Governor Wolf Announces Investments in 43 Multimodal Projects

Governor Tom Wolf announced today that 43 highway, bridge, rail, and bike and pedestrian projects in 21 counties were selected for $45.9 million in funding through the Multimodal Transportation Fund. 

“Transportation moves communities and economies forward,” Gov. Wolf said. “These investments will assist with overall mobility and safety in our local communities.” 

Reflecting PennDOT’s commitment to improving local infrastructure, several of the projects will also help local governments improve roadways, address pedestrian and accessibility concerns, and help bridges in need of repair or replacement. 

“Investing in our communities continues to be critical to moving the economy forward in 2021,” PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian said. “Making roadways more accessible for all modes of travel assures that we are making continued business connections for the future and keeps transportation an integral part of daily living.”   

PennDOT evaluated the applications and made selections based on criteria such as safety benefits, regional economic conditions, the technical and financial feasibility, job creation, energy efficiency, and operational sustainability.

Lackawanna County: 

Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority – $344,693 for improved signaling/lighting, colored concrete, sidewalks and barriers at the Meredith Street safety crossing. The improvements will keep pedestrians/bicyclists safe at crossing on Business Route 6.  

Luzerne County:  

  • Luzerne County – $840,000 for approximately 2.14 miles of road improvements on West County Road in Sugarloaf Township. These improvements will include the addition of a bike lane. 
  • Valley Crest Real Estate, LP – $3 million to address significant traffic congestion around Route 309 and Kidder/Mundy Streets, including ramp reconfiguration, new ramps, additional signage, and traffic signal improvements. 
  • Dupont Borough & Pittston Township – $716,379 to rehabilitate approximately 1.25 miles of roadway and upgrade stormwater infrastructure within the Quail Hill Development.  
  • Dupont Borough – $763,218 for removing certain portions of the existing pavement structure and replacing with full depth pavement; completing 1-1/2 inch pavement milling and overlay of several roadways in the borough and manhole/inlet grade adjustments. 

Borough of West Hazleton – $1,000,000 for reconstructing 1,970 linear feet to improve safety and sustain traffic flow at Rotary Drive in Valmont Industrial Park which will be maintaining access for existing industries’ current employees and all customers.  

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Announces Updates on 2021 Radio Broadcasts

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, have extended their agreement with the Bold Gold Media Group to carry the full 120-game schedule in 2021. The club is also pleased to announce the elevation of broadcaster Joe Vasile to the number two role on broadcasts, joining the “Voice of the RailRiders” Adam Marco on the call this season.

The flagship of the RailRiders Radio Network is The Mothership; Bold Gold’s oldies station that hit the airwaves in 2020 and added a frequency to expand the coverage. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre games can be heard locally on 1400 AM, 1440 AM, 93.5 FM, 106.7 FM and 107.9 FM. This array of frequencies for The Mothership gives the RailRiders coverage across both Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties, as well as into Wayne and Pike Counties in the Pocono Lake Region.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders broadcasts are also available online at swbrailriders.com and with the video feed on MiLB.tv when the team plays at PNC Field.

Bold Gold Media Group’s family of stations has been the home of RailRiders radio broadcasts since 2007.

“Bold Gold Media Group has been a tremendous partner for over a decade,” said Katie Beekman the RailRiders General Manager. “Whether it has been carrying the game broadcasts or helping promote the RailRiders brand across the region, we have always appreciated the efforts of Vince Benedetto, Bob VanDerheyden, Michael Stanton and the entire staff at Bold Gold.”

Marco returns for his 15th year in Minor League Baseball and third season as the lead voice of the RailRiders. Vasile replaces Adam Giardino as the club’s Media Relations Manager, who had served in this role previously.

“I’m thrilled to have Joe return to the booth with us this season,” Marco said. “He has been integral to what we have done the last few seasons behind the scenes. Joe brings a wealth of knowledge and a polished voice to our call, so I truly believe fans will be entertained and well-informed this season.”

Vasile enters his seventh season of minor league baseball and his third season with the RailRiders. In 2018 and 2019, he served as the RailRiders Media Relations and Broadcast Assistant. In the offseason, Vasile has served as the voice of Bucknell University women’s basketball since 2019 and broadcasts Bucknell men’s basketball and football home games. He also broadcasts a variety of sports for St. Peter’s University, Lafayette College, St. Francis College (N.Y.), the Northeast Conference and Princeton University.

Prior to his time with the RailRiders, Vasile spent the 2017 season as the Media Relations and Broadcast Assistant for the Long Island Ducks and has previous stops with the Salem Red Sox in 2016 and the Fayetteville SwampDogs in 2014 and 2015. In the 2015 season, Vasile also served as Fayetteville’s Assistant General Manager.

A native of Paramus, N.J., Vasile graduated from The College of New Jersey in December 2013. He also hosts the baseball documentary podcast Secondary Lead and has had writing published on Fangraphs and Beyond the Box Score.

“I am incredibly thankful to be returning to the RailRiders in an expanded role this season,” Vasile said. “Working alongside Adam Marco and Adam Giardino, as well as the entire staff at PNC Field, has been a fantastic experience and I can’t wait to start with the 2021 campaign. We have the best fans in minor league baseball and I’m looking forward to seeing people at the ballpark once again.”

The 2021 campaign beings on the road May 4 at Syracuse before Scranton/Wilkes-Barre plays its home opener at PNC Field on May 11 against Lehigh Valley. A limited number of single-game tickets for the month of May will go on sale on April 27 at 10 AM online at swbrailriders.com. Full, Half and Partial Season Ticket Memberships are on sale now.

The RailRiders front office is open on a limited basis and by appointment only. For more information, please visit swbrailriders.com or contact the club by calling (570) 969-2255 and leave a voicemail. Calls will be returned at the earliest possible opportunity. 

2021 Keystone Open Golf Tournament

The Keystone College Alumni Association has announced the return of the Keystone Open golf tournament to be held June 28 at Glen Oak Country Club.

This annual event ensures the growth of the Alumni Association Scholarship Fund which provides financial assistance to Keystone College students.

Through the past generosity of tournament sponsors and participants, more than 100 Keystone College students have been awarded scholarships to help defray the costs of their Keystone College education.

To register or for sponsorship opportunities, please visit https://events.golfstatus.com/…/registration-details.

Cancer Institute Announces New Officers and Members to the Board of Directors

The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s Board of Directors elected new officers. William Conaboy, Esq. was elected as Chair of the Board of Directors, Susan Shoemaker, Secretary and Holly Roever Carron, Treasurer.  In addition to the new officers, the Board of Directors appointed Michael L. Brown, Dale Johns, Cynthia Mailloux, PhD, RN, CNE and John A. Ruddy, M.B.A., D.P.S. to the Board of Directors.


Michael L. Brown is a member of the Commonwealth Health leadership team where he serves as CEO for Regional Hospital of Scranton and Moses Taylor Hospital. Prior to joining CHS, he served with Amita Health, the largest hospital system in Illinois, where he held hospital executive positions including COO, CNO, CEO and President since 2005. Most recently, he served as Regional President and CEO of the Amita Health Fox River Valley Region, overseeing two hospitals, two joint venture cancer centers and an ambulatory surgery center. Both hospitals have been recognized for safety and quality by Health Grades, Consumer Reports, U.S. News and World Reports and with Leapfrog A grades. In addition to collaborating with physicians for quality and growth, Michael has a track record of building and leading high-performing teams and achieving strategic and operational objectives. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Following military service, Michael worked as a professional firefighter/paramedic before he earned his bachelor’s degree in nursing with honors and MBA in organizational leadership/management from Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio.


Dale A. Johns is the Chief Executive Officer of Commonwealth Health Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. Dale is an experienced healthcare leader with a focus on exceptional patient care, quality, and operational objectives. Dale joined Wilkes-Barre General Hospital in September of 2020 from Salt Lake Regional Medical Center, part of Steward Health Care, where he held the CEO position since 2013. During his tenure in Wilkes-Barre, the hospital has been recognized for safety and quality with a 3 Star CMS Quality Rating and a Health System of Pennsylvania Patient Safety Excellence Award. Dale leads the hospital’s COVID-19 response which has provided care to hundreds of patients who were admitted and required specialized treatment like monoclonal antibody infusion therapies. Dale has been instrumental in driving growth at the hospital through strategic planning, market development initiatives, and service line expansions. Throughout his almost thirty-year healthcare career, Dale has worked extensively on physician recruitment, leading quality improvement efforts and fostering cultures of physician and employee engagement. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves where he achieved the rank of Sergeant and served in Desert Shield/Storm. Following military service, Dale earned his Bachelor’s degree in health services administration and MBA from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah.


Cynthia Mailloux, Ph.D., R.N., C.N.E., is professor and chair of the Department of Nursing at King’s College. She was the chair of the Department of Nursing at Misericordia University for 12 years prior to going to King’s College. Dr. Mailloux earned her doctorate in nursing with a concentration in education from Penn State University, her master’s degree in nursing from Misericordia University and her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Wilkes University. She is a member of the Pennsylvania State Nurse Association, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and the National League for Nursing. She has been involved in grant writing and lobbying efforts in Washington DC with Senators and Representatives advocating for an increase in the allocation of nursing education money. She has participated in service-learning trips to Guyana, South America and Tanzania trying to offer nursing students a more global perspective of nursing. She serves on numerous university and college committees. She has also been selected as an American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Wharton Nurse Leadership Scholar.


Dr. John A. Ruddy, CFA, CPA is an Assistant Professor of Finance in the Economics and Finance Department of The Arthur J. Kania School of Management, University of Scranton, Scranton, Pennsylvania.  He teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses in Accounting and Finance. Dr. Ruddy has a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Scranton, Scranton, PA (1991).  He has an M.B.A. in Finance and Investments from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (1996).  He also holds a Doctorate in Professional Studies, with a focus in Finance from Pace University, New York City (2017).  As is noted above, he also has passed the Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst examinations and has the requisite professional experience for both designations. The University of Scranton recognized Dr. Ruddy for his teaching.  In October 2013, he was the recipient of the Kania School of Management 2013-2014 Outstanding Professor of the Year award.  In May of 2014, he was the recipient of the University of Scranton’s Teacher of the Year award, as selected by the 2014 Graduating class.  Most recently in February 2017, he was the recipient of the Kania School of Management 2016-2017 Outstanding Professor of the Year award. He previously served as the Finance Committee Chairman of the Scranton Preparatory School’s Board of Trustees.  He currently serves on the Board of The Howard Gardner Multiple Intelligence Charter School.

The Wright Center for Patient and Community Engagement Appointed Board Directors

Three integral employees of The Wright Center for Community Health recently were appointed board directors for The Wright Center for Patient and Community Engagement. Each brings unique backgrounds in patient care or health information technology to the governance table.

The Wright Center for Patient and Community Engagement enhances The Wright Center for Community Health’s ability to determine outreach priorities as it continues to meet the healthcare needs of the most vulnerable in the community. Board members provide oversight, direction and support for Wright Center team members and their efforts, offering their unique perspectives on community needs, resources and connections, to develop and maintain active, collaborative relationships with patients and the community at large.


Kari Machelli, R.N., serves as Director of Care and Case Management Services for The Wright Center for Community Health. In this leadership role, she oversees the Opioid Use Disorder Center of Excellence Case Managers, Certified Recovery Specialists and Community Health Workers. Machelli has been with The Wright Center for more than 20 years, starting as an RN Care Manager. She earned her nursing degree from The Pennsylvania State University.


Danielle Hennessey is Electronic Medical Records and Health Informatics Manager for The Wright Center. She joined the organization in 2019 as an EMR Application Support and Trainer for the Mid Valley Practice and Ryan White HIV Clinic, and was integral in building the interface that allowed for the exchange of data between two separate electronic health records systems. Hennessey graduated from Valley View High School and attended Lackawanna College and Marywood University. She has a background in information technology, having worked for TMG Health for four years prior to joining The Wright Center.


Cheri Lewis-Aulisio is a licensed medical social worker for The Wright Center for Community Health. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from Marywood University. Cheri has a background working with diverse patient populations and has practiced in various clinical settings, including nursing homes, in-patient physician rehabilitation facilities and acute hospital-based settings. She has experience in behavioral health services and has worked with homeless women and children and Children & Youth Services. She also is part of the National Association of Community Health Center’s PRAPARE Tiger Team, which trains health centers to be better equipped to address social determinants of health and improve health equity.

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Tomorrow, April 20

Lackawanna County is holding a COVID-19 vaccine clinic tomorrow, April 20, at Montage Mountain from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Sign up below.

UPDATE as of 8:00 p.m. 4/19/21 –
No appointment necessary. Clinic is first come, first served.

Process information:

  • After completing this form, you will be added to our waiting list.
    • Please note, select “Medicap Olyphant” as the pharmacy location on the form, even though this clinic will be at Montage Mountain. Directions and more information will be provided upon confirmation.
  • The system will automatically send invitations (via text) to the phone number provided.
  • You can then select an appointment time that works best for you.
  • A phone that can receive texts, as well as internet service, will be required to confirm an appointment.
  • For HIPAA compliance, patients will need to enter the birth date provided on the form to access the scheduling.

You may also call 211 to sign up via the phone.

What to Know About the Restaurant Revitalization Fund from the SBA


1. Get the program details

Get the program details such as eligibility, funding amount, allowable use of funds and more. If you haven’t already, sign up for RRF email updates.

All info about RRF


2. How to prepare

Currently, SBA is not accepting applications for RRF. However, you can prepare your application by reviewing the sample application, program guide and cross-program eligibility chart on SBA COVID-19 relief options. You will be able to apply through SBA-recognized Point of Sale Restaurant Partners or directly via SBA in a forthcoming online application portal. Registration with SAM.gov is not required. DUNS or CAGE identifiers are also not required.

Prepare now


3. When to apply

The official application launch date will be announced shortly. Ahead of the application launch and over the next two weeks, the SBA will establish a seven-day pilot period for the RRF application portal and conduct extensive outreach and training on how to apply, application requirements and where to apply. Participants in this pilot will be randomly selected from existing PPP borrowers in priority groups for RRF and will not receive funds until the application portal is open to the public.  

Following the pilot, the application portal will be opened to the public. For the first 21 days that the program is open, the SBA will prioritize reviewing applications from small businesses owned by women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Following the 21-day period, all eligible applicants are encouraged to submit applications. 

Learn more

Gerrity’s Ace Hardware Now Open

America’s most celebrated “helpful place” is celebrating its grand opening in Scranton. The new Gerrity’s Ace Hardware store, located in the Keyser-Oak Shopping Center, will bring the company’s knowledgeable and helpful service paired with the best brands to help Scranton residents succeed with their everyday home maintenance projects. The grand opening was held last weekend.

This is the second Ace Hardware store opened by local residents and owners, the Fasula Family, who also own Gerrity’s Supermarkets. The new store has been designed to reflect the needs of Scranton and the surrounding community, including solutions to everyday home maintenance needs, as well as an extensive array of high-quality products in categories such as paint, lawn and garden, grilling, power tools and outdoor living.

“Our mission is to provide customers with the neighborly advice and assistance they have come to expect from Ace,” said Joe Fasula, owner of Gerrity’s Ace. “We look forward to becoming a helpful and valuable neighbor to the community, both inside and outside the walls of our store.”

The 10,000 square foot store is packed with thousands of essential products and supplies, including best brand like Stihl, Craftsman, Yeti, Weber, Traeger, Big Green Egg, Benjamin Moore and Scotts to help people take care of their homes. Key product offerings include paint, lawn and garden, hardware, electrical, plumbing, automotive and home décor.

Gerrity’s Ace Hardware Store Information:

  • Store Hours: Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • 1726 N. Keyser Ave., Scranton, PA 18508    Phone: 570-207-5290
  • Store Management: Jonathon W., Store Manager; Jack W., Assistant Manager

CANPACK Group to Host On-Site Job Fair at New Olyphant Facility

The CANPACK Group will host its very first on-site job fair Friday, April 16, and Saturday, April 17, just outside its currently under-construction 908,000 square-foot facility at 1400 E. Lackawanna Ave. in Olyphant.

With plant operations set to begin in September, CANPACK is offering more than 400 career opportunities in a cutting-edge manufacturing environment supplying a host of innovative products to some of the biggest brand names in the world. We are actively seeking individuals with previous experience in manufacturing, production, machine operation, electrical work, maintenance, mechanics, processing, or engineering.

CANPACK is among the market leaders in the packaging industry, which is experiencing unprecedented growth, making this the perfect time to join us as we embark on our new and exciting journey.

Whether you have years of experience in the industry or have never considered a career in manufacturing, CANPACK careers are uniquely rewarding because we create more than just packaging – we help brands grow, businesses thrive, and people get more enjoyment out of life.
Come and start your new career with CANPACK, where you will feel empowered and be part of a team in an exciting, supportive workplace. Join us April 16 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and April 17 from 10 a.m.to 2 p.m.

Facebook Link for Friday 4/16/2021: https://fb.me/e/2gC9WBvjA
Facebook Link for Saturday 4/17/2021: https://fb.me/e/3izCEFKEr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6783228584157937664

Golden Technologies Voted Gold Winner as Best Mobility Manufacturer

Golden Technologies is a Gold Winner in the Times Leader Media Group’s Best of the Best 2021 Reader’s Choice Award for Best Mobility Manufacturer. Readers of the Times Leader newspaper were invited to nominate their favorite local businesses in Northeast Pennsylvania in more than 100 categories. Top nominees advanced to the voting phase and Golden was selected by readers as the Gold Winner in the Best Mobility Manufacturer category.

“Congratulations to all Golden Team members. This award is a total team effort. We should all be extremely proud of this recognition,” said Rich Golden, President & CEO. “We manufacture the highest quality and most innovative scooters and power wheelchairs in the industry and back them up with superior customer service. None of this is possible without the hard work, dedication and passion from every employee, as well as our vendors and fantastic retailers throughout the USA and abroad. Thank you to everyone who voted for us,” he added.

Winners will be showcased in an upcoming video presentation hosted on timesleader.com. The Times Leader contest received a record breaking 180,000+ votes this year. Visit www.goldentech.com for more information.