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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: 4/1/2020
CONTACT:
Lackawanna Historical Society
Mary Ann Moran-Savakinus, Executive Director
232 Monroe Ave., Scranton, PA 18510
570-344-3841
[email protected]
Lackawanna Historical Society Collects Covid-19 Data to Build Local Archive
SCRANTON, PA – History happens every day, some days are more historic than others. Right now, we’re certainly living through a bit of history that will undoubtedly be studied by scholars in the future. To make their job easier, we’re excited to unveil the LHS Covid-19 Archive project, a virtual ‘instant archive” for members of our community to record their thoughts and reactions to the pandemic. In an effort to document this historic moment, the Lackawanna Historical Society has prepared two online surveys, one for students and one for adults, and created an upload link where individuals can share their personal experiences and reflections of how the pandemic is effecting them. The Lackawanna Historical Society is dedicated to documenting, preserving and interpreting Lackawanna County history and whats happening right now is a significant part of that history.
We invite the public to participate by going to: www.lackawannahistory.org/LHSCovid19ArchiveCollecting.html
to complete our survey or upload their story.
The Society will continue to not only document and collect data but is also working to provide interesting and educational local history programs including an online local history curriculum with discussion questions at http://www.lackawannahistory.org/LocalHistoryCurriculum.html
The public is encouraged to check our website www.lackawannahistory.org and daily Facebook posts for more details on future projects.
For more information or to make reservations for the opening, contact the Lackawanna Historical Society at 570-344-3841 or email [email protected].
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NOTICE TO PUBLIC
Due to the existing COVID-19 state of emergency, the Lackawanna County Government Center, including the Department of Planning and Economic Development, is CLOSED to the public.
The Planning Department does NOT have the capability to accept electronic copies of subdivision and land development plans or ordinances and amendments. The department cannot review electronic or paper copies of these documents remotely. At this time, the department will NOT be accepting any subdivision and land development plans for review in any form. The department also does NOT have the capability to remotely review any Commonwealth forms requiring county review i.e. Chapter 102, Act 67/68, etc., or issue any letters of support for any project applications. Upon re-opening of the Government Center, the department will resume normal operations.
Community Re-invest Requests for Reimbursement, Business Improvement Grant applications, and SBA Fee Waiver applications will only be accepted electronically while the Government Center is closed. The department asks that you please be patient; turnaround times may be longer due to the limited in-office time. Please make sure that all required information is submitted; otherwise, payments may be further delayed. Please email all requests and applications to:
[email protected] AND [email protected].
March 24, 2020 – For Immediate Release
Beginning March 30, municipalities that currently take commingled recyclables (jars, bottles and cans) to the Lackawanna Recycling Center, Inc. will no longer be picking-up the materials due to health concerns regarding COVID – 19.
This action will remain in effect until further notice.
The center will continue to accept newspapers and cardboard.
The County’s Office of Environmental Sustainability notified the boroughs, municipalities and townships that utilize the Lackawanna Recycling Center, Inc. of the change and asked them to notify their residents.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is asking residents to, if possible, store only clean commingled items until the health crisis subsides and services can be resorted to normal. If this is not possible, residents can put the items in with their normal, weekly household trash collection.
Traditional/normal recycling is expected to resume once this health issue is deemed to be over.
The Lackawanna County Government Center, Courthouse and County offices are very busy places.
There is a great deal of foot traffic in our buildings every day, with people coming for court matters, legal activities and business transactions.
In light of the Coronavirus outbreak, the Commissioners have initiated several measures to keep all facilities clean, sanitized and germ-free.
In a joint statement, Commissioners Jerry Notarianni, Debi Domenick and Chris Chermak explained that the “County Administration is doing its very best to combat the Coronavirus in the Government Center, the Courthouse and its other administrative/professional/public locations.”
For employees and the general public’s safety, the Buildings & Grounds staff disinfects the time clocks, elevator buttons and inside the elevators for the prevention of Coronavirus and the regular flu on a daily basis. Additional hand sanitizer stations have been installed at the time clocks and other public areas. The floors, restrooms, railings and public accessories are Cloroxed every night.
In regard to our Court system, all individuals must still follow through on their court requirements/appearances. To that end, the Lackawanna County Courts have conferred about this action with both the Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts and surrounding County Court administrators. All bodies are implementing measures to reduce exposure to the virus.
For the safety of everyone involved, the County and Court system are asking that anyone who has traveled outside the country or was exposed to a contaminated area and/or suffering from flu-like symptoms, to please not enter any public facility until you are feeling well.
All of the sanitizing actions in every County facility and Courthouse will continue until the outbreak is over.
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