PEMA’S Public Damage Assessment Link

The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) has launched a Public Damage Assessment Link (below) for area residents and businesses to report the damage done to their properties in the affected municipalities by the September 9 storm. 

PEMA and Lackawanna County 911 and EMA officials stress the reporting link is not an application for assistance nor a guarantee of assistance. 

It is a step in the State’s process to alert Commonwealth and local officials where to go for damage assessment. 

The link will be open from today (September 13) through Sunday, September 24. 

 The link of Public Damage Assessment is link https://damage-assessment-3-pema.hub.arcgis.com

After clicking on the link, residents must then look for the incident name/title from the drop-down box 09/09/2023 Northeast PA Flooding Public Report. 

This is the only location where the information can be submitted and accepted. It vitally important to fill out the assessment to help State and local officials gauge the damage and then plan the recovery effort.

County staff will be available at the Multi Agency Resource Center (MARC) to assist residents and business owners in filling out the assessment if they are experiencing difficulties in navigating the form.        

It is also very important that all residents and business owners document all of the damage to their property via written copy and photos.  Everyone should also keep track of the expenses and hold onto all receipts involved in the cleanup and recovery of their properties. 

Next Steps For Those Impacted By The September 9th Storm

Lackawanna County’s Emergency Management and 911 agencies are working with PEMA and State officials on the next steps needed to provide information to the residents and businesses affected by the Weather Event that occurred on September 9th.    

Lackawanna County EMA and 911 are also collaborating with PEMA and State officials on setting-up a Multi Agency Resource Center (MARC) where impacted residents and businesses can obtain information on available programs, learn what the next steps would be for their repair and cleanup work, and connect with resources and personnel that can help. The proposed dates for the MARC would be September 21, 22, and 23, with a location to be determined.

Over the next several weeks, State and local officials will be out assessing damages for the purpose of meeting State and Federal guidelines for Emergency Declarations.

The Lackawanna County Commissioners, Lackawanna County Emergency Management, and 911 stress once again that all residents and business owners must document all the damage to their property via written copy and photos. Everyone should also keep track of the expenses (receipts) involved in the cleanup and recovery of their properties in case individual assistance becomes available in the future. 

Residents and business owners should check the County’s website, social media, and the news for updates on the storm recovery initiatives.  

Commissioners Authorize Declaration of Disaster Emergency

The Lackawanna County Commissioners have authorized a Declaration of Disaster Emergency for the County due to the catastrophic storms that swept through the area on Saturday evening, September 9.

While the Declaration is for several specific areas hit the hardest, it also covers the entire County. Other communities that were affected and/or experienced damaged are encouraged to send in information requesting assistance.

State, County, local and EMA officials have toured several communities impacted the hardest to survey the damage. 

Government officials are advising residents and business owners to document all of the damage to their property via written copy and photos. The data should be sent to their respective city, township, or municipality. It will then be submitted to the County’s EMA office and then on to PEMA for assistance. 

Delcaration of Disaster Relief

Applications Open for the 2023–24 TechCelerator Program

A technology business idea in Lackawanna County could lead to $10,000 to jump-start an entrepreneur’s dream. The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce is announcing the second program year of TechCelerator @Lackawanna County: a collaborative effort of Lackawanna County, the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern PA, The Chamber and its affiliate IGNITE, and tecBRIDGE.

“Lackawanna County is thrilled to help facilitate the funding for entrepreneurs to see their dreams get started right in our county. Individuals who are even considering starting a tech-base business should apply to the TechCelerator @Lackwanna County program. Our goal is to see our community’s base diversify and new businesses be successful from start to finish in their entrepreneurial journey,” shared Jerry Notarianni, Chairman of the County Commissioners.

TechCelerator @LackawannaCounty returns this fall. The program is a ten-week, in-person experience where participants have access to mentors, educational opportunities, and access to subject matter experts on topics like business formation strategies, customer discovery, marketing, financial planning, and risk management. The result of the ten weeks is to build, share, and pitch for their early-stage start-ups. The program is presented in collaboration with the University of Scranton’s Small Business Development Center, Carbondale Technology Transfer Center, Penn State Scranton’s Launchbox, and the Venture Lab at Lackawanna College.

“Supporting entrepreneurship is at the core of the Chamber’s mission—to Attract, Sustain, and, in this case, Grow in our region. This is a natural extension of our ongoing efforts to assist business start-ups through the IGNITE program, where our regional network of partners is working together to provide the platform for entrepreneurial success,” says Bob Durkin, president of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.

TechCelerator @LackawannaCounty is a competitive application process. All Lackawanna County residents with tech and for-profit business ideas or early start-ups are encouraged to submit applications, but not all will be selected to participate.

To apply, visit the Chamber’s entrepreneurship and incubator affiliate, IGNITE, website, www.IGNITE.ScrantonChamber.com/TechCelerator. Applications will remain open until Thursday, September 14, 2023.

About The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization that works to improve the area’s economic environment and quality of life by offering programs and services which stimulate economic growth, promote business prosperity and nurture educational opportunities. For more information about The Chamber, visit www.scrantonchamber.com.

Governor Shapiro Nominates LC Police Academy Director for Commission Position

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro nominated Lackawanna College Police Academy Director and retired Pennsylvania State Police Lieutenant Kevin F. Mahoney to serve on the Municipal Police Officers’ Training Commission (MPOETC). Mahoney’s nomination was unanimously approved by the Pennsylvania Senate on June 21, 2023.

The Municipal Police Officers’ Education & Training Commission, consisting of 20 members appointed by Governor Shapiro, began in 1974 to establish certification and training standards for Municipal Police Officers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. One seat on the Commission is appointed to a certified Police Academy Director, previously held by Harrisburg Area Community College Police Academy Director Patricia Dombrowsky.   

Mahoney served with the Pennsylvania State Police for over 25 years before joining Lackawanna College in July 2021 as Assistant Director of Police Academy Operations, and was appointed Director in May of 2022. At the time of his retirement from the State Police in June of 2021, he served as Commander of the Criminal Investigation Section for Troop R – Dunmore, encompassing Lackawanna, Susquehanna, Wayne and Pike Counties.

“I am honored to have been selected by Governor Shapiro to serve on the Commission, and look forward to working closely with my fellow Commissioners to accomplish our shared goals in support of Law Enforcement Training in the Commonwealth,” Mahoney said.

Lackawanna College operates Police Academies at both their Hazleton and Scranton campuses. The enrollment period is currently open for both programs, which are scheduled to commence in October 2023 (Hazleton) and January 2024 (Scranton). For more information, please visit https://www.lackawanna.edu/certificates/police-academy-act-120/.

NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania Holds SafetyWorks Week for Seniors

NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania (NWNEPA) will serve 30 older adult homeowners in West Scranton with much needed interior and exterior painting and small repairs throughout Lackawanna County as part of SafetyWorks Week for Seniors, July 3th – 7th, 2023.

More than 200 volunteers will be coming from all over the northern portion of the United States through a partnership between NeighborWorks and Group Mission Trips, Inc. to make the weeklong event possible. As NeighborWorks has recently kicked off West Side Scranton’s ten-year plan to increase livability in the area, the focus of the volunteer work for the week will be the West Scranton community.

Throughout the week volunteers will provide exterior painting to whole homes, window frames and porches and steps. Interior painting of kitchens, dining rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms will spruce up older homes adding value and increasing the quality of life for older adults who can no longer tend to their homes safely.

NeighborWorks has hosted Group Mission Trips, Inc. volunteers for seven previous workcamps, mobilizing 2,158 volunteers, equating to approximately 50,000 hours of volunteer labor (worth over $1.4 million) to make needed repairs to over 320 separate properties in Lackawanna County. This year Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, along with Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging, donated funds to provide the materials for the volunteers to use while serving the older adults in Scranton.

Commonwealth of PA Holds Community Meeting to Discuss the Region’s Access to the Internet

The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce’s government affairs and advocacy committee is committed to representing and being a voice for the business community to the local, state, and federal legislators. A priority for The Chamber’s government committee is access to broadband internet across the Wyoming Valley for its residents and businesses.

On Tuesday, July 11, at 11 a.m., The PA Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) is holding a community meeting to hear from the general public’s experience with internet access. The community meeting will be at the Lackawanna County Center for Public Safety in Jessup, PA.

Sign-up!

Scrantastic Spectacular

On Monday, July 3, Lackawanna County will hold the 2023 Scrantastic Spectacular

Courthouse Square in Scranton comes alive as Lehigh Valley Hospital Dickson City Presents the Lackawanna County Scrantastic Spectacular!

Bring the family and enjoy great foods, games and bounce houses for the kids, local bands on The Scranton Recycling Side Stage, and a LIVE performance from Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic Brass and Percussion Members beginning at 8 PM. Then sit back and enjoy the best fireworks display in NEPA sponsored in part by Alleima!

NOTE: Fireworks launch location is now at the Linden St. Garage above Catch 21. See the map for the best viewing locations.

Information provided by https://www.scrantasticspectacular.com/

This event is sponsored in part by Scranton Tomorrow, the Lackawanna County Commissioners, The City of Scranton, and Audacy Pennsylvania.

Lackawanna Winter Market – Chamber Holiday Showcase

The 2022 Holiday Showcase is an opportunity for you to feature 1-3 products and/or services in a brief live interview conducted by The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. This event will recorded and shared on The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and Lackawanna County social media platforms throughout the holiday season. 

Sign Up to Participate Today

Vendor set up must be completed by times noted below at The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce offices, 222 Mulberry Street, Scranton, PA. Vendor space not set up by start time will be forfeited.  Off street parking in the chamber driveway is available for unloading, set up and duration of filming.  

Set up by 9:15 AM – Show starts at 9:30 AM
Set up by 1:15 PM – Show starts at 1:30 PM 


Vendors will be assigned 5’ of table-top space in the Chamber boardroom, which are pre-set tables, secured together and cannot be moved.  (We will work with any special requests for vendors with larger products.)  Camera and host will move around the room from vendor to vendor interviewing individually for maximum of five (5) minutes per vendor.  

After your recording you will have a few minutes to pack up your products, please keep your set simple to allow easy transition to the next businees.

Questions and additional information:

Vendors should be prepared to have one (1) representative on-camera who can speak with host about featured products at minimal length and answer questions from host as part of the sales process. On-air representative should also be knowledgeable about vendor purchasing, payment, delivery/shipping options and product availability.

Lackawanna Winter Market Vendors please contact Anthracite Events for more information.

Lackawanna County Grant Process Still Accepting Applications

Annually the United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties supports a grant program in Lackawanna County with funds collected from individuals, corporations and employee groups made up of Lackawanna County residents during the United Way campaign.

This is the first year United Way is implementing the “Lackawanna County Community Impact Grant.”  This is a small grant that is built and targeted for grass roots organizations with limited administrative capacity.  An effort to try and serve more diverse populations residing in Lackawanna County that may experience difficulties when applying for other funding streams. Organizations can apply for funding for one program with a limit of a $10,000 request.

To Qualify:

  • An organization must have an organizational budget of less than $400,000.
  • Organizations must be a 501(c)(3) organization or partner with a United Way approved 501(c)(3) organization.
  • Organization has bylaws that state the purpose of the organization, make provisions for the size of the Board of Directors and provide rules for: selection and tenure of board members, the number of officers and committees, financial and legal procedures, and quorum requirements.
  • Organization has proof of current directors’ and officers’ liability insurance.
  • Organization maintains compliance with all applicable legal licensing requirement and maintains appropriate insurance coverage.
  • All program requests must fit within the one of the 3 priority areas of United Way which are Education, Health and Economic Mobility.

Application Guideline:

  • Receiving funds in one fiscal year does not ensure that the grant will be renewed in the following year(s). It is imperative that the organization does not count on United Way funds as a recurring funding stream.
  • In the benchmark section, be sure to state clear numbers of individuals impacted by the program. It is understood that this is a projection until the program is completed. The actual number of impacted individuals must be included in the report section at the end of the fiscal year.
  • While the Committee may fund a capital item, the preferred usage of the United Way funds is for programs that impact individuals in the community.
  • If there are any questions concerning this application process, please contact William Craven via email at wcraven@uwlc.net

This grant process is overseen by a group of volunteers that make funding decisions based on the applications that are submitted to the United Way. It is the responsibility of these dedicated volunteers on the Lackawanna County Funds Distribution Committee to ensure donations are spent in the most cost-efficient method in priority areas for the residents of Lackawanna County. All the decisions are made by local volunteers and then approved by the United Way Board of Directors. The Funds Distribution Committee members are the stewards of the community fund.

In order to receive login information, you must first contact Will Craven (wcraven@uwlc.net) to receive login credentials. Applications are now available to any organization that meets the above criteria.  Application submission deadline is September 21st.

For more information, visit, uwlc.net/lackawanna-county-grant-process