RailRiders Announce 2021 Schedule The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, are pleased to announce the schedule for the upcoming 2021 season. The RailRiders are scheduled to play 72 home games and will open their season on Tuesday, April 6, in Moosic against the Worcester Red Sox. After the entire 2020 Minor League Baseball season was canceled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, PNC Field served as the alternate training site for the New York Yankees. During the last few months, Major League Baseball reorganized its developmental ranks, essentially creating new leagues and adding several new affiliates across the sport. On February 12, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre announced a 10-year agreement to remain as the Yankees Triple-A affiliate, playing in the newly-formed Triple-A East. The RailRiders were placed in the Northeast Division along with former International League North teams from Buffalo (Toronto) Lehigh Valley (Philadelphia), Rochester (Washington), Syracuse (New York Mets) and Worcester (Boston). After nearly two decades with the Minnesota Twins, the Rochester Red Wings are now an affiliate of the Washington Nationals. The club in Worcester moved from Pawtucket to a new ballpark set to open this season in Worcester, Massachusetts. “We are excited to release this schedule as a positive sign towards baseball in Moosic this year,” stated John Adams, Team President of the RailRiders. “While certainly several factors must still be clarified to help us move forward with a safe and successful season, this schedule is the first sign of things to come. The front office is hopeful for the return of baseball and seeing our loyal fans at PNC Field very soon.” The RailRiders will play their entire 2021 schedule against teams from the Northeast Division in an effort to reduce travel for health and safety reasons. Each Monday during the season is slated as an off day for travel to better accommodate players and staff. Unlike recent seasons, the 2021 campaign will extend beyond Labor Day, culminating on September 19th in Lehigh Valley. Go to www.SWBRailRiders.Com for the full 2021 schedule. This 2021 schedule remains fully subject to change due to the ongoing pandemic, while COVID-19 restrictions and protocols, game times and promotional details will be announced at a later date. Luxury Suites as well as 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 on the upcoming 2021 season, 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.
Commissioners Announce Lackawanna County COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Grant Program Lackawanna County Commissioners approved $2,374,844 million in funding to provide grants to eligible hospitality and accommodation businesses through the Lackawanna County COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Grant Program. The program will provide grants up to $25,000 to eligible businesses in Lackawanna County. “The hospitality industry has been hit very hard by the pandemic. The majority of our well-established area restaurants and small eateries were reduced to take-out or capacity restrictions, while our hotels saw a huge drop-off in guest room bookings. We are very pleased to provide some assistance again in conjunction with our partner, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. Together, we will utilize our resources to assist these sectors to get on the road to economic recovery,” the Board of Commissioners stated. In February, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania earmarked $145 million to establish the COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Grant Program. The funding was distributed through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to Lackawanna County. The County will partner with MetroAction, the small business affiliate of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, to administer the program and provide technical assistance to grant applicants and awardees. Information on the grant program is available at www.metroaction.org. Businesses are encouraged to read program guidelines and gather required program documents. Businesses will be able to submit a grant application for a two-week time frame or until program funding is exhausted. The grant application will open on March 8. READ GUIDELINES
State of the City with Mayor Cognetti Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti will give the 2021 State of the City address from Scranton City Hall on Wednesday, March 3 at 4:30 p.m.Mayor Cognetti will give remarks on Scranton’s challenges and opportunities and illustrate how our community has come together during this unprecedented period of crisis. The address will be live streamed via Zoom, at Youtube.com/ECTV, and Comcast Channel 19. Viewers can dial-in at +16465588656,,88596704167# or use Meeting ID: 885 9670 4167 (no password required).
COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Response Program Skills in Scranton, the workforce development affiliate of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, and in partnership with the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging, has launched a COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Response Program to match college students and recent graduates with Lackawanna County pharmacies and medical practices for temporary, non-clinical work related to COVID-19 vaccinations. “Our organization is honored to support such a timely and historic program. The work that comes from this program not only provides young college students and professionals with real world experience, but will also make a significant impact on many lives in the Lackawanna County community,” said Bob Durkin, president of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. Whether you’re looking for supplemental employment or just want to make a difference, we encourage those who qualify to join the fight against COVID-19. The positions involve COVID-19 data administration functions as well as customer service support. Eligible employees must meet at least one of the following criteria: Be a resident of Lackawanna County and currently enrolled in a college or university or 2020 college or university graduateBe a student currently enrolled in a Lackawanna County college or university and residing in Lackawanna CountyBe a student currently enrolled at a Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce member college or university and living in Lackawanna County The positions are available for immediate hire and will stay open on a rolling basis. Those interested in applying can visit www.scrantonchamber.com/vaccineprogram. LEARN MORE For more information on the COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Response Program contact Amy Luyster at aluyster@scrantonchamber.com or 570-342-7711.
2021 SAGE Finalists Announced The Chamber announced the finalists for the 2021 SAGE Awards, the Scranton Awards for Growth and Excellence live on Zoom. The SAGE Awards honor outstanding local businesses for their talent, creativity, and innovation. The winners will be announced on Friday, March 19 at the Chamber Gala, a hybrid event held at the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center and live via Zoom. This year’s SAGE Awards have been enhanced to honor and recognize the innovation our local businesses employed due to COVID-19. In addition, we created the new IMPACT Award for 2021, which includes three categories: Community Outreach, People and Culture, and Products and Services. Close to 100 applications were received for this year’s awards and nearly 40 community leaders and professionals volunteered to review applications and select finalists. The Chamber is proud to honor businesses that are making valuable contributions to the region and contributing to our overall quality of life. In addition, all award finalists can also win the People’s Choice Award, where the winner will be chosen by a community wide online vote from Monday, March 1 through Friday, March 5. VIEW FINALISTS
2021 ATHENA Leadership Award Recipient Announced Marion Munley, Esq. (center) with (l to r) Kristine Augustine, Chamber; Mari Potis, Chamber; Donna Barbetti, Michael A Barbetti LLC Certified Public Accountants; and Melinda Ghilardi, Esq., Munley Law. We are pleased to announce Marion Munley, Esq., Munley Law, as the 2021 ATHENA Leadership Award recipient. Marion embodies the character of the ATHENA Award, which honors an exceptional individual who has achieved excellence in their business or profession, has served the community in a meaningful way and has assisted women in their attainment of professional goals and leadership skills. “Marion is an exceptional example of a community leader paving the way for others. She fights for her clients, commits time to the Lackawanna County community, and ensures the mentorship of young women with careers in law,” says Bob Durkin, president of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. “She is an admirable and deserving recipient of this prestigious award.” For more than 30 years, Marion has made her mark in the male-dominated area of trucking law as a dedicated and skilled litigator, taking lead on some of Pennsylvania’s largest and groundbreaking legal victories. For a decade Marion provided free legal services to those in need at the Hope Center for Northeastern Pennsylvania. She has supported Lackawanna Pro Bono for more than 20 years, sponsors scholarships at the University of Scranton, Marywood University and Johnson College, as well as contributes to many other local charitable organizations. Marion mentors young women aspiring to or beginning a career in law. Particularly at Munley Law, she makes herself available for advice and questions and ensures they have a role in the firm’s big cases, local networking events, and national conferences. In 2020, Marion received the AAJ’s Marie Lambert Award for her commitment to the legal profession, her community, and the advancement of women in law. The ATHENA Award was first presented in 1982 in Lansing, Michigan and has grown to include presentations to more than 5,000 individuals in hundreds of cities in the United States as well as in Canada, China, Russia and the United Kingdom. The award takes the form of a hand-cast bronze sculpture symbolizing the strength, courage and wisdom of the recipient. The ATHENA Award® Program is nationally underwritten by General Motors and National City Bank. Local sponsorship is provided by Michael A. Barbetti LLC Certified Public Accountants.
Rediscover Scranton Encourages Living and Working in Lackawanna County The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, along with The Scranton Plan – the economic development affiliate of the Chamber – have teamed up with community partners and DiscoverNEPA for a relocation initiative in Lackawanna County: Rediscover Scranton. With Lackawanna County’s affordability and lifestyle benefits, Rediscover Scranton’s goal is to attract out-of-the-area professionals to our region, especially in the new work-from-home world, while at the same time reinforcing to the local workforce that our county is the best place to call home. “The initiatives started more than ten years ago with the concept of bringing people who are from the area or alumni back to Northeast Pennsylvania to start a business or raise their family,” said Amy Luyster, Chamber vice president. “The goal is to promote the many advantages of living and working in Lackawanna County, including our quality of life, available jobs, and opportunity for investment.” Soon, the Chamber will launch a series of videos that focus on the benefits of living and working in Lackawanna County. Community partners include Lackawanna County, the City of Scranton, Lackawanna County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Scranton Tomorrow, and local real estate agents. Learn more and share our resources at www.RediscoverScranton.com.
