La Festa Italiana Set for Labor Day Weekend in Scranton La Festa Italiana is back! After the event was cancelled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, La Festa is returning and will be held Labor Day weekend (Friday through Monday, September 3-6, 2021) on Courthouse Square in the heart of downtown Scranton, Pa. Hours are Friday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Monday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The festival committee is collaborating with the Lackawanna County Commissioners and the Mayor of Scranton’s Office to plan the event. COVID vaccines, masks and hand sanitizers will be available at no charge. A variety of vendors will be offering great Italian food and other items, and continuous live entertainment will be featured. There is no admission charge. This year’s presenting sponsor is the Lehigh Valley Health Network. Also returning this year are The Bronx Wanderers, La Festa’s main act on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. Festival patrons will recall these talented guys from previous appearances. They have been performing in Las Vegas for several years. The Bronx Wanderers deliver a “Back to the Future” high-octane ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s rock n’ roll experience featuring the infectious energy of the music that skyrocketed classics like “American Graffiti,” “Happy Days” and “A Bronx Tale” to immediate success. Weave that nostalgic adrenalin into a soundtrack of the greatest hits of rock n’ roll replicated in a way that only a master record producer can achieve. Among the many other acts that will perform are The Cameos, comedian Uncle Floyd Vivino, Frank Sinatra tribute (Chris DiMattio), Dean Martin Tribute (Andy DiMino from Las Vegas), a Connie Francis tribute featuring Nikki Rasmus, Gene Dempsey Orchestra, Old Friends, Flaxy Morgan, Popstar Drive, Mike Lanza, The Luongo Brothers, The Wanabees, Daddy-O and the Sax Maniax, The Exact Change, Gerard Mayer Band, the Mark Montella Project featuring Erin Malloy, La Festa’s principal Italian tenor Michael Castaldo, Ballet Theatre of Scranton performing Italian-Folk street dances, plus many others including jugglers, magicians, street acts, favorite local bands and dance groups. The annual Mass in Italian will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 5, in the Cathedral of Saint Peter, located one block from the festival site. The Mass will also be televised live by CTV: Catholic Television of the Diocese of Scranton. Fireworks presented by Dickson City Hyundai will be displayed on Sunday night. For more information, the complete entertainment schedule and updates, visit the festival website. La Festa Italiana will literally hit the ground running with the Ninth Annual Captain James R. Minicozzi Memorial 5K Run and 1 Mile Fun Walk on Saturday, Sept. 4, at 10 a.m. The race is being sponsored by the Scranton Chapter of UNICO, the Italian-American service organization, and proceeds will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Northeastern Pennsylvania Christmas Party and West Scranton High School Scholarship Program. Pre-register by September 1 online!
PS Bank Supports Lackawanna Trail School District PS Bank is proud to support the Lackawanna Trail School District for the 2021-2022 academic year with a charitable contribution of $5,000. PS Bank is an ardent supporter of the district as well as the greater Factoryville, Nicholson, and Dalton community. In acceptance of the monetary donation, Business Manager Keith Glynn said, “The money provided by PS Bank over the past few years has helped to provide resources for sports and music in the classroom where budgets may not have been able to stretch. For this year, we will be using the funds to buy a district-wide license for Kami which is a digital learning platform tool to help our educators create engaging and interactive materials in a virtual environment.” The relationship between Lackawanna Trail and PS Bank extends beyond annual donations in support of students. “Lackawanna Trail is extremely grateful for the relationship with PS Bank. On top of the great financial services provided through the local branches, the bank has strived to meet the needs of our organization and has been a great tool for us in our financial planning strategies,” said Glynn. Anthony Gabello, President & CEO of PS Bank knows that supporting public schools is the foundation of a prosperous community and is proud to have such a great relationship with Lackawanna Trail. “PS Bank is proud to support the Lackawanna Trail School District again this year. Serving the students and faculty of the district with our annual sponsorship of the high school auditorium allows school leadership to continue to provide an outstanding educational experience,” stated Gabello. PS Bank serves the Lackawanna Trail community at 118 College Avenue, Factoryville. For more information about banking at this branch, please reach out to Janice Bevacqua, Assistant Vice President & Branch Manager at jbevacqua@psbanking.com.
Brian Floyd, ACBC, CBC Named Simply the Best Insurance Agent 2021 In addition to Gunn-Mowery winning Best Insurance Agency, our very own, Brian Floyd was named Simply the Best Insurance Agent. Brian began his career with Gunn-Mowery in 2004 and concentrates on employee benefits for the mid-market and large group market. Brian is also our Genesis Healthcare Consortium expert, a program unique to Gunn-Mowery that minimizes health care expenses and reduces insurance carrier profits. He hold the designation of ACBC (Advanced Charter Benefits Consultant) which gives him the expertise in the area of HSAs, FSAs, and HRA/MERP plans, as well as CBC (Chartered Benefits Consultant).
The Dave Matthews Band Concert at Mohegan Sun Arena Date Change The Wednesday, November 10th Dave Matthews Band show at Mohegan Sun Arena has been rescheduled to Monday, November 8th. The Tuesday, November 9th Dave Matthews Band performance will remain the same. Tickets for the November 10th show will be honored for the new date on November 8th. Refunds will also be available at the point of purchase for fans who cannot attend the rescheduled date. Refund requests must be submitted by 10:00am ET on Tuesday, September 7th. Please note that both of these performances, the Event Organizer will require ticket holders to provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 (original vaccination card or a printed copy from at least two weeks after final dose) or a negative test taken within 48-hours prior to entry at Mohegan Sun Arena. Ticket holders using a negative test for entry will not need to get subsequent tests if they are attending both shows. For questions and additional information regarding health checks, please visit Ticketmaster Fan Support here. For more information on Mohegan Sun Arena and other great events at Mohegan Sun, please visit mohegansun.com.
Women’s Resource Center Wish List The Women’s Resource Center (WRC) works to end domestic and sexual violence against women, children, teenagers, and men. Women and children fleeing domestic violence are often in need of many essential items: Gift Cards for groceriesGas CardsColts Bus PassesPhone CardsGift Cards for Car RepairRetail Gift CardsNew Car SeatsChildren’s PajamasNew Women’s SocksNew Women’s UnderwearWomen’s PajamasHair Care Products for Women of ColorJournals/NotebooksPocket CalendarsShampoo/Conditioner/Body WashTampons, PadsHairbrushes/Combs New Hair DryersNew Towels & WashclothsNew Bed Sheets & PillowcasesCookware-Pots & PansUtensils and silverwarePlates, Cups, BowlsBackpacks for Boys & GirlsSchool SuppliesFlash DrivesNew Small Household AppliancesLaundry DetergentLaundry BasketPet Food (Dry and Canned) *smaller bags*Cat Litter KITCHEN Dishes setGlasses setPots/pans setDish drying rackDish towels/clothsCooking utensil setKnife blockToasterCoffee makerSet of SilverwareGarbage Can BEDROOM Bedding/sheets pillowsMattress coverBedroom garbage can BATHROOM Shower linerShower curtain (set w/bath rug)Garbage canBathroom towels KID’S ROOMS Crib sheets/liner if applicableTwin bed sheets for kids/comforter sets Other Neutral window CurtainsSmall vacuumsCleaning suppliesBroom/dust pan We do not accept: Used Clothing or sample sized or hotel toiletries. Places that do accept these items are:Angels Attic- United Neighborhood Center – 570 343-8835 Safety Net- (570) 347-4730
Lehigh Valley Health Network to Offer COVID-19 Vaccine at La Festa Italiana In an effort to get our community vaccinated, Lehigh Valley Health Network will be offering the COVID-19 vaccine at La Festa Italiana on Sunday, Sept. 5 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Both the Johnson & Johnson and the Pfizer Vaccine will be available. Anyone under the age of 18 will need to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to get vaccinated. The COVID-19 vaccinations provided by LVHN are free. To learn more about the COVID-19 Vaccines, visit LVHN.org/vaccines.
Inaugural Penguins 5k, a Success Runners (and walkers) from around the area dodged the raindrops Sunday morning to take part in the inaugural Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 5K, presented by PNC Bank. Eryn Milius paced the field of 87 participants with a time of 19:49.86 on the Back Mountain Trail course, taking home first overall honors among all participants. Twenty-two seconds behind Milius was Nathan Wood, whose 20:11.45 time led all male runners. Awards were presented to the top three overall performers for both men and women, as well as in the 19-and-under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60-plus divisions. All participants received a Penguins’ 5K t-shirt, participation puck, and a voucher good for a Penguins game during the 2021-22 season. Proceeds from the inaugural Penguins 5K, presented by PNC, go to the team’s GOALS Foundation, whose mission is to provide young people and families with the opportunity to experience the game of hockey firsthand. In addition to PNC Bank, the Keystone Mission, Brand Graphics and the Gregory Center also provided support to the inaugural race. A full listing of finishing times for the Penguins 5K is available online via the Falcon Race Timing website.
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Receives Grant The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute received a $1,000 grant from the Luzerne County Bar Association Charitable Foundation at their annual summer outing at Fox Hill Country Club in Exeter. The event featured an evening of dinner, presentations featuring two student scholarships and honoring Attorney William F. Anzalone. Additionally, grants were presented to several nonprofit organizations in the region including the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute. This $1,000 grant will help to support the Community-Based Cancer Screening Navigation Program. This program helps low income, uninsured, and underinsured individuals who are not up to date with breast, cervical, colon and lung cancer screenings.
Scranton Tomorrow Dedication Ceremony & Meet the Artist Reception Scranton Tomorrow and Members of the Mural Arts Program Committee cordially invite you to a Dedication Ceremony for the Danseur de Corde (Rope Dancer) Mural by Joel Carson Jones. Friday, September 3 at Danseur de Corde Mural328 Penn Avenue 5:15 to 7:30 p.m.Music by the Marko Marcinko Swing Band 6 to 6:15 p.m.Dedication Ceremony 6:15 p.m.Meet and Greet & Poster Signing with Artist Joel Carson Jones Autographed PostersPurchase a commemorative edition Danseur de Corde poster. Designed by Tara Tomasetti-Smith, these lovely keepsakes feature the work of Julie Jordan Photography. Be sure to request an autograph from Joel Carson Jones, the artist who brought our Rope Dancer to life! Video ToursGuests will also have the opportunity to be among the first to embark on a brief video tour of the project, produced by KP Productions, simply by scanning the QR posted at the mural site with their smartphones. Masks EncouragedAs an added precaution for the health and safety of our community, and our children, we encourage all guests to wear a mask while enjoying this special event. Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.
