Doug Smith’s Music releases Fall/Winter 2026 Schedule Doug Smith’s Music, located on Prospect Street in Dunmore, has released its Fall/Winter 2026 performance schedule. You can also find the schedule at www.lexingtonentertainment.org.
Indraloka Animal Sanctuary helps rescued hen A hen that Indraloka Animal Sanctuary rescued from a commercial egg farm recently underwent an emergency surgery to save her life. Bridget is one of 43 hens that Indraloka recently rescued after a commercial egg farm in Orangeville, Pennsylvania, lost its egg contract. Thousands of hens needed placement, and sanctuaries and rescue organizations mobilized to save as many as possible. But last week, animal caregivers noticed something was wrong with the hen. She appeared frightened and in pain. Staff immediately transported her to Indraloka’s on-site vet clinic. An examination and diagnostic testing revealed an obstruction serious enough to require surgical intervention. During the procedure, Dr. Leslie Interlandi removed a large amount of inflammatory material commonly referred to as “lash eggs.” Despite the name, lash eggs are not actually eggs. The term commonly describes inflammatory material associated with disease of a hen’s reproductive tract. For Bridget, the obstruction had become a medical emergency. “Bridget is a powerful example of why rescue is only the beginning for hens coming out of commercial egg production,” said Dr. Leslie Interlandi, Indraloka’s resident veterinarian. “Even after they reach safety, their bodies can continue to experience serious reproductive problems. Bridget was in significant distress when she came into the clinic, and without intervention, the obstruction could have become life-threatening. She doesn’t need to produce anything for us now. Our only concern is helping her heal and giving her the chance to live comfortably as a hen.” Bridget successfully underwent surgery. She remains under close veterinary supervision while the team determines when she is healthy enough to return to her flock.
PIDA Announces Fourth Quarter 2026 Loan Interest Rates The Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA) has announced fourth-quarter interest rate options for qualifying loan applications received through Dec. 31, 2026. Financing options cover eligible real estate, equipment, working capital, pollution prevention and energy efficiency projects. Traditional PIDA Real Estate Loans For loans financing eligible land and building costs, borrowers have the following options: Loans with regular amortization: A fixed rate of 6.25% for the full loan term, up to 15 years, or an initial rate of 5.25% fixed for seven years. 10-year loans with a 20-year amortization period: A fixed rate of 6.25% for the full 10-year term, or an initial rate of 5.25% fixed for five years. For either reset option, the rate adjusts after the initial fixed period to the then-current 10-year Treasury yield. The adjustment is limited to an increase or decrease of 2 percentage points, and the new rate remains fixed for the rest of the loan term. Additional Loan Options PIDA-MELF equipment loans: 6.25% fixed for the full loan term. Export finance working capital and accounts receivable lines of credit: 6.25% fixed for 12 months. Pollution prevention and energy efficiency loans: 2.00% fixed for the full loan term. PIDA-SBF account loans: 5.00% fixed for the full loan term. PIDA-CED account loans: 5.00% fixed for the full loan term. PIDA-SBF and PIDA-CED Eligibility PIDA-SBF account loans provide lending amounts of up to $1,000,000 for real estate loans and $400,000 for equipment for eligible businesses with 100 or fewer full-time employees worldwide at the time of application. Eligible enterprises include agricultural processors and producers, industrial and manufacturing businesses, research and development, hospitality, defense conversion, recycling, computer-related services, construction and child day care. PIDA-CED account loans provide real estate, equipment and/or working capital financing of $200,000 or less for eligible retail and service businesses located in an eligible distressed area. Applicants must have 100 or fewer full-time employees worldwide at the time of application. A reset interest rate is currently unavailable for real estate loans funded through either account because statutory provisions cap interest rates at 5.00%. For more information about the program and application process, visit the PIDA program page.
Geisinger Community Medical Center to implement entrance security screenings Oct. 5 As part of a phased implementation of entrance security screenings at each of Geisinger’s hospitals, Geisinger Community Medical Center will introduce security screenings on Monday, Oct. 5. These public-entrance screenings are intended to keep the hospital safe for all who work, receive care or visit their loved ones in the facility. Weapons of any kind, including firearms and knives, are prohibited from all Geisinger facilities. People should not bring these items with them when entering a Geisinger hospital or clinic for an appointment or visit. Any weapon found through the entrance screening will not be allowed to enter the facility and must be returned to the owner’s vehicle. Beyond the screening already in place at the emergency room, Geisinger Community Medical Center will screen patients and visitors at all public entrances on the medical center campus. Screening will take place from the time each entrance opens to 8 p.m. when visiting hours are over. After 8 p.m., all visitors must enter the hospital through the emergency room. When the screenings begin, the hospital’s public entrance on Colfax Avenue will become an employee-only entrance that requires proxy badge access. Patients and visitors arriving for Women’s Health appointments will need to use the hospital’s main entrance on Mulberry Street to reach the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the Guest Services team will help guide patients during the transition. Because they will pass through metal detectors similar to those at airports and courthouses, everyone using public hospital entranceswill be asked to remove metal objects from their pockets. If the detector activates, a security officer will conduct a scan with a handheld device. Geisinger has used a similar process with metal detectors at all emergency room entrances since 2021, preventing thousands of weapons and other dangerous items from entering its facilities. “Our hospitals are places of healing,” said Sean McGinley, associate vice president of police and security operations for Geisinger. “We take security seriously and are continuing to improve and enhance our tools and training. This is yet another investment we’re making for the safety of our employees, patients and visitors.” Since March, the Pennsylvania-based health system has implemented entrance screenings at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre, Geisinger Shamokin Area Community Hospital, Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital, Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital and Geisinger Medical Center Muncy. All Geisinger hospitals are expected to adopt the security measure by the beginning of 2027.
The Wright Center for Community Health recognizes the power of nursing with new quarterly award A licensed professional nurse at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley received the inaugural Nursing Excellence Award for her exceptional dedication, unwavering commitment, and continuous demonstration of what it means to be an outstanding nurse. Taylor Spencer accepted the award from David Hall, vice president and enterprise chief operating officer at The Wright Center, at a ceremony at The Wright Center for Community Health Scranton on Wednesday, Sept. 30. “The idea for this award came from recognizing the important role nursing leadership plays in the success of our enterprise,” Hall said. “Nurses are often at the center of patient care, team development, and day-to-day operations, and strong nursing leadership has an impact that extends far beyond one department or one shift.” The Wright Center will present the Nursing Excellence Award quarterly to celebrate nurses who set the standard for exceptional leadership. Kari Machelli, chief nursing and community engagement officer at The Wright Center; Marianne Linko, deputy chief operating officer at The Wright Center; and Tiffany Richmond, nurse manager at The Wright Center, nominated Spencer. Their nominations cited her meticulous attention to detail, including her chronic care management duties, and the support she provides to new nurses during their training. Spencer, who began working at The Wright Center in November 2024, said she was grateful for the recognition. “I feel honored to be the first person to receive the Nursing Excellence award,” she said. “All of the nurses at The Wright Center go above and beyond for our patients and our clinical care teams every day, and this award recognizes that hard work.”
HNB Celebrates 190 Years with Community-Wide Sweepstakes and “Feed the Need” Initiative – For 190 years, The Honesdale National Bank (HNB) has been privileged to grow alongside the people, businesses, and communities it serves. As the Bank marks this historic milestone in 2026, HNB is inviting customers, employees, and community members throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania to join in a celebration centered on giving back, strengthening connections, and making a meaningful impact together. The Bank’s 190 and Counting Sweepstakes serves as the centerpiece of the anniversary celebration, giving participants the opportunity to enter for a chance to win a $1,900 grand prize while also supporting HNB’s Feed the Need Food Drive. Through the initiative from October 1 – November 21, 2026, HNB aims to collect 190 boxes of food for local pantries, helping neighbors facing food insecurity across the communities the Bank proudly calls home. “Reaching 190 years is a remarkable achievement, but this milestone is about much more than our history,” said Kate Bryant, President and CEO of The Honesdale National Bank. “It is a celebration of the people who have made HNB what it is today. Our employees, customers, shareholders, and community members are at the heart of our longevity and overall success. For generations, we have been fortunate to build meaningful relationships throughout our region, and we believe the best way to honor that legacy is by giving back together. Through the 190 and Counting Sweepstakes and Feed the Need Food Drive, we are turning our anniversary into an opportunity to support our neighbors and strengthen the communities we proudly serve. The anniversary campaign reflects HNB’s core values of Heart and Humanity, Nurturing Community, Brave Integrity, Meaningful Relationships, and Elevating Together. These values have guided the Bank for nearly two centuries and continue to shape how HNB serves its customers and supports local organizations, businesses, and families. Community members can participate in multiple ways, including submitting a sweepstakes entry by contributing food donations at local HNB offices. Every food donation helps advance the Bank’s goal of providing 190 boxes of food to area pantries, demonstrating the power of collective action and community partnership. “Whether someone has banked with us for decades, joined us recently, works for our organization, or simply lives in one of the communities we serve, this celebration belongs to all of us,” Bryant added. “Together, we can make our 190th anniversary a meaningful reflection of the relationships that have sustained HNB for generations and will continue to shape a strong future for our communities.” To learn more about the 190 and Counting Sweepstakes, view official rules, and submit an entry, visit: www.hnbbank.bank/190
Geisinger goes pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month This October, in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Geisinger is doing its part to raise awareness about the importance of early detection. Geisinger hospitals across central Pennsylvania will be lit up in pink, and the mobile mammogram bus will bring screenings to patients in underserved communities. “Finding breast cancer early can make a meaningful difference in outcomes,” said Robin Skrine, M.D., director of breast surgery for Geisinger. “That’s why we encourage women to begin annual mammograms at age 40 and stay up to date with recommended screenings. For those at higher risk, earlier screening or additional imaging may be appropriate.” Patients who choose Geisinger for breast care have access to nationally recognized programs accredited by the Commission on Cancer and the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, as well as Breast Imaging Center of Excellence-designated imaging services. Staffed by specialty-trained breast surgeons and breast radiologists, Geisinger’s breast team provides expert, coordinated care at every stage of a patient’s journey. Each breast care site throughout northeast and central Pennsylvania has a dedicated nurse navigator who guides patients from diagnosis through treatment, providing education, resources and support. These distinctions highlight Geisinger’s high-quality screening, diagnosis, treatment and support services close to home. Geisinger’s pink mobile mammogram bus will be available at the following locations: Monday, Sept. 28 – Friday, Oct. 2: 35 S. Mountain Blvd., Mountain Top Monday, Oct. 5 – Friday, Oct. 9: 201 Roosevelt Blvd., Selinsgrove Monday, Oct. 12 – Friday, Oct. 16: 426 Airport Beltway, Hazle Township Monday, Oct. 19 – Friday, Oct. 23: 529 Terry Reiley Way, Pottsville Monday, Oct. 26 – Friday, Oct. 30: 35 S. Mountain Blvd., Mountain Top Patients can schedule mammograms through MyGeisinger or by calling 570-271-6000. Appointments on the bus are limited. Most screening mammograms are covered by insurance. Contact your insurance provider for details about your specific coverage and any potential costs. Geisinger will also participate in Pink Out Day at Bloomsburg University’s home football game on Saturday, Oct. 10. Attendees can learn about breast health and breast cancer risk through educational resources and activities featuring the pink mammogram bus, breast surgery coordinators and personal and family history-based risk assessments. Dr. Skrine encourages everyone to learn more about their breast cancer risk with Geisinger’s online assessment tool at geisinger.org/my-breast-cancer-risk. To learn more about cancer care at Geisinger, visit geisinger.org/cancerinstitute.
Marywood to Present War of the Worlds – The Panic Broadcast as Its Fall Theatre Production Nearly 88 years after it was first broadcast in late October 1938, Marywood University’s theatre program presents War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast, a theatrical reimagining of one of the most infamous moments in American broadcasting history. Inspired by Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre’s 1938 radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds, the play takes audiences inside a live radio studio as actors, announcers, shadow theatre artists, and Foley artists create the terrifying story of a Martian invasion before our eyes. What begins as an evening of radio drama quickly blurs the boundary between performance and reality. As fictional news bulletins interrupt the broadcast and reports of destruction spread across the airwaves, audiences witness both the making of a radio play and the cultural panic that became inseparable from its history. Performed as a live stage-and-radio experience, Marywood’s production celebrates the artistry of old-time radio while exploring questions that remain strikingly contemporary: How do we decide what information to trust? What happens when entertainment and news become difficult to distinguish? How quickly can fear spread through a community? The production brings together vintage microphones, live sound effects, Foley work, ensemble storytelling and the visual language of a 1930s/1940s broadcast studio to recreate the excitement and immediacy of radio’s golden age. At once suspenseful, theatrical, and darkly playful, War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast invites audiences to watch a story being constructed in real time – and to consider why, nearly ninety years later, the story of the broadcast itself continues to fascinate us. Performances, which will be held at the Munley Theater in the Sette LaVerghetta Center for Performing Arts, have showtimes from October 22-24 at 7:30 p.m. each evening and a matinee-only performance on October 25 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the general public. Marywood students, faculty, staff, and IHM sisters are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance by credit card online at https://marywood.universitytickets.com or with cash at the door.
Mt. Carmel native, nationally recognized medical education innovator, named Geisinger College of Health Sciences provost Geisinger College of Health Sciences has appointed Jed David Gonzalo, M.D., MSc, a nationally recognized leader in medical education and health systems science, as its next provost. In this role, Gonzalo will oversee academic programs and strategic educational initiatives across the college, supporting its mission to prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals and strengthen the region’s healthcare workforce. Dr. Gonzalo joins Geisinger College from Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, where he most recently served as senior associate dean for medical education and a tenured professor. During his tenure, he led significant efforts in curriculum transformation, faculty development and accreditation readiness. “Dr. Gonzalo brings a distinguished record of advancing innovative, mission-driven approaches to healthcare education,” said Julie Byerley, M.D., MPH, president and dean of Geisinger College of Health Sciences. “His leadership experience, national reputation and deep commitment to preparing future healthcare professionals make him an outstanding addition to our college and community.” A nationally recognized innovator in medical education, Dr. Gonzalo has helped shape the emerging field of health systems science and has collaborated with organizations including the American Medical Association to advance healthcare education and training across the country. Dr. Gonzalo’s connection to Geisinger and northeast and central Pennsylvania is longstanding. Raised in Mount Carmel, he was first introduced to healthcare through volunteer experiences at Geisinger, where he supported care teams and transported supplies as a teenager. He is also a graduate of The University of Scranton. “Geisinger College’s mission resonates deeply with me,” Dr. Gonzalo said. “I am inspired by the college’s commitment to educating healthcare professionals, retaining local talent and addressing the unique healthcare needs of the communities it serves.” At Geisinger College, Dr. Gonzalo will help advance strategic priorities focused on workforce development, interprofessional education and community impact. Dr. Gonzalo earned his medical degree from The Pennsylvania State College of Medicine and a Master of Science in medical education and clinical research from the University of Pittsburgh. He completed his internal medicine residency and chief residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. He will officially join Geisinger College of Health Sciences on Oct. 5
Better Health Pharmacy takes part in Save a Life Day Better Health Pharmacy & Wellness in Olyphant took part in Save a Life Day on September 24th by handing out free Narcan to members of the community. Narcan is a life-saving nasal spray that can reverse opioid overdoses. Save a Life Day is an annual initiative that encourages people to learn how to recognize the signs of opioid overdoses and reverse them with Narcan. Communities across the country are encouraged to set up events to give away free Narcan.
