WILKES-BARRE — The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency announced this week the availability of more than $4 million in federal Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) funding to reduce gun violence and intimate partner homicides and improve responses to behavioral health crises within communities and the justice system.

PCCD has distributed more than $90 million in funding for more than 170 grant projects to prevent gun violence over the last two years.

“Keeping Pennsylvanians safe means investing in people before the crisis—addressing trauma, supporting mental health, and disrupting cycles of violence at the root,” said Ross A. Watson Jr., director of PCCD’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention. “This funding allows us to meet communities where they are, equip them with healing-centered strategies, and build a safer, more compassionate Commonwealth for all.”

Funding can be used for a variety of behavioral health responses and gun violence and domestic violence homicide reduction strategies, including the Lethality Assessment Program. LAP is an evidence-based tool for reducing domestic violence homicides.

In Maryland, where it began, domestic violence-related deaths dropped 32% between 2008 and 2013. Today, 436 law enforcement agencies and 48 domestic violence programs use LAP in 51 Pennsylvania counties.

This solicitation comes on the heels of an earlier SCIP solicitation, which opened in June, aimed at preventing, intervening in, and responding to firearm suicides.

For information, including how to apply, visit https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pccd/resources/active-funding-announcements or email [email protected] with “FY 2024 Byrne SCIP Local Solicitation” in the subject line.

PA DMVA encourages veterans in need to seek assistance

The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs offers financial assistance to veterans who are facing an unexpected financial hardship.

The Veterans Temporary Assistance program provides eligible Pennsylvania veterans and their surviving dependents with financial relief for necessities of life such as food, shelter, fuel, and clothing.

“When unexpected challenges arise, the commonwealth stands ready to support our veterans,” said Maj. Gen. John Pippy, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the DMVA. “The Veterans Temporary Assistance program exists to make sure no veteran or family member has to face hardship alone. If you’ve served and now need support, we urge you to reach out — we’re here to help. It is the least we can do to thank you for your service to this country.”

Since the inception of the VTA, DMVA has awarded more than $7.4 million to assist over 6,800 service members, veterans, and their families with emergent financial needs.

Eligible veterans or their survivors can qualify for an amount not to exceed $1,600 in a 12-month period. To be eligible, a veteran must have served a period of active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States and received a discharge under conditions other than dishonorable.

A veteran who suffered a service-connected disability, regardless the length or status of their service is also eligible, as well as the surviving dependents of an eligible veteran and the surviving dependents of a service member who died in line of duty or was killed in action.

For more information about the program’s criteria, eligibility and needed documentation, go to Veterans Temporary Assistance. To apply, eligible veterans should contact the County Veterans Affairs Directors in the county in which they reside.

Learn more about the DMVA, visit www.dmva.pa.gov.

Auditor General DeFoor celebrates newest intern-to-hire graduate from King’s College

Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor this week recognized Duryea native and 2025 King’s College graduate Haley Sworen as the newest employee to join the department from the Intern to Hire program.

“Our Intern to Hire program is a common-sense approach to creating career pathways for Pennsylvania students to work and stay in the Commonwealth,” DeFoor said. “Recent graduates like Haley are the future of our department, and we are thrilled to have her on our team.”

Sworen graduated with a bachelor’s in accounting, finance, business administration and a minor in forensic accounting. She’s been an intern with our team since May 2023. Sworen started her internship with the Bureau of County Audits for Children and Youth Services and then worked in the Bureau of State and Federal Audits working on the Corporate Tax Team. Then she transitioned to working on Single Audits, where she is continuing her full-time work with the department.

The Intern to Hire program creates a pathway to full-time employment for students and recent graduates from Pennsylvania colleges, universities, and community colleges. Since the beginning of the program in October of 2022, 13 interns have joined the department in full-time roles.

Students must meet these requirements to apply for the Intern to Hire Program:

• Current enrollment as an undergraduate student in an accredited college/university in a declared bachelor’s degree program in accounting, business, data analytics, finance, economics, math, or a closely related field and successful completion of at least sixty (60) college credits at the time of the internship with a minimum 2.5 GPA.

• Recent graduate (within 6 months of the internship commencement) of an Associate degree program at an accredited college/university with an area of concentration in accounting, business, data analytics, finance, economics, math, or a closely related field and a minimum 2.5 GPA.

• Current enrollment as a graduate student in an accredited college/university in a declared master’s or doctoral program in accounting, business, data analytics, finance, economics, math, or a closely related field and a minimum 2.5 GPA at the time of the internship.

• Someone who is passionate about their area of focus and public service; who is detail-oriented with curiosity and a desire to learn.

Identity theft protection shred event set for July 26

State Rep. Jim Haddock, state Sen. Marty Flynn, the Duryea Police Department, Duryea Crime Watch and Hughestown Crime Watch invite residents to protect themselves from identity theft during a Community Shred Day.

The free event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon July 26, at Healey Playground, Wright Street and Foote Avenue in Duryea.

“A company will be on hand to securely destroy the sensitive materials, giving people the peace of mind that their personal information cannot and will not end up in the wrong hands,” said Haddock, D-Pittston Township.

Haddock said items to shred include old bills, bank statements, medical records, canceled checks, old tax returns or any documents that people would like to be permanently destroyed.

There is a limit of two boxes of documents per household. Staples or paperclips do not need to be removed, but documents should be taken out of binders and notebooks.

Anyone with questions may call Haddock’s office at 570-655-4883.

Senior Expo for 117th District residents set for Aug. 12

Rep. Jamie Walsh, R-Ross Township, invites residents of the 117th District to a free Senior Expo on Tuesday, Aug. 12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Misericordia University’s Insalaco Hall, 301 Lake St., Dallas.

The expo will feature more than 30 vendors offering information and services for seniors. Several breakout sessions will be held on topics like estate planning, Area Agency on Aging programs, Silver Sneakers chair yoga, low-income taxpayer assistance information, cyber security and fraud bingo.

The Pennsylvania Treasury Department will also be in attendance to help search for unclaimed property.

Free hearing tests and light refreshments will be available.

For information, call Walsh’s Dallas office at 570-675-6000.