What A Week! Podcast

Episode 95 of What a Week! features Fern Leard, Shannon Groshek (campaign manager and nonprofit founder), and Hannah Butterwick in a passionate discussion about the growing threat of data centers to rural Pennsylvania communities. The guests share their experiences organizing against these massive facilities, highlighting concerns over farmland loss, skyrocketing energy demands, environmental impacts, and inadequate community protections. They explore how citizens can hold officials accountable, the role of incentives in driving development, and strategies for building effective grassroots movements. This is a call to action for anyone in NEPA or rural areas facing similar challenges—subscribe, share, and get involved.

Episode 194 of What a Week! features Alyssa Fusaro, former Vice Chair of the Luzerne County Board of Elections and Registration, in a candid discussion about her 4-year term and the end-of-term report she released detailing election vulnerabilities. Alyssa shares why she joined the board after witnessing 2020 issues, her role as a liaison between voters and the Bureau of Elections, and the challenges she faced—including retaliation, false accusations, and barriers to transparency. She highlights uninvestigated incidents, such as envelopes mistakenly discarded, revoked access, and systemic problems that remain unaddressed. With a focus on public awareness and hope for reform, Alyssa explains her shift from speaking out to documenting, and why these issues matter for election integrity in Pennsylvania. A must-listen for anyone concerned about fair elections. Subscribe, share, and let’s demand change. #WhatAWeek #ElectionIntegrity #LuzerneCounty #PAElections

Episode 93 of What a Week! features Bailey Simrell, a NEPA technologist living on the bleeding edge of innovation, for a deep dive into AI, data centers, and their massive impact on Pennsylvania. Bailey breaks down his origin story—from growing up in a marketing agency to building apps in real estate, construction, government, and finance—before unpacking data centers: their massive power needs (one equals 100,000 homes!), cooling systems, and why they're exploding in rural PA. We explore AI's role in amplifying demands, economic incentives driving corporate expansion, environmental risks to farmland, and alternatives like nuclear power or distributed computing. With Scranton's future on the line, this is a wake-up call on tech's double-edged sword—subscribe, share, and let's talk solutions! #WhatAWeek #AIDataCenters #TechInPA #ScrantonProud

Episode 92 of What a Week! brings together PA State Rep Jamie Walsh and PA resident John Zola for a serious, eye-opening discussion on the data center invasion in Pennsylvania. They recount a trip to "Data Center Alley" in Ashburn, VA, where endless giant, windowless buildings sit in eerie silence, destroying farmland and communities. Walsh and Zola explain the "Stop the Line" movement, the environmental and economic threats of these facilities, and how a small core group of citizens can hold elected officials accountable. From township meetings to podium speeches, they share practical advice on organizing against corporate overreach. If you're in NEPA or rural PA, this is your wake-up call—subscribe, share, and join the fight! #WhatAWeek #StopTheLine #PADataCenters #ScrantonProud

Episode 91 is a 2-hour-35-minute casual chat with Joe Diehl and Jeff Squier, founders of NEPA Street Scene – the Northeast PA car community since 2012. Joe shares his military enlistment at 17 in 2001 (pre-9/11), deployments, injuries, PTSD, and transition to civilian life. They discuss building NEPA Street Scene, mental health advocacy, tech interests, and plans for podcasts on tech and mental health. A grounded conversation about service, community, and purpose.Listen now and connect with NEPA Street Scene on Facebook.#WhatAWeek #JoeDiehl #JeffSquier #NEPAStreetScene #Military #MentalHealth

Episode 89 is a no-holds-barred conversation with Sam Faddis – retired CIA Chief of Station, 20-year undercover operator, former Army tanker, and the man who trained DIA & NSA field officers.Sam breaks down the Marxist playbook, Bolshevik tactics, and why the sudden explosion of data centers and nuclear plants across Pennsylvania is a massive red flag. This is a senior former intelligence officer connecting the dots in real time.

Connect with Sam andmagazine.substack.com

Episode 188 of What a Week! features John Phillips — co-owner of Parlor Root Beer and longtime tour manager for Snoop Dogg and Ice T — in a 2+ hour, unfiltered conversation about the state of America. We start with the drunk “Guido” defense at Hiles post-9/11, then dive into the country’s moral and cultural collapse, the cult-like behavior of both political parties, abortion as population control, poverty engineered to control people, and the systematic destruction of truth. We explore how the system keeps people weak, distracted, and divided — and why seeing through the noise is the only way forward. No spin. No filters. Just two guys wrestling with the big questions. Watch the full 2+ hour episode and weigh in below. Subscribe and hit the bell for more.

#WhatAWeek #JohnPhillips #AmericaCollapse #TruthWar

Chapter Markers

0:00:00 – Drunk “Guido” Defense at Hiles

0:08:51 – Post-9/11: How We Met in the Chaos

0:14:51 – America’s Death Spiral Begins

0:20:28 – Political Parties as Cults

0:26:30 – Abortion as Population Control

0:32:50 – Poverty as a Weapon of Control

0:38:42 – The Truth War: You Have to Mine It

0:48:42 – The System Wants You Weak

1:00:14 – Snoop & Ice T: The Only Truth in Music

1:06:14 – The Collapse Is Intentional

1:12:39 – They’re Coming for Your Kids

1:22:39 – The Fight Back Starts Now

1:32:39 – Love You Buddy — But the War’s On

1:42:39 – Final Warning: Wake Up or Lose E

Our conversation with John Lombardo, Luzerne County Council member, firefighter, and EMT. John discusses the value of long-form, unscripted conversations in politics, why some leaders avoid them, and how platforms like Joe Rogan are changing discourse. He shares his experiences on county council, concerns about spending transparency, and the importance of respectful dialogue across differences. Facebook: John Lombardo (personal) | John Lombardo for County Council (political page)

Episode 86 of What a Week! brings Chelsea Taylor, a NEPA social worker and musician, for a raw, honest dive into navigating life’s complexities. Chelsea shares her path from earning a master’s in social work to rocking stages, her struggles with therapy’s limits, and her newfound support for the Second Amendment. We tackle societal polarization, the “idiot” narratives driving division, and the healing power of music. With Scranton/NEPA pride, we riff on local connections, from food stamp internships to future collabs. Join us to explore truth, resilience, and community. Subscribe, share, and let’s keep NEPA strong! #WhatAWeek #ScrantonProudChapter Markers0:00:00 - Intro: Chelsea Taylor and NEPA Vibes (5 min)0:05:00 - From Social Work to Music: Chelsea’s Journey (6 min)0:11:00 - Therapy’s Limits: Seeking Truth Beyond Talk (6 min)0:17:00 - Social Work Realities: Food Stamps and Policy Goals (6 min)0:23:00 - Polarization Woes: Navigating a Divided World (6 min)0:29:00 - Music as Healing: Chelsea’s Creative Spark (6 min)0:35:00 - Second Amendment Shift: Nonviolence to Deterrence (6 min)0:41:00 - NEPA Community: Local Ties and Collabs (6 min)0:47:00 - Cutting Through Noise: The “Idiot” Narrative (6 min)0:53:00 - Personal Growth: Refocusing Amid Chaos (7 min)1:00:00 - Societal Illusions: Truth as a Quest (7 min)1:07:00 - Scranton Stories: Local Pride and Banter (7 min)1:14:00 - Music and Future Plans: Touring Dreams (7 min)1:21:00 - Guns and Philosophy: A Polite Armed Society (7 min)1:28:00 - Closing: Gratitude and NEPA Unity (7 min)

Episode 86 of What a Week! brings Chelsea Taylor, a NEPA social worker and musician, for a raw, honest dive into navigating life’s complexities. Chelsea shares her path from earning a master’s in social work to rocking stages, her struggles with therapy’s limits, and her newfound support for the Second Amendment. We tackle societal polarization, the “idiot” narratives driving division, and the healing power of music. With Scranton/NEPA pride, we riff on local connections, from food stamp internships to future collabs. Join us to explore truth, resilience, and community. Subscribe, share, and let’s keep NEPA strong! #WhatAWeek #ScrantonProud

Chapter Markers
0:00:00 - Intro: Chelsea Taylor and NEPA Vibes (8 min)
0:01:17 - From Social Work to Music: Chelsea’s Journey (10 min)
0:01:43 - Therapy’s Limits: Seeking Truth Beyond Talk (10 min)
0:02:04 - Social Work Realities: Food Stamps and Policy Goals (10 min)
0:36:27 - Polarization Woes: Captains and Narratives (10 min)
0:48:19 - Music as Healing: Chelsea’s Creative Spark (10 min)
0:58:00 - Second Amendment Shift: Nonviolence to Deterrence (10 min)
1:17:06 - NEPA Community: Local Ties and Collabs (10 min)
1:28:00 - Cutting Through Noise: The “Idiot” Narrative (10 min)
1:40:00 - Personal Growth: Refocusing Amid Chaos (12 min)
1:52:00 - Societal Illusions: Truth as a Quest (12 min)
2:04:00 - Scranton Stories: Local Pride and Banter (12 min)
2:16:00 - Music and Future Plans: Touring Dreams (12 min)
2:38:21 - Guns and Philosophy: A Polite Armed Society (12 min)
2:39:18 - Closing: Gratitude and NEPA Unity (12 min)