The Spark

What to look for on Smart Talk Thursday, October 4, 2018: Anyone accused of committing a crime and facing criminal charges in the U.S. has a Constitutional right to be represented by an attorney and as the famous Miranda warning says, an attorney will be appointed for the defendant if the defendant can’t afford one. … Continue reading "Public Defender Series and solutions on climate and energy"

What to look for on Smart Talk Wednesday, October, 3, 2018: When there is a medical emergency, you pick up the phone, dial 9-1-1 and first responders come to your aid. But what happens if there is no one there to answer your call? Local emergency service providers are in a crisis and few Pennsylvanians … Continue reading "EMS services sound the alarm"

Protesters attends a rally against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro outside United Nations headquarters in New York, Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) What to look for on Smart Talk Tuesday, October, 2, 2018: The country of Venezuela, situated on the northern end of South America, is a topographically diverse and resource rich nation. The … Continue reading "Venezuela crisis and Senate Candidate – (Green) Neal Gale"

What to look for on Smart Talk Monday October, 1, 2018: The 2018 mid-term election is set for Tuesday, November 6. The midterms take place in the middle of President Donald Trump’s first term and many see the election as a refenrendum on Trump. Nationally, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 … Continue reading "12th Congressional District Candidate (D) Marc Friedenberg and Lincoln Lyceum awardee"

What to look for on Smart Talk Friday, September 28, 2018: Pennsylvania is in the midst of a pipeline-building boom, and the Mariner East 2 natural gas liquids line is set to come online soon. With it, there is controversy — and fear. WITF’s StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Marie Cusick covers pipeline construction and energy issues … Continue reading "Pipelines and fear, AARP studies loneliness and the novel ‘An American Marriage’"

What to look for on Smart Talk Thursday, September 27, 2018: Don’t miss the broadcast premiere of Battling Opioids: A Project of Pennsylvania Public Media, today at 8pm on WITF TV. The first 60 minutes of the magazine style format program consists of stories from around the Commonwealth that focuses on stigma, prevention and treatment. … Continue reading "Battling Opioids Day 3 and F&M poll"

Health and education officials across the country are raising alarms over wide underage use of e-cigarettes and other vaping products. The devices heat liquid into an inhalable vapor that’s sold in sugary flavors like mango and mint — and often with the addictive drug nicotine. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) What to look for on Smart Talk … Continue reading "Teen e-cigarette use; FDA declares epidemic"

(AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley) What to look for on Smart Talk Tuesday, September 25, 2018: Every day, more than 115 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids. It has been declared a public health emergency. Here in Pennsylvania, the opioid epidemic is impacting our family members, friends, teachers, first responders, and perhaps … Continue reading "Opioids impact on children and I Go Home series"

What to look for on Smart Talk Monday, September 24, 2018: Pennsylvania has one of the highest opioid overdose death rates in the nation; nearly 13 people die everyday. The disease knows no socio-economic boundaries, and because of the wide-ranging social impact on families and communities, the crisis affects all of us. Across the state, … Continue reading "Battling opioids – A project of Pennsylvania Public Media"

What to look for on Smart Talk Friday, September 21, 2018: The U.S. job market is red-hot. The government reports the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits is at a near 49-year low, a sign the job market remains strong. In fact, the labor market is viewed as being near or at full employment. … Continue reading "Tech schools and the labor market"