Attorneys Travis Eckersley and Jack Price Made Partners at Oliver, Price and Rhodes Attorneys Travis Eckersley and Jack Price have been made partners at Oliver, Price and Rhodes. Attorney Eckersley joined the firm as an associate attorney in 2019. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Delaware Law School at Widener University. He received his undergraduate degree from Northeastern University in Boston and is a graduate of Lackawanna Trail High School. He has worked in both public and corporate accounting and was previously employed as the Assistant Public Defender for Wyoming County. He is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States Middle District of Pennsylvania. Attorney Eckersley concentrates his practice on corporate and non-profit law, corporate finance, criminal defense, civil litigation, and estate planning and administration. Attorney Price joined the firm as an associate attorney in 2020. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Duquesne University School of Law, graduating cum laude. He received his undergraduate degree from the Pennsylvania State University and is a graduate of Dunmore High School. He served as a law clerk for the Honorable James A. Gibbons in the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas and as a Deputy District Attorney in the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office. He is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States Middle District of Pennsylvania. Attorney Price concentrates his practice on business and civil litigation, personal injury law, criminal defense, municipal law, and estate planning and administration
Geisinger Neurosurgeon Shares Information for Stroke Awareness Month Below is a piece on strokes by Geisinger Neurosurgeon Dr. Clemens Schirmer. All strokes involve potential damage to an area of the brain. And all strokes have the same symptoms — which makes it easier to know when to seek help. But strokes have different causes, and that means different treatments and different recovery paths. Strokes fall into two categories: Ischemic stroke Hemorrhagic stroke Most strokes — almost 90 percent — are ischemic. These happen when blood flow through the artery to the brain becomes blocked, usually by a blood clot. There are two types of ischemic strokes: Embolic stroke Thrombotic stroke An embolic stroke occurs when a blood clot travels to the brain and becomes lodged inside an artery. Thrombotic strokes happen when a blood clot forms inside one of the brain’s arteries. Treatment involves removing the blockage as quickly as possible. A hemorrhagic stroke happens when the brain leaks blood, damaging or destroying brain cells. Hemorrhagic strokes are typically caused by high blood pressure and aneurysms but can be caused by malformations or fistulas. There are two types of hemorrhagic strokes: Intracerebral hemorrhage Subarachnoid hemorrhage Intracerebral are the most common types of hemorrhagic strokes, they Intracerebral occur when bleeding takes place within the brain. Subarachnoid hemorrhage strokes take place when bleeding occurs between the brain and the spaces that immediately surround it due to a ruptured aneurysm or malformation. Treatment of hemorrhagic stroke focuses on controlling bleeding and reducing pressure in the brain. You’ve probably heard of “mini” or “warning” strokes. The technical term for these is transient ischemic, or TIA, stroke. With a TIA, blood flow to the brain is usually blocked for less than 5 minutes and symptoms resolve within 24 hours, and usually much faster. But a TIA is a warning sign that a future, more severe stroke may occur. A TIA stroke requires immediate treatment and should be managed carefully, just like any other stroke. Doing so can lower your risk of having a major stroke. Knowing the warning signs of a stroke and calling 911 as soon as possible can have a big impact on recovery. Use the acronym BE FAST to remember the signs and know when to seek help: Balance difficulties Eyesight changes Face drooping Arm weakness Speech difficulty Time to call 911 The good news is that up to 80 percent of strokes can be prevented through healthy lifestyle behaviors: Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables Maintaining a healthy weight Exercising regularly Limiting alcohol intake Not smoking If you think you may be at risk for having stroke, talk to your healthcare team. For more health and wellness tops, visit Geisinger.org/balance.
UNC’s Carbondale Farmers Market is Re-Opening with New Vendors United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC) invites all to their Grand Re-Opening of the Carbondale Farmers Market. The Market will be open every Thursday, starting May 9from 3:00pm-7:00pm at UNC’s Fallbrook Senior Community Center at 185 Fallbrook Street in Carbondale. With 12 new vendors, the market will include fresh coffee beans from Milestone Coffee Roasting, canned vegetables and salsas from Canned Classics, decadent chocolate bars and sweets from Electric City Sweets, freshly made breads, muffins and scones from The Patchwork Kitchen and fresh baked cookies from The Little Ladybug Bakery. Make sure to bring your appetite for authentic Puerto Rican food provided by Amor de Mami and authentic Mexican foods from El Buen Amigo! And get ready to stock your freezers with fresh beef, pork and chicken from Winola Farm, fresh eggs from Berger’s Hollow, and produce from Purple Pepper Farm. With more vendors to come, this is a weekly farmers market you will not want to miss! Be sure to stop by all the vendors, take a seat, and relax to music provided by UNC. UNC Farmers Markets accepts SNAP/EBT and all benefit holders can receive an extra $2.00 for every $4.00 spent while shopping. For more information about SNAP/EBT, Food Bucks, or to be a cooking demonstrator, contact Taylor Burdick, UNC Carbondale Farmers Market Manager, at tburdick@uncnepa.org. UNC’s Carbondale Farmers Market is generously funded by Moses Taylor Foundation. Be sure to like us on Facebook to find out about upcoming demonstrations and programs. If you are interested in becoming a vendor, email tburdick@uncnepa.org.
Geisinger Hospitals Rated Above National Average in Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade Four Geisinger hospitals earned the top Hospital Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog organization. Geisinger Medical Center, Geisinger Community Medical Center, Geisinger Lewistown Hospital and Geisinger Shamokin Area Community Hospital each received an “A” grade for protecting patients from harm and error in the hospital. Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center and Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital both received a “B.” While three of the four “A” grades remained unchanged from the fall, Geisinger Community Medical Center improved significantly, moving from a “C” to an “A” grade. “These achievements reflect our ongoing dedication to delivering exceptional care and continuously improving our practices to better serve our patients and community,” said Anthony Petrick, M.D., Geisinger’s chief quality officer. “With exceptional ratings at all of our hospitals, it displays the complete dedication and commitment to putting our patients first.” Founded in 2000, the Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization that assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to hospitals across the country based on more than 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, injuries, accidents and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program focused exclusively on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. To learn more, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org.
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Receives Donation from School District Riverside School District hosted a colon cancer awareness t-shirt fundraiser in March to sell to students, teachers, and families in the school district to support the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s colon cancer education and awareness campaign, CASUAL (Colon Cancer Awareness Saves Unlimited Adult Lives) Day. This is the third year the district has hosted this fundraiser. The event was led by a Riverside School District Mother, Kim Owens. She has been a longtime supporter of CASUAL Day as her husband Dennis passed away from colon cancer at a young age. She started her own CASUAL Day team to honor him. Mad Tees in Dupont has been instrumental in the design, creation and distribution of the products. The school sold the specially designed colon cancer awareness t-shirts and donated the proceeds to support the work of the Cancer Institute. Several families in the Riverside school district have been affected by colon cancer. Proceeds from CASUAL Day benefit the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute efforts to raise colorectal cancer awareness and support colorectal cancer screenings for low income, un/underinsured individuals.
The Dime Bank Holds 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders Dimeco, Inc. (the Company), the parent holding company of The Dime Bank (the Bank), held its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders on April 25, 2024. The Company’s stock is traded on the OTCQX Marketplace under symbol DIMC, operated by OTC Markets Group. The meeting was brought to order by Todd Stephens, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, and Chairman of the Annual Meeting. At the meeting, Peter Bochnovich, Barbara J. Genzlinger, John S. Kiesendahl, and John F. Spall were re-elected as directors, each for a three-year term. Stockholders ratified the appointment of S.R. Snodgrass, P.C. as the Company’s independent public accountants for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024. Chief Financial Officer Jeffrey J. Roche reviewed performance for 2023. Deposits ended the year at $826.5 million, with Certificates of Deposit as the main driver of growth. The loan portfolio increased $43.4 million across all categories from the year prior, to finish the year at $722.4 million. Total assets increased $20.4 million or 2.1% from the end of 2022 to $990 million on December 31, 2023. Net income was $10.8 million at December 31, 2023 and the Company was very well capitalized with stockholders equity of $98.6 million. The 2023 dividends totaled $1.54 per share with a dividend yield of 4.47% as of December 31, 2023. President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Bochnovich reviewed first quarter results, which were made public in a separate release on April 25, 2024. He then discussed Board of Directors’ changes: Thomas A. Peifer retired after 35 years of service and Henry M. Skier transitioned from Board Director to Director Emeritus after 42 years of service. He welcomed two new members, Aimee M. Skier and Lorraine D. Collins. Bochnovich concluded, “We are well positioned to serve our customers throughout their lifetimes, and we thank our shareholders, directors, staff, customers, and the community for their support of Dimeco, Inc. We are here for you today, tomorrow, and always.”
The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education Staffer Leaders Provide Workshop at National Conference Two staff leaders at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education led a workshop during the Andrus Sanctuary Institute’s annual Network Days Conference in Armonk, New York. Shannon Osborne, project manager at The Wright Center for Community Health, and Ann Hart, director of the graduate and undergraduate medical education experience at The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, presented, “Brave Spaces: Going Slow to Go Fast,” during the April 17-19 conference at the IBM Learning Center. They joined presenters from around the country, promoting practices that aligned with this year’s conference theme: “Repairing Culture, Reimagining Trauma-Informed Care.” The event attracted hundreds of national and international attendees. The Sanctuary Institute, of Yonkers, New York, offers training and consultation services to more than 275 organizations worldwide using its evidence-supported Sanctuary Model. Among its Pennsylvania clients are The Wright Center and the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare. The Sanctuary Model, which originated in the Philadelphia area in the 1980s through the pioneering work of Dr. Sandra Bloom and her colleagues, offers trauma-informed approaches to clinical and organizational development. The model calls for acknowledging the impact of trauma on individuals, organizations, and systems and delivering services in a manner that does not re-traumatize individuals and treats the underlying trauma that prevents progress. Its guiding principles stem from four pillars, one of which consists of seven commitments: democracy, non-violence, social responsibility, open communication, social learning, growth and change, and emotional intelligence. Organizations that successfully implement the Sanctuary Model can attain certification from the Sanctuary Institute, a process that can take three to five years. The Wright Center embarked on its journey to certification in August 2022 and would become the first certified organization in Northeast Pennsylvania, and one of just a few in the state. “We’re committed to this model for the betterment of our workforce and the communities we serve,” said Osborne, a dual-certified mental health first aid instructor and integrative community therapy facilitator and trainer. With more than half of The Wright Centers’ 650-plus employees working directly with patients, prioritizing patients’ needs over Sanctuary Model training remained imperative, Hart said. Taking a deliberate, slower pace to achieve certification ensures thorough training for all staff members without sacrificing patient care. This approach also allowed for the organic emergence of The Wright Center’s Whole-Person Wellness initiative, which includes Sanctuary, Mental Health First Aid, a thorough review of health benefits, environmental, social, and governance programming, and other actions that align with the Eight Dimensions of Wellness. In their workshop, Osborne and Hart, who holds a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling, shared insights into The Wright Center’s ongoing efforts to obtain Sanctuary Model certification. Osborne emphasized the importance of patience, strategic pacing, and remembering that the model is a framework — all of which were highlighted during their presentation. “By proceeding slowly and deliberately, leaders emerge, trust is cultivated, and engagement with staff deepens,” Osborne said.”It’s not a light switch or overnight process. You have to do what’s best for your organization, and that takes time.”
Steamtown National Historic Site Event “Railfest” Returns Mark your calendars! Railfest returns to Steamtown National Historic Site (NHS) Labor Day weekend: Saturday, August 31, and Sunday, September 1, 2024. This year’s celebration will be offered in partnership with the Iron Horse Society, Steamtown’s official philanthropic partner. Both organizations are excited to be collaborating to provide an interactive and immersive experience celebrating railroading’s past, present, and future. Details are still being ironed out for the weekend-long event which is expected to include activities such as train rides, community partners, ranger-led programming, live entertainment, and more! Updates will be forthcoming. Stay informed by visiting www.nps.gov/steamtown or @SteamtownNHS on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Learn about the Iron Horse Society by visiting https://theironhorsesociety.com/ or @ironhorsesociety on Facebook and Instagram. Located in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania, Steamtown NHS is open 9:30am to 5:00pm, daily. From Interstate-81 follow exit 185 (President Biden Expressway, formerly known as Central Scranton Expressway); then follow the brown and white signs to the park entrance at Lackawanna Avenue and Cliff Street (GPS: N 41.41, W 75.67). General park information is available by visiting the park website anytime. www.nps.gov/steamtown
The Wright Center for Community Health’s Healthy MOMS Program Benefitted by Local American Legion Fundraiser The Wright Center for Community Health’s Healthy Maternal Opiate Medical Support (Healthy MOMS) program received dozens of baby items and a monetary donation, thanks to a bingo fundraiser organized by the Michael Steiner American Legion Jessup Post 411 Ladies Auxiliary. Co-founded by The Wright Center five years ago, Healthy MOMS assists pregnant women and new mothers with substance use disorders and aims to lower the incidence of babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome. Since October 2018, the program has helped more than 467 moms and 274 babies across nine counties in Northeast Pennsylvania: Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike, Monroe, Carbon, Wyoming, and Schuylkill. Accepting the donations, from left, are Healthy MOMS Case Manager Michele Coyle and Maria Kolcharno, MSW, LSW, director of addiction services at The Wright Center for Community Health and a key leader of the Healthy MOMS program. Donations included more than 30 packs of diapers, 50 packs of wipes, 30 packages of baby formula, four homemade blankets, and plenty of other baby supplies. For more information about the Healthy MOMS program, visit www.healthymoms.org/.
Lackawanna County Judge Frank J. Ruggiero Address Keystone College Graduates Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas Judge and Keystone College alumnus the Honorable Frank J. Ruggiero will address members of the Keystone College Class of 2024 during the college’s 153rd commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 18, at 11 a.m. in Gambal Athletic Center on campus. Judge Ruggiero’s last visit to campus was in October, 2023 when he served as guest speaker during the college’s Constitution Day program. “We are delighted and honored to have Judge Ruggiero serve as our commencement speaker,” said Keystone College President John F. Pullo, Sr. ’69. “As a proud Keystone alumnus, his message will have special meaning to members of our graduating class.” A native of Carbondale, Judge Ruggiero graduated from Sacred Heart High School and earned an associate of arts degree in human services from Keystone in 1991 and a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from Penn State University in 1993. He obtained his juris doctorate degree from City University of New York at Queens College and began his career in the Brooklyn and Queen’s District Attorney Offices. He then served as law clerk to the Honorable Chester T. Harhut of the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas and worked for the Lackawanna County Public Defender’s Office representing indigent criminal defendants in various matters ranging from summary offenses to the highest-grade felonies, including homicide. While serving as a public defender, Judge Ruggiero entered private practice, concentrating on litigation pertaining to family, criminal, insurance, and municipal law. His client base was vastly diverse from representing individuals in their divorce and family-related matters to representing companies, corporations, and municipalities in complex civil litigation in various State, Federal, and Appellate Courts across the Commonwealth. He was also general counsel for a Reciprocal Insurance Exchange which insures hundreds of governmental entities across Pennsylvania and served as solicitor to numerous municipalities, including Carbondale and Lackawanna County. On June 16, 2023, Gov. Josh Shapiro nominated him to fill a vacant seat on the Court of Common Pleas of Lackawanna County and on June 30, 2023, was unanimously confirmed by the State Senate by a 50-0 vote. He was elected to a full 10-year term in November 2023. Judge Ruggiero has served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and is active in national, statewide, and local associations and has earned national and state honors for his legal and public service. He is also active in several charitable organizations across the region. He is a former president of the Keystone College National Alumni Association and, from 1998 through 2004, served as an adjunct faculty member of political science, law, and criminal justice. “I’m really looking forward to being back on campus as guest speaker during Keystone’s annual commencement,” Judge Ruggiero said. “Keystone is a wonderful college that has meant so much to me not only during my time as a student but also in the years since graduation. I can’t wait to meet members of Class of 2024 on this special day in their lives.”
