The Spark

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, an average of 128 Americans died each day from opioid overdoses. That number marked a decrease in deaths after several years of intense efforts to slow the trend. Opioid misuse has been a threat since the 1980s and researchers say trends can be measured in three different waves. The first … Continue reading "Opioid deaths accelerated during the pandemic, lockdowns fueling an unintended outcome"

Lead-based paint was banned in the US in 1978, but thousands of kids in Pennsylvania are still exposed to the dangerous product. Most homes in towns and boroughs throughout the state were built long before the ban, which means that many still have lead paint on their walls. Exposure to the lead through dust and … Continue reading "Lead paint still poisons thousands of children, advocacy group urges action plan – Emergency rental assistance falls short for communities with greatest need"

Tackling tough topics is a journalists job, particularly in public media organizations where reporters have a responsibility to present both sides of every story. PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs is a national youth journalism program involving 160 middle and high schools. Their goal is to train young people from across the country to produce stories … Continue reading "PBS NewsHour student reporting labs – Ned Smith Center for Nature & Art"

It is often hard to imagine that hunger exists in a state with so many abundant resources. The truth is that disparities remain and many people face the absence of basic needs. The pandemic has impacted seniors in particular, with many experiencing food insecurity. The Wolf administration is organizing state agencies and area non-profits to … Continue reading "Food insecurity and hunger plagues older population – Advocacy group calls for greater effort to preserve local farmland"

All eyes are on the Supreme Court this term as the conservative majority body makes their mark with several historic and important decisions. Progressive observers have been somewhat surprised at a few of the case results, leading them to interpret the court as more ideologically neutral that previously thought. There have been exceptions, however, especially … Continue reading "Supreme Court noteworthy rulings – Breaking down President Biden’s climate plan"

The legacies of two former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justices with ties to Central Pennsylvania — Roger B. Taney and John Marshall — are under scrutiny today because of their connections to slavery. The US House of Representatives voted in June to replace a bust of Roger B. Taney with one honoring the first African … Continue reading "The legacies of Chief Justices Roger Taney and John Marshall and slavery – Strike Out Covid"

Should college athletes be paid was a question asked for decades as college sports — especially football and basketball — rivaled professional sports in popularity that included in-person attendance, TV audiences and merchandise sold. Within just the last few weeks, the question was answered and athletes are in line to be compensated — not for … Continue reading "Name image and likeness rights law for collegiate athletes – Project Rattle Cam"

Critical race theory is a hot-button issue in the news today. There are plenty of advocates arguing for teaching the theory in schools, and others challenging the construct outright. Critical race theory, or CRT, is a way of understanding how racism shapes and influences government institutions. The debate around CRT is currently focused on how … Continue reading "The battle over teaching critical race theory – Also on the program: Older people’s risk of falling made worse by pandemic"

From a vantage point 245 years after the founding fathers declared independence from Britain, the men tasked with drafting the declaration were a veritable who’s who among American patriots. The Congress appointed a committee to draft a blueprint, that consisted of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson, who took the … Continue reading "The Declaration of Independence annotated – Bucknell University poll finds support for voter ID laws and SCOTUS term limits"

The global pandemic has taken a toll on many aspects of American society, particularly education. In many parts of the country, schools closed in March 2020 and never went back to full in-person learning. Some districts are still unsure about what will happen this fall when schools are scheduled to begin a new academic year. … Continue reading "Pandemic impacts students and halts education around the world"