Treasurer Stacy Garrity Announces Appointment of Dave White Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity today announced that she has appointed Dave White to serve as her designee on the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) Board of Commissioners. White has more than 40 years of experience in the HVAC industry, and his background includes time in both the public and private sector. “Dave White is a highly experienced and qualified professional who has earned a reputation of getting things done on-time and within budgets,” Treasurer Garrity said. “His background is perfectly suited to the expectations and demands of this role and it gives him an immense understanding of the infrastructure needs of the greater Philadelphia area — I’m confident that Dave will be a vital asset to help ensure the DRPA is doing its best work to improve our vital transportation infrastructure.” “It is an honor to be appointed to this position for Treasurer Garrity, and I look forward to representing her and the people of Pennsylvania,” said Dave White. White is a third-generation Steamfitter with Local 420 in Philadelphia, who has risen through the ranks to apply his knowledge of mechanical systems towards the conception of DWD Mechanical Contractor Inc. He has worked as a professional Union Pipefitter and has prioritized building strong client relationships.
Geisinger Team Assists Patient at Rockin’ the River F.M. Kirby Center technical director Mike Dale was performing his duties as event coordinator and program director of Wilkes-Barre’s annual Rockin’ The River music series when he began to not feel himself. After contemplating whether he was simply dehydrated or exhausted, he realized his heart was beating abnormally hard and fast. Listening to his body, he visited the Geisinger medical tent where Dr. Corey Goldberg, Dr. Brian Saracino and team evaluated Mike and determined his heart was beating at a dangerously high rate of more than 200 beats per minute. With medication, the team was able to regulate Mike’s heartbeat, and Mike will be following up with a cardiologist. Mike and members of his care team can be available to discuss his care as soon as next week.
PennDOT Honors Star of Excellence Recipients At a ceremony in Harrisburg yesterday, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll recognized 30 PennDOT employees for their outstanding performance with the Star of Excellence Award, PennDOT’s highest recognition. Erin G. Mazikewich and Christopher Tomaszewski from PennDOT’s Engineering District 4 whichrepresents Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyomingcountieswere among the honorees. “Every day, I am reminded of our employees’ dedication, their excellent customer service, and in many cases, their sacrifices,” said Carroll. “The accomplishments of our Stars of Excellence exemplify PennDOT’s mission to provide the very best transportation services to Pennsylvanians every day.” Erin G. Mazikewich and Christopher Tomaszewski were honored at an awards luncheon at the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg. “Year after year, Erin and Chris have used their talents, creativity, and passion for innovation to improve the traveling experience for residents of and visitors to communities all across northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Richard N. Roman, P.E., District Executive for PennDOT Engineering District 4, based in Dunmore. “Allowing each one of them to shine even more brightly are their individual capacities to build lasting relationships within those communities, which in turn has enhanced the reputation of PennDOT District 4.” Erin G. Mazikewich In her nearly 25 years of service to PennDOT, Erin has consistently demonstrated exemplary performance, effectively coordinating annual plans and monitoring results for Susquehanna and Wyoming counties. In her role as Assistant Highway Maintenance Manager, Erin has also introduced innovative safety measures in each county, she prioritizes safety and has never experienced a personal or preventable fleet accident. Erin is our recruitment champion for both counties. She represents our team at all internal and external county job fairs, as well as at local recruitment events. She also regularly participates in county interview panels, ensuring that candidates are informed about the benefits, values, and rewards of a career at PennDOT. Christopher Tomaszewski In his role as Highway Design Manager – Liaison Engineer, Chris is a valued member of the district design community. His experience and willingness to contribute whenever needed are significant assets. Chris assists local municipalities and counties with their design and engineering agreements. His efficiency enhances infrastructure beyond our state-owned network. He has also played a crucial role in developing several engineers who have joined the Liaison unit after completing their civil engineering training. Chris is consistently recognized by our design partners and the consultant design community for his contributions to the upcoming agreements list for District 4. He receives this recognition during design gatherings, such as ASHE meetings and various marketing meetings.
The Wright Center, Honesdale Boy Recieves Kidney Transplant Jake Algerio plays at Honesdale Central Park, less than four months after receiving a new kidney from a deceased donor. The sixth-grader has coped with kidney problems all his life, including undergoing nightly dialysis for the last nine years. When the call came from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Brianne Algerio missed it. Cellphone trouble meant the initial good news, which she’d been waiting for since 2019, went straight to her voicemail. As she scrambled to call the hospital back, CHOP staff called again and informed her that a kidney had been found for her 12-year-old son, Jake Algerio. Her joy was tempered with skepticism. “I was actually thinking, are they sure?” she said about the call on May 1. “We had been to CHOP two months before because they had a kidney for Jake, but it didn’t work out. He didn’t get the surgery.” Algerio, a certified medical assistant at The Wright Center for Community Health Hawley in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, didn’t begin to feel hope until CHOP staff wheeled Jake into the operating room on a gurney. Jake Algerio with his mom, Brianne Algerio, at Honesdale Central Park. When she got the call on May 1 from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia about having a new kidney for Jake, her joy was tempered with skepticism. They had a similar call in March, but the surgery didn’t happen. Jake’s medical challenges began before he was born. One of his kidneys measures only half a centimeter and the other just one centimeter – far smaller than the average of nearly nine and a half centimeters for a child his age. Since birth, he has endured countless hospitalizations, surgeries, and infections. For the past nine years, he has relied on nightly peritoneal dialysis, which uses a catheter to filter toxins through the lining of his abdominal wall. In September 2019, Jake underwent a kidney transplant at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania. Complications led to the removal of the new kidney shortly thereafter, and Jake celebrated his sixth birthday in a hospital bed. Since then, Algerio and her husband, Don Sweeley Jr., have worked to find a living donor for Jake. Nearly 104,000 people across the United States need an organ transplant, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), a private, nonprofit organization that manages the nation’s organ transplant system under contract with the federal government. Of those, more than 96,000 need a kidney, according to UNOS. Most patients wait between three to five years for a kidney donor. Jake’s new kidney came from a deceased donor, about a year after his name was re-added to the UNOS waiting list. Incredibly, the kidney he received was a near-perfect match for Jake, CHOP staff told Algerio. “The hospital staff were all celebrating,” Algerio said. Before she could join in, however, her son had to endure the eight-hour transplant surgery. She described the agonizing wait alone at CHOP that day, receiving texts from her husband and her mother asking for updates that she didn’t have. After the surgery was complete, she briefly visited Jake in his hospital room to reassure him. He was groggy and disoriented from surgery, she said. Mom and son spent about two weeks at CHOP after Jake’s surgery. After they returned home to Honesdale, they visited the hospital weekly for about two months. These days, they make the trip every other week to ensure Jake is recovering as scheduled. “We’ll eventually start going monthly until about November or December, just to make sure Jake’s body doesn’t reject the transplant,” Algerio said. “I won’t really relax until it’s been a year since the surgery. It still feels like it’s just the first hurdle for him.” Four months after the surgery, though, there’s no denying how much healthier he looks and feels. Algerio smiled as she watched Jake, sporting bright red Sketchers sneakers, race around with his younger sisters – 7-year-old Zoey and 5-year-old Emma – at Honedale Central Park on a sunny afternoon in September. His older brother Ryan, 18, was waiting at home. “Jake couldn’t play like this in April,” Algerio said. “He’d get tired so easily. He was like a little old man, hunched over and out of breath.” In addition to being more energetic, Jake has gained a little weight and grown a few inches taller. He also celebrated a fun milestone this summer – a visit to Honesdale Borough Pool on Aug. 9. Pre-transplant, he had to avoid public pools because the chlorine could have damaged the catheter inserted into his stomach or caused an infection. “He was hesitant to swim at first, but I told him, ‘Just jump in,’” Algerio said. “He did, and he had a ball playing with his friend.” Pausing from his playground games, Jake said he’s feeling better since he received his new kidney. He hiked up his shirt to show off his stomach scars – a little pucker where his catheter once was and some healing surgical incisions from the transplant procedure. Post-transplant, Jake is looking forward to going on vacation because his dialysis machine has made it difficult for him to travel. After he came home from CHOP in mid-May, his family returned his dialysis machine to the hospital and discarded all the dialysis equipment that was a part of his nightly routine for most of his life. “Maybe to Florida to visit my grandpa,” he said about where he’d like to go. “That would be fun.” Jake Algerio with his sisters Zoey, and Emma at Honesdale Central Park. Four months after receiving a kidney transplant, Jake has gained weight, grown a few inches, and can now keep up with his younger sisters on the playground.
UNC Launches Free Strengthening Families Program United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC), in partnership with the Carbondale Area School District and PROSPER Partnerships, will offer the Strengthening Families Program (SFP) for Parents and Youth ages 10–14 this fall. The seven-week series helps families build stronger relationships and supports children as they transition into the teen years. The program runs Thursdays, October 2 through November 13, 2025, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Carbondale Area Elementary School. Each session begins with a free family dinner at 5:30 p.m. and includes on-site childcare for younger siblings. Families who participate are eligible for weekly prizes such as board games, gift cards, and movie passes. Parents and caregivers learn practical strategies for setting loving limits, creating household routines, encouraging positive behavior, managing stress, and preventing substance misuse. Youth in fifth and sixth grade build skills to prepare for the teen years, communicate effectively with parents, handle stress and peer pressure, and make healthy choices. Registration: Space is limited. To register, contact Nathan Masco, UNC PROSPER Coordinator, at nmasco@uncnepa.org or 570-961-1592 ext. 103.
Wayne Bank Hires Valerie A. O’Hare as Corporate Training Manager Jim Donnelly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wayne Bank, is excited to announce the hiring of Valerie A. O’Hare as Corporate Training Manager. “I am thrilled to welcome Valerie to the Wayne Bank team. Her extensive training experience will be an asset in guiding our departments as we continue to develop and implement the best possible training practices for our employees,” said Donnelly. As Corporate Training Manager, Valerie will be responsible for creating and overseeing training programs, including job-specific instruction and compliance/regulatory training. She will also collaborate with various departments to design training initiatives that support the bank’s needs and long-term goals. With more than 28 years in the banking industry and over a decade of targeted training experience, Valerie brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Wayne Bank team. Valerie graduated from Delaware Valley High School in 1997. She attended PA Bankers Association School of Banking in 2017 and Advanced School of Banking in 2021. An active member of her community, Valerie currently serves on the United Way Community Impact Committees for Pike and Lackawanna counties. She resides in Pike County with her husband Tom.
WVIA Wins Awards at NETA Conference WVIA is proud to announce that it has been honored with two prestigious recognitions at the 57th Annual NETA Public Media Awards, presented by the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA). The awards celebrate excellence in public media content, community engagement, and education nationwide. WVIA earned recognition in the following categories: Community Engagement – Local Project: American Dreams Community Engagement – Kids & Family: Carl the Collector Family Engagement The American Dreams project explored the intersection of arts and civic engagement through partnerships with five arts organizations across four counties. WVIA produced three short films that were featured in an hourlong TV panel discussion program, Keystone Edition Arts: American Dreams. The Exchange in Bloomsburg showcased 70 works by 40 artists; the Wayne County Arts Alliance featured 200 student pieces in The Dinner Party exhibition; and Nigerian artist Ibiyanka Alao inspired 400 West Berwick students with art for peace. Misericordia University’s Pauly Friedman Gallery presented veterans’ reflections on war before hosting the TV taping with 100 attendees. The program examined visual art, pottery, poetry, jazz, and the historic role of art in civic life. WVIA Education’s Carl the Collector Family Engagement activities brought inclusive educational experiences to the community through screenings, activities, and the launch of a sensory-friendly space at the Pittston Memorial Library. The initiative engaged more than 100 participants at local events and drew civic leaders, PBS leadership, and families. Serving an estimated 320,000 residents, the project was celebrated both in person and online as a powerful example of public media fostering creativity, inclusion, and community connection. These honors highlight WVIA’s commitment to creating innovative and impactful projects that serve the needs of families, educators, and communities across Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania. “We are absolutely delighted that the creative work we do to address the unique needs of young people in our region and amplify the voices of students of all ages is not only recognized by our community but also by our peers across the country,” said Vicki Austin, WVIA’s Chief Education, Grants and Corporate Relations Officer. “We remain dedicated to our mission of service to all and are grateful for the countless partners who bolster our efforts.” The NETA Public Media Awards are among the most respected honors in the industry, recognizing work that strengthens communities, educates citizens, and enriches cultural life. This year’s competition included entries from dozens of public media stations across the country. “Receiving two NETA Public Media Awards is a powerful recognition of the creativity and dedication of the WVIA team,” said Carla McCabe, WVIA President & CEO. “These honors highlight our commitment to producing innovative projects that truly engage and uplift the communities we serve, and they underscore the vital role public media plays in enriching lives every single day in our region.”
PS Bank Hires New Commercial Loan Officer / Vice President Anthony J. Gabello, President and Chief Executive Officer, is pleased to announce the hiring of Brian E. Burd as Commercial Loan Officer / Vice President. With over 25 years of experience in commercial lending, Brian brings a wealth of expertise to the team. In this role, he will help grow PS Bank’s lending portfolio and extend its robust product line to new business customers. “True community banks are becoming rare and I’m very fortunate to have found a great place in PS Bank to continue my banking career. I’m looking forward to connecting local businesses with their best banking option,” said Burd. Anthony J. Gabello, President & CEO of PS Bank, added, “As our bank continues to grow, our lending department is proud to add Brian to our commercial lending area. His experience and network provide growth opportunities in the Luzerne, Wyoming, and Lackawanna County markets.” Brian holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Scranton, and an MBA from Misericordia University. Brian currently serves as the treasurer of the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce; board member of United Way Wyoming County; member of the finance and audit committee for GirlScouts in the Heart of PA, and is a member of Soo Bahk Do Martial Arts Federation. He resides in South Abington Township with his wife, Cristan, with whom he shares three children.
TechCelerator @LackawannaCounty Launches Fourth Cohort to Accelerate Entrepreneurship in the County TechCelerator @LackawannaCounty, an initiative powered by Lackawanna County, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, and the Chamber’s entrepreneurship division IGNITE, has officially opened its fourth cohort to idea-stage, start-up, for-profit technology businesses. This 10-week business boot camp is designed to jump-start entrepreneurship in Lackawanna County by equipping local tech-based entrepreneurs with the tools, mentorship, and training needed to advance their ventures. Participants will receive in-depth instruction in business modeling, customer discovery, financial planning, and investor readiness. At the conclusion of the program, participants will have the opportunity to compete for a reimbursable $10,000 grant to offset select start-up costs. The participants in the fourth cohort are: MillionMinds by Norman Zin Notea by Alexandria Small Optimust Intelligence by Luis Vazquez Stello by Jake Howells Sweeney Education Innovations by Dr. Terry Sweeney TechA11y by Brian Jagger VoiceBridge by Jonathan Lau Zach James Music (Zack Sprowls) “The partnership between Lackawanna County and Ben Franklin Technology Partners continues to be a powerful engine for innovation and entrepreneurship in our region,” shared Bob Durkin, president of The Chamber. “At The Chamber, our mission is to attract, sustain, and grow businesses in northeastern Pennsylvania—and the TechCelerator cohort does exactly that. By equipping emerging tech entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship, and funding they need, we’re laying the groundwork for the next generation of business success stories right here at home.” Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan: “With all the discussions about artificial intelligence and Lackawanna County being a potential site of data centers to sustain it, it’s important to remember that nothing can replace entrepreneurship in building the county’s, and the region’s economies. Lackawanna County is happy to participate in the innovative TechCelerator program, which supports that crucial entrepreneurship, gives prospective business leaders insight into growth and sustainability amid constant change, and helps to keep some our best talent home. Here’s to another successful year.” The TechCelerator @LackawannaCounty program has already helped launch multiple new ventures in the region, providing a proven framework for early-stage tech entrepreneurs to test ideas, build networks, and access resources that drive business success. At the conclusion of the program, participants and their businesses will give a formal presentation on the progress of their business.
Valley in Motion Unveils Six Murals in Carbondale Valley In Motion has started Creative Communities initiative in Carbondale and Forest City to bring art and cultural activities that support them as Outdoor Towns, fun and welcoming places for outdoor recreation. Funded by the PA Council on the Arts, the Borough of Forest City, and City of Carbondale, VIM is planning and executing projects that bring residents and visitors from the Lackawanna River’s trails to Main Streets in Carbondale and Forest City. In addition to murals above, these funds can support outdoor sculpture; signage; artist-designed bike racks and benches; and music and other cultural events.
