Settlers Holdings Welcomes Healthcare Services to Pike County Northwell Health Will Open an Immediate Care Center in the Pocono Mountains Lake Region Amid growing healthcare needs in Pike County, Settlers Holdings proudly announced its new tenant, Northwell Health, will open a 2,500-square-foot immediate care center at 2531 US Route 6 in Wilsonville next year. Northwell, New York State’s largest health system that treats more than 2 million patients annually, will offer scheduled and walk-in access for primary care services at the site provided by highly credentialed providers. “Expanding and improving healthcare services in Pike County is our number one priority,” explained Pike County Commissioner Ron Schmalzle. “The Lake Region location will be one of two new immediate care centers in the county and a precursor to an eventual hospital in Pike County.” According to PA State Representative Joe Adams, the project addresses a long-standing need in the community. “Northwell Health’s immediate care center will offer vital services to the rural population in the Northern Pocono Mountains that has been underserved for far too long,” remarked Representative Adams. Settlers Holdings owns the property located at 2531 US Route 6 and a proposed addition to the existing building will be designed to suit the needs of the new Northwell facility. “We’re honored to help bring the services of Northwell Health to the community,” stated Justin Genzlinger, CEO of Settlers Holdings and CEO/Owner of Settlers Hospitality. “In times of illness and injury residents and visitors to the Lake Region will have the assurance that world class care is close at hand.” An additional 1,500 square foot office space is available to lease and round out the offerings at the vibrant property, which is already home to Lakeside Deli and the soon-to-open Northwell Health Primary and Immediate Care Center. For more information, visit settlershospitality.com/settlers-holdings.
Geisinger Begins Hosting Super Saturday Flu Shot Clinics Drive-through flu shots offered systemwide for access, convenience Flu season is quickly approaching, and Geisinger is again making it easy to get vaccinated at Super Saturday drive-through flu shot events. This Saturday, Sept. 14, is the first Super Saturday event of the season. Drive-thru flu shots will be available for anyone age 3 and older at dozens of participating Geisinger locations. Patients 6 months and older can receive their flu shot at Geisinger pediatrics locations. All Super Saturday flu vaccine events are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Events will also be held Oct. 12 and Oct. 26. “By getting immunized, you are protecting yourself against serious illness while also reducing your risk of getting hospitalized and keeping yourself from spreading the flu to those at high risk of severe illness, including children, the elderly and those immunocompromised,” said Stanley Martin, M.D., Geisinger director of infectious diseases. Flu season typically begins in the fall and lasts throughout the winter, although the virus can be spread year-round. Peak flu activity is generally between December and February but can extend as late as May. Super Saturday drive-throughs will be held at the following Geisinger locations: Central Region: Clinics Geisinger Berwick (2200 W. Front St.) Geisinger Medical Clinic Buckhorn (240 Mall Blvd.) Geisinger Frackville (701 West Oak St.) Geisinger Kulpmont (119 Nevada Drive) Geisinger Lewisburg (250 Reitz Blvd.) Geisinger Orwigsburg (300 Hollywood Blvd.) Geisinger Pottsville (529 Terry Reiley Way) Geisinger Selinsgrove (201 Roosevelt Ave.) Geisinger Woodbine (16 Woodbine Lane) Pediatrics Geisinger Pediatrics Pottsville (529 Terry Reiley Way) Geisinger Pediatrics Lewisburg (55 Medical Park Drive) Geisinger Pediatrics Woodbine (16 Woodbine Lane) Geisinger Pediatrics Bloomsburg (2407 Reichard Road) 65 Forward Geisinger 65 Forward Buckhorn (240 Mall Blvd.) Geisinger 65 Forward Pottsville (529 Terry Reiley Way) Geisinger 65 Forward Shamokin Coal Township (933 Route 61) North Central Region: Clinics Geisinger Medical Clinic Lock Haven (68 Spring St.) Geisinger Medical Center Muncy (255 Route 220) Pediatrics Geisinger Pediatrics Lock Haven (68 Spring St.) Geisinger Pediatrics Muncy (255 Route 220) Western Region: Clinics Geisinger Healthplex State College (132 Abigail Lane) Geisinger Philipsburg (210 Medical Center Drive) Geisinger Lewistown (21 Geisinger Lane) Geisinger Mifflintown (27 CJEMS Lane,) Pediatrics Geisinger Pediatrics Healthplex State College (132 Abigail Lane) Geisinger Pediatrics Lewistown (21 Geisinger Lane) Geisinger Pediatrics Philipsburg (210 Medical Drive) 65 Forward Geisinger 65 Forward State College (293 Patriot Lane, Trader Joe’s Plaza) Northeast Region: Clinics Geisinger Dallas Cleary Drive (114 Lt. Michael Cleary Drive) Geisinger Kingston (560 Pierce St.) Geisinger Mountain Top (35 S. Mountain Blvd.) Geisinger Mt. Pocono (126 Market Way) Geisinger Pittston (42 N. Main St.) Geisinger Mt. Pleasant (531 Mt. Pleasant Drive) Geisinger Tunkhannock (809 Hunter Highway) CommunityCare CommunityCare Hazleton (426 Airport Road) CommunityCare Kistler Clinic (175 S. Wilkes-Barre Blvd.) CommunityCare Mt. Pleasant (531 Mt. Pleasant Blvd.) Pediatrics Geisinger Pediatrics Mt. Pocono (126 Market Way) Geisinger Pediatrics Scranton (5 Morgan Highway) Geisinger Pediatrics Forty Fort (190 Welles St.) 65 Forward Geisinger 65 Forward Hazleton (20 Diana Lane) Geisinger 65 Forward Kingston (499 Wyoming Ave.) Geisinger 65 Forward Scranton (3 W. Olive St.) Geisinger 65 Forward Wilkes-Barre (41 S. Main St.) – Oct. 12 and 26 only Preregistration is not necessary. Just drive up, roll down your window, fill out a brief form and get your shot. Our drive-through event staff may invite you and your children inside if they believe you’ll be safer and more comfortable getting your shots there. For the full list of Super Saturday locations and tips to stay healthy this flu season, visit geisinger.org/flu.
Marywood University “Nuns on the Bus & Friends” Event Nuns on the Bus & Friends to Visit Marywood University/Scranton community for a Town Hall as part of “Vote Our Future” Tour The Nuns and the Bus & Friends will visit Marywood University as part of their 2024 nonpartisan “Vote Our Future” tour on Tuesday, October 1, at the Liguori Center in Regina Hall. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the event begins at 6 p.m. Space for the indoor portion of the town hall is limited, so advanced registration is required at: mobilize.us/network/event/677730. The famous bus will be located outdoors, behind the Marywood University Arch on Adams Avenue, rain or shine, and there are no space limitations to see and sign the bus. Marywood University and the Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM Sisters) are co-sponsoring the town hall, which is free and open to the public. On their two-and-a-half-week, nationwide “Vote Our Future Tour,” Nuns on the Bus & Friends will call on Catholics and all people of goodwill to be multi-issue voters. At the Town Hall, they will engage people from across Northeastern Pennsylvania in envisioning a community where everyone—no matter what they look like or how much money they have—is able to thrive. According to representatives of NETWORK, the national Catholic advocacy organization that operates the tour, “The Nuns on the Bus & Friends will explore with the Scranton community our visions for our community, share dreams and stories, and look to the ways that people can take action during this election season, to ensure that they are moving on a pathway toward that shared tomorrow.” This nationwide, two-and-a-half-week tour is NETWORK’s first in-person bus tour in six years and a cornerstone of NETWORK’s 2024 nonpartisan voter education campaign, “Vote Our Future: Everyone Thrives, No Exceptions!” Traveling from Philadelphia to San Francisco, Nuns on the Bus & Friends will urge people to protect the freedoms that promote a future of flourishing for everyone. From September 30 to October 18, bus riders will meet with communities across the country to lift up the vision of an inclusive, multiracial, multi-faith democracy and equip everyone to vote.
The Wright Center for Community Health welcomes physician assistant to Tunkhannock location A physician assistant with deep ties to the community and extensive experience as a rural health provider is joining The Wright Center for Community Health’s new location at the former Tyler Memorial Hospital in Tunkhannock, which will open Monday, Sept. 9. Mallory Racoski, PA-C, MPAS, will provide responsive and inclusive whole-person primary health services for people of all ages, including checkups, physicals, screenings, and treatment of common illnesses and injuries at The Wright Center’s new community health center at 5950 U.S. Route 6, Suite 401. The office will be open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., offering access to integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services. To schedule an appointment, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-591-5299. The Tunkhannock resident earned a Master of Science in physician assistant studies from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre. She also completed 14 months of clinical training, including six weeks at The Wright Center for Community Health’s Mid Valley location in Jermyn under the supervision of Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. Prior to joining The Wright Center, Racoski worked as a physician assistant at The Burke Center, a psychiatry clinic in Tunkhannock. She also worked for Commonwealth Health Services at the former Tyler Memorial Hospital, where she led a COVID-19 clinic, performed all COVID-19 testing for Wyoming County, and offered primary health services. She also has experience treating Lyme disease, as she’s worked with a Lyme disease specialist at Physicians Care P.C. The Wright Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike with a growing network of community health centers throughout Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. It offers 12 community health centers, including a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health, serving patients of all ages, income levels, and insurance statuses. The Wright Center served more than 35,400 unique patients in fiscal year 2023-24.
Save the Date! Celebrate The Big Band Mural, October 4! The Big Band mural by artist Eric Bussart pays tribute to the significant contribution local musicians made to the national Jazz movement during the Big Band era. Featuring famous artists such as the Scranton Sirens, the Dorsey Brothers, and Duke Ellington, the mural is located at 217 Wyoming Avenue, Downtown Scranton. The Big Band is the fifth, and largest, mural produced through Scranton Tomorrow’s Mural Arts Program.
WVIA Conversations for the Common Good: Trust in Our Elections Fair and secure elections are the bedrock of our democracy. However, many members of our community have little information about what happens after they cast their ballots. As we head into the general election in November, WVIA, and Keep Our Republic invite you to attend this informative, nonpartisan event dedicated to fostering a deeper understanding of the 2024 election process and equipping our community to combat misinformation surrounding election integrity. At this event, experts from across the state and from our community will talk about what’s new for Pennsylvania’s elections in 2024, how votes are counted, certified, and audited, and answer questions on topics like mail-in ballots, the role of the courts and media in elections, how technology impacts election security, and what federal, state, and local governments are doing to combat election interference. This event will provide valuable insights to help you stay informed for the upcoming November 5th election. We hope to see you there. Doors open at 6:30pm. Panelists Borys Krawczeniuk – Reporter, WVIA News The Honorable Thomas I. Vanaskie (Ret.) Mike McDonald – Director, Office of Policy, PA Dept. of State John Christy – Commissioner, Monroe County
Escarra honored as International League’s Player of the Week Catcher JC Escarra hit six home runs and drove in 12 to help pace SWB in Syracuse. Minor League Baseball has announced its weekly awards for September 2-8 and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s JC Escarra was tabbed as the International League’s Player of the Week. The RailRiders won five-out-of six games in their road series at the Syracuse Mets last week thanks, in large part, to Escarra’s efforts. Escarra went 8-for-17 to bat .471 in five games. The lefty hit six home runs to help drive in a dozen runs, a fifth of the RailRiders runs scored in the series. He also scored nine of his own while walking three times. In the series opener, he doubled and walked before homering in his final plate appearance of the evening. He began Wednesday’s contest with another two long balls, recording one in three consecutive at-bats. The 29-year-old swatted home runs on Friday and Saturday, again in his first at-bats of the day. In the series finale, Escarra launched a grand slam for his sixth homer of the week. Escarra was originally selected by Baltimore in the 15th round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft. After being released before the 2022 season, he played in independent ball and internationally before New York signed him as a free agent in 2024. Escarra began the season with Double-A Somerset before being promoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on July 19. He has played in 41 games for the RailRiders, working a .305 average. Escarra has split time between catcher, his primary position, and first base. He averages around a 20% caught stealing rate. Escarra joins Pitchers-of-the-Week Clayton Beeter (April 8-14) and Edgar Barclay (July 29 – August 4) as RailRiders’ IL weekly honorees this year. Escarra is the first SWB position player to nab a weekly award since Estevan Florial in late June to early July of the 2022 season. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre begins its final homestand of the 2024 season Tuesday night against Lehigh Valley. The RailRiders are four games back of the Columbus Clippers heading into the final two series of the season. For tickets to games against the IronPigs this week or for promotional information, visit swbrailriders.com or call (570) 969-2255.
Outreach – Center for Community Resources Will Host 2024 Mighty Oak Awards Outreach – Center for Community Resources will host the 2024 Mighty Oak Awards on Thursday, September 26, 2024, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at the Glenmaura National Golf Club in Moosic. The Mighty Oak Awards honor pillars in Northeastern Pennsylvania for their leadership and contributions to the community. This year’s event will recognize two individuals who exemplify Outreach’s mission: Attorney Tobey Oxholm III and Ms. Anne Quinn Butler. Attorney Carl “Tobey” Oxholm III will be awarded the Mighty Oak Award for helping individuals receive pardons as the creator of the Pardon Project of Pennsylvania. Atty. Oxholm has worked with Outreach to expand the Pardon Project to Lackawanna County. He graduated from Harvard Law and the Kennedy School of Government in 1979 and previously served as Chief Deputy Solicitor for the City of Philadelphia and General Counsel for Drexel University. He lives in Gouldsboro with his wife of forty-six years, Kim. Ms. Anne Quinn Butler is this year’s Beth Beh Community Spirit Award. Ms. Butler has been a part of the Outreach community for two decades. She previously was employed at Outreach as the Life Skills Program Manager at the Lackawanna County Prison. Since stepping down from her role, she has continued volunteering at Outreach by serving on various committees and is a Past President of the Board of Directors. She enjoys spending time with grandchildren and children in her free time, traveling, and gardening. Beth Beh Community Spirit Award recognizes and honors an individual or group with a long-standing devotion to community service through education, volunteer work, and citizen connections. Beth Beh founded the Women’s Employment Program (WEP) in 1986, the flagship program of the Employment Opportunity Training Center (EOTC), now Outreach. She devoted her life to developing and expanding community services that focused on single mothers and children in the region and provided mentorship to childcare professionals. The Mighty Oak Awards will include cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, live music, and basket raffles. Tickets are $125 and can be purchased online at www.outreachworks.org or by contacting Lori Ryan, Community Outreach & Resource Development Manager, via email at lryan@outreachworks.org or by calling 570-558-7565. Outreach Center for Community Resources delivers family educational and workforce development services and programs to the regional community to promote family stability and economic self-sufficiency. Outreach provides evidence-based early childhood programs that help families and children gain the skills to be healthy and productive community members. Outreach programs support families experiencing adverse life events, including economically disadvantaged families, individuals seeking services that are involved in the Women’s and Veteran’s Treatment Court System, residents at the Lackawanna County Prison, and justice-involved juveniles. Outreach improves the lives of over 5,000 adults and children annually with evidence-based family development, early childhood education, adult GED services, and workforce programs that support them as they navigate life’s challenges
NEPA Philharmonic and Queen on September 27 at the F.M. Kirby Center The Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic opens the 2024-25 season with the music of the one and only QUEEN! On stage will be the Philharmonic orchestra under the baton of Maestra Mélisse Brunet and the singers and dancers of Jeans’ n Classics. Also, enhancing the performance will be the voices of the Marywood Chamber Singers. On the set list will be “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are the Champions,” “We Will Rock You,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” and many other fan favorites. “The music of Queen is unique, and electrifying! The partnership between the NEPA Philharmonic and Jeans’ n Classics will ensure that Queen fans, and those being introduced to Queen for the first time, will have an incredible evening. This is a concert experience not to be missed,” notes Carol Nelson Dembert, Philharmonic Board President. Subscriptions for the 53rd season of the NEPA Phil, as well as single tickets, may be purchased at this time online at nepaphil.org. The season opens with Queen and closes in June with a Tribute to Tina Turner. Main Stage concerts take place from September through June and the concert series includes two Holiday concerts, and Masterworks by Bizet, Sibelius, Copland, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Orff’s beloved Carmina Burana, and more. Purchase tickets to two or more concerts and receive a discount of 15 -30% off, as well as first choice of seating. Prices begin at $42 and students K-12 are invited to enjoy the Masterworks at no charge. Thanks to our generous sponsors, the Philharmonic tickets are affordable, especially when purchased with the Early Bird Discount before September 18. The Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic is a fully professional symphony orchestra presenting evening and matinee concerts in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties. Concerts take place at the FM Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre; Scranton Cultural Center; Kirby Center for Creative Arts at Wyoming Seminary, Kingston; and Mohegan Pennsylvania Casino. For additional information or to purchase tickets, please check out www.nepaphil.org or call the ticket hotline at 570.270.4444. The NEPA Philharmonic is a valuable community resource. A series of four intimate chamber concerts begin on September 19 at the Sordoni Art Gallery, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre. Educational programs include a juried mentoring program, a Young People’s Concert, Music in Our Schools, Once Upon a Library, and Music in our Senior Centers. For information about sponsorship for the concerts and educational programs, please contact the Philharmonic office.
