The Spark

After a hiatus in 2020 and a hybrid series of summer events last year due to COVID-19, the Susquehanna Folk Festival is back and will be held in person this year.

The 3rd annual festival will take place at the York Expo Center, August 12th through the 14th,a and will bring performances, indoor and outdoor activities, new traditions, onsite camping, and food trucks to central Pennsylvania.

Peter Lee, Executive Director of the Susquehanna Folk Music Society, said they’re excited to celebrate and honor folk music, art, and dance with the community.

“What Susquehanna Folk wants to do whether it’s a coffee house, or a concert, or a festival, is to just encourage people coming together and the community that rises around this music,” said Lee.

Lee said one thing that inspires him is that they organize a weekend festival with one paid employee, himself, and volunteers. He said this shows because they love the organization and the work that they do.

To buy tickets or volunteer visit sfmsfolk.org.

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Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa and recent graduate of Millersville University, was forced out of his home in 2002 because of political warfare in Africa.

Cedrick Kazadi lived in a refugee camp with his family from the age of two to sixteen and suffered trauma and hardships there.

Upon resettling in Philadelphia and later in Lancaster, Kazadi overcame past struggles, adjusted to American society, and graduated high school and college on time with honors.

During his time in college, Kazadi rose to be the President of the NAACP chapter at Millersville University after wrestling to overcome identity issues, language, and societal barriers.

Ultimately, Kazadi found the value in his unique story and heritage, in a world where he said he initially felt like an outsider.

He said one of the things that helped him to achieve against all odds, was a belief that his parents instilled in him at an early age: being second is not good enough.

“Yes, there were days that were dark, and it didn’t look like things were going to get better,” said Kazadi. “But at the end of the day I was just pushing and knowing that things could change.”

Kazadi said he considers himself a beacon of light for those with similar journeys following his footsteps.

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The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue is warning of a new scam in which fraudsters are sending phony letters to business owners to try to trick them into turning over their accounting records.

The fraudulent letters include the Department of Revenue’s name and logo, leading the recipients of the letter to believe that they are under investigation for failing to pay Pennsylvania taxes.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Revenue Dan Hassell said on Monday’s Smart Talk the letter tells businesses they are under investigation by the Pennsylvania State Revenue and Cash Dispersements Unit — an office that doesn’t exist and are asking for all 2020 accounting records. That information could include bank account and tax return information.

The letter starts with “Dear business owner” and doesn’t include account numbers or any other identifying information.

Hassell says businesses receiving the letter should ignore it or contact the Department of Revenue through their website.

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The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic saw a substantial increase in the number of people seeking food assistance. With stimulus money from the federal government, the return to work and many getting new jobs, the demand slowed down.

However, just as many Americans have left the pandemic behind them, there have been a significant number of people who aren’t able to put food on the table and the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is seeing an increase in clients. For example, in Lancaster County more than 28,000 individuals received service in the first six months of 2022 compared to 18,000 in the same period last year — a 56% increase.

During Monday’s Smart Talk, Joe Arthur, the executive director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, indicated higher prices for food is a major factor in more people seeking assistance. Inflation has also impacted what the Food Bank can purchase, but Arthur indicated an emergency fund was used to stock their shelves.

Arthur also said there’s a disparity in food insecurity rates among people of color. According to the Food Bank, Black and Hispanic individuals are experiencing food insecurity at triple the rate of whites.

Arthur encouraged those who need help to contact the Central Pennsylvanian Food Bank.

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The spotted lanternfly has made its return to Pennsylvania. The invasive species seems to be everywhere in some places.

For several years, there was no known natural predator to the invasive spotted lanternfly.

But, as more studies have cropped up, researchers are finding that several animals like to make a meal out of the pests.

At Penn State University, one study has asked the public for help.  Researchers say they’re using a “community science approach” to gather data about which species of birds and other predators are eating spotted lanternfly.  They’re also looking at how frequently they eat them.

Kelli Hoover, Professor of Entomology, Centers for Chemical Ecology, Insect Biodiversity and Pollinator Research at Penn State University appears on Tuesday’s Smart Talk to discuss the lanternfly and how to control the insect.

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Educators are tasked with many responsibilities today that their predecessors didn’t have to deal with. Technology has forced changes in the classroom too.

One that is most noticeable is the use of cell phones. Today, almost every high school student has a cell phone and even elementary age students do too.

Outside of school, it seems many kids, as well as adults, are gazing at their cell phones constantly. Inside the classroom, cell phones can be a major distraction if allowed to go unchecked.

As a result, most schools have cell phone policies and some have gone as far as banning them altogether.

However, some teachers and administrators see cell phones as tools for learning in their classes and say there are life lessons related to cell phones too.

Democratic State Representative Anthony DeLuca of Allegheny County has proposed banning cell phone use by students statewide.

The middle school in the Penn Hills School District in Allegheny County banned cell phone this year. Superintendent Dr. Nancy Hines joins us on Friday’s Smart Talk with her observations.

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Tommy McDonald played wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1957 to 1963 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998. Ray Didinger is an iconic sports writer and broadcaster in the Philadelphia area, who is also in the Hall of Fame. They became friends in McDonald’s rookie season when the Eagles pre-season training camp was in Hershey.

Ray Didinger wrote a play about that lifelong friendship called “Tommy and Me.” Tommy and Me will be performed at the Hershey Theatre in August.

Ray Didinger appears on Friday’s Smart Talk to discuss the play and his friendship with Tommy McDonald.

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Antique cars and Hershey are almost synonymous with one another in Central Pennsylvania. The Antique Automobile Club of American is in Hershey, so is their museum and there’s the annual Antique Car show every fall in Hershey.

This Sunday – there’s a new event or series of events 2022 CarMania.

It’s different in that all kinds of vehicles are eligible — antiques, hot rods, customs, rat rods, and sports cars. It’s free at the Antique Automobile Club’s National Headquarters on Hersheypark Drive.

The AACA’s CEO Steve Moskowitz is on Thursday’s Smart Talk with more information.

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As students prepare for their first full year of in person learning since the start of COVID-19, the pressure to hit the school hallways with style, fit in, or simply be prepared for a successful school year, is on and is costing parents and students a pretty penny.

With an over 9% inflation rate in the U.S., the highest since November of 1981, food, housing utilities, entertainment, retail, and even parents and students shopping for back-to-school supplies are affected.

According to a Top Cash Back survey, 80% of Americans are shopping back-to-school sales this year, but 53 percent expect to spend more than last year on back-to-school supplies.

On Thursday’s Smart Talk, we’ll hear from Rebecca Gramuglia, Consumer Expert for Top Cash Back, on how to beat inflation and save on back-to-school essentials this year.

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