WILKES-BARRE — The Shapiro Administration is investing $8 million to enhance the visitor experience at Lackawanna and Ricketts Glen state parks by replacing the campground shower house and restroom facilities with modern, accessible, and family-friendly amenities.

Construction will require full campground closure beginning Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, through early 2028.

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is replacing existing facilities, which were built in the early 1970s to meet today’s visitor expectations for comfort, accessibility, and convenience.

“Campers at Lackawanna and Ricketts Glen have long enjoyed these parks’ natural beauty, and we’re committed to ensuring their facilities meet the same high standards,” said DCNR State Parks Director John Hallas. “These new amenities will offer cleaner, safer, and more accessible spaces for all visitors. We appreciate the patience of our loyal campers as we make these improvements.”

Each park will receive a $4 million upgrade consisting of:

• Demolition of all existing shower house and restroom facilities

• Construction of new shower houses and comfort stations

• New family-assist restrooms and ADA accessible restrooms at every facility

• ADA parking areas

• New paving and accessible paths from campsites to the restrooms

During construction, the following campground areas will be closed:

• Lackawanna State Park: Carpenter Town, Fox Run, and Maple Lane loops

• Ricketts Glen State Park: Big loop and small loop

Prospective visitors will be unable to book campsites at Lackawanna and Ricketts Glen during the construction. Campers looking for alternate overnight locations should consider nearby Frances Slocum State Park (Wyoming), Tobyhanna State Park (Tobyhanna), Promised Land State Park (Greentown), or Worlds End State Park (Forksville).

Visit DCNR’s website for information about campsites in other state parks.

While campgrounds are closed, day-use areas at both parks will remain open, allowing visitors to continue hiking, fishing, and enjoying the outdoors throughout the project period.

Project updates will be provided, as available, on the Lackawanna and Ricketts Glen state park websites.

Bill countering telemarketers passes Senate

Legislation to better protect Pennsylvanians from scammers and other deceitful telemarketers was approved last week by the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support, according to Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township, who supported the measure.

Baker said Senate Bill 992 updates the state’s outdated telemarketing law to give consumers stronger protections against unwanted and deceptive calls, including a prohibition against any telemarketing calls — including robocalls — being made on Sundays and either before 9 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on every other day of the week.

“Pennsylvanians deserve peace of mind when it comes to their privacy, and this bill gives them stronger tools to fight back against deceptive telemarketers,” Baker said. “By updating our laws to reflect modern technology, including texts, voicemails and even AI-based scams, we’re protecting families from fraud and ensuring that their time and trust are respected.”

The legislation also expands the law to cover text messages, voicemails and “ringless” voicemails — tools often used by telemarketers to evade existing restrictions. It also establishes penalties for both telemarketers and the companies that hire them for illegal activity.

In addition, Senate Bill 992 prohibits the use of artificial intelligence or fake caller IDs to deceive or defraud consumers.

Pennsylvania’s Do Not Call List is maintained by the Attorney General. Those who do not want to receive telemarketing calls can sign up online or call — 888-777-3406.

Anyone who registers for the Do Not Call List and still receives unsolicited telemarketing calls should file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection online or by calling — 800-441-2555.

A violation of the law carries a civil penalty of up to $1,000 or $3,000 if the person contacted is age 60 or older.

Baker said Attorney General Dave Sunday played a key role in developing the bill, which now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

DMVA accepting Veterans’ Trust Fund grant applications

The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) has announced that the 2026-27 Veterans’ Trust Fund (VTF) is accepting grant applications for programs and services benefiting Pennsylvania veterans.

The DMVA will award VTF grants to non-profit organizations, veteran service organizations, and county directors of veteran affairs across the state.

Grant applications must be received no later than 2 p.m. EST on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025.

Past awards have supported everything from ensuring military veterans and their families can have healthy, nutritious food to providing service dogs and expanding transportation services for veterans across the Commonwealth.

Interested applicants are encouraged to join a TEAMS meeting that will be held on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2025, at 11 a.m., where an overview of the grant guidelines, timeline, and application will be provided. There will be an opportunity for questions at the end of the meeting. Slides from the meeting will be made available for those unable to attend.

Interested parties can email [email protected] to receive the Teams link.

“Veterans and their families have given so much in service to our country, and it’s our duty to stand by them when they need us most,” said Maj. Gen. John Pippy, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the DMVA. “Thanks to the support of the VTF, Pennsylvania can honor their sacrifices and ensure they are never forgotten. This grant program unites us in a shared mission—to support and celebrate Pennsylvania’s heroes.”

U.S. Open generated $288.8M for economy

The Shapiro Administration’s strategic investments to attract major sporting events to Pennsylvania are paying off, as the United States Golf Association (USGA) indicates the 2025 U.S. Open golf championship at Oakmont Country Club in Allegheny County brought in $288.8 million to Pennsylvania’s economy this past June.

Committed to driving tourism and economic growth across the Commonwealth, Gov. Josh Shapiro and his Administration invested more than $2.2 million to support the 2025 U.S. Open, which created or supported 1,476 jobs.

The 2025 U.S. Open golf championship marked the 10th time that Oakmont Country Club has hosted the event, holding the record for hosting the most U.S. Opens in the tournament’s 130-year history. To help support the successful event, the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) provided the USGA with two grants in 2023 and 2024 through the Sports Marketing and Tourism program.

“On top of being a big economic driver here in Pennsylvania ― golf events like the 2025 U.S. Open also create jobs, boost our small businesses, and bring people from around the world to the Commonwealth,” said DCED Secretary Rick Siger.

The Sports Marketing and Tourism Program was created to attract high-quality, amateur, and professional sporting and e-sports events to Pennsylvania. The program capitalizes on the influx of tourism that comes with hosting a major national or international event, which can increase sales for both large and small businesses in the surrounding area and in turn boost the regional economy.

Tourism is a key priority in Gov. Shapiro’s Economic Development Strategy — and new data shows the industry is surging. In 2024, the tourism industry in the Commonwealth generated $83.9 billion in economic impact, supported 514,261 jobs, contributed $5 billion in state and local taxes, and welcomed 201.6 million visitors.

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.