Geisinger Aims to Curb Aggressive Behavior Against Staff with Visitor Pledge Geisinger has instituted a partnership pledge between its patients and visitors and its healthcare workers to remind people that hospitals and outpatient clinics are places of hope, healing and respect. Incidents of aggression and violence against Geisinger staff have noticeably increased over the past two years. This partnership pledge outlines behaviors that are not acceptable as employees work to care for patients. According to Sean McGinley, senior director of security operations at Geisinger, there was a 21%rise in incidents involving patients or visitors exhibiting combative behavior across Geisinger from 2020 to 2021. Combative behavior can range from unusual verbal aggression to full-blown physical assault. “Healthcare workers are trained to take care of patients on their worst days. It’s part of the profession they accept and handle with grace and compassion,” said Ron Beer, chief administrative officer in Geisinger’s northeast region. “That said,they deserve to do their jobs without fear of violence or aggression. For healthcare workers, verbal abuse or physical injury from the patients and guests they care for is not acceptable.” The pledge specifies that aggressive behavior will not be tolerated. That means: •No abusive language •No threatening behavior •No physical assaults •No weapons or illegal drugs •No harassment or discrimination of any kind Those who violate these guidelines will lose visitation privileges. The pledge also calls out that in Pennsylvania, it’s a felony to assault a healthcare worker. Anyone who does so will be removed from the property and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Posters and flyers with the pledge are displayed in emergency rooms, hospital screening areas and outpatient facilities.All patients and visitors are asked to read the pledge when entering Geisinger hospitals and clinics. By choosing to help keep healthcare workers safe,everyone can guarantee better care for themselves and their community Beer added, “Our caregivers have devoted their professional lives to the communities they serve. They should never feel unsafe at work.I’m humbled to be part of a care team that never wavered in their commitment during the COVID pandemic. They have been there —and continue to be there —to care for their communities.They simply ask that their communities be there for them in return.”
American Pickers to Film in Pennsylvania The American Pickers are excited to return to Pennsylvania! They plan to film episodes of The History Channel hit television series throughout your area in June 2022. American Pickers is a documentary series that explores the fascinating world of antique “picking” on The History Channel. The hit show follows skilled pickers in the business, as they hunt for America’s most valuable antiques. They are always excited to find sizeable, unique collections and learn the interesting stories behind them. As they hit the back roads from coast to coast, the Pickers are on a mission to recycle and rescue forgotten relics. Along the way, they want to meet characters with remarkable and exceptional items. They hope to give historically significant objects a new lease on life while learning a thing or two about America’s past along the way.The Pickers have seen a lot of rusty gold over the years and are always looking to discover something they’ve never seen before. They are ready to find extraordinary items and hear fascinating tales about them. We at American Pickers continue to take the pandemic very seriously and will be following all guidelines and protocols for safe filming outlined by the state and CDC. Nevertheless, we are excited to continue reaching the many collectors in the area to discuss their years of picking and are eager to hear their memorable stories! The American Pickers TV Show is looking for leads and would love to explore your hidden treasure. If you or someone you know has a large,private collection or accumulation of antiques that the Pickers can spend the better part of the day looking through,send us your name, phone number, location, and description of the collection with photos to: americanpickers@cineflix.com or call (646) 493-2184; Facebook: @GotAPick
Johnson College and Don’s Machine Shop Offering CNC Machining Training Johnson College in conjunction with Don’s Machine Shop in West Pittston continues to bring CNC Machining training to Luzerne County. Starting June 20, 2022 students will train to utilize, maintain and program Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines inside Don’s Machine Shop’s classroom and lab at 100 Elm Street, West Pittston. Open enrollment for this 510-Hour CNC class is going on now. Space is limited. To learn more or to enroll, contact the Johnson College Continuing Education Department at 570-702-8979 or continuinged@johnson.edu. CNC machinists manufacture precision products and components used in a variety of applications such as automotive, medical, electronics, aerospace, transportation, military, and more. Industries throughout northeastern Pennsylvania are currently in need of well-trained CNC machinist. This 510-hour class for beginner-level students includes theory and hands-on learning experiences. The hands-on training, delivered at Don’s Machine Shop, is on some of the most state-of-the-art equipment in the region. This unique, one-of-a-kind training will help open new career opportunities right away. This relationship truly demonstrates how industry is a Johnson College student’s campus. The cost of the class is $7,500. Financial assistance may be available for those who qualify. Since starting over 30 years ago Don’s Machine Shop, Inc. has grown to be one of the largest machine shops in Pennsylvania’s Wyoming Valley. Their 77,000 square foot climate-controlled facility contains millions of dollars’ worth of modern equipment that are continually upgraded. Don’s Machine Shop, Inc. employs 30 people and makes machine parts for companies around the globe. Many things have changed since this business started over 30 years ago, but their commitment to providing quality parts and service will never change. For more information visit http://www.donsmachine.com/. Johnson College provides real-world, hands-on learning in a supportive environment and prepares graduates to enter into or advance their careers. Johnson College degrees become essential careers. Johnson College was founded in 1912 and is the region’s only technical college, offering 17 associate degree, 4 academic certificate, and 31 continuing education programs. A low student-to-instructor ratio supports an emphasis on hands-on learning. Located in Scranton on a 44-acre campus, the College is an accredited, private, non-profit, co-educational institution with a strong tradition of working with regional businesses and industries to ensure a skilled and qualified workforce. For additional information on Johnson College, please call 1-800-2-WE-WORK, email enroll@johnson.edu, or visit Johnson.edu.
Pennsylvania Highlights Transportation Innovations The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced the release of the department’s Focus on Innovations report, which showcases innovations recently developed and implemented across the organization. “Innovation is absolutely essential to our operations, and we have seen how celebrating our successes acts as a continuous driver of new ideas across the department,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “One of the best things we can do to continue cultivating innovation at PennDOT that will ultimately benefit our customers is to encourage and recognize the amazing talents of our workforce; this publication helps us to do just that.” Innovation at PennDOT stems from many sources, including employee-driven innovations councils and committees, an employee suggestion system (IdeaLink); smart practice sharing tool (WorkSmart); the State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC); and every day suggestions and solutions discovered by PennDOT employees at all levels across the state. Available in an interactive format on the department’s website, Focus on Innovations entries are categorized by Construction, Maintenance, Safety and Traffic Operations, Driver and Vehicle Services, Aviation and Public Transportation. Some of the latest implemented innovations include: An Adopt A Highway supply pick-up box, constructed and strategically placed so Adopt A Highway crews can safely retrieve supplies at curbside locations. Automated Flagger Assist Devices (AFAD), allowing flagging to be conducted by a single crew member, from a safer location, at one-tenth the cost per day when compared to contracted flagging services. Raising paint truck exhaust stacks to prevent the compressor from overheating, which has nearly eliminated equipment down time due to overheated compressors. The report also features the more recent progress and successes of the STIC. Since its inception in 2012, the STIC remains committed to supporting and promoting the development and deployment of the Federal Highway Administration’s Every Day Counts innovations as well as others that exist at the state, national and international levels that may be well-suited for implementation in Pennsylvania. The STIC advanced several innovations in 2021, including a Certified Concrete Finishers Course, a STIC innovation that requires 60 percent of concrete finishers certified on PennDOT projects, which will help eliminate mistakes with concrete finishing and reduce the amount of rework due to concrete scaling. Predictive Work Zone Analysis (FREEVAL-PA), also advanced in 2021, is an innovative analysis tool based on the Highway Capacity Manual that can be used to analyze work zones’ effect on traffic flow. It guides PennDOT’s decision-making process for implementing lane closures, crossovers, or other traffic control measures and helps minimize congestion and delays during construction or maintenance projects. The Pennsylvania STIC brings together a diverse team of transportation stakeholders to forge an environment of imagination and ingenuity to pursue specific innovations and their rapid implementation to deliver a modern and high-quality transportation system to the citizens of Pennsylvania. Subscribe to statewide PennDOT news and traffic alerts or choose a region to subscribe to. Information about the state’s infrastructure and results the department is delivering for Pennsylvanians can be found at www.penndot.pa.gov/results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.
WM Sites Offering Free Disposal to Cleanup Projects WM’s Alliance Landfill in Taylor and Beach Lake Transfer Station in Berlin Twp., Wayne County, are offering free waste disposal in April to groups that register their spring cleanup projects with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’ s (KPB) Pick Up Pennsylvania program. Michelle Dunn, Pick Up Pennsylvania coordinator, said groups planning cleanups can register their projects and receive free gloves, bags and vests while supplies last through KPB at www.KeepPABeautiful.org (Programs/Pick Up PA). Ms. Dunn said the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association have arranged for free waste disposal for registered cleanup projects. Free disposal is available at Alliance and the Beach Lake Transfer Station through April. KPB’s statewide cleanup effort in 2021 attracted more than 6,000 volunteers who removed 1,100 tons of waste and recyclables from 4,430 miles of roadsides, shorelines and trails. Project volunteers last year also picked up and properly disposed of almost 23,041 waste tires and planted more than 102,000 trees, shrubs and flowers. “Plenty of litter and other waste remains to be picked up,” Ms. Dunn said. “We estimate that there are over 500 million pieces of litter spoiling Pennsylvania’s roadsides.” According to the state’s 2020 litter study, more than two-thirds of this litter is cigarette butts and bits of plastics. Motorists and pedestrians are the leading sources of litter. The report also found litter is impacting the taxes we pay. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spent more than $65 million to remove litter from roadsides between 2014 and 2018 and the state’s nine largest cities, including Allentown and Scranton, spend $68.5 million a year on litter prevention, education and cleanup. “You can make a difference in your community by working together and I encourage scout and church groups, youth sports organizations, neighborhood associations and workplace teams to register an event at keeppabeautiful.org and celebrate spring by helping to clean up our state,” Ms. Dunn said. “And if you are an individual or family interested in joining an existing event, please contact our office and we will try to match you with a local cleanup project.”
Celebrating the 5th Anniversary of the PA Able Savings Program Treasurer Stacy Garrity today joined Senator Lisa Baker (R-20), Sherri Landis of The Arc of Pennsylvania, Susan Tachau of the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation, and other disability advocates to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the PA ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) Savings Program. PA ABLE is a savings program for Pennsylvanians with disabilities and their families. It provides a tax-free way to save without affecting eligibility for critical means-tested benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (up to $100,000) or Medical Assistance. Nearly 6,300 Pennsylvanians have opened PA ABLE accounts and saved more than $72 million for disability expenses. “PA ABLE is a tremendous program that really expands opportunity and increases independence for Pennsylvanians with disabilities,” Treasurer Garrity said. “It’s great to see the success as the program keeps growing – and as it does, we will continue to look for ways to improve the program. I’m so thankful for the great support we have for PA ABLE in the General Assembly, and with our incredible network of partners who do such important work every day and help spread the word about how PA ABLE can help improve lives.” “Due to the care taken during the conception and legislative construction of ABLE, we have come up with a good balance of state assistance and personal initiative,” Senator Baker said. “This helps families in dealing with extremely challenging and difficult circumstances, by removing roadblocks and helping them offer a better life for their loved one coping with a disability. The concept is so simple – reward, rather than penalize, families for prudently planning ahead.” Federal ABLE legislation, championed by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey in 2014, allowed for states to create ABLE programs. PA ABLE was enacted in 2016 with instrumental support from Sen. Baker and former Rep. Bernie O’Neill. “Since its inception 5 years ago, PA ABLE has helped thousands of Pennsylvanians with disabilities and their families save for the future,” Senator Casey said. “I am proud to have led this effort at the federal level, but we have more work to do to make ABLE more accessible. The next step is to pass my bipartisan ABLE Age Adjustment Act, which would expand ABLE account eligibility to people with disabilities that occur prior to age 46—including veterans—and ensure more Pennsylvanians and their families can benefit from this life-changing resource. I thank Treasurer Garrity for marking this occasion and I will continue to fight in Congress for the needs of people with disabilities and their families.” “The Arc of Pennsylvania celebrates the 5th anniversary of the PA ABLE and the incredible opportunity the program has given to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” Landis said. “Allowing individuals to save money for the future, while maintaining benefits, is a step forward in creating financial security.” “I’m honored to be here today to help celebrate PA ABLE’s 5th anniversary,” Tachau said. “Self-determination and autonomy are values that we hold dear – and PA ABLE provides an opportunity for people with disabilities to become empowered and save for their futures without jeopardizing critical services. As a parent of an adult with cerebral palsy, I’ve been able to have new discussions with our son about savings and goal setting because he can now control his finances. He has used his PA ABLE account to buy a smart doorbell so that he can see who’s at his front door, and he’s purchased a smart phone with specialized software so that he can make calls by himself. PA ABLE has given him the ability to be more independent in how he makes financial decisions.” Others joining the celebration included Karen Leslie-Henry, Coordinator of Community Relations for the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, a Pre-K to 12th grade school located in the Germantown section of Philadelphia; and Lori Tyndall, Vice President of AHEDD, a nonprofit organization that provides employment services for people with disabilities. PA ABLE is one of the largest, and fastest growing ABLE programs in the country, and is the largest in the 19-member National ABLE Alliance, accounting for nearly 25% of total assets. To be eligible for PA ABLE, a person’s disability must have occurred prior to their 26th birthday. PA ABLE account owners can choose from six different investment options and an interest-bearing checking account. Contributions and earnings in PA ABLE accounts can be used to help save and pay for short- or long-term disability related expenses. Qualifying expenses include education, housing, transportation, assistive technology, health care, financial management, and more. Tax advantages for PA ABLE account owners include no federal or state income taxes owed on earnings or qualified withdrawals; a PA state income tax deduction on contributions up to $16,000 annually; and exemption from PA inheritance tax. Senator Casey has introduced the ABLE Age Adjustment Act in Congress, which would raise the eligibility for ABLE programs to those whose disability occurs by age 46. This would expand ABLE account access to about 6 million more Americans, including an estimated 1 million disabled veterans. The legislation is cosponsored by Senator Pat Toomey. A House version has also been introduced and is cosponsored by 12 members of the Pennsylvania delegation. To learn more about PA ABLE, visit paable.gov, email info@paable.gov or call 855-529-2253.
The Dime Bank Hosts Free Virtual Webinars on Money Management Want to get smarter about money? April 9 -16 is Money Smart Week! This FREE virtual campaign aims to help people better manage their personal finances with a focus on those hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.This year’s line-up includes: Monday, April 11th @ 1:00 p.m. CT / 2:00 p.m. EST | Spend Smart. Eat Smart. Presented by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Tuesday, April 12th @ 1:00 p.m. CT / 2:00 p.m. EST | Credit: Build & Improve It! Presented by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Wednesday, April 13th @ 1:00 p.m. CT / 2:00 p.m. EST | Buying or Refinancing a Home: Options & Tools. Presented by North West Housing Partnership Thursday, April 14th @ 1:00 p.m. CT / 2:00 p.m. EST | Understanding Social Security Benefits. Presented by the Social Security Administration View more details at www.moneysmartweek.org*. Events are free and open to the public, but registration is advised. Questions for the panelists can be submitted during the registration process.
Gino J. Merli Veterans’ Center Hiring Looking for RNs, LPNs, Nurse Aides, Nurse Aide Trainees, and Adaptive Equipment Technicians. Job Fair on Wednesday, April 27th! https://www.dmva.pa.gov/paveteranshomes/GinoMerliVeteransCenter/Pages/default.aspx
Net Credit Union Announces 2022 Charity Recipient Saint Joseph’s Center Trinity Child Care Center is NET Credit Union’s 2022 charity recipient. In 2014, St. Joseph’s Center opened its latest program, Trinity Child Care Center, to benefit medically fragile or technology dependent children. This center opened as an alternative or supplement to in-home nursing care. The need in our area for a facility like Trinity Child Care Center is higher than most think. The center is for children whose parents are working or attending school that struggle finding appropriate childcare. Trinity Child Care Center is a relief for parents due to the professional trained staff and hands on care. This year, all funds raised by NET Credit Union’s fundraising efforts will benefit the children at St. Joseph’s Center Trinity Child Care Center. NET Credit Union will be hosting our 9th Annual NEToberfest Golf Tournament Friday, October 7th at Blue Ridge Golf Course. Learn more about our fundraising efforts and event details here. Since 2015, NET Credit Union has and will continue to fundraise for local charities. In 2021 alone, NET Credit Union donated over $85K to our local community. “People helping people” is not only our motto, but also our community’s motto. Together partnered with St. Joseph’s Center Trinity Child Care Center, we are determined and committed to helping them achieve their goals.
