The Spark

While many businesses in Pennsylvania have closed to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Governor Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf reminded Pennsylvanians that this does not include grocery stores and food suppliers. Governor Wolf said that all Pennsylvanians should have faith in our food system and that if everyone only buys what they … Continue reading "The coronavirus on Smart Talk Tuesday: security of the food supply, vaccine trials and helping aging Pennsylvanians"

Childcare centers around the Commonwealth are facing a tough choice; close their doors or get permission from the state to stay open. They can’t operate without a waiver since Governor Tom Wolf issued a blanket shutdown order to thousands of “non-life-sustaining” businesses across the state. The decision for some centers is based on the population … Continue reading "The coronavirus on Smart Talk Monday: human services, domestic violence concerns, how PA businesses are dealing with closures, and a look at what happened during the 1918 flu pandemic"

While the number of cases of the COVID 19 or the coronavirus pandemic continue to grow in the U.S. and Pennsylvania, WITF’s Smart Talk focuses on many aspects of the illness and the nation’s response to it. Smart Talk is committed to providing context and answering questions during these extraordinary times. On Friday’s Smart Talk, … Continue reading "The coronavirus on Smart Talk Friday: feeding the hungry, going outdoors, the view from Italy"

While the number of cases of the COVID 19 or the coronavirus pandemic continue to grow in the U.S. and Pennsylvania, WITF’s Smart Talk focuses on many aspects of the illness and the nation’s response to it. Smart Talk is committed to providing context and answering questions during these extraordinary times. On Thursday’s Smart Talk, … Continue reading "The Coronavirus on Smart Talk Thursday: Blood needed, impact on restaurants, funerals"

Emergency room doctors and healthcare providers have found themselves on the front lines of the coronavirus response. There has also been an impact on the acute care system and how hospitals are dealing with the crisis. A major part of their response involves first responders. Joining us on Wednesday’s Smart Talk is Dr. Arvind Venkat, … Continue reading "The coronavirus’ impact on ERs, schools and prisons"

The Pennsylvania Attorney General wants Pennsylvanians to be on the lookout for price gouging and scammers. Merchants have been warned to not use the coronavirus public health emergency as a “business opportunity.” There are state rules that bar sellers from charging for goods or services that are more than 20 percent of the average price … Continue reading "Consumer protection during the coronavirus outbreak is an AG’s top priority"

COVID-19, or the coronavirus, is more dangerous for older people. Unlike the flu or other illnesses, younger people haven’t gotten as sick or died from the virus at the same rate as those over the age of 70. The Centers for Disease Control has said about 80% of the people who test positive for the … Continue reading "The Coronavirus: What are nursing homes doing?"

Pennsylvania is blessed with abundant natural resources and bucolic scenery. But litter along the highways and byways is a persistent problem that mars the state’s natural beauty and costs taxpayers millions of dollars in clean-up. It is estimated that over 51 billion pieces of litter land on U.S. roadways each year. The problem is so … Continue reading "Road litter is costing Pa millions in clean-up"

The 1986 explosion and fire at the Chernobyl nuclear plant has been described as the world’s worst nuclear disaster. Chernobyl has that distinction based on the facts that the public knew immediately afterwards. What we know about Chernobyl now is that the disaster was much worse than what the world thought. Journalist Andrew Higginbotham has … Continue reading "Midnight in Chernobyl author on Smart Talk"

On Friday, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf held a press conference to announce that two people in Pennsylvania have tested positive for the coronavirus. Over the weekend, health officials announced that four additional people are presumed positive, bringing the total to six. State Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, MD, explained that Pennsylvania health authorities first test … Continue reading "The Coronavirus in Pennsylvania, what’s the latest?"