Geisinger Janet Weis Hospital Receives Reaccreditation

Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital has been granted Level II Trauma Center reaccreditation by the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF).

The Level II trauma designation means the children’s hospital provides advanced care and expertise for pediatric trauma patients with specialized equipment, training and a dedicated pediatric emergency zone and pediatric sedation suite. Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital is the only designated pediatric trauma center in central Pennsylvania.

To receive the Level II designation, the children’s hospital underwent a review process by the PTSF that included reviews of its resources, capabilities, and care for patients with traumatic injuries. 

“This renewal of our Level II trauma accreditation means pediatric patients from local communities can continue to receive the most specialized level of care close to home,” said Alfred Kennedy, M.D., Geisinger pediatric trauma director. “This accreditation speaks to the tremendous work our physicians, nurses and staff continue to deliver to our youth.”

Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital joins Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton as the system’s Level II trauma centers while Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center and Geisinger Medical Center in Danville are Level I trauma centers. Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital and Geisinger Lewistown Hospital are Level IV trauma centers.

NEPA AHEC Healthcare Career Exploration

The Healthcare Career & College Exploration Event will be held Friday, October 14th from 10am-4pm at the Viewmont Mall, Dickson City.  This event has over 30 vendors including colleges, universities, and healthcare organizations looking to hire new employees and many offering incentives.  We have several school districts busing students to this event and hope that many community members come out to explore new careers in healthcare.

NEPRIC PMAC Releases Playbook for Competitiveness

As Pennsylvania’s third-largest employment sector – with more than 560,000 full-time workers generating nearly $115 billion of goods last year alone – manufacturing drives Pennsylvania’s overall economy.  On August 31, 2022, the Pennsylvania Manufacturing Advisory Council, a nonpartisan partnership of manufacturers and industry experts, released Pennsylvania’s Manufacturing Competitiveness Playbook – an actionable strategy document that identifies three game changers and 10 specific recommendations to make Pennsylvania’s manufacturing economy more robust and resilient – thus creating more good-paying jobs for Pennsylvanians.

The efforts of the industry-led, 25-member Pennsylvania Manufacturing Advisory Council were focused on developing recommendations that government leaders across the Commonwealth should consider as ways to expand Pennsylvania’s manufacturing economy. The Council’s resultant Playbook includes data and advice derived from insights and commentary offered by more than 500 Pennsylvania manufacturers.

“Over the course of the past year, the Council conducted industry roundtables, one-on-one interviews, and surveys to learn directly from manufacturers what statewide policy and programmatic or procedural changes would most immediately and dramatically enhance their ability to compete, win and grow in today’s economy, and the Council’s report reflects that knowledge and insight,” said Eric Joseph Esoda, President and CEO of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center and Council Co-Chair.

Through careful analysis of industry input, the Council, within its Playbook, recommends three game changers for strengthening Pennsylvania’s manufacturing competitive position:

  • Recapture Pennsylvania’s manufacturing competitive advantage by aggressively pursuing manufacturing growth sectors to drive prosperity.
  • Invest in the factory of the future to boost the performance of small and medium-sized companies, improve the quality of manufacturing jobs and provide better career options for more of Pennsylvania’s citizens.
  • Unleash the power of advanced manufacturing to drive regional prosperity through policies and services that are more responsive to the needs of manufacturers.

Johnson College’s First-Ever Cornhole Tournament

Johnson College announces Net Credit Union as the sponsor of its first-ever cornhole tournament. This tournament will take place during the College’s inaugural Fall Fest event on October 1, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Johnson College campus in Scranton, PA.

The tournament will feature both Social ($20/team) and Competitive ($40/team) divisions with double elimination. A team will consist of two players, and anyone from beginners to pros can play. Prizes for the Social division will include: 1st place, $100 cash; 2nd place, $50 in gift cards. Prizes for the Competitive division will include: 1st place, $300 cash; 2nd place, $150 cash. There will be food and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase. Teams can pre-register online at johnson.edu/cornhole-registration-form/ or register at the door from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

WVIA To Broadcast Pennsylvania’s Congressional District Debate Live

WVIA will broadcast the 2022 9th Congressional District Debate live from the WVIA Studios in Pittston, PA on Friday, October 21 at 7 p.m. The debate will simulcast live on WVIA-TV and WVIA Radio and will livestream on WVIA’s Facebook and Youtube channels as well as at wvia.org.


The live debate for the 9th Congressional District will feature incumbent Congressman Dan Meuser (R) and Amanda Waldman (D).

Information on Dan Meuser can be found at https://www.meuserforcongress.com

Information on Amanda Waldman can be found at https://waldman4pa.com

The producer and moderator of the debate will be WVIA’s Larry Vojtko. 

Panelists for the debate will be Brian Smith, City Editor of the Pottsville Republican, Francine Schertzer, Sr. Vice President and Chief Content Officer, PCN, and Andy Mehalshick, lead member of the Eyewitness News I-Team, WBRE.

Outreach Center To Host Cintas Job Fair

The LEAD Center at Outreach is hosting an on-site job fair with Cintas. 

The job fair is open to the public. Meet with Cintas, bring your resume, and explore the amazing job opportunities Cintas has to offer. 

Available positions at Cintas include:

  • Production Associate-Picker-$15/hr.
  • Production Associate-Garment Processor-$16.75/hr.
  • Hiring for 1st and 2nd shift for both positions.

Cintas is dedicated to helping businesses across North America stay clean, prepared, and looking professional. They take care of the important tasks that help their customers keep their workplaces running smoothly through Cintas’ innovative solutions and routine service visits.

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Cintas is a Fortune 500 company that serves more than one million businesses in all types of industries. Their diverse customer base ranges from small manufacturing companies to mid-sized hotel chains to major corporations with thousands of employees.

Cintas creates a culture for employees that leads to success. They know that every job is critical, that teamwork promotes excellence, collaboration is key to innovation, and training prepares Cintas team members to participate in a meaningful work environment.