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.” It’s tax time and even in a normal year tax professionals are challenged to answer individual’s questions about their returns. During … Continue reading "Smart Talk: Tax deadline approaches, what this means for stimulus recipients and the unemployed"

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.” Years from now, Pennsylvanians will remember and tell stories about how they spent their time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pennsylvania’s First … Continue reading "Smart Talk: Documenting Pa. COVID experience"

Both President Joe Biden and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf have proposed increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour by the year 2027. Those who support hiking the minimum say it will help millions of low-paid workers and lift them out of poverty while opponents say it will result in a loss of jobs because … Continue reading "The impact of a $15 minimum wage"

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 Watch Party streams LIVE on WITF’s YouTube channel and broadcasts LIVE on WITF 89.5 & 93.3 on Thursday, February 25 … Continue reading "Smart Talk Virtual Watch Party: Focus on Career & Tech Education"

National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline 1-800-950-6264 It has been a stressful year — a global pandemic, COVID deaths, economic turmoil, the list goes on. Coping with stress — especially for children and young adults, can be difficult. Over time, the impact to one’s physical and mental health can be significant. Conditions like depression and … Continue reading "Smart Talk: Shining a light on mental health and youth suicide"

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 expansion of telehealth, or remote clinical care, has increased by more than 150 percent since 2019. This is due in … Continue reading "Smart Talk: The rise of telehealth to meet COVID-era challenges"

The Pennsylvania Department of Aging’s role is to advocate for the interests of older Pennsylvanians and because the pandemic has put this vulnerable population in its crosshairs, that job is much more complicated and important. Aging Pennsylvanians are facing a myriad of stressors: Higher COVID risk, difficulty accessing vaccines, and social isolation have changed their … Continue reading "Smart Talk: Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary"

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.” Women around the country are experiencing the economic impact of COVID at a rate substantially higher than men. This is due … Continue reading ""

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.” February is Heart Health month and typically a time to investigate new treatments and approaches to heart disease. This year, however, … Continue reading "Smart Talk: COVID-19 and the heart"

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.” Over the years, there have been many suggestions on ways to reform the state and federal governments — to make members … Continue reading "Smart Talk: Term limits for elected officials"