UCLA’s Feinberg To Be Named Geisinger Head

David Feinberg, M.D., chief executive of UCLA Health System, will become the sixth chief executive of Geisinger Health System, claiming the top spot at a medical care network with 23,500 employees that has been lauded as a model in the fast-changing world of health care.

On May 1, Feinberg officially claims the reins of a nonprofit that has greatly expanded its reach and now includes Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township and Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton. The health system now hopes to refocus on improving health care delivery and outcomes.

In a conference call with reporters Monday, Feinberg said he studied Geisinger’s approach for years, hoping to learn and maybe adopt their approaches. But he never imagined leading the system, which he called a dream come true.

“Geisinger is so important to American medicine today,” he said, calling the system one of the first with integrated insurance, facilities and doctors. “American health care is transitioning from a system where we are paid on volume, where more difficult cases result in more costs even as outcomes have not improved by as much. Geisinger has shifted from volume to value by measuring outcomes for patients.”

Read more:

http://citizensvoice.com/news/ucla-s-feinberg-to-be-named-geisinger-head-1.1837860

Turning Off The Gas: Region’s Last Exploratory Natural Gas Well To Be Plugged

Since the Marcellus Shale drilling boom started in 2008, seven natural gas wells have been drilled in and around Luzerne and Lackawanna counties.

Six of them were plugged when they failed to produce enough gas to market.

This week, the seventh — WPX Energy’s Martin well on state Route 487 in Sugarloaf Township, Columbia County, between Ricketts Glen and Benton — will also be shut down for good.

“From what I understand, we’re the last well to be plugged,” WPX Energy spokeswoman Susan Oliver said.

Read more:

http://citizensvoice.com/news/turning-off-the-gas-region-s-last-exploratory-natural-gas-well-to-be-plugged-1.1837326

Police: Woman Stabs Son On Christmas Eve

A woman arguing with her son at her home in Berwick, Columbia County, said she was going to kill the dog, but instead grabbed a knife and stabbed her son in the chest, police said.

Rachel E. Fallat, 44, of 300 Summerhill Ave., was arrested Wednesday on charges of aggravated assault and attempted homicide for using a steak knife to lacerate Mark Goodson’s chest, causing severe respiratory distress and a collapsed left lung, Berwick police said.

Goodson was transported to Geisinger Wyoming Medical Center in Plains Township and has since been treated and released, according to hospital officials. Officers interviewed Goodson at the hospital the day of the incident, and he told them he and his mother Wednesday morning had several arguments, some of which became physical.

Read more: http://citizensvoice.com/news/police-woman-stabs-son-on-christmas-eve-1.1808606

Centralia Residents Free To Stay After Settling Suit Against State

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Columbia County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

All they ever wanted was to be left alone, free to live out their lives in the central Pennsylvania coal town whose population had fled an underground mine fire.

After 20 years, the residents of Centralia have finally gotten their wish.

A lengthy battle over eminent domain culminated this week when eight residents settled their lawsuit against state officials who had been trying to evict them from their condemned homes – the only homes left standing after most of this Columbia County town was razed in the 1980s due to a still-burning coal-mine fire.

The settlement, notice of which was filed in U.S. District Court, allows the residents to stay in their homes for as long as they live. It also includes a cash payout of $349,500.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=517872

Bloomsburg Fairgrounds Ready To Reopen 1 Year After Flood

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Columbia County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

BLOOMSBURG – Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley reached to a sign posted at the high water mark of the wall of a restroom at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds.

“I can barely touch it,” Cawley said.

The last time he toured the fairgrounds, the water dumped during the twin storms of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee had just receded from the high point on Sept. 9, 2011.

Mud smeared the grounds, and the board of directors canceled the fair for the first time in 157 years.

On Thursday, Cawley returned to rebuilt grounds as vendors set up stands and owners parked collectible cars inside buildings for an automobile show that starts Friday.

Read more: http://www.lockhaven.com/page/content.detail/id/540390/Bloomsburg-fairgrounds-ready-to-reopen-1-year-after-flood.html?nav=5009

Underground Centralia Fire Still Burning After 50 Years

Higher resolution photograph of the Route 61 crack, in Centralia PA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

CENTRALIA, Pa.  – Fifty years ago on Sunday, a fire at the town dump ignited an exposed coal seam, setting off a chain of events that eventually led to the demolition of nearly every building in Centralia – a whole community of 1,400 simply gone.

All these decades later, the Centralia fire still burns in Columbia County. It also maintains its grip on the popular imagination, drawing visitors from around the world who gawk at twisted, buckled Route 61, at the sulfurous steam rising intermittently from ground that’s warm to the touch, at the empty, lonely streets where nature has reclaimed what coal-industry money once built.

It’s a macabre story that has long provided fodder for books, movies and plays – the latest one debuting in March at a theater in New York.

Yet to the handful of residents who still occupy Centralia, who keep their houses tidy and their lawns mowed, this borough in the mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania is no sideshow attraction. It’s home, and they’d like to keep it that way.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=389185

Luzerne, Lackawanna, Columbia, Sullivan and Wyoming Counties – Highest Incidence Of Heart Disease Death In PA

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The five-county region of Luzerne, Lackawanna, Columbia, Sullivan and Wyoming counties has the highest incidence of heart disease death in Pennsylvania, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

These counties are the only ones in the state falling into the CDC’s most distressing category, showing 455 to 651 of every 100,000 deaths in people over age 35 are a direct result of heart disease.

Dr. Thomas Isaacson, chief of cardiology at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center’s Richard and Marion Pearsall Heart Hospital in Plains Township, said this area has a high rate of heart disease due to a number of risk factors here, especially smoking.

“We know smoking has a big impact on this,” Isaacson said. “We have a high prevalence of smoking in our communities.

Read more: http://thedailyreview.com/news/area-counties-have-highest-rate-of-heart-disease-in-state-1.1261599

Bloomsburg Fair CANCELLED!!!!!

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The Bloomsburg Fair Grounds were completely inundated by flood waters from Tropical Storm Lee.  As of today, September 12th, the fair’s board of directors have cancelled this year’s fair.

A statement was released via Twitter saying after careful consideration the board of directors has decided not to have the fair this year.

If you click on the fair’s website, it says FAIR CANCELLED, Please check back tomorrow for further information.

Here is a link to their website: http://bloomsburgfair.com/

More Details On Benton, PA Plane Crash

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Here is some updated information on the plane crash story below.

The pilot of the crashed plane, James Caswell, 22 of Lake Ariel, PA, was airlifted to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown.  Mr. Caswell suffers from a broken leg and bruises.  There were no other passengers on board.

The rented plane took off from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport in Avoca and flew to Lancaster.  Caswell was returning to Avoca when the single-engine, fixed-wing Piper aircraft crashed near Benton, PA, Sunday evening around 9 p.m.  The plane was rented from FBO Air WB Leasing, Inc., located at Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport.

Fortunately, Caswell was able to reach help by using his cell phone after crashing.

Plane Crash Near Columbia/Sullivan County Border

A small plane crashed on top of a mountain in Jackson Township, Columbia County.  The crash occurred about 9 p.m. last night (Sunday).  Jackson Township is on the border of Columbia and Sullivan Counties.  The nearest town is Benton, PA.

The pilot was 22-year-old James Caswell of Lake Ariel, PA.  Fortunately, Caswell was rescued.  He maintained contact with rescue officials via his cell phone.  The area of the crash is very remote which was a challenge for rescuers.  The plane crashed on top of a mountain, which was described as “all boulders and laurel” by Benton Fire Chief, Ron Robbins.

Geisinger Medical Center‘s Life Flight helicopter found the crash site and was able to help rescue workers, coming a mile and a half up from the bottom of the mountain, find the plane.

Caswell sustained injuries.  The crash is under investigation.

Bloomsburg Police Believe Student Dealth Was Alcohol Related

According to WBRE TV in Wilkes-Barre, Bloomsburg police believe Brian Savage’s death was alcohol related.  The apartment complex where Brian died was raided in April and 16 people were cited for underage drinking.

Savage was reportedly drinking vodka and beer the night he died.  Police are looking for Brian’s book bag which they believe will offer clues about what exactly happened.  The book bag is missing.

Police are awaiting toxicology results.