The Spark

Nura Mustafic, one of the Mothers of Srebrenica and other Bosnian organizations, wipes away tears as she reacts to the verdict which the Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal, ICTY, handed down in the genocide trial against former Bosnian Serb military chief Ratko Mladic, in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday Nov. 22, 2017. A U.N. court convicted former … Continue reading "The billion dollar art theft market and Bosnian War crimes"

What to look for on Smart Talk Wednesday, March 20, 2019: Child abuse is a preventable, public health crisis. Everyday in America, children are exposed to abuse and neglect. In most cases, the abuse is committed by a parent, caregiver or someone in a trusted position. The numbers are heartbreaking. Government sources estimate that about … Continue reading "Preventing child abuse and PA property taxes explained"

What to look for on Smart Talk Friday, March 15, 2019: There is good news and bad news when it comes to car insurance. First the bad news. You must have it to drive a car and it can be expensive. The good news? While rates in the U.S. are at an all-time high, rates … Continue reading "Car insurance rates hold steady and Community theater hits milestone"

What to look for on Smart Talk Tuesday, March 19, 2019: It’s a Smart Talk Road Trip to the Hershey Theatre in Hershey Tuesday marking the 125th birthday of The Hershey Company. Smart Talk broadcasts live from the historic theatre where we discuss founder Milton Hershey’s life and accomplishments, how the Lancaster Caramel Company became … Continue reading "Smart Talk Road Trip marks Hershey Company 125th birthday"

What to look for on Smart Talk Monday, March 18, 2019: Giving birth to a child is one of the most significant events in a woman’s life. It is also one of the most dangerous. It is difficult to believe that in a modern medical era women still die from childbirth complications. In fact, while … Continue reading "Why are mothers still dying from childbirth?"

What to look for on Smart Talk Thursday, March 13, 2019: Ron Hetrick has been named the new president and CEO of WITF. He succeeds Kathleen Pavelko who is retiring after 19 years. Hetrick served as senior vice president of finance and administration since joining WITF in 2000. As president and CEO, he will oversee … Continue reading "PBS NewsHour’s Judy Woodruff / WITF picks new leader / ‘Picking up’ the Poconos"

Press gathering around Metropolitan Edison Vice President Jack Herbein March 29,1979. What to look for on Smart Talk Tuesday, March 12, 2019: WITF continues it’s coverage of the 40th anniversary of the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island Tuesday on Smart Talk by discussing how the media covered the event and its aftermath. The nation’s … Continue reading "Media coverage of TMI accident was part of the story"

What to look for on Smart Talk Monday, September 24, 2018: The opioid crisis has impacted every facet of American life and touched all socio-economic levels. Recent news reports say that overdose deaths are leveling off after two years of increasing numbers. Does this mean the opioid crisis over? Not so fast, according Jennifer Smith, … Continue reading "Is the opioid crisis over?"

Dr. Brett Delone, Surgeon, (left) and his surgical team, Kigali, Rwanda, September, 2018 (Photo by Margaret Marchaterre) What to look for on Smart Talk on Monday, March 11, 2019: A local group of medical professionals and volunteers is providing cost-free medical care in some of the poorest countries in the world. Known as Operation Medical, … Continue reading "Surgical teams take medical skills global"

What to look for on Smart Talk Friday, March 8, 2019: Sunday is Charter Day in Pennsylvania — marking the day when the Commonwealth’s founder William Penn obtained a charter in 1681 for territory that would be known as Pennsylvania from the King of England. Most Pennsylvanians learned in history classes that Penn was looking … Continue reading "William Penn’s life and the case for female superheroes"