Grey Towers Heritage Association to Host Three Generations of Pinchots Event Grey Towers Heritage Association is hosting an event on Three Generations of Pinchots on August 20, 2023, from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. The tickets are $20 for the general public and $15 for GTHA members. Please purchase tickets here.
The Dime Bank 2023 Scholarship Recipients The Dime Bank has awarded scholarships to six students based on their academic and leadership capabilities from Wallenpaupack Area, Wayne Highlands, Delaware Valley, Carbondale Area, Scranton, and West Scranton school districts. The students must be furthering their education in the field of business, economics, finance, management, or accounting to be eligible for The Dime Bank Directors Award Scholarship. Each graduating senior received $1,000.00 to attend the college of their choice. The Dime Bank is proud to support future leaders with this educational assistance.
Treasurer Stacy Garrity Praises Expansion of Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program, Reminds Pennsylvanians of Dec. 31 Deadline Treasurer Stacy Garrity today congratulated the General Assembly and Governor Shapiro for expanding Pennsylvania’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program and encouraged eligible residents to apply now for the 2023 rebate. “Expanding the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program will help some of the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians – especially seniors on fixed budgets – at a time when the effects of historically high inflation continue to wreck household budgets,” Garrity said. “This essential program has provided more than $7.3 billion in relief since it started in 1971. One of Treasury’s highest priorities is processing these payments quickly to get the funds into the hands of the people who need them. The General Assembly and the Governor deserve a lot of credit for expanding it to help even more of our citizens.” As of August 4, Treasury has processed 311,298 payments totaling $145.4 million for this year’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate program. The deadline to apply for a rebate this year has been extended to December 31, 2023. “I encourage everyone who is eligible for this year’s rebates to apply as soon as possible,” Garrity said. “Treasury prioritizes getting these payments out the door and we will make payments on a rolling basis as applicants are approved by the Department of Revenue.” Starting in 2024, the maximum standard rebate will increase from $650 to $1,000. The household income limit for property tax rebates will increase to $45,000 (up from the current $35,000 limit). The limit for rent rebates will also increase to $45,000 (up from $15,000). Beginning in 2025, the new income limits will be adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI). That calculation will be done by the Secretary of Revenue. 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. Some homeowners may qualify for supplemental rebates. For more information about eligibility, Pennsylvanians can contact their state legislators, visit the Department of Revenue’s website, revenue.pa.gov, or call 888-222-9190. Applications can be filed online through the Department of Revenue’s myPATH system. Anyone who has already applied for this year’s rebate can check the status by using the Where’s My Rebate? online tool.
NET Credit Union to Celebrate Grand Opening of New Branch in Taylor NET Credit Union will be hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the Grand Opening of their new branch in Taylor on Tuesday, August 29th, at 10:00 am on 900 S. Main Street, Taylor, PA 18517.
Treasurer Stacy Garrity Waives Fees for PA 529 GSP Accounts, Reduces Fees for PA 529 IP Accounts Treasurer Stacy Garrity today announced that asset-based fees will be waived for PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP) account owners for the second consecutive fiscal year. Fee waivers will be funded by PA 529 GSP surplus earnings. PA 529 Investment Plan (IP) account owners will also see a second fee reduction this year, as state fees will decrease by 0.5 basis points (0.005 percent) effective September 1, 2023. Last month Treasurer Garrity announced a reduction in operational support fees by 1.25 basis points (0.0125 percent). Combined, the IP fee reductions will result in a savings of more than $800,000 for account holders throughout this fiscal year. “I’m cutting these fees because the great PA 529 College and Career Savings Program should be as affordable as possible for every family in our state,” Garrity said. “Lower fees help Pennsylvanians save more for their children’s education. PA 529 accounts are a tremendous tool to help the next generation afford the training and education they’ll need to enter the workforce, whether they attend one of our great technical schools, community colleges, or four-year universities – or if they enter an apprenticeship.” There are more than 287,000 PA 529 accounts, including more than 111,000 PA 529 GSP accounts and more than 175,000 PA 529 IP accounts. Families have nearly $7 billion saved for future education expenses. PA 529 accounts are designed to help Pennsylvania families steadily and strategically save for a wide variety of qualifying technical, collegiate, apprenticeship and K-12 educational expenses. Both PA 529 plans have significant state and federal tax advantages, and assets saved in PA 529 accounts do not affect eligibility for state financial aid. The PA 529 GSP allows families to save at today’s tuition rates to meet tomorrow’s tuition costs. Account earnings are based on college tuition inflation rates, and families can choose the tuition credit rate they wish to save at from community colleges to Ivy League universities. The Morningstar Silver Rated PA 529 IP offers a variety of investment options, and account earnings are directly tied to financial market performance. To learn more about how to start saving with PA 529, visit pa529.com or call 800-440-4000.
Waverly Community House to Host 2023 Cocktails for the Courts Waverly Community House is hosting the 2023 Cocktail for the Courts summer party on August 18th from 6 PM – 8 PM on the front lawn of the Comm. Tickets are $35.00 per person and $40.00 at the door. There will be music by The Mark Nolan Jazz Duo and light Hors D’Oeuvres, Beer, Wine, and a Signature Drink. All proceeds benefit Comm Tennis and Recreation Programs. To buy tickets, click here.
Johnson College to Host Instant Enrollment Decision Day Johnson College is hosting an Instant Decision Day for prospective students on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. inside Woolworth Hall on the Johnson College Scranton campus. To register to attend, visit johnson.edu/instant. During the Instant Decision Event, Johnson College will provide prospective students with an immediate enrollment decision. Students must supply their high school and/or college transcripts. It is highly recommended that the prospective student completes a Johnson College application before attending. Applications for Johnson College’s Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiologic Technology, and Veterinary Nursing programs are excluded from instant decisions.
Geisinger Medical Center Pediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Clinic Moves to Grow Programs Geisinger Medical Center’s Pediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Clinic has relocated to bring together clinicians who collaborate on congenital heart care at every stage of patients’ lives. Geisinger has provided pediatric and adult congenital cardiology and cardiac surgery care to children and families in northeastern and central Pennsylvania for decades. Recently, the pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery practices and related subspecialties moved out of their longtime hub in Foss 6 at the medical center and into a new home on the fourth floor of the Danville campus’ Hospital for Advanced Medicine. The move allows Geisinger to offer more appointments to patients needing pediatric cardiac services and provides needed space for enhanced diagnostic testing and accommodating programs as they grow. The new clinic will house outpatient pediatric cardiology for clinical visits and diagnostic testing, and subspecialties, including adult congenital heart disease, pediatric preventive cardiology and pediatric and adult congenital cardiac surgery. Aligning these teams allows patients with congenital heart conditions to visit one location, where they can see the experts they’ll need from birth through maturity and throughout adulthood. The move also makes navigating the Geisinger Medical Center campus easier for patients, as the new space is adjacent to patient parking. Pediatric cardiology services in State College, Hazleton, Muncy, Lewistown, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre will not be affected and are expected to continue growing.
Marywood Opens Store with Amazon “Just Walk Out” Technology Marywood University and Gourmet Dining Services LLC are proud to announce the grand opening of an on-campus convenience store powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology and Amazon One, a palm-based biometric identity and payment service. Located in the entryway of the Main Dining Room in the Nazareth Student Center, the new convenience store—Marywood Pacer Nation—opened its doors to the University community on August 4, 2023. The implementation of Amazon’s cutting-edge Just Walk Out technology is designed to eliminate checkout lines and provide an effortless customer experience. As the first university in Pennsylvania to launch Just Walk Out technology in an on-campus convenience store, Marywood University is taking the lead in enriching the student experience through cutting-edge technology. Just Walk Out technology and Amazon One is made possible by artificial intelligence like computer vision and deep learning techniques, including generative AI, to accurately determine who took what in any retail environment. Amazon built synthetic datasets to mimic millions of realistic shopping scenarios as well as photorealistic synthetic palm images to ensure accuracy in any environment. Customers simply use their credit card or, if enrolled in Amazon One, may hover their palm over an Amazon One device at the store entry gates, grab what they need, and the technology automatically detects what is taken from or returned to store shelves, creating a virtual shopping cart. When customers have completed their shopping, they leave the store without stopping to check out and their credit card will be charged for the items they took. Amazon One is easy to use and takes less than a minute to enroll. Customers can pre-enroll online at https://one.amazon.com/getting-started and complete the enrollment process at an Amazon One kiosk. Once registered, each time a customer wants to use Amazon One to pay at Marywood Pacer Nation or any location that accepts Amazon One for identification, entry or payment, they’ll just hover their palm above the device. It’s that simple. “This milestone represents another significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to enhance the Marywood student experience,” stated Sister Mary Persico, IHM, Ed.D, Marywood’s President. “I am grateful to our partners, Gourmet Dining Services LLC and Amazon, for their collaboration and support in bringing Marywood Pacer Nation to life, designing it with our students’ needs in mind.” “We are thrilled to bring Just Walk Out technology and Amazon One to the students of Marywood University,” said Jon Jenkins, Vice President of Just Walk Out technology, AWS Applications. “With Just Walk Out and Amazon One, students will find an innovative way to purchase the items they need with a frictionless shopping experience so they can quickly get back to their studies — even early in the morning or late at night.” In the initial planning for the Marywood Pacer Nation store, Gourmet Dining Services LLC surveyed students to hear firsthand what products they would most like to see in a new convenience store on campus. Their recommendations influenced the robust assortment, which includes a vast variety of food and beverage options, toiletries and other everyday essential items. Marywood University and Gourmet Dining Services LLC are committed to providing students with new and exciting on-campus experiences that cater to their needs. Just Walk Out technology and Amazon One allows the store to operate unattended if needed, enabling extended hours for busy students. Now, students and guests can grab food, beverages, and other essentials conveniently, in a way that fits their academic schedules and is free of long lines at checkout.
Tobyhanna Celebrates Interns Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) observed National Intern Day on July 27 by spotlighting depot employees who joined Team Tobyhanna through internship programs. The Pathways Program provides streamlined Federal employment opportunities for students near graduation and recent graduates. Current students can participate in the Internship Program for temporary summer jobs, while recent graduates can apply for permanent jobs at Tobyhanna. Blake Praschak is bringing the knowledge he has gained as an Electrical Construction Technology student at Johnson College to Tobyhanna Army Depot’s Electrical Cable Branch. Praschak said joining Team Tobyhanna was easy because “everyone talks about how great (TYAD) is.” Seeing it firsthand, Praschak agrees with the sentiment. Blake has been supported and mentored by his colleagues in the shop. “I learn something new every day by watching, paying attention and soaking in as much as I can. And when it comes time to apply what I’ve learned, work leaders know you will make mistakes and are happy to work with you. They tailor your work to get you different experiences.” Praschak has gained valuable hands-on experience with soldering and cable manufacture through his work in the cable shop. Most importantly, he feels he is being molded into the best employee he can be for a noble cause. “Tobyhanna’s mission helps you get up in the morning. Knowing that your work is important to the safety of our nation’s warfighters is a rewarding feeling.” Chief of the Electrical Cable Branch Bob Olshefski said Blake, and all student workers, are part of a long-term strategy to ensure that experienced team members are mentoring the brightest minds of the next generation. “Students offer a fresh perspective and are eager to learn processes. Having students in the shop helps to create a synergy and rejuvenates the shop into a learning and teaching mode. This generation of students has displayed respect, want to learn, and an appreciation of the knowledge they are receiving.” Penn State student Megan Askew recently joined Team Tobyhanna in March. A lifelong admiration for America’s military personnel led her to their current position as a student trainee Production Controller in the Production Management Directorate. “My father is a U.S. Navy veteran, and I was interested in working as a civilian to support servicemembers like him,” she said. The Pathways program affords Askew the opportunity to work alongside experienced production controllers and logistics management specialists to learn the business side of Tobyhanna’s mission. Assigned to the Joint Threat Emitter program, she monitors cost and schedule, collaborating with production floor personnel to ensure a timely, quality product for the warfighter. Although her career aspirations were originally not focused on the logistics field, Askew noted how her experiences here have shaped her future plans. “I really enjoy what I do, and I can absolutely see myself having a long career at Tobyhanna Army Depot,” she said. “There is so much opportunity, and I want to take advantage of it,” She also wants to further her education by gaining a Master of Business Administration degree when she graduates from Penn State next year. Askew praised her experiences thus far at the depot. “Tobyhanna is a great place for interns.” An artist at heart, Megan spends her free time painting, singing, and learning new musical instruments. Internships can often be the foundation for a long and rewarding career, according to Chase Gardner, Chief of the Project Engineering Branch. While a junior at Penn State, Gardner entered the Pathways program’s predecessor, the Student Career Experience Program, as an intern and worked part-time at Tobyhanna while completing his degree. He says the experience was extremely valuable. “Interning allowed me to gain practical experience that complemented my academic studies,” he said. “The opportunity also allowed me to see what types of skills I would need to be an engineer at Tobyhanna and then ensure I took those classes to round out my skillset.” After graduation, Gardner joined Team Tobyhanna as a full-time electrical engineer. As a lifelong learner, he sought out additional developmental experiences in the Production Management Directorate; the Command Group; and through various leadership trainings – all of which led to his current position. “During the first seven years of my depot career, I had a singular view of the depot. Developmental assignments helped me understand the business as a whole, a critical skill to advance in my career. Gardner encourages self-starters to pursue a depot career, noting the vast array of career options. “Endless opportunities exist at Tobyhanna. You just need to seek them out.” Students interested in future internship opportunities with Team Tobyhanna can apply through USAJobs at www.usajobs.gov. For more information, students can visit the Office of Personnel Management website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/ Tobyhanna’s long-range strategic plan, dubbed TOBY2035, has four strategic focus areas: Investing in Our People, C5ISR Readiness, Shape the Future and Strategic Communications and aims to posture the organization for future success. The Invest in Our People team is focused on recruiting the best talent to join Team Tobyhanna, including interns, who bring a fresh and unique perspective to the workplace.
