Michelle Dempsey began emailing the Virginia Department of Corrections about her father, Louis, in October. âMy father is 62 years old with serious health issues,â she wrote on Oct. 26, in the first of 25 emails to the VDOC.
âDo you know if the DOC is going to be doing early release for those individuals who have health concerns and are not in there for a violent crime? I am very concerned with the numbers going up daily, that my father may not make it out of his sentence alive.â
Michelle Dempseyâs concerns are similar to those felt by many family members of inmates as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. And a surge in cases that prompted a lockdown of the facility have only added to their fears.
Incoming school board presidents from districts that serve Lackawanna County share a similar goal in 2021 â get students safely back to their classrooms.
âWeâre hoping for some kind of return to normal,â said Carbondale Area School Board President Gary Smedley, who is going into his 10th year in the position. âWe have to get the kids back into the school.â
Between Dec. 1 and 9, school boards reorganized for 2021. During the meetings, board members appointed presidents and vice presidents. New presidents include Michael Hallinan, Dunmore, and Joseph Mondak, Valley View, both longtime board members who have served as president before; Kevin Mulhern, Lackawanna Trail; and Robert Notari, Old Forge. Abington Heights, Carbondale Area, Forest City Regional, Lakeland, Mid Valley, North Pocono, Riverside and Scranton school board presidents will serve another term.