In remembrance of Glynn Lunney, WVIA will air a special rebroadcast of the State of Pennsylvania – Glynn Lunney: From Northeastern PA to the Moon on Friday, March 26^th at 7pm on WVIA TV.

Lunney, who was born in Old Forge, Pennsylvania, was a former NASA Flight Director and Administrator, who played a key role during some of NASA’s most historic events, including the Apollo 11 moon landing, and was also credited for his quick decision-making during the Apollo 13 mission, which helped save the lives of the three astronauts aboard the disabled spacecraft. 

In 2019, Glynn Lunney was the focus of VIA Short Takes: A View from Apollo 11 Mission Control. In the video Glynn shares his experiences working the Apollo missions, the principles he was raised on, and his core values that guided him through the space race and beyond. Watch on-demand at https://on-demand.wvia.org/video/a-view-from-apollo-11-mission-control-wq81td/

To watch State of Pennsylvania – Glynn Lunney: From Northeastern PA to the Moon on-demand please visit https://on-demand.wvia.org/video/glenn-lunney-preview-zcqnkj/

David Raven, President and CEO of The Honesdale National Bank, announced Scott P. Prebich has joined HNB as VP, Commercial Loan Officer.

In making the announcement, Raven stated, “We are extremely pleased to add Scott as an essential part of our HNB family. Along with his Commercial Lending experience, I am certain he will provide the personal devotion and professional service our bank is recognized for. He understands the important role our bank plays in the communities we serve and is committed to building and supporting those relationships.”

As VP, Commercial Loan Officer, Prebich will be in charge of lending operations while working closely with the customers of our bank. In addition to offering a variety of lending services he is charged with not only promoting the growing presence of the bank in Lackawanna County, but the evolution of the company entirely.

Scott began his career in banking as a Commercial Lender with NBT Bank from 1999-2008. He then went on to continue his career as a Commercial Lender with First National Bank from 2009-2021.

In commenting on his new position at HNB, Prebich noted, “I am looking forward to this new challenge and I am very excited about joining the team.”

Prebich is a graduate of Lakeland High School and received a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Scranton.

Outside of the bank, Scott is the Vice President and on the Board of Directors for a local not-for-profit called Marley’s Mission.

The Honesdale National Bank, established in 1836, holds the distinction of being the area’s oldest independent community bank headquartered in Northeastern PA, with offices in Wayne, Pike, Susquehanna, Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties.  The Honesdale National Bank offers personal banking, business banking and wealth solutions.  For more information on HNB’s products and services, visit www.hnbbank.bank.

Kayla Guilford, Associate Director of Institutional Research at Lackawanna College, has been named the director of the new satellite center located in Tunkhannock, Pa. The Tunkhannock Center is slated to open in Fall 2021 and will offer traditional bachelor’s and associate degrees and certificate programs and will be the future home of the School of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

“Kayla will bring with her a wealth of knowledge and expertise in institutional research that I believe will greatly benefit the growth of our new Tunkhannock Center,” said Dr. Jill Murray, Lackawanna College President. “I’m excited to see her in this role and look forward to her continuing the mission and vision of Lackawanna College in the Endless Mountains region.”

Guilford has over a decade of experience in institutional research, compliance, and accounting. Specifically, most of her professional experience has been in institutions of higher education. She began her career at Lackawanna College in compliance and has most recently served in an institutional research capacity.

Guilford was a 2018 Leadership Lackawanna Core Program graduate and currently serves on the Board of Directors as secretary. She also serves as a committee member of the Research, Assessment, and Accountability Committee at The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP) and has recently been selected as a peer evaluator at Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

To learn more about the Lackawanna College Tunkhannock Center, visit Lackawanna.edu.

As of April 1, 2021, six pediatric providers from the Commonwealth Health Physician Network will join the Geisinger family. The practice is changing its name to Geisinger Pediatrics Scranton and moving to a new location at 5 Morgan Highway, Suite 8.

The providers joining Geisinger following this change will include Kathleen Walsh, MD, Martha Sauter, MD, Jill McCoy, MD, Sarah Sitoski, DO, Rachel Giannotti, MD, and Linda Sacco, CRNP.

“We are happy to welcome these outstanding providers into Geisinger’s Department of Pediatrics. These providers, with 100 combined years of experience, and their staff have long been an invaluable resource to the community, and it would have been a great loss to see them move away from serving pediatric patients in Scranton. We are happy to step in and help to ensure these children – and the community at large – receive high-quality, family-friendly pediatric care in their neighborhood. We’re always aiming to keep world-class care close to home for our neighbors, patients and members in Scranton,” said Frank Maffei, MD, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Geisinger.

To transfer medical records to Geisinger, patients can call 570-207-4360 or fax 570-383-1940. Geisinger Pediatrics Scranton accepts most major insurance plans.

For more information, please visit www.geisinger.org/pediatrics

The New York Yankees have announced that Doug Davis will manage the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in 2021. The Bloomsburg native will be joined by Pitching Coach Dustin Glant, Hitting Coach Casey Dykes and Defensive Coach Raul Dominguez.

After three years of coaching in a variety of roles for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Davis was slated to manage the RailRiders in 2020 before the season was canceled due to the global pandemic.

Darren London returns as the team’s Athletic Trainer, while Larry Adegoke heads to Moosic as the new Strength & Conditioning Coach. Paul Henshaw will serve as the video manager and Shea Wingate will be the Advance Scouting Analyst. Mike Macciocco will once again be the RailRiders Clubhouse Manager.

Davis, 58, graduated from Central Columbia High School and played collegiately at NC State University. He was a ninth-round pick by the California Angels in the 1984 First-Year Player Draft and played professionally for 12 years, appearing in 797 games.

Davis made his Major League debut in 1988 for the Angels and finished his playing career in 1995. He moved into the coaching ranks the following season and won a New York-Penn League title with Pittsfield in 1997. In 1998, he led Columbia to the South Atlantic League crown. Davis was a bench coach on Jack McKeon’s Florida Marlins staff in 2003, helping lead that club to a World Series win over the Yankees. The Toronto Blue Jays tabbed Davis to lead the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in 2006 and then elevated him to lead the Syracuse Chiefs in 2007 and 2008.

Over eight seasons as a manager, Davis has skippered 999 games with a .516 winning percentage (515-484). In addition to his time as a manager or coach, he has also held the positions of Minor League Field Coordinator for the Montreal Expos, the Marlins and the Toronto Blue Jays.

Glant, 39, enters his second year within the Yankees system, having been tabbed as the Pitching Coach for Staten Island last year prior to the season’s cancelation. He was the pitching coach for Ball State University (2017-19), where his Cardinals staff led NCAA Division I with an 11.1 K/9.0IP ratio in 2019 and set a school strikeout record for the third straight season with 628. Glant was originally selected by Arizona in the seventh round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft and pitched in 264 games over six seasons in the Diamondbacks organization, reaching Triple-A in his final two campaigns. He finished his career with stints in the Mexican League (2009-10), Northern League (2009-10) and American Association (2011).

Dykes, 31, joined the Yankees organization last year after spending 2019 with Indiana University as their hitting coach. The Hoosiers won the 2019 Big Ten regular season championship and led all of Division I in home runs during the regular slate. Prior to his time with Indiana, Dykes was the hitting coach and recruiting coordinator at Virginia Military Institute (2015-18) and spent two seasons as an assistant at his alma mater, Western Kentucky University (2013-14).

Dominguez, 40, was with the Trenton Thunder in 2018 and 2019 and enters his 14^th season within the organization. He initially signed with the Yankees as a non-drafted Minor League free agent in 2001 and played four seasons before moving to the player development side. Dominguez also spent eight years managing teams in the Gulf Coast and Dominican Summer Leagues.

London returns for his 28^th consecutive season as the athletic trainer of the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate. He was the International League’s Trainer of the Year in both 2006 and 2012. London’s baseball career began in 1989 with the Class-A Prince William Cannons in the Carolina League. He graduated from the University of Maine-Orono, earning a B.S. in physical education with a coaching minor.

Adegoke joined the Yankees organization on a full-time basis in 2018, spending two years in Pulaski and was tabbed for Charleston last year. He served as the Yankees performance science assistant in the spring of 2017. Adegoke graduated with a B.S. in exercise science from Kennesaw State University (Ga.), where he also spent time as a strength and conditioning intern for the football team. He earned his M.S. in exercise and nutrition science from the University of Tampa.

Please direct all interview requests to Adam Marco, the Director of Communications for the RailRiders.  He can be reached at 570-558-4637 or via email at amarco@swbrailriders.com.  The 2021 season begins on May 4 at Syracuse with the RailRiders home opener now scheduled for one week later against Lehigh Valley at PNC Field.

Noteology 50% off clearance online only while supplies last.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 4-0, together with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Region 9, is preparing a planning study for the Skinners Falls Bridge.

The Skinners Falls Bridge crosses the Delaware River, connecting the communities of Milanville, PA and Skinners Falls, NY. It was closed due to safety concerns in October 2019. PennDOT is completing a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study to identify potential alternatives that could be evaluated and determine a path forward. The study represents a collaborative and integrated approach that will consider community, environmental, historic, and economic goals. PennDOT and NYSDOT are seeking input from the community to better understand how to move forward to meet local transportation needs within realistically available financial resources. 

PennDOT will be hosting a virtual public meeting on March 30^th from 6:30pm to 8:00pm and accepting public comment on its website from March 30^th through April 23^rd.

You can attend the public meeting by clicking this link: http://bit.ly/SFBridge.  For toll free audio-only access to the virtual meeting, please call (877) 286-5733 and enter ID: 431 695 078#.

You can view project materials and take an online survey by visiting the PennDOT District 4-0 website at: https://www.penndot.gov/RegionalOffices/district-4/PublicMeetings/Wayne County/Pages/default.aspx

If you have any questions, or would like to request a paper survey please contact the project hotline at (610) 234-5148 or Skinnersfallsbridge@aecom.com.

Work on this project will be in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and state Department of Health guidance as well as a project-specific COVID-19 safety plan, which may include protocols for social distancing, use of face coverings, personal and job-site cleaning protocols, management of entries to the jobsite, and relevant training.

To help make decisions regarding winter travel, motorists are encouraged to “Know Before You Go” by checking conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, 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. Users can also see plow truck statuses and travel alerts along a specific route using the “Check My Route” tool.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties at www.penndot.gov/District4. Information about infrastructure in District 4, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.gov/D4Results.

For more information on safe winter travel, an emergency kit checklist and information on PennDOT’s winter operations including a video, visit www.PennDOT.gov/winter. Additional winter driving and other highway safety information is available at www.PennDOT.gov/safety.

The Northeast Man and Woman of the Year Campaign has announced the nine candidates who think they have what it takes to earn the prestigious titles of Man & Woman of the Year, bringing us closer to a world without blood cancers. Year after year, individuals take on this challenge, although only two will win the official title, Man & Woman of the Year. The prestigious fundraising campaign embodies the idea that any individual can have an impact on cancer cures with hard work and dedication.

The candidates have set a goal of raising $100,000 during their 10 week campaign and have a goal of not only raising funds for lifesaving blood cancer research, but also raising awareness for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. 

To provide inspiration and motivation during their campaign, the candidates compete in honor of children who are local blood cancer survivors, also known as the “Boy & Girl of the Year.” This year’s fundraising is in honor of two blood cancer patient heroes, the 2021 Boy & Girl of the Year, Luca and Grace

The campaign Kicked off on March 16, 2021 with a Virtual event and will conclude with the Grand Finale Celebration on May 25, 2021.

“What happens between these two events is the heart of the race,” says Pamela Formica, LLS’s Campaign Development Director. “Throughout the 10 weeks, each candidate will host events and motivate their networks to raise money for blood cancer research. The man and woman who raise the most money will be named as the local Man & Woman of the Year and go on to compete for national honors.”

The 2021 candidates are:
Kristen Schoemig—Customer Service Manager, Price Chopper
Jennifer Narkavitch—Owner, My Girl Managed Services
Alec Senofonte—Owner, Titan Tree Services
Courtney Novak—Teacher, Scranton School District
Tony Piazza—Attorney, Piazza Law Group
Jim Talerico—Talerico’s Tropical Winery
Mike Parker-Attorney, Pond Lehocky Scranton
Mike Ruane—Vice President, Strategic Relationship Manager, John Hancock
Frank Ruggiero—Attorney, Campolieto-Ruggiero Law Offices

Visit the Northeast PA Man & Woman of the Year website (https://mwoy.org/mwoy-scranton-0) and learn how you can become engaged with LLS.

PLEXUSS 2021 Global Ranking recently notified Marywood University that it ranks #8 in Best in Pennsylvania Offering Architecture Programs, #14 Best in Pennsylvania Offering Legal Professions Programs, #15 Best in Pennsylvania Offering Environmental Studies Programs, and #15 Best Mathematics Schools in Pennsylvania. All of the rankings are based on the University’s undergraduate programs.

In addition to student feedback, PLEXUSS 2021 Global Ranking’s methodology incorporates extensive input from education partners, data scientists, employers, parents, and high school counselors. The PLEXUSS Global Ranking was developed with one group in mind—students.

For additional information about Marywood University, please visit marywood.edu, or call the Office of Admissions, at (570) 348-6234. For additional information about the PLEXUSS 2021 Global Ranking, please visit plexuss.com/college/marywood-university/ranking.

Women in Philanthropy (WIP), the initiative of the Scranton Area Community Foundation that focuses on empowering and transforming the lives of women, girls, and their families in the Lackawanna County region, announces the launch of a timely series of webinars exploring regional challenges affecting women and girls today.

The webinars focus on topics identified by Women in Philanthropy supporters as key interest areas to explore more in-depth. Each topic relates to women’s issues today post COVID-19 pandemic including civic engagement and advocacy, childcare, and affordable housing, and will seek to identify ways in which Women in Philanthropy can break barriers and provide funding to make an impact in each of these areas.

The Women in Philanthropy ‘Breaking Barriers’ Spring Webinar Series launches during Women’s History Month and during the week of International Women’s Day, at a time when people all across the globe are tuned into fostering a world in which women experience equality, support, and inclusiveness. 

Today, child care challenges are driving many women out of the workforce at an alarming rate. Child care is a pressing economic issue for working families across the country. The high cost of child care has become a burden for parents who need it to support their families.

Today, still under one-third of women hold positions in elective office.

Women in Philanthropy hopes to explore the factors that contribute to these realities on a local scale more thoroughly.

Each webinar in this series will include a panel discussion featuring regional voices offering diverse perspectives. Panelists during the first webinar—which takes place tonight, Thursday, March 11—will include voices from the Scranton School Board, the Community Justice Project, Black Scranton Project, NEPA Rainbow Alliance, and the League of Women Voters of Lackawanna County.

The webinar schedule is as follows:

Civic Engagement and Advocacy: Thursday, March 11, 2021, 5:00 p.m.

Affordable Childcare: Thursday, March 25, 2021, 5:00 p.m.

Affordable Housing: Thursday, April 8, 2021, 5:00 p.m.

Civic Engagement and Advocacy, Part 2:  Thursday, April 22, 2021, 4:00 p.m.

Affordable Childcare, Part 2: Thursday, May 6, 2021, 4:00 p.m.

Affordable Housing, Part 2: Thursday, May 20, 2021, 4:00 p.m.

The first sessions will lay the groundwork for future discussions. The follow-up webinars will include examples of solution-focused models to consider as Women in Philanthropy works to address the concerns that were raised in the first sessions, followed by small group discussions. Women in Philanthropy Supporters are invited and encouraged to attend the ‘Breaking Barriers’ Spring Webinar Series. Anyone and all are welcome to become a Women in Philanthropy Supporter. To become a Women in Philanthropy Supporter, simply visit https://supportnepawomen.org/become-a-supporter/ and complete the online form. Once-time donations to Women in Philanthropy are also accepted by making a contribution to The Fund for Women and Girls online at safdn.org. These webinars are open to the public but registration is required. Visit supportnepawomen.org/breakingbarriers to learn more.