The Spark

Gettysburg National Military Park, one of America’s most historic sites, is feeling the effects of widespread staffing and budget reductions across the National Park Service, according to reporter Najib Aminy. The cuts, driven by executive actions under the Trump administration, have already resulted in the loss of a quarter of the agency’s staff.

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A mysterious, apple-loving creature said to roam the hills of Columbia has once again inspired thousands to gather for a celebration of folklore, food, and community.

The Albatwitch Festival, now in its 11th year, highlights the legend of the “albatwitch” — a small, hairy, tree-dwelling cryptid that some say still lurks in the woods around Chickies Rock.

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Cherry Crest Adventure Farm is once again in the running for USA Today’s “Best Corn Maze in America” — marking the 10th time the Lancaster County attraction has been nominated.

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When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005, the storm left a devastating mark on New Orleans and surrounding communities. Nearly two decades later, the storm is remembered not only for its destruction, but also for how it reshaped meteorology and weather forecasting.

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For nearly a decade, Hershey Gardens’ annual Bug-O-Rama has given families the chance to get up close with creatures they may never encounter in their own backyards — from hissing cockroaches to jungle nymphs, tarantulas, and exotic praying mantises.

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WLCH Radio Centro, a bilingual public radio station and program of the Spanish American Civic Association (SACA), is celebrating almost 38 years of broadcasting while navigating financial challenges brought on by cuts in federal funding.

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The Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area isn’t your typical state game land. Spanning about 6,000 acres along the Lancaster-Lebanon County border, it combines hunting, hiking, boating, and wildlife viewing with a rich conservation history.

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On this week’s Journalist Roundtable, reporters examined the August 11 explosion at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works that killed two workers and injured ten others.

U.S. Steel says its initial investigation points to a gas valve failure. According to the company, pressure built up inside the valve while workers were flushing it during maintenance preparations. The release of coke oven gas is believed to have found an ignition source, triggering the deadly blast.

Reid Frazier of The Allegheny Front noted that the Clairton plant has a long history of safety and maintenance problems. “There was a fatal explosion here in 2009, another blast that injured 20 workers in 2010, and a fire in 2018 that disabled pollution controls for months,” he said.

Jordan Wilkie of WITF shared the perspective of a Clairton resident who heard the August 11 blast. The resident described not only the fear of the explosion itself but also ongoing struggles with air quality and pollution tied to the coke works.

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A Pennsylvania native is receiving national attention for her work helping soldiers build resilience beyond physical training.

Maj. Erin Stone, originally from Boiling Springs, was recently featured in Men’s Health for her expertise in the U.S. Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) system. The program, known as H2F, aims to improve soldier readiness by focusing on five areas: physical, mental, nutritional, sleep, and spiritual.

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Even though it’s late summer, many Pennsylvanians still have gardening on their minds—and plenty of questions, too. While spring is often thought of as the main planting season, horticulturalist Erica Jo Shaffer says this time of year is far from the end of gardening. In fact, there’s still a lot you can do to keep your garden thriving into fall and beyond.

When words like “bipolar,” “schizo,” or even “anxious” are tossed around in everyday conversation, they often miss the mark of what those diagnoses actually mean. Psychiatrist Dr. Luke Piper of UPMC Lititz says while the casual use of psychiatric language has become common, it can dilute the real meaning of mental illness and even discourage people from seeking help.

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