Pennsylvania American Water Announces Disaster Relief Support The American Water Charitable Foundation (AWCF), a 501(c)(3) organization established by American Water, the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company, and Pennsylvania American Water, today announced a $10,000 donation to the Scranton Area Community Foundation to support disaster relief to flood victims in Lackawanna County. Areas of the county were impacted by heavy rains and flooding in early September. “Pennsylvania American Water, in collaboration with the American Water Charitable Foundation, is pleased to support the families and communities impacted by the devastating flooding that occurred,” said Justin Ladner, president of Pennsylvania American Water and a board member of the American Water Charitable Foundation. “We understand how critical clean, safe drinking water is in our daily lives and in times of emergencies. We hope this contribution can provide some assistance and relief to the residents of these affected communities who are still recovering from flood damage.” “We are grateful for the support from Pennsylvania American Water,” stated Laura Ducceschi, Scranton Area Community Foundation President and CEO. “The Lackawanna County Flood Relief Fund will aim to meet the greatest array of needs of the organizations and communities disproportionately impacted by flood events in Lackawanna County.” The Foundation’s Disaster Relief Grant Program is designed to increase the impact of American Water employee donations made in response to natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, fires and other extraordinary disaster events.
Johnson College to Hold Instant Decision Day for Veterans and Current U.S Military Service Members Johnson College’s Instant Decision Day for Veterans and those currently serving in the U.S. Military will be held on Friday, November 17, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. virtually and inside Woolworth Hall on the Johnson College Scranton campus. To register to attend in person or virtually, visit johnson.edu/instant. During the Instant Decision Event, Johnson College will provide prospective veteran students and those currently serving in the U.S. military with an immediate enrollment decision. They must supply their high school transcripts and can bring their college and military transcripts if applicable. It is highly recommended that the prospective student completes an application before attending. Applications for Johnson College’s Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiologic Technology, and Veterinary Nursing programs are excluded from instant decisions.
The Wayne Bank to Host Food Drive for Wayne County Food Pantry From November 13th through the 17th, Wayne Bank’s Honesdale Main Street Community Office will host a food drive to support the Wayne County Food Pantry. The Office will collect non-perishable food items including food, paper products, and personal care items during regular lobby hours. “There are many local families in need this time of year,” explained Jill Hessling, Vice President and Regional Manager for Wayne Bank. “Wayne Bank is committed to not only supporting our local neighbors with their financial goals, but we also care about their well-being and understand the importance of giving back. All items collected will be donated to the Wayne County Food Pantry. Just in time for Thanksgiving and the holiday season. Please consider taking a moment of your day to stop by with a donation that can help make a difference in our community.” The Wayne County Pantry Program is sponsored through County Government. It is operated under the leadership of the Wayne County Pantry Board which is comprised of private citizens. Board members are also coordinators at each of the pantry sites. The Wayne County Pantry Program has five sites located in strategic areas of the County to serve eligible County residents. The five food pantry sites can be found in Honesdale, Lakeville, Newfoundland, Lakewood, and Damascus. If you are interested in becoming involved with the food pantry or would like further information, please contact 570-253-4262 or visit https://www.waynecountypa.gov/169/Pantry.
PennDOT and The Shapiro Administration Announce Results of Operation Safe Stop 2023 Today, the Shapiro Administration released the results of Operation Safe Stop, an annual school bus enforcement and education initiative aimed at enhancing school bus safety for students across the Commonwealth. Held on October 18 this year, Operation Safe Stop is a one-day targeted enforcement and education event during which law enforcement agencies and participating school districts document occurrences of drivers violating Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law and emphasize the importance of school transportation safety. The press conference was hosted by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, West Shore Regional Police, and West Shore School District. This year’s Operation Safe Stop data revealed that participating school districts and law enforcement agencies reported witnessing 176 violations of the law, (down/up) from the 252 reported last year. “While we’re certainly glad that violations decreased this year, one incident of passing a school bus is one too many,” said PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Driver and Vehicle Services Kara Templeton. “If we saw this many violations in just one day, it’s clear that safety for our students traveling to and from school needs to be a continued focus for our communities and that motorists remain vigilant while sharing the road with school buses and students.” The School Bus Stopping Law requires motorists approaching a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended, to stop at least 10 feet from the bus. Motorists approaching from all directions are required to stop. However, motorists who encounter a school bus stopping on the opposite side of a divided highway are not required to stop when lanes of the highway are clearly separated by a divider, such as a concrete barrier or grassy median. “Drivers might consider the steep penalties if convicted of disobeying Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law – a $250 fine, five points on your driving record and a 60-day license suspension. The fine increases to $300 if someone is caught by a stop arm camera,” said Corporal Zeina Black, Permits and Bus Safety Unit Supervisor with the Pennsylvania State Police. “But even worse than these penalties, a tragedy could occur if either a driver or a student is not paying attention to their surroundings.” Some safety tips for students to remember while waiting for or loading and unloading the bus include: Get to the school bus stop at least five minutes early, so you won´t have to run across the road to catch the bus. When waiting for the bus, stay away from traffic. Line up at least five giant steps away from the curb or the roadway to wait for the bus. Never run after the school bus if it has already left the bus stop. Never push when getting on or off the school bus. “Student safety at school bus stops and in school zones is of the utmost importance and requires the undivided attention of all motorists,” said Department of Education Secretary Khalid N. Mumin. “Local school districts work hard to identify the safest locations possible for school bus stops and to train their staff. But to ensure that students remain safe, we urge all drivers to watch for the flashing lights of school buses and always stop when students are getting on and off.”
The Wright Center Honors American Diabetes Month Chances are, you know someone who has diabetes, whether it’s a family member or a close friend. The disease remains deadly serious, but thankfully, many medical advances have been made in recent years. And people are getting more proactive about their diabetes care than ever before. But there’s still work to be done, which makes causes like American Diabetes Month all the more integral to the battle. Observed during November and sponsored by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), American Diabetes Month is used to spread timely and relevant diabetes-related information. Among other things, it provides programs and education aimed at helping people prevent and manage diabetes through healthy living; advocates for the equitable treatment of those living with diabetes; funds research to advance treatment and ultimately find a cure for the disease; and makes an impact in local communities through donations and direct action. According to the ADA, about 37 million Americans currently live with diabetes, while nearly one in two people have diabetes or prediabetes – staggering and alarming statistics, no question. Genetics play a role in the disease’s prevalence, but so do poor lifestyle choices. With that in mind, we at The Wright Center for Community Health are doing our part to combat diabetes locally through our Lifestyle Medicine initiative, which can now be found at all of our primary and preventive care practices throughout Northeast Pennsylvania. No doubt, medications and cutting-edge treatments play an essential role in our long-term health, but we should all be doing as much as we can to take a more proactive, rather than reactive, approach to our health. Lifestyle Medicine adheres to this philosophy by helping individuals and families improve their health and quality of life by adopting and sustaining lifestyle behaviors, including eliminating tobacco use, improving diet, practicing stress relief techniques, increasing physical activity, strengthening personal relationships and connections, and adjusting sleep habits for better, more restorative rest. It’s not alternative medicine but rather an evidence-based approach that very well could revolutionize health care in America. The Lifestyle Medicine concept is increasingly gaining traction in the medical community precisely because the data shows it can prevent, treat, or even reverse diseases like diabetes, as well as cancer and hypertension. It’s really all about making those conscious choices to alter our behaviors for the better, and our team, trained in both conventional medicine and Lifestyle Medicine, works with patients to create a personalized lifestyle self-care plan that you can implement and sustain. Many people with diabetes struggle with their weight, which inevitably puts them at risk of developing heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke. And that makes them prime candidates not only for Lifestyle Medicine but also for our Obesity Medicine services. For anyone suffering from a weight-related illness, The Wright Center offers non-surgical approaches to manage better, care for, and overcome obesity. Our board-certified obesity medicine physicians consider all the relevant factors – environmental, genetic, behavioral, and nutritional – that lead to excessive weight gain and, from there, offer evidence-based approaches to provide patients with the safest, most effective weight loss solutions available. By getting to an ideal weight, you can significantly decrease the likelihood of developing chronic conditions while markedly improving the overall quality of your life. Diabetes remains a very serious disease, but prevention and treatment are well within reach thanks to modern medicine and an overall healthier approach to living. It can be done – trust the process. Douglas Klamp, M.D., a board-certified internal medicine physician, see patients ages 18 and over at The Wright Center for Community Health Clarks Summit Practice. He also serves as the senior vice president and chief medical education officer of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, as well as associate program director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program.
NEPIRC Adds SafeLandUSA Certification to Expanded Safety Training Portfolio The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) announces that Brian Matyjevich, Lean enterprise consultant and authorized OSHA outreach trainer, recently obtained SafeLandUSA trainer certification from West Virginia University. SafeLandUSA training is an eight-hour course that meets the requirements of several regulations pertaining to safety standards applicable to the natural gas and Marcellus Shale industry, particularly API RP 75 and API RP T-1. SafeLandUSA training enables employees to recognize potential workplace hazards and follow the safety requirements of an industry with which they may have limited familiarity. Although SafeLandUSA was developed with the oil and gas industry in mind, many topics presented are applicable to other energy and manufacturing sectors. “I’m honored to offer training that will empower oil and gas workers to make safe decisions for their livelihood,” said Matyjevich. “The results of this training include creating a more efficient, sustainable and productive workforce that drives progress and shapes the future of energy,” he added. As NEPIRC continues its mission to support the manufacturing sector by providing exceptional consulting and training services, its SafeLandUSA offering adds another element to its comprehensive safety training portfolio. NEPIRC is confident that this development will contribute to a safer working environment for clients and their employees. NEPIRC offers OSHA 10 & 30, HAZWOPER, Forklift and 35 other safety courses along with a free confidential EHS Gemba walk.
Marywood University to Hold Wind Symphony Concert on Nov. 12 Marywood University’s music, theatre, and dance (MTD) department recently announced that the University’s Wind Symphony will present English Folks Songs, on Sunday, November 12, 2023, at 4 p.m., in the Sette LaVerghetta Center for Performing Arts. The concert will feature: “Army of The Nile” by Kenneth Alford; “Lincolnshire Posy” by Percy Aldridge Grainger; “Fantasy on English Folk Songs” by Gene F. Milford; “Three Studies in English Folk Song” by Ralph Vaughan Williams, and “Children’s March” by Percy Aldridge Grainger. The wind ensemble will be conducted by Fred David Romines, D.M.A., director of bands and co-chair of the Music, Theatre, and Dance Department at Marywood University. During a 43-year professional career, Dr. Romines has directed bands from public and private schools, community groups, collegiate ensembles, military, and professional organizations. The Wind Symphony Concert is free and open to the public. For more information and to learn about other Marywood University MTD events, go to marywood.edu/mtd and scroll to the bottom of the page to view upcoming performances.
Lackawanna College Police Academy Director Appointed Commissioner for CLEAR Commission Lackawanna College Police Academy Director Kevin Mahoney has been appointed as one of the 11 Commissioners for the Citizens Law Enforcement Advisory and Review (CLEAR) Commission. This comes after Governor Josh Shapiro signed Executive Order 2023-21, establishing the CLEAR Commission to ensure transparency and accountability within state law enforcement agencies. The CLEAR Commission brings together law enforcement experts and criminal justice reform advocates from across Pennsylvania to collaboratively address public safety concerns and enhance accountability measures. Mahoney’s appointment as commissioner recognizes his experience in the field and dedication to continuing responsible law enforcement practices. With over 25 years of service in the Pennsylvania State Police, Mahoney held various supervisory positions, including roles as a criminal investigation unit supervisor, station commander for Troop R Gibson and commander of internal affairs, eastern division, for the Bureau of Integrity and Professional Standards. Governor Shapiro’s selection of Mahoney is reflected in his earlier nomination to serve on the Municipal Police Officers’ Training Commission (MPOETC). The nomination was approved unanimously by the Pennsylvania Senate on June 21, 2023.
FNCB Bank Donates $15,000 to the NEIU 19 Core Foundation FNCB Bank, locally based since 1910, has announced a $15,000 Pennsylvania Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) donation to the NEIU 19 CORE Foundation. The NEIU 19 is an educational agency that supports the diverse needs of all learners by collaborating with families, educators, and community partners to provide innovative leadership, programs, and services. FNCB’s donation will help the foundation fund the afterschool & competition program, Arts Alliance, Technology & the Arts, and STEAM Camp programs for the 20 school districts served by the NEIU. Since 2010, FNCB has contributed $3,000,000 to local educational and scholarship organizations through the EITC initiative.The support of the NEIU 19 CORE Foundation is part of FNCB’s larger Community Caring initiative. As a true local community bank, FNCB Bank is making a difference through volunteerism, donations, and outreach programs.
Broadway in Scranton Announces Season Ticket Sale Broadway in Scranton’s 5-Show Season Tickets are now available! This package includes HAIRSPRAY, ANNIE, THE CHER SHOW, COME FROM AWAY, and PRETTY WOMAN – THE MUSICAL. 5-Show Season Tickets can be purchased online at BroadwayInScranton.com, in person at the Broadway Theatre League (BTL) office (345 North Washington Ave, Scranton, PA) or by calling the BTL office at 570-342-7784. BTL Office Hours are Monday – Friday 10AM – 4PM. Prices for this 5-Show Season Ticket package are $205, $280, $330 and $395. Remember that BroadwayInScranton.com and ticketmaster.com are the only official online outlets to purchase tickets for Broadway In Scranton. Season Ticket benefits include: The Best Seats … Select your seats prior to shows going on saleSame Great Seat … The same seat for each showValue … over buying individual show tickets… Season Tickets save time & money!Convenience … One order and you get tickets to all season showsPayment plans … Flexible payment plan options available to space your purchase out over time. (NOTE: Payment plans cannot be arranged online and must be arranged in person at the BTL office or over the phone at 570.342.7784.)Ticket Exchange … If you cannot attend a performance, you can exchange your tickets for another performance of the same show.Guaranteed Nights Out … Season Tickets provide you the opportunity to pre-plan nights outFree Ticket Insurance … Lose your tickets? No problem! We’ll replace them at no charge. Extra Shows & Tickets … Season Ticket holders are the first to hear about any extra shows that are added throughout the season and receive advance purchase privileges HAIRSPRAY_ ______ January 12 – 14 “If life were everything it should be, it would be more like HAIRSPRAY. It’s irresistible!” – The New York Times You Can’t Stop the Beat! HAIRSPRAY, Broadway’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon is back on tour! Join 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world? Featuring the beloved score of hit songs including “Welcome to the ‘60s,” “Good Morning Baltimore” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” HAIRSPRAY is “fresh, winning, and deliriously tuneful!” (The New York Times). This all-new touring production reunites Broadway’s award-winning creative team led by Director Jack O’Brien and Choreographer Jerry Mitchell to bring HAIRSPRAY to a new generation of theater audiences. Don’t miss this “exhilaratingly funny and warm-hearted musical comedy” (The New Yorker). ANNIE ______ February 16 – 18 Holding onto hope when times are tough can take an awful lot of determination, and sometimes, an awful lot of determination comes in a surprisingly small package. Little Orphan Annie has reminded generations of theatergoers that sunshine is always right around the corner, and now the best-loved musical of all time is set to return in a new production–just as you remember it and just when we need it most. ANNIE, directed by Jenn Thompson, features the iconic book and score, written by Tony Award®-winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin. This celebration of family, optimism and the American spirit remains the ultimate cure for all the hard knocks life throws your way. THE CHER SHOW ______ March 1 – 3 Superstars come and go. Cher is forever. For six straight decades, only one unstoppable force has flat-out dominated popular culture – breaking down barriers, pushing boundaries and letting nothing and no one stand in her way. THE CHER SHOW is the Tony Award®-winning musical of her story, and it’s packed with so much Cher that it takes three women to play her: the kid starting out, the glam pop star, and the icon. THE CHER SHOW is 35 smash hits, six decades of stardom, two rock-star husbands, a Grammy®, an Oscar®, an Emmy®, and enough Tony Award-winning Bob Mackie gowns to cause a sequin shortage in New York City, all in one unabashedly fabulous new musical that will have audiences dancing in the aisles! COME FROM AWAY ______ April 5 – 7 Broadway’s COME FROM AWAY is a Best Musical winner all across North America! This New York Times Critics’ Pick takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. Don’t miss this breathtaking new musical written by Tony® nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein, and helmed by Tony-winning Best Director, Christopher Ashley. Newsweek cheers, “It takes you to a place you never want to leave!” On 9/11, the world stopped. On 9/12, their stories moved us all. PRETTY WOMAN – THE MUSICAL May 17 – 19 PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL, based on one of Hollywood’s most beloved romantic stories of all time, springs to life with a powerhouse creative team led by two-time Tony Award®-winning director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray, Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde). PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL features an original score by Grammy® winner Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance (“Summer of ’69”, “Heaven”), and a book by the movie’s legendary director Garry Marshall and screenwriter J. F. Lawton. PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL will lift your spirits and light up your heart. “If you love the movie, you’ll love the musical!” (BuzzFeed News).
