The Spark

Pennsylvania became the 24th state in the country to implement an automatic voter registration process earlier this week.

Eligible Pennsylvanians will be automatically registered to vote when they renew their driver’s licenses or ID cards through Penndot. It fulfills a campaign promise made by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Robby Brod, WITF's Democracy Beat reporter was on The Spark Friday where he explained voters previously could register to vote when applying for a driver's license but now they'll be registered to vote automatically,"Previously, eligible voters were required to opt in to the voter registration process while going through this process. But now it's going to kind of be flipped where they're going to have to opt out of it. And Pennsylvanians have been able to register to vote at DMVs. I'm going back to 1993. So essentially, this is kind of flips the requirement from opting out, from opting in to opting out."

Shapiro said the idea is to get more Pennsylvanians registered to vote and to actually vote.

Since the 2020 election, anything having to do with voting and elections will get some criticism. Several Republican lawmakers took Shapiro to task for not going through the legislature to approve the automatic voter registration process. The conservative Freedom Caucus threatened legal action Friday.

One of the criticisms is that non-American citizens will register to vote. Brod was asked about that,"The only people who will be eligible to register to vote while getting a driver's license or getting a different form of ID or something like that are people who are already determined to be eligible to be able to vote. So, somebody who is going to get a driver's license, who's not a citizen, they won't even be asked to register to vote because while they're registering, if they provide a Social Security number, which some non-American citizens are issued because they do work in the state and in the country that needs to be taxed. Somebody, a non-citizen with a Social Security number going to register to get a driver's license. They're not going to be asked to register to vote because while going through the process, it will be determined that they're ineligible. So the same documents that you use to register to get a driver's license are not the same that you need to require to vote."

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The weather in South Central Pennsylvania has been almost perfect this week. Hopefully, it’s a preview of what’s to come when autumn starts Saturday. Not that the weather has to be picture perfect for a walk in the woods but many people enjoy this time of year outdoors. And for them, there are four spots that are either newly opened to the public or have undergone significant changes since last autumn in Lancaster and York Counties: Climbers Run Nature Center and the Clark Nature Preserve section of the Conestoga Trail in Lancaster County and the newly opened Mill Creek Falls Nature Preserve and Wizard Ranch Nature Preserve in York County. All this through the efforts of the Lancaster Conservancy. Joining us is Kelly Snavely, Vice President of Development and Marketing for the Lancaster Conservancy.

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Having a conversation about cancer is difficult with any one at any time. Talking to children about the life-threatening disease can be especially hard. York native Brady Lucas knows about cancer firsthand. Brady was diagnosed with cancer twice as a child. As a healthy survivor, Brady Lucas has written a children’s book called Smiley’s Smile – the story of a turtle who was diagnosed and treated for cancer. Brady Lucas is with us on The Spark.

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In a busy world where not enough people take time to really listen to one another, the organization Someone To Tell It To does just that – listen to create better relationships and to bring the best out in people. What also make talking to someone and someone listening essential today is the loneliness and depression that many have suffered since the beginning of the COVID pandemic.

The theme is To Come Alive. With us on The Spark Thursday were Michael Gingrich and Tom Kaden Co-Founders and CEOs of Someone To Tell It To and Jeannie Zappe of Mechanicsburg, who swam the English Channel two years ago at age 55. She’s be the keynote speaker at the event.

Gingrich explained what Someone To Tell It is,"We started this because of a friendship that Tom and I had about how about we how we supported one another and how we were someone each other's, someone to tell it to. And we believe that all of us in this life, all human beings, need others in their lives to tell their stories to. We all need to be heard. We all want to be recognized. We love to be respected, and we certainly want to be loved. It starts with listening to one another and getting to know one another. That is so important. And because we live in a time where there is such an epidemic of loneliness and disconnection with people emotionally, relationally. We believe that the work that we are doing is helping people to reconnect. Helping people to come alive in their lives and in their relationships."

Someone To Tell It To has trained, professional listeners to talk to, but they're not therapists -- they listen and talk. Kaden talked about the organization's history,"What we found probably in the early years, in the first five years, it was literally Michael and I just trucking ourselves around to make ourselves available for people to be heard. And we try to utilize every social media platform. So we would have folks like this woman who heard your radio program reach out to us through email. But we at that point in time utilized Skype. So we'd zoom with or Skype with somebody from Uganda, Africa, for example. And it's just grown every year. But we also meet people face to face if our listeners are local and probably over the last five years, our teams have just expanded significantly. So now we have a lot of teams of listeners who make themselves available for we call everybody someone."

The theme of the Saturday event is "To Come Alive" and Zappe is a perfect example of someone who lived her dream. She said she had lots of inspirations for swimming across the English Channel. Did she ever waver when she was doing it? "There are no sharks in the English Channel, but there are jellyfish and there is current and cold. And the water was cold and it was 63. And you don't wear a wet suit in any of these swims. Wet nsuits are for triathletes, basically. I'm thinking about how wonderful it is to be alive, in all seriousness. When I went in at 10 p.m. and I pulled an eight hour dark swim, which is about the longest you can get, and you don't have a choice, you go when the pilot says go. But I literally was saying to myself, Don't wish this away. This is what you wanted. Be grateful. Be grateful. Your body can do this. Isn't it amazing that I get to do this? I get to do this. And I swear, I mean, it was the most amazing feeling in the world to swim that thing and. And then to land on France.

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Many schools across the country are not able to hire enough teachers. Fewer college students are majoring in education and aspiring to teach and fewer are seeking teaching certificates. This comes at a time when more teachers are leaving the profession. Substitute teachers are in great demand. There may or may not be a teacher shortage – depending on which school you’re talking about. Dr. Soo-yong Byun is a professor of Educational Theory and Policy program in the Department of Education Policy Studies in the College of Education with a joint appointment with the Social Science Research Institute at the Penn State University. He recently completed research into how teachers feel about their jobs and how teachers are viewed outside the classroom. The bottom line is teachers feels undervalued.

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More than 47,000 Americans die by suicide each year. For every suicide death, there are over 25 suicide attempts. Women are much more likely to attempt suicide but men actually die by suicide at a greater rate than women. In 2022, there were more deaths in the 25 to 44 years old age group than any other.

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Awareness means talking about a topic many don’t discuss.

Govan Martin, Chair and Executive Director of the Suicide Prevention Alliance, said on The Spark Wednesday that we don't talk about suicide because it's uncomfortable, "Most now are actually coming around to say it is a mental health issue and not condemning. But we still have a long way to go. That's why conversations have to not just start just in the church (pointing out that the Catholic Church condemned suicide as a mortal sin), but between me and you, between our families. One piece of advice I'll tell everybody, if you're listening to the show, go home and ask your family member -- "so what do you think about suicide" at the dinner table or and anytime you're around and that will open up the conversation to see what they're thinking. Would they reach out and get help?"

Dr. Rachel Drosdick-Sigafoos, a Crisis Specialist, was asked what if a person answers they are considering suicide,"I have a three step approach that I take. The first is to validate you must be hurting really badly. Things must have gotten to such a rough point in your life that you're thinking about ending your life. I want to thank you for trusting me with that. So you're now reinforcing that connection. And then the you know, you're going to say, I'm not leaving you alone. This is a promise I'm making to you. I'm not leaving you alone. Where can we go? Who can we call to help keep you safe? So it's a three step. The first is validate. The second is connect. The third is let's start talking about solutions."

Drosdick-Sigafoos said childhood trauma is a risk factor in suicide,"Individuals who have a history of adverse childhood experiences, which is a list of events that can happen in a young person's life. So, the more traumas they have, the more likely they are to experience suicidal behavior. Someone who has a history of five adverse childhood experiences which can be sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect, parent or family member incarcerated, being raised by somebody who has a mental illness, being raised by somebody who is struggling with addiction, as well as parental separation, that all of these things that they have, five of those, they are something like 24 times more likely to attempt suicide than somebody who has zero."

Brain Sabo, Regional Director of Clinical Partnerships with Civic Addiction and Mental Health Treatment appeared on The Spark and said he attempted to take his own life,"I was a police officer for a number of years. That's where my mental health and my alcoholism really took off because I was afraid to ask for help. I didn't want to be I want to appear as being weak and being that weak person. I want to be strong, on the outside, my life looked great. I was always groomed in decent shape. My house is pretty, but on the inside of my head, I couldn't had the anxiety and depression. I never got help. It got too much. I went on a drinking spree for about three weeks straight. Nobody knew where I was. And and I had a suicide attempt. It's only by the grace of God that I am here today. The next day I got the help that I needed and went to a hospital where some kind of help, I guess, and got myself in treatment for addiction. And then over the years since then, for over 12 years, I've been treating my mental health and my addiction and daily basis."

Help is available

Call 988.

Speak with someone today
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish.

Learn more
988

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Patients R Waiting wants to:

Eliminate health disparities by increasing diversity in medicine.

Their 3 areas of focus are; Increasing the pipeline of minority clinicians, making the pipeline of minority clinicians less leaky and support minority clinicians in practice.

They are also holding a conference later this month in which; The Diversity in Medicine Conference, by Patients R Waiting, is designed by experienced health professionals of color with the needs of underrepresented students preparing for careers in medicine and other health professions in mind. The purpose of the conference is to provide underrepresented high school and college students that strive to be health professionals with the expertise of health professionals of color.

The Diversity in Medicine Conference, annually held by Patients R Waiting, is designed by experienced health professionals of color with the needs of underrepresented students preparing for careers in medicine and other health professions in mind. This conference is an invaluable opportunity for students to get the information and support they need to succeed in their chosen field. Eliminating health disparities by increasing diversity in medicine is the mission of Patients R Waiting, with three focus areas: increasing the pipeline of minority clinicians, making the pipeline of minority clinicians less leaky, and supporting minority clinicians in practice.

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Isaac Etter is a social entrepreneur. Isaac was transracially adopted at the age of two.  He is the founder of  Identity a startup focused on using technology to help foster and adoptive families thrive and the owner of a small business strategy agency, Etter Consulting. Isaac has a deep passion for innovating the adoption and foster care space and helping passionate people build their first company. He is also the father of an amazing son and avid learner.

Isaac has been bringing his ideas to life since his first business, a recording studio, he started in his parented basement in high school. He has been on several non profit boards in the Lancaster, PA community where he resides. Before starting Identity, Isaac co-founded an education and advocacy organization, SafeHouse Lancaster, where he was the co-executive director. SafeHouse Lancaster merged with YWCA Lancaster in July of 2021.

Isaac began his work in adoption and foster by speaking and leading trainings for adoptive and foster parents. He still has the joy of leading trainings whether through Identity or for adoption agencies, college, or an event. Isaac is always open to keynoting or leading a workshop for organizations.

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Each September, Pennsylvania celebrates PA Trails Month and the more than 12,000 miles of trails across the commonwealth that are available to explore by foot, bike, ATV, horse, boat, and more. Pennsylvania’s vision is to develop a statewide land and water trail network to facilitate recreation, transportation, and healthy lifestyles for all. In addition to the trails on state park and forest lands, the agency supports local and regional trails with about $8 million in grants each year. These grants enhance Pennsylvania’s trail network and advance the goal of having a trail within 10 minutes of every Pennsylvanian.

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In 1851, a Maryland farmer tried to apprehend two formerly enslaved men who had escaped from his property two years before. That farmer -- Edward Gorsuch -- probably didn’t anticipate the resistance he would get when he tracked Samuel Thompson and Joshua Kite to William Parker’s rented house near Christiana.

Parker, a Black man who had escaped slavery a few years before, led a group of armed defenders against Gorsuch’s posse and the violence that ensued became national news coming just a year after the nation passed the Fugitive Slave Act.

On The Spark Monday, Darlene Colon, with the Christiana Historical Society described what happened on September 11, 1851,

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