‘Pathways to PennDOT’ Conference

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that it will host a one-day conference, Pathways to PennDOT, designed to connect small, minority, women-owned and disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) with potential contracting opportunities at the department.

The conference will be held at the Best Western Premier Hotel and Conference Center Union Deposit at 800 East Park Drive in Harrisburg on Tuesday, October 18. Doors open at 7:30 AM, and the conference will be held from 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM. Registration is free.

“Small and diverse business are central to our communities, and our economy,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “I’m thrilled to host this conference and to help facilitate connecting these critical businesses to opportunities with PennDOT.”

The conference is open to DBE firms, primes, contractors and industry leaders, and will cover such topics as DBE certification, the PennDOT prequalification process, branding strategies, and a panel discussion on best practices from current DBE’s, among other sessions. Additionally, firms can learn how to participate in PennDOT’s Mentor-Protégé program, which connects DBEs with prime contractors to gain and expand experience in the industry.

To learn more about Pathways to PennDOT or to register for the conference, visit PennDOT’s website. Pre-registration closes on October 7.

Borick Honored as Future Under 40 Award Winner

Michael D. Borick, Assistant Vice President – Accounting Supervisor, of The Dime Bank, was announced as a winner of the Pennsylvania Bankers Association’s (PA Bankers) Future Under 40 Awards.

The Future Under 40 Awards honor banking industry leaders, aged 40 and younger, who have made a tremendous impact in their institution, the community, and the industry.

As accounting supervisor, Michael is responsible for assisting in managing the finance department in accounting, regulatory and other related activities at The Dime Bank.  Michael is involved in local charities and volunteers at numerous bank sponsored events including local parades, United Way Day of Caring, Wayne County Christmas Bureau, among others.  Michael is currently enrolled in the PA Bankers Leadership Institute.  Michael has been with The Dime Bank since 2015. 

“Michael’s commitment to excellence, willingness to give his all and positive attitude is what sets him up for success.” said CFO, Jeffrey Roche.  “Michael is an ultimate team player and a key member of our officer group.”

Woodloch Named Number One Family Resort

Woodloch, an all-inclusive family resort located in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, has once again been selected by USA TODAY as the number one family resort in the United States in their 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Woodloch Pines claimed the same honor in both 2019 and 2021.

Nominees are chosen by a panel of travel experts, a well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields and their cities but also discriminating in their tastes. They include a combination of editors from USA TODAY, editors from 10Best.com, and other professional contributors.

“We are truly humbled to be chosen as the number one family resort by USA TODAY for the third time in four years. Woodloch has been in our family for over six decades, and it is an honor to see our resort ranked among so many amazing properties and national brands,” said Brad Kiesendahl, CEO and President of Woodloch.  “We are eternally grateful for the hard work and sincere hospitality of our staff members as well as our loyal and passionate guests who so kindly sing our praises year after year,” he continued.

To obtain more information or to book a stay, please visit woodloch.com, or call 1-800-Woodloch.

PennDOT Announces Online Plans Displays in the City of Scranton

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) invites the public to a joint plan display regarding the SR 3023 (Cedar Ave), Section D50, Bridge Rehabilitation Project over Roaring Brook, the SR 8025, Section 250 Bridge Rehabilitation Project over Roaring Brook and SR 8025, Section PRS over Ramp D. These plan displays will be held online, and plans will be displayed for public viewing (while following all COVID-19 safety protocols) at South Scranton Intermediate School Auditorium.

The project’s purposes are to provide sustainable crossings over the creek and ramp that address the structural deficiencies and provide continued access to residents, businesses, and emergency services.

The SR 3023 (Cedar Ave) project consists of replacing the existing superstructure and repairs to existing abutments, upgrades to existing guide rail on all approaches, and upgrades to an existing signal, lighting, and signing. The curb-to-curb width will be increased to allow space for future bike lanes.

The roadway at the SR 3023 (Cedar Ave) bridge site will be closed to truck traffic during construction. The structure is anticipated to remain open to passenger vehicles and pedestrians during the life of the project. A truck detour is proposed during construction. Beginning south of the project area, the truck detour would follow Cedar Ave, Birch Ave, Pittston Ave, Front St, Biden St, and Jefferson Ave resulting in a 1.7-mile truck detour.

The SR 8025 Section 250 project consists of replacing the existing superstructure and repairs to existing abutments and pier, and upgrades to existing lighting and signing. The need for guide rail will be evaluated.

SR 8025 Section PRS project consists of a deck, sidewalk, and parapet replacement.  Approach roadway and sidewalk reconstruction will be included from the limits of SR 8025 Section 250 to the intersection of Front Street. 

Pedestrian access to the SR 8025 bridge sites will be closed during construction. The SR 8025 Section 250 structure is anticipated to remain open to passenger vehicles and trucks providing access to President Biden Expressway during the life of the project. The SR 8025 Section PRS structure will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Vehicles will access Pittston Ave via a detour to RT 11 / 307 South and Front Street. A pedestrian detour is proposed during construction. Beginning south of the project area, the pedestrian detour would follow Pittston Ave, Orchard St, Cedar Ave, Lackawanna Ave, Jefferson Ave, and Biden St resulting in a 0.6-mile pedestrian detour.

The SR 3023 (Cedar Ave) project is currently in design and is planned to be let in September 2023. Construction work is anticipated to take place through October 2025.

The SR 8025 Sections 250 & PRS projects are currently in design and are planned to be let in November 2025. Construction work is anticipated to take place through April of 2027.

The plans display will be held in-person and online. The in-person plans display will be held at the South Scranton Intermediate School Auditorium, located at 355 Maple Street, Scranton, PA 18505 on Wednesday, October 26 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The digital version of the plans display will be available from October 1, 2022, to November 30, 2022. Online information, including the proposed detour route, detailed project information, and comment form, can be found by visiting the following PennDOT District 4-0 website:

https://www.penndot.gov/RegionalOffices/district-4/PublicMeetings/Pages/default.aspx

Misericordia University Fall Open House Date

Misericordia University will hold an open house for high school students and their parents in the fall on Saturday, November 12, 2022, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Check-in will begin at 9:00 AM at the Anderson Health and Wellness Center.

The open house event for high schoolers and their parents is the chance to experience the campus, meet students and visiting professors, and speak with admissions and financial aid representatives. Students and their families will tour the campus before meeting with faculty in their academic program. After lunch, learn more about the admissions and financial aid process, hear more from current students, and then tour some of the specialized facilities with students in their major.

Prospective students can tour numerous buildings, including the 40,000-square-foot John J. Passan Hall, 100 Lake St., Dallas. Passan Hall houses state-of-the-art simulator laboratories and classrooms in the nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology programs of the College of Health Sciences and Education. Also slated for touring is the Frank M. and Dorothea Henry Science Center, which embodies a commitment to advanced technology and infrastructure that lends itself to superior teaching, learning, and research with a state-of-art facility.

If students and their parents are looking for a college that delivers a robust education and a personal experience, look no further than Misericordia University. Misericordia is a small, private university that offers a hands-on, transformative education to all who seek it. Misericordia ensures that each student receives a personalized experience and the resources to achieve their goals.

For more information, contact the Misericordia University Admissions Office at 570-674-6264 or email at admiss@misericordia.edu to register now, visit our website at https://www.misericordia.edu/admissions/admissions/open-house.

NRCI Announce New Ambassadors

The Board of Ambassadors announce Julie Eisenman, Edward Cosgrove and Atty Charles Volpe as new ambassadors to help support the Spirit of Hope Celebration that benefits the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s Community-Based Cancer Screening Navigation Program.  

Julie Eisenman is the current CEO and General Manager of WNEP-TV. She is responsible for overseeing the station’s content, sales, brand, and operations across all platforms, as well as defining and executing the station’s vision and strategy. Prior to WNEP-TV, Julie worked at WLTX, TEGNA’s CBS affiliate in Columbia, South Carolina. In April 2020 while at WLTX, Eisenman was asked to serve in an additional role as content manager for VERIFY, TEGNA stations’ initiative to combat misinformation and disinformation. In August of 2020, Eisenman was promoted to director of content at WLTX and took on additional responsibility as a mentor for new news leaders within the TEGNA organization.  She is a Clarion University of Pennsylvania graduate with a degree in communications.  

Edward Cosgrove is an Outpatient Family Therapist at The Scranton Counseling Center. He also maintains a private practice with Dr. Tiffany Griffiths and Associates in Dunmore. Edward lives in Scranton and joins the Board of Ambassadors to honor the memory of his parents, Joanne and Edward Cosgrove. 

Attorney Charles J. Volpe is the President of Excalibur Insurance Management Services, LLC. which serves as the Attorney-in-Fact for H.A.R.I.E.. a large governmental insurer that provides coverage for 350 municipalities in Pennsylvania. Atty Volpe received his Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from the University of Scranton in 1981. He went on to receive his Juris Doctorate degree from Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh in 1985. Atty Volpe resides in Waverly Township, PA with his wife Ellen and has three children and five grandchildren. 

The Wright Center Tribute Dinner

A tribute dinner in honor of pioneering physician and longtime community leader Dr. Robert E. Wright and his late wife, Carole, will be held this fall to benefit one of the couple’s favorite charitable causes: the tuition-free NativityMiguel School of Scranton.

Event sponsorships and reserved dinner seats are currently available for the school’s 2022 Tribute Dinner fundraiser, which is set for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at the University of Scranton’s DeNaples Center.

Donations honoring the Wrights by those who are unable to attend the dinner are also being accepted. Proceeds from the campaign will support the school’s mission of “breaking the cycle of poverty, one student at a time.”

The Wrights left an enduring legacy on Northeast Pennsylvania’s educational landscape by, in part, helping to establish the NativityMiguel School of Scranton, an independent Catholic co-educational middle school for students of greater economic need in the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre areas. The school began instructing its first class of fifth-graders in 2015. Today, the small but impactful institution educates more than 60 students in grades five through eight.

Dr. Wright, a Lackawanna County native, also founded and led the Scranton-Temple Residency Program, forerunner of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, and was instrumental in the startup and ultimate success of The Commonwealth Medical College, now known as the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.

Carole Wright supported those monumental projects, which collectively serve the region as a physician workforce pipeline to help meet the ongoing need for primary care doctors and other health care practitioners. A practice manager, Carole Wright also was vital to the establishment and growth of her husband’s hematology/oncology practice – the first of its kind in the region. And she was a consistent servant-leader, aiding many area nonprofits as a volunteer, a board member and a benefactor.

The Dime Bank Celebrates Employee Milestones

Each year The Dime Bank holds a dinner celebration to acknowledge and honor their employees who are celebrating five-year incremental career anniversaries with The Dime Bank. This year, thirteen employees were honored: Cynthia Burdick with 45 years of service; Ruth Daniels with 35 years; Cindy Galloway with 30 years; Irene Selvaggi with 25 years; Ekaterina Pereyra with 15 years; Kim Metz, Donna DiChiaranti, and Laura Novak each with 10 years of service; and Jeffrey Roche, Cassandra Dean, Jared Newbon, Katelyn Donat, Brianna Connelly with 5 years of service each. Thirty-seven 2020 and 2021 honorees were also invited to this year’s dinner to celebrate with their teammates since dinners weren’t held due to COVID and instead The Dime Bank donated the value of the dinner to area food banks.

President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Bochnovich stated, “Our employees are what makes The Dime Bank so unique. Their positive attitude, dedication, and loyalty bring the ultimate experience to our customers. We appreciate each person’s contribution to our team as we celebrate their commitment to The Dime Bank, to our customers, and to our communities.”