Marywood University to Hold Physician Assistant Virtual Information Session Marywood University’s Physician Assistant (PA) program will host a Virtual Information Session on Monday, April 11, 2022, from 5–7 p.m. This event is free and open to anyone interested in pursuing an advanced degree in PA Studies. Attendees will interact with Physician Assistant faculty and current students, learn about the admissions process, and participate in a Q&A session. To register, visit admissions.marywood.edu/register/Spr22PA. The PA program at Marywood University is committed to excellence in the training of students to provide both primary care and specialized health care in a variety of health care settings. The program provides students with the foundation for professional growth through personalized attention, diverse clinical experiences, and a commitment to excellence. Earning a master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies prepares students for medical careers that are in demand and growing to meet expanding health care needs. For additional information about Marywood University’s Physician Assistant Virtual Information Session, please contact Lauren Tokash, Graduate Admissions Counselor, at tokash@marwood.edu, call the Office of Admissions, at (570) 348-6234, or register for the information session, at admissions.marywood.edu/register/Spr22PA.
Scranton Area Community Foundation Invites Area Students to Apply for Scholarships The Scranton Area Community Foundation invites area students to apply online for eligible scholarship opportunities through their online scholarship portal. Over $800,000 in scholarship funding is available through the Scranton Area Community Foundation to eligible students seeking to continue their education. Over 60 scholarships are available to high school and college students for a variety of studies and interests. Scholarship applications will be accepted until Friday, April 1, 2022. Detailed information about all of our scholarship opportunities can be found at safdn.org/scholarship. Scholarship decisions are announced in June. For more information about scholarship opportunities at the Scranton Area Community Foundation, please contact Cathy Fitzpatrick, Scranton Area Community Foundation Grants and Scholarship Manager, at 570-347-6203, extension 301, or grants@safdn.org.
PennDOT Eliminates Truck Weight Class Stickers The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that in a continuing focus on modernization and streamlining processes as well as an added convenience to customers the use of weight class stickers has been eliminated, effective January 29, 2022. “Historically, trucks with a registered weight of 5,001 pounds or greater were required to display a truck weight class sticker on the inside of their vehicles windshield,” PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian said. “This was an antiquated and unreliable indicator for law enforcement and inconvenient for the industry/vehicle owners. The reliable way to determine the vehicle’s registered weight is for the law enforcement officer to review the current registration card.” A vehicle’s weight classification is printed on the vehicle’s registration card carried within a vehicle and produced during a vehicle stop. Eliminating weight class stickers will have no bearing on revenue as application fees are collected in accordance with established fee schedules. PennDOT published its intent to eliminate weight class stickers in the Pennsylvania Bulletin in May of 2020. “Elimination of weight class stickers is a win-win for PennDOT and the trucking industry, saving costs and cutting needless red tape,” Rebecca Oyler, Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association (PMTA) President and CEO said. “PMTA has long supported this change and is pleased with this final rulemaking, which will benefit the owners of an estimated 1.6 million commercial and non-commercial vehicles.” All motor vehicle forms and publications related to weight class stickers are being updated to remove the reference of a “weight class sticker.” The updated forms will be available on our website at www.dmv.pa.gov. More information can be found on PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Service website under the Elimination of Truck Weight Class Stickers page. MEDIA CONTACT: Diego Sandino, 717-645-8296 or dsandino@pa.gov
Wright Center’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Family Support Group Returns to In-person Monthly Meetings The Wright Center for Community Health’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Family Support Group, a collaborative program with the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Pennsylvania Chapter, will return to in-person monthly meetings at the Mid Valley Practice, 5 S. Washington Ave., Jermyn, beginning Monday, May 2. The monthly meetings will be held the first Monday of the month from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Mid Valley Practice. The professionally led group is for caregivers, individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, family members and others personally affected by the disease. “Our support group offers comfort and reassurance for those who are living with the disease and individuals who are actively providing care or have loved ones afflicted with it,” said Nicole Lipinski, director of The Wright Center for Community Health’s Geriatric Service Line. “Support groups can also be a good source of practical advice, camaraderie and emotional support for everyone involved in this journey.” Guests are asked to observe public safety measures due to COVID-19, including masking and social distancing, during the meeting. To register for the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Family Support Group, please call 1-800-272-3900. For more information about The Wright Center, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019. The support group falls under the umbrella of The Wright Center for Community Health’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program. The Wright Center is one of only eight health systems in the country to adopt the award-winning model that was created at UCLA. The clinic helps patients and their families with the complex medical, behavioral and social needs of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Advanced practice providers and dementia care specialists collaborate with the patient’s primary care physician to create and implement a personalized care plan that builds in medical needs, solutions for caregiver stress and cultural traditions unique to each individual and their family. The support group and program are components of The Wright Center for Community Health’s Geriatric Program, recognized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement as an Age-Friendly Health System. The program provides a full spectrum of comprehensive primary health and support services for seniors and serves as a trusted primary health advisor for seniors and their families in support of independent living. The Wright Center for Community Health’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Family Support Group, a collaborative program with the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Pennsylvania Chapter, will hold in-person monthly sessions from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on the first Monday of the month beginning May 2 at the Mid Valley Practice, 5 S. Washington Ave., Jermyn. Call the Alzheimer’s Association at 1-800-272-3900 to register.
Tobyhanna Expands Role in Modernizing Army Command Centers Soldiers in the field can now safely connect with their leadership at home – all thanks to a rapidly-growing workload at Tobyhanna Army Depot. A cross-functional group of employees continue to support installation and upgrade missions for the Home Station Mission Command Center (HSMCC) and Mission Command Facilities (MCF) programs, which establish and improve joint operations mission centers around the world. Like a situation room, the facilities are outfitted with high-end teleconferencing equipment such as projectors, video monitors, microphones, and speakers for real-time communication, visibility and decision-making. The growing workload is directly aligned with Tobyhanna’s long-range strategic plan, TOBY2028, which has four focus areas: Investing in Our People, C5ISR Readiness, Shape the Future and Strategic Communications. TOBY2028 aims to posture the depot for success in the coming years as the Department of Defense’s premier worldwide C5ISR readiness provider. Tobyhanna’s previous support of the program was limited to electrical work and equipment installation. Customers were continuously impressed by Team Tobyhanna’s work under tight timelines; as a result, they expanded the scope of work to include carpentry, wood fabrication, networking upgrades, wireless installations and engineering support with assistance in mission design. A previous depot mission to Fort Bragg, North Carolina found depot team members transforming an open work bay into a state-of-the-art HSMCC, with carpenters on-site building walls to create the new space, while woodworking artisans back home crafted cabinetry and a credenza to enhance the project. The finished product resulted in 50 feet of handmade cabinetry, custom-designed for the HSMCC. Those involved say the effort was a unique challenge. “The main objective for the cabinets was to cover up the wiring and improve the aesthetics of the HSMCC,” said Kyle Oakley. “Our team did a great job taking a basic concept and bringing it to life as pieces of expertly crafted furniture – not something we do every day. Our customer was very pleased.” Oakley is a work leader in the System Integration and Support (SIS) Directorate’s Equipage Branch. Personnel also took on a new challenge during a MCF mission at Fort Carson in Colorado recently, installing a high-tech LED micro-tile video wall and all video processing equipment. The tile-based displays offer unlimited design freedom, exceptional visual quality, and less complex installation requirements – but presented a vastly different process from previous technological installs. Equipage Branch Chief Nathaniel Isaac praised his team’s performance. “There has never been a request too large or too small, too difficult or too easy for my team. They always achieve amazing results with a finished product that expresses the high level of expertise they possess,” he said. Fellow SIS Chief Robert Olshefski agreed. “I am very proud of our team and their willingness to accept and thrive with new challenges.” Olshefski leads the Electrical Cable Branch in SIS. The collaborative SIS teams will support several comprehensive MCF missions in the future at sites such as Redstone Arsenal, Fort Knox, and Fort Drum. Successful HSMCC installations were previously completed for the Indianapolis Army National Guard’s 38th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s 28th Infantry Division; the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carlson, Colorado; and the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR) systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna’s Corporate Philosophy, dedicated work force and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the Joint C5ISR provider of choice for all branches of the Armed Forces and industry partners. Tobyhanna’s unparalleled capabilities include full-spectrum logistics support for sustainment, overhaul and repair, fabrication and manufacturing, engineering design and development, systems integration, post production software support, technology insertion, modification, foreign military sales and global field support to our joint warfighters. About 3,500 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, which is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the command’s mission is to empower the Soldier with winning C5ISR capabilities.
RailRiders Announce 2022 Pinstripe Pals Program Participants The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, in conjunction with US Foods, are pleased to announce the ten leagues that have been selected for the 2022 Pinstripe Pals program. The winning leagues and districts are: -Forest City Baseball & Softball Association -Wallenpaupack Area Little League -Wyoming-West Wyoming Little League -Wilkes-Barre City Little LeagueMilton Little League -Millville Little League -Greater Carbondale Miss C Softball League -Valley View Little League -North Scranton Little League -Dunmore Little League 2022 marks the seventh season of the Pinstripe Pals program. Each of the ten leagues selected will receive a $500 sponsorship from the RailRiders to assist in league expenses, as well as a $500 gift card courtesy of US Foods, which can be used to help teams pay for concession stand products and supplies. Each league selected will have the opportunity to participate in a pre-game parade at PNC Field before a RailRiders home game and the opportunity for RailRiders assistance with league fundraising. Selected leagues will have a photo of their choice placed in the GuideRail game day program on their league’s night and one of the teams in each league will serve as the “Field of Dreams” club on that night and take the field with our players. For more information, please contact the RailRiders front office at (570) 969-BALL or visit swbrailriders.com.
Mohegan Sun Pocono Guest From Clarks Summit, PA Wins $199K Jackpot! $199,790.60 is the exact jackpot win that Vincent P. from Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania took home on Saturday, March 5th while playing the Blazing 7’s Blackjack Progressive Jackpot at Mohegan Sun Pocono (MSP). This is the largest jackpot win at MSP so far this year. The Blazing 7’s Blackjack Progressive game is a popular table game at Mohegan Sun Pocono where guests can begin a round of play by making a standard blackjack bet, while also placing a bet on the Blazing 7’s progressive circle. The dealer will then follow the house procedures for blackjack. Guests can win if at least one of their first two cards are a seven, and the opportunities increase significantly if a guest is holding two 7s, and the dealer’s up card is also a seven. Mohegan Sun Pocono is home to 66,000 square-feet of gaming space including 1,700 slot machines and nearly 60 live table games. Guests can also enjoy a variety of entertainment, dining, shopping and nightlife, as well as exciting wagering options on live harness racing from spring to fall. To learn more on all that MSP has to offer, visit mohegansunpocono.com/playing
Marywood University to Hold Undergraduate Spring Open House on April 9 Marywood University will hold a spring undergraduate open house for high school students and their parents on Saturday, April 9, 2022. There will be two start times for open house sessions, with the first session beginning with registration at 9 a.m., and the second session beginning with registration at 10:30 a.m., in the Fireplace Lounge at the Nazareth Student Center on the University’s campus. The event will include an informative tour of the campus, complimentary continental breakfast and lunch for all guests, and the opportunity to meet with current Marywood students, faculty, and athletic coaches. Information sessions with admissions and financial aid counselors will also be available. For more information and to register, visit marywood.edu/openhouse, email YourFuture@marywood.edu, or call Marywood University’s undergraduate admissions office at (570) 348-6234.
HNB Foundation Supports The Diane Bottjer Foundation Jeff Zerechak Director Wayne County Drug and Alcohol Commission, John Kerkowski, Sargent At Arms, A.G. Howell, District Attorney & Co-Executor, Diane Bottjer Co-Executor, Charlie Curtin, VP, Trust Officer at HNB, John Bottjer, Treasurer. $1,000 to support those who are mentally challenged and suffer from drug addiction in Wayne County. The Honesdale National Bank made a $1,000 donation to The Diane Bottjer Foundation. The funds, donated by HNB, will support the mentally challenged and drug addicted in need throughout Wayne County. HNB President & CEO, Thomas E. Sheridan, stated, “We are excited to make contributions to this foundation, as helping others in our area stands at the core of our commitment to our customers.” He said, “I am pleased with the goal of their mission, and the undertaking to achieve a healthier local community.” The Diane Bottjer Foundation is a charitable organization in Hawley, Pennsylvania that supports those who are mentally challenged or struggling with drug addiction by providing access to funds that support basic service needs such as gas cards for individuals to get to appointments, phone cards, clothes for interviews, stamps and more. The organization aims to help this underserved population work with their advocates and social workers to improve their opportunities for the future. The Honesdale National Bank Foundation is a 501(c)3 entity established by The Honesdale National Bank to engage in community giving initiatives that foster the area’s growth and resources as it has remained committed to since its founding in 1836. The Foundation’s aims to fulfill that mission through initiatives that support the sustainability and strengthening of resources and programming that make local communities thrive and remain desirable places to live, work, and play. The mission will be upheld through the provision of funding for public charities, institutions, schools and other not-for-profit organizations throughout our local area.
NEPIRC Hosts Board of Directors Mixer to Welcome New Members; Recognize Dale Parmenteri for His Years of Service On Friday, March 11th, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) hosted a breakfast networking mixer for its staff and Board of Directors to warmly welcome 10 new members to the board, along with recognizing Dale Parmenteri, NEPIRC’s Vice President of Consulting Operations, who is retiring at the end of the month after 8.5 years with the organization. The incoming cohort of board members consists of executives from across NEPIRC’s 11-county region devoted to the organization’s mission of serving small to mid-sized manufacturers to ensure the growth and success of the manufacturing industry. The incoming group includes: Frank Joanlanne, President & CEO, Borton-Lawson; Zachary Aciukewicz, MFG Director – U.S. Operations, Bridon-Bekaert – The Ropes Group; Dustin Levy, Vice President, Industrial, Gentex Corporation; Mark Morrison, VP, Global Operations, Weiler Abrasives; Glenn Poirier, VP of Operations, MetalKraft Industries; Anna Rinaldi, Human Resources Manager, SIMONA AMERICA Industries; Bruce Daniels, CFO, Medico Industries; Neal Nicastro, Plant Manager, Amcor; T.J. Eltringham, COO, Lackawanna College; and Jared McTague, President, Futuristic Innovative Graphics (FIG). Eric Joseph Esoda, NEPIRC President & CEO, also provided remarks to recognize Dale Parmenteri’s dedication and many contributions to the organization over the last 8.5 years. “Dale has dedicated his entire professional career to advancing our regional manufacturing community – as the CEO of an innovative optics company and, to our great fortune, as a leader here at NEPIRC,” said Mr. Esoda. “It’s a great thing when your professional life aligns with your personal values – and Dale personified that alignment throughout his tenure here. Our team will miss him,” he added. NEPIRC looks forward to the leadership and valuable input of its incoming board members and is confident that its regional manufacturers will benefit from the representation of these individuals, along with NEPIRC’s current board members.
