Tobyhanna Army Depot’s quality management system (QMS) will retain the sought-after Aerospace Standard certification after an in-depth surveillance audit by an outside organization last week.

The assessment, conducted by Orion Registrar, verified Tobyhanna’s adherence to AS 9100/9110 – an industry standard that has been achieved by only 20,000 companies worldwide. Like the ISO 9001 certification, AS 9100/9110 requires a more rigorous QMS to support aerospace and defense workloads. Tobyhanna has maintained industry-standard quality certifications since 2003. Only 850 companies worldwide hold the AS 9110 certification.

This year’s audit was anything but typical, according to William Stevens, a quality assurance specialist in the Quality Management Directorate (QMD).

“Surveillance audits, which are conducted between recertification audit years, involve two auditors on-site for five full days – a total of ten auditor days. This year, an emergency kept one auditor from attending, so we expanded the audit to two weeks, one of which was virtual. The depot workforce did a great job adjusting to the constantly changing – and faster paced – approach for this important audit.”

Stevens and other personnel from QMD maintain a year-round program to support the QMS and ensure quality practices are a fundamental part of Tobyhanna operations.

“We don’t just produce quality product on audit days,” said Wayne Daniels, another of QMD’s quality assurance specialists. “We train employees from day one to ensure they are working within the AS standard. We also have outreach programs – such as our weekly AS Steering Committee – to connect regularly with leadership at all levels, ensuring quality is at the forefront of our processes.”

Orion’s Lead Auditor, Eric Barnes, brings a unique viewpoint to his position after spending more than thirty years working for the government – first, as a solider in the U.S. Army responsible for mechanical upkeep of military aircraft. Barnes then worked as a contractor for the Department of Defense (DoD), supporting a similar mission. Depot personnel say Barnes’ background make him a better auditor.

“Eric’s knowledge and years of experience give him insight into our mission, allowing us to draw upon his expertise as we further grow our QMS,” said Daniels, adding that Barnes’ appreciative approach makes the audit more effective.

“Being able to work with our auditor as a cooperative partner as opposed to an adversary is huge.”

Within his recommendation for recertification, Barnes cited numerous best practices and noted the competence of the depot workforce.

“The whole team is open, professional, and willing to take feedback. I’ve been coming here for several years, and I definitely see a cultural shift happening – quality is becoming even more of a focus, which is impressive.”

Auditors will return to Tobyhanna in 2023 to conduct a recertification audit to the AS standard.

The NEPA Marywood Alumni Chapter is hosting two more movies at the Circle Drive-In, located in Dickson City, for their Summer Series.

On Thursday, August 25, the featured movie is Top Gun: Maverick, while Spiderman (2002) will be shown on Wednesday, September 7. Both of these movies are open to the public.

Pre-registration is available online for the purpose of gathering expected numbers. The cost of admission (at the drive-in) will be $9 for adults and $7 for children aged 3-12. Children under 2 get in free, and Marywood students get a discounted admission price of $5 with their student IDs.

For more information, or to pre-register for the events, go to marywood.edu/alumni/events.

Recording now available for the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Update virtual zoom meeting held on August 14, 2022.

Watch the recording here.

Allied Services Hospice & Palliative Care is honored to be a Silver Sponsor of the inaugural Shine Like Susan 5K Run in honor of the late Susan Burke of South Abington Township.

Susan was an avid runner who devoted her life to motivating and inspiring others to achieve their full potential. As a running coach for The Scranton Running Company’s Barrier Breakers, she was able to fulfill this devotion where she coached and helped mentor hundreds of runners.

The race is slated for Monday, September 5, 2022 at Abington Heights Middle School. Proceeds from the race will benefit The Susan Burke Foundation for Colon Cancer through the Scranton Area Foundation.

For more information about the Shine Like Susan 5k visit www.runsignup.com/shinelikesusan

FNCB Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: FNCB; www.fncb.com), the parent company of Dunmore-based FNCB Bank, today announced that FNCB Bank’s Opportunity Checking account was officially certified by the national Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) as meeting the Bank On National Account Standards (2021 – 2022). The national safe account Standards, co-created by consumer advocates, leading national nonprofit organizations, civic leaders, and other financial institutions, designate both core and strongly recommended features that ensure low cost, high functionality, and consumer safety.

Key features of Opportunity Checking include a monthly cost of only $5, no overdraft or nonsufficient fund fees, the ability to pay bills and make purchases, and federal deposit insurance. Opportunity Checking is available in every one of FNCB Bank’s 16 branches across Northeast Pennsylvania.

“We are honored to receive the Bank On certification for our Opportunity Checking account.” said Gerard Champi, FNCB Bank President and CEO. “Our team analyzed the needs of our community and designed a safe, affordable account that offers many unbanked individuals the opportunity to open a checking account with online access, no overdraft fees and access to more than 55,000 surcharge free ATMs.” 

“The Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund is delighted to award its national Bank On account certification to FNCB Bank’s Opportunity Checking account,” said Jonathan Mintz, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. “Opportunity Checking offers Northeast Pennsylvania residents who are looking to improve their finances a safe, affordable, and truly useful mainstream banking product– this is especially important during COVID-19, as consumers need to access and manage their money both affordably and safely. FNCB Bank’s offering of this terrific account brings them into the forefront of national banking access efforts, and we thank them.”

The goal of Bank On is to ensure that everyone has access to safe and affordable financial products and services. The Bank On National Account Standards identify critical product features for appropriate bank or credit union accounts, making it easier for local coalitions across the country to connect consumers to accounts that meet their needs.

FNCB Bank’s Opportunity Checking is available at all 16 branches in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wayne counties. With the addition of Opportunity Checking, accounts that meet Bank On National Account Standards are now available at over 39,000 branches in all 50 states and Washington, DC; financial institutions with Bank On certified accounts already comprise over 56% of the national deposit market share. In addition to Opportunity Checking, there are over 200 other Bank On certified accounts available at financial institutions across the country. Data collected by the CFE Fund in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis through Bank On’s national reporting platform shows that these accounts are meeting consumers’ needs; since their offering, millions of consumers have opened Bank On certified accounts, with approximately 85% of them opened by consumers new to the financial institutions.

The CFE Fund leads the national Bank On movement, supporting 90 local coalitions working to connect individuals and families to the financial mainstream through partnerships between governments, financial institutions, and community organizations. To learn more about Bank On and the National Account Standards click here, or follow the conversation on Twitter @CFEfund #BankOn.

Geisinger and Acadia Healthcare Company have named Jenna Pacini as chief executive officer for Geisinger Behavioral Health Center Northeast, a new 96-bed inpatient behavioral health hospital being built through a joint venture partnership between Geisinger and Acadia in Moosic. In her new role, which she begins on Aug. 15, Ms. Pacini will oversee the development of the facility including staff recruitment and training, clinical programming design and oversight of all key functions leading to the opening of the new hospital.

“I am honored to be selected for this role,” said Pacini. “This is a tremendous opportunity build an organization that brings the best of both joint venture partners to meet the need for quality behavioral healthcare in this area of Pennsylvania. I look forward to building a culture of compassion and clinical excellence, with an unwavering commitment to caring for our patients.”

According to data from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year and over 1.8 million adults in Pennsylvania have a mental health condition. Geisinger anticipated the need to offer behavioral health services for its patients needing care. As further evidence of the need for additional inpatient capacity, 26% of adult discharges and 62% of pediatric discharges are patients that are leaving their home communities within Geisinger’s service area to seek inpatient behavioral health care. This is even more important with the recent news of closure of community capacity for inpatient psychiatric services.

Geisinger Behavioral Health Center Northeast is the first of two hospitals that the joint venture plans to build to bring high-quality inpatient behavioral health services in central and northeastern Pennsylvania. The second new freestanding inpatient behavioral health hospital – Geisinger Behavioral Health Center Central – will be constructed Danville, Pennsylvania. Both hospitals will serve adult and pediatric patients.

“Jenna’s appointment as CEO is an important step in the ultimate success of this hospital to make better health easier for all those we serve,” said Megan Brosious, chief administration officer of clinical operations for Geisinger’s central region. “As the demand for behavioral health services within our communities continues to grow, Jenna will help to ensure our patients are receiving the best care possible. We are pleased that through our partnership with Acadia, we were able to find an executive of Jenna’s caliber with roots in Pennsylvania to lead the next phase of this hospital. And once Moosic is operational, we will have a strong leader and a blueprint to open Danville.”

Ms. Pacini, SHRM-SHP, served as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Belmont Behavioral Health System in Philadelphia, a 252-bed inpatient behavioral health hospital and the largest freestanding psychiatric teaching hospital in the region. She joined Belmont in March 2011 and assumed the role of Director of Human Resources in 2015, Director of Operations in 2020, and Chief Operating Officer in 2021. As Director of Operations and as COO, Ms. Pacini was responsible for support service departments across all locations. She also led for the replacement facility project at Belmont, where she worked with both the construction project management team, the general contractor, and the architecture firm to ensure that the replacement facility will meet the needs of the Belmont community and coordinate a safe and timely transition.

Prior to joining Belmont, Ms. Pacini worked in various Human Resources positions of increasing responsibility at major health systems such Catholic Health East and Mercy Health System. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business from Penn State University and her Master of Science Organizational and Strategic Leadership from Neumann University.

Treasurer Garrity: Adding Funds in August Can Boost PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan Investments

Treasurer Stacy Garrity today reminded families who have PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP) accounts that contributing by August 31 can boost their savings by taking advantage of the fact that many college tuition credit rates are scheduled to increase on September 1.

“This month is a great time to make additional contributions to your PA 529 GSP account,” Garrity said. “And for anyone thinking about opening a new PA 529 GSP account, August is also the perfect time to do that. Saving now, before this fall’s tuition rate increases go into effect, is a fantastic way for parents and families to optimize their education savings.”

The PA 529 GSP program allows families to save for a future education at today’s cost. In other words, if you save enough for a semester today, you’ll have enough for a semester at that school in the future – no matter when or how much tuition has gone up in the meantime. That makes an investment by August 31, before the new GSP credit rates go into effect, especially valuable.

PA 529 GSP account owners can choose from a variety of college tuition levels to save at, from a PA community college average to an average of Ivy League universities.

Because the effect of tuition inflation is generally applied to PA 529 GSP accounts on September 1, contributions made by August 31 often receive an increase in value the very next day – and the earnings can be used as soon as the summer semester of the next calendar year. If used the following fall semester, two years of tuition inflation benefits would be available.

Before new PA 529 GSP credit rates take effect for the 2022-23 school year, families may compare PA 529 GSP credit rates at popular levels.

To help families save even more, Treasury is waiving asset-based fees for PA 529 GSP account owners during the current fiscal year (July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023). In addition, PA 529 GSP account owners with account contributions of $100 or more as of June 30, 2022, received a deposit of $100. These fee waivers and deposits are funded by PA 529 GSP surplus earnings, using no tax dollars.

“I’m always looking for ways to make PA 529 work even better for Pennsylvania families,” Garrity said. “By waiving fees and providing the additional $100 deposit, I want to let Pennsylvanians know that we view Treasury as a partner in their efforts to save for their children’s future.”

The PA 529 College and Career Savings Program is designed to help Pennsylvania families steadily and strategically save for future educational expenses. Treasury offers two plans: the PA 529 GSP, and the Morningstar Silver Rated PA 529 Investment Plan, which offers a variety of investment options.

PA 529 plans have significant state and federal tax advantages and can be used for a wide variety of qualifying technical, collegiate, apprenticeship and K-12 educational expenses. To learn more, visit pa529.com or call 800-440-4000.

PA ABLE Surpasses $75 Million Savings Milestone

Treasurer Stacy Garrity today announced that the PA ABLE Savings Program has surpassed $75 million in assets for the first time. PA ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) is a tax-free way for Pennsylvanians with qualifying disabilities and their families to save without affecting eligibility for government disability benefits. Funds are easy to access and may be used for a wide range of disability-related expenses.

“The fantastic growth in our PA ABLE program shows how important these accounts are for Pennsylvanians with disabilities and their families,” Garrity said. “It’s especially exciting to reach this milestone during August, which is ABLE to Save Month – a time to educate people about the power of PA ABLE, and how PA ABLE accounts can help Pennsylvanians with disabilities gain independence and improve financial wellness.”

“For more than 5 years, PA ABLE has helped thousands of Pennsylvanians with disabilities save for their future without fear of losing their disability benefits,” U.S. Senator Bob Casey said. “Those savings have now surpassed $75 million. That is money people with disabilities can use to pay for rent or groceries, to plan for large expenses related to their disability or to save for future goals like buying a home or starting a business. Now, I am working in Congress to pass the ABLE Age Adjustment Act so that even more Pennsylvanians with disabilities can save money to support themselves and achieve their goals.”

“PA ABLE was a very good idea in its conception, and it is proving exceptionally positive and productive in its application,” Senator Lisa Baker said. “The program is a big help for families planning a better future for a loved one with a disability. To their credit, Treasurer Garrity and her staff run these programs in a fiscally sound and cost-effective manner.”

PA ABLE was created by state legislation with leadership from Sen. Baker and former Rep. Bernie O’Neill following the federal passage of the ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) Act of 2014 – spearheaded by Senator Casey – which gave states the authority to create ABLE programs.

Nearly 7,000 Pennsylvanians have saved $75.3 million for disability-related expenses since the program opened in 2017.

PA ABLE allows for up to $16,000 in savings per year and up to $100,000 lifetime savings without impacting government benefits. Tax benefits include no federal or state income taxes owed on earnings or qualified withdrawals; a PA state income tax deduction for contributions up to $16,000 annually; and exemption from PA inheritance tax.

The program offers six investment options and an interest-bearing checking account. Qualifying disability expenses can include education, housing, transportation, assistive technology, health care, financial management, and more.

To be eligible for PA ABLE, a person’s disability must have occurred prior to their 26th birthday. The ABLE Age Adjustment Act, being considered by Congress, would raise the age limit for eligibility to 46. This would expand ABLE account access to about six million more Americans, including an estimated one million disabled veterans. The legislation was introduced by Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey and is cosponsored by Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey. A House version has also been introduced and is cosponsored by a bipartisan group of 15 members from the Pennsylvania delegation, more than any other state.

“The ABLE Age Adjustment Act will do great things to expand access to the program,” Garrity said. “As a veteran, I know PA ABLE can really benefit my brothers and sisters in service who made sacrifices we can never repay. I urge Pennsylvanians to let their representatives in Washington know this is a priority and should be passed as soon as possible.”

You can also learn more about PA ABLE by visiting paable.gov, emailing info@paable.gov or calling 855-529-2253.

Treasurer Garrity Reminds Pennsylvanians About One-Time Bonus Rebates for Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program

Treasurer Stacy Garrity wants to make sure Pennsylvanians who use the state’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program know about the one-time bonus rebate that’s available this year.

Yesterday the Pennsylvania Treasury Department started sending the one-time rebate payments to eligible applicants who are set up to receive direct deposit. Paper checks will be mailed starting Friday, August 26.

“Sky-high inflation is hitting renters and homeowners hard all across Pennsylvania,” Garrity said. “With so many people struggling to make ends meet right now, Treasury is committed to sending out these payments as quickly as possible. I hope everyone who is eligible will apply for this relief, as the deadline has been extended through the end of the year. I commend the General Assembly and the Governor for designating American Rescue Plan Act funds to help some of our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians.”

The bonus rebate, approved as part of the Fiscal Year 2022-23 state budget, is funded by $140 million from the American Rescue Plan Act. Bonus rebates are equal to 70% of the original rebate amount for every claimant who is approved for a rebate on rent or property taxes paid in 2021.

Pennsylvanians who have already filed for a rebate this year do not need to take any additional action to receive the one-time bonus payment, which will be sent automatically.

Anyone who has not yet applied, or whose application is still being processed, beyond mid-August will receive one combined payment including the original rebate amount and one-time bonus. Program claimants can expect to receive a letter from the Department of Revenue detailing their bonus rebates. More information on the one-time bonus rebates can be found on Revenue’s website.

The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program benefits Pennsylvanians age 65 and older, widows and widowers age 50 and older, and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The maximum standard rebate is $650. With the one-time bonus payment, those who receive the standard maximum rebate will receive an additional payment of $455, for a total of $1,105. Some homeowners may qualify for supplemental rebates. The program benefits about 400,000 Pennsylvanians each year with approximately $250 million in rebate payments. The program has dispersed more than $7.3 billion since it started in 1971.

The deadline to submit applications has been extended to December 31, 2022. Treasury began rebate payments on July 1. Payments beyond July 1 are being processed as applications are approved by the Department of Revenue.

Northeast Music Center is hosting a collection of Unique, World Class Guitars handmade by top guitar makers from around the globe.Don’t miss this opportunity to purchase one of these handcrafted instruments!

Featuring:
Diego Vila Guitars
AJ Lucas Guitars
Skytop Guitars
JOI Guitars
Batson Guitars
Paoletti Guitars
marconiLab
Sankey Guitars
Dion Guitars
Galloup Guitars
Veleno
Marchione Guitars
Spohn Guitars
b3 Guitars
Tausch Electric Guitars
R Robinson Acoustics
Dingwall Guitars
OOPEGG
Ergon Guitars
Hozen Guitars
AVA Instruments
o3 Custom Guitars
iVee Guitars
Verso Instruments
UMA Guitars
Tim Bram Guitars
JJ Guitars
Bacci Baritones
Tikatoo Guitars

Curated by | Jamie Gale Music

Northeast Music Center is located at 713 Scranton Carbondale Hwy Siniawa Plaza II in Dickson City.

Shoppers will notice exciting new changes over the next ten weeks at their local Gerrity’s.  The Fasula family, which currently operates ten supermarkets, will transition the stores to The Fresh Grocer brand starting Friday, Aug. 12, with a ribbon cutting at 11 a.m. at the family’s first Fresh Grocer Owned and Operated by Gerrity’s supermarket, located at 702 S. Main Ave., Scranton. The Fresh Grocer specializes in serving high quality, fresh prepared foods to communities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and is a registered trademark of the retailer owned cooperative Wakefern Food Corp.

The other Gerrity’s locations will transition to the new format on the following dates:

• Scranton, 1782 N. Keyser Ave., Aug. 19
• Clarks Summit, 100 Old Lackawanna Trail, Aug. 26
• Scranton, 320 Meadow Ave., Sept. 2
• Moosic, 4015 Birney Ave., Sept. 9
• Hanover Township, 2280 San Souci Parkway, Sept. 16
• West Pittston, 801 Wyoming Ave., Sept. 23
• Wyoming, 2020 Wyoming Ave., Sept. 30
• Luzerne, 552 Union St., Oct. 7
• Bethlehem, 1880 Stefko Blvd., Oct. 14

Customers can expect new products, services and lower prices but can rest easy that their favorite aspects of the Gerrity’s experience will remain, including Gerrity’s recipes, people, and service, along with owner and operator Joyce Fasula – also known as “Mom” to associates and customers.

“We work hard every day to deliver a top-notch experience for our customers, and we will continue to provide all the things our customers know and love while adding new and exciting features as we rebrand to The Fresh Grocer Owned and Operated by Gerrity’s,” said Joe Fasula, co-owner of Gerrity’s. “This is the next chapter of our family’s business. I want to thank our dedicated team of associates and our shoppers for their ongoing support as we complete our transition to The Fresh Grocer banner. We look forward to providing an expanded assortment of foods and products to our customers while helping them save even more.”

Shoppers can sign up for The Fresh Grocer Price Plus® club card at the store, and new advertising circulars for The Fresh Grocer stores will begin appearing each Friday starting August 12 in Scranton and then in other markets as each store converts. In addition, to save time, shoppers should redeem any points and Gerrity’s gift cards ahead of the conversion. 

The Fasula Family announced in June that it had joined Wakefern. The move made the family and its company the 48^th member of the supermarket cooperative based in Keasbey, NJ. Gerrity’s is a family-owned supermarket business that began in 1895 as a small meat market. Today, the company is the largest family-owned supermarket business in Northeastern Pennsylvania and is led by Joe Fasula and his mom, Joyce Fasula, known to customers as “Mom.” The company includes ten supermarkets in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Northampton counties and currently employs over 1,300 associates.

The family’s rebranded stores will continue to offer a wide variety of high-quality fresh groceries and restaurant-quality take home meals with best in market pricing.  Instacart, the on-demand and online grocery delivery service, will also be available as each store converts.

The new Fresh Grocer locations will also offer several new Wakefern Own Brand products, including the popular Bowl & Basket™ andPaperbird™lines. Bowl & Basket foods pair thoughtfully selected ingredients with budget friendly prices. Paperbird offers a new line of effective and beautifully designed household products. Shoppers will also be able to purchase Wakefern’s award-winning Wholesome Pantry brands, which include the Wholesome Pantry Organic line as well as a range of products free from artificial additives and preservatives.