NeighborWorks NEPA Receives Contribution from Honesdale National Bank

NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania (NeighborWorks) recently accepted a contribution from Honesdale National Bank (HNB), in the amount of $10,000 through the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development’s Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP).

The contribution will support the Scranton Beautiful Blocks Program for 2022. Beautiful Blocks, which is jointly sponsored by NeighborWorks and the City of Scranton, provides matching grants of up to $1,000 to each member of a group of at least five Scranton residents to help them make exterior improvements to their homes. Grants are awarded annually through a competitive application process.

HNB President & CEO, Thomas E. Sheridan, stated, “At HNB, we are thrilled to support a program that provides greater opportunity for families to grow in our local neighborhoods.” He said, “The future of our communities is vested in partnerships just like these and we appreciate all NeighborWorks is doing to accelerate local opportunities.”

“Honesdale National Bank has been a steadfast partner for our community work over the years,” said Jesse Ergott, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania President & CEO. “Their contribution to this year’s Beautiful Blocks Program is just another example of how they prioritize direct and measurable investment in our neighborhoods.”

Treasurer Garrity Visits Lackawanna College School of Petroleum and Natural Gas

Treasurer Stacy Garrity toured Lackawanna College School of Petroleum and Natural Gas, then took part in a roundtable discussion about education opportunities and economics in the region. Representatives of Lackawanna College, the Susquehanna County Career & Technology Center, Northern Tier Industrial Education Center, Commonwealth Charitable Management, the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce, the Wyoming County Community Alliance, and Coterra took part in the roundtable discussions.

Treasurer Garrity shared the importance of the PA 529 College and Career Savings Program as a tool to support workforce development and help families save to make education of all types more affordable. She also emphasized the need for the Keystone Saves legislation. Keystone Saves allows employers who don’t currently have retirement plans for employees to provide retirement savings options to more than two million Pennsylvanians.

“Lackawanna College’s School of Petroleum and Natural Gas is a crucial resource here in the northeast, where local industries need highly skilled workers,” Garrity said. “Programs like Treasury’s PA 529 program can help make education more affordable for students by offering tax-advantaged savings options to help pay for any type of higher education, including the many career-focused certificates and two-and four-year degrees offered right here in their own backyard.”

The PA 529 College and Career Savings Program offers families two plans to choose from, the PA 529 Investment Plan (IP) and the PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP). IP account earnings are based on financial market performance, while GSP earnings are based on college tuition inflation.

Both plans offer generous tax benefits including a state income tax deduction on contributions (up to $16,000 per beneficiary per year; $32,000 for married couples); PA state and federal tax-free contribution growth; no income tax paid on account growth when used for qualified expenses; and gift and inheritance tax benefits. Families can learn more about how to start saving with PA 529 plans at pa529.com or by calling 800-440-4000.

“The Pennsylvania 529 plan is a great benefit for families and our communities,” said Sue Gumble, Director of the Lackawanna School of Petroleum and Natural Gas. “A career in the energy industry can be life-changing. This program financially prepares students for college, providing them with the means to pursue a degree and graduate prepared to enter the workforce.”

“While our PA 529 program helps students pay for critical job-force training, there is potential for the same model to work to help them save throughout their careers and be better prepared for retirement,” Garrity said. “Proposed Keystone Saves legislation is by far the most business-friendly state retirement program out there, and it is so important that we make it a reality to help our friends and neighbors — our favorite waitress, hairstylist or mechanic — people we all know — have an easy way to save for retirement. It’s also a big boost for employers who would be able to offer retirement benefits to attract and retain more workers.”

Keystone Saves, which will be introduced as HB 2156 by prime sponsor Rep. Tracy Pennycuick (R) and co-sponsor Rep. Michael Driscoll (D), will expand retirement savings opportunities for more than two million Pennsylvanians. The business-friendly program lets employers offer retirement plans without having to worry about start-up costs, program liability, and other red tape that keeps them from doing so. Businesses will simply provide an employee census to Treasury and process a payroll deduction.

Keystone Saves will be administered much like the PA 529 program as a public-private partnership. Employees maintain complete control of their accounts, and the accounts can follow them from job to job. The proposed legislation already has more than 50 co-sponsors from across the commonwealth. Ten other states have enacted similar legislation.

“Keystone Saves is a win, win, win,” Garrity said. “Employers can offer a great benefit, hardworking Pennsylvanians get an easy way to save for retirement, and taxpayers save billions of dollars, because it’s estimated that without action unprepared retirees will cost Pennsylvanians more than $14 billion over 15 years to cover extra social services costs.” “It’s clear that Treasurer Garrity understands the crucial role that energy plays in our country’s economy and workforce development,” said George Stark, Director of External Affairs at Coterra Energy. “Her eagerness to learn about our industry is refreshing and we’re excited for the chance to share more about our commitment to the community and environmental excellence.”

The Wright Center President Named Governor-Elect for the Eastern Region of the PA-ACP

Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, has been elected governor-elect for the eastern region of the American College of Physicians’ Pennsylvania Chapter (PA-ACP).

Beginning in April, she will serve one year as governor-elect concurrently with Dr. Lawrence H. Jones, governor of the eastern region whose term expires in 2023. Her four-year term as governor begins April 2023.

Founded in 1915, the American College of Physicians is a national organization of internists, who specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and care of adults. It is the nation’s largest medical-specialty organization, with more than 161,000 members, of which more than 7,800 are members of the PA-ACP chapter. The PA-ACP chapter has three regional governors that represent the eastern, western and southeastern regions of the commonwealth.

“I am humbled and proud to represent and advocate on behalf of my physician colleagues we represent, the profession of medicine we embody and the patients, families and communities we serve through the American College of Physicians’ Pennsylvania Chapter,” said Thomas-Hemak, who previously received the prestigious Dr. Ann Preston Women in Medicine and Laureate awards from PA-ACP in 2020 and 2014 respectively. “Our collective mission to improve health care and access has certainly been challenged by the pandemic, but we remain resolute in exceeding the high standards we strive for every day to improve the health and welfare of our local, state and national communities.

“I am grateful for and inspired by the incredible honor and leadership opportunity,” she added.

Overall, the American College of Physicians works to enhance the quality and effectiveness of health care by fostering excellence and professionalism in the practice of medicine and promotes quality patient care, advocacy, education and career fulfillment in internal medicine and its subspecialties.

The 87-member board of governors is an advisory board, featuring representatives from Alabama to Alberta, Bangladesh to Brazil and Ontario to Pennsylvania. Collectively, the elected board members act as an advisory board to the college’s policy-making body, the board of regents. The board of governors implements national projects and initiatives at the chapter level and represents member concerns at the national level.

Born and raised in Northeast Pennsylvania, Thomas-Hemak received her undergraduate degree from The University of Scranton. After graduating as a Michael DeBakey Scholar from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and completing Harvard’s Combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Residency in Boston, Massachusetts, she returned to the region to practice and teach primary care. She joined The Wright Center in 2000 and became president of The Wright Center for Community Health in 2007. In 2012, she was named president and CEO of both The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education.

Concurrent with her responsibilities as an executive, Thomas-Hemak is also board certified in internal, pediatrics, addiction, and most recently, obesity medicine. Her favorite professional responsibilities are to teach and provide comprehensive primary health services to multigenerational families served by The Wright Center for Community Health’s Mid Valley Practice in Archbald and Jermyn, her hometown community where she was born, raised and currently resides with her husband and three children.

For more information about The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-343-2383.

Colbert & Grebas to Host Estate Plan Webinar

A comprehensive and effective ESTATE PLAN is the key to Protecting your legacy.

Join your LOCAL Certified Elder Law Experts, Attorneys Brenda D. Colbert and Kevin R. Grebas on Saturday, January 22nd, 2022  10:00 to 11:30 AM for a FREE Webinar to gain valuable and practical planning techniques to achieve your future goals.

Call 570-299-7909 to register or go to our website:  ElderLawNEPA.com

Advance registration is required. After registering you will receive a link to access the Webinar.

Transportation Webinar

Please join the Office of US Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and Department of Transportation officials for an educational conversation on available grant and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding opportunities through DOT for Pennsylvania communities. Any questions or concerns may be directed to grace_nelson@casey.senate.gov

Geisinger Encourages Ordering Free, At-Home COVID-19 Tests

Geisinger is encouraging the community to take advantage of ordering free, at-home COVID-19 tests through the new federal website.

Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order four free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests at CovidTests.gov and have them shipped right to their doorstep.

“COVID-19 testing is an essential tool in stopping the spread in our communities,” said Kurt J. Wrobel, Geisinger Health Plan president and executive vice president of insurance operations for Geisinger. “Over-the-counter tests can save you a trip to your doctor’s office, an urgent care clinic or a testing center. In fact, if you have mild or no symptoms, at-home testing is your most convenient and safest testing option, especially with the long wait times at urgent care clinics and testing centers. Due to high demand and limited supply, the easiest way to find at-home tests is through CovidTests.gov.”

Tests available through the federal website are rapid antigen at-home tests. They can be taken anywhere and give results within 30 minutes, with no lab drop-off required.

If you have COVID-19 symptoms or you’ve been around someone suspected or confirmed to have COVID — you meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidelines for testing. If you have mild or no symptoms, at-home tests are an appropriate first step.

If you test positive on your at-⁠home test, follow the latest CDC guidance for isolation. If you test negative, you should test again within a few days with at least 24 hours between tests.

Learn more in our Coronavirus Resource Center at geisinger.org/coronavirus.

The Wright Center President/CEO Becomes Certified in Obesity Medicine

Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, recently earned board certification in obesity medicine, better preparing her to help patients manage obesity and its many comorbidities and to lose weight.

Obesity – the nation’s most prevalent chronic disease – is associated with many of the leading causes of preventable, premature death, yet physicians and patients sometimes struggle to directly address the sensitive topic and tailor plans that allow for long-term success.

Thomas-Hemak received the certification from the Colorado-based American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM), which gives physicians the insights and tools to help patients who are struggling with the complex issue of obesity. The condition is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, sleep apnea, arthritis, certain cancers and many additional comorbidities. Two-thirds of U.S. patients are either overweight or obese, according to ABOM’s website.

Obesity medicine represents Thomas-Hemak’s fourth board certification. She also is board certified in internal, pediatrics and addiction medicine.

Thomas-Hemak teaches and provides comprehensive primary health care, inclusive of addiction and recovery and weight-related services at The Wright Center for Community Health’s Mid Valley Practice in Jermyn, offering treatment to multi-generational families and individuals of all ages.

Under her executive administrative leadership, The Wright Center for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education consistently strive to respond to community health and health care workforce needs. Its health care providers, for example, have been at the forefront of confronting challenges such as the ongoing opioid crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Increasingly, The Wright Center’s health care providers emphasize prevention to improve health outcomes among Northeast Pennsylvania’s residents. In 2020, The Wright Center introduced

both a lifestyle medicine curriculum in its graduate medical education programs and a corresponding lifestyle medicine service line for the benefit of patients.

Lifestyle medicine, one of the fastest growing fields of medicine, encourages individuals to avoid or potentially reverse chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes by focusing on six pillars of health: nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress management, relationships and the avoidance of risky substances. A Wright Center for Community Health dietitian and behavioral health counselors are available to meet individually with patients to develop and empower plans for healthier lifestyles and weight management.

For more information or to schedule an appointment at The Wright Center for Community Health’s Mid Valley Practice, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.

Johnson College and York College of Pennsylvania Sign Articulation Agreement

Johnson College and York College of Pennsylvania recently signed an articulation agreement. It allows students to complete their two-year degree at Johnson College and then transfer to York College of Pennsylvania to complete a bachelor’s degree or transfer credits and continue their education.

Students transferring to York College of Pennsylvania must meet minimum cumulative grade-point average requirements and satisfy all transfer requirements. This agreement becomes effective for the fall 2022 semester.

“Establishing this articulation agreement with York College creates an opportunity for our students to build on the hands-on education they receive at Johnson College by continuing their education toward a bachelor’s degree,” said Dr. Katie Leonard, President & CEO of Johnson College. “This agreement is special to me because it connects Johnson College with York College where I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in English and where I am now a proud member of their board of trustees.”

“Both Johnson College and York College will benefit from this agreement,” said Dr. Pamela Gunter-Smith, President of York College of Pennsylvania. “We are pleased to welcome Johnson College students to our campus and our educational experience.”

University of Scranton Announces Planned Spring Semester Events

Note: Access to the campus is currently limited to members of the University community, invited guests and others as listed in the Royals Back Together plan. Campus access and other health and safety information will be updated throughout the semester and can be seen on the Royals Back Together webpage. 

Feb. 3     5 p.m. Book Discussion: “Freedom: An Unruly History” led by Matt Meyers, Ph.D., professor of philosophy, University of Scranton. The event is part of the “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” project’s second theme, “The U.S. Citizen and the American Founding.” Offered in-person or in a virtual format. Registration required. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.  

Feb. 4 through Mar. 4       Art Exhibit: “Beneath the Surface, Behind the Horizon: Sculptures and Drawings by Cynthia Myron.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.  

Feb. 10     noon. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Our Common Home: Vatican and Multifaith Engagement on Environment and Climate Justice” presented by Rabbi Daniel Swartz, spiritual leader, Temple Hesed and executive director, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.  

Feb. 13     3 p.m. Performance Music: “Valentine’s Day Eve Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Jazz Band with special guest Arnt Arntzen, banjo, guitar and voice. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.  

Feb. 18     noon. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Is Liberal Democracy Already History?” presented by Elzbieta Matynia, Ph.D., professor of sociology and liberal studies and director of the Transregional Center for Democratic Studies at the New School for Social Research. Kane Forum, Edward Leahy Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.  

Feb. 20     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring John Wilson, pianist. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.  

Mar. 1     5 p.m. Lecture with Q&A via Zoom – “Freedom and Our Founding: What do they mean for us today?” The event is part of the “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” project’s second theme, “The U.S. Citizen and the American Founding.” Registration required. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu. 

Mar. 3     noon. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Linneaus’ Legacy: Corrupting Color to Serve Discrimination and Exploitation” presented by Kathy Johnson Bowles, executive director of the Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science and Art. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.  

Mar. 14     noon. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “A Remarkable Tale of Law, Politics, and Religion: The Making of Kiryas Joel, a Hasidic Town in Upstate New York” presented David N. Myers, Ph.D., Sady and Ludwig Kahn professor of Jewish history at UCLA and director of the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy, and Nomi Stolzenberg, founder and co-director of the USC Center for Law, History and Culture. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.  

Mar. 21 through Apr. 29        Art Exhibit: “Shinnecock Sites and Portraits: Photographs by Jeremy Dennis.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.  

Mar. 22     7 p.m. Public Dialogue on “Freedom and Our Founding: What do they mean for us today?” The event is part of the “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” project’s second theme, “The U.S. Citizen and the American Founding.” Registration required. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.   

Mar. 23     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “General Recital” featuring The University of Scranton Performance Music students in solo, duo, trio and small ensemble performances. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.  

Mar. 24     noon. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Window Into the Presidency: The White House Tapes and Their Meaning” presented by Fredrik Logevall, Ph.D., Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs, Harvard University. Rose Room, Brennan Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.  

Mar. 26     9 a.m. Preview Day for accepted students to The University of Scranton’s class of 2026. Various locations on campus. Call 570-941-7540 or email admissions@scranton.edu.  

Apr. 2      7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring Kako Miura, violinist and friends. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.  

Apr. 6     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “14th Annual Gene Yevich Memorial Concert” featuring Dr. Wycliffe A. Gordon with The University of Scranton Singers and Scranton Brass Orchestra. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.  

Apr. 7     4 p.m. 2022 Annual ACHE Healthcare Symposium: “HEALTH’y Employees Lead to HEALTH’y Patients: Strategies to Support the Well-Being of Healthcare Professionals.” McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Registration required. Includes dinner, presentation and panel discussion. Fees vary. Call 484-632-6605 or email brooke.devers@scranton.edu. 

Apr. 7     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring Dr. Wycliffe A. Gordon with The University of Scranton Jazz Band. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.  

Apr. 20     4 p.m. Henry George Spring Lecture: “Evolution of Conventions of Behavior” presented by Andrew Schotter, Ph.D., professor of economics, New York University. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4048 or email janice.mecadon@scranton.edu. 

Apr. 22     noon. Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Russia and the Post-Truth Society” presented by Jill Dougherty, former CNN’s Moscow bureau chief for almost a decade, Russian expert, adjunct professor at Georgetown University and a CNN on-air contributor. Kane Forum, Edward Leahy Hall or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.  

Apr. 25     5:30 p.m. Schemel Forum Collaborative Program with the Jesuit Center, The University of Scranton: “A Schemel Legacy: The Engineer and the Monk” presented by Christopher F. Schemel, Ph.D., president Delta Q Consultants, Inc. and courtesy professor of chemical engineering, University of South Florida, and Brother Mario Joseph, Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Conyers, Georgia. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall or remote, reception follows. $25 fee. Registration required. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.  

Apr. 27     4:30 p.m. Annual Math Integration Bee. Calculus based competition for both high school and college divisions. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Registration required. Call 570-941-6580 or email stacey.muir@scranton.edu.  

Apr. 30-May 1     9 a.m. Saturday; noon Sunday. Friends of the Library Book and Plant Sale. Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.  

Apr. 30     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “39th Annual World Premiere Composition Series Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Concert Band and Concert Choir premiering two new commissioned works by guest composer/conductor Javier Nero. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.  

May 9-13     Art Exhibit: “The University of Scranton Student Exhibition.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.  

May 7     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring John Romeri, organist and John Romeri, flautist. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.  

May 14     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton String Orchestra with special guests. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.  

May 21     TBA Graduate and Undergraduate Commencement. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.  

May 22     TBA Commencement Baccalaureate Mass. Byron Recreation Complex. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.  

Schemel Forum Courses 

Tuesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 & Mar. 1, 8         6 p.m. Schemel Forum Evening Course: “James Bond and the Cold War” presented by Sean Brennan, Ph.D., professor of history, The University of Scranton. Weinberg Memorial Library or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.  

Thursdays: Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24 & Mar. 3, 10     6 p.m. Schemel Forum Evening Course: “Moral Citizenship: The Enlightenment Vision of the Ethical Community” presented by Christopher E. Fremaux, Ph.D., assistant professor of philosophy, The University of Scranton. Weinberg Memorial Library or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.  

Wednesdays: Feb. 9, 16, 23 & Mar. 2, 9, 23     6 p.m. Schemel Forum Evening Course: “Police as Guardians in a Time of War” presented by Michael J. Jenkins, Ph.D., chair and associate professor of sociology, criminal justice and criminology and executive director, Center for the Analysis and Prevention of Crime, The University of Scranton. Weinberg Memorial Library or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-6206 or email alicen.morrison@scranton.edu.