Northeast Pennsylvania packs a whole lot into one corner of the state. From hiking trails and breathtaking vistas, to ski slopes and water parks, to craft breweries and eateries dishing out local flavor…and the list goes on and on! That’s the idea behind #570Day taking place on Friday, May 7, 2021.

570Day is a new online initiative born through the combined, creative efforts of The Wilkes-Barre Rotary Club, The Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visit Luzerne County. The day aims to spread positivity, local pride and celebrate the people and places within the 570 area code.

How To Get Involved:
Being a part of #570Day is easy! On May 7, 2021, we encourage people, businesses, schools, nonprofits and organizations across Northeast Pennsylvania to use #570Day on social media to show what they love about living in the area. Post pictures, videos and stories that highlight the natural beauty, businesses and people who make the 570 area so great. From your Friday night pizza place, thanking a special teacher, highlighting your favorite park or sharing the best music venue…#570Day is the time to let the good in this area shine! With so much in Northeastern PA and so many stories to tell, we hope this initiative will continue to grow as it’s celebrated yearly on May 7th.

Follow us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/570Day, for updates as the day gets closer and on May 7th watch #570Day on social media to see all the great things in Northeast Pennsylvania!

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, will put a limited amount of May single-game tickets on sale April 27 and are pleased to announce their season-long daily promotions and early-season giveaways. These promotions see the return of some all-time fan favorites that are sure to make the arrival of baseball back at PNC Field a welcome one.

Due to state and CDC guidelines, PNC Field will not open at full capacity at the outset of the season. After taking care of season-ticket holder needs, the RailRiders will now have a limited number of single-game tickets available. On April 27 at 10 A.M., single-game tickets for the 12 home dates in May will go on sale online at swbrailriders.com. Individual tickets for the remainder of the schedule will go on sale at a later time with eyes on restriction changes throughout the season.

After opening the season on the road at Syracuse on May 4, the RailRiders start their 60-game home schedule at PNC Field one week later on Tuesday, May 11, against Lehigh Valley. Opening Night begins with a 6:35 P.M. first pitch this year and will end with the first of 11 fireworks shows scheduled this season. Opening Night games across Minor League Baseball are presented by Stouffer’s.

Each day of the week brings its own brand of fun in 2021, with plenty of familiar promotions throughout the season.

Bring the whole gang every Sunday for a Geisinger Family Fun Day! There is no better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than at PNC Field. Kids 12 and younger can get $2 Dippin’ Dots all day long and then run the bases after the final out.

$2 Tuesdays are back with a $2 Landshark tallboys for two hours after gates open every Tuesday all season long (excluding Opening Day).

Wednesdays go to the dogs again in 2021 as Waggin’ Wednesday returns! You can bring your four-legged best friends to the ballpark… plus get $1 Sabrett hot dogs for two hours after gates open! Dog owners will need to sign a waiver but can have their pooch with them in their seats in the lower seating bowl. This season, instead of selling dog tickets, the RailRiders will take donations for local animal shelters when you fill out your waiver. 

Thirsty Thursdays are back for the most refreshing night of the week. Fans can enjoy $1 Bud Light drafts and $1 Pepsi fountain drinks for two hours after gates open, courtesy of Northeast Distributors and Pepsi.

The last year has certainly been difficult on all of us and we all know we couldn’t have gotten through it without the men and women on the frontline during the pandemic. The RailRiders are pleased to make each Friday this year a tribute and thanks to our frontline workers. We will give away complimentary tickets to local frontline workers each Friday as just a small token of thanks for all that they have done for us lately. More details on how you can reserve free tickets as a frontline worker will be available soon.

What would those Frontline Fridays be without ending the night looking to the stars? Fireworks are back in 2021! Every Friday home game, all season long, will be followed by the best fireworks show in NEPA.

During the upcoming season, select Saturdays will once again feature great giveaway items. On May 15, the first 2,500 fans will receive a 2021 magnet schedule, courtesy of Highmark. On Saturday, May 29, the first 2,500 through the gates will get a RailRiders face mask.

Additional promotions will be announced as the season progresses, as will additional ticketing information.

Full, Half and Partial Season Ticket Memberships are on sale now. The RailRiders front office is open on a limited basis and by appointment only. For more information, please visit swbrailriders.com or contact the club by calling (570) 969-2255 and leave a voicemail. Calls will be returned at the earliest possible opportunity. 

Johnson College’s Continuing Education program is offering a Forklift Operator Training Course on Saturday, May 8, 2021, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.in the Diesel Truck Technology Center on the College’s campus in Scranton. The cost of the course is $200, but if you are a current Johnson College student or alumni the cost is only $100. Space is limited! Visit johnson.edu/continuingeducation or contact our Continuing Education team at 570-702-8979 or continuinged@johnson.edu to learn more and enroll.

The forklift operator training is designed to familiarize students with OSHA Powered Industrial Truck Operator Training Requirements (29CFR Standard 1910.178 and ASME B56.1), provide current training requirements under the newly adopted standards, and assist participants in becoming an authorized operator of forklifts through theory and tactile testing. Nine hours of instruction including pre-operational inspection, picking up, traveling, and placing loads, parking procedures, refueling, and practical operation.

For additional information on Johnson College’s Continuing Education Program, please call 570-702-8979, email continuinged@johnson.edu, or visit johnson.edu/continuingeducation.

Trojan Barber is open Tuesday – Friday currently taking appointments from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Call 570-905-4620 to schedule your appointment today.

Just over one year ago, the outbreak of COVID-19 created a demise in consumer demand across almost every sector of the economy. The 2020 job market was bleak, and unemployment skyrocketed. Thankfully, 2021 is showing signs of renewed hope. Covid vaccines have become widely available, and the economy is beginning to surge once again. A recent CNBC article noted that U.S. employers hired far more workers than expected during March 2021, with the Labor Department reporting that employment rose by 916,000 jobs. A staggering 280,000 of those jobs were those in the leisure and hospitality fields, which originally fared the worst in terms of pandemic layoffs. There is no question that these industries are coming back strong with people desperately seeking a change of scenery after over a year of restrictions and lockdowns. This boom is great news for hospitality job seekers, particularly those in Pocono region of Pennsylvania.

For years, the Poconos has been an extremely popular drive-to tourist destination for many people in the Northeast. It is home to a wide variety of large resorts, hotels, and waterparks as well as quaint inns and bed and breakfasts that employ a large portion of the region’s residents. One such property, Woodloch Pines, voted by USA Today as one of the best family resorts in the country, will host its very own in-person job fair on April 27. The event will take place from 2:00-6:00 PM at The Inn at Woodloch located at 731 Welcome Lake Road in Hawley, PA.

The Woodloch family of properties encompasses Woodloch Pines, The Country Club at Woodloch Springs, The Lodge at Woodloch: A Destination Spa, and The Market at Woodloch. There are openings available at each location, and applicants are encouraged to come to the fair and fill out an application. Attendees will also have the opportunity to interview on the spot with managers from various departments. As added incentive, Woodloch will be offering up to $200 sign-on bonuses for select positions.

Openings are available for the following positions:

• Bussers – Bartenders – Cocktail Servers – Hostess – Servers
• Bell – Valet – Front Desk
• Cooks – Line Cooks – Dishwashers – Kitchen Prep
• Housekeepers – Laundry Attendants
• Engineering – Maintenance
• Lifeguards
• Gardeners – Landscapers
• Golf Course Maintenance – Golf Ranger
• Massage Therapists – Hair Stylists – Nail Technicians – Cosmetologists
• Deli Associates – Baristas
• Retail Sales Associates
• Social staff
• Spa Concierge – Spa Attendants – Spa Night Housekeepers
• Intern/Externships

Woodloch offers full-time benefits that include health and life insurance, 401K and paid time off. For more information about what it is like to work at Woodloch, prospective applicants can view video as well as complete job applications on the company’s website. 

The Inn at Woodloch will also serve as the location for the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau (PMVB) region-wide, in-person job fair on Thursday, May 13 from 10 AM to 2 PM. As stated on the PMVB website, the goal of its job fair “is to introduce job seekers to the hundreds of fun and exciting positions that are available throughout the Poconos’ hospitality industry.” Attendees will have the chance to meet a wide range of employers and discuss full-time, part-time, seasonal, and entry to executive-level opportunities. For more information, please visit the PMVB website. 

Both job fairs will instate protocols to ensure the health and safety of all in attendance. Masks and social distancing are required.

Lackawanna College Towanda Center students, faculty, and staff joined Child Hunger Outreach Partners (CHOP) for a pop-up food pantry at the Center to benefit individuals in need in Bradford County.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pennsylvania— particularly Bradford county is seeing a rise in food insecurity,” said Brad Reid, director of the Lackawanna College Towanda Center. “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with CHOP to help distribute much-needed food to members of our community.”

Lackawanna College students, faculty, and staff helped CHOP volunteers unload, organize, and distribute food boxes.

“Hunger doesn’t magically end the second someone graduates high school,” said Dani Ruhf, Founder and Executive Director of CHOP. “The prevalence of food insecurity at the college level is staggering, especially among off-campus students.  We are here to help.”

CHOP works to close the meal gap and end childhood hunger by collaborating with local food banks, schools, volunteers, and donors. The organization serves thousands of students weekly in Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Learn more at www.lackawanna.edu.

As COVID-19 continues to impact employment across the country, Pennsylvanians have a second chance to enroll in healthcare coverage through the state-based marketplace — Pennie.

During this special enrollment period, anyone can enroll in a plan through Pennie until August 15. The recently passed American Rescue Plan also includes updates that result in significant additional savings for Pennsylvanians shopping for coverage and those already enrolled through Pennie.

“Everyone should have access to healthcare, and many Pennsylvanians are unaware of all the coverage options that are available to them or that they may qualify for financial assistance,” said Kurt J. Wrobel, Geisinger Health Plan (GHP) president and executive vice president of insurance operations for Geisinger. “We can help you enroll in the right plan so you don’t have to go without coverage and have to pay for COVID-19 related treatment and services on your own.”

It’s also smart to explore all options when it comes to coverage and financial assistance. That includes government programs like the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which offers comprehensive coverage for children and teens up to age 19.

According to a recent study, nearly half of all uninsured Americans did not consider all their options for healthcare coverage and financial assistance.

Many uninsured adults were also aware of publicly subsidized coverage options, but assumed they didn’t qualify. However, nearly 9 out of 10 people covered by plans through Pennie receive financial assistance and their savings increased this year.

GHP can help Pennsylvanians enroll in the right healthcare coverage and apply for financial assistance. Here’s how to find out about coverage options:
• For marketplace coverage, call 866-325-8108 or visit go.geisinger.org/Marketplace
• For CHIP, call 855-955-1441 or visit go.geisinger.org/GHPKids
• For Medicare, call 855-605-1517 or visit go.geisinger.org/Gold