Pennsylvania and its citizens are preparing for the first major winter storm of the season, now dubbed Winter Storm Fern.  From border to to border, snow is expected.  That means the men and women who work at PennDOT are gearing up for a long weekend of work, made even more troublesome by the extreme cold we're enduring.  We'll hear how PennDOT is prepping for their mission of clearing the state's interstate highways and other major arterials with PennDOT Safety Press Officer, Fritzi Schreffler.  

Then, we'll tackle another very pressing issue, the extremely depleted national blood supply.  It's gotten to such a low point nationwide that hospitals have begun cancelling elective surgeries, and patients who count on transfusions for life saving care face serious risk.  We'll speak with the Executive Director of the Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania, Laura Burke. 

The 110th Pennsylvania Farm Show is now one for the history books, after finishing its eight day run on January 17th at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg.  The annual celebration of Pennsylvania's agriculture industry took on an even greater meaning this year, with the Semiquincentennial coming this July 4th.  Everything from the butter sculpture to the Farm Show milkshakes  paid tribute to this momentous occasion.  This edition of The Commonwealth Beat takes a look back at the 2026 Pennsylvania Farm Show, and how the commonwealth's farmers helped grow a nation.

With more adverse effects of social media on adolescents coming to light almost daily, a move by the Australian government to ban social media for youth under the age of 16 is being looked at very closely around the world.  And it begs the question, "Should the U.S. adopt a social media ban for teens?"  Dr. Candice Biernesser, Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh concentrates her research on the effects of social media on teen mental health.  She weighs in on the idea of a social media ban for American teens on this edition of The Commonwealth Beat.

As Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro enters into the 4th and final year of his first term in office, he discusses some of the issues he's tackled, and previews 2026, which he says is going to be "one hell of a fun year."  

If you're a person of a certain age and can remember back 50 years, then you remember America celebrating it's bicentennial on July 4th, 1976.  It was a time when kids marched around in tricorn hats and store shelves were lined with commemorative items, such as silver spoons and plates bearing the likeness of George Washington, and Liberty Bells everywhere.  

Now, as we approach July 4th, 2026, Pennsylvania is preparing to take center stage once again, as the nation marks its Semiquincentennial.  Years of statewide coordination have already gone into this historic milestone, spearheaded by the statewide planning organization, America250PA.  Executive Director Cassandra Coleman provides an update to all the Semiquincentennial planning.

          Nearly eight decades after its theatrical release, "It's a Wonderful Life" is even more popular now than it ever was when it debuted in theatres in 1946. And its given one of the only cast members still alive a chance to spread its simple message of gratitude to thousands of people across this country.  
          85-Year old Karolyn Grimes is the child actress who portrayed Zuzu Bailey in the film.  Nowadays, she travels to Christmas shows across the country with a collection of knick knacks and other "It's a Wonderful Life" items, taking pictures, signing autographs, and mostly, modeling a life filled with love, compassion and gratitude, just like her on-screen father, George Bailey.  And she's coming to Harrisburg next weekend for the Pennsylvania Christmas and Gift Show at the PA Farm Show Complex.

In the story of the founding of America, Pennsylvania figures prominently.  But in 2026, not only will the Keystone State figure prominently in marking the nation's 250th birthday, it will also play host to some of the biggest sporting events in this country.....the NFL draft, the PGA Championship, the MLB All Star Game, and the FIFA World Cup.  Any one of those major events means big business for hospitality and tourism officials.  Now imagine having all of them.  That's the reality of 2026 for Kaitie Burger, Executive Director of the PA Tourism Office, who will tell us all about them! 

And in the PA-mazing Segment, we're off to the Susquehanna River Valley of Central PA, where each year since 1989, the oldest, authentic outdoor Christmas market in the U.S. has been held.  It's the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market in Union County.  Market president Matt Wagner will give us the lowdown on this year's market, just a couple of weeks away.  

Penn State University and Penn State Health officials are no doubt, still riding high, following the announcement October 28th that the Children's Hospital at Hershey was being accepted into the Golisano Children's Alliance, and would be receiving $50M from Tom Golisano, the founder of Paychex, an internationally-reknown provider of payroll, employee benefits, and HR services for small and medium-sized companies.  Hear Tom Golisano's announcement and reason for giving away his vast fortune, plus reaction from Penn State President, Dr. Neeli Bendapudi, in an exclusive interview for the Commonwealth Beat.  

Since taking office in January, 2024, Governor Josh Shapiro has made agriculture central to his administration's success.  The emphasis is paying off, as the state recently celebrated a major milestone in its history:  the preservation of more than 6600 farms and 650,000 acres of farmland for agricultural use across the Commonwealth.  That milestone makes Pennsylvania the state with the most preserved farms of any state in the nation.  

In the PA-mazing segment, suggested by a Commonwealth Beat listener, we head to Delaware Water Gap, PA to hear about the quaint little town that boasts a big and impressive musical history, emanating from one grand hotel there, called the Castle Inn.

Part 2 of this exclusive interview with Gopal Balachandran, the lead appellate attorney handling the case of Subramanyam "Subu" Vedam, the man who spent 43 years in SCI Huntingdon for the murder of Tom Kinser, who was killed in December, 1980.  While Subu proclaimed his innocense throughout his incarceration, it was Attorney Balachandran's discovery of one line of a handwritten note of then-Centre County D.A. Ray Gricar, that proved Subu was not Kinser's murderer.  

Hear how Subu's conviction was overturned, and now confronts his newest plight:  being held for deportation in the Moshannon Valley ICE Processing Center.  It's a Commonwealth Beat Exclusive!