Up Close: Shauna Baldino

Always in step … Think you have two left feet? According to Shauna Baldino, there is no such thing. The Carbondale native and professional dance instructor is opening the doors to her new dance studio, Ballroom ONE, on Friday, Feb. 1 with an open house celebration and several free class demonstrations. Located on the second floor of 209 N. Washington...

Up Close: Rebekah Carlyle

A healthy dose of pure energy … Rebekah Carlyle believes in the powerful energy of healthy organic food. Along with her husband Jason and daughter Bella, the Carbondale native spends her time and energy focusing on her business, Be Life Café and Marketplace in Clarks Summit. A graduate of Baltimore International Culinary School with experience as a...

Up Close: Kelly O’Brien and Alex DuBois

On a Mission … Kelly O’Brien and Alex DuBois are a great team. As certified yoga instructors and owners of Mission Yoga, the pair offers what every yoga studio needs – balance. O’Brien brings a  methodical, Type-A approach to the studio, while DuBois brings a free spirited outlook to life in the studio.  As they rang in 2013, they celebrated the...

Up Close: Cecilia Galante

Literary Superhero… This month kicks off the Wilkes University Creative Writing Program’s January Residency. We spoke with one of the program’s most accomplished writers, Cecilia Galante.  Cecilia’s first book, The Patron Saint of Butterflies, has won numerous awards and she has been on her way up ever since.  Galante grew up in the Wyoming...

Up Close: Jen Radzillowicz

Serving the community… Jennifer Radzwillowicz exemplifies the old adage: if you want something done, ask the busiest person you know to do it. Her days consist of working as a Caseworker II at Childcare Information Services, taking care of her English bulldogs, and volunteering with numerous civic organizations. It seems she’s happiest when she’s...

Up Close: Sharon Mayer

Puppy love … To say Sharon Mayer is a dog person is truly an understatement. The owner of Canine Grooming Cottage in Scranton loves dogs, and all animals, with all her heart. And it shows on her face when she talks about her furry clients and her pets, all of which bring great joy to her life. Perhaps it’s because she was raised in a family that always...

Up Close: Wendy Wescott

An eye for design … Keen’s Floral in Scranton is one of those wonderful places that immediately inspires a good mood. When you step inside, you’re surrounded with lovely (permanent) floral arrangements and decor – swags, trees, wreaths, garlands, ribbons, silk and dried flowers – and soothing scents like the aroma of dried eucalyptus. You’ll...

Up Close: Krampus

On the dark side … When it comes to Christmas folklore, most of us immediately think of Jolly Ol’ St. Nick – his white, fluffy beard, roly poly belly, and sack of toys and goodies for all the good children around the world. Ahhh, it just puts a smile on your face, doesn’t it? But on a coffee run to one of our favorite downtown cafes last week, we...

Up Close: Campfire Jones

Share music, spread joy … Campfire Jones doesn’t want to simply play music; he wants to share music with other musicians looking to fill up the empty air of a quiet room. The 36-year-old Lake Ariel resident traveled throughout the country for years while playing with different musical acts, but now he claims that he has grounded himself in northeastern...

Up Close: Pamela McNichols

Everyone has a story … If you’re a friend of the arts in the greater Scranton area, you know Pamela McNichols. A true patron of the arts, you’ll see her everywhere: First Friday celebrations, Prose in Pubs, local theater productions, art receptions, Pecha Kucha, and, of course the event she helped her daughter Zoe bring to the Electric City, the...