Let S Talk Penn State Podcasts

There is an all-too familiar pattern that develops after a school shooting like the one in Nashville earlier this week that resulted in the deaths of three nine-year-old students and three adults. There’s the news coverage, the questions about why and how it could and still does happen, thoughts and prayers sent to the victims and their families, a…

Paula Cooper was 15 years old in 1985 when she and three other teenagers murdered 78-year-old Ruth Pelke in an attempted robbery of Pelke’s Gary, Indiana home. Cooper was sentenced to death for her part in the killing. She became the youngest person ever to receive the death penalty in the U.S. In the years afterwards, something unexpectedly happen…

How informed are Americans about politics and what’s going on in the world around them? More specifically, how informed are young Americans? Anecdotally, we’ve all heard that young people are too busy with college classes, their social lives or starting their adult lives to pay attention to what they believe may or may not have an impact on them. A…

For thirty-six years, the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre in Lancaster has put on shows and served full course and buffet style dinners to over 150,000 guests. On The Spark Wednesday, we heard the backstory of how this theatre came to be, how they continue to thrive amongst challenges and the story of an actress in several of their productions. Erika Wo…

It is officially spring. Flowers are starting to bloom, the grass is getting greener and leaves will be on the trees soon – here in central Pennsylvania. Some places have already look like full blown spring. Have you seen pictures of the cherry blossoms in Washington DC? But for us – it’s early season and for the first time in three years – since t…

The Major League baseball season begins Thursday and games will be different this year. That’s because MLB has instituted a number of rules changes that are designed to speed up the games and create more action on the field. Pitchers will have 15 seconds with no one on base and 20 seconds with runners on base to throw pitches. Batters will have to …

According to Pew Research Center, people of color and women remain underrepresented in STEM fields. Another recent report stated that women and students of color drop out of STEM courses or leave STEM fields due to uninviting atmospheres, difficult weed-out classes, and STEM courses that do not show their relevancy. Dr. Sue Mukherjee, chief student…

Vinyl albums outsold CDs last year for the first time since 1987, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. It marked the 16th consecutive year of growth in vinyl, with 41 million albums sold — compared to 33 million CDs. Streaming is still the biggest driver of the music industry's growth, making up 84% of recorded-music revenue,…

Avian influenza that infects chickens, turkeys, ducks and other birds is rampant across the country. In fact, the current outbreak is now the largest avian flu epidemic the nation has ever seen. Pennsylvania has the most cases with the majority of those coming in our region. It’s one of the reasons the cost of eggs has gone up so much, but it has h…

The mud sale season in Amish country is in full swing. Every weekend, Amish are holding sales that could be described as giant flea markets or auctions to raise money for community causes like volunteer fire companies. But what is a mud sale? On The Spark Friday, Steven Nolt (Ph.D.), a professor of history and Anabaptist studies at Elizabethtown Co…

Three years later, some relief programs initiated and developed during the COVID-19 pandemic are still active. Maybe active isn’t the right word for a $350 million state program designed to provide relief to Pennsylvania homeowners who were having trouble paying their mortgages. That’s because the program has had it’s problems and some who are elig…

Penn State University is in the midst of a budget crunch and the university says to expect deeper cuts and more layoffs. Spotlight PA investigative reporter Wyatt Massey reported this story and was on The Spark Friday. Massey was asked how Penn State ran up a $125 million budget deficit last year,"Like many places of higher education across the cou…

The Haines Shoe House in York County is one of the region’s most iconic landmarks. Since it was built in the 1940s, the house shaped like a shoe or boot, has served several purposes but today, it can be rented for overnight stays. Naomi Brown and her husband purchased the Haines Shoe House last year. They've made some updates to the structure but i…

Invasive insects, plants, pathogens and animals are wreaking havoc on Pennsylvania’s waterways, forests, trees and wildlife. A statewide survey conducted by the Pennsylvania Governor’s Invasive Species Council found more than 100 invasive species that includes spotted lanternfly, mile-a-minute vine, Japanese stiltgrass, zebra mussels and more. On T…

On The Spark Wednesday, we spoke with two 10th grade Capital Area Science & Engineering Fair senior grand champions. The CASEF science fair provides 7th through 12th grade students with the opportunity to showcase their research projects on a regional level but Anshi Paul, from Hershey High School student, and Isaiah Houssou, Camp Hill High School …

Raven Ridge Wildlife Center is a wildlife rehabilitation facility in Washington Boro in Lancaster County. It offers rehabilitation services for injured raptors, mammals and waterfowl. Raven Ridge also provides wildlife education programs as well. Just in the last month, two bald eagles have died after ingesting lead. That usually happens after an e…

Jeffrey Gabel, the founding executive director of Gettysburg College’s Majestic Theatre, plans to retire January 2024 after 20 years of service and nearly 40 years in the entertainment business. He programmed more than 300 concerts by professional artists, lead an almost $17 million renovation for the Majestic Theatre, produced the Ken Burns Festiv…

For most of us, sleep is a part of our lives we take for granted. But maybe we shouldn’t because there is a considerable amount of evidence and research that shows not getting enough sleep, restful sleep, or living with a sleeping disorder can have a great impact on one’s health and quality of life. Between and third and a fifth of Americans say th…

So many of us have moved on from the COVID-19 pandemic after three years and have gotten back to normal or at least accepted a new normal. That’s even though 250,000 American died from COVID last year. A Penn State researcher says the new normal could be 90,000 to 120,000 deaths from COVID every year, unless more Americans get vaccinated – every ye…

Culture wars are playing out across America and here in South Central Pennsylvania. School board meetings have often become the battleground – especially since mask mandates and other mitigation efforts by schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s common for parents or groups to criticize the content of books, say critical race theory is being tau…

Conrad Weiser was a pioneer who served as an interpreter and diplomat between the Pennsylvania Colony and Native American nations. His homestead near Wolmesdorf in Berks County was a farm but Weiser served as a soldier and judge. I recently visited the Conrad Weiser Homestead and talked Lynn Otto, a colonial reenactor, Support WITF: https://www.wit…

March is Women’s History Month. Susquehanna Art Museum in Harrisburg is commemorating with a special exhibit of women artists called Intent/Content: Celebrating Women Artists. It’s described as a collaboration with Hunter Museum of American Art to create a version that is unique to Susquehanna’s space that encompasses the spirit of this collection …

Pennsylvanians certainly have opinions have about the state’s roads. We all do. But how should roads, bridges, bike paths, mass transit, airports and transportation overall be improved or updated? Now through April 30 is the time to let the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation know. PennDot is soliciting comments on the future of transportatio…

Pennsylvania ranks near the bottom when it comes to generating renewable energy. Data from the federal Energy Information Administration shows Pennsylvania comes in 45th in the country in energy production from wind, solar and hydropower, Only 3% of total energy comes from those sources. State Impact Pennsylvania Rachel McDevitt reported this story…

New York Times best-selling author Erik Larson has written nine mostly non-fiction books about history that gives the reader the sense that they’re witnessing the scenes firsthand that he’s writing about. His books have been described as reading like fiction, even though they are about events that actually occurred. A quote from a book review in th…

On The Spark Tuesday we spoke with members of a dance school in Harrisburg that will be performing on the world’s stage at the Carnegie Hall in New York, which is known as one of the most famous and finest venues in the United States for artists and audiences. Rachita Nambiar, founder and artistic Director of The Rasika School of Dance, and Anoushk…

The number of shootings, gun murders and suicides using firearms is rising across the country. Mass shootings are commonplace in the U.S. and although they get most of the attention, they don’t happen nearly as often as a shooting on the street or in a home. Philadelphia and other large cities are setting records for gun deaths but here in Central …

This week is Sunshine Week in Pennsylvania – a time to highlight the importance of transparency in our governments. It is most often highlighted by the news Media but transparency is not just for journalists. All those Pennsylvanians who are now attending school board meetings can attest to that. With us on The Spark today is Terry Mutchler, Foundi…

A CNN/Kaiser Family Foundation national poll last fall found more than 90 percent of Americans believe the U.S. is in a mental health crisis. Those polled cited depression and anxiety in adults and children as significant issues. In Pennsylvania, counties often provide mental health services. In his budget proposal last week, Gov. Josh Shapiro said…

Sunday is Charter Day in Pennsylvania – a day to commemorate Pennsylvania’s founding and to celebrate the 1681 charter that created Pennsylvania. The Charter itself will be on display at the state museum in Harrisburg and number of state historic sites will be free to visit. With us today are Andrea Lowery, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Hi…

It’s Friday – the day The Spark host Journalist for a roundtable discussion of the week’s events and news. With us today are Jan Murphy and Charlie Thompson – both reporters for PennLive. Among the topics being discussed are Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 44 billion dollar state budget proposal and the resignation of a state lawmaker accused of sexual harassm…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people who received SNAP benefits received an additional monthly payment, which helps low-income individuals and families buy nutritious food. This month the extra payments, known as SNAP Emergency Allotments, have expired and nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians will be affected by this change. On The Spark Thursday Shelle…

Finding affordable and quality child care – it was challenge for many parents before the COVID-19 pandemic but the pandemic made it even worse. Not all child care providers have recovered. Like other industries, hiring and keeping workers has been a problem. However, it’s one that preceded the pandemic. One of the reasons is child care workers are …

This Old House has been one of the most popular TV shows on PBS since it premiered in 1979. In the 44 years since then, a lot of other home makeover, fixer upper type shows and an entire network have sprung up but none quite like This Old House. Kevin O’Connor has hosted This Old House for the past 20 years and he spoke with The Spark when he visit…

Most of us climbed trees – especially when we were kids. However, most of us were just thinking about having a good time and trying to keep from falling and not much about the tree we were climbing. Van Wagner – who is a teacher at Danville Area High School in Montour County -- has taken tree climbing and knowledge of trees and the forest to a whol…

Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered his first state budget address as governor yesterday. The governor is proposing spending of 44.4 billion dollars – an increase of more than three and a half percent from this fiscal year’s budget. The governor is calling for a one billion dollar increase in education spending, a $2,500 tax credit for those seeking to bec…

In July 1972, U.S. Senator Thomas Eagleton was named as Democratic Presidential nominee George McGovern’s running mate. Rumors swirled almost immediately about Eagleton’s medical history. Three weeks later, Eagleton resigned from the ticket admitting he had been treated for clinical depression, that included electroshock treatments. In the 50 years…

An upcoming documentary aims to give the audience a glimpse of what life is like for people living with disabilities that use art to overcome challenges. James Hollenbaugh, Lanacaster-based Documentary Filmmaker of A Life Like This and artist-in-residence at Franklin & Marshall College, features three artists living with a mental disability and one…

History was made last week when Democratic State Representative Joanna McClinton of Philadelphia was elected Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Representative McClinton became the first woman and first woman of color to become speaker in the more than 200 year history of the legislative body. Speaker McClinton takes over the most…

A 4th grade teacher at Hambright Elementary School in the Penn Manor School District in Lancaster was one of only 50 K through 12 teachers in the U.S. and Canada to receive “professional development opportunity of a lifetime”. Katie Harnish participated in the National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship, where she trav…

Travel through Pennsylvania’s northern tier and there are places where you can drive miles through thick forests or without passing through a town. What you also won’t see is a lot of artificial lights in some of those areas. Many people who live in the Pennsylvania Wilds want to keep it that way. But it’s getting harder as development continues. L…

History was made in Pennsylvania this week as Joanne McCinton became the first woman and first woman of color to be elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives. There actually was some movement in the House this week after a couple months of inaction. WITF’s Capitol Bureau Chief Sam Dunklau is with us today with more. Support WITF: https://w…

Pennsylvania voters did not have equal opportunities to cast or correct their ballots during the November 2022 election, the latter producing a disparity that disenfranchised hundreds of voters. That’s the first sentence from a recent first-of-its kind report on all 67 Pennsylvania counties from Spotlight PA. The focus was on mail in ballots and ho…

Many central Pennsylvania homeowners were shocked when they got their electric bills in January. Some electric customers received bills than were higher than expected and in more than few cases -- by a lot. PPL Electric Utilities, which covers most of the region increased its rates in December and prices have nearly doubled in the past two years. P…

According to the CDC, about 1 in 44 children have autism spectrum disorder. According to the Pennsylvania bureau of autism services, the number of individuals diagnosed with autism disorder has increased. But at the age of 21 many adults living with the disability have difficulty receiving support services. On The Spark Thursday we discussed a loca…

98-year-old former President Jimmy Carter announced recently that he was entering into hospice care. Even though many families have had a loved one who has opted for hospice, there are others who may not know what hospice is, what services it provides or may have heard some of the myths surrounding hospice. Joining us on the program today are Dr. M…

Today is the last day of Black History Month but Crispus Attucks Centers across the country and within our region are aiming to carry the patriotic hero’s legacy forward throughout the entire year. Crispus Attucks was an American whaler and sailor, who is traditionally regarded as the first person killed in the Boston Massacre, and as a result the …

Has there ever been an economy that has so many mixed signals? Unemployment is near records lows and there are many, many job openings. But at the same time, some of the nation’s most successful corporations are laying off workers. Inflation is slowing down somewhat, but is still higher than it’s been in decades. Gas prices have gone back up, then …

The Spark traveled to the Dauphin County Technical School, and hosts Scott LaMar and Aniya Faulcon, spoke with employers, educators, administrators and students about in demand careers; with an emphasis on some young people pursuing careers that many would not picture them seeking. Right now, jobs are plentiful and in fact, many employers can’t fin…

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