Backyard Broadcasting

The 11th annual Bone Hunt, an Easter egg hunt for dogs ,
is coming up Saturday, April 26th in Watsontown - with dog treats from Mad’s Doggo Bistro - and proceeds from the fundraiser to benefit Arthur’s Pet Pantry, a food pantry for dogs.

Freddi Hammer talks with Grace Knapp from Arthur’s Pet Pantry about how the Bone Hunt has grown and how the activities, raffles and dog friendly vendors make the dayfun for everyone.

State Representative Jamie Flick of the 83rd Legislative District is holding his 3rd Annual Health and Human Services Expo at Penn College on Friday, April 25th.

The free event starts with a Speaker Series at 1pm, featuring talks from professionals about protecting youth from opioid use and other addiction risks by strengthening mental health. Then a Vendor Expo will start at 3pm with over 60 participants at the PCT Field House. 

Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Lycoming County works with area families to mentor and encourage children to thrive in their school and community beginning at age 6 until 15. 
Big Brother/Big Sister Supervisor Joe Weber, and Advisory Board Member Deanna Cowells join Freddi Hammer this week to invite members of the community to support their program by investigating what it takes to mentor one of over 30 “Littles” who are waiting to be matched with a “Big”.

Few names in the music industry command as much respect as David Foster—a 16-time Grammy Award winner, including three for Producer of the Year. With a career spanning over five decades, Foster has shaped the sound of modern pop, R&B, and film scores, working with legends like Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Michael Bublé, and Andrea Bocelli. His talent for crafting timeless hits has earned him an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, and multiple Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song. As a producer, songwriter, and arranger, his influence can be heard in some of the most iconic songs of all time, from I Will Always Love You to The Prayer and After the Love Has Gone. Whether behind the piano or in the studio, David Foster continues to be a driving force in music, leaving a legacy that’s nothing short of legendary, and he joins me now to talk about a bit about his career and his upcoming performance with his very talented wife Katharine McPhee at the Community Arts Center in downtown Williamsport on Wednesday, May 14th.

Rosa Yoo, a Forest Health Manager for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), gives an update on the Spongy Moth population in Pennsylvania and what they are doing, in coordination with other agencies, tosuppress the Spongy Moth caterpillars that are expected to emerge this spring. 
The goal of the DCNR Spongy Moth suppression program, through ground crew analyzation and aerial spraying, is to minimize defoliation, so trees in the PA Wilds can be healthy and fight stress and disease.

Shawn Carey is joined by Jason Fink (President/CEO, Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce) for our 3rd Backyard Business Spotlight of 2025.

We re-cap the 2025 West Branch Susquehanna Builders Association Home Show, get an inside look at the Business PA program, how Leadership Lycoming makes such a great impact on the area and a look ahead to the April PM Exchanges.

The staff at Lycoming County Veteran’s Affairs works hard helping Veterans and their families, providing information about VA Health Care, compensation and benefits, GI Bill Information, widows’ benefits, prescription enrollment and more. 
Freddi Hammer talks with the Deputy Director of Veteran’s Affairs, Natalie Steppey and VSO Jeff Hamilton, about the Early Bird Special when sponsoring the Hometown Hero banners.  These proceeds stay local to help families here in North Central Pennsylvania. 

Supporting Special Olympics helps children and adults with intellectual disabilities develop physical fitness skills, demonstrate courage and experience joy with their peers through wholesome competition.
Freddi meets regional Special Olympics administrators and interviews local athlete, Jacob Carey, about how important being a Special Olympics Representative is to him.

The River Valley Film Festival committee is accepting submissions of independent films for their event coming up July 17th through 20th and invites the public to save the date!
Festival Director, Corey Baney, and Lycoming Arts Film Chair, Noah Beiter, share with Freddi Hammer how their event can inspire local residents to watch independent films AND show film makers around the world that Lycoming County is a great place to come and make movies.

Raise the Region is a 30 hour online giving campaign that serves non-profits in a 7-County area in North Central PA. The donation window opens March 12th at 6pm.    
Erin Ruhl Director of Community Engagement from the First Community Foundation Partnership explains how they, along with Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships, will use their online platform and stretch funds to elevate local non-profits.