylvania, more than double the roughly 9,700 that were registered in March 2019. To enhance traveler information for the growing number of EV drivers, the state’s traveler information system – 511PA – now also includes EV charging station locations as an option on its traffic map. Using data from the U.S. Department of Energy, the map shows locations across the state by connector type, including CCS, J1772, CHAdeMO, Tesla, and NEMA.

More information on PennDOT’s Alternative Fuel Corridors can be found on the department’s website. 

More information on Electric Vehicles in PA, including details on the DEP Alternative Fuel Rebate that provides higher rebates on the purchase of new or used EVs to income-eligible Pennsylvanians, can be found on DEP’s website.

Moses Taylor Foundation Names New President and CEO

Philanthropy executive Danielle Breslin has been appointed as President and CEO of the Moses Taylor Foundation, a private foundation whose mission is to improve the health of people in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Breslin has more than 25 years of experience optimizing health outcomes, with a focus on historically marginalized communities. Throughout her career, she has built an extensive network within the healthcare, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors.

Currently, Breslin is Vice President of Operations and Learning for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation. Under her leadership, the Foundation experienced significant growth resulting in a robust portfolio of more than 1,200 grants with $173.8 million invested in communities across North Carolina. Before she transitioned into philanthropy, Breslin spent six years within the Health Care Services Division of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.

“Danielle’s qualifications and experience are exceptional, but more importantly, her heart and passion for philanthropy and her dedication to those she is entrusted to serve will raise the work of the Moses Taylor Foundation to the next level,” said Maria Marsili, Search Committee Chair. “We believe she is the perfect fit to guide the Foundation and work with our community partners to continue ongoing initiatives and identify and address exciting new philanthropic opportunities for generations to come.”

Breslin is a graduate of Leadership North Carolina, a Fellow of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations’ Change Leaders in Philanthropy, and a Fellow of the Southeastern Council of Foundation’s Hull Leadership Program. She has served on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Network of Grantmakers, Farmer Foodshare, and Girl Scouts of North Carolina Coastal Pines. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University.

“I am so grateful for this opportunity to work alongside the Moses Taylor Foundation Board and staff to build upon their outstanding reputation and to advance the important work happening throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Breslin. “The organization’s core values mirror my own, and we share a foundational commitment to listening to, and learning alongside, the communities we serve. I am thrilled for what lies ahead and look forward to making this area my home for years to come.”

Breslin will assume her responsibilities as President and CEO of Moses Taylor Foundation on March 14, 2022.

For more information, visit www.mosestaylorfoundation.org.

Boback’s Bill to Establish Purple Star School Program

Legislation to establish the Purple Star School Program in Pennsylvania, sponsored by Rep. Karen Boback (R-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming), chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, advanced to the Senate after its unanimous passage in the House of Representatives today.

“A child in an average military family may move up to nine times during their school-age years, creating a unique set of challenges,” said Boback. “The Purple Star School Program would make the Commonwealth’s service members aware that a school is dedicated to responding to the special needs their children face during transitions to a new community.”

Under House Bill 1867, Pennsylvania schools would be designated as Purple Star campuses if they demonstrate military-friendly practices and meet certain requirements such as: having a military liaison staff member; a webpage that includes resources for military students and families; and professional development training opportunities for staff members on issues relating to military students. Boback noted the program is voluntary for school districts.

Pennsylvania would join 27 other states that have Purple Star designation programs if Boback’s bill becomes law.

Brittany Cesarini – EMPOWER Conference Panelist

Director of Communications, Global Health Corps

Presentation: Managing Conflict Panel

The ability to resolve conflict in the workplace is an essential ability for leaders in any organization. When there is open and transparent processes for identifying, resolving, and managing conflict, it is proven to improve productivity and job satisfaction of employees. In this session, our panelists will discuss techniques on how to engage in meaningful conversations and manage conflict in the workplace.

Bio:

Brittany Cesarini is the director of communications at Global Health Corps, an international nonprofit working to develop rising leaders in the U.S., East and Southern Africa, and beyond. In her role, she oversees internal communications, messaging and storytelling, branding, content creation and editorial, and digital communications. Over the past decade, she’s worked with hundreds of young leaders to find, hone, and share their voices to accelerate progress towards health equity. Brittany has also spoken and facilitated at numerous global events including Diversity Reboot 2021, Women Leaders in Global Health 2021, and New York University’s Social Innovation Symposium in 2020. 

Prior to her work at Global Health Corps, Brittany led communications and legislative affairs for a Bronx-based New York City Council member, focusing on key health and immigration issues in the poorest Congressional district in the U.S. She began her career working at the intersection of strategic communications and grassroots health advocacy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania as the recipient of the Henry Richardson Labouisse ’26 Prize.  

Brittany holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy with a double minor in gender studies and African studies from Princeton University. She has also trained in effective coaching with LifeLabs, effective management with The Management Center, and “writing to change the world” with The Op-Ed Project. Fluent in Swahili and an avid reader, writer, and hiker, Brittany currently lives in NEPA with her husband and their young son. 

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The Dime Bank Scholarship

At The Dime Bank, we want to support our future leaders. We award four $1,000.00 scholarships to graduating seniors.

Who is eligible to apply?

  1. The student must be a graduating senior in the Wayne Highlands, Wallenpaupack, Delaware Valley, or Carbondale Area School Districts and;
  2. The student must be enrolled to attend a full-time accredited school of higher education pursuing a degree in business or a related business major such as accounting, economics, marketing, etc., in the 2022-2023 school year.

Children of The Dime Bank employees or directors are not eligible to apply.

How much are the awards?
The Dime Bank will award one $1,000.00 scholarship to one student from each of the four school districts.

Application Period:
The 2022 scholarship application closes April 8, 2022.

How can a student apply?
It is easy! Speak with your school guidance counselor to fill out an application. No essay is required.

To access this information on our website, please visit our Scholarship page.