With safety at the forefront, Geisinger is continuing a phased reopening of doctors’ offices and specialty clinics throughout Pennsylvania. Over the next few weeks, Geisinger services that were consolidated or relocated to other locations due to the COVID-19 pandemic will return to their normal locations but with enhanced safety and health precautions.

The extra measures Geisinger is taking are designed to keep patients, staff and communities healthy and safe as the pandemic continues. Geisinger has been reopening clinics since early May and will continue this process through July. Patients are being contacted by their care teams to discuss appointments and to share important safety information about their visits.

“We will continue to thoughtfully and carefully resume our operations over the coming weeks,” said Gerald Maloney, D.O., Geisinger’s chief medical officer of hospital services. “As we reopen, we’re going to do it right and keep safety as our top priority. Our clinics and hospitals are as safe now as they’ve ever been, and we want our neighbors to feel confident and comfortable returning to our facilities for their scheduled and routine care.”

As Geisinger gradually returns services, those coming into Geisinger facilities will encounter some changes to continue in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19, including:

• COVID-19 screenings for everyone who enters a clinic or hospital, including screening for respiratory infection and temperature checks with no-touch thermometers
• Mandatory masking for everyone in a facility with masks provided to patients and visitors who do not have them
• Enhanced physical (social) distancing measures through reconfigured reception areas with at least 6 feet of space between chairs
• Visitation limitations remaining in place
• Expanding cleaning measures to include deep cleanings several times a day
• Expanding appointment times to include early-morning and evening appointments to accommodate patients

In addition to in-person visits, Geisinger continues to offer patients and members ways to connect with their care teams for appointments through telemedicine. Geisinger also offers free prescription delivery and no-contact curbside prescription pick up at Geisinger Pharmacy locations.

For more information about getting back to care safely at Geisinger, visit geisinger.org/safe.

For the week of June 1, the following clinics and specialty care locations are reopened:

Systemwide:

Geisinger radiology services

Northeast region:

Geisinger Gastroenterology – 3 W. Olive St., Scranton

Geisinger Gastroenterology – 675 Baltimore Drive, Wilkes-Barre

Geisinger Hazleton OB/GYN – Airport Road

Geisinger Internal Medicine at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center

Geisinger Mt. Pleasant Mammorgraphy

Geisinger Mt. Pocono Mammography

Geisinger Mt. Pocono Sleep Lab

Geisinger Ophthalmology – Mt. Pocono

Geisinger Primary Care Dallas

Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre Adult Urgent Care

Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre Sleep Lab

Geisinger transplant services at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center

Geisinger Tunkhannock Mammography

Geisinger Viewmont Mammorgraphy

Geisinger Wyoming Valley Mammorgraphy

Some Geisinger clinics and services reopened in May, while others remain closed or consolidated. For the latest information on Geisinger clinics and services at specific locations, click here.

Personal injury law firm Munley Law is pleased to announce that two of the firm’s partners, Marion Munley and Daniel Munley, have been named to the 2020 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiffs Consumer Lawyers list.

Lawdragon is a legal media company that provides industry news, editorials, and resources including annual guides of the top lawyers in various areas of practice. The Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers list is an elite group of plaintiffs’ attorneys from all over the United States. Munley Law is the only Scranton firm to make the 2020 list.

Marion Munley has been practicing personal injury law for more than 30 years. She is triple‐boardcertified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in civil trial, civil practice, and truck law. Marion has earned an AV‐Preeminent designation from Martindale‐Hubbell, the industry’s highest ethical and client satisfaction rating.

Daniel Munley has been practicing personal injury law for more than 25 years. He is board certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in both civil trial and truck law. He has earned an AV‐Preeminent designation and a Platinum Level Client Champion rating from Martindale‐Hubbell.

AutoBahn Title & Tag, located at 711 Davis Street in Scranton, has announced its grand opening this Friday, June 5, at 11:00 a.m. as Lackawanna County enters into the “Yellow Phase” of the state’s COVID-19 reopening plan.

AutoBahn Title & Tag was founded in June 2018 by co-owners Lucia Maria Piccolino, a certified electronic mobile notary, and Glynn D. Murphy, CPA. The business began in the former filing room of Glynn D. Murphy CPA. Now, exactly two years later, Piccolino and Murphy are celebrating the highly anticipated opening of their new storefront at 711 Davis Street in Scranton.

While AutoBahn Title & Tag is not accepting walk-ins at this time, customers may book appointments online which are offered every hour on the hour at autobahntags.com.

AutoBahn Title & Tag offers motor vehicle records, notary and fax services, license plates, replacement tags, title transfers, vehicle registration, address changes, title duplications, fishing and hunting licenses (online only), mobile notary, and more.

AutoBahn Title & Tag is located right off of Exit 182, Interstate 81 South, and is available 24/7 by phone. For more information, find AutoBahn on Facebook or visit autobahntags.com.

Amanda Nole, MSW, recently joined Senior Day Services as its social worker. Nole will coordinate community-based support programs and act as a liaison between clients and state programs, county agencies, healthcare providers, rehabilitation facilities, hospitals and insurance companies. She will have a special focus on implementing Senior Day Services’ Caregiver Connection—a customized program for caregivers, specifically focused on the unique issues, daily stressors and emotional aspects of caring for an aging loved one.

Nole earned her Masters in Social Work from Marywood University in May 2020. During her training, she worked with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide medical case management services to residents and patients at the Wilkes-Barre Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She has personal and professional experience working with community organizations and non-profits. Nole received her Bachelors in Social Work from West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

Nole mentions, “I began working with veterans, seniors and their caregivers early in my career, and I’m energized by the opportunity to continue serving this oftentimes overlooked and vulnerable demographic. Helping to keep older adults active, connected and able to age at home for as long as possible is important to me. This position at Senior Day Services will allow me to truly make an impact in our region.”

Krysta Saar, a 6^th grader student from Mid Valley, began making and donating masks all by herself as soon as the pandemic started.  Once she saw how many organizations and businesses needed proper protection from the COVID-19 virus, Krysta began sewing masks from home.

Angela Saar, Krysta’s mother, told the #netcares Philanthropy Team that her family had to turn their second bedroom of their family home into Krysta’s sewing room. From doctors’ offices, to postal workers, to firefighters, Krysta has donated to many essential workers to help protect them. Krysta kindly even donated masks to NET Credit Union employees.

NET Credit Union’s #netcares Philanthropy Team was happy to be able to donate $500 to Krysta. Krysta will use our donation to continue to help protect other local essential workers, businesses and organizations.

Procter & Gamble’s Mehoopany Plant is the largest P&G manufacturing plant in North America. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the products made by the facility have been in high demand — toilet paper, paper towels, napkins and diapers — making the 2,200 workers employed at the facility essential.

While working to keep the community stocked with necessities, P&G is also trying to help support the local community in Northeast Pennsylvania and recently donated 8,000 surgical masks to Geisinger.

“We are specifically trying to support health care systems and emergency management agencies in the six counties in which our employees live,” said Jose de los Rios, Mehoopany Plant environmental compliance and public relations leader. “This is an example of our commitment to be a good corporate citizen in northeast PA.”

The Mehoopany Plant and its employees donate more than $1 million annually in money and products through the United Way and Feeding America Organizations, according to de los Rios.

“It is important that we support our local communities in their efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and treat those in need,” he said. “We recognize the work being done by the Geisinger and are looking for ways where we can leverage our resources to help in this effort.”

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Procter & Gamble is one of the most valuable companies in the United States with annual sales in excess of $66 billion in 2018 in 180 countries around the globe. The Procter & Gamble Mehoopany Plant has been in operation since 1966. For more information, visit https://us.pg.com/covid19/.

To make a donation in the fight against COVID-19, please visit geisinger.org/FightCovid or call 800-739-6882.

Dr. Nichole Danova, founder, President, and Director of Surgery at Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center (VREC) and her staff recently celebrated VREC’s 10^th anniversary.

VREC was preceded by Veterinary Surgical Center (VSC,) a dedicated veterinary surgical facility Dr. Danova founded in 2009. Seeing explosive growth in a short time, she began planning for a larger, full-service facility for the region’s “pet parents.” The 24/7 emergency and referral facility opened at 318 Northern Boulevard in South Abington Twp. in May, 2010 and remains there today.

VREC offers services not found anywhere else in the area, including dedicated emergency, internal medicine, cardiology, surgery, and physical rehabilitation departments. In 2013 the facility added a MRI suite, the only unit of its kind in the region.

In the past decade VREC has cared for over 62,000 unique patients – a figure that does not account for multiple visits from the same pet. To accommodate the case load, VREC has grown to over 50 clinicians, technicians, support staff, and client service representatives. Constantly seeking ways to better serve the community, Dr. Danova plans to expand the building and offer more services in the future.

VREC credits the continued support from the community’s pet owners for their success. Hospital Administrator Rose Ghiotto says, “It’s overwhelming how many wonderful pet parents we have in the area. We are all pet owners and are grateful to be here in a pet’s time of need.” Dr. Danova agrees: “We know nobody wants to use our services, but we’re here if you need us.”

For more information on VREC :

• Call 24/7: 570-587-7777
• Website: www.vrecpa.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/VRECPA
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/VRECPA
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/VRECPA
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vrecpa

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced that beginning Friday, May 29, additional Driver License and Photo License Centers in yellow phase counties will reopen, adhering to restrictions on work and social interaction set by Governor Tom Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.  This includes opening of limited motor vehicle services at its Harrisburg Riverfront Office Center (ROC) location.

These re-openings are in addition to those previously announced on May 21, 2020.

The following driver license centers will reopen with limited services beginning Friday, May 29:

• Chambersburg Driver License Center, 1320 Lincoln Highway East, Chambersburg;
• Lebanon Driver License Center, 900 East Old Cumberland Street, Lebanon;
• Hazleton Driver License Center, 1052 South Church Street, Hazleton;
• Schuylkill Haven Driver License Center, 972 East Main Street, Schuylkill Haven;
• Snydersville Driver License Center, 4218 Manor Drive, Snydersville; and
• Wilkes-Barre Driver License Center, 1085 Hanover Street, Wilkes Barre.

Hours of operation at the above locations will be Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 AM to 4:15 PM. Wednesday and Thursday between 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM will be designated times for customers 60 years or older.

As the Driver License Centers open, they will offer limited services. Customers will be able to obtain the following services as they plan their visit to one of these centers:

• Commercial Driver License (CDL) transactions, including renewals, replacements, Medical Examiner’s Certificates (MECs), date of proof transactions, Hazardous Material Recertifications, and related transactions;
• Initial issuance transactions, including out-of-state transfers, permit testing, ID card issuance, and related transactions;
• Photo license services;
• Driver license restoration services that cannot be completed online or via mail;
• Medical-related testing; and
• Non-U.S. citizen transaction processing.

Starting May 29, the Riverfront Office Center at 1101 South Front Street in Harrisburg will be open for motor vehicle services only. The Driver License and Photo License Centers located at the Harrisburg Riverfront Office Center will remain closed, and customers will be temporarily redirected to our Summerdale Driver and Photo License Center, 429 North Enola Road, Enola.

The Harrisburg Riverfront Office Center will be open from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM will be designated for customers 60 years or older.

Customers will be able to obtain the following motor vehicle services as they plan their visit to the Harrisburg Riverfront Office Center:

• Titles
• Registration renewals and restorations

For a list of driver license and photo license centers that will be open during the yellow phase, as well as their hours of operation, please visit www.dmv.pa.gov.

Customers seeking renewal of their non-commercial license or ID should renew online or by mail to avoid an unnecessary visit to the Driver License Center.

In an effort to support social distancing and reduce initial volume and demand at driver license centers, the following customer services will not be initially available:

• Non-commercial road testing;
• REAL ID applications and transactions, however, pre-verified customers can apply for REAL ID online; and
• Transactions or services that can be completed online at www.dmv.pa.gov.

In all reopened driver license centers, the following COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place:

• Customers will be prescreened and asked brief questions regarding any potential symptoms of COVID-19;
• Customers will be required to wear masks while in the facility;
• Seating will be reduced at all Driver License Centers to make social distancing easier to maintain six feet distances between each seat;
• The number of customers will be limited to correspond with available counter stations and available seating in the customer waiting area only;
• Admittance to the facility will be limited to only the customer requiring service, unless assistance is needed by an accompanying person;
• Plexiglass sneeze guards have been installed at each counter to protect customers and employees;
• Cleaning protocols have been enhanced to sanitize facilities on an ongoing basis; and
• Markings on floors have been added to assist with social distancing along with signage to communicate special instructions to customers.

As PennDOT reopens driver license and photo license centers, services will be in high demand, and customers should expect longer than normal waits. PennDOT staff will work with each customer when they arrive to plan their visit, with additional staff serving as greeters to screen documents and provide information for a smooth and safe transaction as possible. PennDOT apologizes for this inconvenience and appreciates customers’ understanding during this transition.

Customers may continue to complete various transactions and access multiple resources online at www.dmv.pa.gov. 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; and driver license and photo ID duplicates. There are no additional fees for using online services.

PennDOT will continue to evaluate these processes and will continue to reopen other locations as soon as safely possible. We will continue to communicate any reopening and changes with the public.

More COVID-19 information is available at www.health.pa.gov. For more information, visit www.dmv.pa.gov or www.PennDOT.gov.

Sister Mary Persico, IHM, Ed.D., president of Marywood University, announced that Christina A. Clark, Ph.D., Arlington, Va., has been appointed by the board of trustees as the university’s new provost, effective July 1, 2020. In her new role as Marywood’s provost, Dr. Clark will serve as the chief academic officer of the University, providing leadership in all academic matters and working collaboratively with the deans, faculty, staff, and administration to further Marywood’s mission and vision. The provost reports directly to the president and acts for the president when she is unavailable.

“We are fortunate to have someone with Dr. Clark’s diverse expertise and experience serving as provost, and she is a welcome addition to our community,” said Sister Mary Persico. “I am especially impressed by her inclusive style of academic leadership and her willingness to embrace Marywood’s mission.”

Prior to her appointment at Marywood University, Dr. Clark served as Dean of the School of Design, Arts, and Humanities at Marymount University [Arlington, Va.], where she also was a tenured professor of literature and languages.

Previously, Dr. Clark served as director of the world literature program and the health administration and policy program at Creighton University [Omaha, Neb.], where she also chaired the Classical and Near Eastern Studies program and served as a professor. She has served internationally as an associate professor at the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies [Rome, Italy] and has taught in the United States at Iowa State University [Ames, Iowa]; Bowdoin College [New Brunswick, Maine]; Gustavus Adolphus College [St. Peter, Minn.]; Florida State University [Tallahassee, Fla.], and the University of Wisconsin-Madison [Madison, Wisc.].

Dr. Clark’s academic administration skills include strategic planning, program assessment, recruitment and retention, curricular development, shared governance, university advancement, partnership development, and grant writing, among other issues of critical focus in higher education. She has had extensive leadership development experience, particularly at Marymount and Creighton Universities. Most recently, she participated in Leadership Arlington and CASE Advanced Development for Deans and Academic Leaders.

Dr. Clark’s professional contributions and research include peer-reviewed books, book chapters, articles, papers, and reviews. Her professional specialty is in Ancient Greek and Latin and she reads Italian, French, and German. She is widely published and is currently working on scholarly projects in the Classics, including a book, Paler than Grass: Nonverbal Behavior in Early Greek and Roman Poetry.

Dr. Clark has been recognized for her accomplishments and contributions with the Gamma Phi Beta’s Shine (Teaching) Award at Creighton University and “Iggy” Award for Outstanding Freshmen Mentors, Role Models, and Advocates, also at Creighton. A member of the Eta Sigma Phi and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies, Dr. Clark also merited a Summer Faculty Research Fellowship at Creighton and the Nebraska International Languages Association Star Award, among other accolades.

Dr. Clark earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in Classics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison [Madison, Wisc.]. She also holds a B.A. in Classics from Georgetown University [Washington, D.C.]. During her undergraduate education, Dr. Clark spent her junior year abroad at Trinity College [Dublin, Ireland].