The Spark

A coalition of Pennsylvania providers is urging lawmakers to include a $13 million funding increase in the upcoming state budget to support residential rehabilitation services for individuals with traumatic brain injuries. If approved, the state investment would unlock an additional $17 million in federal Medicaid matching funds, bringing the total to $30 million.

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When Van Wagner talks about trees, it’s more than just classroom chatter — it’s a personal mission. The Danville Area High School agriculture teacher and certified forester recently completed a unique and physically demanding journey: climbing a tree at the highest point in each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.

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For Dr. Eric Selvey, President of the Pride Festival of Central Pennsylvania, Pride is personal — and political. After first joining the board in 1993, serving as president for three of those years, and then returning in 2021 after the pandemic hiatus, Selvey has seen the LGBTQ+ movement in Central Pennsylvania evolve into something both resilient and radiant.

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Tucked away in the wooded hills of Lititz, Pennsylvania, the Wolf Sanctuary of PA offers a permanent home to over 50 gray wolves and wolf dogs—animals too wild for domestic life and too misunderstood for most traditional shelters. Since its founding in 1980 by the Darlington family, the sanctuary has grown into both a rescue haven and a powerful educational resource, helping the public understand the complex nature of these majestic canines.

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June marks Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to spotlight the unique challenges men face in seeking mental health support. Dr. Luke Piper, a psychiatrist at UPMC Lititz, joined The Spark to share both professional insights and a deeply personal story.

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For more than six decades, Long’s Park Amphitheater has echoed with the sounds of live music every summer Sunday night — a tradition that continues in 2025 with a vibrant lineup of 12 free concerts from June 1 through August 17.

“The summer music series at Longs Park Amphitheater is a tradition in Lancaster that’s spanned over 63 years,” said Kristin Chronister, president of the Long’s Park Amphitheater Foundation and chair of music. “We host free music concerts every Sunday evening starting at 7:30 p.m.”

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Coming up on this week's edition of The Spark Weekly.

Anne Danahy of WPSU and Wyatt Massey of Spotlight PA will discuss the closure of 7 Penn State campuses, agreed to by the Board of Trustees in a 25 to 8 vote.

Also on the program:

As the nation observes Memorial Day, many Americans pause to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service. For Patricia Bowers of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, that solemn remembrance is a year-round mission.

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On The Spark this week, we explored the fascinating intersection of art, memory, and environmental legacy with two leaders from the Susquehanna Art Museum. Executive Director Alice Anne Schwab and Rachel O’Connor, the museum’s new Director of Exhibitions, joined us in the studio to talk about Future Fossils, their latest exhibition that’s sparking big questions—and imaginations.

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This week on The Spark’s Journalist Roundtable, we tackle a major shakeup in Pennsylvania higher education: the closure of seven Penn State campuses, a decision formally approved by the university’s Board of Trustees in a 25 to 8 vote. Joining us to unpack the story are Anne Danahy, reporter for WPSU, and Wyatt Massey, education reporter with Spotlight PA.

The closures, announced as part of a sweeping cost-cutting and restructuring effort, have stunned students, staff, and communities that have long relied on Penn State’s commonwealth campus system to provide accessible and affordable education across the state.

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Nearly half of Americans are now breathing unhealthy air — and much of Pennsylvania is among the hardest-hit, according to the American Lung Association’s newly released 2025 State of the Air report. The annual analysis, now in its 26th year, found significant declines in air quality across the state, with Lancaster, Pittsburgh, and Dauphin counties receiving failing grades for both ozone and fine particle pollution.

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