Urban Co-Works Celebrates its First Year New Downtown Scranton Coworking Space Now Home to Tech Companies, Non Profits, Consultants, Remote Workers and More. Urban Co-Works is proud to celebrate its first year of operations at 116 North Washington Avenue in downtown Scranton. This industrial-chic coworking space has become a vibrant hub for businesses, non-profits, consultants, remote workers, and others embracing flexible work styles. “Since opening in December of last year, we’ve welcomed a diverse group of professionals to our space,” said Urban Co-Works CEO Jeffrey Goronkin. “Our members include attorneys, healthcare professionals, digital marketing consultants, and more. Companies such as PennFoster, Corning, Giga Power, and Intuit have also joined us, making Urban Co-Works a true melting pot of talent and expertise.” Over the past year, Urban Co-Works has grown to include more than 80 businesses, offering flexible office solutions tailored to their individual and corporate needs. “Whether it’s a full-time office membership or occasional use, we have affordable plans to fit every professional’s needs,” Goronkin added. Unlike traditional office leases, Urban Co-Works offers month-to-month memberships and a host of amenities, including high-speed internet, fully furnished offices, complimentary beverages, printing services, and more. Nicole Reyes, CEO of Insight Marketing Executives said, “We chose to establish our office at Urban Co-Works because of its vibrant community and flexibility. Over the past year, we’ve seen firsthand how this space supports our entrepreneurial drive to grow. Access to shared spaces like meeting rooms, the coworking area, and other amenities has been instrumental in scaling our business. We also enjoy the opportunities they make to build valuable relationships with other like-minded professionals.” Jacquie Pershing, Licensed Clinical Social Worker said, “Starting my private practice, I knew I wanted a space that would keep me connected to other professionals—because let’s be real, private practice can get a bit lonely sometimes! That’s when I found Urban Co-Works, and I couldn’t be happier. The people here are so friendly, and I absolutely love the opportunity to network with other professionals. I look forward to engaging with them throughout the day and breaking up my routine with light, casual conversations. Whether it’s chatting about the weather, swapping recommendations for new movies, or hearing about the latest hiking spots, these little coffee breaks in the morning are a highlight. My office space is perfect, and the whole atmosphere at Urban Co-Works just feels so welcoming. I always look forward to walking in and getting started!” The Scranton location was made possible through a collaborative effort with Mayor Paige G. Cognetti, the City of Scranton, and Charlie Jefferson, owner of 116 North Washington Avenue and Urban Co-Works. “Urban Co-Works is committed to providing a top-tier workspace that fosters community and collaboration,” said Goronkin. “We are excited to offer professionals in Scranton a unique coworking experience designed to help them thrive and succeed.” KEY FEATURES AT URBAN CO-WORKS 57 Modern Offices: Urban Co-Works boasts 57 fully furnished offices, providing professionals with a private and comfortable workspace tailored to their needs. Training Room: The facility includes a dedicated training room equipped with large screen TV’s, erasable writing boards and other technology, ideal for workshops, seminars, and corporate training sessions. Multiple Meeting Spaces: Members have access to various meeting spaces designed for collaboration and brainstorming sessions, fostering a creative and productive atmosphere. Privacy Pods: For those moments when focus and concentration are paramount or to jump on a Zoom call, Urban Co-Works offers privacy pods, providing a quiet and distraction-free workspace. Expansive Coworking Space: The coworking space is equipped with 20 workstations with a modern adjacent kitchen, offering an open and flexible environment for individuals by day and networking events in the evening. Other amenities include high speed internet, a copy center and mail room, member-only networking events, coffee and tea, self-service snack station and more. MEMBERSHIPS Urban Co-Works offers a variety of memberships to accommodate the various needs of today’s workforce. Virtual Mailing: Ideal for remote professionals, this membership level provides a prestigious business address and mail handling services. Coworking: Access to shared workspaces on a part-time to full-time basis, allowing flexibility for those who need a professional environment without a long-term commitment. Private Offices: Fully furnished private offices provide professionals with a dedicated and personalized workspace on a month-to-month basis. Conference Room by the Hour: Need a professional meeting space? Urban Co-Works offers conference room rentals on an hourly basis, ensuring organizations and professionals have access to the facilities when they need them.
Scranton Cultural Center – Tickets Now Available for “Whose Live Anyway?” The current cast members of the Emmy-nominated TV show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” are proud to present their new improv tour: WHOSE LIVE ANYWAY?, appearing live in concert at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple on Thursday, May 15 at 7:30 PM. WHOSE LIVE ANYWAY? is 90 minutes of hilarious improvised comedy and song all based on audience suggestions. Cast members Greg Proops, Jeff B. Davis, Ryan Stiles, and Joel Murray will leave you gasping with the very witty scenes they invent before your eyes. Audience participation is key to the show, so bring your suggestions and you might be asked to join the cast onstage! This particular style of improvisational comedy is rife with countless gags, one-liners, hilarious games and even songs so good you will hardly believe they were made up on the spot. The teamwork and trust that it takes to perform a show with no script is apparent, but when the best of the best do it, they do it effortlessly. Watch them build entire scenes, characters, and storylines right before your eyes as they take you on a white-knuckle ride through endless chuckles. Ryan Stiles’ television credits include roles on “The Drew Carey Show” and “Two and a Half Men,” while Greg Proops has lent his vocal talents to animated characters in Star Wars: Episode 1, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Brother Bear. However, both got their start as comedians and are excited to return to their funny-bone-tickling roots. Jeff B. Davis is also a highly experienced improv comedian and starred in the cult classic cartoon series, “Harmonquest.” He has also starred in “Drew Carey’s Green Screen Show” and “Improv-a-Ganza,” while gaining fame for his spot-on impressions of Christoper Walken, Keanu Reeves, and Jeff Goldblum. Joel Murray is the youngest of the nine Murray brothers, including Bill Murray, but has become a star in his own right. Though he has over 250 sitcom appearances, he is best known for his recurring roles like Freddy Rumsen on “Mad Men” and Eddie Jackson on “Shameless.” He has also appeared in One Crazy Summer, The Artist, Scrooged, and Bobcat Goldthwait’s God Bless America.. WHOSE LIVE ANYWAY? showcases some of the improv games made famous on the long-running TV show as well as some exciting new ones, featuring musical direction by Bob Derkach. All ages welcome. WHOSE LIVE ANYWAY? will take place in the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Theatre, located on the building’s first floor, with doors opening for bar and concessions at 6:30 PM. Tickets start at $59.00 (includes fees), and will be available for purchase beginning December 5 at 10 AM at the Fidelity Bank Box Office at the SCC in person or by calling (570) 344-1111, or via Ticketmaster. For more information or to view a full schedule of
Scranton Area Community Foundation Receives Donation from Minooka Subaru Minooka Subaru recently presented the Scranton Area Community Foundation with a check in the amount of $47,647 which comes from their latest Share the Love® event where the Scranton Area Community Foundation was selected as the hometown charity for Minooka Subaru’s customers to support during the event. This is the sixth year that Minooka Subaru has partnered with the Scranton Area Community Foundation as the hometown charity to support. To date, Minooka Subaru has donated over $200,000 to support the Minooka Subaru Fund of the Scranton Area Community Foundation which provides charitable support to the community. (from left to right): Pat Corbett (Minooka Subaru), Laura Ducceschi (Scranton Area Community Foundation), Joe Corbett (Minooka Subaru), Mike Shields (Minooka Subaru).
Johnson College Now Enrolling for Medical Assistant Program Johnson College is now enrolling for its Medical Assistant program at its Scranton campus. The program will run Mondays through Wednesdays from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. beginning January 6, 2025. This program prepares students to assist physicians by performing functions related to the clinical aspects of a medical office. Functions include preparing patients for examination, treatment, routine laboratory procedures, pharmacology, and taking and documenting vital signs. Plus, students will learn the fundamentals of phlebotomy and venipunctures, anatomy & physiology, and medical terminology encountered in the field. Students will gain the knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties required of a medical assistant. The class fee is $6,000 and is approved by PA CareerLink for those eligible for funding through their local CareerLink. To learn more or to enroll in the Medical Assistant course, visit https://johnson.edu/continuing-ed/medical-assistant/ or contact the College’s Continuing Education department at continuinged@johnson.edu.
The University of Scranton Hosts 57th Annual Noel Night The University’s Noel Night concert features student ensembles and includes a variety of sacred selections interspersed with readings of Nativity texts. Continuing a beloved holiday season tradition, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present its 57th Annual Noel Night concert on Saturday, Dec. 7. The concert will begin at 8 p.m. in the University’s Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Doors will open at 7 p.m. with a prelude beginning at 7:05 p.m. Admission is free, and seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis. Considered the University’s Christmas gift to the community, Noel Night has been a must-attend event for many Scranton-area residents since its founding almost sixty years ago by the Rev. Edward Gannon, S.J. Noel Night features The University of Scranton Singers, with preludes this year performed by the String Orchestra and organ. Outdoor instrumental caroling by members of the University Bands will greet audience members as they arrive. According to Performance Music Conductor and Director Cheryl Y. Boga, the program will include a variety of sacred selections interspersed with readings of Nativity texts. Included in the program are musical works by John Leavitt, Felix Mendelssohn, Vaclav Nelhybel, Camille Saint-Saëns, Mark Sirett, and others. Pianist for the evening is Ron Stabinsky, and Christopher Johnson is organist. The primary focus of Performance Music at The University of Scranton is its student choral and instrumental performing ensembles. There is no music major at the University, and all enrolled University of Scranton students are eligible for membership in the bands, choirs, and string ensembles, with neither an audition nor enrollment fee required for membership. Hundreds of students participate in the ensembles each year. For additional information on the concert, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music.
Keystone Mission: Giving Thanks Despite the Circumstances Before being served a Thanksgiving Meal, guests at Keystone Mission’s Scranton Innovation Center location stood in front of their peers to give thanks. To encourage an atmosphere of gratefulness, staff asked if anyone wanted to share what they were thankful for. Several individuals who were waiting for a meal rose their hand to talk about what God has been doing in their life despite their current circumstance. One guest gave glory to God about finally being cancer free. Another encouraged those around her that real community is found “the walls of Keystone Mission.” “Though we may think without a home or stable job, there wouldn’t be much to be thankful for. Their testimonies were eye opening, and I believe it gave everyone in that room – volunteers, staff, other guests – a new perspective on their own situation,” says Jillian Mirro, Communications & Marketing Manager. In total Keystone Mission served over 280 meals across their locations in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre for Thanksgiving. “We are grateful to each volunteer who assisted in serving and prepping a dish for our guests. This means so much to our guests. It’s amazing how a simple act of kindness can go a long way during the holiday season,” says Danielle O. Keith-Alexandre, CEO & Executive Director.
Friendship House Awarded Grant for ABA Staff Recruitment Friendship House ABA Program Awarded Staff Recruitment Initiative – NEHC Foundation Grant Friendship House was recently awarded a three-year grant from the Northeast Health Care Foundation in the amount of $45,000 to support its efforts to recruit and retain staff working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This grant will provide one-time sign on bonuses for both clinical staff and direct care staff hired by Friendship House. According to Alex J. Hazzouri, President/CEO at Friendship House “this grant through the Northeast Health Care Foundation is critically important to support our efforts to recruit staff to work in our Autism Center and community-based programs serving children with autism. Staffing these programs has been a challenge for all agencies. Through this grant, Friendship House is optimistic we will be able to hire additional staff, enabling us to provide these critical services to more children in Lackawanna County”. Friendship House, well known for its services provided to children with ASD and their families provides these services in a state-of-the-art Center located on East Mountain in Scranton. The Center provides a structured day program for children 18 months to 7 years of age, delivering Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services during the child’s developmental years. This early intervention initiative is viewed as a critical step to position the child to achieve their full potential as they move into the school setting. The Friendship House Autism Center provides one-to-one staffing when needed and group services for those children needing less support. The program is clinically supervised by four Board Certified Behavioral Analysts (BCBAs) who develop individualized treatment plans and provide clinical support to the staff delivering direct care services. The BCBAs and other clinical staff also work closely with the child’s family to ensure skill development within the Center is transferred to the home settings. As the child prepares to graduate from the Center Program to enter a school district program, the BCBAs and other clinical staff work closely with the child, family and school district to develop a transition plan for the child which may include the provision of Friendship House staff supporting the child in their new school district program.
The Wright Center – “Prioritize Vaccine as Peak Flu Season Approaches” William Dempsey, M.D., serves as chief population health value-based care officer for The Wright Center. He provides comprehensive whole-person primary health services as a board-certified family medicine physician and serves as medical director at The Wright Center for Community Health Clarks Summit. It’s great that we’re now fully into the holiday season. Not so great – ‘tis also the season for highly contagious respiratory illnesses. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I can’t implore you enough to go out and get up to speed on your flu vaccination. It’s safe, it works, and it will keep you and your loved ones from getting sick. As it happens, this week is National Influenza Vaccination Week (Dec. 2-6). Coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the annual observance serves as a helpful reminder to people that there’s still time to get your flu shot this season. Flu season usually begins around late September or early October, which is actually the ideal time to get vaccinated. From there, it increasingly accelerates until it peaks between December and February. In some years, infections can even occur as late as May. Flu symptoms typically surface within a couple of days, and the virus shares many of the same effects as COVID, including fever, chills, dry cough, body aches, headaches, stuffy/runny nose, shortness of breath, and fatigue. The best thing you can do to protect yourself from the flu – and minimize its symptoms if you do contract it – is to get the annual flu shot, which allows protective antibodies to develop in your body within two weeks or so of vaccination. The flu vaccine is available to anyone ages 6 months and older, and CDC studies have shown that vaccination reduces the risk of contracting the illness by about 40% to 60% among the general public. For the 2024-2025 flu season, all vaccines in the United States are “trivalent” vaccines, meaning they protect against three different influenza viruses: an influenza A(H1N1) virus, an influenza A(H3N2) virus, and an influenza B/Victoria virus. For certain vulnerable populations, vaccination is especially critical given the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and even death. Among those people are pregnant women, young children, adults ages 65 and older, and those with serious health conditions like cancer, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, asthma, and kidney disease. Every year, thousands of children are hospitalized with severe flu, according to the CDC. We at The Wright Center for Community Health take flu vaccinations very seriously. We’re now providing flu shots at all of our locations throughout Northeast Pennsylvania. To schedule an office visit that includes vaccination, call 570-230-0019 or go online to use the express scheduling system at TheWrightCenter.org. I should also mention that many local pharmacies offer free flu shots to insured customers, and numerous local employers provide flu vaccinations as a free service to their workers. The holidays are a wonderful time, and you certainly don’t want a case of the flu to upend your fun plans. So, get your flu shot – it’s safe, effective, readily available, and one of the best gifts you can give yourself and others this season.
The Wright Center’s Scranton Practice Gets National Recognition Two of The Wright Center for Community Health’s primary and preventive care community health centers again received national commendations from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. The Wright Center for Community Health Scranton, 501 S. Washington Ave., and The Wright Center for Community Health Wilkes-Barre, at 169 N. Pennsylvania Ave., have successfully maintained their NCQA’s Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition, a prestigious certification that affirms the two community health centers’ ability to provide the right care at the right time through innovative tools, systems, and resources. Both community health centers initially earned the NCQA voluntary accreditation in 2021 and undergo a formal review to ensure they comply with the Washington, D.C.-based organization’s high standards. For patients, this accreditation serves as a trusted mark of quality, signifying The Wright Center’s dedication to continuous improvement and prioritizing the needs of patients under the PCMH model of care, which fosters stronger patient-provider relationships, enhances the management of chronic conditions, and elevates the overall patient experience. The PCMH model has also increased staff satisfaction and reduced health care costs. “This recognition is a testament to the exceptional dedication and expertise of our care teams, who harness technology, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and prioritize delivering the highest standard of care,” said Dr. Jignesh Y. Sheth, senior vice president and chief medical and information officer at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “The National Committee for Quality Assurance Patient-Centered Medical Home seal underscores the unwavering commitment at The Wright Center to our patients’ well-being, ensuring accessible, coordinated, and patient-centered care that always puts their needs first.”
