Three People Dead, 13 Injured In I-380 Wreck

COOLBAUGH TOWNSHIP, PA — What caused a fatal collision between a tour bus and two tractor-trailers that killed three and wounded more than a dozen on a busy stretch of Poconos interstate remained unknown Wednesday afternoon as state troopers continued an investigation.

Wednesday’s wreck involved two tractor-trailers and an Italian tour bus on Interstate 380 North near mile marker 4. The crash happened at 10:09 a.m., state police said. The bus carrying an Italian tour group left the New York City metro area at 7:30 a.m. for Niagara Falls, a spokesman for Academy Bus said this afternoon.

“We can confirm that one of the deceased is the bus driver,” Brian Dickerson said in an email. “We offer our condolences to the family of this valued member of our Academy team, as well as to the families of others tragically affected by this accident. We also extend our thoughts to the injured.”

Dickerson did not identify the bus driver, who had “more than a decade of experience behind the wheel.”

Read more: http://citizensvoice.com/news/three-people-dead-13-injured-in-i-380-wreck-1.1892786

Geisinger CMC High Bidder For Audubon Elementary School

Scranton, PA – On the site where students attended school for a century, patients could soon see doctors.

With a bid of $750,000, Geisinger Community Medical Center agreed to purchase John Audubon Elementary School – its neighbor across the 1800 block of Mulberry Street – at the Scranton School District‘s auction Thursday. Geisinger will most likely demolish the building, though it has no specific plans, said Robert Davies, the health system’s chief support services officer.

After moving students out in 2010 because of mold, the district permanently shuttered the school earlier this year because it was too expensive to reopen.

GCMC may first demolish the school and use the property as a staging area for the hospital’s upcoming expansion project.

Read more:  http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/geisinger-cmc-high-bidder-for-audubon-1.1409968

Scranton City Council Sets Public Hearing On Recovery Plan

English: Downtown , USA (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Scranton City Council on Thursday tabled a revised recovery plan but set a public hearing on the proposal for next week and a vote for adoption for the following week.

Council President Janet Evans said efforts are under way to further revise the consensus recovery plan.  It was reached July 27 by her and Mayor Chris Doherty after months of stalemate, but raised concerns from the city’s Act 47 recovery coordinator, Pennsylvania Economy League, that much of its revenue was speculative.

“There are adjustments being made to it, and it’s ongoing,” Mrs. Evans said.  “I’m hoping that all changes are complete prior to the public hearing.”

At the Aug. 2 meeting, Mrs. Evans said the mayor/council consensus plan was a “take it-or-leave it” proposition for PEL.  Asked after the meeting if she had backed away from that stance, Mrs. Evans said no.

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/scranton-council-sets-public-hearing-on-recovery-plan-1.1357001

Geisinger Commits To $126 Million In Upgrades At Scranton Hospital

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Following up on a promise to the community when it took over a local hospital earlier this year, Geisinger Health System Foundation Board of Directors today approved $125.7 million for Geisinger-Community Medical Center, part of a nearly $160 commitment to the hospital.

When Geisinger took over CMC hospital in February, it promised to make upgrades of during a seven-year period to the dated facility.

With today’s announcement, Geisinger commits to an $80 million facility expansion of GCMC, $25.7 million to construct a new physician office building in Scranton and a $20 million project already under way to upgrade the hospital’s information technology system.

Anthony Aquilina, D.O., chief medical officer at GCMC, said the goal is to boost quality of health care in the local community.

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/geisinger-commits-to-126-million-in-upgrades-at-scranton-hospital-1.1333161