Marywood University Esports Team Ranks Second in National Competition The Marywood University Esports Rocket League Team, coached by Austin Sienkiewicz, was among the top-ranked teams in the nation to compete in the Emergents Division of the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) from June 15-17, advancing through the brackets to a best-of-seven finals match with the Cleveland State University Vikings. The Pacers kept the hard-fought series tied going into the final match, ultimately securing 2nd place nationally. Marywood finished in its regional division (Emergents Central Atlantic) as the #1 seed in Rocket League during the regular season this past semester and attained 2nd place in the regional division playoffs, before going on to compete in nationals. The Rocket League team won all 3 of its matches without losing a single game in the Nationals Group Stage, and this 3-0 score placed them in the Top 8 bracket. Once reaching the Top 8 bracket, Marywood took a close 3-2 win over St. Ambrose University, and swept New Mexico State University’s “Pete” Team in 4-0 fashion. The final match against Cleveland State University Vikings was tough, with the match coming down to the final moments of game 7. Despite coming short of first place, Marywood will receive a portion of the prize pool for taking 2nd across the nation in the NECC’s Emergents Division. Marywood launched its competitive esports program in Fall 2021. Under the direction of Harley Adler, Marywood’s esports program currently features Overwatch, League of Legends, Rocket League, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. In Fall 2023, Valorant will be added, bringing the program’s offerings to a total of five teams. Marywood University is one of a select number of higher education institutions nationally to respond to the ever-increasing number of students seeking this option, as the esports industry continues to explode throughout the country. A viable option for students of all majors, the program is continually recruiting Marywood student players for all games.
Leadership Northeast Program Grows Tobyhanna Personnel An employee at Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) credits her personal and professional growth to an experience in the Leadership Northeast Core Program Class of 2023. Leadership Northeast was founded in 1981 in response to the community’s need for leaders familiar with the general structure of the community, its problems and issues, and directing others. The organization’s portfolio includes six programs for people in all phases of their lives, from high school to the executive level. Its flagship is the Core Program, which consists of nine monthly leadership development sessions at locations across the greater Luzerne County region. Core Program participants must also complete a community impact project in conjunction with local nonprofits to fulfill a community need. Team Tobyhanna’s own Therese “T” Paxton graduated from the Leadership Northeast Core Program on June 8. She says it was a transformative experience. “My time with Leadership Northeast literally changed my life. The whole process was amazing – I didn’t know what I was getting into beforehand, but I’m glad I did.” One highlight of the program for Paxton was learning more about her own predilections as a leader, skills necessary in her role as a Logistics Management Specialist at TYAD. “One of the earlier programs we had was on the ‘Platinum Rule’ and learning about our personality styles. Honestly, I didn’t know where I was going to fit before we did the exercise. I learned that I fall pretty much at 100% as a socializer (which made sense to me afterwards, being that socializers believe that relationships are important, have strong feelings of personal worth, are enthusiastic, persuasive and are not afraid to take risks). As for my leadership style, I found that I fall under transformational and servant,” she said, noting that she’s already applied the knowledge to her interpersonal interactions. A member of the Arts & Harmony community impact team, Paxton and her classmates worked on a project benefitting the Charlotte Casterline, M.D. YMCA Early Learning Center in Forty Fort, Pa. The building, which formerly housed Casterline’s medical practice, was donated when the physician retired and is now home to a day care. Until recently, the building’s third floor was underutilized, but thanks to the group and generous sponsorships, the space is now a welcoming destination – no easy feat, according to Paxton. “Renovating the space was a lot of work; we did all the demolition and then removed wallpaper, painted, replaced old carpet with new flooring and obtained equipment to create a multi-use art space for the children. Our team worked hard to make this dream a reality.” YMCA students can now engage in a variety of artistic endeavors to include music, painting, drawing and more. A volunteer firefighter in Shavertown for many years, Paxton has long had a passion for her community – one that was amplified during the leadership program. “I felt so great helping others during my community impact project. I want to keep that feeling and remain involved in making Northeastern Pennsylvania a better place,” adding that she hopes other members of Team Tobyhanna will join a community leadership program in the future. “I can’t recommend it [Leadership Northeast] enough. I couldn’t wait every month for the training session – everything about the program was enlightening.” Facilitating employee participation in community leadership programs aligns with the Invest in Our People and Connecting with the Community focus areas of TOBY2035, Tobyhanna’s long-range strategic plan. The plan aims to posture the organization for future success and has additional lines of effort dedicated to C5ISR Readiness and Strategic Communication. 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 3,200 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, 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.
Settlers Hospitality Private Social Club in Hawley Settlers Hospitality’s Vault 240 opens its doors to members on Friday, July 7 at 5 p.m. with a grand opening celebration featuring Great Gatsby Jazz music with Michelle Oram. Located in a refurbished 1920s bank building at the corner of Keystone Street and Main Avenue in Hawley PA, Vault 240 is the area’s first private social club. Members of Vault 240 will enjoy a jam-packed events calendar and concierge service, plus a bar and private dining catered by The Settlers Inn. The events calendar, which largely focuses on live music, includes weekly features ranging from jazz and classical, to decades night and even theme nights spotlighting showtunes and blues. The club will offer ticketed events for larger acts and arts and cultural events such as book signings, speakers, performing arts and major sporting event viewing parties. A speakeasy style game room offers a vintage bridge card set, checkers, chess and Yahtzee among others. Day spa services available to members include specialized massage such as Swedish, deep tissue, therapeutic and prenatal. Additional treatments range from aromatherapy and myofascial stretch to reiki, craniosacral therapy and sound healing. An onsite cobbler, haberdasher and tailor are among the other member privileges. Ceci Van Sickle will serve as Vault 240’s dedicated concierge. Members may utilize concierge services to make reservations, schedule services, arrange theater or concert tickets, arrange transportation or coordinate accommodations and travel agents. In addition to reciprocal use opportunities at affiliate clubs, members of Vault 240 will have exclusive access to Settlers Hospitality facilities and amenities including the pool and boat slips at Silver Birches as well as discounted membership to Lake Region Fitness and exclusive floral packages from Gorgeous Floral. Club members may take advantage of the elegant, curated spaces inside Vault 240 to host private celebrations and meetings or to entertain guests. A limited number of inaugural annual memberships are available. Those interested may choose from three tiers. For more information, call 570-576-0484 or email concierge@vault240.com.
Keystone Mission Receives Grant In June 2023, Keystone Mission received a $1,000 grant from The Giant Company, supporting the ongoing food needs at the Transformation Center. This grant bolsters Keystone Mission’s Make a Meal Program.“Residents are given weekly responsibilities to cook meals, and we are seeing a positive impact on their mental and physical health. A healthy diet reduces the risk of chronic diseases and improves the chances of a sustainable lifestyle,” says Justin Behrens, CEO & Executive Director.Giant is one of Keystone Mission’s local partnerships that provides residents with the ability to shop locally and reap the benefits of healthy eating.
PA CareerLink to Hold Second Chance Hiring Event PA CareerLink will be doing a hiring event on Wednesday, July 26th. The hiring event will be centered around helping second-chance participants find employment. We’ll also have speakers from the PA Department of Labor & Industry and Lackawanna Pro Bono. They will be providing information about federal programs and legal options for both participants and employers. Attached is the flyer with the details
The Wright Center for Community Health Opening North Scranton Practice The Wright Center for Community Health is expanding access to health care by establishing the North Scranton Practice, which will begin accepting patients on Monday, July 17. The new practice at 1721 N. Main Ave., Scranton, will offer a full complement of primary and preventive care, addiction and recovery services, and other supportive service lines. The North Scranton Practice location formerly housed Dr. Paul Remick’s family practice under Horizon Medical Corp. Dr. Remick retired June 30. With the new location, The Wright Center for Community Health offers a network of nine permanent locations across Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wayne counties that, together with its mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health, serves more than 40,0000 unique patients annually and ensures everyone in the service area has access to high-quality, affordable health services, regardless of their insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. A Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike, The Wright Center for Community Health’s patient-centered medical home is an essential community provider of safety-net primary and preventive health services, a state-designated Opioid Use Disorder Center of Excellence, and a Ryan White HIV/AIDS Clinic. The North Scranton Practice, open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., is accepting appointments for new patients. To schedule an appointment, call 570-346-8417 or go to TheWrightCenter.org and click on the appointment link near the top of the page. To see a complete list of clinic locations, hours of operation, and services, visit TheWrightCenter.org.
Upcoming Healthcare Panel Discussion The Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Myers, Brier & Kelly, LLP, and Maternal and Family Health Services, Inc. invite you to the 2023 HealthCare Panel Discussion. Rep. Joanna McClinton, Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives will engage in a dynamic and informed dialogue with Dr. Julie Byerley, the Dean of the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, and Maria Montoro Edwards, Ph.D., President of Maternal and Family Health, which serves over 90,000 citizens annually in 17 counties. The panel will discuss workforce challenges and maternal family health issues. The panel will be moderated by WVIA’s Tracey Matisak. Learn More
The Chamber Launches New Workforce Development Resource Skills in Scranton, the workforce development affiliate of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, has launched a new video series promoting career awareness and highlighting high-priority occupations in northeastern Pennsylvania. The Chamber and its affiliate, Skills in Scranton, are focused on implementing resources to the greater Scranton region as it promotes high-priority jobs. The mission of The Chamber is to attract, sustain, and grow businesses—the new set of career awareness videos will assist in attracting and sustaining employment in the community. The eight videos in the series are told from employees’ perspectives in diverse industries such as logistics, transportation, healthcare, and elementary education. Viewers will gain valuable insight into the qualifications, training pathways, and employment opportunities for the high-priority careers. “Career awareness is crucial for empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their professional journey. By shedding light on the occupations available in our area, The Chamber and Skills in Scranton hope to address the skills gap and support a robust talent pipeline in northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Emily Pettinato, workforce development specialist at The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. The career awareness video series is made available at SkillsinScranton.com. The videos are supplemented with additional resources, such as a career guide about key tasks and skills, local educational programs, training opportunities, and local employers. Watch the Videos About The Greater Scranton Chamber of CommerceThe Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization that works to improve the area’s economic environment and quality of life by offering programs and services which stimulate economic growth, promote business prosperity and nurture educational opportunities. For more information about the Chamber, visit www.scrantonchamber.com. About Skills in ScrantonSkills in Scranton, an affiliate of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, focuses on workforce development in the greater Scranton region. For more than 25 years, Skills in Scranton has worked with local employers, school districts, higher education institutions, and Pennsylvania data experts to implement strategies that help ensure our regional workforce is aligned with high-priority jobs of the future. For more information, visit www.SkillsinScranton.com
The Chamber Welcomes Summer Interns Scranton, PA— The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome four summer interns to the team. Owen DiAngelo, a senior business administration major at The University of Scranton, is the economic development intern for The Chamber’s affiliate, Scranton-Lackawanna Industrial Building Company (SLIBCO). His duties include contributing to the economic development plan by supporting the director of facilities and asset management and the economic development team in updating their database of properties and associated databases. Noah Leety, a senior industrial labor and relations student at Cornell University, is one communications intern at The Chamber. His duties include creating the weekly member news eBlast, writing press releases, and assisting with The Chamber’s social media presence. Molly Morgan, a recent graduate in corporate communication with a minor in business administration from Penn State University, is the second communication intern at The Chamber. Her duties include creating the weekly Chamber news eBlast, writing press releases, and generating content for Momentum, The Chamber’s monthly magazine. Kiera Priest, a junior business student at Lackawanna College, is the entrepreneurial development intern for The Chamber’s affiliate, IGNITE. Her duties include engaging with IGNITE program clients, researching, assisting the IGNITE program manager with curating content, and promoting clients, the program, and the community. The Chamber participates in The University of Scranton Small Business Development Center’s Small Business Internship Initiative and is now accepting applications for the Fall. Interested students can view the job description at https://www.scrantonchamber.com/small-business-internship/ or email Stephanie Juarez-Ventura, communications manager at sjventura@scrantonchamber.com. About The Greater Scranton Chamber of CommerceThe Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization that works to improve the area’s economic environment and quality of life by offering programs and services which stimulate economic growth, promote business prosperity and nurture educational opportunities. For more information about the Chamber, visit www.scrantonchamber.com. About The Small Business Internship InitiativeThe Small Business Internship Initiative is a collaborative program created to help small businesses learn about, attract, and host high-value internships and connect area small businesses and college students. Internship opportunities are shared with Career Development partners at Clarks Summit University, Johnson College, Keystone College, Lackawanna College, Luzerne County Community College, Mansfield University, Marywood University, Misericordia University, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Penn State Scranton, The University of Scranton, and Wilkes University. The initiative is a collaborative program created to help small businesses learn about, attract, and host high-value internships and connect area small businesses and college students.
Beware! Scam Involving Employee Retention Credit The law office of Ufberg & Associates recently sent out communication regarding a scam surrounding the employee retention credit. Below is the text from Ufberg & Associates. Employee Retention Credit The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) was designed to provide a refundable tax credit for businesses that continued paying employees while shut down during the COVID-19 Pandemic, or for businesses that had a significant decline in gross receipts during the eligibility periods. However, with this resource came the opportunity for misuse and abuse. Schemes and Scams The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has learned that third party promoters have developed schemes to entice businesses to apply for the ERC, who may otherwise not be eligible for the ERC. Third party promoters are continuing to engage in marketing campaigns designed to have businesses enlish their services to apply for ERC and then charging businesses 10%, 20%, 30% for more of the amount of the ERC for their services. The IRS reacted to these developments by adding the ERC to its “Dirty Dozen” list in March of 2023. The IRS’s “Dirty Dozen” list is an annual list generated by the IRS listing potential scams and schemes that put taxpayers and the tax professional community at risk. The list is aimed at helping raise awareness to protect honest taxpayers from potential bad actors. The IRS Commissioner made the following statement on this issue: “The aggressive marketing of these credits is deeply troubling and a major concern of the IRS. Businesses need to think twice before filing a claim for these credits. While the credit has provided a financial lifeline to millions of businesses, there are promoters misleading people and businesses into thinking they can claim these credits. There are very specific guidelines around these pandemic-era credits; they are not available to just anyone. People should remember the IRS is actively auditing and conducting criminal investigations related to these false claims. We urge honest taxpayers not to be caught up in these schemes.” Warning Signs The aggressive marketing from these promoters can come in a variety of forms, such as radio, television, and online advertisements. Additionally, promoters have been sending out fake letters from non-existent groups, such as the “Department of Employee Retention Credit” urging businesses to take immediate action in applying for ERC. The IRS has provided some warning signs of an aggressive ERC marketing that businesses should be wary of. These included: Unsolicited calls or advertisements mentioning an “easy application process.”Statements that the promoter or company can determine ERC eligibility within minutes.Large upfront fees to claim the credit.Fees based on a percentage of the refund amount of the ERC claimed.Aggressive claims from the promoter that a business qualifies for the ERC before any discussion of the group’s tax situation. In reality, the ERC is a complex credit that requires careful review before applying.The IRS also sees aggressive suggestions from marketers urging businesses to submit the claim because there is nothing to lose. In reality, the IRS would expect those improperly receiving the credit to repay the credit — along with the potential assessment of substantial interest and penalties. How to Protect Yourself Work with a Trusted Tax Professional — Employers who believe they may be eligible for the ERC should contact a trusted tax professional and not rely on the advice of any individual or company soliciting these credits.IRS urges employers not to apply for ERC if the employer does not have a reasonable belief that the employer is legitimately qualified for this credit. Lastly, if you wish to seek further information about the ERC, you can find additional information from the IRS by following the link: Employee Retention Credit Resource. Disclaimer: This communication from the law office of Ufberg & Associates provides a general overview of new legal developments. It is not intended to provide legal advice. If you have questions or would like more information about how these developments may affect your businesses, please contact Ufberg & Associates at (570) 341-8800.
