The Spark

Karns Quality Foods, with 10 grocery stores in south central Pennsylvania, is the first retailer in the nation to buy, raise and produce its own beef cattle. Last week, Karns began selling its own line of PA Preferred 100% Black Angus Choice and Prime beef.

Karns is working with farms in six central Pennsylvania counties to produce the cattle and the beef. Those farms will benefit as well.

Karns CEO and President Scott Karns is on Tuesday’s Smart Talk to discuss the new venture.

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Fourteen women joined the ranks of the Pennsylvania State Police in July 1972 — 50 years ago. They were part of the 31st Cadet Class — the first to admit women.

Pennsylvania State Police was the nation’s first state police agency to fully integrate female troopers into the regular command structure.

Today, there are more than 250 women who are officers or Troopers.

We look back to that first class and today’s women in the State Police on Tuesday’s Smart Talk with Lt. Col. Krystal Turner-Childs, the Deputy Commissioner of Staff for PSP and Romaine Edwards, who was the first woman to apply for the Cadet Class.

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Central Pennsylvania has a rich heritage of firefighting. Most firefighters in the region are volunteers and adhere to the “neighbor helping neighbor” adage.

You don’t have to be a firefighter to enjoy or appreciate the annual Pennsylvania Pump Primers’ Antique Fire Apparatus Show and Muster this Saturday in Riverfront Park in Harrisburg.

We learn more about it on Friday’s Smart Talk from Mike Rugh, the Muster Chairman.

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The state House has released details of a tentative new state budget deal. It totals about $45 billion -- an increase in spending of about three-and-a-half billion dollars.

The state Treasury has amassed around a five billion dollar tax surplus since last June.

Even with the budget surplus, the spending plan is week late. Pennsylvania’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30th.

What are a few of the highlights that will impact your life?

WITF Capitol Bureau Chief Sam Dunklau is on Friday's Smart Talk with some answers.

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As phone cameras become more advanced with every update, many people have become their own personal photographer. However, many don’t know how to take their self-taught photography skills to the next level.

We're taking many more photographs than we used to and with recent life-threatening events like COVID-19 and mass shootings, more than ever people are eager to capture special and maybe even significant moments and hopefully in good quality.

Here are a few tips from Adobe on how to take better photos:

Eric Weeks, an associate professor and Chair of the Photography and Video Department at Pennsylvania College of Arts and Design in Lancaster, appears on Friday’s Smart Talk to discuss how to take better photographs.

Learn more:

8 tips to take better photos today | Adobe

Take Better Photos: 7 Tips You Can Start Using Today (photographypro.com)

12 Mobile Photography Tips Every Photographer Should Know (iphonephotographyschool.com)

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As of last Friday, Pennsylvania’s coal and natural gas power plants will pay for each ton of carbon dioxide they release in an effort to curb greenhouse gases. The rules also link Pennsylvania to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative that runs a shared market for allowances plants must buy for their emissions.

Republican lawmakers and others are challenging the rules in court.

StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Rachel McDevitt is on Thursday’s Smart Talk with more details.

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Just as Harrisburg’s annual Fourth of July fireworks were to begin Monday night, two juveniles began fighting, according to city police.

Whether it was the pop of a firecracker or fireworks or nothing at all, someone reportedly yelled “gun!”

Hundreds of people fled through the streets in a panic.

Americans are on edge and very aware of mass shootings. Independence Day shootings in Highland Park, Illinois and Philadelphia bears that out.

Justin Douglas of Harrisburg and his family were caught up in the fleeing crowd and tells his frightening story on Smart Talk.

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With a new omicron subvariant on the scene the present and future of COVID-19 may look a little different.

According to data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, BA.5 now comprises most of U.S. COVID-19 cases; but as of June 22, daily new cases decreased by almost 6 % compared to the previous week.

Although new hospital admissions have increased by 1 % in the past week, COVID-19 related deaths have decreased by more than 10 %.

Researchers are finding that COVID-19 will transition to endemic status possibly within two years.

Dr. John Goldman, an infectious disease specialist at UPMC, appears on Thursday’s Smart Talk to discuss the current status of the pandemic and what the future looks like for COVID.

Learn more:

New omicron subvariant BA.5 now a majority of US COVID-19 cases | The Hill

For COVID-19, endemic stage could be two years away | YaleNews

COVID Data Tracker Weekly Review | CDC

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