Latest news with #PaigeCognetti
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mayor Cognetti claims victory on Scranton Democratic ticket
(WBRE/WYOU) — Mayor Paige Cognetti is claiming victory Tuesday night over challenger Bob Sheridan. Cognetti is running on her administration's record highlighting financial stability, a stronger credit rating, and no tax increase for 2025. Sheridan says it's time for new leadership pointing to concerns about crime, potholes, and blight. You can check all of the results from the Primary Election by visiting the 28/22 News Election Results page. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scranton gives $100,000 in grants to eight veterans' service organizations
SCRANTON — An idea a decade ago for a memorial to honor the hundreds of Scranton veterans who died in wars resulted five years later in the Scranton Veterans Memorial Park at Scranton High School. The city this year gave the memorial park a $5,000 grant for ongoing maintenance and replacement of flags. The memorial park and seven other organizations that serve veterans received city grants totaling $100,000 to help them in various ways, including renovating buildings and providing individual assistance services, Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti said Monday during an event at American Legion Connolly Post 568 in Minooka. Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti announces grants awarded to veterans at the American Legion Post 568 in Scranton Monday, May 19, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) The funding, in the city's 2025 operating budget, continues the city's commitment to local veterans, the mayor said. The $100,000 represents an increase from the $80,000 total awarded in 2023 and $85,000 in 2024. 'As a veteran, I like to see how this program has grown over the last three or four years. Who knows what's going to happen in the next five years?' said Pat Ahern, chairman of Scranton Veterans Memorial Park during the announcement event. 'We have so many different organizations now. It's like planting a tree. It starts off small but eventually it grows,' Ahern said. Vice commander of the American Legion Post 568 Tom Benson joins other legion members as Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti announces grants awarded to veterans outside of the legion in Scranton Monday, May 19, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) The city accepted grant applications through April. The recipients, grant amounts and other representatives of recipient organizations who spoke during the announcement event included: • Agency for Community EmPOWERment of NEPA (ACE), 123 Wyoming Ave., $5,000 to support the Veterans Rise and Ride program that provides transportation to employment and medical appointments. 'This $5,000 was really lifesaving,' ACE Executive Director Jim Wansacz said. 'Without that grant, we would have had to shut that (ride service) down.' • American Legion Connolly Post 568, 2929 Birney Ave., $20,000 for upgrades to the community hall to improve energy efficiency and provide ADA-compliant seating. Post Commander Sean O'Shea said the post's membership is older and raising money for building maintenance and modernization is difficult. 'We're very grateful for this' grant. • Bread Basket of NEPA, 550 Madison Ave., $5,000 for its Veteran Food Security Support Initiative which helps Lackawanna County veterans struggling with food insecurity. • Fight4Vets, 711 Davis St., $10,000 for a rent assistance program that combats veteran homelessness by providing emergency rent support and additional prevention services. • Scranton Veterans Memorial Park, located at Scranton High School, 63 Munchak Way, Scranton, $5,000 to purchase flags for each Armed Forces branch and continued maintenance of the site. • UKAVETS, 237 Railroad Ave., $10,000 for the replacement of outdated facilities. • Valhalla Veterans Services, 2754 Jackson St., $20,000 to support Valhalla's Hope, which removes financial barriers to mental health counseling and suicide intervention services for local veterans. • Warrior Strong, 311 Adams Ave., $25,000 to support the Resilient Warriors program, its unique comprehensive health and wellness program. Warrior Strong President Tom Tice said support from the city allowed his organization to double its offerings and open its studio much more often to veterans and their families. 'We can really tell the community — the veteran community — is using our programs every single day,' Tice said. American Legion Connolly Post 568, 2929 Birney Ave., Scranton, on Monday, May 19, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) * American Legion Connolly Post 568, 2929 Birney Ave., Scranton, on Monday, May 19, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) * Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti announces grants awarded to veterans at the American Legion Post 568 in Scranton Monday, May 19, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) * Vice commander of the American Legion Post 568 Tom Benson joins other legion members as Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti announces grants awarded to veterans outside of the legion in Scranton Monday, May 19, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) * American Legion Connolly Post 568, 2929 Birney Ave., Scranton, on Monday, May 19, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) Show Caption 1 of 4 American Legion Connolly Post 568, 2929 Birney Ave., Scranton, on Monday, May 19, 2025. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO) Expand
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Race for Scranton Mayor heating up head of primary election
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — The race for Scranton mayor is heating up ahead of next week's primary election. Voters will choose from both familiar faces and new challengers, all with different ideas on how to shape the city's future. 28/22 News has a closer look at who's on the ballot and what each candidate is bringing to the table. From longtime public servants to first-time contenders, each hopeful has a different vision for the Electric City. 28/22 News spoke with each candidate to learn more about who they are and what they hope to accomplish if elected. Incumbent Mayor Paige Cognetti is running for a second full term. She first won a special election in 2019 and was re-elected in 2021. Her administration points to economic progress, increased transparency, and reinvestment in public safety and neighborhoods. 'We're excited to continue to invest in public safety, to keep that financial stability going, to make sure that we're pinching every penny, and to work on road safety as well. We really want to focus on the safety of our roads,' Mayor Cognetti said. Sneak peek into Quiet Valley's Farm Animal Frolic Cognetti faces a Democratic primary challenge from Bob Sheridan, a retired Scranton police officer and former school board president. His campaign centers on public safety, blight removal, and restoring city services. 'I met a lot of people that might that I was born and raised with that moved out of town, okay it's about we wish we were back in scranton, because we had a move, because of the taxes, because of the roads, because of the blight, everything the city is going downhill, someone has to go and take charge of it,' Sheridan explained. On the Republican side, two women are hoping to win the GOP nomination. Trish Beynon is running on her 34 years of experience in accounting and construction management. She's prioritizing tax relief, support for police, and making Scranton a more attractive place to live. 'If I became mayor, it's my job to work for the people, that's my goal, to just listen to everybody, make sure they know they have transparency in the city, and make sure that they know when they ask me a question, I have their best interest at heart,' Beynon said. Lynn Labrosky, a lifelong Scranton resident and small business owner. She's focused on eliminating wasteful spending, fully staffing the police department, and addressing homelessness and drug abuse. 'Our tax dollars should be spent in the best way they can. So I would try to generate more revenue into the city. I'll try to fix the roads fully staff our police department. Pick up the morale in our local unions, especially the fire the police, and the DPW,' Labrosky stated. Each of these candidates says they're ready to take on Scranton's challenges, but it's up to voters to decide who moves forward. The primary election is Tuesday, May 20, and polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Scranton city council votes for sister city agreement with Sheptytskyi, Ukraine
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — The City of Scranton is taking its support for Ukraine to a whole new level. City council voted unanimously Tuesday to establish a sister city agreement with Sheptytskyi, Ukraine. Mayor Paige Cognetti proposed the measure. She says she hopes it can bring our people even closer together. Archery club's PA Wounded Warriors fundraiser The legislation cites both cities sharing rich histories rooted in industry, innovation, and common values. Besides the Scranton community raising funds for Ukraine, it has also supplied vital ammunition. Just last September, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy visited the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant, which produces their artillery. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Plans in motion for new Scranton splash pad
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Plans are in motion for a new splash pad in the City of Scranton. Officials announced they are now accepting bids for its installation. This comes as part of a broader effort to revitalize an area long overdue for renewal. What was once an abandoned pool site is soon to be a cornerstone of community life in Scranton, thanks to a multi-million-dollar investment. 'We love those splashpads we're able to put them in, the whole project is around $2,000,000, a combination of federal, state, and local money,' said Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti. Investing in the park's redesign is part of efforts to revitalize the Pine Brook and Green Ridge areas. 'You're seeing lots of businesses invest, you have cool stuff like axe throwing, you have on and on, you have national bakery of course as an anchor so you have a lot of things that are great here again between Pinebrook and Greenridge so to get this back up and running to have it be a neighborhood spot, place for events, its going to be really great for not just the neighborhood but this as a destination for the whole city,' Mayor Cognetti explained. Scranton WW II veteran celebrates 103th birthday Mayor Cognetti also shared her satisfaction with the progress, reflecting on the journey from demolition to now, aiming to break ground this summer. 'This used to be a pool, it used to be a big footprint in the area, when we came into office it was really a dangerous hole in the ground frankly with a bathhouse that was crumbling, we were able to demo it and get what you see here which is a nice pad where we're going to have a splash pad, a pavilion, greenspace, for all the neighbors here in Pinebrook to enjoy, to able to have events, and get those amenities back up and running for the kids,' Mayor Cognetti continued. Although Capouse Park won't be ready for visitors this summer, two new pools in Scranton will be open and ready to welcome guests. 'We're confident that the Weston Field pool and Connell pool will be back open, completely rebuilt this summer, so we're really excited to be investing in these amenities, making sure that we have pools and splash pads all across the city for our kids,' Mayor Cognetti stated. Bids for the splash pad are due by April 14, separate bids for the overall sitework are due by April 17, and if anyone is looking for a summer job, the city is hiring lifeguards for those two new pools. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
