The Spark

What to look for on Smart Talk, Wednesday February 6, 2019: Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is proposing a $34.1 billion 2019-2020 fiscal year budget for the state that focuses heavily on education and workforce development. In his annual budget address Tuesday, Wolf outlined a broad plan of his priorities for Pennsylvania over the next 12 … Continue reading "Wolf budget focuses on education, workforce development"

More than 400 youth were charged in adult court in Pennsylvania in 2017 because of a law passed in 1995 (courtesy Joshua Vaughn, The Sentinel) What to look for on Smart Talk Thursday, February 7, 2019: Before 1995, criminal homicide was the only charge (other than traffic violation’s) that required a person under 18 appear … Continue reading "What happens to juveniles charged as adults? / New districts change election results?"

President Donald Trump waves after stepping off Marine One, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, right, and son Barron Trump, on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019, in Washington. Trump is returning from a trip to his Florida resort. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) What to look for on Smart Talk Tuesday, … Continue reading "Bucknell poll measures Trump influence on voters/What’s next for Marsy’s Law in PA"

What to look for on Smart Talk Monday, February 4, 2019: States are granted the legal authority to hold elections by the U.S. Constitution. So, each state’s laws and regulations for conducting elections are as diverse as the state. According to some members of the Pennsylvania legislature, the state election code needs modernized. A few … Continue reading "Election reform package and the 2019 State of Tobacco Control report"

What to look for on Smart Talk Friday, February 1, 2019: Last year, Governor Wolf signed an executive order to reduce carbon pollution in Pennsylvania. Carbon emissions are thought to be a major factor affecting global climate change, which Wolf calls “the most critical environmental threat facing the world.” But the devil is in the … Continue reading "Pennsylvania sets carbon goals / Water quality systems need upgrade"

iStock image What to look for on Smart Talk Thursday, January 31, 2019: As men continue to dominate the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, the visibility of women in the those professions often goes unseen. In fact, women make up almost half of the workforce in the United States. But when it comes … Continue reading "STEM education and the rise of female inclusivity"

What to look for on Smart Talk Wednesday, January 30, 2019: The Pennsylvania Game Commission gave preliminary approval Tuesday to starting the firearm deer-hunting season on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. If adopted, the move would break a long-standing tradition of starting deer season on the Monday after Thanksgiving. Game Commission spokesman Travis Lau joins us … Continue reading "Deer season starting on Saturday?/Reconstruction: Forgotten history/Living history/Bethesda Mission expanding?"

What to look for on Smart Talk Tuesday, January 29, 2019: Anyone traveling in and through central Pennsylvania on area highways knows that truck and car traffic volume is on the rise. Traffic growth is one of the pitfalls of a thriving economy. More traffic means greater wear and tear on the highway system and … Continue reading "Area highway upgrades and PA firefighters are impacted by shutdown funding"

What to look for on Smart Talk Monday, January 28, 2019: There are 67 counties in Pennsylvania, each one with unique municipalities and governing challenges. Every year, the state’s County Commissioners assemble a list of legislative priorities that best represent the interests of all of them. Because county governments provide direct human services to their … Continue reading "Pennsylvania counties’ legislative priorities"

Image Credit: Michael Wells, Southern Arizona, 2010, Photograph, Courtesy of the Artist What to look for on Smart Talk Friday, January 25, 2019: It’s a Smart Talk Road Trip to the Phillips Museum at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster. A new exhibit at the museum, titled Hostile Terrain, is a timely art expression on … Continue reading "Smart Talk Road Trip to Phillips Museum at Franklin & Marshall College"