Alabama to Perform at Mohegan Sun Arena

Country Music Hall of Fame group ALABAMA will bring their “50th Anniversary Tour” to the ASM Global managed Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre on Friday, July 23rd, 2021 at 7pm with special guest Tracy Lawrence.

The event was originally scheduled for April 12th of 2019 before being postponed due to health concerns within the band and most recently due to COVID-19. All tickets purchased for the original performance dates will be honored on July 23rd. This includes any tickets purchased for the previous dates including April 12th, 2019, August 29th, 2019 and October 2nd, 2020.

The Alabama concert will be the first live music concert hosted inside the venue since March 6th, 2020. The venue will be at 100% capacity per the state of Pennsylvania’s loosening of restrictions on indoor venue capacities.

“This is the night we’ve been we’ve been waiting for,” said Will Beekman, ASM Global General Manager of Mohegan Sun Arena.  “On July 23rd, we are officially back.  We are a better, stronger, safer venue for having gone through what we’ve gone through, but we are putting that behind us. It’s time to move on. It’s time to go live again.”

ASM Global reminds everyone attending this event to please adhere to the new hygiene and security policies in place consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidance for the safety of all participants, guests and employees at the Mohegan Sun Arena including:

  • Face coverings and social distancing for guests who are fully vaccinated will no longer be required. All vaccinated guests are free to continue to wear face coverings if they choose to do so.
  • All guests two years of age and older who are not fully vaccinated must wear face coverings during their visit except while actively eating or drinking.
  • Guests do not need to show physical proof of being fully vaccinated. However, if guests are not fully vaccinated, they must follow the current guidance and continue to wear a face covering.
  • We will rely on our guests to accurately follow the guidelines based on their vaccination status.

If a guest is experiencing any of the following, we ask that you stay home:

  • A guest who has COVID-19 symptoms.
  • A guest who has a COVID-19 test result pending.
  • A guest who is under a healthcare provider’s care for a positive COVID-19 test.
  • A guest who has been exposed to COVID-19 (unless fully vaccinated).

Mohegan Sun Arena continues to maintain our enhanced cleaning, sanitization, and disinfection standards through the activation of the ASM Global VenueShield program, providing the highest levels of safety, security and consumer confidence, in alignment with approvals from local government officials and health care experts. 

For additional information, please visit www.MoheganSunArenaPA.com


Limited tickets are still available at the NBT Bank Box Office at Mohegan Sun Arena and Ticketmaster.

PennDOT Invites Private Industry to Submit Qualifications for Major Bridge Public-Private Partnership Initiative

The state’s Public-Private Transportation Partnership Office is inviting the private sector to submit their qualifications to compete for the opportunity to enter into a progressive public-private partnership (P3) with PennDOT to administer the Major Bridge P3 Initiative.

“While we’re reaching out to the public and evaluating the candidate bridges for this initiative, we’ve seen significant private-sector interest in this program,” PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian said. “This initiative will quickly address and fully pay for badly needed work on important interstate bridges and make work on other projects possible.”

The private development entity chosen for the P3 will enter into a pre-development agreement to design, build, finance, and maintain one or more bridge packages. Each package will include select bridges and associated infrastructure, including tolling infrastructure, gantry structures and toll buildings for each bridge. The department continues to evaluate and conduct public involvement and environmental reviews on the candidate bridges announced for consideration in February.

Interested proposers must submit an electronic copy of their statement of qualifications to design, build, finance, and maintain major interstate or expressway bridges and associated roadway and tolling infrastructure to PennDOT Public-Private Transportation Partnership Office as instructed in the Request for Qualifications document by 11:00 AM on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021. Parties can view submission requirements on the “Major Bridges Program” page at www.P3.pa.gov.

The project was approved by the state’s P3 Board on Nov. 12, 2020, and since then PennDOT has hosted three industry forums to educate potential, private-sector stakeholders on the scope and requirements. This is in addition to public outreach being conducted for the PennDOT Pathways transportation funding initiative, National Environmental Policy Act requirements for each candidate bridge, and varied legislative and stakeholder engagement.

Act 88 of 2012, the state’s transportation P3 law, allows PennDOT and other state agencies, transportation authorities and commissions to partner with private companies to participate in delivering, maintaining and financing transportation-related projects. The law created the seven-member Public Private Transportation Partnership Board, appointed to examine and approve potential public-private transportation projects. Upon board approval, the department or appropriate transportation agency can advertise a competitive RFP and enter into a contract with a company to completely or partially deliver the transportation-related service or project.

To learn more about P3 in Pennsylvania, visit www.P3.pa.gov.

Lackawanna College Training Future Scranton, Wilkes-Barre Officers

Lackawanna College’s Police Academy Class 255 is off to an impressive start. Comprised of 11 officers from both the Scranton and Wilkes Barre Police Departments, this cohort of cadets embarked on a fully funded police training program in the Scranton campus on April 26, 2021.   

Both the Wilkes-Barre and Scranton Police Departments will pay for the cadets’ tuition. The departments are eligible for reimbursement upon cadets’ completion of the program by the Pennsylvania Municipal Police Officer’s Training Commissions (MPOETC) thanks to an Act 89 annual grant of $5 million authorized in 2013. This grant stipulates that police officers must be trained and certified through the Act 120 Pennsylvania Municipal Police Basic Training Program for the departments to receive reimbursement.  

“Currently, MPOETC will reimburse a department 75 percent of the tuition and 45 percent of the hourly wages required for the training of any cadet hired by the department and paid to attend the Lackawanna College Municipal Police Academy,” Lackawanna College Director of Police Academy Operations John Chilleri explained. 

Lackawanna College’s Police Academy is the only academy in northeastern Pennsylvania authorized by MPOETC to provide both the Pennsylvania Municipal Police Basic Training Program and the Pennsylvania Municipal Police Annual Mandatory In-Service Training (MIST).  

“The academy also provides law enforcement training for police departments in 13 counties in the Commonwealth, including lethal weapons training (Act 235) and customized training programs, meeting the training needs of law enforcement agencies, private security, and other first responder organizations,” Chilleri added.   

Class 255 is expected to graduate in December 2021. 

Learn more at www.lackawanna.edu. 

Noteology Sense of Smell Training Kit Now Available

Have you lost your sense of smell due to a COVID-19 infection? Danielle Fleming may be able to help!

Danielle Fleming, Founder & CEO of Noteology, has dedicated her career to studying the psychological effects that aromas can have on our moods and behaviors while applying this knowledge to the perfumery and consumer goods industry. When people lost some or all of their sense of smell after a COVID-19 infection, they flocked to her for help.

“People ask me to make lots of products for them; from perfume for dogs to natural deodorant. But this request was very different. People were coming to me in tears. They couldn’t smell anymore. It ranged from not being able to smell at all, that’s what we call “anosmia”, to a partial loss of smell (hyposmia), all the way to “parosmia” (when smells smell different, generally worse, than usual) and phantosmia (phantom smells), when you smell something that isn’t there, like smoke or gasoline.”

“I just knew I had to do something to help. People were scared, and rightfully so. You don’t realize how important and valuable your sense of smell is until you don’t have it.” An entrepreneur by day, a researcher by night, she studied the literature, read the research, and developed The Sense of Smell Training Kit™ to help those that need it.

This kit is designed to assist someone in regaining their sense of smell due to a post-viral infection, like COVID-19. It provides them with step-by-step instructions on how to do Scent Therapy at home. It’s like physical therapy for your nose. For example, if you injured your leg, you would go to physical therapy and learn the steps to heal your leg. If you injured your sense of smell from post-viral infections, like COVID-19, you would do scent therapy to learn the steps to regain your sense of smell. 

The kit was developed based on the research of Professor Thomas Hummel of the Smell and Taste Clinic at the University of Dresen in Germany. In his 2009 study, he investigated whether repeated short-term exposure to odors over a twelve-week period would have any effect on the olfactory ability of a group of anosmia sufferers. He concluded that compared to baseline, training patients experienced an increase in their olfactory function. In contrast, olfactory function was unchanged in patients who did not perform olfactory training. These results indicate that structured, short‐term exposure to selected odors may increase olfactory sensitivity. Ms. Fleming used her background in psychology to enhance the kit with Scent Mantra cards to increase the connective pathways between smelling and olfactive recognition. “Your brain needs to learn how to smell again. In essence, you are retraining it by linking what you are smelling and how your brain recognizes and processes it.”

You can find the related research articles HERE. 

Local Partnerships & Mental Health

Ms. Fleming wants to help as many people as possible. With the help of The Scranton Area Community Foundation and Scranton Primary Health, economically disadvantaged populations will be able to access the kit free-of-charge. “Our community is the heart of our region. Being able to partner locally to make the kit accessible to everyone is an amazing testament to how much we care about the health and wellness of our community. Currently an English version is available with two translation versions being currently worked on for the Spanish and Gujarati populations.

Another reason Ms. Fleming wanted to partner with Scranton Primary Health is their holistic approach to heath and wellness. “There’s more to losing your sense of smell than you think. After some time, anxiety can creep in. You’re constantly trying to smell things to see if you can, and when you don’t, depression can settle in. You can get nervous about what you are missing, like what if I can’t smell smoke and my house is on fire. Or you miss the pleasure senses of smelling bacon in the morning or a hot dog on the grill in the summer. When you lose your sense of smell you are losing more than just the ability to smell things, you are losing your ability to experience pleasure and safety, and that can be devastating.”

With their partnership with Scranton Primary Health, clients will be able to also address any mental health issues they may have with their sense of smell loss. “It’s a win for our entire community”, states Ms. Fleming.

What is included in the kit? 

The Sense of Smell Training Kit™ includes everything you need to retrain your brain to smell again. 

  • 4 Scent Jars 
  • Sense of Smell Training Booklet with 4 Scent Mantra Cards
  • Sense of Smell Tracking Sheet

Where can the kit be purchased?

The Kit can be purchased online at www.noteology.com (direct link to the kit https://bit.ly/senseofsmellkit) or by calling 570-343-2100 to place your order over the phone. The kits are made to order for optimal effectiveness. They are $45.99 with a portion of the proceeds being donated to The Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia where scientists at focus on interdisciplinary research on the senses of taste and smell.

Scranton Primary Health kits will be ready by early July. 

Want to learn more?  Visit our FAQ page HERE.

Tobyhanna Army Depot Partner with Ohio National Guard

An Ohio military unit made their annual pilgrimage to Tobyhanna Army Depot last week, strengthening an enduring partnership between Soldiers and the civilians who support them.

Thirteen Soldiers from the Army National Guard’s Bravo Company, 638th Aviation Support Battalion received their two-week annual training, courtesy of Team Tobyhanna. The unit has been traveling to the installation for 13 years, according to Chief Warrant Officer Steven Kobus.

“For years, I knew of Tobyhanna because I saw the depot’s name on our equipment,” he said. “I finally decided to come see the facility for myself and meet the people who supported our mission.”

While on that visit, Kobus learned of the depot’s robust Reserve Training programs and swore to bring his unit back the following year.

“I was excited to get my team in a practical setting where they could learn from the employees who keep our equipment running,” he said, adding that many of the Soldiers were especially excited about the opportunity, as they had received support from Tobyhanna personnel while in theater.

The annual training paired each Soldier with a depot subject matter expert who could advise on the repair and troubleshooting of radio and night vision equipment. Team members also shared knowledge through hands-on experience, particularly with components not usually accessible to Soldiers. Chief Warrant Officer Michael Fincannon says the trip was more than worthwhile.

“Training like this helps each organization – the Soldiers and our civilians – see the bigger picture that their work is a part of.”

In addition to the quality of the training experience, Soldiers also praised depot facilities.

“The accommodations here are fantastic, and the barracks team provides top-notch support,” said Kobus. Chief Warrant Officer William Hallas agreed.

“We’ve been a lot of places – and trust me when I say that Tobyhanna ranks among the best.”

Although Kobus expects to retire from service this year, he says the partnership will continue long in the future.

“You can’t put a price tag on the hands-on experience we get at Tobyhanna,” Kobus said. “When I ask ‘who wants to go to Tobyhanna,’ the entire unit raises their hands. Needless to say, we’ll be back.”

Tobyhanna Army Depot provides over thirty command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR) training programs for the Joint Warfighter, averaging 1,700 soldier training days per year.  The efforts are directly aligned with Tobyhanna’s long-range strategic plan, TOBY2028 – specifically the C5ISR Readiness line of effort, which strives to ensure America’s warfighters are always ready.

For information on training with Tobyhanna, contact the depot’s Reserve Training Coordinator at 570-615-6492.

Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for C5ISR systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna’s Corporate Philosophy, dedicated work force and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the Joint C5ISR provider of choice for all branches of the Armed Forces and industry partners.

Tobyhanna’s unparalleled capabilities include full-spectrum logistics support for sustainment, overhaul and repair, fabrication and manufacturing, engineering design and development, systems integration, post production software support, technology insertion, modification, foreign military sales and global field support to our joint warfighters.

About 3,700 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, which is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the command’s mission is to empower the Soldier with winning C5ISR capabilities.

Geisinger ConvenientCare Offering COVID-19 Tests for Travelers

Planning to travel and need to have a COVID-19 test before you go? Geisinger is offering COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for those aged 12 months and older at 18 ConvenientCare walk-in clinics throughout central and northeast Pennsylvania.

Travel tests are offered for a self-pay fee of $140. To get a test, you must have legal identification, such as a driver’s license, and anyone between age 12 months and 17 years old must have a parent or legal guardian with them. If your child is younger than 12 months, contact your pediatrician for advice on testing. Results will be available within 24 hours through myGeisinger.

You don’t need an appointment for a travel test at ConvenientCare, but you can save your spot in line to be seen at a clinic by visiting geisinger.org/urgent. As travel requirements vary from destination to destination, make sure you’re tested at the right time before departing.

Find more information about COVID-19 travel tests here.