The Dime Bank donated $9,750.00 to Lacawac Sanctuary to support the nature preserve, environmental education center, and biological field station. The Lacawac Sanctuary is a non-profit conservation, research, and education center providing the community with a host of quality environmental, historical, and cultural programs.

$7,500.00 was donated through the PA Department of Community and Economic Development’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit program to support Lacawac Sanctuary’s mission to educate the next generation of environmental stewards and scientists and strengthen academic achievement by providing hands-on, STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math education programs for Preschool to 12th grade students. $1,000.00 was donated as a corporate sponsorship to help with the Sanctuary’s mission to promote environmental understanding through education and conservation. $1,000 was donated as an epicurean sponsorship of the 7^th Annual Farm to Plate Dinner event to benefit Lacawac mission and work to preserve the environment and shape the next generation of Earth stewards and scientists. $250 was donated to the Cocktails for Conservation fundraising event that raised funds for Lacawac preservation and education mission.

Renee S. Jourdanais, M.S., CCC/SLP, an assistant professor of practice in the communication sciences and disorders department at Marywood University, was recently informed by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association that she was accepted as a Site Visitor following a training period earlier this summer.

Ms. Jourdanais will complete a four-year term for the CAA in the role of a clinical faculty member visiting graduate programs applying for initial accreditation or re-accreditation. A faculty member at Marywood University since 2000, she earned her bachelor of science degree in communication sciences and disorders from Marywood and a master of science in speech-language pathology from Nazareth College.

For more information on the CSD/SLP undergraduate and graduate programs at Marywood University, please see marywood.edu/csd, or contact the Office of Admissions online at marywood.edu/admissions, by email atYourFuture@marywood.edu, or by calling (570) 348-6234.

PennDOT Now Hiring for Winter Maintenance

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is seeking hardworking individuals to work from September 2022 through April 2023 in the Winter Maintenance Program! If you enjoy working in a fast-paced and dedicated environment on a seasonal basis, or with the potential for promotion into a permanent position, this is the job for you. Click here to apply today.

Watch this video to see how you can make a difference in the Winter Maintenance Program!

Starting hourly rates are:

• Transportation Equipment/CDL Operator;
• Diesel & Construction Equipment Mechanic;
• Auto Mechanic;
• Tradesman Helper;
• Welder;
• Radio Dispatcher;
• Custodial Worker; and
• Stock Clerk

PennDOT Enhances 511PA to Assist Travelers to Little League World Series

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) encourages motorists traveling to the Little League World Series in Williamsport to plan their trip using the real-time travel and alternate-route information available online at www.511PA.com/LLWS.

The page, hosted through the department’s www.511PA.com traveler information website, is dedicated to monitoring traffic conditions on the primary travel routes to the event. Travel times and alerts are provided for: Route 15 south to Route 220 to Market Street (from north); Route 15 north (from south); Interstate 80 east to Route 220 north to Market Street (from west); and I-80 west to Route 15 north (from east).

“511PA is a valuable tool to empower the public and minimize congestion,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “We encourage drivers to check 511PA before they leave so they can be aware of traffic conditions and adjust plans if necessary.”

The page includes the average travel time for the primary route as well as one or two alternate routes. Users can see incidents, construction, weather forecasts and alerts, traffic cameras, and traffic speeds on the map.

PennDOT’s Central Region Traffic Management Center (CRTMC) is also supporting the Little League World Series by posting real-time travel information on dynamic message signs and transmitting audio messages on highway advisory radio systems to assist travelers.

The public can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles in Pennsylvania by visiting www.511PA.com. The service, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

PennDOT Offers Drivers Facing Suspension Second Chance

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that select drivers facing a suspension due to accumulation of points on their driving records or for a conviction of excessive speeding now have a chance at redemption through successfully completing the newly-instituted Driver Improvement School (DIS) offered by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

“This new training program offers people whose driving privileges are in jeopardy a chance to avoid losing their license,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “For many, losing the ability to legally operate a motor vehicle means not just a loss of mobility, but a loss of income and independence as well.”

As drivers are convicted of certain moving violations, points are assigned to their driving record. Once a driver’s record has been reduced below six points and for the second time, shows as many as six points or has a conviction for excessive speeding, that driver is required to attend a departmental hearing. At the departmental hearing, a driver meets with a Driver Safety Examiner (DSE) to review their driving record and discuss the driving habits that resulted in the hearing. At the conclusion of the hearing, a determination will be made whether serving a 15-day suspension or attending PennDOT’s DIS would be most beneficial for the driver to assist in making better decisions while behind the wheel.

An individual who attends and successfully completes the DIS due to their record showing for the second time as many as six points, will have two points removed from their record and avoid a 15-day suspension. An individual who attends and successfully completes the DIS due to a conviction on excessive speeding will avoid having to serve a 15-day suspension. If an individual does not successfully complete the course or fails to attend, they will be required to serve a 60-day driver’s license suspension.

The DIS curriculum focuses on safety and addresses poor driver behaviors and judgment exhibited in “high risk” drivers. This six-hour course focuses on educating and assisting problematic drivers to identify why they engage in risky driving behavior and how to utilize strategies for behavior modification to assist in improving their driving habits to prevent future violations and crashes.

For more information, visit the Driver Improvement School page on the Driver and Vehicle Services website.

Follow PennDOT on Twitter and like the department on Facebook and Instagram. 

State Transportation Commission Adopts Updated 12-Year Transportation Program

Pennsylvania’s State Transportation Commission (STC) today updated the 12-Year Program. The new plan anticipates $84 billion will be available over the next 12 years for improvements to roads, bridges, transit systems, airports and railroads.

The 12-Year Program, or TYP, is a multimodal, fiscally constrained planning tool used to identify and prioritize Pennsylvania’s transportation projects and the funds needed to complete them. State law requires the STC to review and update the TYP every two years. No capital project can move forward unless it is included in the TYP.

The newly adopted program, which takes effect October 1, incorporates funding from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), and anticipates the following funding availability in the first four years of the TYP from federal, state and local sources:

• $16 billion for state highway and bridge projects;
• $11.4 billion for public transit;
• $331 million for multimodal projects;
• $232 million for rail freight; and
• $168 million for aviation.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has already made a noticeable impact on transportation projects in Pennsylvania across all modes,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “While additional investment in our large transportation network is certainly needed, PennDOT takes pride in being a responsible steward of federal, state and local dollars to help improve infrastructure across all modes.”

The TYP also highlights some of PennDOT’s major accomplishments over the past two years, ranging from the modernization of train stations to the implementation of innovative strategies and the latest technologies to enhance safety and efficiency across a wide range of operations.

Four Rural Planning Organizations, 19 Metropolitan Planning Organizations and one independent county partnered with PennDOT in the review and development of the update. Now that the STC has approved the update, it has been submitted to the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration for review and approval. The Federal Highway Administration coordinates with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to review the plan’s conformity with air quality requirements.

Public input early in the 12-Year planning process played a key role in identifying investments in the various transportation modes.

The State Transportation Commission is chaired by the Secretary of PennDOT and consists of 10 appointed citizens as well as the majority and minority chairs of the state House and Senate Transportation committees.

For more information about the TYP, visit www.TalkPATransportation.com.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins second annual GOALS Foundation 5K, is taking place THIS SATURDAY at 9:00am at the Back Mountain Trail in Luzerne.

On site registration is available for $45. 

Racers can take part in the competitive run but if you are not ready to run the 5K, walkers are welcome.

All participants will receive a Penguins GOALS Foundation 5K T-Shirt, a commemorative finisher puck, and a free lower level voucher to a Penguins home game during the 2022-23 season in October or November.

Cost of the run/walk is $35, ($45 for virtual which includes shipping of swag) and all proceeds will benefit the Penguins GOALS Foundation!

The GOALS foundation dedicates time, resources, and financial support to organizations committed to bettering the lives of the people of northeast Pennsylvania. For more information on the Penguins 5K, contact Jillian Heller at jheller@wbspenguins.com

Scranton Primary Health Care Center has been selected as a COVID-19 Vaccine Ambassador Program grant recipient.

Surgo Ventures recently announced the expansion of its COVID-19 Vaccine Ambassador Program, available now in 13 community health organizations with more than 70 individual clinics across eight
states. The program has the potential to reach 20,000 people who otherwise may not receive a
COVID-19 vaccine and has been implemented in partnership with Uber Health and the Vaccine Access Fund, which is managed by LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation).

The incentive program encourages vaccinated patients at participating clinics to tap their social
networks and existing, trusted relationships to have conversations about COVID-19 vaccination. As a
“vaccine ambassador” these patients receive $20 when they text at least three unvaccinated friends or family members and urge them to get vaccinated or bring an unvaccinated person to the clinic for
vaccination. Uber Health transportation to the vaccination appointment can also be arranged by
Scranton Primary as part of this unique endeavor.’

“This program is a prime example of our ability to combine rigorous behavioral science research with
real-world interventions designed to change behavior and promote health equity,” said Hannah Kemp,
Surgo Ventures Vice President of Impact and Growth. “And it has immense potential to be used for any other vaccination or public health campaign.”

The program also equips clinic staff to be vaccine ambassadors by providing a set of personalized,
behavioral science-based scripts for staff to use during interactions with unvaccinated patients.
“We are confident the Surgo Ventures Vaccine Ambassador Program will help us encourage more
people to get vaccinated and protected against COVID-19,” said Joseph H. Hollander, Scranton
Primary Health Care Center CEO. “…we welcome all members of the community to visit our clinic to
learn how to become a vaccine ambassador and participate in this unique opportunity.

Scranton Primary Health Care Center is a Federally Qualified Health Care Center providing quality care to patients regardless of their ability to pay. Services include pediatrics, family and internal medicine, women’s health, pre-natal and postpartum services, gynecology, infectious disease care, behavioral health, general dentistry, and ACA counselors to assist people navigating the insurance marketplace. The center is located at 959 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton.

Tobyhanna Army Depot recently had the opportunity to support soldiers from its own community – thanks to a cooperative approach and a program that ensures operational readiness for military units.

Depot personnel from all over the country traveled to the Armed Forces Recruiting Center in Scranton last week, delivering an AN/TSC-185B Satellite Transportable Terminal to the 213th Signal Company of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. The STT, a key piece of field communication systems, is a highly transportable mobile satellite system that establishes secure voice, video and data communications for service members.

The effort was truly a labor of love, according to Brian Warholic.

“Four separate teams and countless members of Team Tobyhanna banded together to make this [the delivery] happen,” he said. “All involved are passionate about Tobyhanna’s mission and supporting our warfighters – especially ones right in our own backyard.” Warholic is a logistics management specialist in the Production Management Directorate.

Originally owned by a National Guard unit in another state, the STT was recommended for maintenance through the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Reconnaissance, Surveillance, or C5ISR, Lifecycle Analysis Team program. CLAT personnel conduct 30-plus missions yearly, joining forces with military units to assess their equipment and identify barriers to readiness. During CLAT missions, assets are evaluated, and a source of repair (SOR) is determined.

Personnel from Tobyhanna’s Asset Management Team then cross-collaborated with the CLAT team to transport the asset to Fort Hood, Texas – where forward depot personnel were ready and waiting to bring it back to operational status.

Artisans at Fort Hood repaired the STT as part of Tobyhanna’s groundbreaking Depot Maintenance Forward effort, which expands its SORs beyond the gates of the Pocono installation. DMF co-locates electronics personnel near units stationed in high-activity locations, eliminating the need to send systems across the world for repair.

In addition to the Fort Hood facility, the depot maintains DMF locations in Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; Panzer Kaserne, Germany and Camp Humphreys, South Korea. DMF provides limited repair abilities; assets that require more complex support are sent to Tobyhanna’s main facility in line with the traditional depot maintenance process.

Management of DMF efforts takes place on-site at Tobyhanna through a team dedicated to forward logistics support. Production Controller Nicole Ford noted the DMF approach provides a more cost-effective and quicker turnaround for military units, heightening readiness for America’s military. Ford works in the Production Management Directorate.

Once the asset was fully repaired, the National Guard Bureau decided to reassign the asset to the 213th Signal Company. The AMT then arranged for transportation to Scranton, where depot personnel – including the Fort Hood technicians who repaired the asset – assembled with the unit for an asset acceptance mission (AAM).

A unique approach to depot maintenance, AAMs bring key personnel directly to the unit for a joint inventory, acceptance test procedure and workmanship inspection of the repaired system. Identified issues can be addressed immediately, instead of routing them through complex and time-consuming communication channels – or, worse, leaving the unit responsible for resolving on their own.

The AAM effort began as a pilot between Tobyhanna’s DMF program and the National Guard Bureau – garnering high praise from customers and military members. The effort has since been expanded to include National Guard assets repaired at Tobyhanna proper. More than 40 AAMs have been completed to date.

Warholic says the AAM process benefits all – especially military members in need of equipment and support.

“AAMs close the maintenance loop between Tobyhanna and our customer, heightening confidence in our maintenance efforts. Because the AAM is a collaborative experience with both parties involved, units know for sure the product they are receiving back is complete and 100% operational. These in-person experiences help build strong relationships between depot personnel and our customers, which is priceless.”

Unit personnel also lauded the effort and Tobyhanna’s performance.

“Our team is extremely excited to get this new equipment – it’s a good day when your equipment comes from Tobyhanna Army Depot. We appreciate the chance to develop a direct relationship with the people who support us, and this process no doubt increases our operational readiness,” said SSG Jonathon Janes, the unit’s supply sergeant and warrant officer candidate.

Tobyhanna leadership also celebrated the event and applauded the efforts of all involved.

“This was a wonderful team effort,” said Joseph Fantanarosa, director of Field Logistics Support.

Support for previous STT programs earned Tobyhanna high accolades, such as the 2020 Secretary of Defense Maintenance Awards Program, Robert T. Mason Award and the Army Chief of Staff Logistics Excellence Awards Program, Army Award for Maintenance Excellence.

AAMS and the DMF program are directly aligned with Tobyhanna’s long-range strategic plan, TOBY2028 – specifically the C5ISR Readiness line of effort focused on ensuring military members have the tools and equipment to face any conflict. The plan focuses on posturing the depot to be competitive in the future.

Tobyhanna will facilitate future AAMs in Guam, Idaho, New York and South Carolina.

WVIA has received two 2022 Mid-Atlantic Regional Emmy ® Award nominations for the original programs “The Swingin’ Jazz Nutcracker Suite” and “VIA Short Takes 201”.

“We are extremely honored that the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has recognized these wonderful programs,” said Carla McCabe, President/CEO of WVIA. “Our Emmy® nominated team continually produces programs that celebrate our region and give them a platform to be seen across the country.”

“We are grateful to be recognized by our peers in the industry,” said Ben Payavis II, WVIA Chief Content Officer, and Executive Producer. “This is the third year in a row that VIA Short Takes has been nominated and we are looking forward to presenting more stories of our region in the next season of VIA Short Takes coming this fall.”

“The Scranton Jazz Festival Big Band (SJFBB) in collaboration with WVIA is honored to receive this Emmy award nomination,” said Marko Marcinko, Artistic Director, Conductor, and Drummer of the SJFBB. “The Jazz Nutcracker Suite, arranged for big band by Shorty Rogers, is a wonderful live music performance that has brought joy and enthusiasm to so many that have witnessed it and to be recognized by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for this program is absolutely fantastic.” 

Nominations Include:

ARTS – LONG FORM CONTENT (SINGLE PROGRAM)
“The Swingin’ Jazz Nutcracker Suite”- WVIA
Ben Payavis II, Editor
Kris Hendrickson, Editor
George Graham, Sound & Audio Mix
Neil Prisco, Editor & Graphic Design

MAGAZINE LONG FORM (SINGLE PROGRAM)
“VIA Short Takes 201”- WVIA
Ben Payavis II, Editor
Jim Donnelly, Producer/Director/Editor
Kris Hendrickson, Producer/Director/Editor
John Alaimo, Producer/Director/Editor
Ron Andruscavage, Producer/Director/Editor

About The Swingin’ Jazz Nutcracker Suite

The Swingin’ Jazz Nutcracker Suite is performed by the 17-piece Scranton Jazz Festival Big Band under the direction of Marko Marcinko, with music by Peter Tchaikovsky and arrangements by Shorty Rogers. 

Playing the historically familiar melodies from the Nutcracker Ballet, this jazz big band takes a more modern approach to the familiar. This Nutcracker production tells the classic story through the power of the music and spoken word.

The Swingin’ Jazz Nutcracker Suite is available to watch anytime online here.

About VIA Short Takes 201

This episode in the WVIA short documentary series VIA Short Takes features five stories highlighting the people and places of interest in northeastern and central Pennsylvania. The stories included are “PM Magazine” “A Soldier’s Duty: A Reflection of 911” “The Historic Eagles Mere Toboggan Slide” “Erika Funke’s Introduction to the Arts” and “Last of the Paddle Wheel Ferries”

VIA Short Takes is a documentary web series produced by WVIA featuring topics ranging from dramatic and edgy to cute, quirky, thrilling, and more. “Short Takes” aims to provide an entertaining look at the people and places that make Pennsylvania (and beyond) so unique. 

VIA Short Takes is available to watch anytime online here. 

The full list of this year’s nominees can be found here. The 2022 Mid-Atlantic Regional Emmy® Awards will be presented at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel on Saturday, October 1, 2022.

Misericordia University will hold its 31^st Annual Golf Tournament in Memory of Arnie Garinger on Monday, September 12^th at Blue Ridge Trail Golf Club (Mountain Top, PA).

Garinger spent 30 years at Misericordia in a variety of capacities. He truly embodied the charisms of Misericordia and was a friend of the athletics program. He started the varsity golf program and served as its first coach with his co-coach Jack Hoover. The duo led the Cougars to eight consecutive top-two finishes at the PAC Championships, including two titles. In 1998, he was named PAC Coach of the Year. Garinger also founded the Cougar Club Golf Tournament, which is why the tournament bears his name and serves as the primary fundraiser for MU Athletics for 31 years.

His daughter, Amy (Garinger) Brozena ‘84 said, “Arnie loved and adored Misericordia, golf, students, and athletics. We are honored that Misericordia carries on his legacy with this tournament to benefit student-athletes.”

The entry fee for the 31^st Annual Tournament is $150 per player, which includes cart and greens fee, range, breakfast, lunch, and prizes, including a hole-in-one prize sponsored by Bonner Chevrolet for a 2022 Chevy Equinox. For those that are Misericordia Alumni or Employees, the entry fee is at a discounted rate of $130 per player. Registration starts at 9:00 am with a shotgun start at 10:00 am.

This year’s sponsors include J & J Restaurant and Bar, PNC Bank, Bonner Chevrolet, Battaglia’s Sporting Goods, CK Cantina & Grill, Paul Zaengle ’97, Scott Hein ’95, Jonathan Brassington ’95, RJ Accounting/Robert Tugend ’99.

To register please use the following link: https://athletics.misericordia.edu/news/2022/6/18/mens-golf-misericordia-athletics-hosting-31st-annual-golf-tournament-september-12.aspx

Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D., assistant professor of physics and electrical engineering at The University of Scranton, will lead a $399,211 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant-supported collaborative research project entitled “Measuring Daily Ionospheric Variability and the 2023 and 2024 Solar Eclipse Ionospheric Impacts Using HamSCI HF Doppler Shift Receivers.” As the lead principal investigator, Dr. Frissell will work with students at the University of Scranton, collaborators at Case Western Reserve University, and volunteers across the nation to study how dawn, dusk, and solar eclipses affect the electrified portion of the upper atmosphere known as the ionosphere. This will be done using a network of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) stabilized/synchronized high frequency (HF) receivers (known as Grapes), which were developed as part of the $1.3 million NSF-funded HamSCI Personal Space Weather Station (PSWS) project he was awarded in 2019.

An annular solar eclipse will take place on Oct. 14, 2023 and a total solar eclipse will take place on April 8, 2024.

 “These are the last solar eclipses to traverse the continental United States until 2044, and are therefore important, time-sensitive, information rich opportunities for running unique and ‘controlled’ ionospheric experiments,” said Dr. Frissell. “This project takes advantage of the unprecedented opportunity to study the ionospheric impacts of the 2023 and 2024 solar eclipses and the daily ionospheric variability associated with dawn/dusk transitions.”

A better understanding of the impact of ionospheric disturbances is imperative, because these changes can affect crucial navigation and communications systems.

According to Dr. Frissell, this new NSF grant will fund an additional 30 Grape receivers that will be deployed throughout North America. Volunteers from the HamSCI amateur radio community will be able to fund and field additional stations. All stations will run continuously from deployment through at least the end of the project in 2025, and will capture the 2023 and 2024 eclipses. The grant will also support master’s and Ph.D. level student participation in the research data collection and analysis.

“This project will also establish a new network of measurement instruments that, due to its low- cost and operation by volunteers, has the potential to provide measurements for years to come,” said Dr. Frissell, who also noted that results of the project “will be shared widely with the amateur radio community through presentations at amateur radio conventions, local clubs, and publication in amateur radio magazines and journals.”

In a news release announcing NSF funding received by The University of Scranton and Marywood University, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright said, “(t)he bright and talented STEM students trained by Marywood today become the Dr. Frissells of tomorrow, conducting cutting edge scientific research, but whether in the classroom or in the field, scientists and professors need funding to do their important work. As the chair of the Commerce-Justice-Science subcommittee that funds the National Science Foundation, I am proud to support this essential investment in education and research.”

In addition, Dr. Frissell was awarded a highly-competitive, five-year $616,054 NSF CAREER grant in 2020 to apply sophisticated, physics-based atmospheric/ionospheric models to extensive data sets collected through the international network of ham radio operators.

Dr. Frissell joined the faculty at Scranton in the fall of 2019. He earned a doctorate and a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, and a bachelor’s degree in physics and music education from Montclair State University in New Jersey. He is the founder and lead organizer of the international citizen science space physics research collective known as the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI.org). HamSCI is recognized as an official NASA Citizen Science Project.