The Spark

Our journalist roundtable for February 28 included WPSU’s Sydney Roach and WITF’s Jordan Wilkie. Jordan recently covered a protest where more than 300 people marched to the capitol to protest the Donald Trump administration. Sydney discussed her report on the protest in Centre County where people protested the Trump administration’s recent actions, which included pauses on federal funding and Eldon Musk’s involvement in the government.

Listen to the podcast to hear the discussion.

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Winter road treatments help to keep us safe on the roads, however there are some hidden dangers of road salt and our freshwater ecosystem. Dr. John Jackson, Senior Research Scientist of Stroud Research Center, shared how the road salt makes its way into our fresh water.

“a portion, maybe half, maybe a little more, maybe less, immediately goes into our waterway by way of the snow melt and runoff. So, we'll see a spike in salt in the stream within hours of snow, or especially an ice event. icing goes because it's sleet right then and there there's a lot of runoffs to the stream, so we'll see a big spike.”

The highest spikes occur once the salt hits the seawater.

“In one case we've actually measured it being twice as salty as the ocean. And then the second way the salt enters the stream. during the infiltration portion. So, every time it rains or the snow melts, there's a huge chunk of that water actually goes into the ground. And when it's salty water.”

The road salt is extremely harmful to the plants and animals that live in the waterways.

“These are animals that are used to being in fresh water, just like you and I are used to drinking fresh water. We don't like drinking ocean water. uh we didn't evolve we're not we're not actually physiologically capable of doing well if our drinking water was salty it would be a big strain on us and so the plants and animals that are in that salty water experience that same physical strain um it's a water balance challenge first of all just like you and me being in the desert if you're in the desert you have a That's the first concern from my background.”

The salt is also aging our infrastructure and contaminating our drinking water.

“So we're seeing an increase in basically an acceleration of the aging of our infrastructure. So we already have infrastructure challenges and our road salt use is making that worse. The second thing is there's drinking water concern. Like I said, we drink fresh water, not salt water, and our water is It's safe to say today our water is probably twice as salty as it was 20 years ago, and 20 years ago was twice as salty as it was 40 years ago. This is a new phenomenon. the science as well as the management of the issue is still evolving.”

Listen to the podcast to hear the entire conversation and what we can do as local residents to minimize those negative effects of road salt on our freshwater ecosystems. 

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Much has been written about the Amish in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, but little of that comes from the Amish themselves. Author Brad Igou seeks to change that with his compilation, Amish: In their own words. The book is compiled from the first 25 years of Family Life Magazine. Igou says his inspiration to write this book was born out of an experience living with an Amish family.

“I'd read a lot about the Amish, but I found a publication they had called Family Life, which was written by Amish people all across America, gave me a lot of insight into what was really on the minds of Amish people, what they were thinking. their problems, their differing opinions, and that's not something I found in most academic books.”

Through the compilation, Igou wanted to clear up some misconceptions about the Amish.

“We often tend to look at the Amish maybe partly because they dress the same as a kind of cookie cutter people. It's an expression we sometimes use. And this kind of way of humanizing the Amish shows that they have some of the same frustrations and concerns that the rest of us. Whether it's our young people, whether it's the influence of technology. We even address issues like abuse and suicide.”

Igou says through his research, he learned about some of the struggles the Amish face.

“I think some of the important things were to read about struggles that they have, whether it's abuse or marriage problems. You know, the Amish don't live in utopia. They have struggles and problems, just like the rest of us do. I found articles interesting where the Amish had adopted children, which was something that I wasn't real familiar with. writings about non -resistance, about the struggles of taking care of your parents, which the Amish feel is a responsibility they have. And also there were a couple things about what we call seekers, people who are interested maybe in becoming Amish and what the challenges of that may be and again it's to see this difference of opinion across the many states in the United States and Canada where the Amish live, that they don't always agree with each other either.”

Listen to the podcast to hear the entire conversation.

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Lisa Zoll is a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Grief Relief in Harrisburg. Grief Relief specializes in grief and trauma therapy for adults and first responders within Pennsylvania. Grief is described as the loss of something significant loss and trauma is an event that causes some significant level of distress and anguish for someone.

Asia Tabb, host of The Spark asked Lisa how grief and trauma intertwine following a tragic event.

“There is a term, traumatic grief, which is basically what this event has caused for many people because there was the trauma of the event that happened and dealing with that aspect of it. And then there's the grief of the losses that are now taking place.”

Grief can form out of the loss of anything that ranges from a person, pet, place, or even a career. Zoll called it disenfranchised grief which is any death or less that may not be acknowledged by people or by society as a whole.

“Those are losses that are sort of unsupported, unacknowledged, invalidated. So, when we think about it, yeah, we usually think about grief as the death of somebody. but there's a spectrum of losses across our lifespan that we can experience, including leaving home or leaving a job that we really loved. There's so many things, leaving a career, there's so many things that include loss and that we grieve, but maybe not very openly, and we may not even realize that we're grieving it or that it's a grief process that we're engaging in.”

There are a few misconceptions when it comes to grief. One misconception is the myth of closure.

“So, we think about we've lost somebody, we've lost something, and we're looking for closure. We wanna shut that door and we don't wanna look back at it. We're moving on from it. And that really is a myth. Like there's not really an end to grief.”

Listen to the podcast to hear the entire conversation.

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Public transportation plays a critical role in Central and Eastern Pennsylvania’s lives whether they’re trying to get to work, run errands, or get to their medical appointments. The mass transit is changing, pitting traditional methods against things like rideshare services.

According to Richard Farr, Executive Director of Rabbit Transit, technology has been a game changer in services they provide the public.

“Now we're paying by cell phones. We used to have to print hundreds of thousands of schedules. It is now an app that tracks the bus in real time and provides people with real time information. So, I think really technology has really pushed us to the forefront, you know, working with Google where you can do trip planning, “said Farr.

During the pandemic, mass transit decreased in ridership due to the shut down and social distancing. Greg Downing, Executive Director of the South-Central Transit Authority says they about 85-90 percent of where they were pre pandemic.

“A monthly pass for us is forty-two dollars for the regular person and twenty dollars for a student. Now, when you compare what the average car payment is too individual, which is I think in 2025, it's over seven hundred dollars just for a car payment. That's not even including maintenance and insurance. We're talking about just actual dollars going back into someone's pocket. So, we have been constantly just preaching that public transit is the way to go. So, as we continue to build that message and continue to get that message out there, communicate it all to the masses, I'll say we're seeing that more and more. Whereas we had a low before we're starting to kick back up as far as getting our number, our ridership numbers back to where they were, “said Downing.

Listen to the podcast to hear the entire interview.

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Franklin County played an important role in the Underground Railroad. It’s location on the Mason-Dixon Line signaled escaping slaves entry through the north, and the mountainous terrain afforded numerous hiding places in caves and wooded areas.

“Over the years I've heard research historians refer to South Central Pennsylvania as ground zero of the Underground Railroad. Over the years I've heard research historians refer to South Central Pennsylvania as ground zero of the Underground Railroad, “said Janet Pollard, Executive Director of the Franklin County Visitors Bureau.

John Brown was an abolitionist who participated in the Underground Railroad and helped to protect escaped slaves from slave catchers.

“In aiding those enslaved individuals well we had of course this area Chambersburg was the northern headquarters of John Brown when he planned his raid for Harper's Ferry so he launched from the Kennedy farm but in Chambersburg is where he housed he housed some of his men that were part of his provincial government because he'd had a plan to establish different government secretaries of state secretaries of war he had different people that he had placed here and they were living in Chambersburg in the spring and even into the fall of 1859.”

Listen to the podcast to hear the full interview. 

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The Perry Historians were incorporated in 1976 and is dedicated to preserving history whether it i's researching genealogy or documenting historic sites. Local Author and Historian, Jerry A. Clouse was one of the founding members of the non-profit.

"There was not a library, a research library where we could do research instead of going to the state library at Harrisburg. So we felt it would be good to have one closer by in Perry County."

The organization began with just 30 members, but grew by a thousand around the 1980's.

"So a lot of people joined us and we raised money through little fundraisers here and there. And we started like on a shoestring carrying our books to, we would have genealogical workshops at different locations in the county. And finally we raised enough money to purchase an old schoolhouse, which was our first where we had our little library then. But in a few years we realized we needed something more and we built an archives building and then we've had two more additions since then to, so that we could house our library properly and provide research room, everything to help the public better access history and genealogy."

Listen to the podcast to hear the entire interview. 

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The movie Brave the Dark is an account between the relationship of Stan Deen and his adopted son Nathaniel ‘Nate’ Deen’. This past January, The New Holland Area Historical Society opened an exhibit so people could learn more about the story behind the movie.

For Nate, Mr. Deen provided him with hope and stability.

“For me growing up was a really hard and tragic time. I experienced a lot of childhood trauma and so when I was 16, I ran away and ended up meeting a teacher, Mr. Dean, at Garden Spot High School in New Holland, Pennsylvania and he helped me through a really hard time and so I met him as a teacher but he became my father really, the father that I so desperately needed in my life, “said Nate Green.

Mr. Deen was a beloved English and drama teacher at Garden Spot High School from 1967-1997. Nate was approached by Steve Lowen to visit the New Holland Area Historical Society Museum, and they decided to dedicate an entire exhibit to Stan. Visitors can expect to see a journey through Mr. Deen’s life and how he impacted so many people through 'The Remarkable Mr. Deen'.

“You'll learn about his childhood, going through school, going to Pasadena Playhouse to become an actor. Always wanted to be an actor but things didn't work out and so he became a teacher back in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in New Holland at Garden Spot High School. You'll get to literally walk into his classroom and see the chairs and his old desk and some of the items that were on his desk. You'll get to see photos of him as a teacher over the years. There's even a stand -up cutout of Stan so you can take a picture. There's just so many wonderful things. You'll get to continue through and see all of the memories of Garden Spot performing arts and the shows that he helped perform direct.”

Nate hopes that visitors take away the importance of small acts of kindness from the exhibit.

“Stan was such a kind person, and he just connected with us and his students and his actors and everyone he encountered. He just truly saw you for who you were and he believed in you probably more than you believed in yourself.”

Listen to the podcast to hear the full conversation. 

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The Rt. Rev. Dr. Nathan D. Baxter Fund for African American Studies 2025 Forum is set to take place February 27. Reverand Dr. Catherine Williams, Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship and Director of Chapel Worship at Lancaster Theological Seminary says it’s part of their Black History Month commemoration. This forum will honor the legacy of Biship Nathan D. Baxter.

“Even as a lecturer here, his lectures, because he was around and active in the civil rights movement himself, his lectures here help students understand how you connect social justice with spiritual leadership, and he's really good at that. He has established this fund for African -American students who seek to be effective in the world once they graduate. He has established this fund that will help support them. His legacy is one of justice.”

Dr. Williams forthcoming book, “Preaching and Music:  Powerful Partners in Proclamation explores the intersection of preaching and music.

“When it was time for me to write a book, I chose not to the exotic route of writing about the calypso, but it appeared to me that even in African American church environments, congregations, how musical the preaching is. When the preaching, when the singing happens, how much proclamation and teaching and testimony happen in the singing. I thought, I think I will write about this because I haven't seen anyone else do.”

Listen to the podcast to hear the full conversation.

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February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, a time dedicated to shedding light on an issue that affects far too many young people. Sobeida Rosa, Community Educator with Domestic Violence Services of Lancaster County, works to educate the public about Domestic Violence and resources available at DVS Lancaster.

“Teens can also be involved or experience these types of things within their dating. And it's super important to raise awareness because we want to make sure we can try to do some prevention, some reframing so that they can in turn be adults with healthy relationships and kind of get these warning signs early before, you know, the added pressure of adulthood on top of being in a relationship, “said Rosa.

Kristen Herman, Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence says educating young folks before they become adults provides an opportunity to help as they’re forming relationships.

“You know, whether we like it or not, kids at this age are dating. What that looks like to them and what that sounds like to us might be two totally different things, but it is happening. And we are seeing emotional, psychological, physical, sexual abuse in teen dating relationships as well, especially when we look at things like the use of technology in that age group, “said Herman.

Listen to the podcast to hear how technology and social media plays a role in teen dating abuse, what to look out for if a parent suspects their teen is in a abusive relationship, and the first steps a teen should take If they find themselves in a abusive relationship.

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