PennDOT License Centers Closed for Veterans Day Weekend The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that all driver license and photo centers, including its full-service center in Harrisburg, will be closed Saturday, November 9, 2024, through Monday, November 11, 2024, in observance of Veterans Day. Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services, including all forms, publications, and driver training manuals, online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website. Driver and vehicle online services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include driver’s license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; ability to pay driver license or vehicle insurance restoration fee; driver license and photo ID duplicates; REAL ID pre-verification; and driver exam scheduling. There are no additional fees for using online services. A complete listing of PennDOT driver and photo license center closings in 2024 is available online. If you are planning to visit one of PennDOT’s On-Line Messenger Service Centers, please call ahead for hours of operation during holidays. Traveling by domestic aircraft on or after May 7, 2025? You will need a REAL ID-compliant product or other federally-accepted form of identification if you do. Visit www.dmv.pa.gov/REALID for information on how you can get a REAL-ID compliant driver’s license or identification card today. There are only six months left to prepare. Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.
Maternal and Family Health Services Awarded Coalition Grant Maternal and Family Health Services (MFHS) has received $900,000 in funding to develop a Regional Maternal Health Coalition (RMHC) in a 14-county service area within its existing footprint. Utilizing the CDC’s State Strategies for Preventing Pregnancy- Related Deaths and principles of community engagement, MFHS will work to select, implement, and evaluate the PA Maternal Mortality Review Committee’s (2024) recommendations for improving maternal health outcomes, promoting maternal health equity, and reducing health disparities. The goal of the project is to help improve care for pregnant women and babies by addressing maternal health issues at the local level through the creation and enhancement of regional coalitions. “There is an increasing need for access to health care and support services for women, especially during pregnancy and during the postpartum period. We’ve seen the need for these kind of services for years, and it continues to grow,” said Maria Montoro Edwards, PhD, MFHS President and CEO. “This funding will have a tremendous impact on women and families in need. MFHS is focused on improving the health outcomes related to pregnant and postpartum mothers. To lead coalition activities, MFHS hired Project Coordinator London McPhatter, MPH, who will ensure the formation of activities to find and implement real solutions to high maternal morbidity rates especially among vulnerable communities. MFHS is uniquely positioned to deliver this program given the organization’s long-standing commitment to serving women, children, and families with programs that are proven to have a positive impact on maternal and child health outcomes. The coalition will serve the 14 PA counties of Bradford, Carbon, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Northampton, Monroe, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Schuylkill, Tioga, Wayne, and Wyoming.
Junior Achievement of NEPA Celebrates a Successful October Junior Achievement (JA) of Northeastern Pennsylvania had an incredible month of October, engaging hundreds of local students through hands-on career exploration, personal finance education, and community-driven initiatives. From impactful YES! Day Experiences to continued partnerships with local foundations, JA NEPA is making a lasting difference in the lives of young people in the region. YES! Day Highlights In October, JA NEPA held three successful YES! Day Experiences across local schools, where 7th and 8th grade students participated in interactive learning activities about career readiness, financial literacy, and life skills. These engaging programs were powered by the support of dedicated volunteers from the local community, who brought their expertise to the classrooms. Dunmore Junior High School – On October 9, JA NEPA reached 246 students with the help of 24 volunteers, making the event a resounding success. Solomon-Plains Middle School – On October 17, 502 students took part in the YES! Day Experience, supported by 43 volunteers. Special guests included Gwen Ross of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and Representative Eddie Day Pashinski, who helped make the day even more memorable. JA NEPA also extends a special thank you to Enterprise Mobility for their generous support of the event. Tunkhannock Intermediate School – On October 29, JA NEPA engaged 290 6th and 7th grade students with the help of 30 volunteers. The event was a great success, and JA NEPA is grateful for the teachers and administrators who helped make this program run smoothly. Volunteers Needed for Upcoming YES! Days As JA NEPA continues to expand its reach and impact, we’re looking for passionate volunteers to help bring YES! Day experiences to even more local students this year. These dynamic events are designed to introduce students to a wide variety of career opportunities, essential life skills, and personal finance concepts, all led by community volunteers. Upcoming YES! Days: West Scranton Intermediate School – Friday, November 15, 8:00 AM – 11:30 AM.We need 10 more volunteers. Wallenpaupack Area Middle School – Monday, November 25, 7:30 AM – 11:00 AM.We need 29 more volunteers. Carbondale Area Jr/Sr High School – Wednesday, December 11, 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM.We need 10 more volunteers. Interested individuals can Sign Up Here to volunteer for any of these upcoming events. For more information about YES! Days, or to register as a volunteer, please visit our What is a YES! Day page or contact Alysia Clancy at alysia.clancy@ja.org. A Special Thank You to Our Supporters We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to The Luzerne Foundation and the Pasco Schiavo Memorial Foundation for their continued support. In October, our President, Susan Magnotta, and Program Manager, Suzanne McCabe, had the honor of presenting JA NEPA’s programs, including the YES! Days and JA Inspire Career Discovery Experience, to The Luzerne Foundation. Their support, along with the contributions of other local partners, helps us continue our mission to inspire and prepare young people for success in a global economy.
Pennsylvania Treasurer Thanks Governor for Signing Tax Reform Bill New law will streamline and improve the process of resolving tax disputes in PA Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity today applauded Governor Josh Shapiro for signing Senate Bill 1051, pro-taxpayer legislation sponsored by Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R-21) and supported by overwhelming bipartisan majorities in the General Assembly. A companion bill was introduced in the House by Rep. Tim Briggs (D-149). The new law will streamline and improve the process of resolving tax disputes with the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR) by allowing the Board of Finance and Revenue (BF&R) to accept late-filed personal income tax appeals in certain circumstances and to create a new independent settlement process for taxpayers as an alternative to the formal and lengthy court appeals process. “This law will make tax appeals more fair for Pennsylvania families and businesses by removing silly bureaucratic obstacles and implementing a strong settlement process,” Treasurer Garrity said. “I’m grateful to Governor Shapiro for signing this bill into law, and to Senator Hutchinson and Representative Briggs for their hard work to create an even playing field for Pennsylvania taxpayers.” SB 1051, now Act 123 of 2024, was supported by numerous organizations, including the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, the NFIB, and the Pennsylvania Society of Enrolled Agents. Act 123, which goes into effect in 90 days, will allow BF&R to accept late-filed personal income tax appeals if cause is shown by the taxpayer. When the new law becomes effective, taxpayers who disagree with a final decision made by DOR involving personal income tax assessments have a 90-day deadline to appeal the decision to BF&R. It was previously only 60 days. That strict timeline led to cases being dismissed on a technicality rather than being decided on their merits. On average, of the approximately 4,200 appeals BF&R receives annually, only about 13 percent of eligible appeals are resolved through settlement prior to an appeal being filed before the Commonwealth Court. The new law also empowers BF&R for the first time to direct parties through an independent settlement process, which is intended to facilitate the amicable resolution of more tax disputes, thus reducing litigation costs for taxpayers. Treasury estimates that up to 500 cases annually could be eligible for this new process. BF&R is an independent administrative tax tribunal, administered by the State Treasurer, responsible for the second and final level of administrative appeal (with minor exceptions) before appealing to court. The Board consists of three members – two are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate; the third is the State Treasurer or her designee and serves as Chair.
Hospice of the Sacred Heart to Deliver Meals to Patients for Thanksgiving On Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, November 28th, Hospice of the Sacred Heart will deliver meals to patients and their families. This is the 19th year the hospice will provide this service project. Over 700 meals complete with roasted turkey, all traditional Thanksgiving sides and pumpkin pie will be prepared by Mansour’s Market Café in Scranton, packaged, and delivered by hospice staff members and volunteers. “We so look forward to this day. Many of our hospice staff and volunteers enjoy this beautiful tradition of blessing the meals, the friendship of our colleagues and the delivery of over 700 Thanksgiving meals to our patients and their families. This project demonstrates our gratitude for the blessings in our lives,” said Diane Baldi, CEO, Hospice of the Sacred Heart. Media outlets are invited to photograph the distribution process beginning at 7:50 am at Mansour’s Market Café, 969 Prescott Avenue, Scranton. Deacon Patrick J. Massino will bless the meals at 8 am and deliveries will begin immediately afterwards. Diane Baldi, CEO, will be available for interviews between 8 and 10 am.
Moses Taylor Foundation Hosts Biennial Event, Recognizes Leadership Moses Taylor Foundation Hosts Biennial Event and Honors Teri Ooms with the Douglas G. Allen Leadership Award Moses Taylor Foundation, a private foundation with a mission to improve the health of people in Northeastern Pennsylvania, hosted its biennial meeting on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. Danielle Breslin, President and CEO of Moses Taylor Foundation, shared a strategic update on the Foundation’s four focus areas of Health Care Access and Quality, Older Adult Health, School-Based Health and Nonprofit Effectiveness. Pictured L-R: Douglas G. Allen, Founding Chairman of the Board of Directors of Moses Taylor Foundation; Teri Ooms, President & CEO, The Institute Teri Ooms, President & CEO of The Institute, was recognized as the recipient of the Douglas G. Allen Leadership Award. The award was established in 2019 to honor Doug Allen’s 35 years of leadership as Chair of the Moses Taylor Foundation Board of Directors. It is awarded biennially to a community leader who shares in his commitment to improving the health of people in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Ooms has led The Institute — a non-profit research organization dedicated to identifying opportunities, issues, and challenges unique to the region and finding innovative ways to solve problems — since its inception twenty years ago. Under her leadership, The Institute has become an integral support for regional nonprofits and legislators, providing the unbiased local data necessary to create jobs, programs, and legislative changes. At the event, Allen spoke of Ooms noting, “Teri approaches her work humbly and with a genuine commitment to the betterment of our area. She is always generous with both her time and knowledge, and on behalf of the Board and staff, I am delighted to recognize Teri today.”
Ballet Theatre of Scranton Presents The Nutcracker Ballet Theatre of Scranton. under the artistic direction of Joanne Arduino, will kick off the holiday season with its 49th annual performances of The Nutcracker at the Theater at North over Thanksgiving weekend on Friday November 29, Saturday November 30, and Sunday December 1. Please note the new performance times each day: noon and 5:30 pm. This traditional gift to the community has offered free public performances since 1976. Free tickets can be picked up at the box office at the Theater at North on the day of the specific performance, two hours prior to curtain. This year, an inaugural pilot, sensory friendly performance is being offered to an invited audience as well as the traditional educational performances for area school children. Over 100 local dancers from ages 9- adult will perform and will feature Elizabeth Schneider and Laura Durkin as Sugarplum Fairy (each in three performances), Gianna Vachino as Clara, John Roman Vachino as the Nutcracker Prince, Brennan Connor as Snow King, Gabrielle Snyder as Snow Queen, and Valentina Ruiz Giraldo as Dewdrop. Professional guest artists George Sanders (of Twyla Tharp company, NYC) and Sanford Placide (previously of Dance Theater of Harlem, NYC) will perform as Cavalier in 3 performances each. Benefactor seats are available by calling 570-347-2867 before November 1.
Maternal and Family Health Services Hires Director of Behavioral Health Services Yurii Lynn Harden, LCSW is returning to Maternal and Family Health Services (MFHS) as the new Director of Behavioral Health Services. In this role, Yurii will be focused on expanding behavioral health services to include teletherapy, outreach through the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP), and the introduction of therapy support groups, staff trainings, and comprehensive support for both clients and staff. Yurii originally joined MFHS as part of the foundational team that launched the Healthy Moms Program. With over 30 years of experience in the social services field, she has held a variety of leadership positions, including Director of Social Services at First Hospital, Assistant Clinical Director at Embark Behavioral Health, and most recently, Director of Social Services at Wyoming Valley Behavioral Hospital. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Yurii brings a variety of expertise, including certifications as an ASAM Trauma-Informed Trainer and Adolescent Trauma Therapist. “I firmly believe that the best behavioral health services are delivered in an individual’s natural surroundings (aka home, school, with their family) and need to include more than just the identified client,” Yurii said. “We cannot truly understand one another unless we are literally as close as possible to what they are facing on a day-to-day basis.” In addition to her professional accomplishments, Yurii is a mother to three adult children and an animal lover with a unique family of pets that includes four dogs, a cat, and a beloved pig named Elvis. She enjoys Sci-Fi and Thriller movies, and loves coffee, wine, and thunderstorms. Yurii’s commitment to enhancing behavioral health services and her belief in community-based care will be invaluable as she leads the continued development of the behavioral health program at MFHS. Please join us in welcoming Yurii as the Director of Behavioral Health Services!
