Settlers Hospitality to Host Annual Chili & Wing Cookoff

After a two-year hiatus, the hotly-anticipated Chili and Wing Cookoff returns to Silver Birches in Hawley on Sunday March 5, 2023. The event, hosted by Settlers Hospitality, brings together over 20 of the best chefs from local restaurants, schools, and organizations as well as talented home cooks. Contestants vie for the title of Best Chili and Best Wings during a flavorful showdown that plays out at the Waterfront at Silver Birches.

The competition begins at noon with the awards presentation slated for between 3:30 and 4 p.m. A panel of guest judges will select the winners. In addition to bragging rights, first place winners receive a $100 cash prize and a trophy. Second and third place winners also take home a trophy. Everyone who attends gets a ballot for the People’s Choice Award and a chance to vote for their favorite dishes. The coveted title also brings a $100 cash prize for the winners plus trophies for first, second and third place.

A ticket entitles guests to sample each of the wing and chili offerings. Tickets are $30 per person and $15 for children ages 5-10. Silver Birches not only hosts the tasty competition, but also supplies each participant with 80 pounds of wings and all the cups, plates, spoons, napkins, and wet naps necessary for service, at no charge. All proceeds from the Cookoff benefit local hospitality employees experiencing a crisis. “People were really craving the return of this event, and we’re delighted to bring it back, especially to support a cause that’s so personal,” states Settlers Hospitality Owner/CEO Justin Genzlinger. Attendees may buy a chance for a 50/50 raffle, which will also aid the hospitality employee crisis fund.

The Cookoff is open to local businesses and individuals. Participants interested in competing in the cookoff may call 570-226-4388 or email TJSlain@Settlershospitality.com before February 11. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Contact TJ Slain, director of food and beverage, at 570-226-2124 for more information.

Outreach – Center for Community Resources Receives Grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation

Outreach – Center for Community Resources received an $18,500 grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation in June of this year for Outreach Early Childhood and Parenting Programs for Moms and their Children.

The grant will provide necessary funding for programs administered by Outreach, a state-designated Family Center, during the fiscal year of July 2022 to June 2023, which support family needs in early childhood education, parenting, workforce development, financial literacy, and others. Additionally, Outreach case managers connect families to supplemental services that are available from the numerous nonprofit partners in the Scranton region, providing a safety net of unique services. Outreach connects families with services and programs they need to gain family stability and economic self-sufficiency throughout Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties.

Outreach child-serving programs aim to improve school readiness through high-quality activities that enhance cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. Outreach parenting programs allow parents to gain the skills to implement positive parenting techniques that result in improved behavioral outcomes for their children and connect them to a social network of other parents.

The Scranton Area Community Foundation has been serving the Northeastern Pennsylvania region for over 65 years as a steward, a grantmaker, a charitable resource, and a catalyst for change and growth. The Scranton Area Community Foundation was established as a community trust in 1954 by the Scranton Family, whose initial gift was the seed that has grown into a permanent vehicle for donors to accomplish their philanthropic goals while helping to support positive change within our community. Today the Scranton Area Community Foundation holds and manages a variety of funds from individuals, organizations, and corporations. Through these gifts, the Foundation responds to community needs and has provided grants to support regional nonprofits.

Outreach Center for Community Resources delivers parent/child 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 needed to be healthy and productive members of the community. Outreach improves the lives of over 4,500 individuals each year with award-winning workforce and family development programs that support people as they navigate life’s challenges.

Pictured (left to right) Outreach Family Development Specialists Alyssa Savitski and Kathy Kutsop with Scranton Area Community Foundation Board of Governors Chair Barbara O’Hara, Esq. and David Price, Foundation Board Treasurer.

PennDOT Driver License, Photo Centers Closed for Holiday

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that all driver license and photo centers, including its full-service center in Harrisburg, will be closed Saturday, January 14, 2023, through Monday, January 16, 2023, in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. 

Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services, including all forms, publications and driver training manuals, online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website, www.dmv.pa.gov.   

Driver and vehicle online services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include driver’s license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; ability to pay driver license or vehicle insurance restoration fee; driver license and photo ID duplicates; and driver exam scheduling. There are no additional fees for using online services.

A complete listing of PennDOT driver and photo license center closings in 2023 is available online. If you are planning to visit one of PennDOT’s On-Line Messenger Service Centers, please call ahead for hours of operation during holidays.

Motorists can check conditions on major roadway miles by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following twitter regional alerts.

Follow PennDOT on Twitter and like the department on Facebook and Instagram. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Diego Sandino, dsandino@pa.gov

 

Score Big Prizes with RailRiders Football Squares Promotion

With Super Bowl LVII only weeks away, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders are bringing back a fan-favorite promotion with the chance to win great prizes. Fans can purchase flex plans, partial, half or full season memberships to get involved in the RailRiders Football Squares promotion with the opportunity to win big on February 12.
Chances to win occur with the score at the end of each quarter and at the end of the game. The scores will reward you with fun prizes and experiences in 2023. Squares correspond with the nuber of packages purchased, so buy multiple plans or memberships for more chances to win!
With the purchase of one flex plan, you will receive one square. If you purchase a partial season plan, you will receive two squares. A half-season plan will receive three squares and any full-season membership purchased will net four squares. All squares are placed at random. Winners are determined by looking at the last number in each team’s score at the end of each quarter and then matching those numbers on the grid and seeing which square intersects those two numbers.
Winning Outcomes:

Match the score at the end of the first quarter and win a RailRiders Beach Package including two beach chairs, two beach towels, two coolers, two Hawaiian Shirts and a $25 gift card to the SWB Team Store

Match the score at the end of the second quarter and you’ll receive a RailRiders Bobblehead Package featuring SIX bobbleheads- Nestor Cortes, Nick Swisher, Derek Jeter, Aaron Judge, Thor, and a Joe DiMaggio and Billy Martin dual bobblehead- PLUS a $25 gift card to the SWB Team Store.

Match the score at the end of the third quarter and win a RailRiders Legends Package that includes four tickets to a New York Yankees game, four Geisinger Champions Club tickets for April or May, a game-worn jersey, an autographed Legends Series bat and a $25 gift card to the SWB Team Store. • Match the score at the end of the fourth quarter and win the RailRiders Champions Package which includes four tickets to a New York Yankees game, four Geisinger Champions Club tickets for April or May, a game- worn jersey, a Ron Guidry autographed baseball and a $100 gift card to the SWB Team Store.

Should the game go to overtime and your square matches the final score after OT, you will win all four of the packages listed above.
*Add

With Super Bowl LVII only weeks away, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders are bringing back a fan-favorite promotion with the chance to win great prizes.  Fans can purchase flex plans, partial, half or full season memberships to get involved in the RailRiders Football Squares promotion with the opportunity to win big on February 12.

Chances to win occur with the score at the end of each quarter and at the end of the game.  The scores will reward you with fun prizes and experiences in 2023.  Squares correspond with the number of packages purchased, so buy multiple plans or memberships for more chances to win!

With the purchase of one flex plan, you will receive one square.  If you purchase a partial season plan, you will receive two squares. A half-season plan will receive three squares and any full-season membership purchased will net four squares. All squares are placed at random. Winners are determined by looking at the last number in each team’s score at the end of each quarter and then matching those numbers on the grid and seeing which square intersects those two numbers. 

Winning Outcomes:

  • Match the score at the end of the first quarter and win a RailRiders Beach Package including two beach chairs, two beach towels, two coolers, two Hawaiian Shirts and a $25 gift card to the SWB Team Store
  • Match the score at the end of the second quarter and you’ll receive a RailRiders Bobblehead Package featuring SIX bobbleheads- Nestor Cortes, Nick Swisher, Derek Jeter, Aaron Judge, Thor, and a Joe DiMaggio and Billy Martin dual bobblehead- PLUS a $25 gift card to the SWB Team Store.
  • Match the score at the end of the third quarter and win a RailRiders Legends Package that includes four tickets to a New York Yankees game, four Geisinger Champions Club tickets for April or May*, a game-worn jersey, an autographed Legends Series bat and a $25 gift card to the SWB Team Store.
  • Match the score at the end of the fourth quarter and win the RailRiders Champions Package which includes four tickets to a New York Yankees game, four Geisinger Champions Club tickets for April or May*, a game-worn jersey, a Ron Guidry autographed baseball and a $100 gift card to the SWB Team Store.

Should the game go to overtime and your square matches the final score after OT, you will win all four of the packages listed above.

*Additional terms, restrictions and conditions may apply. Please ask your sales representative to clarify any concerns.

Tickets packages for the 2023 season, both season ticket and flex plans, are available now and Football Squares are on a limited, first-come, first-served basis until Friday, February 10. For more information, please visit

swbrailriders.com or contact a ticket sales representative at (570) 969-BALL.

Scranton Area Community Foundation Grant supports The Wright Center

The Wright Center for Community Health was recently awarded a $3,000 grant by the Scranton Area Community Foundation in support of the collaborative Healthy Maternal Opiate Medical Support program (Healthy MOMS) that focuses on helping pregnant women and new mothers overcome addiction and embrace a life in recovery.

Through the CHILDCARE Helps MOMS work program, the grant will support working mothers in the Healthy MOMS program who need assistance paying for emergency child care costs. The program provides financial assistance so mothers can return to work, closing the gap until the mother receives subsidized child care assistance. The grant will be able to fund 67 weeks of child care.

The project fulfills an unmet need by providing financial assistance for mothers in the Healthy MOMS program who are seeking to return and remain in the workforce. In addition, Healthy MOMS participants are offered blanket services that include medication-assisted treatment and addiction services, counseling, primary health care, OB-GYN care, parenting tips, legal advice and a range of other supports. The program promotes the well-being of both mom and newborn, ideally engaging them in wrap-around services until the child turns 2 years old.

Launched in 2018, the program serves Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties. To date, Healthy MOMS has supported more than 300 mothers and 189 babies.

“We are grateful for the Scranton Area Community Foundation’s financial support and the community partnerships that enable this program to touch two generations in our regional communities,” said Maria Kolcharno, the director of addiction services and a leader of the Healthy MOMS program at The Wright Center. “The lack of affordable child care continues to be a challenge for women enrolled in Healthy MOMS.”

In addition to primary care, oral health and women’s health services, The Healthy MOMS program realizes that mothers with substance use disorder would be identified via Social Services, such as the local Child Welfare Office, via the legal system, and by additional MAT providers in the area. Mothers who enter the Healthy MOMS program always have a choice as to who their medical providers will be.    

For more information about the Healthy MOMS program, call 570-955-7821 or visit HealthyMOMS.org. 

NEPIRC Professional Achieves Lead Auditor Designation

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) is pleased to announce that the organization’s Lean Enterprise Consultant, Brian Matyjevich, recently completed the British Standards Institution’s (BSI’s) ISO 14001:2015 Lead Auditor Training course and successfully obtained designation as an ISO 14001:2015 Lead Auditor with competencies in Environmental Management Systems, Management Systems Auditing and Leading Management Systems Audit Teams. Mr. Matyjevich’s designation as an ISO 14001:2015 Lead Auditor complements his existing professional portfolio, which includes ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100:2016 Rev D Internal Auditor credentials, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Professional and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt certificates, along with numerous environmental and project management credentials. 

BSI is an Exemplar Global certified training provider and examiner certification provider. Mr. Matyjevich’s completion of BSI’s review course and related examinations document his abilities in designing and carrying out environment audits in compliance with the guidelines for ISO 14001 on behalf of clients; assisting clients in evaluating their ISO 14001 strategy and accomplishing ISO 14001 certification in an expedient and cost-effective way; leading client ISO 14001 audit teams; and helping companies better understand the applicability and benefits of environmental management and the ISO 14001 standard.

“Companies that have implemented an environmental management strategy and achieved ISO 14001 certification have recognized improved overall efficiencies, reduced operating costs, enhanced stakeholder and customer relationships and better success in winning new business as environmental impacts enter more and more procurement specifications and customer requirements,” said Mr. Matyjevich. Since joining NEPIRC in 2020, Mr. Matyjevich has assisted a multitude of manufacturers in developing environmental, workplace safety and continuous improvement systems.

Manufacturers across NEPIRC’s 11-county service region are encouraged to contact Mr. Matyjevich at Brian@NEPIRC.com to schedule a one-on-one no-cost environmental strategy consultation with him and a NEPIRC Business Advisor. Brian also offers no-cost Employee Health & Safety Gemba Walks and assessments to manufacturers across northeastern, northern and parts of central Pennsylvania.

Peoples Security Bank & Trust Company Promotes Jeffrey Drobins

Peoples Security Bank & Trust Company today announced the promotion of Jeffrey Drobins to Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer of the Bank. 

Drobins previously was Senior Vice President and Market President for Peoples Security Bank & Trust Company’s Lehigh Valley and New Jersey markets, which consist of three locations in Lehigh and Northampton Counties and one location in Middlesex County. He joined the Bank in 2014.

“Jeff has consistently achieved strong results for Peoples Security Bank & Trust Company, most recently in his position as Market President for the Bank’s Lehigh Valley and New Jersey market,” said Neal Koplin, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer. “Additionally, Jeff has helped lead the expansion of the Bank into the New Jersey market and has played an instrumental role helping guide the Bank through the COVID-19 pandemic. We are excited to welcome Jeff into his new role and we look forward to his continued leadership.” 

As Chief Lending Officer, Drobins is responsible for profitable growth in commercial, consumer and mortgage lending and for ensuring that borrowers receive an exceptional banking experience. He will also be responsible for leading the origination, portfolio management and credit quality across all lending products. 

A resident of Schnecksville, PA, Drobins serves on the board of directors of the Greater Easton Development Partnership and the board of directors of the Lehigh Valley Zoo. He is past treasurer and board of directors for the Lehigh Valley Academy and past board of directors for the Lehigh Valley Chamber’s Young Professionals Council. 

Drobins is a member of Leadership Lehigh Valley Class of 2012, is a recipient of the Lehigh Valley Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 award, and a recipient of the Mid Atlantic Real Estate Journal’s Forty Under 40 Spotlight. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Pennsylvania State University. 

Marywood Professor and Graduate Students Present at Convention

Dr. Vijayachandra Ramachandra, professor of communication sciences and disorders at Marywood University, and first-year speech-language pathology graduate students, Kirsten Van Louvender, Kelli Moreno, and Angela Genter, recently presented their research, “Meow and Oink Lead to a Right Spatial Bias: Implications for Aphasia Therapy,” at the 2022 American Speech-Language and Hearing Association Convention, which was held in New Orleans, La., from November 17-19.

In this study, the investigators explored how the brain processes different types of words and environmental sounds using neuropsychological methods called visual and tactile line bisection. The findings of this study have important implications for treating people with aphasia, a disorder caused due to a stroke or a head injury and which can affect a person’s ability to communicate.

For additional information about the communication sciences and disorders department at Marywood University, please visit marywood.edu/academics/csd, or contact the Admissions Office at (570) 348-6234. Additionally, prospective undergraduate students can email YourFuture@marywood.edu and prospective graduate students can email GoGrad@marywood.edu for more information.

IMAGE ID:

Pictured left to right are Marywood University research presenters, Kirsten Van Louvender, Moscow, PA; Dr. Vijayachandra Ramachandra, East Stroudsburg, PA; Kelli Moreno, Hebron, MD; and Angela Genter, Scranton, PA.

Governor Wolf Announces 32 Municipalities to Improve Traffic Safety with Enforcement Funds

Governor Tom Wolf today announced that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) will distribute approximately $15 million in Automated Red-Light Enforcement (ARLE) funding to 32 municipalities statewide to fund 36 safety projects.

Pennsylvania’s ARLE program aims to improve safety at signalized intersections by providing automated enforcement at locations where data shows red-light running has been an issue.

“This program helps communities across the state make important investments in traffic flow and safety,” Gov. Wolf said. “These improvements complement the many road, bridge and multimodal projects happening in Pennsylvania.”

Grant funding is supplied by fines from red light violations at 36 intersections in Philadelphia. State law specifies that projects improving safety, enhancing mobility and reducing congestion can be considered for funding. Municipalities submitted 151 applications, totaling $46 million in requests.

Projects were selected by an eight-member committee based on criteria such as safety benefits and effectiveness, cost, and local and regional impact. This investment brings the total dollars awarded through the ARLE funding program to $127.79 million, funding 537 transportation enhancement projects since 2010.

The 36 approved projects are as follows:

Adams County

  • Conewago Township – $55,094 for guide rail safety improvements.

Allegheny County

  • Carnegie Borough – $10,422 to install radar feedback signs on Forsythe Road.
  • Coraopolis Borough – $298,250 for traffic signal replacement to include overhead signals to reduce redlight running and pedestrian accommodations.
  • Hampton Township – $175,000 for S. Pioneer Road roadway safety improvements to include replacing out of date guiderail.
  • McCandless Township – $451,483 for signal component updates project at 21 locations throughout the municipality. Upgrades include accessible pedestrian signals, equipment for flashing yellow arrow operations, controller replacements and rewiring of existing signal equipment.
  • Penn Hills Township – $565,292 for traffic signal replacement at Frankstown Road (SR 0400) & Beulah Road (SR 0130).

Butler County

  • Butler Township – $249,504 for Pittsburgh Street & McCalmont Road/Vogel Road traffic signal modernization. Improvements include new mast arms to replace strain poles, new signal heads and reflectorized back plates.
  • Cranberry Township – $350,000 for Route 19 and Short Street traffic signal upgrade and modernization. Improvements include new mast arms to support additional signal heads, new controller to allow for advanced signal timings.
  • Penn Township – $446,706 for signal replacement and reconfiguration at Route 8 and Airport Road to include new mast arms to replace strain poles.

Dauphin County

  • Londonderry Township – $32,421 for Colebrook Road (SR 341) and Schoolhouse Road (T-494) intersection warning signals.

Delaware County

  • Chester City – $115,831 to improve PA 291 and 322 off-ramp/Jeffrey Street Traffic Signal. This project will convert the intersection from a flashing red/yellow configuration to a fully signalized intersection.
  • Radnor Township – $120,350 for a bridge height warning system at the SEPTA underpass on King of Prussia Road.
  • Yeadon Borough – $287,000 for MacDade Boulevard & Church Lane traffic signal and pedestrian accommodation improvements.

Erie County

  • Erie City – $395,769 for installation of 30 accessible pedestrian signal buttons to improve pedestrian safety.

Fayette County

  • Fayette County – $352,000 for Bullskin Township signal upgrades at three intersections along US 119. Improvements include radar detection systems to allow for more streamlined flows of traffic, siren preemption systems and battery back-up systems to allow the equipment to operate during outages which frequently happen along this roadway due to flooding.

Franklin County

  • Waynesboro Borough – $49,000 for the replacement of flashing school signs and the installation of speed limit driver feedback signs.

Lancaster County

  • East Petersburg Borough – $113,600 for traffic signal upgrades at SR 72/Enterprise Road and SR 72/Miller Road. Improvements include stop bar radar detection, advanced radar detection, pedestrian countdown timers and reflectorized back plates.
  • Ephrata Borough – $222,400 for intersection safety and signal improvements at three intersections in the Borough. Improvements include radar detection, pedestrian improvements and new mast arms.

Lebanon County

  • Heidelberg Township – $12,823 to install solar radar speed signs at the approaches to the intersection of Route 501 and East and West Reistville Road.

Lycoming County

  • Montoursville Borough – $465,000 for SR 2014 and Walnut Street traffic signal replacement.
  • Muncy Borough – $162,000 for pedestrian crosswalks safety improvements. This project will implement pedestrian activated rectangular rapid flash beacons (RRFB), high-visibility pavement markings, flexible post pedestrian crosswalk signs, approach crossing signage and LED in-roadway warning light (IRWL) crosswalk system.

Mercer County

  • Sharon City – $400,000 for State Street traffic signal and pedestrian improvements, including performing a traffic timings study, implementing a coordination plan, and updating intersections to include pedestrian pushbuttons and GPS timeclocks as required.
  • Springfield Township – $413,500 for signal equipment improvements including replacement of the existing flashing beacons, emergency vehicle preemption, radar vehicular detection, battery backup power supply, and vehicular signal heads with retroreflective backplates.

Mifflin County

  • Derry Township – $306,500 for Electric Avenue/Logan Boulevard Corridor Signal Upgrades to include coordinating 5 traffic signals.

Monroe County

  • Delaware Water Gap Borough – $52,725 for the placement of three electronic radar speed limit display signs.

Montgomery County

  • Cheltenham Township – $420,250 for traffic signal equipment upgrades at three intersections to include installation of ADA compliant pedestrian pushbuttons and countdown pedestrian signal heads.
  • Cheltenham Township – $343,700 for traffic signal equipment and pavement marking upgrades at the intersection of Rices Mill Road and Glenside Avenue.
  • Lansdale Borough – $156,000 to install two (2) ground mounted controllers, perform traffic counts, update timings, new pedestrian signal heads and push buttons and retroreflective backplates.

Northampton County

  • Northampton Borough – $156,538 for the installation of the Main Street/10th Street/Nor-Bath Trail pedestrian rectangular rapid flashing beacon.

Philadelphia County

  • Philadelphia City – $7,000,000.00 for the following 4 programs in the city: Citywide Intersection Modifications, Modern Roundabouts, Bike Network Curb Separation and Citywide Traffic Calming.

Pike County

  • Milford Borough – $19,080 to purchase and install electronic speed display signs at the four (4) main entrances to the Borough.

Westmoreland County

  • Salem Township – $389,000 for US 22 Traffic Signal Safety Upgrade Project to include LED vehicular signals with reflectorized backplates, LED “SIGNAL AHEAD” over the road warning flashers, LED pedestrian count down signals and Pedestrian latching push buttons.

York County

  • Hanover Borough – $487,287 for Downtown Route 94/116/194 Traffic Congestion & Pedestrian Safety Improvements. To include modernizing the intersections to include APS pedestrian signals, 3-second advance pedestrian phasing, flashing yellow arrow signals, 12-inch signals, and high visibility crosswalks at both intersections, and a new controller cabinet/assembly and signal mast arm poles at the Center Square intersection to accommodate the flashing yellow arrow signals.

For more information, visit PennDOT’s website.

MEDIA CONTACTS: Governor’s Office, ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov, 717-783-1116
Alexis Campbell, PennDOT, 717-783-8800