Mauch Chunk Trust Company’s bank in downtown Jim Thorpe will close at the end of the year to make space for tourists.

The branch is located inside the borough’s historic train station, which houses the Jim Thorpe Visitors Center.

Out-of-towners who come for a train ride, take a jaunt on the adjacent trail or to visit the shops in town stop at the station to use the restroom and seek tourism information from the Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau.

Closing the branch will make more space for the estimated 400,000 guests who stop by in a year, according to a press release.

The decision to close the branch was made in partnership with the Carbon County Commissioners to better accommodate the crowds.

Haley O’Brien

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WVIA News

In the announcement, Patrick H. Reilly, President and CEO of Mauch Chunk Trust said, “As tourism in Jim Thorpe has grown over the years, we’ve seen many of our railroad station customers increasingly using our North Street and other offices because they are easier to access and have better parking.”

Reilly also said more customers have been using their mobile app for banking.

The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway has trains departing the station several times daily during the busy seasons.

The county currently pays for portable restrooms to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of people that visit each year.

“No concrete plans have been made yet,” Commissioner Wayne Nothstein said Friday, but added that renovating the station to add more restrooms has been part of the conversation.

Mauch Chunk Trust has seven locations in Carbon County and Tamaqua. The bank’s main office on North Street is on Jim Thorpe’s East Side.

The train station branch downtown will close on Dec. 1, 2025. An ATM will remain outside the building.

Haley O’Brien

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WVIA News

The European Commission has introduced a new set of regulations that make it easier for frequent Turkish travelers to obtain Schengen visas.

The changes apply to multi-entry short-stay visas, offering greater flexibility and longer durations for applicants with a consistent and compliant travel history.

With Turkish citizens having faced difficulties in securing Schengen visas in recent years, this development is seen as a major relief for those who frequently travel to Europe. The streamlined process is aimed at rewarding those who demonstrate responsible travel behavior and regular use of previous Schengen visas.

What the New Visa Rules Offer

The policy simplifies the visa acquisition process for Turkish nationals who have previously held and properly used Schengen visas. Travelers with a proven track record of regular travel and compliance will now be eligible for longer and multiple-entry visas, reducing both the paperwork and stress associated with repeat applications.

The graduated structure of the visa durations encourages continued lawful travel. Depending on their travel history and timing of application, Turkish citizens may now receive visas ranging from six months to five years in duration.

Visa Validity Timeline Based on Travel History

• 6-month visa: For those who apply within one year of their last valid visa’s expiration.
• 1-year multiple-entry visa: For applicants whose previous 6-month visa expired within the past two years.
• 3-year multiple-entry visa: For those whose 1-year visa expired within the past two years.
• 5-year multiple-entry visa: For travelers whose 3-year visa expired within the past two years.

The policy ensures that visa validity will never exceed passport expiration dates. Specifically, the visa’s end date must be at least three months before the passport’s expiry, ensuring alignment with EU border security regulations.

Countries Where the New Policy Applies

The revised visa rules will be recognized across all 25 Schengen member states, making travel significantly more convenient for eligible Turkish citizens. The countries are:

Who Is Excluded?

The new visa facilitation rules have clear boundaries. Turkish nationals applying for visas for professional reasons, such as truck drivers and other occupational categories, will not be eligible for the updated system. Similarly, third-country nationals residing in Türkiye who are not Turkish citizens will continue to be subject to the standard Schengen visa application procedures.

This limitation is designed to prioritize personal and tourism-related travel for Turkish citizens with proven histories of compliance and repeated visits to Schengen areas.

Official Statement from the Trade Ministry

Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat commented on the new measures by stating: “For those who have received a visa for the first time, in their second applications, it will be possible to obtain long-term and multiple-entry visas, starting from up to 6 months and extending to 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, and eventually 5 years.”

His statement reinforces the European Commission’s objective to reward trusted travelers by minimizing administrative burdens and maximizing convenience for repeat applicants.

What This Means for Turkish Travelers

The move reflects a broader shift in the EU’s approach to visa policy, balancing border control with traveler convenience. By easing access for compliant travelers, the Schengen zone could see increased tourism and business exchanges from Türkiye, a country with deepening ties to Europe.

Frequent Turkish travelers—especially those working in academia, business, and tourism—are likely to benefit the most. This policy could also reduce waiting times at consulates and streamline embassy workloads by lowering the frequency of repeated short-term applications.

While the new rules may not change the experience for all applicants, they mark a significant improvement for thousands of Turkish citizens who travel frequently and seek easier mobility across European borders.

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train operated by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) will leave from Indore on September 9, 2025.

This special train will provide devotees with darshan of Puri, Gangasagar, Gaya, Varanasi, and Ayodhya, including Baba Baidyanath and Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlingas.

In this 10 nights and 11 days journey, the train will pass through Indore, Ujjain, Shujalpur, Sehore, Rani Kamalapati, Itarsi, Narsinghpur, Jabalpur, Katni, and Anuppur stations of Madhya Pradesh. Passengers will be able to start their religious journey by boarding this train from Rani Kamalapati and Itarsi stations of Bhopal Division.

IRCTC has fixed the fares for the Yatra in three categories:
• Sleeper Class (Economy): Rs 18,600/- per person
• 3AC Class (Standard): Rs 29,700/- per person
• 2AC Class (Comfort): Rs 39,000/- per person

IRCTC has presented it as an all-inclusive package, which includes comfortable rail travel with LHB coaches, on-board and off-board pure vegetarian food, AC buses for local transport, accommodation as per the itinerary, tour escorts, travel insurance, on-board security, and housekeeping services.