Johnson College Receives Contribution From Peoples Security Bank & Trust Johnson College recently received a $12,000 contribution from Peoples Security Bank & Trust to support the College’s Industry Fast Track/Dual Enrollment Program. Peoples Security Bank & Trust’s contribution to Johnson College is part of Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. The program offers businesses a tax credit for supporting state-approved educational improvement programs. Johnson College is approved to accept EITC contributions in support of its STEM outreach programs and Industry Fast Track program. Johnson College’s Industry Fast Track program offers high school students from participating area school districts an opportunity to enroll simultaneously in secondary and post-secondary coursework at Johnson College. The course meets state requirements for high school graduation while providing college-level courses. Students remain enrolled full-time at their high school while attending classes at Johnson College.
WVIA Education’s Speaking Grief Virtual Event On- Demand Last month, WVIA Education hosted a virtual workshop focusing on understanding and advocacy for those who are experiencing grief. The full presentation is now available to watch on-demand at wvia.org/speakinggrief. The Northeastern Pennsylvania Educational Television Association (dba WVIA) received a $5,000 grant from the Community Giving Foundation: Berwick to support this second Speaking Grief webinar. The virtual workshop serves as a resource for parents, caregivers, and educators to help those in need. Panelists include: · Beth Anne Harris, Director of Special Education and Student Services at Crestwood School District, · Jennifer Seechock, MS, Director of Counseling Services at Hospice of the Sacred Heart · Kristi Nejman, LCSW, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Behavior Specialist from PAK Pediatrics “This important workshop not only offers education around the topic of grief but also provides a community of supporters for those experiencing grief,” said Teresa Sabecky, WVIA’s Education Coordinator. The event answers questions such as “What does grief look like in a toddler versus an adult? What events trigger grief?” The program comes as a partner to the documentary film Speaking Grief, which explores the transformative experience of losing a family member in a grief-avoidant society. The documentary addresses the role that supports from friends and family plays in a person’s grief experience, offering guidance on how to show up for people in their darkest moments. Speaking Grief is a production of WPSU.
The University of Scranton Noel Night Concert Performance Music at The University of Scranton will kick off the holiday season with its 55th annual Noel Night concert on Saturday, Dec. 3. Beginning at 8 p.m. in the University’s Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, the concert will feature The University of Scranton Singers and Chamber Ensembles. Doors open at 7 p.m., with a prelude beginning at 7:05 p.m. Admission to the concert is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis. The University’s Christmas gift to the community, Noel Night has been a beloved holiday tradition for numerous Scranton-area residents since its beginnings more than a half-century ago when it was founded by Rev. Edward Gannon, S.J. This year’s concert will feature music by composers J.S. Bach, Randall Alan Bass, Vaclav Nelhybel, Mark Sirett and others, according to Performance Music Conductor and Director Cheryl Y. Boga. Pianist and harpsichordist for the evening is Ron Stabinsky and organist is Christopher Johnson. Performance Music’s fully restored Steinway grand piano and Austin Opus 301 symphonic organ will be heard on the program, and the evening will feature the debut of the department’s newly donated and restored Zuckerman harpsichord. Remarks and readings will be offered by Rev. James Duffy, S.J., M.D., superior for the Scranton Jesuit Community; Robert W. Davis Jr., Ed.D., vice president for University advancement; Leonard Gougeon, Ph.D., professor emeritus, Department of English and Theatre; Hal Baillie, Ph.D., professor emeritus, Philosophy Department; and senior student members of the ensemble.
Scranton Launchbox Career and Development Programs AutoCAD Training Level 1: January 17 – February 9, 2023 Level 2: February 21 – March 2, 2023 Tues/Thurs evenings 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm Basic Grant Writing Thursdays, January 19 – February 23, 2023 10:45 am – Noon Cultural Diversity in the Workplace Thursdays, March 9 – March 30, 2023 6 pm – 8 pm NEW! Fundamentals of Fundraising Thursdays, January 19 – February 23, 2023 9 am – 10:15 am Leadership Essential Workshops Thursdays, 9 am – Noon Meeting Supervisory Responsibilities 1/19/23 Leading Others 2/2/23 Interviewing and Selecting Employees 2/9/23 Building a Positive Work Climate 2/16/23 Professional Engineer Exam Review PE Civil Review Tuesdays, February 28 – June 13, 2023 6 pm – 9 pm Spanish in the Workplace Level 1: April 25 – June 27, 2023 Level 2: April 27 – June 22, 2023 Tues/Thurs evenings 5:30 pm -7:45 pm Industry Focused Courses and Credentials APICS/ASCM Certification Prep Program CPIM – Part 2 January 19 – March 25, 2023 Thursdays 6 pm – 8 pm/Saturdays 8 am – 10 am Registration Deadline: January 6, 2023 Personal Care Home Training Accelerted PCHA 100 hr. Training – 4 Weekends January 20 – February 11, 2023 or April 14 – May 6, 2023 PCHA 100 hr. Training – 7 weeks January 17 – March 2, 2023 Tuesdays/Thursdays 8 am – 5:30 pm 15-hour Assisted Living Administrator Training Friday, February 24 & Saturday, February 25, 2023 8 am – 4:30 pm SHRM CP/SCP™ Learning System Course February 2 – April 27, 2023 Thursdays, 6 pm – 9 pm SHRM Essentials of Human Resources May 4 – May 25, 2023 Thursdays, 6 pm – 9 pm REAL ESTATE CLASSES Real Estate Fundamentals Mondays, 6 pm – 9 pm January 30 – April 3, 2023 Real Estate Practice Wednesdays 6 pm – 9 pm February 1 – April 12, 2023 then classes continue on: Mondays and Wednesdays 6 pm – 9 pm – April 17, April 19, April 24, and April 26, 2023 Certificate Programs “Non-Credit” NEW! Essentials in Strategic Leadership Integrated Digital Marketing Logistics and Operations Management Project Management Certificate Program NEW! Six Sigma Black Belt Certification NEW! Workforce and Career Development Certificate Youth Programs SAT TEST PREP January 11, 2023 – February 22, 2023 Wednesdays 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (5:30 – 7:00 Verbal; 7:00 – 8:30 Math)
The Waverly Community House Wreath Making Wreath Making with Abby Peck changed to Thursday, December 8th Wreath making takes place from 9am -2pm continuously in The Comm Gym. All are welcome! Make a wreath for yourself and one for The Comm! Reservations are not required. $3 donation suggested. Greens & light refreshments provided. Bring your own pruning shears, work gloves, and any decorations you want to add to your wreath! Visit “The Upstairs Thrift”! Our upscale thrift shop featuring women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing and housewares. Hours: Wednesdays and Fridays, 10am-4pm; Saturdays 10am-1pm
PennDOT Announces New Law Penalties for Repeat DUI Offenses The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that a new Pennsylvania law has changed the grading of certain offenses for driving under the influence (DUI), adding more stringent penalties for these violations. “This law makes significant changes to existing law that will ultimately increase the protection of all drivers by keeping repeat offenders from continuing to operate a vehicle while impaired by drugs or alcohol after being charged with a DUI,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “Repeating these offenses puts others at risk and these law changes reflect the severity of these acts to make our roads safer.” The legislation created Act 59 of 2022 – referred to as “Deana’s Law” – which amends the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code by increasing the grading for certain DUI offenses, requiring consecutive sentencing for certain repeat DUI offenders, and imposing an 18-month driving privilege suspension for a DUI conviction graded as a felony of the second degree. Under the new law, an individual charged with DUI (general impairment) who refuses a breath or chemical test or who is charged with DUI with a BAC of .16 or higher or a DUI involving controlled substances, and already has the following number of prior offenses, commits: A felony of the third-degree for two prior offenses (previously two or more prior offenses); andA felony of the second-degree for three or more prior offenses (previously a third-degree felony). The felonies mentioned above are classified as follows: A felony of the third degree is punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than seven years; andA felony of the second degree is punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than 10 years. Another change under this law is that a sentence imposed on an individual for a DUI offense who has two or more prior offenses shall be served consecutively to any other sentence the individual is serving or any other sentence imposed by the court, except for violations that are required to be merged. In addition, the law provides for a sentencing enhancement in cases where an individual has four or more prior DUI offenses. “Driving impaired puts everyone at risk, and repeat offenders disregard the risk they pose every time they get behind the wheel impaired,” said Major Robert Krol, director of the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Patrol. “This law enhances penalties for those individuals, and hopefully they will think twice before reoffending.” For more information on this law change, please visit the Driver and Vehicle Services website. 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.
Wolf Administration Reminds Motorists To Use Caution To Avoid Deer Collisions Pennsylvania Acting Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Yassmin Gramian, and State Police Commissioner Colonel Robert Evanchick today reminded drivers of the higher risk for deer-related crashes in the fall and that insurance companies cannot add a surcharge to auto insurance premiums for such crashes. “Late fall and early winter is when drivers are most likely to have a deer-related crash, and dawn and dusk are peak times for deer activity,” said Humphreys. “Auto collisions involving deer or other wildlife are considered a not-at-fault accident under Pennsylvania law, meaning insurers cannot raise your premiums or add a surcharge to your premium following a deer-related crash, but this exclusion does not apply if your car does not come in contact with the animal. Any damage to your vehicle from a deer-related accident will fall under a policy’s comprehensive coverage.” State Farm estimates there were over 1.9 million animal collision insurance claims in the U.S. between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. Pennsylvanians, according to State Farm, have a 1-in-57 chance of being involved in an animal-related crash, the sixth highest in the nation. PennDOT reported more than 5,700 deer-related crashes in 2021, up from almost 5,600 in 2020. The 2021 crashes resulted in 1,255 injuries and 13 fatalities. “Drivers can help reduce the possibility of a deer-related crash by slowing down and using caution, particularly in areas where deer crossing signs are posted,” said Gramian. “It’s also important to educate young or inexperienced drivers on increased deer movement. Most importantly, your best defense in a crash is your seat belt. Always buckle up, every trip, every time.” Drivers should be aware of the following tips from the American Automobile Association (AAA) to help prevent a crash or to reduce the damage from a collision: Stay alert and pay attention to road signs while driving. Areas with high levels of deer activity will often have yellow, diamond-shaped signs with an image of a deer.Use high beams when there is no oncoming traffic. Generally, the light reflecting off their eyes will reveal their location and flicking your high beams will often cause the animal to scurry away.Deer rarely travel alone; if one is seen, there are likely more, so slow down and watch for other deer to appear.Swerving away from animals can confuse them so they don’t know which way to run and can also put your car in the path of oncoming vehicles, so resist the urge to swerve. Instead, stay in your lane with both hands firmly on the wheel.If the crash is imminent, drivers should remove their foot from the brake. During hard braking, the front end of a vehicle is pulled downward which can cause the animal to travel up over the hood toward the windshield. Letting off the brake can protect drivers from windshield strikes because the animal is more likely to be pushed to one side of the vehicle or over the top of the vehicle.Always wear a seat belt. The chances of being injured when hitting an animal are much higher if the driver is not wearing a seatbelt. “First and foremost, slow down. When you travel at a high speed, you reduce the time you have to identify the situation and respond to avoid the animal on the roadway,” said Evanchick. “If you are one of the many drivers who hit a deer, don’t panic. Immediately pull over to a safe area and assess the situation. If there are any injuries, your vehicle needs to be towed, or the roadway is blocked; contact 911 immediately.” In Pennsylvania, two types of crashes must be reported to police: crashes that result in a vehicle being damaged to the degree that it needs to be towed from a scene and collisions that result in injury or death. Minor collisions that do not result in injury may be reported to police, but it is not legally required. Drivers involved in any crash with another vehicle are required to exchange license and insurance information with involved parties and render aid when necessary. To report a dead deer for removal from state-maintained roads, call the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation at 1-800-FIX-ROAD. Consumers with questions about auto insurance may contact the Insurance Department Consumer Services Bureau by calling 1-877-881-6388 or at www.insurance.pa.gov.
Boback Named as One of Pennsylvania’s Most Influential Female Leaders Rep. Karen Boback (R-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming) has been named one of the Commonwealth’s 100 most influential female leaders by City & State Pennsylvania Magazine, which released its inaugural “Power of Diversity: Women 100” list. The magazine’s honorees include “female public servants, business executives, nonprofit leaders, advocates, academics and others who meet at the intersection of politics and policy.” “It is truly amazing to be recognized in such magnitude at the end of my legislative career,” said Boback. “To be considered one of the 100 most influential women leaders in our state is nothing short of extraordinary.” Boback holds a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and taught in the public school system for 33 years. She served as majority chairman of the House Children and Youth Committee and currently serves as majority chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee. Boback sponsored and helped to initiate a myriad of legislative measures that make Pennsylvania a better place to live and raise children. Boback will retire on Nov. 30 after serving eight terms in the state House of Representatives
The Wright Center Awarded Trio of Grants From City of Scranton The Wright Center for Community Health recently received three grant awards from the city of Scranton as part of a distribution of federal funds to promote residents’ recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Scranton awarded a total of about $1 million in wellness grants to nearly two-dozen area nonprofits. City officials focused this round of grant giving on three categories: drug overdose prevention, behavioral health and violence prevention, and wellness. The Wright Center – a Scranton-based provider of primary health care and preventive services – is active in all three of the targeted categories and was chosen to receive a combined $145,000 in grant support. The organization will inject those public resources into three ongoing programs to benefit patients, health care providers, and the larger community. The first award, to be used for overdose and prevention programs, will enable The Wright Center for Community Health to further engage community partners and patients in the services of its state-designated Opioid Use Disorder Center of Excellence. A portion of the $50,000 grant will provide community training on the topics of substance use disorder, medication-assisted treatment, and stigma surrounding addiction. Among the intended recipients of the educational sessions are law enforcement professionals, first responders, and government officials. This grant also will assist with harm reduction and long-term recovery support services in the region, which aim to reduce fatal overdoses. The second award of $50,000 will be used to enhance The Wright Center for Community Health’s existing resiliency and wellness programming. Its Lifestyle Medicine service line will be integrated more fully into primary health care services, with the intent of engaging more high-risk patients in programs designed to help them positively adjust their behaviors. A prime focus will be on treating obesity as a chronic disease that contributes to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, cancer, and overall premature death. The third award, in the amount of $45,000, will underwrite The Wright Center’s participation in a training program conducted by the New York-based Sanctuary Institute to promote employee wellness and create a supportive, trauma-informed environment for the benefit of the organization’s workforce, patients, and the broader community. The institute’s training model is seen by many as a needed antidote to the intensified pressure on health care workers and others brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Scranton’s mayor announced the wellness grant distributions at a news conference on Nov. 22. The funds are part of $68.7 million that Scranton had received through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to address the pandemic’s economic and health-related fallout on city residents. All applications were reviewed by the city, including by its public health coordinator, Dr. Rachna Saxena, and compliance consultants from Anser Advisory to ensure that organizations were not receiving duplicate federal benefits, per the guidelines set by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Applications were also reviewed for project sustainability, service to city residents, and more. “The thoughtful and generous allocation of American Rescue Plan Act funds by Scranton City Council will support our mission-driven efforts to improve the health and well-being of the patients and communities we humbly serve,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “Thanks to our local and federal officials,” she said, “these resources will help us to expand and augment our ongoing efforts to address the opioid epidemic and empower recovery, our resiliency and wellness programming, and trauma-informed training for our governing board, executive management, health care providers, interprofessional learners, and patients.” The Wright Center for Community Health operates a network of primary care practices in Northeast Pennsylvania, three located in the city, providing access to affordable, nondiscriminatory, high-quality services including medical, dental, and behavioral health care. The nonprofit enterprise also maintains an administrative and educational hub in Scranton’s South Side neighborhood.
