Lackawanna College Pinky Swear PACK Honored for Fundraising Efforts The Lackawanna College Pinky Swear Ambassadors on College Campuses to Help Kids with Cancer (PACK) were honored at a virtual event on May 26 by the Pinky Swear Foundation for raising $4,200, becoming the second top fundraising group in the foundation’s “It Takes Two” fundraiser out of 69 registered PACKs around the country. “This award shows the dedication of our students in their mission to support children and their families who are living with pediatric cancer,” said Stephanie McDaniels, faculty advisor for Lackawanna College PACK. “We look forward to continuing our work with the Pinky Swear Foundation to spread awareness, fundraise, develop student leaders on our campus and make a difference.” The Lackawanna College PACK raised the funds by hosting a basket raffle that included a large spring-inspired basket valued at over $400 including gift cards, chocolate, and surprises donated by Lackawanna College PACK students. The basket raffle pulled in a remarkable amount of donations from Lackawanna College students, faculty, staff, and the Scranton community. This was Lackawanna College PACK’s first fundraiser. “We are always amazed at the incredible passion and dedication of our Pinky Swear PACK members,” said Frankie Behr, Pinky Swear Foundation Student Leadership Manager. “The efforts seen from the Lackawanna PACK are incredibly creative and we are even more excited that every dollar they raised will actually be tripled thanks to our partners at KLN Family Brands and a generous family foundation. This support will help so many families when they need to most – right now.” Learn more at www.lackawanna.edu.
PA CareerLink® Lackawanna County Now Open for In-Person Visits Staff is available to help with your training and employment needs. Employers have posted well over 2500 job orders in the last 6 months and are searching for qualified applicants. Beginning June 1st, we are available for in-person visits from 8:30 – 4:30 p.m. every day with appointments recommended. All COVID protocol will be followed.
Johnson College to Host In-Person Get to know Us Event On Tuesday, June 29, 2021, Johnson College is holding a Get To Know Us Event for adult and transfer students from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Moffat Student Center on its campus in Scranton, PA. Current college students interested in changing the direction of their education and adults looking to change their career paths are encouraged to attend. To register, visit Johnson.edu/transfer or contact Johnson College’s enrollment team at enroll@johnson.edu or (570) 702-8856. Attendees will meet with representatives from Enrollment, Financial Aid, and Career Services. In addition, staff members from the Registrar’s Office will be on-hand for transfer credit analyses and review potential schedules for the upcoming semester. Attendees will also learn why Johnson College is the leader in hands-on education, how it exposes students to industry from day one, and how its two-year degree programs, focusing on careers in essential industries, have the highest return on investment in the short term. Johnson College provides real-world, hands-on learning in a caring environment and prepares graduates to enter into or advance in their careers. Johnson College degrees become essential careers. Johnson College was founded in 1912, and is the region’s premier technical college, offering 15 associate degree and 3 academic certificate programs. An emphasis on hands-on instruction is supported by a low student-to-teacher ratio. Located in Scranton on a 44-acre campus, the College is an accredited, private, non-profit, co-educational institution with a strong tradition of working with regional businesses and industries to ensure a skilled and qualified workforce. For additional information on Johnson College, please call 1-800-2-WE-WORK, email enroll@johnson.edu, or visit Johnson.edu.
Geisinger Continuing Walk-In COVID-19 Vaccines this Week Geisinger continues to make it easier to get a COVID-19 vaccine by offering walk-in vaccine events this week at its four vaccine centers. Walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations will be available: Thursday, June 3, at the Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital Vaccine Center, 116 Kerr Ave., Jersey Shore, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Friday, June 4, at the Geisinger CenterPoint Vaccine Center, 300 Keystone Ave., Pittston, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Saturday, June 5, at the Geisinger Hughes Center Vaccine Center, 9 Stearns Lane, Danville, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Saturday, June 5, at the Geisinger Lewistown Hospital Vaccine Center, 400 Highland Ave. Ext., Lewistown, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Geisinger is offering the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at all locations, which is a two-dose vaccine administered 21 days apart. Walk-in vaccines are available to anyone age 12 and over, but those under 18 years old must have a parent or legal guardian with them to receive their vaccine doses. The vaccine centers are staffed with pediatric teams, including pediatricians, to answer any questions and assist with the vaccinations. Geisinger continues to offer COVID-19 vaccines by appointment at its four vaccine centers, and those can be made through myGeisinger or by calling 570-284-3657. To check on additional walk-in vaccine days and times, and for more information about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit geisinger.org/COVIDVax.
Six Munley Law Attorneys Recognized by Pennsylvania Super Lawyers® Munley Law is pleased to announce that six of their lawyers have been included in the 2021 Edition of Pennsylvania Super Lawyers. Marion K. Munley, Robert W. Munley, III, Daniel W. Munley, James Christopher Munley, and John M. Mulcahey all received the designation, which recognizes only 5% of attorneys in the United States. Marion Munley was also named a Top 50 Women Pennsylvania Super Lawyer. In addition, Katie Nealon was named to the 2021 list of Pennsylvania’s Rising Stars, which acknowledges just 2.5% of American lawyers who have been practicing for less than 10 years. Marion K. MunleyRobert W. Munley, IIIDaniel W. MunleyJames Christopher MunleyJohn M. MulcaheyKatie Nealon To be included in Super Lawyers, an attorney must be nominated by his/her peers or identified by the Super Lawyers research department; lawyers cannot nominate themselves nor can they pay to be recognized on the list. Nominated attorneys are subjected to a thorough evaluation and selectionprocess.
Marywood University Offers Summer Visit Options to Fit Any Schedule Marywood University is offering visit options that will fit any schedule throughout the summer. Visit options include Summer Saturdays, Transfer Tuesdays, and weekday on campus and virtual personal meetings. Beginning in June and continuing through to the start of the fall semester, small group information sessions with admissions counselors, as well as a campus tour will be offered each Saturday, at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. Summer Saturdays at Marywood University are held in the Nazareth Student Center, in the Fireplace Lounge. To register, please visit admissions.marywood.edu/portal/summer_saturdays. For those ready to start something new, Marywood University will hold its Transfer Tuesdays program for college students or former college students who are considering transferring to Marywood University. Marywood welcomes transfer students at all stages of their college careers. Transfer Tuesdays opportunities will take place on the following Tuesdays: June 22, July 20, and August 17, 2021. Those interested can schedule an appointment every half hour beginning at 2 p.m. For additional information, or to register for the summer Transfer Tuesdays program, please call Marywood University’s Office of University Admissions, at (570) 348-6234, email YourFuture@marywood.edu, or visit marywood.edu/transfernow. Personal weekday campus visits with Marywood University admissions counselors and campus tours are offered all year Monday-Friday, at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m. To register for a personal weekday visit, please visit www.admissions.marywood.edu/visit. For those unable to visit campus in person, virtual personal appointments are available Monday – Friday, at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m. Join an admissions counselor by phone or video chat. Learn more about Marywood’s academic programs, campus life, athletics, financial aid, and more—all from the comfort of your home. To register for a virtual personal appointment, please visit www.admissions.marywood.edu/portal/virtual_appointment. For additional information about Marywood University’s visit options, please call the University’s Office of Admissions, at (570) 348-6234, or www.marywood.edu/visit.
Soldiers Ready to Make Field Repairs Thanks to Tobyhanna Army Depot Tobyhanna Army Depot has renewed a partnership that ensures warfighters can access repair facilities on the battlefield. The depot and Product Manager for Sets, Kits, Outfits and Tools (PdM SKOT) will work together to produce new versions of the Armament Repair Shop Set, dubbed the “ARSS V2.” The workload remains at Tobyhanna after an extremely successful partnership that began with the original ARSS in 2015. The ARSS is a transportable shelter that serves as a place for Soldiers to repair anything from small arms to field artillery. It comes equipped with a generator for mobile power, an environmental control unit (ECU), and a wide variety of tools to keep military equipment battle-ready. Michael Cook, a logistics management specialist in the Production Management Directorate, said the new iteration of the ARSS incorporates several important process improvements. “The asset is no longer mounted on a trailer, and ARSS V2 has eliminated the need for ramps or ramp boxes. In addition, a smaller ECU replaces the larger, more cumbersome unit from ARSS V1.” Research, design and development for the ARSS V2 took several years, according to Brian Thomas, an engineer in the Production Engineering Directorate. Depot personnel worked closely with PdM SKOT as well as representatives from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center to create a prototype based upon Soldier feedback as well as depot “lessons learned.” Depot personnel fast-tracked completion of the prototype shelter over six months in early 2019. Once complete, the prototype was subjected to two months of rigorous transportability testing at the Aberdeen Test Center in Aberdeen, Maryland. Since testing concluded, pre-production planning has continued on the endeavor. Those involved say the new asset will be a big success. “The final ARSS V2 is easier and cheaper to produce – a win for both Tobyhanna and our customer, PdM SKOT,” Thomas said. “In addition, it is more user-friendly for the Soldier.” Donald Vozzi agreed. “We are extremely proud of ARSS V2 – especially because we’ve been able to cut the asset’s production time in half. That means Soldiers in the field are getting the equipment they need quicker.” Vozzi is the chief of the Systems Integration and Support (SIS) Directorate’s Electronic Shelter Systems Branch. David Graham is the Assistant Product Manager for ARSS V1 and V2 at PdM SKOT. He says the partnership has been a great experience. “Tobyhanna has done a great job with ARSS V1 and we are excited to begin building ARSS V2. We are pleased to have a partner in identifying manufacturing efficiencies.” The completed ARSS V2 is the culmination of collaboration across many depot organizations. Necessary cabling is built in SIS’s Strategic Systems Cable Branch, while other SIS artisans fabricate brackets, raceways, and work benches. SIS also supports vital testing operations for the ARSS V2 internal generator and ECU to ensure proper operation as well as refinishing requirements such as metal deburring and painting. Overarching project support comes from the Production Engineering, Production Management and Quality Management Directorates. “Like many projects at Tobyhanna, ARSS V2 is a team effort. We [SIS] couldn’t do it without our teammates,” said Vozzi. The continued partnership between Tobyhanna and PdM SKOT is directly aligned with the depot’s long-range strategic plan, TOBY2028 – specifically the C5ISR Readiness and Shape the Future lines of effort. Heather Fiedler, the overall lead for TOBY2028, says partnerships are key to a successful future for Tobyhanna. “Tobyhanna Army Depot is actively engaged in over 100 current and prospective partnerships, which provide numerous benefits to both parties. These co-operative efforts allow us to best meet mission requirements for America’s warfighters.” The ARSS workload is funded as a multi-million dollar program over the coming years – with growth potential. “PdM SKOT is very happy with our support,” said Therese Paxton, the project manager for ARSS V2. “I believe we will have many opportunities to partner with them in the future in support of warfighter readiness.”
Settlers Hospitality Makes an Investment in its Workforce At the start of what promises to be a busy summer season, Settlers Hospitality announced an ambitious program to benefit its 300 plus strong workforce. The plan calls for an increased starting wage of $15 an hour company wide. The base living wage will be extended to current employees as well as new hires. The investment in its team is also an acknowledgment of the rising cost of living throughout Northeast PA. Additionally, salaried staff will see a cost of living increase and the company is also planning to expand its employee benefits package. “We want all our employees to be able to live and play in the community where we work,” explained CEO/Owner Justin Genzlinger. “Our team is undoubtedly our greatest asset. This is our way of expressing how much we value everyone at Settlers Hospitality and want to help them secure their future.” Guests may notice new initiatives that will enable the program by directly benefitting employees, which will enhance the quality of the visitor experience overall. Settlers Hospitality has multiple openings for full and part-time positions at all of its locations. Potential candidates can begin a career in the hospitality industry with a role that matches their interests and availability. Applicants may find employment as waitstaff, bartenders, chefs, bakers, housekeepers, personal trainers, baristas, dishwashers, front desk staff, maintenance workers, event planners and more. “We’re proud to lead the way among the hospitality industry in the Pocono Mountains with this investment in our team,” said Genzlinger. “Not only is this a well-deserved boost for our staff, it’s a sign of confidence in the return of tourism, and business in general, after an unprecedented year of challenges.” For more information about job openings, visit settlershospitality.com.
Scranton Area Community Foundation to Host NEPA Gives The Scranton Area Community Foundation, in partnership with The Luzerne Foundation, Greater Pike Community Foundation, Wayne County Community Foundation, Carbon County Community Foundation, The Community Foundation of the Endless Mountains, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Nonprofit & Community Assistance Center (NCAC), and other community sponsors, will host NEPA Gives on Friday, June 4, 2021. Promoted as the single largest day of philanthropy in Northeastern Pennsylvania, NEPA Gives is a one-day, 24-hour, online giving extravaganza that’s all about giving back to the community. NEPA Gives aims to raise awareness about the critical work nonprofit organizations carry out across the region and aims to help charitable organizations raise much-needed funds, especially during these challenging times. Over 240 nonprofit organizations from across eight counties in Northeastern Pennsylvania will participate in NEPA Gives. “NEPA Gives is all about supporting charities that are doing important work right here in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Laura Ducceschi, President and CEO of the Scranton Area Community Foundation. “We know that during these challenging times, nonprofits need our support especially now. We have teamed up with various community partners and businesses eager to provide support for NEPA Gives and we are thrilled to announce that we have secured over $450,000 in incentives, bonuses, and matching funds available to participating nonprofits which helps make charitable donations go further during NEPA Gives.” Members of the community wishing to make a contribution for NEPA Gives can visit www.nepagives.org anytime between 12:00 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. on Friday, June 4, 2021, to make a secure donation to any of the 240 participating nonprofit organizations. This is the second year for NEPA Gives. Last year, NEPA Gives raised over half a million dollars for 167 nonprofit organizations. Offline donations are also accepted by check made payable to the Scranton Area Foundation indicating “NEPA Gives” in the memo mailed to the Scranton Area Community Foundation, 615 Jefferson Avenue, Suite 102, Scranton, PA 18510. Offline donations to the Scranton Area Foundation via check will be split evenly among all participating nonprofits. Donors wishing to contribute to a specific nonprofit organization offline should contact the specific participating nonprofit for further instructions. The Scranton Area Community Foundation is not able to accept offline donations to specific organizations for NEPA Gives. To learn more about #NEPAGives, visit nepagives.org or contact Brittany Pagnotti, Communications Manager of the Scranton Area Community Foundation at 570-347-6203.
New Law Updates CDL Licensing Requirements The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that a recently enacted state law, Act 131 of 2020, extends the validity period of a commercial learner’s permit and helps address the issue of human trafficking through severe penalties levied on commercial drivers or those who wish to obtain a commercial driver’s license. “This law helps ensure commercial drivers have adequate time to prepare for their commercial driving test while also addressing punishment for a serious crime,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. Act 131 of 2020 extends the validity period of a commercial learner’s permit from 180 days to one year. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently changed regulations to allow a jurisdiction the choice of the 180-day commercial learner’s permit with an additional 180-day extension or a one-year commercial learner’s permit. A one-year permit is more convenient for customers, giving them more time to prepare for their skills test. Additionally, a longer validity period means that fewer customers will need to extend their permit, which will help decrease customer traffic in driver license centers. This section of the law became effective May 23, 2021. Act 131 will also update requirements and restrictions for commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders, including reporting requirements for convictions and violations. One of these changes disqualifies an individual from operating a commercial motor vehicle for life if they are convicted of using a commercial motor vehicle to commit certain forms of severe human trafficking. This section of the law became effective May 25, 2021. For more information on Driver and Vehicle Services, please visit www.dmv.pa.gov. 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; and driver exam scheduling. There are no additional fees for using online services. Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PennDOTNews, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennsylvaniaDepartmentofTransportation.
