In the News

Pocono Raceway leads pack in greening NASCAR

NASCAR.com Thursday, May 02, 2013

YahooSports carries a NASCAR.com report on Pocono Raceway's recent Green campaign, which is setting the bar high for other NASCAR tracks.

While the entire NASCAR industry has spent the past month showcasing and stepping up its commitment to the sport's Race to Green initiative, Pocono Raceway has been a factor for years -- an example of what's possible not only for other NASCAR facilities, but also for any sports franchise or facility.

From a one-of-a-kind, on-site solar farm to a goal of 100 percent sustainability to an E-waste recycling event, compost program and even a flock of sheep herding on property, Pocono Raceway has been first among sports facilities to NASCAR Green's checkered flag.

Original source: NASCAR.com

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Viral video vaults NEPA photographer to The Tonight Show

Times-Tribune Thursday, April 04, 2013

The Times-Tribune writes about staff photographer Jason Farmer, who has worked several assignments for Keystone Edge through the years and has recently found the spotlight for a prank video he produced that caught a friend off-guard with a diaper full of chocolate pudding, including an appearance on The Tonight Show last week.

Joined by his good friend and the target of the prank, Mark Moore, Mr. Farmer stood next to Mr. Leno and watched a clip of the video he shot more than a year ago. Mr. Leno presented the video and two other videos to his audience as ideas for April Fool's Day pranks.

Original source: Times-Tribune

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Green natural gas well completion technology varies

State Journal Thursday, May 10, 2012

The State Journal in West Virginia writes about the differences in employing green completion technology related to Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling.

"It's not one-size-fits-all," said Andrew Paterson, executive vice president for technical affairs for the Marcellus Shale Coalition of Canonsburg, Pa. "It all depends on the kind of well that you're drilling."

Original source: State Journal

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Popcorn surprisingly high in antioxidants, scientists at University of Scranton find

TODAY Health Thursday, March 29, 2012

TODAY Health reports on a study from the University of Scranton, revealing that popcorn is higher in polyphenols, a type of antioxidant, than fruits and vegetables.

Polyphenols have been linked to a reduction in heart disease and certain cancers. And, since it’s 100% whole grain, popcorn is also a great source of fiber -- you get 5 grams in a 4-cup portion. That's pretty darn impressive for a snack food.

Popcorn will never be a replacement for produce, which is brimming with essential nutrients and antioxidants not found in grains. But it’s still a terrific, low-cal munchie. And you do need to steer clear of varieties doused in butter, oil, and/or salt, ingredients that negate the health perks.

Original source: TODAY Health
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PA is one of country's top states for green jobs

The Atlantic Thursday, March 29, 2012

The Atlantic reports on a government study showing that Pennsylvania is the state with the fourth-highest number of green jobs, and about 3 percent of all jobs in the commonwealth can be considered green.

The report defines green jobs across five categories: production of energy from renewable sources; energy efficiency; pollution reduction and removal, greenhouse gas reduction, and recycling and reuse; natural resources conservation; and environmental compliance, education and training, and public awareness.

The majority of these green jobs (2.3 million) come from the private sector. The public sector employed about 860,000 people. The largest sector of employment was manufacturing, with more than 450,000 green jobs.

This squares with a July 2011 Brooking Institution study of clean economy jobs, which identified 2.7 million clean economy jobs across the United States. The report found that median wages for clean economy jobs are 13 percent higher than median U.S. wages, and that a disproportionate share of clean economy jobs are staffed by workers with relatively little formal education. This has created a sizable group of "moderately well-paying green collar occupations," according to the report.

Original source: The Atlantic
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Data-management firm in Scranton expands throughout East Coast and beyond

The Times-Tribune Thursday, March 29, 2012

The Times-Tribune reports that Diversified Information Technologies, which provides various data services for a range of companies, plans to soon open three new sites across the country.

The Scranton-based data-management and security company recently opened a facility in Portland, Ore., and will open sites within a month in Minneapolis, Hartford, Conn., and Columbia, S.C.

"All told, we are looking at a $15 million investment in infrastructure," said Scott Byers, Diversified's president and chief executive. "We continue to resonate well in the marketplace, and business continues to grow."

After Diversified invested $28 million in three acquisitions in 2009 and 2010 and extended the company's territory from the Northeast to the entire East Coast, the latest expansion broadens the company's national reach.

Original source: The Times-Tribune
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Pennsylvania helping pay for wind farms being built across the commonwealth

EarthTechling Thursday, February 16, 2012

EarthTechling spotlights several wind power projects funded partially with state money, including planned wind farms near Altoona, Johnstown and Somerset.

The Twin Ridges Wind Farm in Somerset County, being developed by New York City-based EverPower Wind Holdings, received a $12.7 million Renewable Energy Program construction grant. The grant is the largest ever awarded by the program, which has also provided grants to the 30-MW Patton Wind Farm in Cambria County and enXco’s 38-MW Chestnut Flats Wind Farm in Blair County. Once completed, Twin Ridges will generate 20 percent of Pennsylvania’s wind power.

The $238.8 million project is expected to generate an additional $226.2 million in private economic investment, and is expected to be operational by the end of 2012.

In addition to Twin Ridges, funded projects include a ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) array in Chester County, a solar thermal system for the Franklin County YMCA, two residential geothermal systems, and a high-performance building project in Bucks County, among others.

Original source: EarthTechling
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Web design entrepreneur in Poconos developing plan to serve more local small businesses

Portfolio.com Thursday, January 26, 2012

Portfolio.com interviews Dennis Jeter, head of A Sound Strategy, a Strousdburg software and website development business with about $1 million in annual revenue.

Though his business has customers in such places as New York City, Jeter is for now focused not just on small businesses, but small towns -- and he’s borrowed a strategy used by the largest tech company in the largest cities -- to hammer home his marketing work.

As Apple has done in major markets, Jeter is opening a brick-and-mortar store of his own, YourWebsite2Go, in his company’s headquarters of Stroudsburg, rather than relying on the virtual sales tactics that are common in the world of business-to-business software.

“From a branding perspective, it’s really, really working out well,” he said. “We’re constantly being branded in the community.”

Original source: Portfolio.com
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Being local helps small banks stay relevant to small business

The Times-Tribune Thursday, January 19, 2012

In northeastern Pennsylvania, like areas around the country, many customers prefer community banks to national banks, The Times-Tribune reports.

The nation's economic woes trace their roots to the financial sector. Banks and investment houses have been pilloried in popular consciousness. But community bankers are not the cigar-smoking moneybags demonized by Occupy Wall Street protesters, said Wilson Smith, bank equities analyst for Philadelphia-based Patriot Capital Partners.

"When you look at your community bankers, they are showing up to work to meet the financial needs of the community. They are not making swaps and derivative trades or trading for their own account," Mr. Smith said. "They are at the Rotary meetings, they are part of the community."

Landmark (Community Bank) itself was formed as a reaction to bank mergers and acquisitions that swept through the area 10 years ago. When local businesses found the transition rough and service undesirable, they provided capital to start a new bank, or a de novo bank, as new banking companies are called in the industry.

Original source: The Times-Tribune
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New WikiLeaks-style website created as outlet for whistleblowers in Appalachia

Associated Press Thursday, January 12, 2012

The Associated Press reports on Honest Appalachia, a newly launched website set up to accept leaked government and corporate documents from several states, including Pennsylvania.

The region also was selected, (co-founder Jim) Tobias said, because of its relatively rural area, believing there was less media scrutiny in the region and that a resource like Honest Appalachia would be particularly valuable.

Many newsrooms have shut down and many journalists have lost their jobs, Tobias says, increasing the chances that corruption and misconduct will go unchecked. And many whistleblowers are skeptical of sharing their information with mainstream media.

"We believe our country desperately needs watchdogs at the local, state and regional level," Tobias said.

Original source: Associated Press
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DC charging stations coming to PA Turnpike in 2013

AutoBlog Thursday, December 22, 2011

Seventeen service plazas along the Pennsylvania Turnpike are slated to have EV charging stations for electric cars by summer, 2013, reports AutoBlog.

Each plaza will get one Level 2 charging stations and two DC fast chargers, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Kevin Sunday told Essential Public Radio. The first stations will be put in in the spring of 2012.

Florida's Car Charging Group was awarded a grant worth a million dollars from the PDEP to install the Chargepoint charging stations made by Coulomb Technologies that look similar to this. On top of the million, the Turnpike Commission will spend up to $500,000 to upgrade the electricity infrastructure at the plazas "to provide the charging stations with the necessary voltage.

Original source: AutoBlog
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East Stroudsburg entrepreneur calls Venture Idol a game-changer

Reuters Thursday, December 22, 2011

East Stroudsburg tech entrepreneur Dennis Jeter talks about his experience at the Ben Franklin Venture Idol pitch event with Reuters.

"Halfway through my two-minute pitch my first year, the VC was like, wait a minute, you're a software company," said Jeter, who had previously promoted his venture, A Sound Strategy, as a website development firm. "It was a game changer for me." After the light went on, he went back to the drawing board to reposition.

Today the five-year-old business books about $1 million in annual revenue, has a staff of 10, and counts marquee customers such as drug maker Sanofi-Aventis in its roster. "You learn so much," Jeter said. "If you're paying attention, it could transform your business and it has in my case."

Original source: Reuters
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IT employment growing in northeast PA

The Citizens' Voice Thursday, December 08, 2011

The information technology job market is on the rise in the Wilkes-Barre and Scranton areas, The Citizens' Voice reports.

"There's a pretty broad and extensive network of IT people around here," said Chris Haran, chief information officer at TMG Health Inc., a medical billing, management and business services company that employs 950 people in the area. TMG's local IT staff has expanded to 140 from 110 last spring.

For eight years before joining TMG about six months ago, Haran headed the Northeastern Pennsylvania Technology Institute and the Great Valley Technology Center, which promote technology-based economic development and high-skill employment.

"Our goal was to create technology employment in the area and maybe we are seeing the fruits of it," Haran said. "A lot of firms are starting to recognize technology is important to their business."

Original source: The Citizens' Voice
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Silk mill built in 1800s reborn as center of education and economic activity

The News Eagle Thursday, November 17, 2011

The News Eagle reports that a 19th-century silk mill in the Poconos has been transformed into a center for business, higher education and employee training.

Lackawanna College President Raymond Angeli showed off their top floor campus, meeting a need for education centrally located for Wayne and Pike counties. Chief among their prime curriculum include Hospitality & Tourism Management; Physical Therapist Assistant Program and their Ecological Sustainability Degree program.

He said they are seeking funds to place a first class teaching kitchen on a lower level of the Silk Mill. Between the kitchen and internships at Ledges Hotel, they will be well positioned to provide hospitality and culinary arts students, and in turn meet the employment needs of Pocono resorts.

The Hawley Silk Mill is currently bristling with activity, with five businesses on the first floor and 10 on the second, as well as the college on the third. Mark Mitchell, Facility Manager, said they are at about 80 percent capacity.

Original source: The News Eagle
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Biologists hike to remote Pennsylvania streams to learn where trout live

The New York Times Thursday, September 01, 2011

The New York Times reports on fishery biologists who temporarily electro-shock trout in Pennsylvania streams to inventory the fish so the waterways can be protected.

Participants make rigorous treks, often to remote, mountainous areas, and electro-fish headwater streams to temporarily immobilize trout so they can be captured, counted and measured before they are released.

While about 3,650 streams are currently managed for wild trout, scores of new prospects are now on the agency’s radar. The goal, according to a commissioner of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Bill Worobec, is to ensure that they receive maximum protection before fish and their habitats are in danger of being destroyed.

“This project is extraordinarily proactive, which, in government, is rare,” said Mr. Worobec, who lives in north central Pennsylvania, a region that abounds both in trout and Marcellus shale. “We’re discovering we have substantially more wild trout waters than most people ever imagined and we don’t want to lose them through ignorance.”

Original source: The New York Times
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