PA Treasurer Stacy Garrity Announces Nearly $256 Million in Rebate Payments Pennsylvanians can apply for rebates through December 31, 2025 Treasurer Stacy Garrity today announced that 423,092 Property Tax/Rent Rebate payments have been sent to eligible Pennsylvanians. Payments totaled $255.8 million. “The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program is a tremendous program that gives hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians the help they need to make ends meet,” Treasurer Garrity said. “At Treasury we make sure these payments are ready to go on July 1, and we process any future approved payments in a couple of days once they’re received from the Department of Revenue. I encourage everyone to check to see if they’re eligible to apply if they haven’t already.” Rebate payments were issued on July 1, with 245,312 electronic payments totaling $148.7 million and 177,780 checks totaling $107.1 million. This is the first year Treasury has processed more rebates electronically than by paper check. Both homeowners and renters below this year’s income limit of $46,520 may be eligible. The maximum standard rebate is $1,000. Applicants can exclude half of their Social Security income. Income limits for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program are adjusted annually. Pennsylvanians 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older within the income limitation are eligible to apply for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program. The application deadline for this year’s rebate has been extended to December 31, 2025. Treasury will pay future rebates as approved payments are received from the Department of Revenue. Last year, Treasury paid more than $315 million to about 517,500 Pennsylvanians. For more information visit pa.gov or visit 888-222-9190 or contact your local legislative office.
WVIA Launches Crowdfunding Campaign to Uncover Hazleton’s Underground Secrets New Documentary – The Secrets Beneath Hazleton: Digging Deeper – aims to reveal hidden tunnels, a Prohibition-era speakeasy, and a forgotten chapter of American history— all hiding beneath the streets of Hazleton, PA. WVIA’s Emmy Award-winning production team is proud to present its latest original documentary film, The Secrets Beneath Hazleton: Digging Deeper. To bring this expanded story to life, WVIA has launched a Kickstarter campaign inviting public support. Building on the viral success of the original VIA Short Take, The Secret Beneath Hazleton—which garnered over 2 million views and ignited widespread engagement across social media—this 30-minute documentary will unearth the astonishing, long-buried stories of Hazleton’s mysterious underground world. Beneath the quiet streets of Hazleton lies a hidden network of tunnels, sealed mine shafts, and secret passageways— remnants of a city shaped by coal, immigration, and industrial might. WVIA’s new documentary will venture into previously unexplored territory, including private home tunnels, underground banking corridors, and a mysterious speakeasy said to have been sealed for over 75 years. “This is more than just a story about Hazleton,” said Carla McCabe, President & CEO of WVIA. “It’s a story about the history Hazleton has buried— literally. It’s about the people of Hazleton that worked underground, and the people that have been living above this underground city, some unknowingly, for decades. This film will bring history to light before it’s lost forever.” A Deeper Dive into Hidden History The Kickstarter campaign seeks to fund the next phase of this groundbreaking project, allowing filmmakers, historians, and urban explorers to: Document the secret tunnels built from private residences that lead into Hazleton’s vast mine network. Investigate a rumored speakeasy believed to be accessible only through underground bank vaults. Interview local experts and dig into newly uncovered mine maps and archives. Preserve these locations with high-definition film and photography before they succumb to development or decay. This is not just a documentary—it’s a rescue mission for Hazleton’s hidden past. Why Now? Many of the underground structures identified in the first film are already at risk of permanent collapse or demolition. As interest grows and new leads surface, the WVIA team believes this is a critical window of opportunity to preserve these stories for future generations through a new full-length documentary. “There are places under Hazleton no one has entered in decades,” said the film’s producer, Tim Novotney. “And once they’re gone, they’re gone. This film is our chance to capture that lost world so the masses can see it.” WVIA invites the public to become part of this journey by contributing to the Kickstarter campaign, which will fund equipment, research, expert interviews, and post-production for the full-length documentary. Back the Project, Preserve History Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform for creative projects. Everything from films, games, and music to art, design, and technology. Kickstarter is full of ambitious, innovative, and imaginative ideas that are brought to life through the direct support of others. To learn more and support The Secrets Beneath Hazleton: Digging Deeper, visit the Kickstarter page here.
Shapiro Administration Announces $80 Million in Grant Funding Towards Community Infrastructure PennDOT will host a TA Set-Aside Webinar on Wednesday, July 9 – learn more, here. Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced the 2025 Transportation Alternatives (TA) Set-Aside of the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Surface Block Grant Program will begin accepting applications on July 14 and be open for submissions through October 31, 2025. The Shapiro Administration will offer a total of $80 million across award recipients, supporting the Administration’s goal of expanding access to a range of transportation options and improving safe access to schools in communities across Pennsylvania. A webinar for municipalities and other project sponsors will be held on Wednesday, July 9 at 10:00 AM to talk through the application process and answer questions that applicants may have; project sponsors may include regional transportation authorities, transit agencies, public land agencies, and school districts, local education agencies or schools. To join the webinar and learn more about the application process and eligible projects, please visit the TASA Webpage. “Pennsylvanians make decisions about how they travel for many reasons, the most critical of which is the infrastructure available to them,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “The TA Set-Aside program offers communities around the Commonwealth the opportunity to improve infrastructure and provide residents with a broader range of transportation options.” TA Set-Aside program provides funds to construct pedestrian and bicycle facilities, improve access to public transportation, create safe routes to schools, incorporate community improvements such as historic preservation and vegetation management, provide environmental mitigation related to stormwater and habitat connectivity, create trail projects that serve a transportation purpose, and provide for vulnerable road user safety assessment program projects. Draft applications must be submitted to PennDOT district offices by September 5, 2025. All participating large Metropolitan Planning Organizations’ (MPOs) selections and all District and Planning Partner application review comments will be due January 23, 2026. The statewide project selection committee will meet in March 2026 to recommend projects for receipt of statewide TA Set-Aside funds.
Penn State Scranton to Conduct Babysitter American Red Cross Training Course Babysitter American Red Cross Training Babysitter’s Amercian Red CrossTraining and Pediatric First Aid/CPRDiscover the rewarding world of childcare and learn what to do when you are in charge!Learn about child safety, how to “play it safe” and the basics of caring for children while developing your leadership skills.Find out how to prevent and recognize emergency situations, as well as how to provide basic first aid and CPR for infants and children until an emergency medical team arrives.Ages: 11-16Dates: July 22, 2025 & July 23, 2025Times: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.Fee: $259Instructor: Karen StylianidesMaximum Seating: 15 https://scranton.psu.edu/business-development-community-outreach/options/youth-programs/nittany-cub-summer-camps/baby-sitter-training
Penn State Scranton To Hold Nittany Cub Camp – Myths Legends & Folklore Nittany Cub Camp – Myths, Legends, & Folklore Camp Myths, Legends, and Folklore Camp (Ages 9-13)Dive into a new and fascinating world at summer camp!Join us on an exciting journey through myths, legends, and folklore from around the world! Campers will uncover the fascinating histories behind these traditions while engaging in hands-on crafts and immersive cultural experiences. They’ll also have the chance to create and share their own stories.Explore the rich Celtic heritage of Ireland and Scotland, step into the world of King Arthur’s Court, and sail with the Vikings. Discover the legend of the Blarney Stone, build your own Viking ship, and castle construction. https://scranton.psu.edu/business-development-community-outreach/options/youth-programs/nittany-cub-summer-camps/folklore
Misericordia University Offers Online Project Management Course Manage Projects with Confidence New to project management? This 6-week online course introduces essential tools and techniques for planning, executing, and delivering successful projects. Perfect for professionals who manage tasks but want to sharpen their strategy. Fall 2025 | 100% OnlineEnroll today
Misericordia University Announces Emeritus Status for Occupational Therapy Professor Misericordia University’s (MU) Board of Trustees recently awarded the rank of professor emeritus to Joseph Cipriani Ed.D., OTR/L to recognize his 34 years of exceptional service in teaching, research, and contributions to the university. In addition to the contributions Cipriani has made to teaching, research and service, he helped shape the lives of numerous students as a teacher and mentor, demonstrating an impressive record of scholarly achievement, authoring papers—both presented and published—and providing extensive service to his discipline, to MU and to the larger community. During his tenure he served as chair of the Occupational Therapy Department for more than three years, and he received the Misericordia University Teaching Excellence Award, the Louis & Barbara Alesi Excellence in Scholarship Award, and the Pauly and Sidney Friedman Excellence in Service Award. Cipriani assumed multiple leadership roles during his tenure at MU and developed several courses and experiences for students to gain real-world experience while serving their community. He created an occupational therapy elective that included working with Ruth’s Place in Wilkes-Barre as well as an elective that incorporated service-learning in Jamaica, working in concert with Mustard Seed communities. Cipriani leaves an impressive legacy at Misericordia University, where his teaching portfolio included vital courses such as Applied Functional Anatomy, Geriatric Occupational Performance Intervention, Research Design, and Contemporary and Emerging Interventions. His extensive involvement in the field of occupational therapy is widely recognized. Cipriani’s work on topics such as horticulture therapy, occupational therapy interventions for mental health, and international service learning has garnered recognition and significantly advanced occupational therapy practice. He has presented extensively at national and international conferences and published numerous articles in esteemed journals, including serving as a reviewer for the Journal of Occupational Science, OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, and Occupational Therapy in Mental Health. He also served on the editorial board of Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics. Throughout his career, Cipriani has been an active member of leading professional organizations, including the American Occupational Therapy Association, the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, the Occupational Therapy Association, and the PA Occupational Therapy Association. His commitment to service extended to numerous university committees, including the Middle States Self-study Steering committees and the Mission and Values Committee, and he advised the student honor society. Cipriani shared his insights in the classroom from his clinical experience as an occupational therapist at Geisinger Health Care System and the Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine at Allied Services. Cipriani earned his Ed.D. in higher education from Nova Southeastern University. He holds a Master of Arts degree in community psychology from Wichita State University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in occupational therapy from College Misericordia, in addition to a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Wilkes College.
Grey Towers Holds ‘Reading Rangers’ Program This Summer June 16-August 18 10-11 a.m., Mondays Reading Rangers This program for kids ages 4 to 12 includes read-aloud stories focusing on environmentalism and conservation. The readings are followed by a craft activity, hike, or scavenger hunt. Parents or guardians are required to remain with children during this program. Lower Pavilion at Grey Towers. www.greytowers/events
The Wright Center: Hepatitis C, A Dangerous but Highly Treatable Disease By Dr. Jignesh Y. Sheth I’m here today to talk about a disease of grave seriousness — hepatitis. In recent years, the medical community has made significant strides in combating this global scourge. Still, much work remains, so I’m happy there are awareness events like World Hepatitis Day, which is celebrated on July 28. The day brings attention to viral hepatitis, which each year claims more than a million lives. Put simply, hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. There are five main types of hepatitis: A, B, C, D, and E. The one that gets the most attention is hepatitis C, an especially pernicious form of the disease that is contracted through the blood of an infected person. More than 4 million people in the U.S. have hepatitis C, with half of those cases undiagnosed. Hepatitis C can be contracted in several ways, including through sharing needles, equipment used for preparing or injecting drugs, sex, sharing personal items, or unregulated tattoos or piercings. A small percentage of infants are infected through their mothers. Most people with hepatitis C are saddled with a lifelong infection, which left untreated can cause severe health problems including chronic liver disease, liver failure, liver cancer and, in the worst cases, death. The trick is catching it in time, which can be difficult, since the disease tends to develop almost imperceptibly at first. When symptoms do take hold, they include jaundice, lack of appetite, vomiting, stomach pain, fever, dark urine, light-colored stool, joint pain, and fatigue. They usually appear within two to 12 weeks, but can take up to six months to develop. Given the severity of the disease, all adults ages 18 and older should be screened for hepatitis C at least once in their lives through a simple and easily available blood test. Among those at elevated risk who should be screened are baby boomers; people who had blood transfusions before 1992; people who have undergone long-term dialysis treatments; people who have used illicit drugs; people living with HIV; babies born to mothers diagnosed with hepatitis C; and sexual partners of anyone diagnosed with the disease. I want to emphasize that hepatitis C is a very treatable — even curable — disease, and I’m proud to say that we at The Wright Center are one of Northeast Pennsylvania’s leaders in treatment. People who test positive for the disease are treated with oral medications that help clear the virus from the bloodstream. About 90% of patients are cured after eight to 12 weeks of treatment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And there are many healthy habits patients can adopt to mitigate the disease’s progression, including reducing alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy weight, being careful with over-the-counter medications, and receiving regular medical care that includes monitoring for liver cancer. Besides incorporating testing, prevention, care, and treatment into our patient-centered medical home model approach, we also provide essential services like outreach, patient education, case management, and care coordination as a means of improving the health outcomes for patients living with the disease. Even if you don’t think you have hepatitis C, please make it a point to get tested sometime in the near future. Be proactive — it really can make all the difference. Jignesh Y. Sheth, M.D., FACP, MPH, is senior vice president and enterprise chief operations and strategy officer at the Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. He is dually board-certified in internal medicine and addiction medicine.
Geisinger to Launch State-of-the-Art Disinfection Devices in Hospitals Geisinger is deploying advanced ultraviolet (UV) disinfection devices across its hospital campuses, enhancing infection prevention efforts in patient care areas. These cutting-edge devices use UV light to eliminate harmful pathogens. They improve safety by disinfecting patient rooms following manual cleaning, specifically if the room was occupied by someone with an illness that can be spread. “Bringing UV disinfection technology into our hospitals is a powerful step forward in protecting our patients,” said Mark Shelly, M.D., medical director of infection prevention. “It’s not just about adding new tools. It’s about strengthening our commitment to safety and quality and doing everything we can to prevent hospital-acquired infections. A visibly clean surface is just the beginning. Because germs are invisible, they’re susceptible to UV light. This technology helps us take another meaningful step toward becoming a high-reliability organization, where safety is at the center of everything we do.” How the technology works Fast and effective: Disinfects rooms in just 12 to 30 minutes, depending on room size. Smart technology: Tracks usage and automatically adjusts UV light levels to ensure thorough disinfection, even in shadowed or hard-to-reach areas. Safe and secure: Operated exclusively by trained Environmental Services technicians. Rooms are clearly marked during use to ensure safety. Targeted use: Used in patient rooms previously occupied by someone with an illness that can be spread. Tested, trusted and now everywhere Following successful trials at Geisinger Medical Center and Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, where the devices were integrated without disrupting patient flow, 16 of the devices are now being introduced systemwide. Stopping germs in their tracks The UV disinfection devices are effective against a wide range of pathogens, including: Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) Staphylococcus aureus Pseudomonas aeruginosa Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE) Acinetobacter baumannii Klebsiella pneumoniae Influenza A Norovirus
