WVIA News wins six Professional Keystone Media Awards WVIA News won six Professional Keystone Media Awards from the Pennsylvania Newsmedia Association (PNA) for its 2025 journalism. The honorees are: ● Sarah Hofius Hall — First Place, Sports Beat Reporting, Beyond the Scoreboard● Borys Krawczeniuk — Honorable mention, News Beat Reporting, politics and gov’t● Lydia McFarlane — Honorable mention, Feature Story, Clarks Summit memory cafe● Haley O’Brien — 2nd place, lifestyle & entertainment beat, 1st & 2nd for features videos “When we made the commitment to expand local journalism, we did so because we believed our communities deserved trusted, in-depth reporting that informs, connects, and serves the public. We never imagined our newsroom would achieve so much in such a short time,” WVIA President & CEO Carla McCabe said. “These awards are a reflection of the dedication of our journalists and the power of public media to tell the stories that matter to the communities we serve.” The Harrisburg-based PNA organizes the annual awards contest to recognize “journalism that consistently provides relevance, integrity, and initiative in serving readers and audiences, and faithfully fulfills its First Amendment rights/responsibilities.” The awards will be presented October 8 at the Keystone Media Awards Luncheon in Harrisburg.
NEPA Alliance holds media event with The Ritz Theater in Scranton. Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance (NEPA) held a media event with The Ritz Theater in Scranton. Pictured from left: James Hazen, Lackawanna County; James Olecki, The Ritz Theater; Jack McNulty, NEPA Board; Patti Monahan, Senator Bob Casey’s Office; Jeffrey Box, NEPA Alliance and Phil Condron, NEPA Board. The Ritz Theater is an event space in downtown Scranton, PA. They host numerous events (i.e. concerts, parties and theme nights) and serve food and drink on site through “Noir Dark Spirits”, the bar/restaurant inside the theater. The Ritz’s mission is to drive economic vitality in downtown Scranton while resurrecting the historic Ritz Theater and Performing Arts Center. NEPA provided The Ritz with two loans – one through the SBA 504 program and one through an EDA Cares Act Revolving Loan fund. The loans provided funding to the borrowers to help purchase the building and complete necessary renovations to make the space operational. NEPA partnered with First Keystone Community Bank on this project. “As we evaluated financing for The Ritz project, NEPA Alliance was the perfect partner because of our shared goal of revitalizing downtown Scranton,” said James J. Olecki, co-owner and Chief Executive Officer. “Our vision from the onset was to create a premier arts and entertainment venue that brings the community together and serves as an inspiration to the region. I’m proud to say that with the help of the NEPA Alliance team, the Ritz is alive once again. Millions of dollars have been invested, five new businesses have come to Lackawanna County, and over 50 new jobs have been created within the theater. Never doubt what collaboration and commitment can do to change the world.” “NEPA Alliance is proud to have assisted The Ritz Theater in the growth of their business”, said Jeffrey Box, President & CEO of NEPA Alliance.
