Home Care In Springfield, PA

From dust particle pollution, water quality, and noise disturbances to potentially diminishing property value, the public hearing allowed the community to hear from experts on the project along with Three Rivers Aggregates reps.

Mercer Co. residents are concerned over sand and gravel quarries looking to open in Springfield Township.

Three Rivers Aggregates, a sand and gravel company that currently operates three facilities in Slippery Rock and Wapum, PA., plans to open three new locations in Springfield Township in Mercer County.

A hearing date to discuss the request by Three Rivers Aggregates to operate a sand and gravel surface mine with mineral extraction on nearly 8 acres located at 34 North Holstein Lane, Grove City, on approximately 42 acres on Pine Road, Grove City and approximately 71 acres located at 87 North Holstein Lane, Grove City took place for the proposed sand/gravel mining operation Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Springfield Twp. Municipal Building.

In July, the Springfield Township Zoning Hearing Board held a public hearing to consider the variance application of Three Rivers Aggregates by company president Mark McClymonds to change the zoning for the proposed facilities from agricultural to commercial for the North Holstein Lane and Pine Road locations along with a public hearing.

From dust particle pollution, water quality, and noise disturbances to potentially diminishing property value, the public hearing allowed the community to hear from experts on the project along with Three Rivers Aggregates reps.

A neighbor of the Pine Road proposed location, Carolyn Moore, told 21 News that she and nearby neighbors have been meeting to discuss their concerns about having a quarry beside their homes, including their health and water concerns.

Moore said she and her next-door neighbor already have lung issues and fear that the silica dust will be a health concern for them.

"My doctors say if I'm subjected to that [silica dust], it could be detrimental to my health. I don't want to die," Moore said to 21 News.

Moore also said that the neighbors who meet at her house to discuss the proposed facilities also have concerns over their water supply which comes from wells.

Robin Guasta just moved from New York last year to get out of the big city pollution.

"I would not have bought the house if I knew that I was going to live near a quarry," Guasta told 21 News. "We had to have a new well dug because our last well caved in. So, if this well comes up dry or polluted, how am I going to live in my house?"

According to the US Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration website and the CDC website, respirable crystalline silica is created when cutting, drilling, and crushing stone, rock, concrete, brick, block, and mortar. Workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica dust are at increased risk of developing silicosis, a lung disease, other non-malignant respiratory diseases, lung cancer, or kidney disease.

"I have 100 acres," explained John Ayars of Lee Road. "My house, and many of the houses, including the outlet mall are literally built over top of underground coal mines that are hundreds of years old that are stuck up with old boards. I'm concerned if people's houses start settling and cracking."

Karen Mullin operates Fair Haven Farms and fears this could hurt her business.

"We bring in not only business for ourselves but business for the restaurants, the hotels, the stores, we bring in hundreds of people that go and shop," Mullin said. "It's really going to hurt all of the businesses in the area."

Concerns linger as no decision was made Wednesday. The township is expected to make a decision on the quarries by the end of the year.

Springfield College is proud to unveil its fully online, asynchronous Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) program, which was developed by the College's physician assistant (PA) faculty to meet a growing demand for a doctoral-level program for PAs.

"The Doctor of Medical Science at Springfield College will prepare the next generation of leaders in health care, and higher education. It embodies a commitment to continuous learning and is designed to advance clinical and educational skills of physician assistants," said Meghan Migeon, DMSc, director of the Springfield College Physician Assistant Studies program. "Graduates will be prepared for roles in leadership, scholarship, and education to further enhance the PA profession."

The need for a doctorate for PAs is on the rise. Increasingly, PAs will benefit by having expanded knowledge on leadership, administration, and quality improvement in a team-based practice environment. The DMSc program at Springfield College offers an unparalleled opportunity for PAs to elevate their careers and impact patient care. A dire shortage of physicians (expected to reach 80,000 by 2025 and 139,000 by 2030) will reduce the number of physicians available for leadership roles in health care, requiring more PAs to be prepared for health care leadership, according to research findings in a 2020 Human Resources for Health article, titled "Physician workforce in the United States of America: Forecasting nationwide shortages."

As health care becomes increasingly complex, the DMSc at Springfield College will cultivate leadership skills, enabling DMSc graduates to contribute to health care policy decisions, medical education, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The new program is vital to developing the next generation of students and professionals seeking doctoral-level PA education.

"Extending this wonderful opportunity across the nation and the world will help ensure access to many who would otherwise not be able to pursue this degree," stated Brooke Hallowell, dean of the School of Health Sciences.

The DMSc program offers two concentrations: Clinical and Education. The Clinical concentration is geared toward clinically practicing PAs looking to work in health care leadership roles. The Education concentration is designed for PAs in, or looking to transition into, physician assistant education. The program can be completed in 12-15 months and is designed to fit around the busy schedule of working PAs.

"The DMSc degree is a natural fit with our Physician Assistant program. It builds on our rich history of offering high-quality health sciences programs and fits our mission to educate students in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others," said Mary Ann Coughlin, Springfield College provost and vice president for academic affairs.

More information on the DMSc program can be found at springfield.edu/dmsc.

MARPLE TOWNSHIP, PA — Delaware County officials are looking to dispel rumors that a county-owned property in Marple will be converted to immigrant housing.

The Delaware County Council Tuesday issued a statement regarding the future of the Don Guanella property in Marple.

"The rumors, shared on a blog, claim that the building on the former Don Guanella property will be converted to house immigrants in Delaware County," officials said in a statement.

These rumors, officials said, "have absolutely no truth to them."

"The County is not planning to convert the Don Guanella property into a facility to house immigrants," officials said. "Rumors and misinformation can fuel immigration paranoia, spread hate, and create fear and we encourage residents to be cautious of rumors that circulate on blogs and social media."

The rumors appear to be circulated by a local blogger who cites an upcoming Marple Township Planning Board meeting as the reason they believe immigrants could be hosed at the site.

At 7 p.m. on March 28, the board will review an ordinance that would amend the township zoning map, changing certain tax parcels from R-B Residential, R-C Residential, and Institutional to Open Space.

The blogger speculated the proposed zoning change "seems to be because of rumors that the county wants to put Illegal Migrants at this location," and cited unnamed sources for those rumors.

The property will be the county's first county park in 30 years, and feature 213 acres focused on the woodlands that now serve as one of the county's largest forests.

In March 2022, Delaware County Council approved and funded a proposal to create a plan to transform the property into the largest public park in the county.

Officials have been working to establish the new park since about 2021 after its development into housing and institutional use was unanimously rejected by the Marple Township Board of Commissioners and opposed by the Planning Commission.

"For almost a decade, area residents have waited anxiously to see what was going to happen with the land at Don Guanella, especially since our community is nearly completely built out. Saving these amazing woods will be welcome news for everyone," Richard Jones of Marple Township said in 2021. "I know that everyone who enjoyed this natural space previously could not be happier that the County is going to secure this land permanently as a public park. It’s the best possible outcome."

Back in 2022, the county formed a Master Plan Advisory Committee for the former Don Guanella property.

This statement comes less than a month after rumors of immigrants possibly being housed at Delaware County Memorial Hospital and Springfield Hospital swirled in the county.

Officials at that time also said there was no truth to those rumors.

The two hospitals are owned by Prospect Medical Holdings, and both hospitals are currently for sale

Patrick Fergus @Fergus5Fergus

Springfield College announced a new, entirely online and asynchronous Doctor of Medical Sciences program last month.

The course of study was fully developed by Springfield’s own physician assistant faculty, with the chair of the PA department, Meghan Migeon, spearheading the concept based on her own learning experience.

“I went through a similar program in 2019 and really thought it would be a great addition to the program we already have,” Migeon said.

The need to meet the growing demand for doctoral-level PAs was also an impetus to expand the opportunities to develop into a qualified healthcare professional, especially with a distressing shortage of physicians.

According to research by the Bureau of Health Workforce, in 2022, there is a projected shortage of 81,180 full-time physicians by 2035. The deficit leaves a considerable hole in leadership positions in the field, something that Migeon wanted to address in the new DMSc program.

“It is not more medicine and is rather geared towards building on the medical skills they already have,” Migeon said. “It is uniquely designed for practicing PAs who are either interested in going into education, or practicing clinically and want to gain healthcare leadership and administrative skills.”

Accordingly, the two different concentrations of the program, education and clinical, give students two distinctive tracks to choose from and further enhance the profession through education, direction and the application of their craft.

The education lane will include focused courses in curriculum design and development, program success and upkeep and the accreditation process’s intricacies that demand a certain level of education standards. On the other hand, the clinical track is rigidly designed to create a compelling blend of enhanced medical knowledge and the ability to employ that knowledge in leadership positions.

Graduates will be enabled with the ability to contribute to healthcare policy decisions and shape the future of medical professionals.

The fully online feature is something that Migeon and her colleagues thought would benefit a rising generation of prospective students who may opt for a lower-cost option. With the rapid rise of technology and demand for education, online courses have continued to increase in popularity, leaving them essential to specific individuals in the academic world.

However, the already active workforce is also a part of the consideration, as the asynchronous nature of the scheduling is intended to meet the needs of PAs who hold professional jobs.

“It’s not just aimed at the younger generation, but also the PAs that are already out there working and want to further their education without overwhelming themselves,” Migeon said.

In other words, earning your Doctorate in Medical Science is achievable while working a full-time job, and the course load is offered full-time and part-time. The 37-credit program can be completed in 12-15 months while working full-time.

“You don’t have to take time off to come take classes on campus and can do it during off hours and free time,” Migeon said.

Officially opening in July of 2024, students can choose between the summer semester, or a spring semester that begins in January.

With a program already renowned for its combination of academic austerity and valuable hands-on experience, studying to become a physician’s assistant at Springfield College is now more widely available than ever before. For any further information, visit springfield.edu/dmsc.

Photo courtesy of Chris Martin

PENNSYLVANIA — Macy’s plans to close 150 underperforming stores amid slipping sales, the department store chain said Tuesday. It’s unclear if Pennsylvania stores are among those that will be shuttered.

The announcement came after the company posted a fourth-quarter loss and declining sales. At the same time, the company signaled a pivot to its luxury brands, saying it will open 15 higher-end Bloomingdale’s stores and 30 of its luxury Blue Mercury cosmetics locations.

Macy’s has 22 stores in Pennsylvania:

The iconic department store chain plans to close 50 of the targeted stores by the end of 2024, and another 100 over the next few years. By 2026, Macy’s will have 350 stores, the company said.

Macy’s faces a proxy fight from Arkhouse Management which nominated a slate of nine directors for election to Macy's board last week. Last month, Macy's rejected a $5.8 billion takeover offer from the hedge fund and Brigade Capital Management, an investment manager.

Find out what's happening in Across Pennsylvaniawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Activist investors and pressure to increase sales are just two critical issues facing new CEO Tony Spring, who succeeded Jeff Gennette earlier this month.

"We are making the necessary moves to reinvigorate relationships with our customers through improved shopping experiences, relevant assortments and compelling value," Spring said in a statement.

Even before the pandemic, department stores were facing intense competition from online rivals. Neiman Marcus and JCPenney both filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Consumers have proven resilient and willing to shop even after a bout of inflation, though behaviors have shifted, with some Americans trading down to lower-priced goods.

Macy's is maneuvering to shore up sales by accelerating the expansion of small-format stores that can provide more convenience to its customers. It announced plans in October to add up to 30 small-format locations through the fall of 2025, bringing the total number to roughly 42. The next round of expansion starts in the fall.

Even with the shift in focus, Macy’s is cutting jobs. The department store said in January it would trim about 2,350 employees, or about 3.5 percent of its workforce, and would close five stores.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.