The Spark

The average deer hunter in Pennsylvania is a white man who is at least 51 years old. There were almost a million deer hunters in the state during the late 1980's. It's projected there could half a million by 2040. Deer hunting is not attracting younger or more people.

The dwindling lack of interest in hunting is not the main issue, although it could be costly financially to some businesses where deer hunting has flourished in the past.

Deer hunting is the only way to control the size of Pennsylvania's deer population.

Fewer hunters could mean more deer. That may be good for the remaining hunters, but it could be a environmental and safety issue for everyone.

More deer could lead to additional vehicle-deer collisions, crop and forest damage and Lyme Disease, since deer often carry the tick that causes Lyme.

As a result, alternatives to hunting may have to be considered -- none of which are popular or would be totally effective.

On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we hear from Duane Diefenbach, an Adjunct Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Leader of the Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit at Penn State University about why there are fewer hunters and what happens if the deer herd isn't managed.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the top of many American history buffs' list of places to visit are the homes and libraries of former presidents.

The most visited are George Washington’s Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Virginia. In Central Pennsylvania are James Buchanan’s Wheatland in Lancaster and Dwight Eisenhower's farm in Gettysburg.

Presidents from the last half century have been active in maintaining their papers and legacies in libraries.

Our guest on Monday’s Smart Talk has taken his interest in presidential homes and libraries to another level. Ryan Unger is the President and CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC, but has visited roughly half of the nation’s presidents’ homes or libraries. He discusses his adventures on Monday’s program.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earlier this month, Pennsylvania protected more than 22 hundred acres on 32 farms in 18 counties from future development.

That brings the total number of farms protected under the farmland preservation programs to almost 6,100 farms protected that make up nearly 614,000 acres in 58 counties.

Pennsylvania leads the nation in the number of farms preserved.

What does it mean that a farm is preserved? Why is it important to preserve farmland? How much does it cost? What do the farmers get out it?

All questions we ask on Monday’s Smart Talk.

Our guests are Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Farmland Preservation Director Doug Wolfgang and Ben Wenk and his father Dave own Ploughman’s Cider in Adams County.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It seems that everywhere you drive in Central Pennsylvania, there’s a road under construction or some type of project.

Although it may be an inconvenience and slow your trip down sometimes, maintaining and upgrading transportation infrastructure is a good thing and sign of progress.

But what it also means is we’ll see those "crews at work" signs and bright orange flags cautioning motorists to slow down and be careful in work zones.

Flagger Force is a short-term traffic control company headquartered in Hummelstown. The company’s Vice President of Risk and Safety Luke Lazar is on Wednesday’s Smart Talk to discuss navigating work zones safely.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Violence and threats of violence against public officials have become more commonplace in recent years.

The U.S. Capitol Building was enclosed with more secure fences and security after the January 6th attack. Election administrators across the country have been threatened often since the 2020 presidential election. The U.S. Supreme Court building also is fenced in in anticipation of a decision on abortion or other rulings that could lead to massive protests or crowds.

Something else that didn’t happen often before but is now is protests occurring at officials’ private homes. Sometimes, it goes beyond protesting.

Two weeks ago, an armed California man was arrested outside the Maryland home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and charged with attempted murder.

Legislation was approved to provide more security for justices but threats against judges aren’t new.

Dickinson College President John Jones is a former Federal Court Judge and was appointed by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to the Committee on Judicial Security. Judge Jones appears on Wednesday’s Smart Talk.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Central Pennsylvania has many fun events throughout the summer – each one different in it’s own way.

The Fort Loudoun Market Fair in Franklin County scheduled for this weekend may be one of the most unique.

On Thursday’s Smart Talk, we’re joined by Andrew Newman, who coordinates the Market Fair, to talk about the event and the rich history of Fort Loudoun.

The Fort Loudoun Market Fair will be held Friday through Sunday at 1720 N Brooklyn Rd, Fort Loudon.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last month’s primary election was a record setter and not just for the amount of money spent in the campaigns for governor or the U.S. Senate.

Pennsylvania voters appear to have been energized. That’s according to reporting by the Philadelphia Inquirer that found more Democrats and Republicans voted than in any midterm election primary in the last 25 years. Who those voters are, where they live, and which candidates they supported for Senate and governor show how the state’s political geography is shifting.

One of the journalists who dug into the primary results and voting patterns is Julia Terruso, who covers politics for the Inquirer and joins us on Thursday’s Smart Talk.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

June 1972 will long be remembered for one event in Pennsylvania -- flooding caused by Tropical Storm Agnes. It was one of those "I remember where I was and what I was doing" life-changing events.

During this week 50 years ago, Agnes drenched Central Pennsylvania with over a foot of rain that led to record-setting and devastating flooding throughout the region and the state.

The storm followed a path along the Susquehanna River which crested in Harrisburg at more than 33 feet – a record that still stands. Harrisburg and Wilkes Barre suffered the most flood damage but waterways throughout Pennsylvania flooded too.

In Pennsylvania, 68,000 homes and 3,000 businesses were destroyed. Fifty people died.

Telling their Agnes stories on Tuesday’s Smart Talk are David Morrison, Executive Director of the Historic Harrisburg Association and Julia Iaria, a Harrisburg resident at the time.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The word populist has made a comeback in American politics since the election of Donald Trump in 2016. Trump ran and won the presidency by appealing to ordinary people who feel their concerns are disregarded by elite groups – the very definition of populism. But Trump isn’t the only politician who has spoken to this segment of the population.

President Andrew Jackson may have been the first. In fact, a new book, The First Populist – The Defiant Life of Andrew Jackson identifies Jackson as the original American populist. The biography describes Jackson as a man who rose from poverty to military hero to one of the nation’s most unique presidents.

Author David Brown spoke about Jackson and the book recently at Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg.

Thursday’s Smart Talk is made up of excerpts from that conversation.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.