The Spark

What to look for on Smart Talk Monday, April 8, 2019: Turnpike officials may be breathing a sigh of relief. Last week, a federal judge dismissed a $6 billion lawsuit filed against the commission by two out-of-state trucking and advocacy groups. The relief may be short-lived, however, because the Turnpike is still $11 billion in … Continue reading "Turnpike money problems and preventing sexual assault"

What to look for on Smart Talk, Thursday, April 4, 2019: In a span of two weeks, two survivors of the Parkland, Florida, massacre died by suicide, nearly a year after the devastating event. In the week after their deaths, the father of a Sandy Hook elementary school shooting victim also died by an apparent … Continue reading "Preventing suicide after trauma"

What to look for on Smart Talk, Wednesday, April 3, 2019: Your local government needs your help; it’s time to get involved. Local governments are an important part of democracy in the United States. They ensure that citizens are involved in the decision-making processes in their city and townships. In Pennsylvania, there are 67 counties … Continue reading "Local government needs you"

What to look for on Smart Talk, Tuesday, April 2, 2019: Public employees have been put on notice. If they are convicted of a job-related felony, they will no longer receive a public pension. Significant updates to the Public Employee Pension Forfeiture Act were signed into law by Governor Wolf in March. The updated law … Continue reading "Term limits for legislators and Pension forfeiture is signed into law"

What to look for on Smart Talk Monday, April 1, 2019: The latest Franklin and Marshall College statewide poll was released late last week and it shows Pennsylvanians support legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes and favor raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage. Half like what Gov. Tom Wolf is doing in office and a third believe President … Continue reading "What are Pennsylvanians thinking about the issues?"

What to look for on Smart Talk March 28, 2019: Thursday marks the 40th anniversary of the accident at Three Mile Island. It is still the worst accident at a commercial nuclear plant in the nation’s history. A combination of plant design, an equipment malfunction and human error led to a loss of cooling water … Continue reading "40th anniversary of Three Mile Island accident"

Peyton Walker (L), The Peyton Walker Foundation has donated over 60 AEDs to schools, athletic organizations, nonprofit public venues, and police departments. Photos courtesy of The Peyton Walker Foundation. What to look for on Smart Talk on Wednesday, March 27, 2019: Young people and young athletes are dying every day from a little-known threat; Sudden … Continue reading "Heart condition strikes the young and traveling exhibit highlights LGBTQ+ struggle"

What to look for on Smart Talk Tuesday, March 26, 2019: WITF’s Smart Talk program often introduces newly appointed college and university presidents to the central Pennsylvania community soon after they are appointed or take office. On Tuesday’s Smart Talk, we meet Barbara Altmann, who became the 16th president at Franklin & Marshall College in … Continue reading "Franklin & Marshall College President"

What to look for on Smart Talk, Friday, March 22, 2019: Dickinson College’s relationship to slavery is a complicated one. Even before emancipation, students enrolled at Dickinson came from both Southern and Northern states. This made for a vigorous debate that reflected the opinions of the country. Today, Dickinson College is using their history to … Continue reading "Dickinson College’s slavery connection and solving food insecurity, one garden at a time"

What to look for on Smart Talk Monday, March 25, 2019: The reported cases of tickborne disease in the United States are on the rise. Illnesses like Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis and Lyme Disease are becoming more prevalent. So, the Department of Health is acting to assess the risk across Pennsylvania. The survey began in July … Continue reading "Tickborne illness on the rise and is the drinking water safe in schools?"