Johnson College will Host STEM Degrees Event On Thursday, April 21, 2022, Johnson College is holding a Diving Into The STEM Degrees event from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Moffat Student Center on its campus in Scranton. Prospective students, parents, teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators from local high schools interested in learning more about the College’s STEM-focused 2-year academic degree programs are encouraged to attend. Program Directors and instructors from the College’s Biomedical Equipment Technology, Electronic Engineering Technology, Advanced Manufacturing Technology, and Mechatronics Technology programs will discuss each program’s hands-on curriculum, overall learning goals, and career opportunities. Attendees will also receive tours of each program’s labs. To attend the Diving Into The STEM Degrees event, please register at https://johnson.edu/stem/ or contact the College’s enrollment team at enroll@johnson.edu or (570) 702-8856.
Wayne Bank Announces New President and CEO On March 28, 2022, Norwood Financial Corp (the “Company”) (NASDAQ Global Market: NWFL) announced that James O. Donnelly had accepted an offer (the “Offer”) to become President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and its wholly owned subsidiary, Wayne Bank (the “Bank”), effective upon his first day of employment with the Company, anticipated to be in early May, 2022. Following his appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer, he will also be appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of the Company and the Bank (the “Board”). Mr. Lewis J. Critelli, current President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and Bank previously announced his intention to retire during the first half of 2022, subject to the successful completion of a search process for a successor. Mr. Critelli intends to continue serving as a director of the Company and Bank upon his retirement as Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Donnelly joins the Company with over 30 years of banking experience, most recently with Bangor Savings Bank where he served as its Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. Mr. Donnelly will bring to the chief executive officer role substantial experience and leadership skills in the areas of commercial lending, retail and mortgage banking, credit, financial management, wealth management and franchise growth through acquisition and market expansion. Mr. Donnelly has a long and distinguished history of community service, including in the areas of healthcare, higher education and the United Way. Mr. Critelli remarked, “Jim is an experienced, dedicated and successful community banker. We look forward to Jim joining the Company and the Bank in this key leadership role. We welcome him and his wife, Melissa, to the Bank and to our Community.” He has an MBA from Post University, a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maine, as well as leadership courses from various banking schools. He and his wife plan to relocate to Northeastern Pennsylvania. Norwood Financial Corp is the parent company of Wayne Bank, which operates from fourteen offices throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania and sixteen offices in Delaware, Sullivan, Ontario, Otsego and Yates Counties, New York. The Company’s stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “NWFL”.
Allied Services Scranton Celebrates Best Nursing Homes Award Staff at Allied Services is celebrating the national recognition they received for their quality care. Allied Services Scranton Transitional Rehab Unit received U.S. News & World Report’s “High Performing” ranking for Short-Term Rehabilitation. This is the highest possible ranking awarded. U.S. News gives the designation of Best Nursing Home only to those homes that satisfy U.S. News’s assessment of the appropriate use of key services and consistent performance in quality measures. 3 skilled-nursing facilities operated by Allied Services Integrated Health System are among the 13% of facilities nationwide that were recently recognized as a Best Nursing Home for 2021-22 by U.S. News & World Report. Allied Services Wilkes-Barre Transitional Rehab Unit also earned the “High Performing” ranking for Short-Term Rehabilitation and/or Long-Term Care. This is the 5th consecutive year that the Allied Services Transitional Rehab Units have received the survey’s top rating of “High Performing” for Short-Stay Rehabilitation, earning them the title of “Best Nursing Homes.” The Short-Stay Rehabilitation rating was introduced in 2018 to provide patients with a clearer view of the quality of care provided by nursing homes to short-stay patients in need of intensive rehabilitation or nursing services before they return home after a surgery, stroke, accident or illness. “As a non-profit health system, we have made it a priority to give patients in our region access to the very best in clinical expertise and advanced rehab technology” commented Karen Kearney, MSW, Vice President, Inpatient Rehabilitation. “This carries through to our Transitional Rehab Units where patients receive nationally-acclaimed short-term rehabilitation under the direction of our Nursing Home Administrators, Chris Minich and Chris Fazzini.” Now in its 12th year, the U.S. News Best Nursing Homes ratings and profiles offer comprehensive information about quality of care, COVID-19 vaccination requirements for residents and staff, flu and pneumonia vaccination rates, and infection control violations listed on the resident safety summary. Individuals can easily conduct customized research for a highly rated nursing home by location, size and Medicare and Medicaid coverage.
Designs by Olivia Grey is Collecting Donations for Ukraine Designs by Oliva Grey has partnered with St Vladimir Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Scranton to help collect newly requested military and tactical supplies. Please note, only new or gently used donations/supplies will be accepted at this time. Donations may be dropped off either at our storefront during business hours at 206 Depot St. Clarks Summit, PA, 18411 or St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church at 430 N 7th Ave, Scranton,Pa.
NASA Astronaut to Speak at Misericordia The Murgas Amateur Radio Club and the Misericordia University College of Arts and Sciences will host NASA Astronaut Colonel Douglas H. Wheelock, U.S. Army Retired, on Wednesday, April 6 in the Henry Science Center Room HEN 210/212 on the Misericordia University Campus. The event will begin at 7:00 p.m. Colonel Wheelock will discuss his experiences as an astronaut, including his time on the International Space Station. The event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited. Registration is required at https://www.misericordia.edu/colonel-wheelock-speaking-engagement Colonel Wheelock was selected by NASA in 1998. He was assigned to the Astronaut Office International Space Station (ISS) Operations Branch as a Russian liaison, participating in the testing and integration of Russian hardware and software products developed for the ISS. He worked extensively with the Energia Aerospace Company in Moscow, Russia, and has led joint U.S./Russian teams to oversee bench reviews, inventory, loading and launch of the first four unmanned ISS resupply capsules. The retired Colonel has accumulated more than 178 days in space and has conducted six spacewalks totaling more than 43 hours. Wheelock flew on STS-120 in 2007 and in 2010 he served as a flight engineer for Expedition 24 and commander for Expedition 25, where he conducted three unplanned spacewalks to replace a faulty ammonia pump module. The native of New York holds a bachelor’s degree in applied science and engineering from the United States Military Academy West Point and a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GA.
Statewide Aggressive Driving Coordinated Enforcement The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation(PennDOT), Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC), Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), and the Highway Safety Network are urging safe driving ahead of a statewide aggressive-driving coordinated enforcement day on March 30. “Safety on our roadways is everyone’s responsibility,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “PennDOT often urges drivers to slow down, buckle up, and to never drive distracted or impaired, but staying calm and courteous while driving is just as important.” In 2020, there were 5,615 aggressive-driving crashes, resulting in 91 fatalities and 401 suspected serious injuries. Preliminary 2021 data indicates fatalities in aggressive-driving crashes – crashes involving two or more aggressive driving factors – may have increased by as much as 40 percent. “Troopers and local law enforcement will be conducting targeted enforcement with the goal of reducing the number of aggressive-driving crashes,” said PSP Colonel Robert Evanchick. “These crashes can be prevented by slowing down and limiting distractions behind the wheel.” According to 2020 PSP data, Troopers issued more than 107,000 speeding citations, including more than 2,000 for driving 100 mph or faster. In 2021, those numbers saw an increase as speeding citations totaled more than 129,000. In addition, more than 2,200 tickets were issued for driving 100 mph or more. Speeding is an aggressive driving factor and is usually defined as driving in excess of the posted speed limit or driving too fast for conditions. It can have dangerous consequences by reducing a motorist’s ability to react to changing traffic or road conditions, putting the driver, passengers, and others on the road at risk. In 2020, there were 24,978 speeding-related crashes, resulting in 433 fatalities and 1,387 suspected serious injuries. “With the return to the road and more normal work and school schedules, we are finding that many have forgotten safe-driving behaviors and may also experience higher levels of distraction and stress,” said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “Aggressive driving can be triggered by heavy traffic and drivers in a rush. This type of driving plays a major role in crashes and fatal collisions.” The coordinated enforcement is part of an aggressive-driving enforcement wave running through April 24 focused on speeding, distracted driving, and work zone awareness. The goal of targeted enforcement is to reduce the number of aggressive driving related crashes, injuries, and deaths on roadways throughout the state. Motorists exhibiting other unsafe behaviors such as driving too fast for conditions, following too closely, or making careless lane changes will also be cited. PSP, as well as more than 300 municipal agencies from across the state, will concentrate efforts on roadways that are known to have a high number of aggressive-driving crashes using traffic enforcement zones, saturation patrols, speed enforcement details, work zone enforcement, and multi-jurisdictional enforcement details to identify and cite aggressive drivers. “Aggressive driving involves heightened feelings of stress, anger, or frustration that can lead to dangerous behaviors on our highways,” said Robert Schaeffer, executive director of the Highway Safety Network. “These behaviors can have devastating consequences. Drive patiently and be part of the solution, not the problem.” Aggressive-driving factors include: Making illegal U-turn;Improper/careless turning;Turning from wrong lane;Proceeding w/o clearance after stop;Running stop sign;Running red light;Failure to respond to other traffic control device;Tailgating;Sudden slowing/stopping;Careless passing or lane change;Passing in no passing zone;Making improper entrance to highway;Making improper exit from highway;Speeding;Driving too fast for conditions; andDriver fleeing police. If you encounter an aggressive driver, put your own safety first: Get out of their way and stay as far away as possible.Do not engage or challenge the driver in any way.Stay relaxed, avoid eye contact, and ignore rude gestures.Don’t block the passing lane if you are driving slower than most of the traffic.Do not attempt to follow or pursue the vehicle.You or a passenger may call the police. But, if you use a cell phone, pull over to a safe location. If you can, note the license plate and a description of the car. While many people associate aggressive driving with road rage, they are two different behaviors. Road rage is a criminal offense and is often the result of aggressive driving behavior that escalates into an assault with a vehicle or other dangerous weapon. The enforcement is part of Pennsylvania’s Highway Safety Program and is funded by part of PennDOT’s investment of federal funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). For more information on aggressive driving, visit PennDOT.pa.gov/Safety. For more information on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, visit www.PATurnpike.com. For more information on the Pennsylvania State Police, visit psp.pa.gov. PennDOT’s media center offers social-media-sized graphics highlighting topics such as aggressive driving, speeding, distracted driving, and seat belts for organizations, community groups, or others who share safety information with their stakeholders. The public can join the discussion on social media using the hashtags #BeSafePA and #AggressiveDriving. Follow PennDOT on Twitter and like the department on Facebook and Instagram.
