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Lackawanna County COVID-19 Older Adults Communal Setting Testing Program

December 23, 2020 – For Immediate Release

Lackawanna County COVID-19 Older Adults Communal Setting Testing Program

The Lackawanna County Commissioners Jerry Notarianni, Debi Domenick, Esq., and Chris Chermak have further deepened their commitment to combating the COVID-19 virus on all fronts by organizing a consortium of local health and social service agencies to provide testing for older adults in local communal settings throughout the area.

The County, its Area Agency on Aging and its Office of Economic Planning & Development have teamed-up with The Wright Center, NeighborWorks NEPA, United Neighborhood Centers, the United Way of Lackawanna & Wayne Counties, and Telespond Senior Services to provide testing for those over the age of 60 that are living in communal settings.

The Commissioners stressed that the impetus for this action is to safeguard a very valuable and vulnerable segment of our population who may not have access to either testing or transportation to get a facility.

The goal of the program is to reach 55 communal setting locations in every part of Lackawanna County. The initiative is prioritizing high risk buildings, but also casting a large net to provide as many diverse testing locations as possible. The testing program, scheduled to kick-off December 30, will continue as long as the resources and test kits are available.

Each communal location will be surveyed for interest and given a testing date as resources are made available. The facility must provide the number of tests needed beforehand. The testing will not be done on a first come, first serve basis, but rather who registered beforehand. The program will not guarantee the ability to provide testing if the individual has not preregistered.

As the tests become available, the Area Agency on Aging will identify the locations and coordinate the testing and information dissemination with the community partners. Interested individuals will be asked have to share their insurance information but will bear no cost or copay for the test or results. Even if an individual is not insured, the test will be covered at no cost.

Testing will be completed on site in the Wright Centers Mobil Unit. Volunteers and Aging staff will be on-hand to coordinate logistics, and Telespond will provide support for those who need assistance due to mobility challenges.

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Applications now being accepted for 2021 Master Watershed Steward Program

Applications now being accepted for 2021 Master Watershed Steward Program

The Penn State Extension Luzerne & Lackawanna offices are now accepting applications for the 2021 Master Watershed Steward Program.

The program is designed to provide people who are enthusiastic about the environment with the information and skills necessary to share their experience and knowledge with others.

Master Watershed Stewards receive 40 hours of training on topics including: water quality, stream health, native plants, recreational resources, and groundwater. After completing the training session, students do 50 hours of volunteer service. In subsequent years, Master Watershed Stewards can maintain their status through 20 hours of volunteer time to watershed projects or programs and attending a minimum of 10 hours of continuing education training. Examples of projects and programs include: designing and installing demonstration rain gardens or streamside plantings; teaching children about stream ecology; and organizing educational workshops that address such topics as backyard conservation or homeowner storm water management.

This Spring’s training will be held virtually via Zoom on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. starting March 3 and running through June 2. Optional in-person field experiences will be scheduled with COVID-19 safety measures in place.

The Lackawanna and Luzerne Master Watershed Steward Program is a collaborative effort between Penn State Extension, Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wyoming Conservation Districts, Lackawanna River Conservation Association, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania American Water, Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority, and several other partners.

An information session will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, January 6, at 6:30 p.m.

For more information and to register, visit extension.psu.edu/programs/watershed-stewards/counties/northeastern-pa

Lackawanna County Commissioners Announce Funding For Twenty Community Re-Invest Projects

Lackawanna County Commissioners Announce Funding For Twenty Community Re-Invest Projects

Twenty projects, focusing on fire protection, public safety, community organizations, facility upgrades, and general construction and upkeep, were approved for funding by the Lackawanna County Commissioners through their Community Re-Invest Program totaling $95,289. The public-private partnership investment for 2020 is $1,077,893.

The Community Re-Invest Program was established in July of 2013. It represents the “last mile” funding to help bring the initiatives to fruition. The overall public-private investment since its inception is $8,730,827.

Commissioners Implement Additional Safeguards Against Coronavirus

The Lackawanna County Commissioners announced today (November 25) new/additional measures to safeguard both the general public and County staff in their attempt to stop the exposure, transmission and spread of the Coronavirus.

The Lackawanna County Government Center will be open to the general public, but by appointment only, as of December 1. The overriding reasons for this action is to limit entrance/foot traffic into the building and, above all, safety/health concerns.

Once again, several of the row offices in the Government Center will be affected by this course of action, but services will continue to be provided as they were when the original shutdown was announced on March 20, 2020.

Drop boxes will be remain in the Government Center’s vestibule for various payments and other transactions.

Residents can pay their 2020 Lackawanna County taxes and the City of Scranton and Scranton School District taxes by using the Single Tax Office box in the vestibule. If an individual wants to pay in cash, the person will be permitted to go to the office without an appointment. Otherwise, they can pay by check via the dropbox or U.S. mail.

The help/reception desk in the vestibule will remain open and active to handle a variety of transactions pertaining to the Clerk of Judicial Records and Register of Wills offices, and multiple other departments. Representatives will be available to provide assistance through various telephones stationed in the vestibule.

Appointments for any department will have to be made ahead of time by contacting the respective office. Only those individuals with an appointment will be allowed to enter the Government Center.

In the Lackawanna County Court system, all jury trials for the month of December will be conducted.

If an individual wants to file a PFA or emergency custody petition, he/she can go the County’s website – www.lackawannacounty.org – and go to Family Court section of the website for instructions on how to proceed. Department staff will not be conducting any business in the Government Center’s lobby/vestibule. All matters must be done online.

It is important for the general public to note that all County departments will still be operating and can be reached by telephone.

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Lackawanna County COVID-19 Older Adults Communal Setting Testing Program

Applications now being accepted for 2021 Master Watershed Steward Program

Lackawanna County Commissioners Announce Funding For Twenty Community Re-Invest Projects

Commissioners Implement Additional Safeguards Against Coronavirus

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