Marywood University to Host Annual Lackawanna County College Fair Marywood University will host the Annual Lackawanna County College Fair on Wednesday, October 20, 2021, from 7-8:30 p.m., in the Center for Athletics and Wellness on the University’s Campus. Prior to the College Fair, a Higher Education Presentation will take place at 6:15 p.m., and a Financial Aid Presentation will take place at 7:15 p.m., both at the Swartz Center for Spiritual Life in the McGowan Community Room. This event and the presentations are free and open to the public. Representatives of more than 50 colleges and universities, from both in and out of state, will attend the Annual Lackawanna County College Fair and will be available to offer information and answer questions. High School juniors and seniors are encouraged to attend. For additional information about the Annual Lackawanna County College Fair held at Marywood University, please call the Office of Admissions at Marywood, at (570) 348-6234, or email Sarah Polinchak, senior admissions counselor, at scpolinchak@marywood.edu.
PennDOT Data Shows PA Roundabouts Reduce Fatalities, Injuries, Crashes The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that fatalities, injuries, and crashes decreased overall at 26 roundabouts at 23 locations in the time since they were built, according to department data. “The modern roundabout is simply safer than the traditional intersection,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “Though not the right option for every intersection, data shows that when installed, roundabouts save lives and reduce crash severity.” PennDOT recently reviewed data for 26 roundabouts on state routes at intersections that were previously stop or signal controlled. These roundabouts were selected based on having at least three years of crash data available before and after the roundabouts were built. Department data based on police-submitted crash reports spanning the years 2000 through 2020 shows that fatalities at these locations were reduced by 100 percent and the total number of crashes decreased by 22 percent. Additionally: Suspected serious injuries were reduced by 81 percent;Suspected minor injuries were reduced by 36 percent;Possible/unknown severity injuries were reduced by 76 percent; andProperty damage-only crashes increased by 13 percent. In addition to the 26 roundabouts meeting the selection criteria, 36 other roundabouts have been built on state routes with 19 more in construction and 20 in final design. The roundabouts included in the review are at the following intersections: Allegheny County: Route 3070 (Ewing Road) and Business Route 0376 Ramp, opened in 2011;Beaver County: Route 0068 (Adams Street), Route 1034 (Brighton Avenue) and Route 6018 (Brighton Ave./Rhode Island Ave.), opened in 2011;Bucks County:Route 2043 (Trevose Road) and Somerton Road, opened in 2012,Route 213 (Bridgetown Pike/Maple Avenue) and Route 2010 (Bridgetown Pike), opened in 2016;Butler County: Route 3024 (Glen Eden Road), Powell Road and Freshcorn Road, opened in 2015;Chester County:Route 0082 (Doe Run Road) and Unionville Road, opened in 2005,Route 52 (Lenape Road), S. Wawaset Road and Lenape Unionville Road, opened in 2014,Route 3062 (Strasburg Road), Romansville Road and Shadyside Road, Opened in 2017;Crawford County:Route 6/19 (Main Street) and Route 0198 (South Street), opened in 2017;Route 6/19 (Main Street) and Route 0198, opened in 2017;Cumberland County: Route 0034 (Spring Road), Route 1007 (Sunnyside Drive) and Mountain Road, opened in 2014;Dauphin County:Route 0039 (Linglestown Road) and Route 3019 (Mountain Road), opened in 2011,Route 322 (Governor Road) and Homestead Lane, opened in 2016,Route 322 (Governor Road) and Meadow Lane, opened in 2016;Delaware County:Route 1023 (N. Newtown Street) and Route 1046 (St. Davids Road), opened in 2008;Route 0320 (Chester Road), Rutgers Avenue and Fieldhouse Lane, opened in 2014;Erie County: Route 19 (High Street) and Route 97, opened in 2014;Luzerne County: I-81 Exit 178 (three roundabouts), opened in 2015Route 315 (Airport Road) and Williams Street and SB Ramp,Route 315 (Airport Road) and NB Ramps and Terminal Road and Navy Way Road,Williams Street and SB ramp;Luzerne County: Route 2008 (Middle Road) and Espy Street, opened in 2017;Montgomery County: Route 0029 (Gravel Pike) and Route 0073 (Big Road), opened in 2009;Washington County: Route 519 (two connected roundabouts) – Route 0519 and Brownlee Road, and Route 519 and Thompson Eighty Four Road, opened in 2015;York County:Route 116 (Main Street) and Hanover St. and Roths Church Road, opened in 2007;Route 74 (Delta Road) and Bryansville Road, opened in 2008. Roundabouts are frequently installed to address intersections with safety issues but may also be installed to improve traffic flow as well as other reasons such as traffic calming, and to facilitate pedestrian mobility. Although roundabouts are safer and typically more efficient than traditional signalized intersections, they may not always be the best option due to topography or other reasons, such as property impacts, capacity issues and proximity to other intersections. Roundabouts are recognized by the Pennsylvania State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) as an innovation that has become standard practice within the transportation community. The Pennsylvania STIC facilitates the rapid implementation of proven, well-researched and documented state, regional, national and international technologies, tactics, techniques and other innovations that are new to Pennsylvania. The STIC also supports the implementation of the Federal Highway Administration’s Every Day Counts (EDC) Initiatives. To educate Pennsylvanians on how to navigate a roundabout, the department created a video on how to use both single and multi-lane roundabouts whether in a vehicle, on a bicycle or on foot. The video can be accessed by visiting the roundabout page on www.penndot.gov or by visiting the department’s YouTube channel.
Tribute to The Beatles at Scranton Cultural Center It’s time to GET BACK to where you once belonged with the return of live shows at the Scranton Cultural Center. RAIN – A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES opens its 2021 Tour in Scranton on Wednesday, October 6. Tickets, priced at $35, $45, $55, and $65, are on sale NOW at BroadwayInScranton.com and in person at the Scranton Cultural Center box office (M-F 10A-2P). A $3.00 facility fee is added to each ticket and additional handling charges apply to online and phone orders. For group rates, call the Broadway Theatre League office at 570.342.7784. This mind-blowing performance takes you back in time with the legendary foursome delivering a note-for-note theatrical event that is “the next best thing to seeing The Beatles!” (Associated Press). Experience the world’s most iconic band and come celebrate The Best of Abbey Road Live with RAIN – A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES. In addition to the updated sets that include state of the art LED, high-definition screens and multimedia content, RAIN will bring the Abbey Road album to life with the launch of the 2021 Tour. Together longer than The Beatles, RAIN has mastered every song, gesture and nuance of the legendary foursome, delivering a totally live, note-for-note performance that’s as infectious as it is transporting. Let RAIN take you back with all of the greatest hits along with all of your other Beatles favorites! This adoring tribute will take you back to a time when all you needed was love, and a little help from your friends! Like The Beatles, the onstage members of RAIN are not only supreme musicians, but electrifying performers in their own right! For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit: www.BroadwayInScranton.com Join the conversation with RAIN on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RainTribute, follow RAIN on Twitter @raintribute, Instagram: @RainTribute and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/RainTribute For additional information and electronic images, contact Ali Basalyga (ali@nacentertainment.com).
New President and Dean of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Dr. Julie Byerly, M.D., M.P.H Geisinger announced that Julie Byerley, M.D., M.P.H., will serve as the new president and dean of the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM), executive vice president and chief academic officer, effective January 1, 2022. She succeeds Steven Scheinman, M.D., who has served as the president and dean of the college since 2012. Scheinman is set to retire at the end of this year. “I am thrilled to announce Julie Byerley as our school’s next president and dean,” said Jaewon Ryu, M.D., J.D., president and CEO of Geisinger. “In addition to being a highly respected leader in education and her many career accomplishments, Dr. Byerley’s passion for academic excellence, research, and teaching will be critical to helping us realize our vision: to make better health easier for the communities we serve. We couldn’t be more excited to have her join our team and lead GCSOM into the future.” “We’re confident Dr. Byerley will work to assure the quality of GCSOM’s educational programs and accreditation that will not only ground students with the very best in healthcare education, research and innovation, but will instill her passion for patient outcomes that will ultimately benefit our communities for generations to follow,” said Virginia McGregor, chair of the GCSOM board. “We want to thank Dr. Scheinman for his leadership throughout the years and vision in growing GCSOM from a small community institution into the nationally respected medical school it is today. We look forward to working with Dr. Byerley to continue this tradition of excellence at GCSOM and to build upon the foundation that Dr. Scheinman helped us establish.” “I’m honored and ecstatic to be joining as the new president and dean of GCSOM and Geisinger’s chief academic officer,” said Dr. Byerley. “The school has a well-known national reputation for being innovative, community centric and patient focused while providing hands-on education and training that prepares students for careers in healthcare. And our research institution has long been recognized as one of the most groundbreaking teams in medicine utilizing population and patient-based data. I am eager to serve and work closely with students, staff, researchers and faculty to further the success of the school, our research environment and all of the academic and training programs that we offer to make better health easier for everyone our students, alumni and researchers will impact throughout their careers.” As the new dean, Byerley will provide visionary leadership for GCSOM, assuring excellence, innovation, and a focus on learners, patients, and the promotion of health. She will continue to establish GCSOM as a leader in the industry and model the community service mission of the organization. In addition to her GCSOM responsibilities, as chief academic officer, Dr. Byerley will leverage her experience from a world-class academic and research institution at the University of North Carolina (UNC) to also oversee the management of educational experiences for learners throughout Geisinger, including graduate medical education, nursing, pharmacy, advanced practitioners and other health professions. She will also be responsible for overseeing Geisinger’s world-renowned research environment that includes more than 50 full-time research faculty and more than 30 clinician investigators responsible for groundbreaking medical advancements like the MyCode Precision Health Initiative and more. Geisinger’s areas of research expertise span precision health, genomics, informatics, data science, implementation science, outcomes research, health services research, bioethics and participation in hundreds of clinical trials each year. Byerley has been with the UNC School of Medicine since 2002, serving recently as vice dean for academic affairs where she oversaw the school’s educational enterprise and the Office of Faculty Affairs and Leadership Development. Since January 2021 she has served as interim dean of the UNC Adams School of Dentistry. Byerley earned her bachelor’s degree in physics and a teaching certificate from Rhodes College and attended medical school at Duke University. She completed her pediatrics residency and chief residency at UNC-Chapel Hill where she also earned a master’s degree in public health with a focus on maternal and child health.
NET Credit Union Receives Philanthropic Award NET Credit Union is the 2021 recipient of the Meals on Wheels Community Services of NEPA Fifth Annual Founder’s Award for Philanthropy. Clarence Baltrusaitis, CEO of NET Credit Union, accepted the award on behalf of NET at their annual fundraiser, Mix and Mingle at Glenn Oak Country Club. Meals on Wheels Community Services of NEPA provides daily delivered nutritional services to the elderly and disabled individuals in Lackawanna County. The volunteers who deliver these meals daily may be the only human interaction their clients see. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Meals on Wheels of NEPA has continued to provide uninterrupted daily services to their clients with an unwavering commitment to quality and service – due largely to the dedication of staff and volunteers, strict adherence to public health protocols and financial support from our wonderful community. Today, Meals on Wheels prepares up to 2,000 hot meals per day. Pictured L to R: Phil Zvirblis, Branch Manager, and Clarence Baltrusaitis, CEO.
WWE Friday Night Smackdown at Mohegan Sun Arena WWE is back on the road! For one night only, see your favorite SMACKDOWN superstars LIVE in Wilkes-Barre at the ASM Global managed Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday, October 29th at 7:45pm. Universal Champion Roman Reigns and SMACKDOWN Tag Team Champions The Usos will battle Finn Balor and The Street Profits! Plus see SMACKDOWN Women’s Champion Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Seth Rollins and many more! *Card subject to change. Tickets start at $20 (plus fees) and go on sale Friday, October 1st at 10am online at Ticketmaster.com or in person at the NBT Bank Box Office at Mohegan Sun Arena. For more information, please visit www.wwe.com
Homers That Help Campaign to benefit Wyoming Valley Challenger Baseball Minor League Baseball™ has announced the creation of a charitable component to Triple-A Baseball’s Final Stretch, the 10-game close of the 2021 season, that will benefit a 501(c)3 charity in each Triple-A city. For each home run hit by Triple-A teams (home and road games) during the Triple-A Final Stretch, Minor League Baseball will donate $50 per home run to a local charity selected by the team. Wyoming Valley Challenger Baseball has been tabbed as the benefactor of each home run that the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders hit during the final 10 games of 2021. In addition to the $50 per home run donation, the Triple-A team that hits the most home runs over the upcoming 10-game span will generate an extra $5,000 donation for their charity. “Minor League Baseball teams have long been great community partners, and we are pleased to make a donation to each of these local charities on behalf of our Triple-A teams for their performance during the Triple-A Final Stretch,” said Major League Baseball’s Vice President, Minor League Operations and Development, Peter Woodfork. “These charities provide a variety of valuable services to their community, and it is our honor to recognize their efforts.” “The yearly support we have received from the Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders has been remarkable and such a huge boost for our organization,” said Larry Wills, President of Wyoming Valley Challenger Baseball. “I would really like to thank the front office staff and players for the continued support and all that they do for these incredible kids. Now… Let’s swing for the fences!”The RailRiders host the Syracuse Mets from September 22 through 26 before traveling to Rochester from September 29 through October 3 for their Final Stretch. Tickets are available at swbrailriders.com.
The University of Scranton Named Among Top Colleges in America Forbes ranked The University of Scranton among “America’s Top Colleges” for the 13th year. Scranton is the only college in Northeast Pennsylvania to be named among the 600 elite colleges listed in the 2021 ranking, which was published online on Sept. 8. Scranton, ranked No. 425, was among just 35 colleges in Pennsylvania that Forbes selected as “America’s Top Colleges.” The ranking by Forbes analyzed “outputs” of a college education, weighting alumni salaries at one to four years and 10 years after graduation the most at 20 percent of their overall score. The methodology used by Forbes also looked at graduation rates (15 percent), student debt (15 percent) and the number of alumni making the Forbes “American Leaders” lists (15 percent), such as its “Forbes 400” and “Richest Self-Made Women” lists, as well as alumni who won national and international awards or positions, such as winners of the Nobel Prize and graduates who are members of the Supreme Court. Forbes also rated retention rate (10 percent), academic success (10 percent), as measured by alumni winning prestigious academic scholarships, such as Fulbright and Truman scholarships, and a “return on investment” measurement (15 percent), which calculates the time it takes for students to pay their college debt based on the “post-enrollment earnings boost students get compared their typical salary of a high school graduate in their state.” Also in September, U.S. News & World Report ranked Scranton No. 5 among the “Best Regional Universities in the North” in the 2022 edition of their “Best Colleges” guidebook, marking the 28th consecutive year that U.S. News ranked Scranton among the top 10 universities in its category. U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 14 in its category in its “Best Undergraduate Teaching” listing of the top colleges in the nation expressing “a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching;” No. 45 as a “Best Value Regional University in the North;” and No. 138 in its category in “Top Performers on Social Mobility.” In national rankings, U.S. News ranked Scranton No. 166 among America’s “Best Undergraduate Business Programs;” No. 185 among “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs;” and No. 148 among the nation’s “Best Undergraduate Nursing Programs.”
Marywood to Offer Free, Confidential Depression Screenings Marywood University’s Psychological Services Center (PSC) will offer free and confidential depression screenings as part of National Depression Screening Day on Thursday, October 7, 2021, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Psychological Services Center, located in the McGowan Center for Professional Studies. No appointment is necessary, the screenings are free and open to the public, and people of all ages are welcome. Held annually, National Depression Screening Day (NDSD) raises awareness and screens people for depression and related mood and anxiety disorders. The screenings are anonymous and confidential, and no commitment is necessary. Treatment options for depression will be offered. For additional information on National Depression Screening Day at Marywood University, please contact the Psychological Services Center, at (570) 348-6269, or visit the Center’s web page, at www.marywood.edu/psc.
Johnson College Announces New Two-Year Associates Degree Program Students can enroll in Johnson College’s new two-year Civil Design Technology associates degree program launching during the spring 2022 semester. This two-year associate degree program prepares students as entry-level technicians in the field of civil engineering. This program provides the foundation for applying basic engineering principles and technical skills to support civil engineers engaged in designing and executing public works projects such as highways, dams, bridges, tunnels, and other facilities. The program also emphasizes professional interpersonal skills. Students will acquire the skills necessary to obtain an entry-level position in the civil design field, which has a 3% growth potential through 2029 per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They will also demonstrate professional behavior and ethics to meet work challenges and develop critical thinking and decision-making skills. Graduates will work as civil designers, CAD technicians, survey technicians, design engineering technicians, or similar roles in the civil engineering industry and have the opportunity to make a medium annual income of up to $53,410. Typical employers in the civil design career field are civil design and engineering firms, structural engineering companies, environmental engineering firms, surveyors, consulting firms, construction companies, and government design agencies. “The launch of the Civil Design Technology program is a great example of how Johnson College continues to answer industry demand for highly skilled technicians,” said Dr. Katie Leonard, Johnson College President & CEO. “The College will work with industry partners to ensure our Civil Design Technology students are introduced to industry from day one and get the hands-on education needed for this in-demand career.” To learn more about Johnson College’s new Civil Design Technology Program visit Johnson.edu/civildesign.
