Village Venu – Real Estate Available for Business Use

Located at 1930 Heartlake Road in Scott Township, chamber member Village Venu, this awesome 3,300 square foot commercial multi-use space has been fully renovated with brand new systems, office space, bar, 2 rest rooms, catering kitchen, on-site well and septic, 3 separate entrances ready to move-in and begin operating your business or divide for sublet.  So many possibilities!  This high traffic location sits on over an acre with huge parking area and just 1 mile from Pa Route 81 Exit 202.  Pulls many locals and year-round tourists to Endless Mountains and Elk Mountain Ski resort (recently purchased by Vail Industries to be expanded with Water Park and Condos).  Owners retiring. 

Possibility of owner partnership for the right business (negotiable).

NEPIRC Receives Excellence in Economic Development Gold Award

IEDC’s annual Excellence Awards honor the economic development organizations, government entities, initiatives and programs that have demonstrated consistent, exemplary performance in the profession.

Communities greatly benefit when talented people with vision, creativity and intelligence stay in the region, which is why it’s important to educate Northern Pennsylvania’s young people about opportunities that enable them to build a successful life close to home. The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) is providing that valuable information in award-winning fashion through its Manufacturing Ambassador Dream Team program that was recently honored.

NEPIRC was presented with a 2024 Excellence in Economic Development Gold Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) at the IEDC 2024 Annual Conference in Denver that took place in September. The award was bestowed specifically for NEPIRC’s work in the Talent Pipeline Development and Retention category.

NEPIRC’s Manufacturing Ambassador Dream Team initiative increases high school and college student awareness of outstanding careers available within Pennsylvania’s advanced manufacturing field. Dream Team Ambassadors are manufacturing associates who speak enthusiastically to young people and educators about their career journeys through in-school presentations, Career Day booths and Career Fair attendance.

Jenelle Osborne, NEPIRC’s talent stream coordinator, who attended the conference to accept the award, said, “It is an honor for NEPIRC’s Manufacturing Ambassador Dream Team program to be recognized internationally for excellence in economic development, reinforcing our commitment to fuel the execution of our program’s objectives. I am incredibly proud of our Dream Team Ambassadors who share their passion and career journeys with students to inspire them to consider rewarding careers in manufacturing, contributing to the success of this initiative.”

Several NEPIRC representatives and Dream Team Ambassadors attended the conference in Denver to accept this prestigious award and had the opportunity to meet with PA Department of Community and Economic Development representatives.

“NEPIRC is setting the standard of excellence for economic development with its Manufacturing Ambassador Dream Team program. This award highlights NEPIRC’s commitment to its community and demonstrates the transformative impact of economic development,” said Nathan Ohle, IEDC president and CEO, “It is with great pride that IEDC presents this award to NEPIRC, celebrating their leadership and innovation in the field of economic development.”

The Excellence in Economic Development Awards program consists of 26 unique categories showcasing transformative projects that have profoundly impacted communities, regions and nations. Award winners are recognized in-person at its annual conference and throughout the year via IEDC’s communication channels. All organizations, big or small, in rural, urban or suburban communities, U.S.-based or international, are eligible and encouraged to participate in this competitive program.

Fidelity Bank Presents Wilkes-Barre Volunteers with Grant

Fidelity Bank is pleased to share Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) has won the $10,000 Fidelity Bank IMPACT grant.

VIM competed with two other area nonprofit finalists, all with the goal of securing grant funding to support their ongoing initiatives. Although all the finalists demonstrated their ability to deliver vital services to Wilkes-Barre residents, VIM secured the most community votes, determining them the winner.

Ruth Turkington, EVP, Chief Consumer Banking Officer of Fidelity Bank was on hand at the bank’s Wilkes-Barre branch to present a $10,000 check to VIM. She stated, “On behalf of all of us here at Fidelity Bank, we extend our heartfelt congratulations. Winning this grant clearly indicates that the services Wilkes-Barre Volunteers in Medicine provides closely aligns with our goal of providing support and value to the communities we serve.”

Volunteers in Medicine is a community-based nonprofit organization who offers a wide range of services at no cost, including primary medical care, dental services, diagnostic testing, and counseling. These services are offered to the working, uninsured, and underinsured populations in NEPA. The clinic’s comprehensive care addresses the needs of residents, some of whom are non-English speaking, by providing vital interpretation services. The IMPACT Grant funds will be used to support this interpretation program, which is essential for effective communication and treatment planning. More details and complete rules for the IMPACT grant can be found online at www.bankatfidelity.com/impact.

Peoples Security Bank & Trust Introduces New Senior VP

Peoples Security Bank & Trust has announced the hiring of Rebecca Newsom as Senior Vice President, Director of Community Development and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) Compliance. In this role, Newsom will lead community development strategies, oversee CRA compliance, and work with community stakeholders, nonprofits, government agencies, and internal teams to help meet the bank’s social responsibility goals. She will focus on driving investments, services, and lending efforts in line with CRA guidelines.

Newsom brings more than 20 years of experience in financial services. She previously served as a CRA mortgage consultant at Fulton Bank and has held roles at First Niagara, National Penn Bank, and AT&T Corp. Throughout her career, she has built strong customer relationships by identifying needs and providing practical financial solutions.

Newsom is also active in the community, serving as a board member for the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce and Community Action Financial Services.

“We are pleased to welcome Rebecca to our team,” said Jerry Champi, President of Peoples Security Bank & Trust. “Her experience in community development and customer service will support our continued commitment to the communities we serve.”

Scranton Celebrates Verizon’s Investment for High-Speed Internet

The City of Scranton is celebrating the investment of tens of millions of dollars from Verizon over the next three years, at no project cost to the City. This project, which has already begun in sections of the City, will develop a ubiquitous network of fiber internet access to homes, providing the opportunity for all Scranton residents to subscribe to high-speed internet.

“Access to fast, affordable internet service is critical to our success,” said Scranton Mayor Paige G. Cognetti. “Broadband internet provides access to students’ schoolwork, offers remote working opportunities for our residents, and can help the City stand out in an ever-evolving digital age. We are thankful for Verizon’s investment in Scranton and that our residents in need will have access to cost-saving programs.”

“Verizon is proud to be investing in the City of Scranton,” said Chris Flood, Atlantic North Market President, Verizon. “Wider availability of our best-in-class Fios internet will ensure that every resident has the opportunity to be connected whether it be for school, work or play.”

Verizon was selected from four vendors in a request for qualifications (RFQ) process that began in October 2023. Per the agreement, the costs for the project will be borne by Verizon with no funding needed from the City.

According to Verizon, millions of Americans still lack necessary access to broadband internet service, with many unable to afford it. To help Scranton close its existing digital divide, Verizon will construct a Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) network to reach all broadband serviceable locations in the City that are reasonably able to be served by a fiber-optic connection.

Further, the contract requires that Verizon either participate in the Affordable Connectivity Program, any successor program, or provide its own low-cost program to eligible low-income households in the City. Verizon currently offers cost-effective services for eligible customers through its Fios Forward program with service tiers costing up to $39.99. Other Fios Home Internet plans range between $24.99 and $89.99 per month. The agreement was unanimously approved by Scranton City Council in September

The University of Scranton Among Greenest Colleges

The Princeton Review listed The University of Scranton among just 511 colleges in the world “selected for their exceptional programs, policies and practices related to sustainability and the environment” for inclusion in its 2025 edition of its “Guide to Green Colleges,” which was published online in October. This is the sixth year that Scranton has made this listing.

The Princeton Review analyzed more than 25 data points to choose the colleges for this year’s guide based on its 2023–2024 survey of administrators about their institutions’ sustainability-related policies, practices and programs, as well as surveys of students attending those colleges about their “green” campus experiences.

Banner of Earth Day at the DeNaples Building

“We are seeing substantive interest among college applicants in attending green colleges,” said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review. According to the Princeton Review, 61 percent of the high school student participating in their 2024 “College Hopes and Worries Survey” indicated that “having information about a college’s commitment to the environment would affect their decision to apply to or attend the school.”

The Princeton Review also noted that, as a group, “the schools in the 2025 Edition of the Guide to Green Colleges have impressive sustainability-related statistics: 28 percent of their energy comes from clean and renewable sources; 46 percent of their waste is diverted from incinerators or solid-waste landfills; 98 percent offer a sustainability focused undergraduate major or degree; and 100 percent have a sustainability officer.”

Scranton’s long-established sustainability efforts include academics, facilities and community education and outreach. Scranton has infused issues of sustainability in courses across the curriculum, ranging from theology, to business, to the natural sciences, to education, as well as other disciplines. Scranton uses numerous “green” procedures in building maintenance practices, as well as in building design and construction. Scranton currently has three Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings: Leahy Hall, the Loyola Science Center and the DeNaples Center, which became the city’s first LEED certified structure in 2008. Robert S. and Marilyn A. Weiss Hall, currently under construction, is design intended to meet silver LEED certification requirements.

In addition, inspired by Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical titled “On Care for Our Common Home,” the University is participating in a seven-year initiative to be recognized by the Vatican as a Laudato Si’ University.

To be designated as a Laudato Si University, colleges must evaluate comprehensively current environmental and sustainability programs, then improve and develop further initiatives to address seven goals outlined by the Pope. The goals to be addressed are: to respond to the cries of the Earth; to respond to the call of the poor; to apply ecological economics; to adopt sustainable lifestyles; to implement ecological education programs; to develop ecological spirituality efforts; and to develop of programs to address community resilience and empowerment.

In addition to its “Guide to Green Colleges,” The Princeton Review has listed Scranton in its “Best Colleges” guidebooks for 23 consecutive years, also ranking Scranton among the nation’s “Best Science Lab Facilities” (No. 17) for the eighth year.

The Wright Center Partners with Friendship House

The Wright Center for Community Health is partnering with Friendship House to improve access to responsive and inclusive whole-person primary health services, especially for individuals with complex mental health and/or substance use disorder needs.

On Tuesday, Nov. 5, The Wright Center will offer primary health services at Friendship House’s new Whole Person Care Center, 200 Wyoming Ave., Suite 250, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The new location will begin by opening from noon to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, providing a range of services such as checkups, physicals, screenings, and treatment for common illnesses and injuries. These services will be available to individuals of all ages, regardless of their insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay.

Patients do not need to be clients of Friendship House to receive care at The Wright Center’s new location.

“We are grateful and deeply honored to collaborate with Friendship House at its new state-of-the-art Whole Person Care Center,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “We specifically thank Alex Hazzouri, president and CEO, and his team, as well as the governing board, for their vision to promote unprecedented collaboration that led to our welcomed invitation to be part of this wonderful development for our community in the heart of downtown Scranton.

“This exciting and important partnership allows The Wright Center to enrich and extend the delivery of our noble mission to improve the health and welfare of our communities through inclusive and responsive health services and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve. By improving access to essential primary health care services for individuals who come to Friendship House, we will continue to enhance the overall health and well-being of our shared community.”

Friendship House provides support to children, adolescents, and adults facing developmental disabilities, emotional or behavioral challenges, or the effects of trauma from loss, abuse, or neglect. In March 2022, the nonprofit acquired the two-story, 22,000-square-foot facility, which spans the Davidow Building at 200-216 Wyoming Ave., and the former Murray Building at 413-415 Biden St.

The new center’s goal is to integrate mental health, substance use disorder, and physical health services, improving health outcomes while optimizing the use of resources. Along with The Wright Center’s primary health services, Friendship House will offer mental health and substance use disorder services, and The Prescription Center will provide pharmacy services.

“This integrated model will enhance care coordination and improve patient care outcomes, especially in terms of chronic medical condition management,” said Kathleen Barry, deputy chief operating officer of The Wright Center for Community Health. “We’re thrilled to be able to work closely with Friendship House, one of our great community partners, and enhance our ability to address the complex health and social needs of patients in our communities.”

Hazzouri noted that his organization has been in discussions with The Wright Center for several years about a collaboration. The Wright Center and Friendship House treat patients of all ages, income levels, and insurance statuses.

“Thousands of people live, work, and study in downtown Scranton every day,” Hazzouri said, noting that 17 of the county’s 22 bus routes pass by the new Whole Person Care Center. “The accessibility will help make the center integral to a healthy Scranton and a healthy Lackawanna County.”

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at the new facility on Friday, Oct. 24, U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright presented Hazzouri and Dr. Thomas-Hemak with a certificate of Congressional recognition for opening the Whole Person Care Center. “Every person in the community deserves access to health care,” he said. “Thank you for removing barriers to access. I applaud your collaborative efforts.”