McCarthy Group Florists Announces Newest Acquisition McCarthy Group Florists, headquartered In Lackawanna County since 1952, announces the acquisition of Flowers by Edith in Lakeland FL as of May 15, 2024. Flowers by Edith began 90 years ago, and remains an iconic brand in central Florida. Kevin McCarthy, president of McCarthy Flowers, reports all current team members will be retained, and business will continue as normal in Flowers by Edith’s existing downtown Lakeland location. This latest addition brings McCarthy Flowers national store count to 33, and full time staff to over 600.
Misericordia Introduces Expressway Social Work Program The Mission of Misericordia University’s Social Work Program is to prepare students for entry-level generalist social work practice with individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations. The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Accelerated Degree Program prepares students for professional practice with a curriculum that integrates theory with practical experience in a Social Welfare Agency. Graduates are eligible for licensing in Pennsylvania and many other states
PennDOT Driver License, Photo Centers Closed for Memorial Day 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, May 25, 2024, through Monday, May 27, 2024, in observance of Memorial Day. 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. 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; REAL ID pre-verification; 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 2024 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.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Provides New Service to Seamlessly Connect Passengers Customers departing from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP) with American Airlines will soon have the ability to make connections through a third hub – Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). Effective August 6, 2024, new service linking AVP and PHL will be operated by luxury motorcoaches as part of American Airlines’ partnership with The Landline Company. The service will operate four (4) times daily in each direction, providing customers with a convenient way to start and end their travels. The service will have many of the features customers would expect from the first-class cabin of a regional jet, including in-seat power, WiFi, plentiful legroom and leather seats. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton customers connecting on American Airlines via PHL can clear security at AVP. American and Landline take customers directly to the tarmac of the “F” Concourse in PHL, allowing for easy, behind security connections to American’s global PHL network. Customers book trips on American and Landline just like any other connecting flight option by navigating to their preferred airline ticketing / reservation platform and selecting AVP as their origin. Here are the highlights: American Airlines is launching a new “tarmac-to-tarmac” luxury motorcoach service to its hub in PHL. The new service allows passengers to clear security at AVP, board a luxury motorcoach at one of AVP’s departure gates and arrive at a secure gate at PHL’s Terminal F. Customers will then disembark at the gate (without having to re-clear security), and walk to their next gate to continue their connecting flight. These luxury motorcoaches feature 35 premium leather seats in a 2 by 1 seating configuration and offer 36 inches of seat pitch, comparable to the premium cabin on a regional jet. Passengers also enjoy free WiFi and in-seat power at every seat. Additionally, customers can earn and redeem AAdvantage miles using these new connecting Landline “flights”. Bags are handled as with any flight: passengers check their luggage in with American Airlines on arrival, and the airport’s baggage handling system takes over from there. Check-in also works like any other American Airlines flight. American is launching the service with four (4) roundtrips per day, timed to connect with American flights out of PHL. To use the service, customers will book their flight through American Airlines’ website or mobile app, entering AVP as origin and selecting the destination (i.e. MIA) as the endpoint, just like a flight itinerary. Carl R. Beardsley, Jr., AVP’s Executive Director, said, “Many passengers choose AVP for the convenience and low-stress environment. Being able to start your trip from AVP and connect through Philadelphia alleviates some of the stress when starting your travel from a larger airport.” Joe Sottile, American Airlines Director of Domestic Network Planning, said, “We are pleased to expand our innovative partnership with Landline to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport. Complementing our existing service from AVP to both our Charlotte and Chicago hubs, this new service will enhance access to American’s global network, including convenient one-stop service via our Philadelphia hub to over 100 destinations in the U.S. and around the world.” “We are thrilled to expand our network to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton region, allowing American Airlines passengers to clear security at their local airport, closer to home, and connect through Philadelphia post security,” said Michael Sharer, Landline’s Northeast Operations Lead. “This service will provide a seamless, premium motorcoach connection to passengers with flights out of Philadelphia. Passengers can book their trips on AA.com by searching Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AVP) to their final destination.” Travelers arriving back in PHL will continue to board the luxury motorcoach airside and arrive nonstop directly at AVP. Checked baggage will be directly transferred between the motorcoaches and aircraft. American Airlines currently has three (3) daily roundtrip flights between AVP and Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), as well as two (2) daily roundtrip flights between AVP and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD).
MFHS Holds Inaugural Mother’s Day Celebration Maternal and Family Health Services held With Love which was a celebration of all the mothers in Northeast Pennsylvania, and an opportunity to thank them for all that they do. The two events took place the week before Mother’s Day at Voodoo Brewing Co. and at the Hazleton Art League. Both evenings featured a photo booth, flower cart, self-care station, activities for kids, and food stations. All proceeds raised from the events will support programming at MFHS for women, children, and families in need. The events were made possible thanks to the generosity of the following sponsors: Building Blocks Learning Center Highmark Youngman, Rosenthal & Shaffer Wealth Management Group The Hazzouri Group at Morgan Stanley Wayne Memorial Hospital Honesdale National Bank Pondurance Topp Business Solutions DxDempsey Architecture Gmerek Government Relations Caring Communities Snyder & Clemente Law Offices of Phillip Gelso Attainable Edge Barbara Bossi Progressive Insurance Foundation Fidelity Bank Jennifer Lee Hetro LLC Suzanne Fletcher Posture Interactive Bayard Printing For over 50 years, MFHS has been supporting the health and nutrition of our community by delivering programs and services that meet critical needs and result in positive outcomes for mothers and children. These programs include: the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program, The Nurse-Family Partnership Program, reproductive care, and the Healthy Beginnings Plus Maternity Program. Together these programs form a maternal health safety net that protects the health of pregnant individuals by connecting them to essential care and support services.
Treasurer Stacy Garrity Encourages Pennsylvanians to Apply for Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program Treasurer Stacy Garrity today encouraged eligible Pennsylvanians to apply for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program for this year’s rebate as soon as possible, noting that the Pennsylvania Treasury Department will begin sending rebates to approved applicants on July 1. “Many more Pennsylvanians are eligible for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program this year because the General Assembly and the Governor made the smart decision to expand the program,” Treasurer Garrity said. “I encourage everyone who’s eligible to apply as soon as possible. Treasury will start making payments on July 1, which is the earliest we’re able to under the law – and we’ll continue making payments on a rolling basis after that. This essential program makes a huge difference for so many, including older Pennsylvanians and those living with disabilities, and I’m committed to getting these payments out as quickly as possible once applicants are approved by the Department of Revenue.” The new law increased household income limits for rebates to $45,000 for homeowners and renters (up from $35,000 and $15,000, respectively). Claimants may exclude half of their Social Security income. The maximum standard rebate is now $1,000 (up from $650). Treasurer Garrity especially encouraged first-time applicants to apply as soon as possible because the Department of Revenue has indicated they will need more time to verify new applicant information as part of their efforts to combat program fraud. 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. The deadline to apply for this year’s rebate is June 30, 2024. As part of last year’s program expansion, beginning in 2025, the 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. Since the program’s inception in 1971, more than $8 billion in rebates have been paid.
Fidelity Bank Awards $833,000 to Non-Profits and Educational Institutions Fidelity Bank recently presented several area non-profit organizations and educational institutions with Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) funds totaling $833,000. Here are some of the recipients of some of Fidelity Bank’s latest donations. F.M. Kirby Center Greater Hazelton Partners in Education Wyoming Valley Montessori School Misericordia University WVIA Wilkes-Barre Academy Wyoming Free Library “We are proud to support various community programs that are committed to educational excellence with an eye toward students’ futures,” said Daniel J. Santaniello, President & CEO of Fidelity Bank. “Fidelity Bank is grateful for the opportunity to invest in generations to come through allocating funds through the EITC program.” The Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program provides tax credits to eligible businesses contributing to scholarship and educational improvement organizations. In keeping with Fidelity Bank’s commitment to support the communities it serves, the program benefits students in Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley. Through partnerships between local businesses, parents, and scholarship organizations, EITC funding gives local students opportunities for better educational outcomes.
Lackawanna County to Launch Another Round of Small Business Grants Lackawanna County will launch another round of a popular program providing $5,000 grants to qualifying small businesses. Commissioners approved Wednesday a second phase of the program originally offered last year to combat pandemic-prompted inflation. Funding for the program’s extension, $500,000 in total, comes from the county’s federal American Rescue Plan Act allocation. It’s designed to help businesses still recovering from the financial impacts of the pandemic and subsequent economic challenges, including inflation that drove up costs and limited consumer purchasing power. While inflation has abated significantly since a pandemic-era peak in 2022, some businesses continue to face challenges stemming from the economic disruption. The flexible grant funding can be used to purchase equipment, pay or add personnel and cover other business expenses, such as rent, mortgages and utilities. “Our local businesses are what makes our home here in Lackawanna County so special, and we all understand that they’re still facing economic pressure because of inflation due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Commissioner Matt McGloin said. “That’s why it’s important for us to continue to try to find ways to help our local businesses, because we understand that financial assistance at this critical time can be the difference between businesses staying in business or closing permanently.” Eligible businesses must be for-profit, employ between one and 100 people and spend all of the grant money in Lackawanna County. They also must have faced pandemic-related hardships and been operating in or before 2019, among other terms. More than 200 businesses applied during the first round of the program, with the county awarding 100 grants, economic development Director Kristin Magnotta said. Those that received grants during the first phase are not eligible during the second. “We want to be able to spread it far and wide to all those that need help,” Magnotta said of the funding. The grant window will open May 31 and runs through July. Application materials and instructions will be available on the planning and economic development page of the county’s website, lackawannacounty.org. Hard copies of the application will also be available in the vestibule of the county government center, 123 Wyoming Ave., Scranton.
Allied Services Celebrates Hospice Star Volunteer of 2023 Allied Services Hospice & Palliative Care has named Charlene Cardwell of Mill City, PA, the Hospice Star Volunteer of 2023 in a heartwarming celebration of dedication and service. This inaugural award, marking the first of what will become an annual tradition, was presented at the Volunteer Recognition Celebration held at Arcaro and Genell in Old Forge. Charlene, whose journey with hospice care began in a deeply personal manner following the loss of her husband who was a patient of the health system’s hospice service, has been a beacon of support and compassion for nearly two years. Her firsthand experience with the care and support provided by the hospice inspired her to give back, leading her to become an administrative volunteer. Her commitment to the organization goes beyond typical volunteer duties. Charlene has been instrumental in supporting our veterans through organizing recognition packages as a token of gratitude for their service. In a touching display of her dedication, she also personally crocheted red, white, and blue afghans for the veterans in our inpatient hospice units, providing comfort and warmth in their moments of need. The celebration featured guest speaker Christopher Calvey Jr. from Jennings Calvey Funeral & Cremation Services, who highlighted the profound impact of volunteers like Charlene on the community and the individuals they serve. Charlene’s exemplary service not only enhances the lives of those she directly touches but also uplifts the entire hospice community. Her ability to turn personal grief into a powerful force for good is a profound inspiration, embodying the true spirit of volunteerism and setting a high standard for future recipients of this honor. Allied Services Hospice & Palliative Care is proud to recognize Charlene Cardwell as the 2023 Hospice Star Volunteer, thanking her for her unwavering dedication, compassion, and commitment to making a difference.
