The Spark

Listen to Smart Talk every weekday at 9am and 7pm on WITF 89.5 & 93.3. You can also stream WITF radio live on our website or ask your smart speaker to “Play WITF Radio.” The Governor’s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation has a new director. Derek Eberly is the newly assigned Director of … Continue reading "Governor’s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation gains new leadership"

Today’s leading news stories focus on the global pandemic and the chaotic security situation in Afghanistan. Richard Tofel, the President of ProPublica, an independent, nonprofit investigative newsroom, believes that while other world events demand our attention not enough awareness is focused on the heightening worldwide contest between the United States and China. He likens the … Continue reading "Are China and the US entering a second Cold War?"

The men who signed the US Constitution are well known for their role in history and the importance of the document that contains their names. A lesser-known person who played an important role in the original document is the man who actually wrote, or penned, the words. Jacob Shallus’s name appears nowhere on the document, … Continue reading "Local playwright traces family history to Constitutional scribe"

Disability advocates are sounding the alarm over the funding and staffing crisis impacting care. They say the problem is so severe that the system risks an eventual collapse unless the state government takes immediate action. Gary Blumenthal is the vice president of InVision Human Services, in Wexford and Reading, Pa., and his organization is advocating … Continue reading "Advocates say low pay and unreliable funding is putting intellectual disability system at risk of collapse"

Older people’s risk of falling made worse by pandemic Seniors are at a greater risk of falling with age. This is due in large part to changes in physical strength, mobility and balance. Falls can be deadly, too, particularly because of the dangers of head injuries. The pandemic has increased the risk to seniors because … Continue reading "Older people’s risk of falling made worse by pandemic"

The English Channel separates England and France by less than 21 miles. For marathon swimmers, the distance stands as the world’s most historically significant and iconic athletic challenge. Many have tried, not all have succeeded because of many factors. First, the water is cold, averaging in the low 60-degree range. For the swim to … Continue reading "Mechanicsburg woman earns place alongside successful English Channel marathon swimmers"

On any given day, the Raven Ridge Wildlife Rehabilitation Center offers aid to raptors, like eagles and vultures, mammals and waterfowl that have been hurt or injured. The Lancaster County center rehabilitates nearly 2000 animals every year and is also home to several non-releasable animals. Tracie Young, the founder and director of the center says … Continue reading "Lancaster-area animal rehabilitation center treats an alarming number of animals with lead poisoning"

Smart Talk remembers the 9/11 terrorist attacks 20 years later with a Road Trip to the State Museum of Pennsylvania Thursday. Witness to History is a new exhibit at the State Museum that includes the notes taken on Sept. 11, 2001, by former Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner, Col. Paul Evanko, when he joined former Gov. … Continue reading "Smart Talk Road Trip to State Museum and 9/11 exhibit"

Flight 93: The Story, the Aftermath, and the Legacy of American Courage on 9/11 may be one of the most complete accounts of the hijacking of United Flight 93. That was the one plane taken over by terrorists that didn’t reach its final destination. The plane crashed in a rural area of Somerset County, Pennsylvania … Continue reading "Author of one of the most comprehensive books on Flight 93 appears on Smart Talk"

The United States’ messy withdrawal and the quick Taliban takeover of Afghanistan shouldn’t have been a surprise after one reads the new book The Afghanistan Papers – A Secret History of the War by Pulitzer Prize nominated Washington post reporter Craig Whitlock. Using resources that included oral histories and internal documents Whitlock details “the U.S. … Continue reading "New book documents 20 years of war and what went wrong in Afghanistan"