Health systems ramping up quality of care

August 7, 2021

UPMC Williamsport has taken a major step forward with the announcement that it has been granted Level II Trauma Center accreditation, effective Sept. 1, by the state Trauma Systems Foundation. This puts into place a team of surgeons and specialists who deal with patients suffering from car accidents, gunshot and stab wounds as well as other serious, life-threatening injuries. “Trauma is any injury that occurs to the body from an external source,” said Dr. Ronen Elefant, medical director and a trauma surgeon, Trauma Services, UPMC of North Central Pennsylvania. Time is of the ...

Enjoy the outdoors, but be aware

August 3, 2021

It’s been said that we live in a dog-eat-dog world, a place of survival of the fittest. It could even be said that nature will always challenge our existence on this planet. Long before we became versed in coronavirus protocol, there were creatures big and small that threatened our health and well being. Some predators — sharks and bears, for instance — instantly capture our attention when they attack humans. On the other end of the spectrum is the largely ignored deer tick. This tiny creature — about the size of a poppy seed — can carry numerous diseases, and their ...

Barking up a tree: Changes due for Pa. dog licenses

July 30, 2021

Is it preposterous to suggest that fewer than 50 percent of Pennsylvania dog owners might not have purchased 2021 licenses for their pets — and perhaps neglect that responsibility every year? Maybe so, but probably not. That question is a reasonable topic for reflection as the Pennsylvania Legislature remains irresponsibly locked in inability to reach agreement regarding the puppy-sized “problem” of adequately funding what is reasonably described as the cash-strapped Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement. It is amazing that members of the General Assembly — individuals who ...

Let’s be clear on protocols to protect our kids at schools

July 28, 2021

With a new school year about a month away, school boards across the region have been adopting safety plans. Most say no masks will be required in class. Vaccinations are encouraged but not mandatory. Social distancing and hygiene protocol to be observed. But — and this is a big “but” — any new advice coming from higher government authorities should not be taken lightly or be automatically opposed. And so things have no taken a turn with a COVID variant raging in some parts of the U.S. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday recommended that everyone in K-12 ...

Are you a slob?

July 26, 2021

Not a week goes by when we don’t see trash dropped on a sidewalk, street, parking lot, along highways ... by people who have not regard for our environment. Slobs, we call you. What else do you call someone who is so lazy they simply throw their trash onto the ground out in the open? Oh, there’s another word: criminal. Whether littering or illegally dumping garbage, it is against the law in Pennsylvania, and violators can be prosecuted by a number of different state agencies. OK, let’s transition from that rant, but on a related subject. Over 500 million pieces of ...

A beloved mother, teacher, volunteer and friend

July 24, 2021

Eleanor Kodish lights up every room she enters. Her family, friends and her community are dearest to her heart. And it was that family of community that recently presented her with a beautiful bouquet of roses. Eleanor was recipient of the Service Above Self Award presented by the Rotary Club of Downtown Lock Haven. How wonderful! Love and respect are earned. And in her lifetime of educating children and her countless hours of volunteer and community service, Eleanor deserves all the love and respect her community can muster ... and more. She and her late husband, Ray, ...