Train rides have officially returned to Steamtown National Historic Site (NHS) for the 2022 season! Rail experiences vary from short 30-minute trips exploring the park’s historic railroad yard to full-day trips through the Poconos.  Short train rides, the Scranton Limited and Caboose Experience, are offered Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The first excursion trip of the season will take place on Saturday, May 28^th to Jessup, PA allowing visitors to experience the annual Saint Ubaldo Day “Running of the Saints” (La Corsa dei Ceri).

New for the 2022 season, all ticket sales will be credit card only. Visitors are now able to purchase advance tickets for our summer excursions (May-Aug.) online through recreation.gov or on-site at our Information Kiosk during regular business hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, daily. Tickets for our short train rides, the Scranton Limited and Caboose Experience, are not available online or for advance purchase and must be purchased on-site at the Information Kiosk, the day of your visit. Those looking to plan for our autumn excursions (Sep.-Oct.), will be able to purchase tickets starting Friday, July 15^th.

Short Train Rides:

• The Scranton Limited or the Caboose Experience will operate on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, as staffing permits. Departure times are: 10:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, and 2:30pm.
• Tickets are $6 for adults and kids over the age of 5; kids 5 and under are free. Tickets must be purchased on-site at the Information Kiosk, the day of your visit.

On days we offer our longer excursion rides, the Caboose Experience will be offered in lieu of the Scranton Limited, as staffing permits.

2022 Summer Excursions: Tickets available through recreation.gov or on-site at Information Kiosk

• Saturday, May 28^th – Jessup: Saint Ubaldo Day “Running of the Saints” (La Corsa dei Ceri)
• Sunday, June 12^th – Gouldsboro: Special Railfest Excursion

• Saturday, June 18^th – Carbondale: Outdoor Train (BIKE)
• Saturday, June 18^th – Archbald: Outdoor Train (HIKE)
• Saturday, June 25^th – Delaware Water Gap: Founder’s Day
• Saturday, July 16^th – Tobyhanna: Ice House Tour
• Saturday, July 23^rd – Archbald: Penn Division History
• Sunday, July 31^st – Cresco: Antique Cars and Live Music
• Saturday, August 13^th – East Stroudsburg: Lunch in the Park
• Sunday, August 28^th – Cresco: Antique Cars and Live Music

2022 Autumn Excursions: Tickets available Friday, July 15^th

• Saturday, September 24^th – Carbondale: Autumn Marketplace
• Saturday, October 1^st – East Stroudsburg: Pickle Me Poconos
• Saturday, October 8^th – Gouldsboro: Pumpkin Patch
• Saturday, October 15^th – Delaware Water Gap: Fall Foliage
• Saturday, October 22^nd – Tobyhanna: Fall Foliage and Town Tour
• Saturday, October 29^th – Gouldsboro: Ghoulsboro Halloween

It’s never too early to start your trip planning! Specific event information can be found by visiting the event calendar on the park website anytime. Station information and ticket pricing can be found on recreation.gov by searching “Steamtown National Historic Site.”

NOTICE:

• The NPS has updated its masking guidance based on the CDC’s new COVID-19 Community Levels tool, which helps communities decide what prevention steps to take. Masking requirements in NPS buildings and on passenger coaches are based on local conditions. Updates are posted weekly, on Fridays, to www.nps.gov/stea.
• Train rides are subject to cancellation due to mechanical issues, inclement weather, or crew availability.

The following spaces and activities are available during regular visiting hours:

• The Visitor Center;
• The Park Store;
• The 1902 Roundhouse including the “Cut-a-Way” display;
• The 1937 Roundhouse;
• The Theater;
• The History Museum;
• The Technology Museum;
• Designated areas within the Railyard.

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners continues to be paramount. While the listed areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, services may be limited. The CDC has offered guidance to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to monitor all park functions to ensure that visitors adhere to CDC guidance for mitigating risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19 and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health.

Located in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania, Steamtown NHS is open 9:00am to 5:00pm, daily. From Interstate-81 follow exit 185 (President Biden Expressway, formerly known as Central Scranton Expressway); then follow the brown and white signs to the park entrance at Lackawanna Avenue and Cliff Street (GPS: N 41.41, W 75.67). General park information is available by phoning (570) 340-5200, or by visiting the park website anytime.

At a ceremony today, Governor Tom Wolf presented a group of employees from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Office of Administration (OA) with the Governor’s Awards for Excellence, in recognition of their efforts to develop Find My Ride (FMR) Apply, an easy-to-use online tool that allows individuals in most Pennsylvania counties to apply for transportation assistance programs.

The honorees are:

• John Taylor, Mass Transit Manager 1, PennDOT;
• Ian Detamore, Transportation Planning Specialist 2, PennDOT;
• Aaron Wolf, Transportation Planning Specialist 2, PennDOT;
• Daphne Simeonoff, Human Services Analyst Supervisor, DHS;
• Ronald Minnich, Human Services Analyst, DHS;
• Maribel Torres, Human Services Analyst, DHS;
• Amy Stum, Project Manager 2, OA;
• Venkata Chimmili, Senior Applications Developer, OA;
• Shane Daniels, Applications Developer Administrator, OA; and
• Loc Tan Tran, Information Technology Manager 1, OA.

FMR Apply was developed collaboratively with transit agencies, and streamlines the application process for the five largest transportation assistance programs in the state, including the Senior Shared Ride program, the Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP), ADA complementary paratransit, the Persons with Disabilities program and the Free Transit Program. Additionally, FMR Apply allows third-parties, such as a family member or healthcare provider, to apply for services on behalf of a rider.

“Transportation needs to work for everyone,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “By making the application process more efficient, these teams have made it easier for many people across Pennsylvania to access important transportation services that will keep them connected to their communities.”

Since its rollout of FMR Apply in May 2021, benefits to transit agencies, PennDOT, Department of Human Services, and customers has been considerable. Customers do not need to determine what programs they are eligible for, and this, coupled with the user-friendly application has resulted in an increase in applications submitted. Automatic data validation within the application has resulted in improved data accuracy, saving transit agencies time and money in processing applications. Transit agencies can process applications more efficiently, which allows transit users to access benefits more quickly. 

 “We are always working to make the services we provide easier to access for the people we serve. The Find My Ride service is an excellent example of state agencies like DHS and PennDOT working collaboratively to meet the needs of Pennsylvanians, whether they need a ride to the doctor’s office or the grocery store,” said Acting DHS Secretary Meg Snead. “I could not be more proud of my colleagues for earning this honor today, and I offer them my congratulations and sincerest thanks for the work they do.”

DHS’ MATP program provides non-emergency medical transportation for Medicaid-eligible consumers who do not have access to transportation. MATP funds more than nine million trips annually, and each county provides the type of transportation that is the least expensive while still meeting an individual’s needs.

The project team paid special attention to accessibility when developing FMR Apply, including validating color contrast, use of captions, use of assistive reader devices, sentence length, and reading level to evaluate the forms accessibility. User feedback has been extremely positive and has been demonstrated by the continuous increase in online applications.

“Technology works best when it is designed to work for everyone,” said Secretary of Administration Michael Newsome. “Making Find My Ride Apply easy to use for people who need transportation services, including older Pennsylvanians and people with disabilities, is part of a broader initiative under Governor Wolf to improve how we deliver services to all Pennsylvanians through customer-centered thinking and approaches.”

FMR Apply leverages Keystone Login, a single, secure user credential that can be used to log into multiple Commonwealth online services.  

The Governor’s Awards for Excellence recognize exemplary job performance or service that reflects initiative, leadership, innovation and increased efficiency. The PennDOT, DEP and OA team was among 50 employees from 12 state agencies honored by Governor Wolf at a ceremony today.

Recently, Marywood University and ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge announced that Marywood student Austen Miller has been recognized on the 2022 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll. The ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll is a recognition program for college students at participating campuses doing outstanding work to advance nonpartisan democratic engagement. Austen joins a group of 82 college students recognized for their nonpartisan voter engagement efforts on campuses across the country in 2021.

“I am so proud of the example that Austen has set as our Student Government Association President. He is a role model for our entire campus, working in partnership with our university efforts to ensure that all students become informed, active citizens, who participate in elections at all levels each and every year,” said Sister Mary Persico, IHM, Marywood’s president, who joined more than 300 college presidents and chancellors in committing to full student voter registration and participation in all elections through the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge.

By signing the pledge, Marywood University committed to ensuring all eligible students are able to register to vote and cast informed ballots in the general elections and beyond. Further, they committed to fostering campus cultures that support nonpartisan student civic learning, political engagement and student voter participation. A full list of signatories can be found here.

“At Marywood, we are committed to working with campus stakeholders to increase electoral participation in 2022 and beyond,” stated Sister Mary, “As an institutional leader, I value providing opportunities to empower all eligible voters at Marywood to register and turnout to vote. I am proud to sign the Higher Education Presidents’ Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation.”

While college student voter participation in elections increased from the 2014 midterm election to the recent 2018 midterm election, less than half of college students made their voices heard by casting their ballots. According to the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement,voter turnout at the more than 1,000 institutions participating in the study increased by 21 points from 19% to 40%.

“Today, young people are truly seeing how the decisions their elected officials make impact their everyday lives, and in this critical time, ensuring that they are able to make their voices heard safely is critical,” said Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “These students registered voters, served on their campus voting coalitions, spearheaded voter education efforts, advocated for campus polling locations, and organized other voter engagement efforts to ensure their peers were confident and informed voters. We are excited to see what they continue to accomplish ahead of the 2022 midterms and to partner with higher education leaders across the country to change the culture at colleges and universities around engagement in our country’s political process.”

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. Campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items, with the support of ALL IN Challenge staff, to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning, political engagement, and voter participation on their campus. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge currently engages over 9 million students from more than 870 institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The Dime Bank is proud to have once again sponsored the Stock Market Challenge. This year’s first place winner in the competition was Wayne Highlands School District student Jaydan Beisner in teacher Don Burchell’s seventh grade class. Jaydan won a Chromebook along with a $100 gift certificate for her studious efforts.

The Dime Bank President and CEO stated Peter Bochnovich, “The Dime Bank is a firm advocate of financial literacy for all, but especially for our youth. We believe that educating our students provides a strong foundation for financial success throughout their lives.”

The Pennsylvania Council on Financial Literacy (PennCFL), through Brighter Financial Futures, uses The Dime Bank’s sponsorship to offer all students in grades 3-12 full access to the Personal Finance Lab, free of charge. This, web-based stock simulation platform and curriculum includes the Personal Budgeting Game, Online Learning with certifications in Personal Finance and Investing 101, plus the Stock Market Challenge. This cutting-edge, real-time stock market game is derived from Stock-Trak’s University Platform, which is used in over 80% of the top business schools in the United States. 

Lackawanna College and Marywood University (MU) have announced a new Memorandum of Understanding that provides pathways for qualified undergraduate students from LC into a number of MU’s graduate programs.

“This new agreement with Marywood University will provide a seamless process for students to transition between their undergraduate and graduate careers,” said Adrienne Asbury, Lackawanna College Dean of Curriculum and Faculty Affairs. “Lackawanna students who take advantage of one of the offered pathways will reap both academic and financial benefits as they continue their education.”

Under the agreement, students from Lackawanna’s bachelor’s degree programs who meet specific GPA requirements, along with other program-specific requirements, will be granted admission to MU’s graduate programs. Eligible students will also receive a 20% tuition reduction during their graduate studies at MU.

Additionally, the agreement allows for course sharing— by which current undergraduate Lackawanna College students may reverse transfer credit for Marywood courses to Lackawanna toward their undergraduate degrees. Students who choose the course sharing option will pay Lackawanna’s tuition rate for these particular Marywood courses.

“This is an opportunity for us to truly collaborate with another academic member of our community,” said Marywood President Sister Mary Persico, IHM, Ed.D. “Education is the thing that raises people up and gives people the opportunity to have wonderful careers and to flourish. To be able to do that with another academic institution in Lackawanna County is all the better.”

Geisinger has launched a travel nurse program for eligible inpatient registered nurses. The program is open to external and internal candidates and aims to address the ongoing staffing challenges the organization faces within its hospitals across northeastern and central Pennsylvania.

“The staffing shortages facing virtually every industry — and especially healthcare — are real,” said Janet Tomcavage, Geisinger executive vice president and chief nursing executive. “Our clinical staff are working tirelessly. By expanding our offerings, we hope to attract more registered nurses to Geisinger. That way, we can alleviate the challenges of staffing shortage in our hospitals and continue our mission of making better health easier for our communities.”

The initial launch will focus on the inpatient setting, specifically adult medical-surgical and intensive care units. Traveling nurses will go to the Geisinger hospitals with the greatest staffing needs.

Jeff Lowry, associate vice president of recruitment for Geisinger, believes the program will benefit everyone. “The goal is to give nurses choices and flexibility within their careers while adding experienced nurses to our Geisinger family. Our hope is that the program will help us recruit nurses locally and nationally who are looking for short-term assignments. These efforts will help us have more staff available to provide safe, timely and effective care to our patients and members.”

Nurses accepted to the travel program will complete a 12-week assignment and then can either begin another 12-week assignment or apply for a full-time position with Geisinger. Travel nurses will be eligible for 401K employer contributions, medical insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act and an allowance of up to $96 per day in their paycheck if assigned to a location 60 miles or more from their current location.

Cheryl Williams was assigned to Geisinger Medical Center while working for an external travel nurse agency before becoming the very first nurse to join Geisinger’s new travel program.

“My decision to sign on as a nurse traveler at Geisinger was driven by the positive work environment, supportive staff and employees’ great work ethics,” said Williams. “With this new program, I have the best of both worlds: the ability to travel while staying in the Geisinger system. It’s a great place to work, with many career options and opportunities.”

To learn more about career opportunities or to apply for a job opening with Geisinger, visit jobs.geisinger.org.

Interested candidates can also make an in-person, virtual or phone appointment with the Geisinger Career Center, a recruitment and career services hub at 529 Mill St. in Danville, to learn about jobs at Geisinger. Walk-ins are also welcome. Candidates can speak with a Geisinger hiring manager or recruiter about open positions, and current Geisinger employees can learn more about professional development resources and events. The Career Center offers interview coaching, resume writing services and more. To find out more about the Career Center or to make an appointment, call 877-564-6447 or email GeisingerCareers@geisinger.edu.