Smart Talk is a daily, live, interactive program featuring conversations with newsmakers and experts in a variety of fields and exploring a wide range of issues and ideas, including the economy, politics, health care, education, culture, and the environment. Smart Talk airs live every week day at 9 a.m. on WITF's 89.5 and 93.3. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ WITF, Inc. https://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss en-us Wed, 02 Nov 2016 12:30:00 EST Thu, 01 Jan 2015 12:30:00 EST https://www.witf.org/SmartTalk_1400x1400.jpg https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ Smart Talk is a daily, live, interactive program featuring conversations with newsmakers and experts in a variety of fields and exploring a wide range of issues and ideas, including the economy, politics, health care, education, culture, and the environment. Smart Talk airs live every week day at 9 a.m. on WITF's 89.5 and 93.3. Podcasts of WITF's news and public affairs program Smart Talk no WITF, Inc. pennsylvania, news, local, politics, economy, health, education, culture, environment, WITF WITF, Inc. podcasts@witf.org The Thursday edition of the Top Stories of 2017 on Smart Talk focuses on Central Pennsylvania's take on the major issues President Donald Trump raised during his first year in office. Trump is probably like no other president this country has ever seen. Of course, today's technology and forms of communication didn't allow past presidents to bypass the media and go directly to the people as President Trump does on Twitter. That's just one way Trump is different. Trump and his loyal supporters take pride in the president not being "politically correct" and saying what's on his mind even if it is a very personal criticism. Since Trump was sworn into office in January, it seemed as though a bombshell hit the news every other day -- one that had the country talking or that would have a major impact on the lives of Americans. Often, when Smart Talk addresses national issues, we do it by talking with local people with a knowledge of the issue which also allows listeners to weigh in as well. We'll hear discussions of several of those issues on Thursday's program -- how Trump won Pennsylvania in last year's election, the Republican tax overhaul, tensions with North Korea, what happens with the people who entered the U.S. with their parents illegally as children and Trump expanding which employers could deny free access to contraceptives to their employees. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December282017.mp3" Thursday, 28 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The Top Stories of 2017 on Smart Talk series continues Wednesday with a look back at one of the most controversial issues in South Central Pennsylvania this year -- the construction of pipelines in the region. Specifically, this program looked at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that approves or rejects plans for pipelines. Opposition to a major project is nothing new whether the concern is the environment, safety, traffic or simply when neighbors cry "not in my backyard." But the number of pipelines is increasing across the country and Pennsylvania is a prime location for new pipelines with the natural gas upsurge in the Marcellus Shale. The companies that are building those pipelines must go through an extensive process for approval. Ultimately, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or FERC must give their approval to pipelines. A months-long investigation by WITF's StateImpact Pennsylvania and the Center for Public Integrity brings into question whether FERC is too close to the industries and companies that transport oil and gas through pipelines. The report found that FERC has denied just two pipeline projects over the last 30 years. We'll learn more about what the FERC investigation found on Wednesday's Smart Talk. StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Marie Cusick appears on the program along with Kristen Lombardi and Jamie Smith Hopkins of the Center for Public Integrity. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December272017.mp3" Wednesday, 27 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 All this week, Smart Talk features the Top Stories of 2017 on Smart Talk by looking back at several of the important issues that got the public's attention throughout the year. They include the issues that were raised by President Trump and the Trump Administration, the opioid crisis and pipelines being constructed in Central Pennsylvania. We begin the series Tuesday though with one of the popular features on the program this year -- Smart Talk Road Trips. Throughout the year, Smart Talk has traveled throughout the region and even outside WITF's listening area to broadcast live and meet listeners face-to-face. Some of the locations Smart Talk broadcast from in 2017 were the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, the York Garden Show, Lebanon Valley College, Bube's Brewery, the Extraordinary Give in Lancaster, Allenberry Resort and the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. Often the guests who appeared on those programs talked about topics related to the locations but we addressed other timely issues as well. The broadcasts were full of energy that a live audience brings and included questions from audience members as well. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December262017.mp3" Tuesday, 26 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The case before the State Supreme Court regarding the re-districting of Pennsylvania's congressional districts has been adjourned and Commonwealth Court Judge P. Kevin Brobson is expected to issue an opinion in January. Another Pennsylvania re-districting case is being heard before a federal court. At stake is the integrity of the district lines as drawn by Republican lawmakers in 2011; critics argue that the state has 807,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans and the fact that 13 of 18 congressional delegates are Republican points to malfeasence in the last district drawing process; that Republicans drew district lines to their favor. Keystone Crossroads reporters Emily Previti and Lindsay Lazarski have been covering the re-districting cases at both the state and federal levels; they join Thursday's Smart Talk to parse out the progress of these cases. Also, the anachronism of musty, dusty old libraries with creaky wooden floors and mildewed books has given way to high-tech facilities with services more on par with a Silicon Valley tech firm. For years we've seen the modernization of public libraries, from recorded music and DVDs to basic computer usage and then net access. Today, area libraries are offering amenities such as virtual-reality headsets, lending of WiFi hotspots and reference and text e-books. Other services include GED programs and classes in financial literacy. The focus of the libraries will always be to provide print material for readers, and the libraries in the region keep that tradition alive with author presentations and inter-active experiences, like a starship simulator for kids. On Thursday's Smart Talk, we discuss library sciences in the 21st century and the services available for mid-state Pennsylvanians with Laura O'Grady, Director of Library Services for Derry Township's Hershey Public Library and Christi Bruker, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Library Association. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December212017.mp3" Thursday, 21 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The first Greek fraternity began on the campus of the College of William and Mary in 1775. Since then, social fraternities and sororities offered support and camaraderie for college students across the country. The 1978 comedy Animal House portrayed Greek organizations as out-of-control party houses that create chaos for campuses and communities. While this depiction was greatly exaggerated, incidents of hazing, underage and binge drinking and sexual assault have caused many to question the value of having these organizations on campus. "All social fraternities -- alongside the sycophantic sorority life that they exploit -- must go," writes Lisa Wade, an associate professor of sociology at Occidental College and the author of American Hookup: The New Culture of Sex on Campus. Advocates of the Greek system point to the family-like atmosphere that is cultivated, helping young adults acclimate to life away from home, community and philanthropic efforts and academic support as benefits of Greek life. The bonds can be important for both business and social networking after college. The death of Penn State student Timothy Piazza in February exposed the worst behavior of campus Greeks: unrestrained hazing, excessive alcohol abuse, neglect and complicity by the members of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. A grand jury report issued on Friday referred to PSU's "shocking apathy" regarding allegations of hazing and drinking. The report says university officials "were aware of the excessive and dangerous alcohol abuse indulged by fraternities, such that it was only a matter of time before a death would occur during a hazing event." On Wednesday's Smart Talk, we'll talk with Lisa Wade about her concerns with the Greek systems and we'll speak with Millersville University's Brian Hazlett, Vice-President of Student Affairs and Kyle Miller, Coordinator of the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership about the benefits of Greek organizations and campus efforts to mitigate risk. Also, the Penn State Health / Highmark partnership was made official on Monday as the two healthcare giants expand their services into Central Pennsylvania. The partnership will create a vertically integrated healthcare delivery system to the region that will include a $1 billion investment in a comprehensive network. The alliance also elevates the rivalry between Highmark and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center-Pinnacle for Central PA market share. Highmark president Deborah Rice-Johnson feels this will be beneficial for consumers in the form of more affordable and accessible healthcare, saying "This is about creating value in a unique way. We're going to take advantage of information to build better care models." However some studies show that mergers and alliances can drive up costs. WITF's Transforming Health reporter, Brett Sholtis, joins Smart Talk to discuss the nuances of the PSH/Highmark partnership. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December202017.mp3" Wednesday, 20 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Peyton Walker was a 19-year-old studying to be a physician's assistant at King's College in 2013. She enjoyed the outdoors; snowboarding, rock climbing and four-wheeling. The Camp Hill native passed away unexpectedly early in her sophomore year. Peyton died of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) related to a congenital heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. SCA causes more than 600,000 deaths annually and is the second leading cause of death in people under 25. In an effort to understand SCA, the Mechanicsburg-based Peyton Walker Foundation facilitates heart screenings, CPR and defibrillator training and scholarship opportunities for students studying healthcare. On Monday's Smart Talk, we'll talk with Julie Walker, Peyton's mother and the director of the foundation and Dr. Mike Bosak from UPMC Pinnacle - Pinnacle Health Cardiovascular Institute. Also, Christmas is a week away and the region's communities are putting together a number of events for the family. Smart Talk will talk about the parades, shows, tree-lightings and caroling events with Joe Cliff of Discover Lancaster, Andrew Staub of the York County Convention and Visitor's Bureau and Rick Dunlap from Visit Hershey & Harrisburg. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December192017.mp3" Tuesday, 19 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Peyton Walker was a 19-year-old studying to be a physician's assistant at King's College in 2013. She enjoyed the outdoors; snowboarding, rock climbing and four-wheeling. The Camp Hill native passed away unexpectedly early in her sophomore year. Peyton died of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) related to a congenital heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. SCA causes more than 600,000 deaths annually and is the second leading cause of death in people under 25. In an effort to understand SCA, the Mechanicsburg-based Peyton Walker Foundation facilitates heart screenings, CPR and defibrillator training and scholarship opportunities for students studying healthcare. On Monday's Smart Talk, we'll talk with Julie Walker, Peyton's mother and the director of the foundation and Dr. Mike Bosak from UPMC Pinnacle - Pinnacle Health Cardiovascular Institute. Also, Christmas is a week away and the region's communities are putting together a number of events for the family. Smart Talk will talk about the parades, shows, tree-lightings and caroling events with Joe Cliff of Discover Lancaster, Andrew Staub of the York County Convention and Visitor's Bureau and Rick Dunlap from Visit Hershey & Harrisburg. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December182017.mp3" Monday, 18 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Hydraulic fracturing, or 'fracking,' is a method of accessing oil and natural gas; the process involves shooting a high-pressure mixture of water, sand and chemicals into underground formations to break open the rock and gain better access to the resources. While this has created an economic boon for Pennsylvania and helped increase natural gas usage as a cleaner-burning energy source, fracking has also created myriad environmental concerns--from water contamination to earthquakes. Senior research associate Daniel Raimi of Resources for the Future has captured the history and impact of the fracking industry in The Fracking Debate: The Risks, Benefits, and Uncertainties of the Shale Revolution. WITF's StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Marie Cusick will speak with Raimi about fracking in Pennsylvania, and what the shale drilling boom means for human health and the U.S. economy. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December152017.mp3" Friday, 15 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Harrisburg University of Science and Technology has announced plans for a $140 million Health Science Education Center to help accommodate its 5,400 undergraduate students. The downtown Harrisburg proposal would create housing for 300 more students and expand programming to include degrees in nursing, pharmaceutical studies and other healthcare courses of study. The expansion will also facilitate mixed-use development that would include a hotel, restaurant and conference space. University President Dr. Eric Darr predicts the 200,000 square foot project will be good for both the city and university, saying "we will bring more jobs to the city and help transform downtown." In addition to the Harrisburg project, the university purchased 38,000 square feet of space in Center City Philadelphia to accommodate students attending the satellite campus. On Thursday's Smart Talk, we discuss the expansion project with Dr. Darr and future plans for Harrisburg University. Also, a recent law in Pennsylvania prohibits owners from tethering their pets outdoors for prolonged periods during cold days. Owners can be fined $300 and/or jailed for up to 90 days for keeping their pets tied up for more than thirty minutes when the weather drops below 32 degrees, the freezing point. Smart Talk will discuss the law and other ways to keep your pets safe during the cold winter months with Kristen Tullo, Pennsylvania State Director at The Humane Society of the United States and Amy Kaunas, Humane Society of Greater Harrisburg executive director. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December142017.mp3" Thursday, 14 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Call it the holiday edition of the Smart Talk Road Trip. For Wednesday's program, Smart Talk broadcast live from Mount Hope Estate and Winery, located on Route 72 between Manheim and Lebanon -- just off Exit 266 of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. With less than two weeks before Christmas, the show focuses on the holiday with an eye toward, traditions and customs. The National Christmas Center Family Attraction and Museum in Paradise, Lancaster County has one of the largest collections of Christmas decorations, antiques and memorabilia on the East Coast. Jim Morrison, who sports a long white beard, is the owner and founder of the museum. We'll talk with him about collecting all things Christmas. The museum has announced it will close in the new year and we'll explore why. Central Pennsylvania has many holiday customs taken from the Pennsylvania Dutch or Germans. Patrick Donmoyer, Director of the Pennsylvania German Heritage Center at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania joins us to talk about Belsnickel, second Christmas and other customs and culture. Finally, Mount Estate and Winery is decorated for the holidays. There are very few places in the region as beautiful at this time of year. Smart Talk features a conversation about the estate and its history. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December132017.mp3" Wednesday, 13 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 It's become a holiday tradition on Smart Talk and one of the favorite shows of the year - books as gifts. Books have always been a thoughtful and treasured gift. Almost everyone enjoys and can appreciate a good book as a present -- whether it is fiction, a novel, non-fiction, poetry, or a how-to book. Maybe one of the classics. We'll also have a few book suggestions for children or teenagers. On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we discuss the books that would make great gifts. They may or may not be new or on the bestseller lists, but our panel will recommend and describe several titles to think about. Joining us will be Catherine Lawrence, co-owner of the Mid Town Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg and a writer herself, and Travis Kurowski, an assistant professor of creative writing at York College of Pennsylvania. We'd like to hear your suggestions as well. What books do you think your friends or loved-ones would enjoy or what books are on your wish list this year? https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December122017.mp3" Tuesday, 12 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 During a November meeting of the Harrisburg School District Board, teachers from the district asked the board for help dealing with increasing violence in the classroom. Between July and October of this year, forty-five teachers have retired from the Harrisburg School District; Harrisburg Education Association president Jody Barksdale says more have resigned since October. "I have been kicked, punched, hit, scratched. I've had a student physically restraining me in front of my other students," pleaded first grade teacher Amanda Schaeffer. "Many of the personal things that I have bought for my classroom have been broken or destroyed." The level of violence has become an ever-present distraction for teachers. "Many minutes are spent each day dealing with violence that is happening in the classroom," said Schaeffer. "How am I meeting my students' needs with this behavior happening? How am I supposed to have a safe, nurturing learning environment when this behavior happens?" The education association has asked for the formation of a taskforce that would include administrators, teachers and parents to address the causes and solutions to the violence. Harrisburg District Superintendent Sybil Knight-Burney acknowledged the problem and asked for time to address the issue, saying "Unfortunately, some of these things take time. They take time for training; they take time for investigation, and making sure that we are doing the right thing for our students." On the Monday edition of WITF's Smart Talk, we talk with Barksdale about the concerns of teachers in Harrisburg classrooms and discuss solutions with Knight-Burney, Jaime Foster, HSD's Chief Academic Officer and Chanda Telleen, Nationally Certified School Psychologist and Educational Consultant through the CAIU Supporting PA's Behavior Initiative, Fulling the Role of District Director of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December112017.mp3" Monday, 11 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 There are about 50,000 people incarcerated in Pennsylvania prisons and jails. Every month, about 1,800 are released from state prisons. Within three years, more than half of them will be arrested again or back behind bars. Being able to cope on the outside is a major challenge for the inmates who are released. Finding a job, staying away from people or habits that landed them in jail in the first place, and re-storing trust and relationships with family and friends are hurdles facing those who are freed from prison. Avoiding drugs and alcohol is also a factor to staying on the right side of the law. More than 2,800 inmates are women. Collectively, those women have about 2,000 children. WHYY-FM is one of 15 news organizations that participated in the The Reentry Project, a solutions-oriented focus on the issues facing formerly incarcerated Philadelphians. WHYY's Assistant News Director Katie Colaneri followed one woman who had just been released from prison. That woman -- Redina Rodriguez -- is from Harrisburg. On Friday's Smart Talk, we hear a documentary Colaneri produced about Rodriguez as she tried to reclaim her life, regain custody of her daughter and stay off drugs. We'll also speak with Katie Colaneri about what went on behind the scenes of Redina Rodriguez's life. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December082017.mp3" Friday, 08 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 December 15th marks the last day to enroll for healthcare coverage for 2018 under the Affordable Care Act. Thursday's Smart Talk discusses in-state trends in enrollment and changes to the program and answer your questions with Pennsylvania's Acting Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman and Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers' Association insurance navigator Lynn Keltz. Also, the Republican Congress has been selling their tax overhaul bill as a boon for the middle class and tax cuts for corporations that will translate to higher wages and salaries for workers. Democrats are skeptical of this claim. Amgen Inc. chief executive Robert Bradway said in an October earnings call the pharmaceutical company had been "actively returning capital in the form of growing dividend and buyback and I'd expect us to continue that." Cisco CFO Kelly Kramer told Bloomberg News last month "we'll be able to get much more aggressive on the share buyback" after the passage of the tax bill. On the day before the bill's senate passage, Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) made a radical proposal: corporations would only get the proposed tax break if they can demonstrate they are sharing the revenues afforded by the tax cut with employees. Republican senators voted down the amendment. On Thursday's Smart Talk, we'll discuss the tax overhaul bill with Senator Casey and what its passage into law could mean for working Pennsylvanians. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December072017.mp3" Thursday, 07 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 A House-Senate conference committee is now working to finalize and iron out the differences between the tax reform packages approved by both Republican-controlled bodies. Republican Congressman Lloyd Smucker, representative of portions of Berks, Chester and Lancaster Counties, appears on Wednesday's Smart Talk to discuss the bills. Between 1939 and 1948, Henry Norwood "Barney" Ewell was considered the fastest man in the world. Ewell was born into poverty in Harrisburg, attended McCaskey High in Lancaster where he became the state's leading track star and went on to win 12 gold medals in college meets while at Penn State. Because of delays due to WWII, Ewell had to wait until 1948 to compete in the Olympics where he won gold on the 4 X 100 relay team. He continued to compete throughout Europe and Australia, eventually retiring to Lancaster. He passed in 1996 at the age of 78. Today, a group in Lancaster is working to preserve the memory of Barney Ewell through memorabilia collected throughout his life, including Olympic medals and souvenirs from his travels. On the Wednesday edition of WITF's Smart Talk, we talk about preserving Barney Ewell's legacy with Jeremiah Miller, coordinator of the McCaskey High School Alumni Association and former Lancaster County Commissioner and nephew of Ewell, Ron Ford. Also, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is committed to overturning Obama-era net neutrality rules that ensured equal access and delivery speeds for all web sites. The Federal Communications Commission voted along party lines to rollback the regulations in May which would allow companies like Verizon and AT&T to charge sites for high speed delivery and block competitors of big-ticket sites like Amazon or Facebook. Robert Frieden, a Penn State professor of Telecommunications and Law argues that pay-per service would allow telecom companies to upgrade their infrastructure globally, stating " . . . when you subsidize access in these lesser developed countries, you provide an opportunity to see what the internet is all about." Smart Talk will discuss net neutrality with Frieden and Andrew Hacker, Harrisburg University's Cybersecurity Expert in Residence. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December062017.mp3" Wednesday, 06 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The mass media or mainstream media, as many call the most popular radio and TV networks, newspapers and websites, is under fire, perhaps more than at any time in recent history. Probably every American president has criticized the media at one time or another and there were times throughout the nation's history when journalists weren't responsible in reporting the news or were partisan politically, but no president has attacked the media publicly like Donald Trump. President Trump coined the name "fake news" when he hears a story he doesn't like or sees as inaccurate, has called reporters dishonest, bad people and has gone as far as saying the press is the enemy of the people. Even before Trump became a candidate or president there were Americans that saw the media as biased or unfair, but in today's atmosphere, the criticism has gone beyond not believing everything that is reported. At least 34 journalists have been physically assaulted in 2017. Just last week, Walmart agreed to remove a tee-shirt the stores were selling that read "Rope. Tree. Journalist. SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED." The 2017 Poynter Media Trust Survey released last week found that about half the country trust the media. Many journalists are battling back with transparency and with a renewed committment to making sure the news they report is accurate. Tuesday's Smart Talk addresses trust in media with Dan Shelley, Executive Director of the Radio Television Digital News Association and WITF's Multimedia News Director Tim Lambert. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December052017.mp3" Tuesday, 05 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 More than 63,000 nonprofit organizations operate in Pennsylvania, generating revenues of more than $220 billion. Nearly a quarter of a million Pennsylvanians work in the nonprofit sector; almost 15% of the state's workforce. These entities register as 501(c)(3) organizations, exempting them from federal tax. Late last week, the Senate passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act - the tax reform bill - and it is currently being reconciled with the House before going to the president. One of the provisions of the bill as it left the House was a reduction in the number of individuals eligible to deduct charitable donations from their federal filings, reducing the pool of eligibility from 31% of individual filers to 5%. In addition, the proposed repeal of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate would result in a projected 13 million Americans losing healthcare coverage; nonprofit service organizations anticipate that would result in a dramatic increase in need for services. Anne Gingrich, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations, recently penned an opinion piece for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette expressing the concerns of the state's non-profit community regarding the tax reform proposal, Gingrich will join Monday's Smart Talk to discuss the impact this tax bill could have on Pennsylvania's nonprofit sector and the vulnerable citizens who rely on their aid. Also, the state's Board of Education released a report last month indicating 93% of Pennsylvania schools are including Holocaust education in their curriculum. The state's General Assembly passed Act 70 in 2014, encouraging the teaching of Nazi genocide of Jews, homosexuals, disabled and ethnic minorities during WWII. The classroom instruction is age appropriate at all levels and also includes content on the Rwandan genocide and other acts against humanity. Smart Talk will discuss the importance of teaching the Holocaust to all students with Randi Boyette, the Anti-Defamation League of Philadelphia's Associate Regional Director of Education and Elaine Culbert, a member of the Act 70 advisory committee and the daughter of a Holocaust survivor. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December042017.mp3" Monday, 04 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania House Bill 153 has been sitting before the State's Legislature for more than a year; the bill, sponsored by Schuylkill County Representative Jerry Knowles, passed the house with great fanfare in 2016. It has languished in committee since then. The bill would then require a constitutional amendment on an election ballot to meet full passage. HB 153 would reduce the size of Pennsylvania's Legislature from 203 seats to 151 - a reduction of 26% that would ideally save taxpayers $15 million a year. The legislative budget increased by 5.2% in 2017 to $362 million. The Commonwealth boasts the largest fulltime Legislature in the country. On the Friday edition of Smart Talk, WITF Capitol Bureau Chief Katie Meyer speaks with Mark Levy, The Associated Press' Harrisburg Correspondent and Steve Esack of the Allentown Morning Call about efforts to limit the size and budget of the state's legislature as well as the race for Pennsylvania's second-in-command. Last week, Lieutenant Governor Michael Stack announced his intention to run for re-election in 2018. Stack made the announcement from Philadelphia's City Hall, saying "It's not a secret this year has been difficult for my family and me, but we're emerging stronger and healthier." The difficulties he was referring to involve alleged abuse doled out by Stack and his wife to his state police security detail. Allegations became severe enough for Governor Wolf to launch an investigation into the Stacks' behavior and eventually strip them of the detail. The governor and Stack have had a historically rocky relationship with one capitol source telling Philly.com "Some in the front office have hated him [Stack] from Day One." Stack's announcement follows those of several other Pennsylvanians vying for the lieutenant governor's seat, including Braddock mayor John Fetterman, Montgomery County businessman Jeff Bartos and Chester County Commissioner Kathi Cozzone. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/December012017.mp3" Friday, 01 December 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Americans awoke Wednesday to learn that Matt Lauer, host of NBC's Today, was fired for inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace. He joins a growing list of high profile men who are being called out for their conduct - people who are at the highest reaches of news media, entertainment and politics. The narrative has changed since last month, when film mogul Harvey Weinstein was accused of using his clout to pressure young actresses for sex. Since, we've heard the stories of a highly regarded actor who groped young male co-workers; a respected comedian and U.S. senator who took inappropriate pictures with a female comedian while she slept; and a senatorial candidate accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl. Thursday's Smart Talk discusses whether this is a turning point in what's appropriate and what isn't, respect, acceptable behavior and how men and women treat each other. Kristen Houser, Chief Public Affairs Officer forthe Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape appears on the program. Also, according to an investigative report in the Reading Eagle, between 2009 and 2015, the state's Department of Health acknowledged more than 1,800 incidents of abuse of residents of nursing homes in Pennsylvania. Only three of those cases were referred to the attorney general's office. None were prosecuted. The Eagle says due to a lack of transparency in the reporting and documentation process, there is little understanding of the scale of these abuses. A 2010 amendment to The Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 requires facilities to notify police within 24 hours of a reported abuse but a review of 100 incidents by The Reading Eagle found that there is little compliance with the law. The Eagle had to file three Right-to-Know requests and two open records appeals to obtain this information. On the Thursday edition of Smart Talk, we'll will parse out the scope of nursing home abuses and the reporting thereof with Reading Eagle investigative reporter, Nicole Brambila. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November302017.mp3" Thursday, 30 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 As of showtime Wednesday, bitcoin values reached $11,353.52 per coin. In March of 2010, one bitcoin was worth $0.003. An investment of thirty cents seven years ago would yield a return of nearly one million dollars today. Bitcoins, and their cousins Ethereum, Litecoin and others, are a form of digital currency used for "peer-to-peer" monetary transactions that take place online. The concept of e-cash was introduced in 1981 by cryptographer David Chaum to facilitate anonymous transactions; by the 2010's, users were buying drugs, weapons and hacking programs anonymously online using bitcoins and other 'crypto-coins.' On Wednesday's Smart Talk, we'll discuss the development of bitcoin and other forms of e-currency, its practical and not-so-legal uses and its incredible growth with Dmitriy Krichevskiy, Assistant Professor of Economics at Elizabethtown College. Also, fewer than 250 of two million Direct Support Professionals who work with intellectually and developmentally disabled Americans have been trained to receive credentialing. It' a career that also doesn't pay much and has a high turnover. Penn-Mar Human services is trying to change that by offering a career ladder program to those looking to become DSPs. Penn-Mar's Maryland Chief Operating Officer Laura Tieman discusses the employment crisis on Wednesday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November292017.mp3" Wednesday, 29 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 In 2011, the FCC initiated the 'Connect America Fund' - an effort to provide broadband internet access for all Americans - including those in the most rural regions. This was an attempt to bridge what is being referred to as the "digital divide" - the chasm between those who can use the internet for education, commerce or entertainment and those without that access. The Connect America Fund would earmark monies from service fees paid on telephone bills and subsidize communication companies for infrastructural upgrades in rural and low-income communities. While most internet providers in Pennsylvania accepted the funds under the terms, Verizon declined the funding. This decision from Verizon is locking out $140 million for broadband upgrades in Pennsylvania. 800,000 Pennsylvanians lack high-speed internet access; twenty percent of those live in rural areas. The $140 million investment in the state's broadband delivery system could provide access for more than 60,000 residents. The state must act soon or those funds will be auctioned off to other states in 2018. "The window of opportunity is rapidly closing," says Pennsylvania Utility Commission spokesman Nils Hagen-Frederiksen. "The money was originally earmarked for Pennsylvania." "Collectively, residents and businesses in nearly every county face the prospect of losing federal financial support for high speed internet deployment," said PUC Commissioner David W. Sweet. On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we'll discuss the need for high-speed internet access, how communities could get left behind without it and what is being done to insure all Pennsylvanians have high-speed internet access with Steve Samara, president of the Pennsylvania Telephone Association and Mark Critz, executive director of the state's Rural Development Council. Also, the Lycorma delicatula, or spotted lanternfly, arrived in Berks County from Asia in 2014. The one-inch planthopper loves to eat grapes, hardwoods and hops - the ingredient that gives beer its distinctive bitterness. Growers in the region are desperate to eradicate the invasive species and on Tuesday's Smart Talk we'll talk about the threat the spotted lanternfly poses to the state's agricultural economy and efforts being undertaken to contain and destroy the bug with Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Fred Strathmeyer, Jr. and state entomologist Sven-Erik Spichiger. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November282017.mp3" Tuesday, 28 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 York County leads the state in seizure of personal property by police. The York County District Attorney's Office has taken $4.4 million in property from citizens - $900,000 from auctioned cars. The rate of car seizures by York County exceeds that of Philadelphia, Montgomery and Allegheny counties combined. In some cases, money, cars and property are taken from real criminals, mostly drug dealers. But many are having cars and cash seized for petty offenses; minor possession and even association with a person accused of a drug crime. These properties are taken at arrest, prior to any attempt at due process. The recourse for getting back cars, cash and property is onerous and costly. Supporters contend civil asset forfeiture is a vital tool in discouraging drug activity; it sends a message to youth that crime doesn't pay. "Is it going to be the taxpayers, you know, to pay for enforcement or treatment, or is it going to be the bad guys?" asks York County District Attorney Tom Kearney. Counties and municipalities use revenue to support police and drug treatment programs. Critics see this as an unconstitutional seizure of private property by the government. Pennsylvania state senator Mike Folmer, a Republican representing Lebanon County and portions of York and Dauphin Counties, argues civil asset forfeiture " . . . lacks the most basic notice and due process protections provided by other civil actions, and the fact that law enforcement has a financial stake in the process can lead to distorted decisions about when to pursue forfeiture." York Daily Record reporters Ed Mahon and Dylan Segelbaum have parsed out the issue of asset forfeiture in that paper; they will join the Monday edition of Smart Talk to discuss the breadth of its use and share some startling examples from the region. Also, forty-five years ago, Hurricane Agnes hit the Yucatan Peninsula and headed north, shredding the east coast all the way through New York. While in Pennsylvania, she dumped 12 inches of rain on the capital in twenty-four hours. Flood waters rose to thirteen feet, forcing the evacuations of thousands of Harrisburg residents. Fifty Pennsylvanians died, damages exceeded $2 billion. Shippensburg University history major Frank Grumbine has researched the impact of Agnes on the region and will join Smart Talk to discuss the damage caused by Agnes and how the state has adjusted their management and response to devastating natural disasters. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November272017.mp3" Monday, 27 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 More Americans travel during the Thanksgiving weekend than any other time of year. It's estimated that more than 50 million will travel at least 50 miles from home. About 89% of them will drive so it may take a little longer to arrive at their destinations. Gas prices are up by some 40 cents a gallon compared to Thanksgiving last year, but obviously that is not stopping people from hitting the roads. It's not just the holiday either -- Black Friday will bring out millions of shoppers and in Pennsylvania, the unofficial holiday of the first day of the antlered deer season for rifle is Monday. Oh and by the way, the weather is forecast to be seasonal without any big threats of rain or snow, at least in the southern part of the state. With so many drivers on the roads, from time-to-time Smart Talk brings in the Pennsylvania State Police to answer your driving questions. Cpl. Adam Reed, the Public Information Officer for the State Police, is on the program Wednesday. Also, deer season starts Monday. Pennsylvania Game Commission Communications Director Travis Lau updates us on the status of the state's deer herd, including population, deer management and chronic wasting disease. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November222017.mp3" Wednesday, 22 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania's bear hunting season began on Saturday, the state issued around 175,000 licenses for rifle and bow hunters this year. The state is home to about 20,000 black bears and officials are expecting a 2-3% kill rate for hunters. PA hunters recorded 666 black bear kills on opening day - down from 1,142 last year. While black bears can be a common sight in the rural and mountainous regions of PA, more and more residents are reporting bears in and around developed communities. A bear's sense of smell is seven times more sensitive than a bloodhound's; they will sniff out and pursue any and all food sources. Black bear mating season runs through the summer and male bears will more than 20 miles a day to find a female, and those female pheromones can travel for miles, often across human development. This, coupled with a bear's insatiable appetite for food, will drive bears into backyards and commercial dumpsters. On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we discuss human interaction with black bears, the dangers they may pose to people and the threat of human encroachment on the state's bear population with Pennsylvania Game Commission wildlife biologist Mark Ternent. Also, a team of astronomers at Penn State discovered a planet 2000 light years away with some unique weather patterns; it snows sunscreen on planet Kepler-13Ab. The planet orbits a binary star system, Kepler-13A, and is in a tidally locked orbit - like our own moon, the same side of the planet always faces its host star. On the dark side of planet Kepler-13Ab, it snows titanium oxide, the main ingredient in sunscreen. The Penn State team's discovery added Kepler-13Ab to a list of planets throughout our solar system and universe whose conditions allow for some truly weird stuff to fall from their skies. We'll discuss this discovery and some of the more bizarre forms of precipitation throughout the universe, including molten iron, glass and even diamonds with team member Thomas Beatty, an assistant research professor with Penn State's Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November212017.mp3" Tuesday, 21 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Thanksgiving is in three days and kitchens across America are filled with thawing turkeys, drying bread cubes and cans of cranberry sauce and French-cut green beans. Garage refrigerators overflow with cases of domestic beer. Board games are dusted off, arguments for the possibility of a Steeler/Eagle Super Bowl are prepped while we remind ourselves not to talk politics with family. In contrast to the chaos of our day-to-day lives throughout the year, Thanksgiving is a day to take a time-out and enjoy great food, the company of loved ones and mediocre football. Even in 2017, there is a Rockwellian peacefulness to the family Thanksgiving. On Monday's Smart Talk, we'll talk about preparing your Thanksgiving table with Chef Donna Desfor; we'll answer your questions about turkey preparation, wine and beer pairings, and some fresh ideas for some standards. Chef Desfor has some tips for substitutions for forgotten ingredients and some creative desert ideas. Let this be your year to take that yam-and-marshmallow casserole to the next level. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November202017.mp3" Monday, 20 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Smart Talk is live Friday morning at the LNP Studio, 8 West King Street in downtown Lancaster for the sixth annual Extraordinary Give fundraising campaign. The Lancaster County Community Foundation says "The 2017 Extraordinary Give is the region's largest day of online giving and will benefit more than 450 regional participating nonprofit organizations. For 24-hours only on November 17, individuals can visit www.ExtraGive.org and donate to an organization of their choice; from supporting kids, health and education to the environment, animals and the arts. Every dollar donated will be stretched by $500,000 from the Lancaster County Community Foundation and presenting sponsors Rodgers & Associates and the S. Dale High Family Foundation." A full list of participating organizations from around Central PA (including witf) is here: extragive.org/leaderboard/ Last year's event raised more than $7 million. In fact, the total amount of money given by the community has increased every year since the first event raised $1.67 million in 2012. Appearing on Smart Talk are Sam Bressi, President and CEO of the Lancaster County Community Foundation, Rick Rodgers of Rodgers and Associates, Robin Stauffer of the S. Dale High Family Foundation, Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray, and respresentatives from Mom's House in Lancaster, Gaudenzia Vantage Lancaster and the Spanish-American Civic Association of Lancaster. Be sure to give and stop by to say hello. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November172017.mp3" Friday, 17 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Longer life spans and aging Baby Boomers will soon lead to a surge in the number of Americans 65 or older. By 2030, health care spending is expected to increase by 25%, largely because the population will be older. Although there is a big push to offer assistance in keeping seniors as healthy as possible while "aging in place," nearly 42 percent of people who live to age 70 will spend time in a nursing home. And, for those who want to age in place, the pool of potential family caregivers will be smaller for baby boomers than it was for their parents. Pennsylvania has one of the fastest growing older populations in the country and that means challenges are imminent or may be here already. On Thursday's Smart Talk, we examine the challenges of an aging population with Pennsylvania's Secretary of Aging Teresa Osborne and Keira McGuire, producer and host of WITF's Health Smart series. Health Smart latest episode "The Aging Boom" airs on WITF-TV Thursday night at 8. Also, with all the attention of whether Russia interfered in last year's U.S. presidential election and if there was contact between the Trump campaign and Russia, what is life like inside Russia under President Vladimir Putin? Russian author and activist Masha Gessen's latest book The Future is History looks back at the history and fall of the Soviet Union and then paints a picture of a nation that although not Communist, resembles a totalitarian state. Gessen appears on Thursday's Smart Talk. Masha Gessen is at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg Monday starting at 6:30 p.m. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November162017.mp3" Thursday, 16 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The United States is alone amongst industrialized countries with its withdrawal from the 2015 Paris climate agreement. The accord gave nations of the world goals to work toward to reduce carbon emissions that contribute to climate change. After originally being accepted by the Obama Administration, President Donald Trump said Paris was a bad deal and punishes the U.S. For the past week, world leaders have been meeting in Bonn, Germany to hammer out more details on how to reach their goals. Dr. Donald Brown, Professor of Sustainability Ethics and Law at Widener University Commonwealth Law School in Harrisburg is participating in the conference and joins us on Smart Talk Wednesday from Bonn. The Arab Spring in 2011 held so much promise for freedom in the Middle East. Several nations benefitted but others didn't. Syria in particular fell into chaos with a horrifying civil war. Since the war began, 6.5 million people have been displaced. That's one in three Syrians. Another 470 thousand are dead. Northwestern University professor of politics and author Wendy Pearlman spoke with many refugees for her new book We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled - Voices from Syria. She appears on Wednesday's Smart Talk. Wendy Pearlman speaks at Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg Wednesday night at 7. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November152017.mp3" Wednesday, 15 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Smart Talk discusses Pennsylvania's congressional district boundaries with reporters from the Over the Line? collaborative. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November142017.mp3" Tuesday, 14 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Smart Talk discuss concerns of regional officials about the placement of mini-casinos in mid-state communities and we look at a program to encourage green improvements throughout the state and efforts to facilitate economic independence for Pennsylvanians with disabilities. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November132017.mp3" Monday, 13 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank estimates that one in nine people are at risk for hunger. So are one in six children. The Food Bank, along with Feeding America, released a study earlier this year that indicates 111,000 children are struggling with hunger in the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank's 27-county service area. That's even though statistics from the federal and state governments show the nation's and Pennsylvania's economies are improving and there's a low unemployment rate. Thursday's Smart Talk Road Trip travels to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank near Harrisburg to discuss hunger, who is at risk and the efforts being made to provide food to them. The Smart Talk Road Trip comes on WITF's annual one-day fundraiser with Wegman's Food Markets and the Central Pensylvania Food Bank partnering to provide 17,000 meals to those without enough food. Appearing on the program are Joe Arthur, the Executive Director; Dave Lloyd, Youth Program Manager; Jennifer Powell, Director of Development and two volunteers -- all at the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November092017.mp3" Thursday, 09 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and the American Lung Association is using some startling data from recent surveys to bring attention to lung health. The 4th annual Lung Health Barometer survey of 1000 men and women found that most people don't know that lung cancer screening is covered by Medicare and most plans at no cost and that many doctors aren't ordering tests for high-risk patients. The ALA of the Mid-Atlantic is highlighting advance screening methods, such as computer tomography and emphasizing that in Pennsylvania, incidents of men with lung cancer have declined by 32% since 1978 while it has increased in women by 94% during the same period. On the Wednesday edition of Smart Talk, we'll discuss the reasons for this disparity and talk about prevention and detection of lung cancer and how efforts to lower smoking rates and environmental hazards have helped lower cancer rates in the state. Deborah Brown, executive vice president of the ALA of the Mid-Atlantic will join us in studio to parse out initiatives in the mid-state to raise awareness and we'll speak with Dr. Troy Moritz, a thoracic and cardiac surgeon who will describe screening and treatment methods. Also, we'll catch up with Franklin & Marshall College professor of public affairs and director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs G. Terry Madonna and discuss the impact of Tuesday's election results. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November082017.mp3" Wednesday, 08 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 "There are more job openings in the United States than there have ever been. The problem is we don't have the workers to fit those jobs . . ." Those are the words of Dan White, executive director of Moody's Analytics, speaking on Monday's Smart Talk about gaps in Pennsylvania's workforce. There is growth in the manufacturing sector - 21st century style industrial growth. This means using robots and computers for design, assembly and shipping logistics rather than human hands. Those robots still require human operation, those computers are programmed and maintained by people, tracking monitored by human eyes rather than an algorithm. Those are the skills that White was referring and it is this skills gap that educators in Pennsylvania are addressing to ensure the economic stability and job growth in the region. On the Tuesday edition of Smart Talk, we discuss preparing today's youth for the jobs of tomorrow and the need to shift away from the four-year college model of workforce preparation and re-focus on teaching industrial skills that are applicable for 2018, not 1958. Lynda Morris, executive director of the Capital Region Partnership for Career Development, will join us to talk about CRPCD's efforts to develop partnerships with area schools in creating effective curriculum that includes core elements of STEM programming with practical workplace applications. Also, the Association on American Indian Affairs is a non-profit organization committed to addressing issues confronting Native American communities including the repatriation of cultural artifacts from museums, the preservation of religious traditions and protection of burial sites. The AAIA maintains the application of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 which keeps Native American families together by subverting efforts to separate Indian children from their parents. The organization also addresses disparities in the application of juvenile justice code on Native American youth. Smart Talk will speak with Shannon Keller O'Loughlin, the recently appointed executive director of the AAIA about these and other issues facing Native Americans and the legacies of the Delaware, Lenape and Susquehannock tribes of Pennsylvania. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November072017.mp3" Tuesday, 07 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 If states learned anything from the Great Recession, it was to spot the warning signs of economic collapse and prepare accordingly. America watched the dot-com bubble burst in 2001, it shouldn't have been a surprise to watch the real estate bubble explode in 2008. It is called a bubble. This is why the findings of an October report from Moody's Analytics should raise red flags for Pennsylvanians; the Commonwealth ranks near the bottom of the fifty states insofar as being prepared to confront another economic recession. Prior to the recession, the states had a combined reserve of nearly $60 billion. The impact of the recession on states' budget stabilization funds exceeded $117 billion. Pennsylvania lacks the cash reserves needed to make the fiscal adjustments necessary to flex with the economic stress of a recession. In fact, PA is carrying a negative balance in its annual reserve. On the Monday edition of Smart Talk, we'll speak with the report's author, Daniel White of Moody's Analytics, about the ramifications of being unprepared for financial meltdown. We'll also be joined by Matthew Knittel, executive director of the state's Independent Fiscal Office who can speak to the status of the state's cash reserves and credit rating and, in turn, the state's overall preparedness. Also, in the confusion following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, it was Secretary of War Edwin Stanton who stepped up to manage the messaging and the search for the president's assassin. As one of the architects of the North's victory in the Civil War, he modernized military supply and transportation methods. Biographer Walter Stahr chronicles Stanton's career as the head of Lincoln's War Department and his administration of the Civil War in Stanton: Lincoln's War Secretary; Stahr joins Smart Talk to discuss the legacy of Edwin Stanton. Walter Stahr appears at Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg to discuss the book on November 11. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November062017.mp3" Monday, 06 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The 429 page Republican tax bill was unveiled on Thursday; called the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act." The bill would lower the corporate tax rate to 20%, repeal most personal exemptions and increase the standardized deduction. The bill lays out an expanded child tax credit while reducing deductions for dependent college students. State and local tax deductions would be eliminated. Supporters have claimed for decades that tax cuts encourage corporate investment and help working Americans keep more of the money they earn. Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said the bill " . . . is for the middle-class families in this country who deserve a break. It is for the families who are out there living paycheck to paycheck who just keep getting squeezed." Critics argue it is a wealth grab benefiting only the 1%; Public Citizen calls the bill "a massive payback to the political donor class, conferring untold riches on those who don't need it - the superrich and giant corporations." On the Friday edition of WITF's Smart Talk, we'll discuss the bill with U.S. Representative Scott Perry, the Republican Congressman representing Adams and York Counties as well as parts of Dauphin and Cumberland Counties. Also, Governor Wolf signed into law legislation that would substantially expand the state's gambling footprint. The passage of expansion took place, as stated by the governor before the Pennsylvania Press Club, because "There's been a lot of pressure from a lot of places in the Commonwealth to actually expand (gambling) and we do need some recurring revenue." The bill allows for gambling at truck stops, airports and online as well as license ten new brick-and-mortar casinos to existing gaming entities. Pennsylvania trails only Nevada in commercial gaming revenues. Critics have argued that gaming isn't an appropriate source of tax revenue; Peach Bottom state representative Bryan Cutler told the LNP in March "Every time we've counted on gambling in the budget those revenues have undershot it or something unexpected has happened, such as the decrease of the lottery fund in response to the expansion of table games." Last week, Cutler voted in support of the expansion. A 2016 report from the Rockefeller Institute of Government indicated that "In the short-run, states indeed do raise additional revenues due to expansion of gambling activities and facilities. However, history shows that in the long-run the growth in state revenues from gambling activities slows or even reverses and declines." Smart Talk will speak with Dr. David Schwartz, director of UNLV's Center for Gaming Research about the viability of relying on gaming tax revenue to meet budget shortfalls. Later, we'll discuss educating and preparing ourselves for acts of terrorism. A radicalized ISIS adherent drove a rented truck down a bike path in Manhatten on Tuesday, killing eight and injuring twelve. Dr. Duane Hagelgans currently serves on the South Central Pennsylvania Counter Terrorism Task Force (SCTF) and the Lancaster County Emergency Management Agency and teaches diaster and emergency management at Millersville University; he joins Smart Talk to discuss ways to spot suspicious activity. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November032017.mp3" Friday, 03 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is undertaking an ambitious plan to connect a series of hiking and biking trails from the Conewago Recreational Trail outside of Elizabethtown to the Schuylkill River Trail in Philadelphia. A series of existing trails, including the Conewago, the Enola Low Grade Rail Trail and the Chester Valley Trail would be linked creating a 62.7 mile path that would not only provide a continuous scenic recreation trail but also encourage economic development along the route. On Thursday's Smart Talk, we'll discuss the plan to create this trail linking the central counties to Philadelphia and the environmental and economic impact of such an effort with Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn Also, Pennsylvania took a big step Wednesday toward making medical marijuana available to Pennsylvanians who can use for seizures, pain and other conditions. The state announced the launch of its patient and caregiver registry which will allow the Pennsylvania Health Department to start taking applications for people to participate in the program. Pennsylvania's Acting Secretary of Health and Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine and John Collins, Director of Pennsylvania's Office of Medical Marijuana appear on Thursday's Smart Talk to outline the program. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November022017.mp3" Thursday, 02 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Tuesday is the first day for individual health insurance enrollment through the Affordable Care Act's open market. Enrollment for 2018 will conclude December 15th. While the future of Obamacare could be uncertain, Pennsylvania's acting insurance commissioner, Jessica Altman, assures qualified recipients "Right now, nothing has changed . . . you should shop just like you have in previous years." More than 412,000 Pennsylvanians receive health coverage through 'Obamacare' bringing the state's uninsured rate to an all-time low of 5.6%. Seventy-eight percent of PA's enrollees received financial assistance to offset the costs. The federal Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 75 percent of returning marketplace consumers will be able to find a 2017 plan for less than $100 a month, after financial assistance On the Wednesday edition of WITF's Smart Talk, we'll navigate the system, address the changes and answer your questions about enrolling for insurance in the ACA's online marketplace with acting commissioner Altman. We'll also speak with Lynn Keltz, Executive Director and Health Insurance Navigator with the Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumer's Association and Susan Walther, Executive Director of the Mental Health Association in Pennsylvania. ACA healthcare plans and enrollment information are available online at www.healthcare.gov. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/November012017.mp3" Wednesday, 01 November 2017 12:30:00 -0400 A four-month-old state budget impasse may finally be nearing an end. It's up to Gov. Tom Wolf to give final approval to a revenue package okayed by the House and Senate last week that pays for a previously approved $32 billion spending plan. The governor has already signed a bill to expand gambling. The gambling expansion solidifies Pennsylvania as the nation's second-largest commercial casino state. It also allows the state's 10 casinos to apply for satellite casino licenses, locate video gambling terminals at truck stops and permits on-line gambling. The plan would also borrow from the state's share of tobacco settlement funds or profits from the sale of liquor. What the revenue package doesn't include is a severance tax on natural gas drillers -- something Wolf has requested since he was elected three years ago. In an appearance before the Pennsylvania Press Club Monday, the governor was critical of House Republicans for not supporting a severance tax. WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Katie Meyer appears on Tuesday's Smart Talk to provide details on the budget and other state news. Also, Pennsylvania voters go the polls next Tuesday to elect municipal officials and judges. The judicial candidates for State Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth Courts are largely unknown to most voters. Franklin and Marshall College political analyst Dr. G. Terry Madonna joins us on Smart Talk to discuss the race for judges. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October312017.mp3" Tuesday, 31 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Halloween is creeping around the corner and on the Monday edition of WITF's Smart talk we'll dissect a pair of terrifying stories from the region that border on urban legend. In late November of 1928, three men walked onto a remote farm in southeast York County and murdered the reclusive Nelson Rehmeyer. The ring leader, a down-on-his-luck transient named John Blymer, had convinced his accomplices that Rehmeyer was using witchcraft to cast spells. Lawyer and author J. Ross McGinnis has studied the case for decades, collating his research in the 2000 book Trials of Hex. McGinnis will join Smart Talk to tell a tale of destitution, mysticism and murder. Also, in 1879, six men in Lebanon County conspired to murder a neighbor. A hefty insurance policy was purchased on the victim right before his murder. The six defendants all had blue eyes, garnering the collective moniker the "Blue Eyed Six." Their trial was precedent-setting and the outcome favorable for the hangman. Gary Ludwig, author of The Blue Eyed Six, will join Smart Talk to break through the urban legends that have fascinated Lebanon residents for more than a century and share the true story of the first insurance murder in American history. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October302017.mp3" Monday, 30 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Domestic violence is characterized by "a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain control over another intimate partner." This type of abuse can be perpetrated using "physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person." More than 1,600 Pennsylvanians have died as a result of domestic violence since 2007; more than half of those murders were committed with firearms. Domestic abuse does not discriminate; the violence transcends race, age, class or gender. Of the 102 people who died in 2016, 56 were women and 46 were men. They ranged in age from one-year old to 86. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and while every day is the right day for this conversation, this month provides an opportunity to bring together voices from the community - from advocacy and enforcement to recovery and education - to discuss ways of empowering the victims of abuse and prevent violence in the future. On Friday's Smart Talk, we'll talk about identification and prevention of domestic violence and some of the legislative efforts being made to restrict gun ownership by abusers and an initiative to educate parents on how to teach their daughters to call out domestic abuse when they see it. Joining Smart Talk are Jennifer Storm, Victim Advocate for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Susan Higginbotham, executive director of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence. We will also speak with a victim of abuse who is now speaking out to other victims about standing up to violence. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October272017.mp3" Friday, 27 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The program 1A -- produced in Washington and distributed nationally by NPR -- follows Smart Talk on WITF every Monday through Friday. Hosted by veteran broadcast journalist Joshua Johnson, 1A brings a fresh look to the issues and the stories that are making news. From the program website: "Launched at a tumultuous time for news and inspired by the 1st Amendment, Joshua Johnson and 1A bring new insight and inquiry to the most pressing issues of our time." "My professional passions have always centered on creativity, exploration and service," Joshua notes. "This moment in history demands these attributes of us. It's a chance to tell stories more creatively, to explore ideas beyond our own, and to refocus on serving others." Along the way, 1A and Johnson promote the public media ideals of civil and thoughtful discourse. 1A host Joshua Johnson appears on Thursday's Smart Talk to to discuss those ideals and the program. Also, JD Evolution 2017 is an annual conference presented by business leader and consultant John Dame. Its scheduled for next Tuesday in Harrisburg. Evolution '17 is a gathering of business leaders interested in exploring and developing a template for implementing purpose-driven leadership. On Thursday's Smart Talk, we'll discuss leadership with an emphasis on business with John Dame business leader and consultant and global business leader and inspirational speaker Brett Pyle, who will speak at the conference on Your Extraordinary Why: Living a Successful Life of Significance. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October262017.mp3" Thursday, 26 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 There has been much saber-rattling by both Presidents Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un; Trump tweeted in September "Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won't be around much longer!" Kim responded saying "Action is the best option in treating the dotard [Trump]." US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is holding out for a diplomatic solution, saying last week "diplomatic efforts will continue until the first bomb drops." Donald Trump will travel to Beijing next month; tops on the agenda are discussions with Chinese president Xi Jinping about applying economic pressure to North Korea in an effort to curb Kim Jong Un's nuclear weapons program. China accounts for more than 90% of North Korea's foreign trade and sees NK as a buffer between themselves and the 29,000 American troops stationed in South Korea. While China may not be happy about North Korea's nuclear program, Chinese officials are more fearful of political instability on the 870 mile border with the Korean Peninsula. Zhiqun Zhu, a professor of political science and international relations at Bucknell University, feel America is putting undue pressure on China to solve its problems. Zhu believes Chinese leadership is eager to avoid a situation where "a chaotic North Korea is likely to open a Pandora's box, including humanitarian, economic, security and political challenges that are too daunting for China to absorb." On the Wednesday edition of Smart Talk, we speak with Dr. Zhu about current relations with North Korea, efforts to advert nuclear confrontation and achieving stability in that region. Also, a Georgia State University student has initiated a suit in federal court demanding Penn State lease a space to him to present white nationalist speaker Richard Spencer. The student, Cameron Padgett, has named PSU president Eric Barron and the board of trustees as defendants for their refusal to provide a venue for Spencer to speak. The request was made in July - it was declined a month later following the violence perpetrated by white nationalist demonstrators in Charlottesville, Virginia. Barron made it clear that Spencer is not welcome on the PSU campus, saying "the First Amendment does not require our university to risk imminent violence." Smart Talk will discuss this suit and the role of the First Amendment on public college campuses with Sigal R. Ben-Porath, Professor of Education, Political Science, and Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October252017.mp3" Wednesday, 25 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The bids are in for Amazon's second headquarters - the numbers are well known by now. $5 billion in investment. 50,000 jobs. Six figure salaries. And of course, the bragging rights. The heavy hitters lined up - Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago. Some smaller markets tossed their hats in the ring - Birmingham, Alabama. Gary, Indiana. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Amazon has some pretty stringent requirements; obviously, transportation is key. HQ2, as it is being called, needs to be within close proximity to a population center of 1 million or more people. Access to overland shipping, rail and airports are primary requirements. Amazon is also looking for a market to support its corporate culture. A concentration of universities, a well-developed tech corridor, mass transit and living standards are also considerations. Amazon's request for proposal emphasized a commitment to sustainability and demands the "presence and support of a diverse population, excellent institutions of higher education, local government structure and elected officials eager and willing to work with the company, among other attributes." The Harrisburg Regional Chamber of Commerce feels the state's capital is a prime location for this venture. Dave Black, president of the chamber told PennLive in September "We're doing some outreach to colleges and universities to see what the numbers look like for filling jobs . . . we want it [the bid] to be competitive." Harrisburg will also be competing with Philadelphia and Pittsburgh for the bid. Some markets are promising colossal tax abatements - others are relying on gimmicks to attract the attention of the online retail giant. Tuscon sent a 21 foot cactus; Stonecrest, Georgia offered to change the name of their city. Charlotte, North Carolina declared October 18th an unofficial Amazon holiday. Harrisburg is leaning on its assets: low unemployment, quality secondary educational institutions, existing infrastructure and a low cost of living were the primary selling points. On Tuesday, Smart Talk discusses the Amazon bid and the realities of competing with the rest of the nation for the tech industry's brass ring with Dave Black and Gene Barr, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October242017.mp3" Tuesday, 24 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Despite the rapid reformation of marijuana laws by dozens of state and local governments across the nation, a report released last week by the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania indicates a 33% increase in arrests for marijuana offenses in Pennsylvania over the past seven years. The Pennsylvania State Police lead with the total number of arrests - more than doubling from 2010 to 2016. The ACLU says prosecuting and incarcerating these cases cost Pennsylvania taxpayers more than $225 million in those six years. The report also reveals black Pennsylvanians are eight times more likely to be arrested on a marijuana offense than white people though the rates of use are similar. "This is merely the latest in a long line of studies to show that African-Americans suffer the greatest harm from the failed war on drugs," said ALCU of Pennsylvania executive director Reggie Shuford. "When police target marijuana users, they destroy lives. People who are ensnared in this system face limitations to employment, housing, and other fundamentals of daily life." A state police spokesperson told WHYY that troopers employ '"internal protocols and regulations" prohibiting "bias-based" policing.' Those who oppose making marijuana legal still see it as a gateway drug that isn't as harmless as supporters say it is. On Monday's Smart Talk, we'll discuss whether marijuana should be legalized with Andrew Hoover, communications director for the ACLU of Pennsylvania and Lebanon County District Attorney David Arnold. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October232017.mp3" Monday, 23 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 In the early 2000s, scientists began to record steep declines in the bee populations of North America and Europe. Worker bees were disappearing from colonies in alarming numbers, leaving behind the queens and the larvae. Populations have been in a steady annual decline of nearly 20% since the 1990s - some regions have seen losses as high as 90%. Apiarists call this 'colony collapse disorder,' or CCD. This is having a grave impact on the agricultural industry. Honey bees are used to pollinate crops - not just flowers but fruits, vegetables, nuts and herbs. A large percentage of Pennsylvania's crop varieties rely on bees for pollination. CCD was addressed in September by the Pennsylvania Pollinator Protection Plan (P4) - a program that addresses the issue of declining pollinator populations and provides suggestions for bolstering the bee population. Smart Talk discuss the causes for CCD, the impact on state agriculture and proposals to bring back the bee population with Karen Roccasecca, Pennsylvania's State Apiarist and Royal Draper of Draper's Super Bee Apiaries in Millerton. Also, the detection of a neutron star collision was announced last week; the gravitational waves produced by the event were recorded by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO. LIGO is a pair hyper-sensitive laser arrays used to detect the gravitational waves first proposed by Albert Einstein as a product of his Theory of General Relativity. In 2015, it first detected the collision of two black holes 2 billion light years away. Since then, there have been five other recordings of gravitational waves. These observations allow us to study the origins of the universe in a manner never recorded before and bring us closer to the elusive proof of Einstein's theory. On Friday, Smart Talk discusses the LIGO discoveries with Dr. Chad Hanna, Assistant Professor of Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics at Penn State's Eberly College of Science. Hanna is a "gravitational-wave astrophysicist who focuses on detecting gravitational waves emitted by compact binary neutron stars or black holes" who uses LIGO data to detect gravitational waves. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October202017.mp3" Friday, 20 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 History will look upon last year's presidential election as one of the most unusual and volatile the nation has ever seen. Republican Donald Trump won the presidency by earning the most electoral votes while Democrat Hillary Clinton received 2.9 million more votes at the ballot box, but didn't win the states she needed to to become president. Trump was a surprise winner in Pennsylvania -- a state that had voted for Democrats in presidential contests for six straight elections. George H.W. Bush was the last Republican to win the state in 1988. Incumbent U.S. Senator Pat Toomey was also thought to be vulnerable last year but won re-election. Almost a year later, the question still arises as to how Trump won Pennsylvania, even though there are more registered Democrats than Republicans in the state. Maybe the bigger question is did last year's election signal a political change in Pennsylvania? Berwood Yost is the director of the Center for Opinion Research and the Floyd Institute for Public Policy at Franklin and Marshall College and the co-author of The 2016 Pennsylvania Presidential and U.S. Senate Elections: Breaking Pennsylvania's Electoral Habits. The article appears in the most recent issue of Commonwealth - A Journal of Pennsylvania Politics and Policy and it uses survey data from before and after the election to evaluate the outcomes and correlate them to voter trends in geographic, socio-economic and educational terms. The report determined "those with a high school degree or less and those who attended some college were more likely to vote for Trump than were college graduates" and that Clinton lost 82,000 votes that Barack Obama had earned in rural districts in previous elections. Ultimately, the report concluded "counties with more working-class voters turned out in greater numbers and gave less support to Democratic candidates than in previous elections, while areas that should have been supportive of Democrats had lower turnout and offered little change in their support for Democratic candidates." Yost joins Smart Talk to parse out the findings of the study and help us understand how and why the election went the way it did and what we can take away as learning experiences for elections in the future. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October192017.mp3" Thursday, 19 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania was home of the nation's first volunteer fire company, founded by Benjamin Franklin 280 years ago. Today, volunteers make up more than 96% of the state's firefighting forces, working out of nearly 1,500 departments. Forty years ago, Pennsylvania had 300,000 volunteers fighting fires. That number has dropped to about 50,000. Numerous factors have contributed to the decline in volunteer firefighters; the costs of training and equipment have increased substantially in recent years, the training requirements have become intensified and time-consuming and people simply don't have the spare time to volunteer that they once had. Some departments are forced to combine resources and funds to stay operational. Others are turning to local governments for increased funding; it costs $10,000 to equip a firefighter and fire trucks can run upwards of a million dollars. As Don Konkle, executive director of the Pennsylvania Fire Emergency Services Institute told the Pennsylvania Township News, "You can't sell enough subs or barbecued chicken to raise that kind of money." Smart Talk speaks on Wednesday's program with Konkle about ways departments can increase volunteer recruitment and the resources needed to keep volunteer departments adequately equipped, staffed and funded. State Fire Commissioner Tim Solobay will join Smart Talk to pinpoint the reassons for these declines and we'll also speak with Duane Hagelgans, an assistant professor in Millersville University's Center for Disaster Research and Education and experienced volunteer firefighter. Also, the #MeToo campaign has taken social media by storm this week. Actress Alyssa Milano asked women (and men) who have been sexually assaulted or harrassed to post MeToo on Facebook, Twitter and Instrgram and the response has been overwhelming. On Wednesday's Smart Talk, we;ll discuss what impact MeToo will have with Kristen Houser of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October182017.mp3" Wednesday, 18 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Earlier this month, President Trump relaxed an Obama-era mandate that prevented employers from restricting access to birth control through health insurance. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is suing Trump as a result. "Millions of women could be denied needed contraceptive care against the advice of science, public health and medical professionals," he announced at a press conference at the Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania clinic in Philadelphia. "The federal government - under the direction of the Trump Administration - broke the law and undermined the health and economic independence of American women." Shapiro is filing another lawsuit against the administration - this one regarding Trumps' plan to stop payments of cost-sharing subsidies aiding low-income Affordable Care Act beneficiaries. Shapiro joins seventeen other states suing Trump over perceived sabotage of the ACA. More than 426,000 Pennsylvanians receive healthcare coverage from the ACA exchange. The AG spoke to Pittsburgh's KDKA, saying ". . . of that number, about 233,000 Pennsylvanians get a direct benefit from these so-called cost sharing subsidies." On the Tuesday edition of Smart Talk, we'll discuss thethe legal actions with AG Shapiro and how he feels these decisions could impact Pennsylvanians. Also, since March of 2009, the stock market has seen 103 straight months of growth. Neither continuing wars, hurricanes, nor a chaotic presidential campaign and subsequent Trump Administration have registered even a negative blip on Wall Street tickers. We'll discuss the record-breaking trending in the financial sectors and what it means for investors and the national, state and regional economies with Tim Decker, President of the ISI Financial Group in Lancaster https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October172017.mp3" Tuesday, 17 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Governor Wolf signed the 'Right to Try' bill into law on Wednesday; House Bill 45, which passed the house unanimously, allows terminally ill Pennsylvanians to try experimental drugs not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Manufacturers of drugs or medical devices that are still in trial phase can distribute it to a patient with the recommendation of a physician. Pennsylvania is the 38th state to pass such a law. The bill was penned by Rep. Robert Godshall, R-Montgomery County, after he used an experimental drug to treat bone marrow cancer. "Faced with certain death, terminally ill patients do not have the luxury of time and have likely exhausted all other available options," said Godshall in a press release. "If they want to try medications that have not completed the rigorous FDA testing and approval process, they should be permitted to do so. House Bill 45 would give them that choice." Opponents of 'Right to Try' laws argue the policies undermine the safety net provided by the FDA and recommending experimental medications could become ethically challenging for doctors and insurers, alike. Manufacturers worry about the liabilities associated with distributing non-approved drugs. "There is no incentive whatsoever for any FDA regulated manufacturer to participate in the putative Pennsylvania Right To Try program, and every reason for them to refrain from doing so," contends James Beck, counsel resident in the Philadelphia office of the law firm of Reed Smith and co-author of the Drug and Medical Device Product Liability Handbook. "It's an empty gesture - intended to distract the public from the legislature's inability to perform its most basic constitutional duties," Beck continues. On the Monday edition of Smart Talk, we'll parse out House Bill 45 and speak with Christina Sandefur, Executive Vice President of the Goldwater Institute - a public policy think tank that has advocated for the use of experimental medicines since 1988. We'll also speak with James Beck about his opposition to 'Right to Try' laws. Also, the Trump administration is ending the cost-sharing subsidies that helped low-income recipients of Obamacare; 426,000 Pennsylvanians receive their healthcare coverage through the Affordable Care Act exchange. "Where that will impact consumers, eventually, is that insurers will then add those costs onto their premium rates," said Pennsylvania Insurance Department spokesman Ron Ruman. Smart Talk will discuss the impact of the White House's decision on Pennsylvanians and insurers in the state with WITF's Transforming Health reporter, Brett Sholtis. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October162017.mp3" Monday, 16 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 EPA Chief Scott Pruitt announced on Tuesday that the agency will roll back the Clean Power Plan - the Obama administration's policy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from electrical power plants. The plan emphasized the use of natural gas and renewable energy sources over coal-powered generation plants. Critics of the plan said it unfairly targeted the coal industry and that implementation of the policy represented unconstitutional overreach by the Obama White House. The Heritage Foundation predicted the plan would result in a loss of 300,000 jobs annually and eliminate $2.5 trillion from the GDP. Supporters of the Clean Power Plan point to carbon admissions as a primary catalyst for climate change and that the plan would help to slow down years of man-made environmental damage. They point to job growth as a result of wind and solar energy development. Donald Trump has complained the CPP has led to a decline in employment in the coal industry; claims of up to 125,000 lost coal jobs have alternately been attributed to the plan and a shift to inexpensive natural gas as an energy source and an increase in automated mining. The industry has seen a drop of employment by 60% since 1980 and many experts say those jobs aren't coming back, regardless of energy policy. John Quigley is a former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; he currently serves as the head of the Harrisburg University of Science and Technology's Center for Environment, Energy and Economy. Quigley isn't happy about the repeal, telling the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "It is bad public health policy and the way it is being contrived is even more troubling." On the Friday edition of WITF's Smart Talk, we'll speak with Quigley about the impact the repeal of the Clean Power Plan will have on Pennsylvania. We'll also speak with Brendan Collins, a lawyer dealing with environmental issues with the firm, Ballard Spahr. Collins specializes in energy generation permitting and regulation, litigating on behalf of both conventional and renewable energy suppliers. Also, President Trump signed an Executive Order Thursday that would offer less expensive insurance to Americans that doesn't cover as many medical conditions or procedures. However, critics say it will mean higher premiums for those who use their insurance more and doesn't require coverage of pre-existing conditions. Also, the Trump Administration said late Thursday night it would end the Affordable Care Act's cost-sharing reduction payments designed to help low-income Americans get health care. Antoinette Kraus, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Health Access Network, appears on Friday's Smart Talk to explain how the state would be impacted. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October132017.mp3" Friday, 13 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 On Monday morning of last week, Americans awoke to a another mass shooting. A gunman used semi-automatic rifles that were modified to be fully automatic to kill a large group of people. In this case, a 64-year-old professional gambler knocked the windows out of his 32nd floor room at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas and shot at a crowd attending a country music festival. Stephen Paddock used some of the 23 guns he brought with him to kill 58 people and injure nearly 500 more. While many still struggle to understand Paddock's motives, the narrative has shifted, as it usually does after these shootings, to whether more restrictions are needed on guns. More than 33,000 people are fatally shot in America each year. Those calling for more gun laws say many of the shootings could have been prevented with what they call common sense gun legislation. Many gun owners and supporters of the 2nd Amendment fear more restrictions on firearms would open a door that would ultimately lead to a total firearm ban. They cite crime statistics that support the need for self-defense with guns and the rights of sportsmen to hunt as they wish. Mental health issues lead to mass shootings, they argue, not guns. On Thursday's Smart Talk, we discuss guns in America from several angles. One segment deals with how and why research into the public health implications of gun violence was halted in the '90s. Dr. Mark Rosenberg, a researcher at the Centers for Disease Control in the Clinton Administration joins us to share his experience as a leading firearm violence researcher. We also hear from 2nd Amendment defender, Larry Bell, a University of Houston professor emeritus who believes the government has no business in legislating gun ownership. Also appearing on the program is Shira Goodman, executive director of CeaseFirePA, an in-state non-profit that works with "mayors, police chiefs, faith leaders, community organizations, and individual Pennsylvanians" to reduce gun violence. Kim Stolfer, president of Firearm Owners Against Crime, explains why he fights for the rights of Pennsylvania's gunowners. Finally, Gary Smith is a handgun instructor and owner of Point Blank Defense in York. Smith discusses responsible gun ownership and where he feels both sides of this debate are missing each other and where they may find common ground. Smart Talk encourages you to join the conversation by calling the program at 800-729-7532 or via email at smarttalk@witf.org. Follow us on twitter at @SmartTalkWITF. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October122017.mp3" Thursday, 12 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Wednesday's Smart Talk Road Trip takes the show to historic Bube's Brewery in Mount Joy, Lancaster County. We're broadcasting from the Catacombs Restaurant that is located several stories below street level. The Catacombs is one of several eateries in what is considered a destination in Central Pennsylvania. History is a big part of Wednesday's discussion. German immigrant Alios Bube bought the business in 1876 at the height of a lager beer boom in the U.S. Bube's has been brewing beer off and on for much of the past 140 years since. We'll discuss the rich history of beer-brewing in Pennsylvania, including the state's own Budweiser brewer. At one time, brewers could be found from Philadelphia to even the smallest towns. At a time when craft beers are so popular, the state is booming with brewers once again. As Halloween approaches, we have to ask whether ghost reside inside the walls of Bube's. There have been rumors of paranormal activity for years. We'll hear a few of those unexplained stories. Also, was Bube's a stop on the Underground Railroad that brought slaves to freedom in the 1800s? A hole that leads into darkness and maybe a tunnel in the floor of the Catacombs is being investigated by historians to find out. It's just one of the history discussions on Wednesday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October112017.mp3" Wednesday, 11 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It may be the most successful of all the awareness months or days. Most people that see a pink ribbon or almost anything pink this month will recognize it signifies breast cancer awareness. While the number of breast cancer diagnoses have decreased in the past 15 years, some 250,000 women and men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2017. More than 40,000 will die this year of breast cancer. A woman's risk of breast cancer nearly doubles if she has a first-degree relative who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. However, the most significant risk factors are being a woman and age. On Tuesday's Smart Talk we discuss breast cancer risks, the value of early detection and screening, and treatment options. Appearing on the program are Pat Halpin Murphy, President and Founder, Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition; Leigh Hurst, Founder and President, Feel Your Boobies Foundation; and Danielle Lavetan, Senior Community Development Manager, MSABC Mega Events, Northeast Region / American Cancer Society, Inc. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October102017.mp3" Tuesday, 10 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 State lawmakers continue to grapple with each other and Governor Wolf as they seek to close the $2.2 billion funding gap in the 2017-18 state budget. Wolf accused GOP legislators of playing politics with the budget, saying in a news conference last week "Too many Republicans in the Legislature are focused on the 2018 elections -- they'd rather see me fail than Pennsylvania succeed." Republican lawmakers blame the governor and Democrats for failing to meet in the middle; House Majority Leader Dave Reed, R-Indiana, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "We were willing to go to the mat today to complete this process, but we've got to have a willing partner." Wolf said last week he will borrow from liquor sales profits to plug the hole budget hole. Democrats (and a few Republicans) in the state house are still pushing for a severance tax on natural gas drillers. Republicans countered with a hotel tax and cuts in spending. The Senate wants to tap the state's share of the tobacco settlement fund. The House wants to transfer funds earmarked for transportation and environmental programs among other line items. Almost everybody wants to expand gaming. On the Monday edition of WITF's Smart Talk, we'll bring you up-to-date on efforts to balance the state's budget with WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief, Katie Meyer. Back in February, researchers at Facebook were forced to shut down two robots operating with a shared artificial intelligence program. The robots had "decided" that the English they were programmed with was inefficient and they developed their own language. Or did they? While the robots weren't ejecting astronauts into space, a la HAL 2000 or initiating global apocalypse like Skynet, it did raise some concerns about the viability of relying on AI and its practical applications in the future. Smart Talk talks with Franklin Marshall computer science professor Erik Talvitie about whether we should start planning for an impending robot invasion. Also, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region have been pairing area youths with role models since 1981 helping to develop relationships that are "built on trust and friendship that can blossom into a future of unlimited potential." Big Brothers Big Sisters is hosting a truly unique fundraiser - an opportunity to rappel from the roof of Market Square Plaza in Harrisburg. "Over the Edge" takes place October 13th. We'll speak with Maddie Young, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region, about the event and the positive impact of matching youths with mentors. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October092017.mp3" Monday, 09 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The number of employers pushing high-deductible healthcare plans has nearly doubled since 2012, from 13% to 25%. Lawmakers are looking to cut those deductible costs by offering individual health savings accounts hoping consumers would be encouraged to shop around for the best value. This hasn't been the result, according to Amy Wolaver, an economist at Bucknell's Institute for Public Policy. "Very few people try, and of those who do try, they have difficulty in finding information." Wolaver told Brett Sholtis of WITF's Transforming Health desk. She found that lower-income and minority families are the least likely to compare pricing of health services. On the Friday edition of Smart Talk, we'll speak with Sholtis about the difficulty consumers have in comparatively shopping for healthcare. Also, the Harrisburg Book Festival begins this Thursday and runs through Sunday. Located at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore and Café in downtown Harrisburg, the event will include poetry readings, children's book presentations and readings from regional and national and international authors as well as a keynote address from 2016 National Book Award Winner, Dr. Ibram Kendi, author of Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. Smart Talk will discuss the importance of cultivating a literary identity in Central Pennsylvania and some of the events at the book festival with Alex Brubaker, director of the festival and Catherine Lawrence, co-owner of the Midtown Scholar. Later, the Antique Automobile Club of America's 2017 Eastern Division National Fall Meet runs through Saturday outside of the Giant Center in Hershey. Every car conceivable will be there - from the Model T's of the 1910s to the Porsches of the '80s and everything in between. Steve Moskowitz, executive director of the Antique Automobile Club of America, will join Smart Talk to discuss America's love for cars - an affair that has been ongoing for more than a century. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October062017.mp3" Friday, 06 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 As societies mature, its participants will look back with regret at behaviors once regarded as routine. Brett Jenks looks at these attitude shifts and wonders about the motivations and consequences for such changes in society and how they may apply to the approach to contemporary issues, such as climate change. Jenks is the CEO of Rare, "a global leader in using behavior change to achieve long-lasting conservation results" and recipient of Dickinson College's 2017 Sam Rose '58 and Julie Walters Prize at Dickinson College for Global Environmental Activism. He will lead a discussion entitled "Why the Biggest Barrier to Solving Our Climate Crisis May Be in Our Heads" next Tuesday at Dickinson's Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium. Jenks appears on Thursday's Smart Talk to discuss seismic shifts in human behavior and how our behavior effects climate change. Also, Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) works to create a safer, healthier world for future generations. The non-profit organization focuses on preventing nuclear war and eliminating nuclear energy, reversing the effects of climate change and protecting the environment from toxic pollution. Next week, the Harrisburg-Hershey Chapter of PSR will sponsor a discussion with former Massachusetts Congressman John Tierney. A former member of the House Intelligence Committee, Tierney currently serves as the Executive Director of the Council for a Livable World where he uses his experience to fight the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Tierney will address the escalating threat of nuclear war and the treat nuclear armament poses to national security at the West Shore Country Club in Harrisburg next Wednesday; the event will benefit the Harrisburg Peace Garden. Smart Talk will speak with Tierney about the current state of nuclear proliferation and the future for national security as well as Dr. Robert Little, a Harrisburg physician and president of the Harrisburg-Hershey Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October052017.mp3" Thursday, 05 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 We are in the midst of Pennsylvania Manufacturing Week. Gov. Tom Wolf said, "Pennsylvania Manufacturing Week and Manufacturing Day, (Friday, October 6) are part of a movement to build positive perceptions about manufacturing, draw attention to the amazing career opportunities available, and highlight the industry's important contributions to our economy." The manufacturing industry could use a boost. Over the past 30 years, much of the news about manufacturing focused on job losses and manufacturers shutting down due to overseas competition or technology. However, manufacturing is still a significant part of Pennsylvania's economy. According to the state, it has an $84 billion economic impact, almost 19,000 employers and offers an average wage of $59,000 a year. Sheri Collins, Pennsylvania's Deputy Secretary of the Office of Technology and Innovation with the Department of Community and Economic Development appears on Wednesday's Smart Talk to discuss manufacturing. Also, America is dealing with an opioid crisis that started with many people using painkillers that often led to heroin. Of course, opioids is just one of many substances that have led to dependence - alcohol, methamphetamines, and cocaine all come to mind. At the same time, there are tens of thousands of people who have worked hard to recover from substance use. And in Pennsylvania that usually means they went through a county program. We talk recovery on Wednesday's program with Kristin Varner, Director of Training and Advocacy for The RASE Project as well as a Certified Recovery Specialist and Mike Krafick, Certified Recovery Specialist (CRS), and Supervisor with Armstrong Indiana and Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October042017.mp3" Wednesday, 04 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania's child welfare system is broken and is putting children's lives in danger. That's according to state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale in his year-long State-of-the-Child report that identified caseworker staffing at county Children and Youth services departments as the root of the problem. The report says counties don't have enough qualified professionals, inadequate training, staggering caseloads and inappropriately low pay that all contribute to uncontrollable turnover. For example, York County had a 90% turnover rate in caseworkers over a two-year period. New laws took effect in 2015 as a result of the Jerry Sandusky child abuse case that expanded the definition of child abuse and increased the number of those required to report abuse. Consequently, the number of child abuse reports that counties had to investigate exploded. DePasquale pointed out that 46 children died last year as the result of abuse or neglect while 79 others were close to death. All while the state spent $1.8 billion to protect the state's children. On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we'll discuss the findings of the report and a few of the recommendations to improve the situation with Auditor General DePasquale. Ken Burns and Lynn Novick's epic documentary The Vietnam War resulted in many across the nation discussing aspects of the conflict that may have been difficult to talk about. With that in mind, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle is hosting a discussion with veteransTuesday night entitled "Recovering Sacred Ground for All Generations." The program will provide an opportunity for the audience to share and reflect on their own experience and help facilitate continued dialogue concering the impact of war on their lives. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October032017.mp3" Tuesday, 03 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 At least 50 people were killed and 200 injured in the nation's worst mass shooting Sunday night in Las Vegas. On Monday's Smart Talk, we'll get an on-the-ground report from LasVegas journalist Dana Gentry. The Senate's third attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, failed last week before the vote made it to the floor. It was the third attempt since the inauguration of Donald Trump, who campaigned with the promise to overturn the ACA, saying on many occasions the plan " . . . is unaffordable and it's a disaster." Earlier in September, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders proposed a "Medicare-for-all" bill that, according to Sanders' own website, would " . . . create a federally administered single-payer health care program." The plan would cover all aspects of healthcare; preventative and emergency care, primary, specialized, vision, dental, mental - everything for everyone. People could choose any doctor and prescriptions would be covered. Supporters of universal single-payer healthcare are thrilled that the bill brings the topic to the national narrative, though it has little chance of passing the Republican-controlled congress. Critics contend that further government involvement in the healthcare process would only take choices away from consumers and cost would skyrocket. On the Monday edition of Smart Talk, we will spend the hour discussing the merits and drawbacks of a single-payer healthcare system. Pennsylvania State Representative Pamela DeLissio (D - 194th) will discuss her proposal - the Pennsylvania Health Care Plan - a single payer plan administered by the state. We'll also speak with Dr. William Davidson, a cardiologist who has served Central Pennsylvania for 30 years and is a member of Physicians for a National Health Program, an organization of doctors advocating for a universal single-payer system. We'll also speak with critics of the single-payer concept; Vince Phillips is a retired lobbyist who advocated for the Pennsylvania Association of Health Underwriters and Eric Beittel, a financial planner and the former President of the Board of the Central Pennsylvania Association of Health Underwriters. We'll also hear from Elizabeth Stelle, the Director of Policy Analysis for the Commonwealth Foundation. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/October022017.mp3" Monday, 02 October 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Author Salman Rushdie captures the chasm of culture between Eastern and Western societies intertwined with a touch of mysticism and historical fiction. His 1981 novel Midnight's Children earned him a Booker Award; in 1983 he was inducted to the Royal Society of Literature. 1988's Satanic Verses earned him an order of execution from Iran's Ayatollah Khomeni for percieved blasphamy against the Q'uran. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2007. Smart Talk talks with Rushdie about his latest novel, The Golden House, which illustrates the lives of an eccentric family against the backdrop of political turmoil eerily similar to very real events in Washington. Rushide will be signing copies at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg Friday evening at 8:15. Also, while most high schoolers are content to work at a mall or in fast food, Bob Buhrig took a job his senior year that had him driving hearses and comforting grieving families at Myers Funeral Home in Mechanicsburg. Bob found something he was passionate about, describing his mission "to provide thoughtful service and compassionate care." Buhrig bought the business from the Myers in 2011 and has served as the owner/operator and funeral director at the Myers-Buhrig Funeral Home since. Buhrig, along with George Foley, a funeral service consultant with Matthews International, also speaks candidly to groups about death and making arrangements for our passing. They often take a jocular approach in an effort to get people to open up about their fears, concerns and questions about happens after. Bob Buhrig and George Foley will join Smart Talk to discuss life after life and answer your questions about death and dying and salve your curiosity about the funeral industry. Later, Dauphin County saw 85 opioid-related deaths in 2016, county commissioners are responding by filing a suit against the manufacturers and marketers of the addictive prescription pharmaceuticals. The county claims the companies understated the addictive nature of these drugs while overplaying their benefits. Dauphin County Commissioner Jeff Haste will join Smart Talk to discuss the impact these prescription opioids have had in the communities in and around Harrisburg and what role the commissioners feel the pharmaceutical companies played in exacerbating the crisis. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/September292017.mp3" Friday, 29 September 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Senate Republicans are scrapping a vote on the proposed Graham-Cassidy bill. This was the third attempt to "repeal and replace" the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. The bill's authors - Senators Lindsey Graham, (R-S.C.), Bill Cassidy, (R-La.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), and Ron Johnson, (R-Wis.) - explained the failure as resulting in "circumstances under our control and not under our control, the process and timing of this vote did not line up this time" and assured their constituents, "we will push on." Republicans criticized Obamacare from its inception saying Americans shouldn't be required to have or purchase health insurance, that it cost too much, did little to control healthcare costs while premiums increased and choices of insurance were limited. At the same time, millions of uninsured Americans -- many with pre-existing conditions -- now have health insurance and billions of dollars from the federal government have helped states expand Medicaid for those who couldn't afford insurance. On Thursday's Smart Talk, we discuss the future of health insurance with Pennsylvania's Acting Secretary of Human Services Teresa Miller. Secretary Miller testifed this week against the Graham-Cassidy bill. Also, Bill James is considered the godfather of baseball sabermetrics - a method of using empirical data to gauge a baseball player's productivity. James used those analytic skills in a different arena when he investigated the crimes of a hundred-year-old serial killer, who terrorized small towns throughout the country. The investigation uncovered dozens of murders that were thought to be unconnected and sometimes led to the conviction, execution and even lynching of innocent people falsely accused. With his daughter, Rachel McCarthy James, Bill James compiled his findings and even name the man they think committed the murders in The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery. Smart Talk speaks with the father/daughter team about the book Thursday. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/September282017.mp3" Thursday, 28 September 2017 12:30:00 -0400 There are three major credit reporting companies in the U.S. The three companies possess an enormous amount of personal information about you. Make a major purchase, like a house, and your credit report will be consulted. So when the data of one of those three -- Equifax -- was breached earlier this month, it had potential to be disastrous for millions of people. In fact, personal information such as social security numbers and birthdates of up to 143 million people was exposed. The attackers could use that information in many ways that could ruin your credit and finances for years to come. So how does one protect themselves from hackers? On Wednesday's Smart Talk, we joined by Andrew Hacker (yes, that's his name) who is the Cyber Security Expert in Residence at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology to answer that question. Also, in 1927, the Germans set to sea the Cap Arcona, a luxury liner to rival the Titanic. Once Hitler came to power, the ship was actually used as a stand-in for the Titanic in a feature film full of Nazi propaganda. During World War II, the Cap Arcona served as a transport, a troop barracks and a floating concentration camp for Jews imprisoned by the Nazis. The demise of the ship is even more tragic and little known. Author and historian Robert P. Watson tells the tale of the doomed Cap Arcona in his new book, The Nazi Titanic. Watson joins us on Smart Talk to tell the story of the doomed cruise ship. Robert P. Watson is the featured speaker at Chizuk Emuna Congregation in Harrisburg October 8th at 4 p.m https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/September272017.mp3" Wednesday, 27 September 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Often under-reported, 30-50% of child sexual abuse incidents are perpetrated by other youths. These offenders are usually the victims of abuse themselves. Institutions are grappling with how to predict, prevent and prosecute such cases. Reporting procedures can be murky in some jurisdictions and some schools and youth organizations are unsure of their own liability in these matters. Samaritan Safe Church bills itself as ". . . a sanctuary, where one finds protection, support, guidance . . . " that operates to "establish a national network of leaders and organizations working to end child sexual abuse." Samaritan Safe Church recently partnered with Center for Children's Justice and the law firm of Gibbel Kraybill and Hess to develop a program addressing child sex abuse and human sex trafficking. The collaborative will also address the issue of child-on-child sexual abuse. On October 5th, the collaborative will sponsor an event addressing child-on-child abuse. Attendees will learn how to spot the signs of abuse, identify risks within institutions such as schools, churches and teams and how to navigate the law as it relates to child sexual abuse. On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we will speak with Linda Crockett, Director of Safe Church/ Safe Places at Samaritan Counseling Center about children and teens with sexual behavior issues and the resources to assist caregivers to identify risky behavior. We'll also be joined by Cathy Palm, Director of the Center for Children's Justice who will parse out the legal complexities associated with reporting sexual abuse and Ann Martin, an attorney with Gibbel, Kraybill and Hess who specializes in Title IX issues as they relate to sexual abuse in school settings. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/September262017.mp3" Tuesday, 26 September 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Americans are divided on how to deal with gun violence. Some blame the firearm industry and lax gun laws for flooding the market with high-powered, high-capacity weapons. Others contend people are the problem and that guns are tools of preservation protected by the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution and that it is alternately the fault of popular culture or personal responsibility that creates violent criminals. The issue becomes further clouded when guns illegally change hands and end up in possession of people who are not allowed by law to have firearms or they drop off the radar and go into circulation as unregistered guns. Ed Mahon is an investigative reporter with the York Daily Record. This week the YDR is publishing a three-part series on the impact illegal guns are having in York County. Mahon appears on Monday's Smart Talk to describe his findings and the YDR's analysis of illegal guns in the county. Also, the people of Puerto Rico are still reeling after Hurricane Maria knocked out all of the power on the island last week. Maria came on the heels of Hurricane Irma. Some Puerto Ricans living on the mainland of the U.S. still haven't heard from family members. On Monday's program, we'll hear from Hector Valdez, a producer at Spanish-language radio station WLCH in Lancaster about his family in Puerto Rico and efforts being made to get aid to those impacted by the storm. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/September252017.mp3" Monday, 25 September 2017 12:30:00 -0400 There are about 55,000 jobs available in Central Pennsylvania and only around 30,000 people looking for work in the region. That's according to data collected by South Central Pennsylvania (SCPa) Works this summer. According to Doran Condon, a program officer with SCPa, these numbers reflect many seasonal positions but also indicate many currently employed Pennsylvanians are unhappy with their work. What does this mean for the region's economy and wages for its workers? Are we cultivating the right kind of jobs for the workforce we have? Are we adequately traing a workforce for a 21st century economy? And how does this square with the national narrative that America is hemorrhaging jobs? Friday's Smart Talk addresses these questions with Jesse McCree, CEO of SCPa Works and we'll go over the employment numbers with Eileen Cipriani, deputy secretary for workforce development with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and Jeff Newman, Central PA Labor Market Analyst, PA Department of Labor & Industry's Center for Workforce Information & Analysis. Also, Bones: Brothers, Horses, Cartels and the Borderland Dream tells a true story of two brothers born in the Mexican bordertown of Nuevo Laredo. One immigrates to the United States to pursue the American dream; the other consumed by a life of violence within a notorious drug cartel. Their lives converge later when they both become embroiled in a money-laundering scheme involving the horse racing industry. Joe Tone, author of Bones: Brothers, Horses, Cartels and the Borderland Dream, joins us on Smart Talk to discuss his book and how this tale tells a broader story of life on the border. Tone will talk about his book and sign copies at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore in downtown Harrisburg on Saturday, September 16th from 4pm to 6pm. Smart Talk host Scott LaMar will lead the conversation. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/September152017.mp3" Friday, 15 September 2017 12:30:00 -0400 It has been 42 years since the last Americans were evacuated from the U.S. embassy in Saigon, marking the end of America's 20-year involvement in the Vietnam War. In the years since, Americans have tried to understand the motivations that brought the U.S. to war and the impact it had on soldiers and civilians alike. Ken Burns is an award-winning documentarian whose work includes The Civil War (1990), Baseball (1994) and The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009.) His newest work, The Vietnam War, chronicles the war through the perspective of nearly 80 participants from every aspect of the war's history; soldiers and civilians, supporters and protestors, American, North and South Vietnamese. Thursday's Smart Talk discusses The Vietnam War with the film's co-director, Lynn Novick and producer Sarah Botstein. The 18-hour documentary premieres on WITF-TV and PBS Sunday September 17th at 8 p.m. Also, the Harrisburg/Hershey Film Festival will showcase 75 films over four days, promoting "local, national and international independent cinema in Central Pennsylvania." The festival will feature shorts, feature length and documentary films by and for Central Pennsylvanians. We'll discuss the festival with founder Hamza Ahmed and festival program director Hal Cramer. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/September142017.mp3" Thursday, 14 September 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has ordered a review of Obama-era policies protecting victims of sexual assault on college campuses. Title IX is an addition to the Education Amendments of 1972; it states "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." On college campuses, it addressed sexual harrassment and assaults. DeVos contends the policies may not do enough to offer due process for the alleged perpertrators - in this case, male students. The Secretary argues "The truth is that the system established by the prior administration has failed too many students. Survivors, victims of a lack of due process and campus administrators have all told me that the current approach does a disservice to everyone involved." Advocates for victims of sexual assault and women's rights disagreed with DeVos's proposal. The organization End Rape on Campus released a statement from its director stating "This announcement simultaneously demonstrates a gross negligence for the students Secretary DeVos has been asked to serve, and a failure to understand the grounds on which their protections stand." Former vice-president Joe Biden said "any change that weakens Title IX protections will be devastating." Wednesday's Smart Talk studies the policies of Title IX as they currently stand and how changes may impact students in Pennsylvania with Dr. Armenta Hinton of the Office of Equity and Title IX at Elizabethtown College and Donna Greco, Policy Director with the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape. Many musicians dream of making a living out of their music, recording with a big-name record label and scoring a hit song that makes the charts. Cumberland County's Ben Gallaher has done all those things except get the big hit, but that may only because he just signed with Sony Music Nashville and release his first EP. Aspiring country music star Ben Gallaher opens for Lynryd Skynrd at the York Fair Thursday night. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/September132017.mp3" Wednesday, 13 September 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Ken Burns' epic documentary The Vietnam War premieres this Sunday on WITF-TV and PBS. Over the next few days, Smart Talk will look at several aspects of the Vietnam era. Politically and socially, the United States is a much different place than it was in 1970. Then, the nation was divided on many issues, but most notably the war in Vietnam. Protests and demonstrations against the war were an everyday occurrence in all corners of the country. The war's opponents not only saw it as unneeded, unjust and maybe illegal, but they also strongly opposed the military draft of young men over the age of 18. Many anti-war activities in the early '70s weren't peaceful. When some activists saw that protests or other acts of civil disobedience weren't having an impact, they turned to other measures -- sometimes illegal or violent ones. In 1972, a group known as the Harrisburg Seven went on trial for allegedly plotting to kidnap Henry Kissinger, the man they saw as the architect of the war in the Nixon Administration. The group, led by Catholic Priest Father Phillip Berrigan was also charged with conspiring to blow up underground tunnels in Washington D.C. to disrupt government operations. On Tuesday's Smart Talk, William O'Rourke, the author of the book, The Harrisburg Seven and the New Catholic Left joins us to discuss the case. We Gotta Get Out of This Place: The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War is a book that examines the part that music played for those who fought in Vietnam. It may not be what you think. Over the years, music that accompanied any conversation about Vietnam or film and video focused on the anger, chaos, and protest to the war - not what the fighting men and women listened to or what impact that music had on them. Doug Bradley, one of the co-authors of We Gotta Get Out of This Place: The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War appears on Tuesday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/September122017.mp3" Tuesday, 12 September 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Just as Texans are coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Floridians are hunkering down as Hurricane Irma grinds up the state. Smart Talk will talk about the cleanup efforts both states will be facing with Kevin King, executive director of Mennonite Disaster Services in Lancaster County. We'll also hear from two people with Pennsylvania ties living in Florida now. Both dodged the storm without major damage but will describe what they see around them. Also, a group of conservative state House members have devised a budget plan. "The Taxpayer's Budget" proposes to shift funds around to close the budget gap without raising taxes. State Representatives Dan Moul of Adams County and Seth Grove of York County will join Smart Talk to parse out the details of their plan and discuss other budget options. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/September112017.mp3" Monday, 11 September 2017 12:30:00 -0400 This week President Trump ordered an end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. The program was installed by former President Obama to protect young adults brought to the U.S. illegally as youths from deportation. Obama was criticized for enacting the program via executive order. About 800,000 young people are registered for the program which allows them to legally work and attend school. Those that fall under DACA will have a six-month grace period before their protected status is terminated. The president wants Congress to address DACA during those six months. Trump claims to support the DACA recipients, insisting the program needs to be voted into law to maintain legal legitimacy. A day after the announcement was made, Trump tweeted that he would be willing to address the issue if Congress was unable to pass legislation. The message is troubling to the DACA participants, known as "DREAMers," who are unsure of their future in America. Many of them have no memory of life in their native country or have any ties at all. Friday's Smart Talk discusses what lies in store for DREAMers in Central Pennsylvania with Carrie Carranza, Legal Immigration Counselor and Program Advocate with Church World Services in Lancaster. We'll also speak with Carlos Apolfo Gonzalez, a coordinator with the Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition and a DACA participant about his concerns as well as his hope for a positive solution to the issue. We're also joined by with Jill Family, a Widener University Commonwealth Law Professor of Law and Government, about the legal options for DREAMers and how they can protect themselves until the program can be renewed. Also on the Friday program -- as Hurricane Irma bears down on the United States this weekend the question arises as to whether the U.S. is prepared for disasters like Irma or Hurricane Harvey that flooded Texas and the Gulf Coast tw weeks ago. Robert Wheelersburg (Ph.D.) worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and now teaches at Elizabethtown College, including a course on emergency operations in disaster response. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/September082017.mp3" Friday, 8 September 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Thursday's Smart Talk Road Trip takes the program to the historic Allenberry Resort near Boiling Springs in Cumberland County. The show touches on history, the area's current and future economy, tourism, fly-fishing in the Yellow Breeches Creek and a campaign to save Children's Lake in Boiling Springs. The newly renovated Allenberry Resort sits on land once owned by Davey Crockett's uncle -- James Crockett -- in the late 1700s. That land was farmed and then became a resort and entertainment center 70 years ago. We'll hear what new owner Mike Kennedy has to say about Allenberry. Also, appearing are Michelle Crowley, president of the Greater Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce and Shireen Farr, Chief Operating Officer of the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau. The world famous Yellow Breeches Creek flows past Allenberry and in fact the stream near Allenberry is one of the best places in Pennsylvania to catch a brown trout. Dusty Wissmath, manager of the Boiling Springs TCO Fly Shop stops by to talk about fly-fishing in the Yellow Breeches. Finally, the Children's Lake in Boiling Springs is in need of upkeep and repairs. A campaign to raise money to restore the beautiful lake is underway. Co-chairs of that campaign Jorie Hanson and Liz Knouse joins us. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/September072017.mp3" Thursday, 7 September 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Ken Burns' epic historical documentary The Vietnam War begins Sunday, September 17 on WITF-TV and PBS. Coupled with The Vietnam War WITF Stories and other events, you'll be hearing about Vietnam often over the next few weeks. In the meantime, best-selling author Mark Bowden's latest book is destined to be a classic. It's called Hue 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam and is the definitive account of the most climatic and intense battle of the Tet offensive. Much like Bowden's other classic Black Hawk Down, Hue 1968 is meticulous in its description of the weeks-long battle in the city. U.S. Marines fought block-by-block and house-by-house against thousands of North Vietnamese Communists and Viet Cong guerillas. Military commanders and President Lyndon Johnson were taken by surprise by the coordinated Tet offensive attacks throughout South Vietnam and refused to believe the strength and ferocity of the enemy in Hue. Bowden appears on Wednesday's Smart Talk to tell the story. Gas prices have climbed to well over 2 dollars 80 cents a gallon in Central Pennsylvania from around 2.45 just more than a week ago. Blame Hurricane Harvey and the disruption it caused in oil refineries and pipelines. So, will the trend continue? Patrick DeHaan, Senior Petroleum Analyst with GasBuddy.com joins us on Wednesday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/September062017.mp3" Wednesday, 6 September 2017 12:30:00 -0400 In 2014, more than two hundred cancer patients at the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute of Lancaster General Health/Penn Medicine were surveyed about the status of their cancer. 49% got it wrong, they couldn't accurately define the stages of their disease. A third didn't know if they were in remission or not. This lack of understanding leads to poor decision making about treatment, according to the report. For oncology specialists, the study cites "this raises significant concerns regarding the informed consent process and our ability to provide care that truly aligns with patient preferences and goals of care." Dr. Shanthi Sivendran is an oncologist at Lancaster General and co-author of the report. She says the shock of a cancer diagnosis often leads patients to tune out the details, telling a Penn Medicine News blog "You drop the word 'Cancer,' and the brain is fixated on that word. It doesn't matter, all the other things you're saying around it, oftentimes patients describe it as being stuck at 'You just told me I have cancer.'" Dr. Sivendran joins Smart Talk to talk about this lack of awareness and efforts to better educate cancer patients about their disease. Also, the Pennsylvania Department of General Services is selling off items either confiscated by the TSA or simply abandoned at airports. From golf clubs to bullet belts, pantyhose to power tools, the state will sell the stuff at the State Surplus Distribution Center for half price through the end of the week. DGS spokeman Troy Thompson will be in studio to talk about the ordinary, the unique, the good, the bad and the ugly flotsam and jetsam of the airports of the Northeast. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/September052017.mp3" Tuesday, 5 September 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The Animal Abuse Statute Overhaul Act, better known as "Libre's Law," took effect on Monday. The law is named for Libre, an abused, seven-week old Boston terrier rescued from a Lancaster County breeder. The puppy was dehydrated and starving with open sores and maggot infestations on his skin. The law would protect animals in Pennsylvania by forcing convicted animal abusers to forfeit their animals to a shelter, it clarifies rules for tying up animals, increases fines and penalties and adds more protections for horses. Libre's Law is the first major overhaul of animal protection law in Pennsylvania for nearly 30 years. Joining us on Thursday's Smart Talk to discuss animal protection policy are Kristen Tullo, Pennsylvania State Director of the Humane Society of the United States and Amy Kaunus, Executive Director of the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area. Also, Baby Boomers take a lot of jabs about their trepidacious approach to social media, but a recent Penn State study found older adults to be the fastest growing demographic of Facebook users. One could argue this is because younger users have already established accounts with various social media platforms, but the truth is seniors are becoming increasingly more comfortable with the learning curve and the drive to use these media as mechanisms of social bonding overtakes fears of intrusion or surveillance by nefarious presences on the web. S. Shyam Sundar is a Distinguished Professor of Communications and co-director of the Media Effects Research Laboratory at Penn State; he and his colleagues researched senior use of Facebook and he will join Smart Talk to share their findings. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August312017.mp3" Thursday, 31 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 There were almost 13,000 crashes in Pennsylvania that involved an impaired driver in 2015. That same year, more than 400 people died. As of last week, Pennsylvania has a new law that addresses first-time DUI offenders. Those convicted of driving under the influence will now have to have an ignition interlock device installed on their vehicles. The driver will have to blow into the device and if any alcohol is detected, the vehicle won't start. What's new is first-time offenders must get the ignition interlocks. Pennsylvania is one of the last states to institute ignition interlocks for first-time offenders. However, those who campaign for stronger DUI laws say the ignition interlock is just the first step in cracking down on drunk and drugged drivers and more is needed. They point to a 2016 survey that ranked Pennsylvania 48th out of 50 states in having the most lenient DUI laws. They say the state has to enact laws that focus on high-risk offenders, like those who have been arrested more than once for DUI, have high blood-alcohol levels or drive while their licenses are suspended. Wednesday's Smart Talk digs deeper on DUI laws with Eileen Lee, Director of Ignition Interlock Quality Assurance with the Pennsylvania DUI Association and Chris Demko of the group Pennsylvania Parents Against Impaired Driving. Mr. Demko's 18-year-old daughter Meredith was killed in a July 2014 crash with driver who was drunk, high on heroin, was driving with suspended license and was a repeat offender. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August302017.mp3" Wednesday, 30 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The United States may have never experienced a storm like Harvey. With forecasts of up to and maybe more than 50 inches of rain, the people of Texas and the Gulf Coast are experiencing what has been described as epic floods. Americans are responding overwhelmingly, but Harvey also reminds us that flooding can occur anywhere. In fact, Pennsylvania is the most flood-prone state in the country. On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we focus on Harvey and flooding. We'll speak with Rachel Bracken, a former Lancaster County resident, who now lives outside Houston. How does the nation's most flood-prone state prepare for flooding when there is a significant rain event and what of kind of challenges does that present? Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Director Richard Flinn appears on the program to explain. There always are a lot of questions about flood insurance, what it covers when there is water damage, who should purchase flood insurance and what does it cost? Ron Ruman, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department answers those questions. We also hear from the American Red Cross of Central Pennsylvania about what assistance is needed in the flood zone. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August292017.mp3" Tuesday, 29 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 While much of the country was financially crippled by the recession of 2008, the Central Pennsylvania region weathered the storm better than most other regions. Ten years later, the residential real estate market is plugging along at a healthy rate. Property values and the price of new and existing homes are on an upswing and sales have spiked in the last quarter. The market is adjusting to the everchanging consumer habits as baby boomers are shifting to properties that meet their lifestyles in retirement and millennials apprehensive to buy homes while saddled with student debt. Smart Talk will look at the state of residential real estate in the region with Bob Fox, the incoming vice-president of the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors; Jennifer King, president of the Lancaster County Association of Realtors; Mark McNaughton, chairman of government affairs for the Pennsylvania Builders Association and Cheryl Young, a senior economist with the real estate website Trulia.com. Also, two recent federal court decisions could lead to costly delays or even stall some of the major pipeline projects planned to ship natural gas from the Marcellus Shale to new markets. StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Marie Cusick joins us to discuss the recent developments. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August282017.mp3" Monday, 28 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 State Senator John DiSanto (R-Perry and parts of Dauphin Counties) proposed a bill that would, according to DiSanto, establish "state-funded, flexible spending accounts that parents can use to pay for Department of Education-approved educational expenses such as private school tuition, higher education tuition, textbooks and curriculum, testing and industry certifications." The accounts would provide between $5000 and $6000 for educational needs and the unused money would roll over annually. The bill has the support of educators in the region, including the REACH Foundation - a school choice advocacy group in Pennsylvania. Aaron Anderson, Head of School at Logos Academy in York, lauded the bill, saying "Educational Savings Accounts are a way of recognizing that parents are the best arbiters of what is best for their children." Critics contend educational savings accounts like these are little more than voucher programs. Nina Esposito-Visgitis, president of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "Senator DiSanto's plan to establish so-called 'education savings accounts' is yet another attempt to divert attention from the real issues that plague our public schools every day and prevent us from working on the things that would make our public schools better for all students." On the Friday edition of WITF's Smart Talk, we will discuss his Education Savings Account legislation with Senator DiSanto. Also, Central Pennsylvanians will transition to a ten-digit telephone dialing code; we'll discuss the changes and answer your questions with Nils Hagen-Frederiksen of the Pennsylvania Public Utilities commission. Finally, petroglyphs are a form of art carved into rocks by native-Americans centuries ago. One of the greatest concentration of petroglyphs in the northeastern part of the country is located in the lower Susquehanna River Valley that runs between Lancaster and York Counties. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August252017.mp3" Friday, 25 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Drive behind a Amish horse and buggy in Pennsylvania and you'll see a fluorescent orange, triangular placard attached to the gray and black buggy and maybe a few cute kids too. However, if a proposal in the State House becomes law, you'll see something else -- a Pennsylvania license plate. Democratic Rep. Mike Hanna of Centre County wants Amish to register buggies like other vehicles and display license plates as well. The money derived from the registration would go toward road repairs where the steel wheels of the buggies have caused damage. So how would buggie registration fit into the Amish way of life? Dr. Steven Nolt, a professor of history at the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College is on Thursday's Smart Talk to discuss. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August242017.mp3" Thursday, 24 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The first high school football games of the 2017 season in Pennsylvania will be played this weekend. A highly-ranked Penn State Nittany Lion squad begins play a week from Saturday and the NFL schedule starts September 7th. Fall means the return of America's favorite spectator sport -- football. However, the 2017 season brings increasing concerns about football and head injuries. Last month, a study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that left some people asking whether children should be playing football. Others went as far as predicting that the sport of football was doomed. The degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE has been linked to repeated blows to the head. The study found that 110 of 111 brains from deceased NFL football players had CTE. Of the 202 brains examined, almost 88% had CTE and the percentages went up depending on the level a player competed on. The results of the research shocked many but there are critics who said that only donated brains were examined and the families were more likely to donate a brain if they suspected a problem. CTE can have an impact on speech, memory, mood and motor functions and it's believed has led to suicide in a few cases. We examine football head injuries, concussions and CTE on Wednesday's Smart Talk with Dr. Douglas Smith of the University of Pennsylvania Center for Brain Injury and Repair and a member of the NFL's Scientific Advisory Board; Dr. Michael Cordas of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association and Karen Kinzle Zegel, president of the Patrick Risha CTE Awareness Foundation. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August232017.mp3" Wednesday, 23 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Several Democrats in the State House and faith leaders are calling for an expansion of Pennsylvania's hate crime laws. Proposals in both the House and Senate would "expand the offense of ethnic intimidation to include malicious intention against actual or perceived ancestry, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity of another individual or group of individuals." Lawmakers approved a similar expanded hate crime law with bipartisan support in the early 2000s but it was rejected by the State Supreme Court in 2008, because the bill was tacked onto unrelated legislation making it unconstitutional. Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny) is leading the charge to expand the hate crime laws and appears on Tuesday's Smart Talk. Also, a recent survey commissioned by the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA) found that nearly 80% of the state's 500 public school districts needed to access emergency reserve funds in the last year for routine expenditures like payroll and maintenance. At the same time, many public schools are holding onto cash reserves - "rainy day" money - while receiving full budget funding from the state or even raising taxes. PASA recommends districts maintain a "rainy day" fund balance between 5 and 12 percent of the districts' operating costs. But, the Southern Fulton School District has a balance at 85% of its operating budget. District administrators say surpluses are necessary to bridge funding gaps and for emergency spending. Jay Himes of the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials calls the surpluses "the buffer of the unanticipated and I would say unbelievable situation that you may find yourself in in the course of a fiscal year." Critics are concerned districts are hording cash. James Paul, a senior policy analyst with the Commonwealth Foundation called the figures "eye-opening to anyone who believes Pennsylvania schools are underfunded." On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we discuss the value of pumping up districts' fund balances and whether they should be factored into the annual spending budgets of the schools with James Paul and John Callahan, Assistant Executive Director for Public Policy for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August222017.mp3" Tuesday, 22 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 If private contractors were to bid on and work on projects to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, would it reduce the amount of pollution going into Pennsylvania's waterways and cost less? Republican State Sen. Richard Alloway of Franklin County thinks so. Sen. Alloway has introduced legislation that would allow private contractors to work on the bay clean up. On Monday's Smart Talk, we hear from two guests who support the proposal -- Dominic Bassani, who is a member of the Coalition for Affordable Bay Solutions and Steve Rowe, President and CEO of Newtrient, a business collective of U.S. dairy farm cooperatives. Lower Paxton Township in Dauphin County is a municipality that has developed a pollutant reduction plan to reduce sediment from stormwater discharges and stream water erosion. It's just one of the steps the township has taken relating to the Chesapeake Bay cleanup Lower Paxton Township Manager George Wolfe is on Smart Talk to explain what his municipality is doing. The Conowingo Dam sits just a few miles south of the Pennsylvania border. It is the last dam on the Susquehanna River before the river runs into the Chesapeake Bay. For years, the Conowingo has been trapping sediment that made its way into the Susquehanna mostly from Pennsylvania. It was thought that the dam could handle a few more years of sediment but now its full sooner than expected. The state of Maryland has taken on a project to dredge a portion of the sediment behind the dam to determine whether dredging is a permanent solution. Maryland Secretary of the Environment Ben Grumbles joins us on Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August212017.mp3" Monday, 21 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 White Ash was once one of the most prevalent trees in Pennsylvania. It is a hardy, deciduous tree that shades many large areas and is known for its striking fall colors. Pennsylvania provides much of the ash timber that is harvested to make the Louisville Slugger, the official Major League baseball bat. However, ash trees have been vanishing across the state. An invasive species of insect, the Emerald Ash Borer, has been infesting and killing ash trees in 25 states. The pest has the potential to eradicate the entire genus of ash trees within just a few years. The destructive beetle is native to Northeastern Asia and was first discovered in the United States in 2002. Outside its native land the bug causes devastating affects to North American and Western European forestry. While the adult bugs are relatively harmless, the larvae consume the inner bark of ash trees, disturbing the flow of nutrients and water, and causing tree death if not treated promptly. The bug has destroyed hundreds of millions of ash trees in North America since its discovery, and continues to wipe out the trees across the affected states. There are a few measures that can be taken to treat and prevent infestation in individual ash trees, such as quarantine and a bi-annual injection into the trunk of the tree. Forestry experts say the situation is dire but not entirely hopeless, though the economic and ecological effects are irreparable. Joining us on Smart Talk to discuss the Emerald Ash Borer and the future of ash trees in Pennsylvania are two Forest Entomologists with the Division of Forest Health within DCNR, Dr. Mark Faulkenberry and Timothy Tomon. The first total solar eclipse to be visible in the United States in 38 years is scheduled to occur this Monday, August 21st. The sun, moon and earth will be in a straight line, and will cast an ominous shadow over the earth. This is a rare and exciting occasion for our country, and its being called the "Great American Solar Eclipse." Though Pennsylvania doesn't fall into the eclipse's "path of totality," locals will be able to witness a partial eclipse between 1 and 4pm, with the maximum coverage of the sun estimated to occur between 2:30 and 2:45pm. Joining us to discuss the eclipse and answer all your questions is Cosmic Mike, Senior Scidome educator at the North Museum in Lancaster. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August182017.mp3" Friday, 18 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The nation is still talking about the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia last weekend and remarks made by President Trump Tuesday saying counter protestors were equally to blame with neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klansmen and other racists for the violence that resulted. Thursday's Smart Talk looks at the issues related to the last few days in several ways. WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Katie Meyer has compiled a list of the statements about the rally and Trump's statement made by members of Congress that represent Central Pennsylvania. Keystone Crossroads reporter Emily Previti recently delved into York County's history with racial tensions and violence and what's changed over the years. York Mayor Kim Bracey is the city's first African-American mayor. York also was the scene of a racist rally less than 20 years ago that turned violent. Mayor Bracey is in a unique position to talk about Charlottesville and race relations. Activist Nick Miron is teaching an anti-racism workshop to teachers in Lancaster this fall. It guides teachers with how to teach anti-racism to their students. And we'll also hear the opinions of several people on the street in Lancaster and get their thoughts about Charlottesville, race-relations and the president. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August172017.mp3" Thursday, 17 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Many college students will be returning to their campuses in the next few weeks. For those entering their first year in college, it will be a big change from high school. Maintaining good grades and keeping up in the classroom, while living on their own and fighting the temptation to socialize or party too much is something most will have to deal with. Athletes and others involved in activities and clubs face an even greater time challenge and stress. Madison Holleran would have seemed to be the ideal first-year college student to successfully meet those challenges. The New Jersey native attended the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia after being an "A" student and one of the most popular members of her high school class. She also was a state champion soccer player and track runner. Instead, Maddie was miserable at Penn. She sank into a deep depression and ultimately took her own life. ESPN journalist Kate Fagan appears on Wednesday's Smart Talk to discuss her new book What Made Maddy Run -- The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen. (Kate Fagan appears at Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg August 23 at 7 p.m. to talk about the book) Also on the program Wednesday, America's national parks are among the country's most popular tourist attractions and are true American treasures - whether it be parks that are historic in nature or attract people for beautiful landscapes. But many national parks are in dire need of maintenance and money is tight. For example, the hallowed ground at the Gettysburg National Military Park - the site of the three-day battle that turned the tide of the Civil War - has more than 55 million dollars in deferred maintenance. Joining us on Smart Talk is Pam Bowman, Director of Public Lands Policy, Government Relations Department, National Trust for Historic Preservation. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August162017.mp3" Wednesday, 16 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Tuesday's Smart Talk Road Trip takes the show to one of the most picturesque places in Pennsylvania -- Mt. Gretna. The program comes during a time of anticipation for the town -- the nationally respected and recognized Mt. Gretna Art Show is set for Saturday and Sunday this weekend when around 300 artists and 20,000 art lovers descend on the small Lebanon County village. The juried artworks include paintings, sculpture, mixed media, jewelry, glass and photography. Mt. Gretna is also well known for its theater and music at the Gretna Theatre. On Tuesday's show, we'll discuss the arts, theater and music at Gretna with Art Show Committee Chairwoman Linda Bell, Suzanne Stewart, Executive Director of Gretna Music and Joe Giardina, Managing Director of Gretna Theatre. Mt. Gretna has the look of a Victorian town and this year marks the 125th anniversary of Pennsylvania Chautauqua and the Camp Meeting Ground, which was the founding of Mt. Gretna. Ralph Zimmerman, Vice President of the Mt. Gretna Area Historical Society visits the Smart Talk set. And of course, we have to talk about the home of our broadcast -- the Jigger Shop and its ice cream -- a Mt. Gretna tradition for more than 100 years. Owner Drew Allwein sits down with this us on Tuesday's broadcast. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August152017.mp3" Tuesday, 15 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The largest and most violent white supremacy rally in a decade rocked Charlottesville, Virginia Saturday and it has the whole nation talking. It was planned as an event to protest the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a Charlottesville park but quickly turned into a violent confrontation between neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan, skinheads and counter-protestors. The melee didn't result in any serious injuries until one of the white supremacists rammed a speeding car into into a crowd killing a 32-year-old woman and injuring 19 others. Rallies against racism were held yesterday and last night around the country, including here in the midstate. On Monday's Smart Talk, we hear about hate groups in Pennsylvania and how rallies like Charlottesville would be handled. We're joined by JoAnn Edwards, Executive Director and Joshua Bartash, Civil Rights Investigator, both of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Katie Meyer and Penn Live/Patriot-News Opinion Editor John Micek appear on Monday's Smart Talk to provide insight into a few of the most significant news stories at the State Capitol and in Pennsylvania and the nation. The state budget is still one of the biggest issues in Harrisburg. The General Assembly approved a $32 billion spending plan last month. However, the revenue to pay for it hasn't been finalized. The Republican-controlled State Senate gave their OK to a proposal that includes news taxes on natural gas drilling, adds a tax on gas, electric and phones bills, expands gambling and borrows. It awaits action by the Republican majority House and where there doesn't appear to be an appetite for the taxes. Our panel weighs in on where the process stands. Also, since President Trump came into office in January, there seems to be a bombshell from Washington every day. The decisions made in Washington obviously are being felt in Pennsylvania. We'll discuss how and whether Pennsylvania is still Trump country. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August142017.mp3" Monday, 14 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 On the final Thursday of July, the state Senate passed a $32 billion revenue plan by a 26-24 vote that transcended party lines. The package awaits action by the State house. The bill includes new taxes and existing rate increases including a natural gas extraction tax, higher taxes imposed on gas and electric bills, an expansion of gambling in the state and a green light to borrow against future tobacco settlements. The extraction tax, along with other taxes and fees targeting the energy industry, have business leaders in the state concerned. Energy Association of Pennsylvania president Terry Fitzpatrick sees these taxes being passed on to Pennsylvanians, telling The Sentinel "It really doesn't make sense to try to solve this problem by raising consumers' energy costs." Mark Chasse of the Industrial Energy Consumers of Pennsylvania worries this package will stymie growth, saying "This tax would provide a second thought into reinvesting." Friday's Smart Talk includes discussion of the revenue package with David Taylor, president of the Pennsylvania Manufacturer's Association, who told PennLive "This is about Pennsylvania's future, and whether or not we're going to sacrifice it on the high altar of one year's state budget." Also joining Smart Talk are Sam Denisco, Vice President of Government Affairs with the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry and State Representative Greg Vitali. Vitali is concerned about the influence the energy industry has in lobbying for a favorable tax position Later, Smart Talk will discuss bicycle safety. Two cyclists were injured last month in South Londonderry Township, Lebanon County when the driver of an SUV drove into a pack of riders. Former State Representative and current Executive Director of the Lebanon Valley Bicycle Coalition Pat Krebs and Sharyn Kocevar of the Bicycle South Central Pennsylvania Steering Committee will discuss efforts to bring awareness to the cyclists who share the roads. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August112017.mp3" Friday, 11 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania is the nation's epicenter for treatment and recovery of eating disorders. Eating disorders are complex and serious psychological conditions that can affect all cultures, genders and ages, most prominently in Western countries. Body dissatisfaction and body dysphoria are the believed to be the main factors that lead to eating disorders, but the root cause of these symptoms is unknown. There are many socio-cultural factors that contribute to the epidemic. Media is often blamed for perpetuating unrealistic body standards, but along with social pressures, research shows genetics and mental illness to be influences that have led to clinically severe cases of eating disorders. According to the National Eating Disorder Association, 20 million women and 10 million men in the United States suffer from eating disorders at some point in their lives. The most severe and common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Anorexia nervosa claims more deaths than any other psychiatric disorder. As young as the age of 6, children, girls especially, begin to express dissatisfaction with their bodies and a fear of gaining weight. Since the 1950's, clinically significant eating disorders in girls aged 15-19 have increased every year. Resources and research have also increased. In Pennsylvania, there are over 150 treatment centers for eating disorders and dozens of support groups. There are many downloadable apps that can help sufferers address and find support for their eating disorders. Ironically, social media serves as a platform to provide both solidarity and information for sufferers, while also perpetuating the very body standards that can cause dangerous body dissatisfaction. The same article in a health or beauty magazine that addresses the issues of body dissatisfaction may be juxtaposed with a picture of a stick thin model. These contradictions illustrate the intersection of health and beauty standards that make diagnosis and recovery from eating disorders so complicated. There is a lot of work to be done, and these issues are being brought to the forefront in Pennsylvania. Thursday's Smart Talk welcomes guests Dr. Rachel Levine, Pennsylvania's Acting Secretary of Health and the state's Physician General, Dr. Martha P. Levine, from Penn State Hershey Adolescent Medicine and Psychiatric Registered Nurse Kristen Ebaugh, initiator of a support group and survivor of eating disorders to address the topic. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August102017.mp3" Thursday, 10 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence has created a new mobile app that could aid parents in discussions with their teenage or pre-teen children about challenges they'll face as they grow up. It's called the Raising Respect App and it includes topics such as healthy relationships, sex and pregnancy, drugs and alcohol, social media and cell phones and gender and sexual orientation. The app is designed to encourage parents to begin conversations with their children before they start dating and forming relationships outside the home and help parents navigate what can be delicate topics. To discuss the new app and a few of the topics addressed on Wednesday's Smart Talk are Prevention Manager Kristen Herman and Prevention Specialist Nick Silveri-Hiller with the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August092017.mp3" Wednesday, 9 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The Pennsylvania State Senate approved SB 383 in late June, a bill that would allow school district employees to bring guns to school. The bill is currently before the House Education committee. The text of the bill states "THE board of school directors in a school district may establish a policy permitting school personnel access to firearms in the buildings or on the grounds of a school." Essentially, the district would draw up a firearms "safety plan" and submit it for approval with local law enforcement. The plan would be held confidentially under a 2008 "right-to-know" law. Personnel would need a carry permit and proof of firearms training to bring a gun to school. They would also be required to pass a psychological screening. The bill has met opposition from the Education Law Center, the Pennsylvania State Education Association, and the National Rifle Association. The NRA was behind the bill in its original form and revoked that support when State Senator Sharif Street (D-3rd) added the provisions for a safety plan and psych screening as amendments. The NRA's primary objection is that schools are not mandated by the bill to allow teachers to carry guns. Smart Talk will examine the merits and flaws of SB 383 with State Senator Donald White, the bill's sponsor. The Republican, serving Armstrong, Indiana and parts of Butler and Westmoreland Counties, said in a news release "this bill is not about the Second Amendment. It's about permitting the 500 school districts of this Commonwealth to have greater choices when it comes to protecting our most precious resource - our children." We will also speak with Rich Askey, a 32 year teacher of the Harrisburg School District and Treasurer with the Pennsylvania State Education Association whose president stated in a release "PSEA is not opposed to the use of appropriately trained and armed school safety personnel in schools . . . our association does oppose . . . arming teachers, education support professionals, and other school staff. This bill doesn't keep students safe." Peter Langman is a psychologist in Allentown and author of the books School Shooters: Understanding High School, College, and Adult Perpetrators and Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters; he outlined his concerns about this bill in an op-ed published by The Morning Call. He worries that guns in school can be stolen by students, that teachers could accidently shoot innocent people and that police wouldn't be able to tell teachers from assailants. Langman will join Smart Talk to explain why he feels the threat of school shootings are a fallacy. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August082017.mp3" Tuesday, 8 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Brands like Sears, Kmart and JC Penney have been ubiquitous with America's retail landscape. That's why it becomes jarring to learn that today there are 695 Sears-owned retail locations - compared to 3,500 in 2010. J. C. Penney is scheduled to close 140 stores nationwide this summer. At its height, Radio Shack had 7,300 comapny-owned stores. Today there are less than 70. Staples, Macy's, The Bon-Ton, Payless Shoes - they've all seen store closures in Pennsylvania. These closings do not reflect the totality of the area's retail climate, however. Despite substantial competition from big-box stores such as Walmart and Target and the omnipresent Amazon juggernaut, brick-and-mortar retail does thrive in the region. Shopping trends among millennials indicate greater a greater emphasis on convenience as well as an enhanced face-to-face sales experience forcing retailers to rely on detailed customer data collated from various social media platforms. The "shopping experience" is driving younger consumers into more of the independently owned businesses that previous generations eschewed for the ease of "one-stop-shopping." Smart Talk will examine the state of retail in the central counties; we will look at retail real estate and development trends, the shifting purchasing habits in today's retail landscape, what stores are thriving and which stores are dying and we'll ask why some shopping malls are seeing explosive growth (Park City, King of Prussia) and why some are dead on the vine (Fairgrounds, Coventry.) Brian Rider, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Retailer's Association will provide an overview of retail business in the region and statewide. Omni Realty Group owner Michael Kushner will contribute the analytics on mid-state retail and real estate trends and Kevin Schrieber, president of the York County Economic Alliance will talk about promoting new business start-ups and helping existing businesses to grow. We will also speak with John Shuba, co-owner of Angry, Young and Poor; a rock and roll boutique in Lancaster that balances a brick and mortar store with a successful online presence. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August072017.mp3" Monday, 7 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The numbers are staggering -- more than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease. By 2050, that figure could increase to 16 million because people are living longer and getting older. Alzheimer's disease is degenerative and incurable. According to the Alzheimer's Association, the disease causes a buildup of "plaques and tangles" within the brain, disrupting cell growth. As nerve cells are damaged and die, memory loss tends to be the first indicator of the disease, followed by difficulty communicating and responding to an environment. While most Alzheimer's patients are over the age of 65, early-onset Alzheimer's makes up 5% of the national count. Dementia and Alzheimer's disease are at the heart of countless research studies. Though there is still a great deal of mystery surrounding these disorders, advancements are being made. According to the Alzheimer's Association 90% of the information we have about Alzheimer's has been discovered within the last 20 years. We do a lot about Alzheimer's but still there is no known cause and it can only be slowed. Smart Talk checks in on Alzheimer's disease from time-to-time to get the latest news and if there has been progress in research or treatment. That's what we'll do on Friday's show. Appearing on the program are neuropsychologist Dr. Paul Eslinger of the Penn State Hershey Medical Center and Penn State Hershey School of Medicine along with Clay Jacobs, Vice President of Programs and Services from the Alzheimer's Association Greater Pennsylvania Chapter. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August042017.mp3" Friday, 4 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Thursday's Smart Talk Road Trip takes the show to Pennsylvania's State Capitol. Appearing on the program are Gov. Tom Wolf, State Treasurer Joe Torsella and WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Katie Meyer. The state budget is among the topics we'll discuss with Gov. Wolf. The General Assembly approved a $31.7 billion spending plan last month that the governor allowed to become law. However, the revenue portion of the budget wasn't finalized so where the money comes from is still questionable. The Republican-majority Senate passed a revenue package that includes a tax on Marcellus Shale gas and borrowing. The Republican-majority State House hasn't taken up the bill yet. Treasurer Joe Torsella has warned that the state needs a final budget soon or the state may not be able to pay its bills. If you have a question for Gov. Wolf or Treasurer Torsella, use the comments section below. Among the other topics to be addressed are climate change policies and healthcare. Katie Meyer provides insight into several issues that are not related to the budget. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August032017.mp3" Thursday, 3 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The most contentious issue in America today may be abortion and it's been that way for much of the past four decades. One of the newest tactics used by elected officials opposed to abortion is to cut off federal and state funding from Planned Parenthood -- a reproductive health organization that provides abortions along with other services for women. A lot of information is circulated about Planned Parenthood, whether on websites or picket signs, so discerning actual statistics about the organization can sometimes be a challenge. The services provided by Planned Parenthood include sexually transmitted disease screenings, cancer screenings, birth control, pregnancy tests, prenatal services and abortion. According to Planned Parenthood, 3% of their services are for abortions, while 42% accounts for STD testing, screening and treatment. A 1976 law bans federal funding from being used to pay for elective abortions. Government money comes in the form of Medicaid for low-income clients. Planned Parenthood maintains the organization complies with the law but opponents say blanket Medicaid payments do contribute to paying for abortions. Wednesday's Smart Talk examines efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. Our guests are Diane Gramley, President of the American Family Association of Pennsylvania and Sari Stevens, Executive Director, Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates. Earlier this week, the White House panel examining the nation's opioid epidemic asked President Trump to declare a national public health emergency to combat the ongoing crisis. Normally, public health emergencies are reserved for natural disasters but that's how bad the opioid crisis has gotten. WITF's Transforming Health reporter Ben Allen has closely covered this issue the last few years and joins us to provide updates on several fronts. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August022017.mp3" Wednesday, 2 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Monday morning, President Donald Trump tweeted that the White House was not in chaos. This comes less than two weeks after his Chief-of-Staff and Press Secretary resigned and just a few hours before Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci was fired or resigned -- 10 days after taking the job. The first six months of the Trump Administration is unlike anything any living American has seen. At least every week, and sometimes every day, there seems to be a new controversy. While the president claims to have done more than any other president, except Franklin Roosevelt, during his first months on the job, there isn't a single major legislative victory and Trump's popularity in the polls is lower than any modern president six months into an administration. Can new Chief-of-Staff John Kelly -- a retired General in the Marines -- bring more discipline to the White House and put it on a better track to pursue the president's policies? Franklin and Marshall College political analyst and pollster Dr. G. Terry Madonna appears on Tuesday's Smart Talk to discuss the Trump White House and Pennsylvania's budget that hasn't gotten final approval yet. Also, many thought touring the city of Lancaster in a tuk tuk was a neat idea. But the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission couldn't get onboard with the three-wheeled motorized vehicle because of safety concerns. Tuk Tuk Lancaster co-owner Timm Wenger is on Tuesday's Smart Talk to make his case for hauling passengers around the city. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/August012017.mp3" Tuesday, 1 August 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Earlier this month, Lancaster emergency medical services responded to 65 drug overdoses during a three-day period. None of the overdoses were fatal, most occurred in Lancaster city. Officials blamed it on a bad batch of synthetic marijuana. Synthetic cannabis, or "spice," uses chemicals to artificially mimic the composition of real marijuana but manufacturers typically use dangerous cleaners and consumer products found at stores. Nobody really knows how batches are made and users don't know what they're ingesting. Spice can is often sold in retail stores, usually under the counter. It's cheap, easy to find and frequently marketed to youths. Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman said in a statement, "While we are in the midst of a still-escalating opioid abuse epidemic, we must not forget the many other poisons being dealt and used in our communities." On the Monday edition of Smart Talk, we'll discuss the dangers of synthetic marijuana and methods used to catch manufacturers and distributors. DA Stedman will join Special Agent Patrick Trainor of the DEA's Philadelphia Field Division to talk about synthetic marijuana in the region. Also, the Cold War ended 26 years ago and the threat of nuclear annihilation at the hands of the Soviet Empire faded away. In 2017, the world is confronting a very different type of nuclear power in North Korea. As tensions mount on the Korean Peninsula, people are once again confronting an antagonistic nuclear threat. Smart Talk discusses renewed feelings of nuclear anxiety and how those fears have contributed to culture from the dawn of the nuclear age to present day with Dan Zak, a feature writer with The Washington Post and author of Almighty, an "examination of America's love-hate relationship with nuclear weapons." https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July312017.mp3" Monday, 31 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Credit card skimmers are devices that are illegally attached to card readers on gas pumps, ATMs and at retail outlets that read and record a user's card data. That information is used to commit fraud by duplicating the card information. Often the data is bundled and sold repeatedly on the "dark web" of the internet and passed around the world. These skimmers are virtually undetectable to the eye; they are custom built to blend into the hardware they attach to. The technology allows crooks to record or transmit the data without the cardholder knowing they have been breached. These devices have become a growing concern for law enforcement; in recent months skimmers have been found on ATMs and gas pumps in virtually every county in south central Pennsylvania and all over the state. Last month, two devices were found inside the pumps of a Harrisburg gas station; police are circulating a photo of the man they suspect of placing the device. On the Thursday edition of Smart Talk, WGAL's Consumer Investigator Brian Roche examines this high-tech theft with Newberry Township Police Detective Steven Lutz who, earlier this year, broke up a criminal enterprise using skimming devices in York County. Christine Cronkright of the PA Bankers Association will discuss ways consumers can protect themselves from such devices and Pennsylvania State Representative Kristin Phillips-Hill will talk about legislation designed to confront identity theft via card skimmers. Also, the internet is rife with fraud - and one scam in particular is locking up computers and costing consumers money. We'll discuss the dangers on the internet with Professor Andrew J. Hacker, the Cybersecurity Expert In Residence at Harrisburg University. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July282017.mp3" Friday, 28 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Credit card skimmers are devices that are illegally attached to card readers on gas pumps, ATMs and at retail outlets that read and record a user's card data. That information is used to commit fraud by duplicating the card information. Often the data is bundled and sold repeatedly on the "dark web" of the internet and passed around the world. These skimmers are virtually undetectable to the eye; they are custom built to blend into the hardware they attach to. The technology allows crooks to record or transmit the data without the cardholder knowing they have been breached. These devices have become a growing concern for law enforcement; in recent months skimmers have been found on ATMs and gas pumps in virtually every county in south central Pennsylvania and all over the state. Last month, two devices were found inside the pumps of a Harrisburg gas station; police are circulating a photo of the man they suspect of placing the device. On the Thursday edition of Smart Talk, WGAL's Consumer Investigator Brian Roche examines this high-tech theft with Newberry Township Police Detective Steven Lutz who, earlier this year, broke up a criminal enterprise using skimming devices in York County. Christine Cronkright of the PA Bankers Association will discuss ways consumers can protect themselves from such devices and Pennsylvania State Representative Kristin Phillips-Hill will talk about legislation designed to confront identity theft via card skimmers. Also, the internet is rife with fraud - and one scam in particular is locking up computers and costing consumers money. We'll discuss the dangers on the internet with Professor Andrew J. Hacker, the Cybersecurity Expert In Residence at Harrisburg University. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July272017.mp3" Thursday, 27 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Governor Tom Wolf signed off on Pennsylvania's medical cannabis program in April of last year. Medicinal marijuana can now be prescribed for a number of ailments including cancer, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and PTSD. The marijuana will be dispensed in the form of pills, liquids or oils; smokable cannabis is not part of the plan. Last month, the Pennsylvania Department of Health issued permits to growers and dispensaries, moving the process forward. There are still many legal obstacles and many investors in the industry that did not see their ventures receive permitting. Distribution in PA is scheduled for January of 2018, but there are many uncertainties, including the response by Jeff Session's Department of Justice to state legalization. Smart Talk looks at the state of medical cannabis in Pennsylvania; where we are in the process, how the legal questions should and will be answered and how finance will be managed. We will be joined by Heather Stauffer, the LNP staff reporter covering medicinal marijuana in the region. Judi Cassel of Cannabis Law PA will parse out the legalese of the industry. John Pohlhaus is the CEO of Franklin Labs, a marijuana cultivator and distributor and he will talk about navigating a company through the morass of local, state and federal codes and Patrick Nightingale, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Medical Cannabis Society will discuss counseling doctors, patients and dispensaries on the commerce and consumption of therapeutic marijuana. Franklin and Marshall College professor of political science G. Terry Madonna sits in for a vacationing Scott LaMar. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July262017.mp3" Wednesday, 26 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Functional medicine is a form of preventative care; the focus being on maintaining a healthy relationship between the organs and entire systems. Treatment includes detoxification, the use of homeopathic supplements and individualized nutritional plans. Proponents of functional medicine say this approach addresses root causes of illness and disease. Smart Talk will explore the use of functional medicine and its applications in the region. Guest host Valerie Pritchett of ABC 27 speaks with Dr. John Neely, a functional medicine practitioner certified by American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine. Also, the field of veterinary medicine has seen incredible advancements over the years; from acupuncture for your Airedale to CAT scans for your cat. Issues of medical ethics are being applied to the world of animal medicine as Americans develop familial connections to their pets. Smart Talk will look at the veterinary sciences in 2017 and take your questions with Dr. Christine Bunner of the Rossmoyne Animal Hospital and Dr. Alan Kirmayer, Chief of Staff at the Animal Hospital of Rye in Marysville. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July252017.mp3" Tuesday, 25 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 During a statehouse hearing on self-driving cars, Pennsylvania Representative Kate Harper realized that her experience as a senior caregiver gave her a perspective into policymaking that many of her male colleagues lacked. Nineteen percent of the state's general assembly is female. The Pennsylvania Center for Women in Politics has released a report examining the role of the female perspective in lawmaking and the need for a more balanced legislature. Marie Cusick, sitting in for Scott LaMar, will speak to Dana Brown, Pennsylvania Center for Women in Politics at Chatham University and State Representative Tina Pickett about the study. Also, fifteen years ago, nine miners were trapped for more than three days in the Quecreek coal mine. The rescue operation was treacherous and beset by many setbacks, but after 77 hours, all nine miners emerged, alive. Smart Talk will look at the incident that caused the collapse and remember the heroic efforts of the rescuers who saved nine lives in Somerset County. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July242017.mp3" Monday, 24 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Dakota Access, Atlantic Sunrise, Mariner East 2 -- all pipeline projects that have generated fierce opposition where they're being built, including here in Central Pennsylvania. Opposition to a major project is nothing new whether the concern is the environment, safety, traffic or simply when neighbors cry "not in my backyard." But the number of pipelines is increasing across the country and Pennsylvania is a prime location for new pipelines with the natural gas upsurge in the Marcellus Shale. The companies that are building those pipelines must go through an extensive process for approval. Ultimately, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or FERC must give their approval to pipelines. A months-long investigation by WITF's StateImpact Pennsylvania and the Center for Public Integrity brings into question whether FERC is too close to the industries and companies that transport oil and gas through pipelines. The report found that FERC has denied just two pipeline projects over the last 30 years. We'll learn more about what the FERC investigation found on Friday's Smart Talk. StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Marie Cusick appears on the program along with Kristen Lombardi and Jamie Smith Hopkins of the Center for Public Integrity. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July212017.mp3" Friday, 21 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Three state cabinet secretaries appear on Thursday's Smart Talk to discuss Pennsylvania's renewed efforts to do its part in the Chesapeake Bay clean-up. Appearing on the program are Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection Patrick McDonnell, Cindy Dunn, Secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. The Chesapeake Bay is known for a lot of things. Along with its Blue Crabs, oysters and status as the largest estuary in the United States--it is also notoriously dirty. Clean water standards have been historically disagreed upon, but for the first time in decades, things might be looking up for the Blue crabs and watershed residents. What exactly makes the Bay so dirty? Algae blooms mostly, that grow from an excess of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen. The nutrients create a toxic environment and decrease oxygen levels in the water leading to "dead zones." While algae are a normal, healthy part of any ecosystem, the Bay's surplus of these toxic blooms endangers the health of its marine animal and plant life and thus, human beings. Many residents of the Bay's watershed can't drink their own well water due to the high levels of nitrates, and swimming in the Bay is considered ill-advised. The Bay's dirty water problem is multi-faceted. The main source of the pollution is not due to major contaminators such as sewage plants and factories, as these are controlled dumpers. Instead, the pollution is due to urban and industrial run-off from septic tanks, lawns, parking lots, and most significantly, farming. There is a longstanding battle between Attorney Generals and the Environmental Protection Agency as agricultural agencies pushback against the EPA's blueprints for cleaner farming. However, headway has been made according to recent reports by The Chesapeake Bay Program, though there is still much work to be done. Restoring the Bay to health is essentially a team effort. Also joining us on Smart Talk is WHYY Philadelphia's Kevin McCorry, to discuss his new podcast "Schooled." The podcast takes a close, personal look at the nation's public schools, and the state of public education. Kevin is part of the Keystone Crossroads team, a public media partnership which examines the pressing problems and possible solutions of Pennsylvania's cities. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July202017.mp3" Thursday, 20 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Many, and maybe even most Republican candidates for national office have campaigned in the last seven years by promising to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare. They did so by criticizing the mandate that all Americans were required to have health insurance, that premiums were too high, the number of insurance plans were limited and that Medicaid expansion was not sustainable financially. Since President Trump took office with Republican majorities in the U.S. House and Senate, Republicans have worked on a few plans to repeal and replace Obamacare. The latest, orchestrated in the Senate, was pulled earlier this week when it became evident that there weren't enough votes to pass. Now, Obamacare may be repealed but not replaced with another plan or allowed to continue as is. Trump said it will collapse. So, what happens next and what does it mean to you? WITF's Transforming Health reporter Ben Allen breaks it down for us on Wednesday's Smart Talk. Next week, the 20thannual SABR Negro League Research Conference will be held in Harrisburg. It will bring researchers, historians and authors from across the country and Canada to focus on baseball played by African-Americans before blacks were allowed to play Major League baseball. Some of baseball's best players like Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige and Cool Papa Bell played in the Negro Leagues. After Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947, only a handful got to play in the major leagues. Ted Knorr is a local baseball historian with extensive knowledge of the Negro Leagues and one of the organizers of the conference. He appears on Wednesday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July192017.mp3" Wednesday, 19 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 More than 4,500 people died of an opioid overdose in Pennsylvania last year. Another 1,500 were admitted to hospitals to be treated for heroin overdoses -- a 66% increase over the year before. That's according to recent research from the Pennsylvania Healthcare Cost Containment Council. The report also showed rural counties like Perry, Lebanon and Northumberland had some of the highest rates of overdoses in the state. So what do all these numbers mean and what action is the state taking to fight the opioid crisis?? We'll find out on Tuesday's Smart Talk from Pennsylvania Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine and Joe Martin, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Healthcare Cost Containment Council. Also, education in America hasn't changed much in the past hundred years. That's even though the world around schools has and certainly technology has progressed - especially in the last 20 years. Today's high school seniors have probably been exposed to computers and mobile phones for most of their lives. The careers and jobs they choose will certainly involve technology. So what are schools doing to utilize technology in the classroom? We'll learn more from Josh DeSantis, Professor of Education at York College of Pennsylvania and Michael Snell, Superintendent in the Central York School District. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July182017.mp3" Tuesday, 18 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 "The Bubble," of Boiling Springs, Cumberland County, has been a point of much speculation by locals. The spring provides water to the borough's recreational lake and is the summit of miles of underground caves that can be explored by divers. The source of the spring has long remained a mystery. However, a recent discovery by a team of geologists from Franklin & Marshall College has hydrologists rethinking typical models of ground-water flow. The research team consisted of two professors of geoscience, Tim Bechtel and Robert Walter, and a student-researcher, Jake Longenecker. Their research included water sensors, NASA satellite data, and computer algorithms. The team recently released their findings in a scientific journal of geoscience, "Geophysical Research Letters." All three are on Monday's Smart Talk. The study reveals that the source of "The Bubble" is from the other side of the Maryland mountains, about 50 miles south of the spring. This outcome challenges what hydrologists previously deemed geologically possible for ground-water flow, as it requires the water to move through 10 different kinds of rock. These findings may provide new opportunities for research and fresh water sourcing. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is also on Monday's program to discuss a program to hand out drug deactivation and disposal bags in counties hit hardest by the opioid crisis https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July172017.mp3" Monday, 17 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 More than fifteen-hundred Pennsylvanians received lifesaving organs from registered donors last year. One donor can save eight lives, anyone of any age can donate organs and there is no cost to donors for organ or tissue donation. Nonetheless, 395 Pennsylvanians died in 2016 while waiting for an organ transplant. In recent years, there have been many efforts to broaden the donor pool - from registering as a donor with driver's license renewal to proposing tax incentives for registering as a donor. A bill proposed in the state General Assembly last year would streamline the process of harvesting organs. The proposal was opposed by the state's 67 coroners who felt that rushing the harvesting prevented them from properly performing autopsies and compromising criminal prosecutions. That bill was tabled indefinately. Advocates of organ donation, with the support of state lawmakers, rely primarily on education to get Pennsylvanians to register as organ donors. On Friday's Smart Talk, We'll speak with Richard Hasz, Vice President of Clinical Services with the Gift of Life Donor Program about the need for organ donation and efforts to connect donors with recipients. Republican State Representative John Galloway of Bucks County proposed a provision that would offer a tax credit to donors. He will join us on Smart Talk to discuss the merits of the proposal and we'll explore the ethics of organ donation with Dr. Michael Freeman, director of pediatric dialysis services and a clinical ethics consultant at Penn State Children's Hospital. We will also be joined by Central Pennsylvanians who will share their experiences as donors and recipients of much needed organs and how these donation programs changed their lives. Joe Gargiulo is a retired school administrator who recieved a life saving kidney and pancreas transplant. Whitney Baker donated one of her kidneys to a lifelong friend suffering from renal failure. They will share their experiences with organ donation. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July142017.mp3" Friday, 14 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 In a little over a month from now on August 26, all phone calls made in the 717 area code will have to made to include the area code rather than just a seven digit number. In fact, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission would like to start doing it now to get in the habit. A new area code - 223 - will be introduced. It's because the 717 area code is running out of numbers. Nils Frederickson, the press secretary for the PUC appears on Thursday's Smart Talk. Pennsylvania is one of 13 states where voters choose a candidate for Lieutenant governor in a primary election, who then runs with the party's candidate for governor in the general election. Amid reports that Lt. Gov. Mike Stack and his wife may have mistreated employees, legislation has been proposed to allow the candidates for governor to choose their running mates for lieutenant governor - like presidential candidates do when picking a candidate for vice president. It would take a Constitutional amendment but that's step Republican Senator David Argall of Schuylkill County is willing to take. Billy Porter is the classic Broadway triple threat: he sings, he dances, he acts. Porter won the 2013 Tony for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in Kinky Boots. He is also a producer - the recently released album "Billy Porter Presents: The Soul of Richard Rodgers" is a collection of Rodgers music performed and produced by Porter. And he is very focused on supporting the performing arts in communities throughout the country. Billy Porter will perform this Saturday at a benefit concert for the Prima Theatre in Lancaster. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July132017.mp3" Thursday, 13 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 What is restorative justice? One definition is "a system of criminal justice that focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large." Dialogue and conversation are at the heart of restorative justice. Restorative justice is not punitive but rather designed to make the person who committed a crime realize the wrong they've done and work with the victim and the community to repair the harm. Last May, WITF and Smart Talk produced a series of programs that provided a deeper look into Pennsylvania's juvenile justice system. What we learned is that those under the age of 18 who break the law are dealt with differently than adults in criminal court. Juveniles are given the opportunity to make changes in their lives to help them become law-abiding productive citizens. There's a program in Lancaster County whose mission is to "transform conflict and build community through face-to-face dialogue. It's known as ADVOZ Mediation and Restorative Justice Practices. At a time when most conflict seems to result in loud disagreement or confrontation, ADVOZ seeks to resolve differences with civil conversation and mediation. ADVOZ is featured on Wednesday's Smart Talk. Joining us are Chris Fitz, Executive Director, Community Engagement, ADVOZ and Lancaster County Juvenile Probation Officer Rufus Tolbert. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July122017.mp3" Wednesday, 12 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Worker's compensation insurance may not get much attention most of the time. That is unless you're an employee who gets hurt on the job and needs the income worker's comp provides while you can't work. Or you're an employer who pays the premiums or an insurance company that pays out after an injury claim. However, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court made a ruling last month that may have a significant impact on injured workers -- even some injured in the past -- employers and insurance companies. In fact, the case, known simply as Protz was called monumental. A 20-year-old law allowed insurance companies to require injured workers who were collecting worker's comp for at least two years to be examined by a physician. The doctor used guidelines set for by the American Medical Association to place a percentage on the injured worker's injury. If the injury fell under a 50% threshold, the insurance company could reduce payments and limit the amount of time payments would be made. The Court said in its majority opinion that "the General Assembly gave the AMA de facto, unfettered control over a formula" that determined state-administered benefits. The decision also opened the door for the ruling to be applied retroactively meaning an injured worker could go back to reclaim money not paid to them. The ruling has left some confused and concerned about big premium increases while workers' rights groups see it as a victory. We'll sort it out on Tuesday's Smart Talk with Drew Gannon, a certified compensation specialist with KBG Injury Law that has offices in York, Lancaster and Gettysburg and Beth Milito, Senior Executive Counsel with the National Federation of Independent Business Legal Center. Also, WITF State Capital Corrrespondent Katie Meyer parses out the Govrnor's budget settlement. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July112017.mp3" Tuesday, 11 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Like the flap of a butterfly's wing generating a typhoon a half a world away, a warmer than average winter has led to a seemingly random consequence. Warmer winters allowed oak trees to generate more acorns which allowed more mice to produce bigger litters in the spring, more mice carry more ticks. And more ticks create a broader vector for Lyme disease. 7,351 Pennsylvanians had confirmed cases of Lyme though the CDC estimates the actual number to be nearly 10 times higher. The disease is caused by a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks. Symptoms include fever, rash, lethargy, muscle pain and loss of sensation and movement. If left untreated, the infection can linger for months leading to chronic motor and sensory impairment, physical pain and mental distress. While Lyme disease has a presence throughout the entirety of the United States, 99% of reported cases occur in the Northeast with Pennsylvania being the epicenter. Between the lush forests of the Commonwealth and the draw of outdoor activities, ticks have an abundance of hosts to choose from - both feral and human. On the Monday edition of WITF's Smart Talk, we discuss Lyme disease with a young woman who contracted it and has been battling its effects for two and a half years. Samantha Perry was sidelined her freshman year at Penn State when the infection overwhelmed her with pain and exhaustion. She and her mother, Carrie, joined Project Lyme to spread awareness of the disease. We'll also speak with Dr. Loren Robinson, Deputy Secretary for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at the Pennsylvania Department of Health about the state's efforts at vector control and prevention. Dr. Chris Turnpaugh, founder of the Turnpaugh Health and Wellness Center in Mechanicsburg, will parse out the signs and symptoms of the disease as well as treatment techniques. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July102017.mp3" Monday, 10 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 A historic decision from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court last month is being viewed as a victory for environmental rights advocates. The Court ruling underscored the state's Environmental Rights Amendment in Pennsylvania's Constitution, making the Commonwealth the official "trustee" of Pennsylvania's natural resources. Justice Christine Donahue writing for the majority said: "The Commonwealth (including the Governor and General Assembly) may not approach our public natural resources as a proprietor, and instead must at all times fulfill its role as a trustee." The ruling will necessitate the states legislators and agencies take more responsibility for clean air and water. However, the the most immediate impact may be proceeds from oil and gas drilling on state lands will be directed to environmental conservation programs instead of being diverted to the state's general budget fund. Former Pennsylvania State Senator Franklin Kury authored the Constitutional Environmental Rights Amendment and joins us on Thursday's Smart Talk to discuss the history of the amndment and the ruling. Professor John Dernbach, Commonwealth Professor of Environmental Law and Sustainability Director at Widener University Commonwealth Law School's Environmental Law and Sustainability Center also is with us to talk about the possible implications of the decision. Also on the program is Dauphin County Coroner Graham Hetrick. Season two of his TV show THE CORONER: I SPEAK FOR THE DEAD will air July 17, on the Investigation Discovery channel. In his show, Hetrick recounts the details of some of his most compelling cases. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July062017.mp3" Thursday, 06 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Regional law enforcement agencies around the country use Special Emergency Response Teams, or SERTS. Usually inter-agency collaborative efforts, SERT members are specially trained to de-escalate critical incidents involving "barricaded gunmen, hostage situations, kidnappings and high-risk warrant services." SERT Officers are the elite of local law enforcement - specially trained in both tactical operations and crisis negotiation. These teams are taught how to engage effectively with mentally ill civilians caught up in crisis situations, resulting in "in the safest and most-tactical manner possible." Officer Gail Sizer of the East Cocalico Police Department has been on the Lancaster County SERT squad since 2009. She knows that a hammer isn't always the appropriate tool in the box to fix problems. "Sometimes they scream at you and call you every name in the book. They'll do it 10 times. The 11th time, maybe, they calm down and talk," says Sizer. "I'll give them the respect and dignity and the chance to comply with police commands on their own. I'll show them respect by being polite and compassionate." On Wednesday's edition of WITF's Smart Talk, we look at the application of Special Emergency Response Teams in the region, how they are used to address situations involving mental illness and the training that goes into becoming a team member and the benefits to public safety of using these teams. Teri Miller-Landon is the Division Director of Lancaster County's Adult Probation and Parole Department and a committee member of the county's Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), she will join CIT team member Lisa Gehr and Officer Sizer to discuss the training and use of SERT teams in the area. Also on the program is Sheila Mastropietro, Director of Church World Services and of Lancaster's Immigrant and Refugee Program. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear legal arguments for and against President Donald Trump's ban on travelers and refugees from six predominantly Muslim countries. The high-court decision reinstates the presidential order until the court hears the case. Mastropietro discusses restrictions refugees face as part of President Donald Trump's refugee and travel ban. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July052017.mp3" Wednesday, 05 July 2017 12:30:00 -0400 June is PTSD awareness month. Post-traumatic stress disorder is currently defined as a mental health condition that may develop after exposure to severely traumatic events. Symptoms can appear immediately, or years after the events. Survivors may face years of residual trauma through flashbacks, dreams, and many other symptoms. Due to the stigma surrounding mental health and psychotherapy, many go untreated, which can result in depression, severe anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide. Though post-traumatic stress disorder has always been a part of the human condition, it has only been recognized rather recently as a valid and treatable disorder. PTSD was first added to and defined in the DSM III in 1980, and initially used to characterize the after-effects of severe traumatic exposure, such as combat, natural disasters, and sexual violence. The definition has since expanded to include victims of severe psychological and emotional stress. PTSD is unique in that it is defined and diagnosed by evaluating the traumatic stressor, not the victim. Much like pain perception, the experience of trauma is also highly subjective, making PTSD complicated to identify and treat. There is still much to learn about this condition. Current treatments for PTSD include therapy and medication. Guided meditation and writing have also been shown to alleviate some of the symptoms of the condition. Writeface is a Lancaster-based non-profit organization that provides writing workshops for veterans. It offers a safe space for veterans to come together and use guided creative writing as a resource for dealing with psychological stress. Scott Hower, veteran and founder of the organization Writeface, and Annie Ginder, journaling instructor for Writeface classes, are on Friday's Smart Talk to discuss their work with PTSD. Mike Clemens, is a veteran and mentor from the Lancaster Veterans Court. He has taken Writeface classes himself and will be joining the discussion. State Representative Tom Murt (R-Montgomery) is on the show as well. He has worked closely on veterans issues, including PTSD. With Fourth of July celebrations on the horizon, we will also be discussing firework safety and laws in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Fire Commissioner Tim Solobay joins us on the program. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June302017.mp3" Friday, 30 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania lawmakers have to find a way to close a budget deficit of about a billion and a half dollars before enacting a spending plan for the new fiscal year that begins Saturday. Then, there's a structural deficit of more than three billion dollars that will have to be addressed eventually. Unlike two years ago when a budget wasn't agreed to until nine months into the fiscal year, this year's negotiations have been quiet and so far uneventful. That could change when details come out publicly. Part of the reason there hasn't been much controversy is both Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and Republican leaders in the legislature have said there will be no general tax increase and there doesn't appear to be a huge difference in how much will be spent. On Thursday's Smart Talk, WITF's Capital Bureau Chief Katie Meyer provides the latest insight on the budget and provides an explanation of how the budget got so tight. We'll also be joined by Connell O'Brien and Wendy Loranzo of the FamilyFirstPA Coalition, an organization concerned that possible budget cuts that could have an impact on human services. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June292017.mp3" Thursday, 29 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Most Pennsylvanians know that the Keystone State has a history of unusual, quirky and fascinating stories that make it unique. Superb storyteller, William Ecenbarger is the best-selling author of Kids for Cash and former journalist for the Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine. In his latest book Pennsylvania Stories-Well Told, Ecenbarger compiles and brings to life a collection of his articles highlighting true Pennsylvania stories. These stories aren't just good stories. They are provocative, shocking, and gripping tales that explore the nuances of Pennsylvania eccentricity, culture, and history. Tune in for stories ranging from pencils, to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, to the Ku Klux Klan. In his book, Ecenbarger tells the story of former governor Bob Casey's rare genetic disorder that led to an unlikely donor. The inspiring details of Casey's battle for life involving a double organ transplant are featured in the first chapter of the book "Intimate Strangers." In his article "Drawing the Line," Ecenbarger gives the intriguing backstory of the most famous line in history, the Mason-Dixon. He explores the symbolism and literal and metaphorical boundaries of this commonly misunderstood border between Pennsylvania and Maryland. The gritty history of capital punishment in Pennsylvania is explored in Ecenbarger's article "The Chair of Death." He provides a history of Pennsylvania's long retired electric chair "Old Smokey," as well as various accounts of electrocution, including experiences of both the executioner, and the convicted. Author William Ecenbarger's masterful storytelling is sure to compel Pennsylvania populace and enquiring public alike. We welcome him to Wednesday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June282017.mp3" Wednesday, 28 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 It seems as though new allegations of Russian involvement to influence the 2016 presidential election surface every few days. Senior members of both the Trump campaign and the President's administration have been questioned by congressional committees and investigators from seventeen security and enforcement agencies. A Washngton Post article published late last week reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally directed the cyber attacks that undermined the election. Reports surfaced earlier this year of Russian interference in Britain's recent general election and the French presidential election. These allegations of interference in Europe politics by Moscow, coupled with Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent dismissal of NATO while speaking before the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, has analysts worried about stability in Europe. Following the 2014 annexation of Ukraine and the Crimean Peninsula, there have been heightened fears that Putin may try to rebuild the Soviet empire and threaten the sovereignty of other European nations, compromising security that had been assured throughout the Cold War by NATO. President Trump's criticisms of NATO and the UK's withdraw from the European Union only serve to create more facets of insecurity within the European community. Tuesday's Smart Talk discusses Russia's global strategy and the threat Putin poses to European security, and, in turn, American security. Colonel Douglas V. Mastriano of the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle specializes in Russian policy and NATO defense in Europe. He appears on the program to examine the strategies and posturing used by Putin to advance Russian dominance in the region and the threat posed to the United States by these policies. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June272017.mp3" Tuesday, 27 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The health insurance plan put out by Senate Republicans last week is called the Better Care Reconciliation Act. Most Republicans that we've heard from over the past four days believe it will be better for the nation than the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare. Republicans have been promising to repeal Obamacare since it was enacted in 2010. They were critical of the mandate that everyone must have insurance, the rising premiums and the limited choices for health insurance as insurers pulled out of the marketplace. However, the new plan asks low and middle-income Americans to pay significantly more for coverage and many argue the coverage won't be as good. It also would phase out the federal expansion of the Medicaid program that was designed to provide insurance to those with low incomes. States that expanded Medicaid, like Pennsylvania, are not receiving the Senate plan well. WITF's Transforming Health reporter Ben Allen appears on Monday's Smart Talk to dissect the new plan and what it means for Pennsylvanians. Meanwhile, a recent survey of Central Pennsylvania businesses and industries finds that employers are shifting greater health insurance responsibility to employees and favor consumer-directed healthcare plans. Conrad Siegel Actuaries' in Harrisburg's annual Medical and Prescription Drug Survey reports the latest trends in employee healthcare and the news is not promising for employees. Jon Sapochak, a consulting actuary with Conrad Siegel joins us on Monday's Smart Talk with more of the survey's findings. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June262017.mp3" Monday, 26 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf signed historic legislation this week that will have a major impact on the retirement plans of future teachers and state workers. Those hired in 2019 will have retirement savings options to choose from but all include a 401(k)-style plan. Republicans have put pension reform at the top of their list of legislative priorities for the last few years and the bill signed by Wolf was a bi-partisan effort. However, while taxpayers may not be on the hook for future pension problems, the state still owes more than $60 billion to two pension plans. The pension reform bill is one of the issues we'll discuss on Friday's Smart Talk with WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Katie Meyer. Others include the state budget deadline that is two weeks away and a lawsuit filed by the Pennsylvania League of Women Voters challenging how the state's Congressional boundaries are drawn. Also, with so much attention on Russia the last few weeks, we aren't hearing much about the war against the Islamic State or ISIS. Nothing has really changed while we were looking elsewhere - the terrorist group is said to be on its heels in Iraq but still is holding out in Syria. How did ISIS become the most feared terrorist organization in the world? Black Flags - The Rise of ISIS is the Pulitzer Prize-winning book written by Washington Post reporter Joby Warrick. He joins us on Friday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June162017.mp3" Friday, 16 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 An April report from the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts shows distracted driving citations increased by fifty-two percent from 2014 to 2016. Nearly three quarters of the more than 12,000 citations issued in 2016 went to men. There have been 48 fatalities since 2012 on Pennsylvania roads due to distracted driving. Distracted driving is defined by PennDOT as wearing headphones while driving, use of an "interactive wireless communication device" (read: cellphone) and any other behavior a law enforcement officer may deem as a dangerous activity while driving. This could include eating, smoking, playing with the radio - even rubbernecking. York County's Center for Traffic Safety "develops and implements comprehensive community traffic safety programs intended to reduce the incidence of traffic crashes, injuries, and deaths." In recent years, they have focused on the dangers of distracted driving. This week, Pennsylvania State Police troopers announced they are stepping up enforcement of distracted driving, adopting a "zero-tolerance" policy for behavior defined as "any type of driving defined as diverting attention away from the primary task of operating a motor vehicle." Barbara Zortman, the director of the Center will join Smart Talk to discuss the dangers of distracted driving, point out hazardous driving behavior that we mistake as benign, and an effort that would ban 16 and 17-year-old drivers from using cell phones while driving. Also, Smart Talk speaks with a couple smart teens who will be presenting at the weekend's TEDxYouth@Lancaster event. Franklin and Marshall senior Sarah Hafiz is a Lancaster native focusing on health and public policy with interests in advocacy for Muslim and refugee rights. Akash Banerjee, a freshman at Warwick High, uses humor and his experiences of growing up in a small conservative town to look at how stereotypes can be used constructively. Sarah and Akash will join thirteen other youths from the region who will speak at Millersville University's Winter Center on Saturday, June 17th. TEDxYouth@Lancaster Executive Director Bob Visale will also be in studio to talk about the event's appeal and the role of TED talks in today's discourse. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June152017.mp3" Thursday, 15 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 A recent survey commissioned by the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA) found that nearly 80% of the state's 500 public school districts needed to access emergency reserve funds in the last year for routine expenditures like payroll and maintenance. At the same time, many public schools are holding onto cash reserves - "rainy day" money - while receiving full budget funding from the state or even raising taxes. PASA recommends districts maintain a "rainy day" fund balance between 5 and 12 percent of the districts' operating costs. But, the Southern Fulton School District has a balance at 85% of its operating budget. District administrators say surpluses are necessary to bridge funding gaps and for emergency spending. Jay Himes of the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials calls the surpluses "the buffer of the unanticipated and I would say unbelievable situation that you may find yourself in in the course of a fiscal year." Critics are concerned districts are hording cash. James Paul, a senior policy analyst with the Commonwealth Foundation called the figures "eye-opening to anyone who believes Pennsylvania schools are underfunded." On Wednesday's Smart Talk, we discuss the value of pumping up districts' fund balances and whether they should be factored into the annual spending budgets of the schools with James Paul and John Callahan, Assistant Executive Director for Public Policy for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June142017.mp3" Wednesday, 14 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved a sweeping gambling bill last week to generate money for the cash-straved state. House Bill 271 was introduced by Republican lawmakers and passed narrowly by a 102-89 vote with legislators from both parties voting for and against the proposal. The bill would allow video gaming machines to be operated by bars, truck stops, bowling alleys, VFW's and private clubs. It could lead to about 8,000 establishments operating nearly 40,000 machines - each generating tax revenue for state and local governments. It would also facilitate the development of online gaming and lottery playing and allow online fantasy sports gambling. Supporters point to the much-needed tax revenue. House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R-Indiana Co.) said the bill would " . . . actually enhance revenue a little further." These machines have been used for years, they should be regulated, contend Lancaster Democratic Representative Mike Sturla. "This issue has been around for 30 years and for 30 years there have been members who have turned a blind eye to this," he said. Opponents are concerned with the speed with which the bill was passed. "If you all had the chance to read it, I don't know how you did it," said Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Montgomery County. Others are worried about the impact on their communities. Philadelphia Representative Jason Dawkins worries that "when you live in communities like mine, when you see poverty, addiction and opioid abuse, you can't understand how we are putting another potential problem in our city." Tuesday's Smart Talk discusses the merits and potential consequences of the gambling expansion bill with Representatives Mike Sturla and Dawkins as well as Josh Ercole, COO of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of Pennsylvania and Robert Howard, co-founder of the Pennsylvania Coalition for Responsible Government. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June132017.mp3" Tuesday, 13 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Efforts to bring property tax relief to homeowners or eliminate property taxes in Pennsylvania have gained momentum in recent years. The property tax is perhaps the state's most hated tax. However, there are challenges to just making it go away. The property tax is the biggest local source of income for schools. Pennsylvania's 500 school districts bring in about $13 billion a year from property taxes. Obviously, that money would have to be made up somewhere and therein lies the biggest challenge. Proposals have been made to replace property taxes with higher income and sales taxes and tax more items that aren't subject to sales taxes now. No matter how the revenue is replaced, some taxpayers would pay more and others less meaning there are winners and losers. School districts aren't thrilled with eliminating property taxes because they're reliable and aren't necessarily impacted by ups and downs in the economy. On Monday's Smart Talk, we get a comprehensive report on the latest property tax reform proposals. Kevin McCorry, a Keystone Crossroads reporter stationed at WHYY in Philadelphia joins us. Also, Ron Boltz of the anti-property tax group Pennsylvania Liberty Alliance weighs in. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June122017.mp3" Monday, 12 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 A few questions for you to answer before Friday's Smart Talk: Is reading a book a big part of how you relax on vacation? When you go on vacation, do you take the books you want to read along with all your other vacation necessities or buy books at your destination? Do you change the kind of books you read when on vacation -- maybe looking for something a little lighter or more fun? What is the ultimate summer book? These are all important questions that are part of Friday's Smart Talk discussion. It's our annual "books for the beach or on summer vacation" program. We've assembled a panel of book lovers and sellers to recommend summer books and describe their favorites. With the kids off school, we'll have a list of books for them to read as well. Appearing on the program are Catherine Lawrence, co-owner of the Midtown Scholar Book Store in Harrisburg, Jon Walker, who reviews books on his blog jonosbookreviews.com and has just published his first book called A Certain Cast of Light and Travis Kurowski, an assistant professor of creative writing at York College of Pennsylvania. We'd like to hear from you too! What books do you want to read this summer? What's the ultimate summer book? https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June092017.mp3" Friday, 09 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Last month, the state House approved legislation to create a council that would study rare diseases in Pennsylvania. Most research and research funding focus on more widely diagnosed diseases, like cancer or heart disease. That forces Pennsylvanians who live with a rare disease and their family members to search for information on their own. Marie Conley of Hershey is one of those people who has been diagnosed with a rare disease. She has Cushing's Disease -- an illness for which there is no cure and can be debilitating. Marie has written a book called A Cushing's Collection and she also campaigns to bring awareness to rare or what are referred to as "Orphan's Diseases" -- illnesses that have been diagnosed in less than two-hundred-thousand people. Marie Conley appears on Thursday's Smart Talk to discuss her illness and other rare diseases that need more attention Also, one of the summer's most anticipated events begins Sunday at the State Museum of Pennsylvania. Now in its 50th year, Art of the State is the annual, juried exhibition that runs through September 10th. Art of the State has a rich history featuring artists from throughout Pennsylvania telling stories of their lives and the state through art. Joining us on Smart Talk to talk more about Art of the State are Amy Hammond, Curator, State Museum of Pennsylvania and author of the Pennsylvania Heritage Magazine article "Representing Pennsylvania's Precious Heritage" Art of the State 50" and Jamie Jastrzembski, Program Director at Jumpstreet, an organization that develops educational and economic opportunities with the arts. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June082017.mp3" Thursday, 08 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 By 1930, sixteen-year-old Alexander McClay Williams was the longest-serving resident at the Glen Mills School for Boys in Delaware County. The institution was opened in 1826 to house delinquent youths; McClay had been sentenced at twelve for setting fire to a barn. It was in 1930 that Fred Robare found his ex-wife, Vida, a house matron at the Glen Mills School for Boys, dead in their bedroom. She had been stabbed 47 times with an icepick. Her skull had been caved in, she had broken ribs and had multiple contusions. She had divorced her husband nine years earlier due to "extreme cruelty." Initially, none of the students were suspect - a board member of the school was quoted in the Chester Times saying, "I don't see how a boy could have done this deed." But Alex Williams was a discipline problem at the school, often drawing the ire and physical abuse of Fred Robare. Shoddy police work and inadequate legal representation led to an all-white jury sentencing the African-American teen to death. McClay died in Pennsylvania's electric chair, the youngest ever executed in the state. His death certificate was altered, changing his age from 16 to 18. 87 years later, Sam Lemon, the great-grandson of Williams's attorney, and Robert Keller, a former Delaware County prosecutor, had the boy's conviction nullified. On Wednesday's Smart Talk, Lemon and Keller will share the tragic story of Alexander McClay Williams and the efforts to exonerate him of an unjust murder conviction. Also, a sinkhole opened the ground in front of the Citizens Fire Company in Palmyra on Memorial Day. Officials determined the hole was created by a break in a water line, but this is one of many sinkholes that have appeared in Palmyra in recent years. Sinkholes are a geographic phenomenon that can happen virtually anywhere; they are caused by a structural collapse of the ground below the top layer. Sometimes they just consume dirt or paved road, sometimes they are deadly. A Florida man died in 2013 when a sinkhole appeared under his house, causing him to fall in while asleep. His body was never recovered. Smart Talk will discuss these geological events with Senior Geologic Scientist, William Kochanov of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June072017.mp3" Wednesday, 07 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Did radiation released after the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island result in mutated thyroid cancers in Central Pennsylvania? Studies in the ensuing 38 years since the incident all concluded there were no negative health effects from the small amount of radiation released. That was until last week when news that a research team at the Penn State College of Medicine found a "shift in cases to cancer mutations consistent with radiation exposure." Dr. David Goldenberg is a professor of surgery at Penn State Hershey Medical Center and the lead researcher on the thyroid study. He joins us on Tuesday's Smart Talk to discuss his research and some of the long-term consequences of the TMI meltdown. Throughout the South, states grapple with what to do with Confederate monuments in public spaces. Under cover of night, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu had four prominent monuments removed from city spaces amid death threats leveled against public workers, saying the monuments "represent an institutional indifference that has existed for a long time that actually strangles people's lives." While monuments to the Confederacy are commonplace throughout the South, the only ones to be found in Pennsylvania are at the Gettysburg National Military Park. Fourteen stone monuments and sculptures commemorate the soldiers of the Confederate Army as Americans, not enemies. Smart Talk focuses on the removal of Confederate monuments. Joining us for the discussion are Barbara Barksdale, a local historian and founder of Friends of Midland Cemetery, Chris Gwinn, Supervisory Historian for Interpretation and Education at the Gettysburg National Military Park, Daryl Black, PhD., Executive Director Seminary Ridge Museum in Gettysburg and Alfred Brophy, PhD., Judge John J. Parker Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June062017.mp3" Tuesday, 06 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Donald Trump withdrew the nation from the Paris Climate Accord last week; the 2015 accord demonstrated a non-binding commitment by 195 countries to reduce green-house gas emissions, mitigate carbon pollution and transition industries away from carbon-based energy sources. The United States joins Nicaragua and Syria as the only countries not committed to the agreement. The response to this decision has been mixed. U.S. Representative Patrick Meehan, a Republican representing Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district, opposes the withdraw, stating "It calls into question our commitment to protecting and preserving the environment. And it forfeits our ability to drive countries like China and India to reduce their carbon footprint and compete on a level playing field. Ultimately, this disappointing decision diminishes America's leadership role on the world stage." PA's Representative Keith Rothfus, (R-12th) supports the withdraw, saying "The Paris agreement is not about climate. It is about control. It certainly is not about growth; it is about redistribution. We have a moral responsibility to create a much healthier economy that will increase jobs and increase wages." Smart Talk will discuss the merits and drawbacks of pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord with John Dernbach, director of the Environmental Law and Sustainability Center and Donald Brown, Scholar in Residence for Sustainability Ethics and Law; both of Widener University's Commonwealth Law School. Also, Smart Talk speaks with Brooke Gladstone, the Peabody award winning co-host of WNYC's On the Media (Mondays, 2pm-3pm on WITF 89.5 FM) about fake news, alternative facts, social media, satire sites and navigating the news in the Trump Era. Her new book, The Trouble with Morality: A Rumination on Moral Panic in Our Time, looks at the truth and deceit that intertwine to create the current political narrative and how reality became subject to interpretation and addresses what Gladstone illustrates as an "epic existential battle." https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June052017.mp3" Monday, 05 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 So what are your strategies for retirement? If you're like most people, you're counting on a 401(k), IRA or other tax-deferred savings and of course, Social Security to supplement what you've saved. But what about other savings and investments? And have you thought about the taxes once you withdraw from those tax-deferred accounts? There's a reason they're called tax-deferred. Nationally renowned Certified Financial Planner Rick Rodgers of Rodgers and Associates in Lancaster, has written a new book called Don't Retire Broke -- An Indispensable Guide to Tax-Efficient Retirement Planning and Financial Freedom. The book follows what Rodgers calls his "three-legged" approach to retirement and also describes other facets of living well financially. Rick Rodgers appears on Friday's Smart Talk to discuss retirement strategies. Also, travel in and near York this weekend and you'll see some of the hottest and most iconic cars and trucks in one place anywhere in the country. The 44th annual Street Rod Nationals East begins Friday and runs through Sunday in York. Visitors can see the pre-1987 vehicles at the York Expo Center at the York Fairgrounds all weekend but a hundred of them will parade down Market Street in downtown York around noon Friday. The Street Rod Nationals bring a big boost to York's economy too. Joining us on Friday's program are Jim Rowlett, Marketing Director and Chaplain for the National Street Rod Association and Anne Druck, President, York County Convention and Visitor's Bureau. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June022017.mp3" Friday, 02 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Fifty-five percent of college students who join clubs, sports teams and Greek organizations experience hazing in some form. This can include physical activity, physical abuse, public humiliation, and forced alcohol consumption. Statistics are difficult to collate as the perpetrators are often affiliated with secret societies and there is immense pressure on the victims to protect the fraternities and sororities. There have been 16 hazing deaths in the US since 2010. This includes Timothy Piazza, a Penn State sophomore who fell down a flight of stairs after binge drinking as part of the Beta Theta Pi's fraternity pledge program. Piazza was left unattended in the fraternity's house for 12 hours, he later died in the hospital. Eighteen members of the Beta Theta Pi house are facing criminal charges as a result; eight of those are facing involuntary manslaughter. This case shines a light on initiation practices - not only in Greek organizations, but on sports teams, bands - even in the military. Smart Talk will discuss the reasons young people tend to hurt their peers as some adolescent test of loyalty and efforts to curb this behavior. Emily Pualwan, Executive Director of HazingPrevention.org will help define hazing and outline the scope of the problem. Lianne Kowiak is a board member of HazingPrevention.org and will share the story of her son, who lost his life in a hazing tragedy. Smart Talk will also explore the psychology of "group-think" - that part of the human brain that allows a person to abandon their values to adhere to the continuity of a crowd. Dr. Timothy Marchell, a clinical psychologist and Director of Skorton Center for Health Initiatives at Cornell University, will join us to parse out the reason college students are especially susceptible to the dangers of "group-think" behaviors. hazingcollegecornell universityemily pualwanfraternityGreenharrison kowiaklianne kowiakpenn statetim piazzatimothy marchell https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June012017.mp3" Thursday, 01 June 2017 12:30:00 -0400 A recent report by Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children found that students in rural school districts that aren't receiving funding from the state that meet the district's "adequacy targets" often have lower tests scores than students in districts that do get adequate funding. The report compared the PSSA test scores of third grade students in English Language Arts and eighth grade students in Math. According to the report, there was often a direct correlation between the percentage a district was funded below the amount needed to educate students and lower test scores. Some 260 rural school districts were assessed in the report and it concluded 202 of them were not receiving their fair share of state funding. Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children President and CEO Joan Benso appears on Wednesday's Smart Talk to break down what it means for the schools and students. Exelon Corporation announced Tuesday that the Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant would be shut down in 2019, unless the state comes up with subsidies or tax breaks comparable to what renewable energies and the natural gas industry get. Exelon says TMI hasn't been profitable for the past five years and announced last week that it failed to auction off future energy production from Three Mile Island for the third year in a row. Republican State Senator Ryan Aument of Lancaster County is one of the chairs of the Nuclear Energy Caucus in the lgeislatures. He'll join us along with Scott Portzline of TMI Alert. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May312017.mp3" Wednesday, 31 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 In 2009, 65-year-old Elizabeth Young's Philadelphia home was seized under Pennsylvania's civil asset forfeiture law. Young's son Donald had been arrested for selling marijuana at the home. Donald Young acknowledged that his mother had no idea he was selling pot out of her home and Elizabeth Young was not charged with a crime. Just last week, Pennsylvania's Supreme Court ruled that the Philadelphia District Attorney's office went too far in confiscating the Young property. The decision will have an impact across the state District Attorneys commonly use civil asset forfeiture to fight drug distribution and retain the money generated from a property that is sold. On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we'll investigate what the court decision means with Republican State Senator Mike Folmer of Lebanon County, who has advocated for forfeiture reform, and Lebanon County District Attorney David Arnold, representing the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May302017.mp3" Tuesday, 30 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Smart Talk concludes its four-part Real Life Real Issues series on the state's juvenile justice system with a look at maintaining the education of youth offenders while working to re-integrate them back into their communities. Pennsylvania's Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services sees education as key "to enable them [youth offenders] to return to and function in the public-school system." This includes programing in detention facilities and contracts with third party service providers, including Pennsylvania's River Rock Academy and the George Junior Republic campus in Grove City. Smart Talk will discuss the continued schooling of juvenile offenders, GED programming and the importance of education in reducing recidivism with Bob Howard, COO of River Rock Academy, Sandy Dillon-Dick, Vice President of Treatment at George Junior Republic. We'll also speak with Bethany Wheeler, a mobile therapist with George Junior who goes house-to-house, school-to-school helping children and their families navigate the juvenile probation system. Also, there are nearly 2,500 Americans who were convicted of committing crimes as juveniles and are serving prison sentences of life, no parole. The 2012 Supreme Court ruling Miller v. Alabama found that these sentences were unconstitutional when levied against juveniles. In 2016, the Montgomery v. Louisiana decision applied that ruling retroactively, to youths who had been incarcerated for decades. Currently, district attorneys across the state are waiting on another ruling before deciding how to re-examine the more than 450 "adjudicated youth" facing life without parole in Pennsylvania. Smart Talk will discuss these re-sentences with Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman. We will also be joined by Riya Shah, Senior Supervising Attorney with the Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia; the organization has been working to prevent life, no parole sentencing for youths and keeping juveniles out of adult facilities. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May262017.mp3" Friday, 26 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 In the third of our four-part series, WITF's Smart Talk looks at the relationships between the professionals involved with the juvenile justice system and the families of youth offenders. One of the biggest indicators of successful rehabilitation of adjudicated youth is the participation of the offenders' families. A state committee issued a 2009 report that found "In several instances, family focus group participants felt as if juvenile justice staff blamed them for their child's problems." In an effort to connect families with juvenile justice staff in cooperation, the Family Involvement Committee of the Pennsylvania Council of Chief Juvenile Probation Officers initiated a dialogue to address the issues that complicate the efforts to re-acclimate a youth offender into their community. Wendy Luckenbill is the chair of the Family Involvement Committee. She has helped carve policy regarding the ways in which the justice system can work successfully with families to aid adjudicated youths, much of it based on 2010's Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy - a codification of those policies. Luckenbill appears on Thursday's Smart Talk to discuss the importance of these relationships and how the players in the justice system learn to work with parents that are less than cooperative. Mercer County's Chief Juvenile Probation Officer, Mark Benedetto will also speak from the perspective of the court officer charged with guiding the youth through the post-adjudication process; Mr. Benedetto has front-line experience and will highlight the importance of family involvement in successfully minimizing recidivism. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May252017.mp3" Thursday, 25 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 WITF's Real Life Real Issues Juvenile Justice series continues on Smart Talk Wednesday as we hear from a judge and a prosecutor talking about the system. Cumberland County Commons Pleas Court Judge Tom Placey, who hears juvenile cases, and Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed appear on the program. The juvenile justice system is much different than adult criminal court. Judge Placey explains the differences with perhaps the biggest one being juvenile cases are decided by the judge without a jury. Although, the justice system is an adversarial one between the prosecution and defense, there is much more of a team effort to doing what's right for the crime victim and the juvenile offender. The district attorney is a big part of that team. Freed tells us that he reviews every juvenile case in Cumberland County to determine how to proceed and what's best for the community, the victim and the offender. Those we've talked with this week indicate the priority is truly on making sure an offender turns his or her life around and doesn't re-offend. Of course, the safety of the community is also a priority. As the juvenile justice series continues this week, we look at the role of the family on Thursday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May242017.mp3" Wednesday, 24 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The Vietnam War ended more than 40 years ago. Yet, for a generation of Americans, it is the time in their lives and the era in American history that is most impactful. For millions, there was Vietnam and then everything that came afterwards. Even today, many are still dealing with the trauma of fighting in Vietnam, the pain of losing a loved-one and a loss of trust in the government by combatants and protestors alike. Americans didn't talk about Vietnam for a long time. Even today some wonder what lessons were learned in Vietnam and on the home front. America's most renowned documentary filmmaker Ken Burns tells the ultimate story of the era is in his latest film -- The Vietnam War -- this fall. The 10-part, 18-hour series begins September 17th on WITF-TV. Watch a trailer for The Vietnam War Vietnam is the focus of Tuesday's Smart Talk Road Trip from Willow Valley Communities in Willow Street, Lancaster County. We'll be talking with several residents of Willow Valley about their military experiences in Vietnam and a couple who sponsored a Vietnamese refugee family. We'll also be joined by a historian and hear why it's important to preserve oral histories. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May232017.mp3" Tuesday, 23 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 WITF begins a multipart, multimedia Real Life Real Issues series on the juvenile justice system Monday. Smart Talk kicks off the project with an overview of juvenile justice. Most people don't know much about the juvenile justice system. One of the reasons is that unlike adult criminal court, court proceedings and records are not open to the public. The idea is to protect the identity of the young person accused of a crime or breaking the law. There are other differences too. A single judge hears juvenile cases with no jury. The probation department, prosecutors and defense attorneys often work together to determine what's best for the young person while taking crime victims and public safety into account as well. WITF was given unique access into Cumberland's County's juvenile justice system, including following one young woman in the system for six months. Throughout the week on Smart Talk, we'll hear from a district attorney, a judge, the head of a probation department, a public defender and others. Appearing on Monday's program are Richard Steele, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges' Commission, Samuel Miller, Chief Juvenile Probation Officer in Cumberland County and Ron Turo, a juvenile public defender in Cumberland County. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May222017.mp3" Monday, 22 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The state of Pennsylvania is facing a budget crisis - the state's Independent Fiscal Office is projecting a $3 billion deficit in two years. Revenue for the last quarter was 13% below projections, and the state is looking to make deep cuts to compensate. Management of the state's assets falls on the shoulders of the Treasurer, Joseph Torsella. While the treasurer has no role in budgeting or appropriations, he does manage the state's revenue, including both long and short term investments of state assets. Smart Talk speaks to Treasurer Joseph Torsella about his role in state government, investment strategies for the state, management of public employee retirement funds and funding for education. Also, the Monongahela Native Americans populated Western Pennsylvania from 1050 AD until 1635, when they completely disappeared from the region - before any significant contact with Europeans. Dr. John Nass is the director of the anthropology program at the California University of Pennsylvania, he'll join Smart Talk to discuss his research and help paint a picture of the lives of some of Pennsylvania's earliest residents. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May192017.mp3" Friday, 19 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The very first American soldier assigned to a tank corps was Lt. Col. George S. Patton in 1917. Of course, Patton went on to become a General who led the U.S. Army's 4th Armored Division in North Africa and Europe during World War II. Tanks and armored vehicles is one of the highlights of this year's Army Heritage Days at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle this weekend. Vehicles like a Sherman Tank, an M18 Hellcat, and a Vietnam-era M114 will be among those on display and taking to AHEC's new tank course. On Thursday's Smart Talk, we'll learn about tanks and the evolution of the infantry soldier from Jack Giblin, Director of Visitor and Education Services at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center and retired Col. Alexander Kose. Also, the Ku Klux Klan is coming to town is not something most people want to hear but that's the case this weekend in Southern Lancaster County. LNP has reported that the invitation-only gathering of the East Coast Knights of the True Invisible Empire chapter of the Klan is scheduled in or near Quarryville. It also has been reported that a cross burning is to take place. Is this unusual and how prevalent are hate groups in PA? Josh Bartash, an investigator for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission joins us. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May182017.mp3" Thursday, 18 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The Nazis -- under the direction of Adolf Hitler -- stole artworks and other valuable property from Jews in Europe before and during World War II. What was looted was valued in the billions of dollars. Much of what was taken was never returned and still turns up today. Many museums throughout the world are in possession of and exhibit these works of art. Nancy Moses, who chairs the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission writes about one such classic painting in her new book Stolen, Smuggled, Sold -- On the Hunt for Cultural Treasures. However, it's just one chapter of the book. Moses writes about several other iconic pieces that have an intriguing past. Nancy Moses tells us about it on Wednesday's Smart Talk. While Old Order Amish communities have demonstrated a reluctance to adopt modern technological conveniences, in Central Pennsylvania they have been very cooperative in helping healthcare professionals understand and treat some of the unique health issues that confront a primarily agricultural and isolated population. In addition to the routine illnesses, members of closed societies face a multitude of genetic disorders developed in a relatively controlled setting - providing a population sample that allows researchers to study congenital health. Smart Talk will look at a recent report that indicated secondhand smoke could be especially detrimental for women in the Old Order communities and we'll talk about a clinic that provides healthcare for Amish youth and studies the science of genes in the regions Amish and Mennonite populations. Dr. Braxton Mitchell, a professor of medicine at the University of Maryland's School of Medicine, has been a core investigator in that school's Amish Complex Disease Genetics program for 15 years. He has researched genome sequencing in Old Order Amish communities and he recently published a report indicating Amish women are at an accelerated risk of heart and respiratory disease due to secondhand smoke. Dr. Mitchell joins us on the line from his office in Baltimore, Dr. Mitchell, welcome. Also joining us is Dr. Adam Heaps, Executive Director of the Clinic for Special Children in Strasberg, the clinic provides healthcare for nearly 1200 Amish youth and they operate a research center studying the genetic health of members of the Amish and Mennonite communities https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May172017.mp3" Wednesday, 17 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale reported last year that there were 3,044 untested rape kits sitting on shelves at the state's police stations or labortories. Of that number, 1,852 were "backlogged" meaning they hadn't been tested and had been sitting for over a year. Since that report was issued last September, about 700 of the backlogged rape kits were tested and more police departments are sending kits to be tested. Considering 2,932 sexual assaults were reported in Pennsylvania in 2015, including 262 men, and it's estimated that 66% of rapes aren't reported, sexual assault continues to be a serious problem. Although the backlog of rape kits isn't the only factor, far less arrests -- 863 to be exact -- were made in 2015. Auditor General DePasquale and Kristen Houser of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape appear on Tuesday's Smart Talk to explain why there continues to be a holdup in testing rape kits and the ramifications of not testing them. Also, Central Pennsylvania's largest one-day business conference for women - the Business Women's Forum - will be held at Messiah College Wednesday. There are nearly one million small businesses in Pennsylvania and access to capital is their number one barrier to starting in the first place and growing. A few months ago on Smart Talk, we heard this is especially true for some women who start their own businesses. Joining us on the program are Sheri Collins, Deputy Secretary Office of Technology and Innovation with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and Patti Husic, President and CEO of Centric Bank/Doctor Centric Bank. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May162017.mp3" Tuesday, 16 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The importance of a free and independent press was enshrined in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. But now Americans are engaged in an intense debate about trust in news organizations... and how the spread of political propaganda, and fake stories online, can harm democracy. Back in March, WITF and LNP hosted a forum at Elizabethtown College to discuss these issues. Reporters, editors, scholars, readers and listeners--tackled topics like media bias and the changing face of the news business. A recent Pew survey also shows Americans becoming more and more divided about the role of the press as a "watchdog" - holding political leaders accountable. In 2016, about three-quarters of Republicans and Democrats said they agreed with that watchdog role. A year later, close to 90 percent of Democrats say it's important, compared to 42 percent of Republicans. Today on Smart Talk, we'll take you inside that public forum, called Trust Transparency & the News and share with you the discussion that emerged. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May152017.mp3" Monday, 15 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Plastic bags are a significant source of pollution. According to the Plastic Ban Bag Report, a national advocacy group, 165 cities around the U.S. have some form of legislation to restrict the use of plastic shopping bags. But a bill that recently passed the state House would prohibit cities from imposing bans or fees on plastic bags. It's supported by most Republicans and opposed by most Democrats. But the measure was co-sponsored by Representative Mike Hanna, the House Democratic whip, who says he's trying to protect jobs at Novolex, a plastic bag manufacturer in his Centre County district. Plus, new pipelines designed to carry Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale gas have taken center stage in a controversy over climate change, private property rights, and the nation's energy future. Protests have emerged all over the country, including an encampment in Lancaster County, where activists hope to disrupt or prevent construction of the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline--an interstate gas transmission line approved by federal regulators earlier this year. After the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's protest against the Dakota Access oil pipeline last year led to millions of dollars in clean up and law enforcement costs, Sen. Scott Martin (R- Lancaster) plans to introduce legislation that will put the cost of a protest back onto the protesters. However, the move could raise First Amendment issues, and it's part of a larger national trend among state legislators to curb or limit protesting. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May122017.mp3" Friday, 12 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Thursday's Smart Talk is an encore presentation of an earlier episode. Human trafficking forces people -- usually young women -- into the commercial sex trade or labor. It is widespread throughout the world, in the U.S. and in Pennsylvania. Just a few weeks ago, a Berks County man was arrested on charges related to trafficking a young woman. Police and the justice system have re-evaluated their approach to dealing with victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Instead of punishment and prison, many cities are using rehabilitative measures to re-integrate the victims into communities. Because of the evolving nature of the approach to trafficking and exploitation, there is a lack of continuity in the enforcement, prosecution and rehabilitation of the perpetrators and their victims. The Commercial Sexual Exploitation Institute of the Villanova Law Institute sponsored a symposium in March to address these disparities and promote ideas to improve the relationships between attorneys, lawmakers, social workers and law enforcement agencies and aid in combating commercial sexual exploitation. Shea M. Rhodes is the Director of Villanova's CSE Institute and she will join us on Thursday's Smart Talk to discuss the scope of human trafficking and forced prostitution and society's approach to aiding those victims. Dr. Susan Mapp, Professor of Social Work at Elizabethtown College will be in studio to describe the impact these crimes have in Central Pennsylvania. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May112017.mp3" Thursday, 11 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 For ten years, Kelly Withum served as executive director of Venture Lititz, the economic development agency that drove that town's successful re-development. Withum facilitated events such as Taste of Lititz and the Lititz Beer Fest as well as attracting new, locally-owned businesses to Lititz's downtown corridor. Kelly Withum - Executive Director, Lebanon's Neighborhood Improvement District Management Association Withum is now helping the City of Lebanon revitalize its downtown with new businesses and development. She appears on Wednesday's Smart Talk to talk about what worked for Lititz and what could work for other "downtown corridors." Also, twenty years ago, PBS debuted Antiques Roadshow - a seemingly simple production where people brought arts, family heirlooms and pieces of folk, sports and cultural memorabilia to be appraised. But the production of Antiques Roadshow is anything but simple. Its a carefully choreographed event where people's belongings are categorized and they are trafficked towards specific experts in a variety of fields. Sometimes they find valuable treasures from the attic, sometimes they find the only value an object has is sentimental. Marsha Bemko - Executive Producer, PBS's Antiques Roadshow Antiques Roadshow is coming to Harrisburg, June 3rd, for three episodes. Executive Producer Marsha Bemko joins us on Smart Talk to discuss the show from behind the scenes and offer some tips about which relics and bric-a-brac to bring. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May102017.mp3" Wednesday, 10 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 State revenue collections fell 13.5% short of projections for April - a $537.1 million shortfall. Acting Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell reported the annual budget shortfall at $1.2 billion dollars. The state has responded with across-the-board spending cuts and revenue generation discussions ranging from increased governmental fees to expanded gaming and liquor sales and marijuana legalization. The Commonwealth Foundation points to "Harrisburg's tax-and-spend approach" which has "stymied economic growth and generated significant budget challenges" as the cause of the deficit. The Keystone Research Center blames an unsustainable and regressive tax structure for the shortfall, citing an Institution of Taxation and Economic Policy study finding "the top one percent pays less than half of the tax rate of the middle class and two-thirds less than the lowest 20%." Smart Talk discusses the causes and impact of this shortfall with Nathan Benefield, Vice President and COO of the Commonwealth Foundation and Marc Stier, Director of the Keystone Research Center's Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center. We will also be joined by Sheila A. Weinberg, founder and CEO of Truth in Accounting, a taxation analysis group who issued a recent report giving state spending a "D" grade. WITF Capital Bureau Chief Katie Meyer hosts the Tuesday edition of Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May092017.mp3" Tuesday, 09 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The opioid crisis has killed thousands in Pennsylvania over the past three years. On Thursday, WITF is hosting a forum at the Public Media Center: The Midstate's Opioid Crisis: Where are We Now? Today, we talk about the epidemic, and dig into the challenges in getting help to those who need it. At the state and federal level, the crisis has been getting a lot of attention. But drug overdose deaths continue to rise. Dr. Sarah Kawasaki with the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute will offer information about treatment, what the evidence says, and how people who are ready to recover from addiction can stabilize their life. Matthew Toth is in recovery after years of addiction - he'll be here to share his story. And Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman will talk about what his staff is seeing, and how the justice system has been handling the crisis. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May082017.mp3" Monday, 08 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 In 2003, CIA analyst John Nixon was in charge of interrogating the recently-deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. The former dictator had been captured by U.S. forces following the 2003 invasion, and the intelligence analyst needed to open a dialogue with the high-profile prisoner. Hussein ruled Iraq as a thuggish despot for 24 years. He rose through the ranks of the ruling Ba'ath Party to take the presidency in 1979. His successful modernization and education programs in Iraq were overshadowed by an oppressive regime that fostered a cult of personality around the man and demanded absolute loyalty to the party. While America supported Hussein's military campaign against Iran in the 1980's, relations soured following revelations that the US also armed Iran during that war and international condemnation of Iraq's slaughter of ethnic Kurds. This culminated with Iraq's 1991 invasion of Kuwait which was quickly quashed by an international force led by the US. From 1991 to 2003, the international community heaped sanctions on Iraq in response to Hussein's lack of cooperation in complying with weapons restrictions. Following the attacks of 9/11, the George W. Bush Administration trumped up intelligence to suggest the attacks were linked to Hussein. They were not. In 2003, the US invaded Iraq under the pretext that it was developing weapons of mass destruction. There were none. Hussein was captured shortly after by US Special Forces. Nixon chronicles his experience in his book, Debriefing the President: The Interrogation of Saddam Hussein. He joins us on Friday's Smart Talk to talk about his experience sitting across from one of the most infamous dictators of the 20th Century. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May052017.mp3" Friday, 05 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Thursday's Smart Talk is from the new Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia. Located just two blocks from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, the museum opened it's doors two weeks ago to thousands of huzzahs. OK, that means those people who have visited the museum really like it. Surprisingly, it's taken 234 years for a museum to open that tells the whole story of the American Revolution. The museum's exhibits and artifacts follow chronologically from the end of the French and Indian War in America through the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783. Along the way, there are stories of the grievances the American Colonists had with Great Britain, with mention of the Stamp Act and the Boston Tea Party. There's an actual piece of the North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts where some of the first shots were fired. Continental Army Commander Gen. George Washington obviously plays a big role throughout the war and the museum. One of the marquee exhibits is the tent that Washington used for his headquarters at Valley Forge and throughout the war. Appearing on Smart Talk to tell stories of the museum and the war are Michael Quinn, President and CEO of the Museum of the American Revolution, Assistant Curator Matt Skic and Textile Conservator Virginia Whelan discuss Washington's tent, and Dr. Gregory J.W. Urwin, a military historian, author and professor of history at Temple University. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May042017.mp3" Thursday, 04 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Since 2011, driving-under-the-influence-related crashes and deaths have decreased by more than 10% in Pennsylvania. Despite that decline, there were still 345 deaths due to alcohol-related crashes in 2015 and nearly 45,000 DUI arrests the next year. The current laws didn't keep Thomas Gallagher Jr. from driving in 2014 after two DUIs and with his license suspended. That July, Gallagher was involved in a crash that killed 18-year-old Meredith Demko of Lancaster County. Gallagher's blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit and he had heroin in his system at the time. We will be joined on Wednesday's Smart Talk by Meredith's parents -- Chris and Susan Demko. The Demkos have worked closely with legislators in crafting DUI policy and have been sharing their story to raise awareness of the problem. They are the founders of Pennsylvania Parents Against Impaired Driving. State Senator Scott Martin (R-Lancaster Co.) has introduced a series of bills that would bolster the state's DUI laws in an effort to reduce those numbers even farther. One proposal would extend the minimum sentence for two or more DUIs from 10 days to two years in prison. Another bill would charge offenders with homicide if their DUI crash results in the death of others. Martin appears on the program to parse out the bills and explain why he feels current laws are inadequate in curbing drunk driving. Also, the Greater Washington Board of Trade is a development agency promoting business growth in the DC region, including Suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia. GWBT president and CEO Jim Dinegar recently spoke at Penn State-Harrisburg about adopting "smart cities" principles to create networks of communities through information and communication technology and the use of "the internet of things" to create modern and sustainable community models. Jim Dinegar is on Wednesday's Smart Talk to discuss how these principles can be implemented in our region to cultivate viable business structures and retain Central Pennsylvania's workforce. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May032017.mp3" Wednesday, 03 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Taxpayers may find this hard to believe but the tax burden on Americans is one of the lowest among the 35 richest countries in the world. Then, compare the U.S. to France where the tax burden is about 50% of income and profits. At the same time, the U.S. has the most complex tax code in the world with 73,000 pages of IRS regulations. Last year, Americans spent over six billion hours filing their taxes. In the Netherlands, the average filing time is 15 minutes. Some tax deductions that Americans use have been eliminated in other countries. For example those that got rid of mortgage interest deductions have higher rates of home ownerships than the U.S. American companies exploit loopholes and almost never pay the 35% corporate tax rate. Apple, for example, paid zero tax on an income of $74 billion by relocating to Ireland. These are all findings of best-selling author and Washington Post correspondent T.R. Reid in his latest book, A Fine Mess: A Global Quest for a Simpler, Fairer, and More Efficient Tax System. The book is very timely as the Trump Administration has just released a few details of a tax reform plan. T.R. Reid joins us on Tuesday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May022017.mp3" Tuesday, 02 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The American Lung Association recently released their 2017 State 0f the Air report evaluating air quality in communities across the country. The findings demonstrate some promising trends. The number of Americans regularly exposed to unhealthy levels of air pollution has decreased by a quarter since 2012 and the successes linked to provisions in the Clean Air Act of 1963. The report also raises some concerns; 40% of Americans live in areas with dangerous levels of ozone and particulate pollutions. Southern California stands out as particularly unhealthy. In our region, Lancaster County saw a passing grade for the first time in 18 years. The Harrisburg-Lebanon-York metro region saw an improvement - from 9th to 22nd on the list of worst in the US for fine particle pollution. Smart Talk breaks down the report to examine the source of the pollution and what can be done at home, in Harrisburg and in Washington to maintain clean, healthy air. GUESTS: - Kevin Stewart - Director of Environmental Health, American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic - Dr. Gisoo Ghaffari - allergy, asthma, immunology specialist at Penn State Hershey Medical Center; board member, Pennsylvania Allergy &Asthma Association Also, industrial hemp cultivation has been illegal in the commonwealth since 1937. Late last year, State Agricultural Secretary Russell Redding signed off on a pilot program that will research hemp growth for commercial applications. This is not the smokable marijuana strain, but its impotent cousin with many practical uses. Papers, rope, textiles and industrial lubricants are some products of hemp; hemp oil can be used for cooking. Smart Talk examines Pennsylvania's policies towards hemp, what cultivation of the crop could contribute to the state's agricultural economy and why hemp carries the stigma that it does. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May012017.mp3" Monday, 01 May 2017 12:30:00 -0400 First the good news -- close to 90% of Pennsylvania students are graduating high school, more than 70% are continuing their education beyond high school and test scores ae rising in some key areas. At the same time, Pennsylvania schools are facing challenges such as budget pressures, pension costs, high poverty rates and finding fulltime and substitute teachers. Those are a few of the findings of a consortium of state education organizations that released a 2016-2017 State of Education Report this week. The report was compiled as "a barometer of not only the key indicators of public school performance, such as standardized test scores, but also the timely challenges that public schools are facing and how they are coping with them." The comprehensive study is compiled by surveying chief school administrators from Pennsylvania's public school districts, career and technical centers and intermediate units. It looks at several different metrics; the demographic makeup of the state's K-12 students, student achievement, the challenges facing administrators, school finance, class size and others. On Thursday's Smart Talk, we'll break down the findings of the study with Nathan Mains, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, John Pulver, Associate Director of the Pennsylvania Association of Career and Technical Administrators; Tom Gluck, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units; Dr. Paul Healey, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Principals Association and Dr. Mark DiRocco, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April272017.mp3" Thursday, 27 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 After a decline in crime over the past three decades, violent crime increased by more than 10% in the nation's 30 largest cities in 2015 (the last year for complete statistics). One city -- Chicago -- accounted for 44% of the higher number of violent crimes. Chicago had 762 murders -- more than twice as many as any other city. Meanwhile, there were over five million individuals who were the victims of crime. Whether crime rates have been rising or falling doesn't matter to the people who were victimized or their families. Every one of those five million people or their families have to deal with the fallout from the crime committed against them. Crime victims have many more rights and services available to them today than the victims of 30 years ago. But is it enough and what do they want and need? Pennsylvania Victim Advocate Jennifer Storm appears on Wednesday's Smart Talk to tell their stories. Also on Wednesday's program, Mahatma Gandhi is revered around the world for his non-violent philosophy of passive resistance to bring change. Gandhi's grandson Arun Gandhi is a peace activist, author, journalist and agent of change himself. Arun Gandhi will lead a keynote conversation May 4 at the "Around the Table" event hosted by Advoz, an organization based in Lancaster, dedicated to resolving conflict and building community through face-to-face dialogue. Dr. Gandhi latest book was published this week. Its titled The Gift of Anger and Other Lessons from My Grandfather Mahatma Gandhi. Dr. Gandhi discusses peace in a violent and divided world and what the next generation can do on Wednesday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April262017.mp3" Wednesday, 26 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 April is Autism Awareness Month. Parents of youths diagnosed on the autism spectrum face challenges when it comes to the everyday routine of raising and educating their children. Often their children find typical activities difficult - school, sports, scouting, and even basic social interactions. There are many resources for parents to access - public and private agencies, academic aids and support groups. Tuesday's Smart Talk includes a conversation with a few parents of autistic children about the successes and the lessons learned from raising a child on the spectrum. We will be joined by Rebecca Mann, vice president of operations for NHS Education and Autism Services, an agency that provides support services to families with autistic children and Regina Wall, Director of Autism Services for the state's Department of Human Services. Also, the Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital City Region holds its 2017 Annual Civic Event Tuesday night by honoring first responders. Appearing as part of the "Celebration of Service" is Daniel Rodriguez from the New York Tenors and also known to many as the 9/11 N.Y.P.D. Singing Policeman. Rodriguez and the Salvation Army's Director of Philanthropy Kathy Anderson-Martin join us on Tuesday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April252017.mp3" Tuesday, 25 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The hostilities of the Korean War ended in July of 1953. Ever since, America has maintained a military presence at the demilitarized zone on the 38th parallel dividing North and South Korea, ensuring the security of our South Korean allies. This is because, technically, the Korean War is still on. There never was a peace treaty ending the three-year war. In the ensuing years, the Kim family solidified their position as the rulers of North Korea, enacting policies that curbed development that led to a famine. Though North Koreans live under an authoritarian dictatorship that has ingrained them with a God-like reverence for the ruling family, there is still a rich history and culture north of the 38th. A new American administration means new policies in dealing with North Korea, and in recent weeks the tensions between the two countries have been escalating steadily. Smart Talk will talk about the people of North Korea, that nation's role in the global community and what the future of US/North Korean relations might look like. Benjamin Katzeff Silberstein, an Associate Scholar at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia will recount his visits to North Korea and paint a picture of North Koreans often ignored in American media. Also, The Trump Administration has made it clear it intends to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris Agreement - the united effort of 195 nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions globally. This has scientists flummoxed. A campaign has begun in Pennsylvania to enact greenhouse gas reduction measures aligned to state standards. In effect, if the US is committed to withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, the state would adopt the agreement's provisions. Widener University Commonwealth Law School Scholar-in-Residence and Professor of Sustainability Ethics and Law Donald Brown has written extensively on conservation and the morality of environmental consciousness. Brown will join us on Monday's Smart Talk to discuss responsibilities, personally and nationally, to preserving the environment. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April242017.mp3" Monday, 24 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Over the years, you have told us that some of your favorite Smart Talk shows are the ones that focus on spring time gardening and planting. And why not? The program reminds everyone that the long winter is behind us, spring and warmer weather are here and you can get a few great tips too. March and most of April were warmer than usual so the early blooming flowers and trees got a head start - despite super snow storm Stella. Early May is a good time to think about annual flowers, vegetable gardens, trees, shrubs, and your lawn. Pests that can take a toll on your plants are also starting to get rejuvenated too so you may need to think about your strategies for dealing with them as well. Friday's Smart Talk features Erica Jo Shaffer, the nursery manager at Highland Gardens in Camp Hill who will share her knowledge and expertise on a variety of questions. Erica has many tips to pass along when it comes to flowers, gardens, vegetables, trees and grass. So what questions do you have? Call 1-800-729-7532 between 9 and 10 a.m. Tuesday. Also, send photographs or what you've grown to WITF's Facebook page so everyone can enjoy them! https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April212017.mp3" Friday, 21 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Legislation that resurrects mandatory minimum sentences for certain drug and violent crimes is being considered at the state capitol. The proposals are currently before the House Judiciary Committee. Mandatory minimum sentences were first introduced in the 80's and 90's to combat a crime wave when crack cocaine was at its height. But critics then and now argue they restrict judges' discretion and increase prison populations and costs. The current bills, introduced by Republican Representative Todd Stephens of Montgomery County, would enforce mandatory sentencing for specific drug crimes and violent crimes and crimes committed against the elderly and young children. Stephens touted the bills as key weapons in fighting the opioid crisis, telling The Morning Call: "We are investing a lot of money in [this] opioid epidemic. Part of that equation has to be cutting off the supply." Opponents, like Democratic Allegheny County Representative Jake Wheatly predict this could fuel a prison crisis, saying the bills could result in "an epidemic of people going to jail." Representative Stephens and Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan appear on Thursday's Smart Talk to discuss the merits of reinstating mandatory minimum sentencing provisions. Pennsylvania Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel and Kevin Ring, President of Families against Mandatory Minimums talk about their objections to mandatory minimum laws. Pennsylvania set a record low for the number of traffic deaths last year. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation released 2016 statistics this week that indicate 1,188 fatalities were recorded on Pennsylvania roads last year - the least since records began being kept in 1928.. "Our biggest priority is to keep the public safe through innovation, roadway improvements, and educational outreach," Governor Wolf said. "As fatality numbers continue to trend downward, we still need to change driver behavior, keeping in mind that each person killed in a crash is a member of someone's family." PennDOT has been promoting traffic safety with their Strategic Highway Safety Plan, investment in safety improvement programs and new methods of recording and studying crash data. Rich Kirkpatrick, PennDOT's press secretary will join Smart Talk to discuss these programs and how they are facilitating safer driving. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April202017.mp3" Thursday, 20 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Professionals treating substance addiction will say the easy part is getting the patient detoxified. Keeping the addict clean is the hard part. Dr. Scott Bunce is an associate professor of psychiatry at the Penn State Hershey Neuroscience Institute at the Penn State University College of Medicine. "We've been able to safely withdraw people from substances of abuse since the 1980's. The real problem lies in the weeks after residential treatment when they go back to their homes and neighborhoods and have a high possibility of relapsing," he says. Bunce is currently researching physiological markers to detect an opiate addict's predilection for relapse. The idea is to administer a simple test - something akin to a quick blood pressure cuff, a thermometer or a basic blood test. The test would indicate that the addict has a predisposition to use drugs after treatment. It is a complex proposal, questioning a person's ability to grasp their own free will versus congenital programming driving a person towards substance abuse. It is an important paradigm to define in this era of opiate abuse; Dr. Bunce will join Smart Talk to discuss his research and how it can help with opiate abuse treatment in Pennsylvania. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April192017.mp3" Wednesday, 19 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Most discussions of energy in Pennsylvania today start with natural gas. For much of the past decade, drilling in the Marcellus Shale regions of the state has made Pennsylvania one of the nation's leading energy producers. During his campaign for president, Donald Trump promised to bring coal back and many are still clamoring for expansion and more use of renewable energy in the state. What doesn't get mentioned often is nuclear energy. Which is surprising since about 35% of Pennsylvania's electricity comes from nuclear. The Three Mile Island accident brought construction and licensing of new nuclear plants to a virtual halt. That's even though nuclear facilities have been operating safely and producing power since the 1979 TMI accident. They were considered too expensive to build and there were always safety concerns. A first-of-its-kind-in-the-nation nuclear energy caucus has been formed in the Pennsylvania legislature. It has more than 70 members, of both parties, so far. On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we'll hear from Sen. Ryan Aument (R-Lancaster) who is one of the caucus organizers. Then, TMI Alert chairman Eric Epstein joins us. Also, April is Child Abuse Awareness Month. The Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance is one of the state's leading advocates for preventing child abuse and helping victims. We'll discuss efforts to stop child abuse and protect children with Angela Liddle, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance and Emily Huggins, a forensic nurse examiner at Wellspan York Hospital. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April182017.mp3" Tuesday, 18 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Thousands of Pennsylvanians have died of drug overdoses over the past five years. Heroin was most often the culprit in the deadly overdoses -sometimes laced with other chemicals like fentanyl. The opioid crisis has reached epidemic proportions and is sweeping this country. Many times, the user starts with prescription opioid painkillers and then moves on to heroin which is much cheaper. The bottom line is too many people are dying - even though many first responders and police are equiped with naloxone, which can literally bring an overdose victim back to life. We talk about this issue often but sometimes it is from a wide angle. On Monday's Smart Talk, we have two people who see it up close and personal on a daily basis. Appearing on the program are York County Coroner Pam Gay and Andrew Gilger - Paramedic/Performance Improvement Lieutenant, Lancaster EMS. Also, the Manada Conservancy - Dauphin County's land trust - is teaming up with the Appalachian Audubon Society to celebrate its 20th anniversary with a special event this Thursday, April 27th. The theme will be designing for beauty and biodiversity. One of the keynote speakers is Dr. Douglas Tallamy, Professor and Chair of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware and author of the award winning book, Bringing Nature Home and Richard Zaino, president of the Manada Conservancy board join us. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April172017.mp3" Monday, 17 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Two of the most significant religious holidays on the calendar this week mean families are gathering and sitting down for holiday meals. Easter is Sunday, of course, and Passover began Monday and will end Tuesday. Each holiday comes with mealtime traditions. You may have your holiday dinner planned already but it's still not too late to pick up a few ideas and, of course, one of the big questions is what to do with all the leftovers? With a little thought and creativity, the leftovers can be made into tasty lunches and dinners too. Chef Donna Desfor, who host the WITF Cooks TV series and the new podcast Now That's a Mouthful, is with us on Friday's Smart Talk to discuss Easter and Passover food and especially what to make with the leftovers. Also, Pennsylvania has 500 public school districts. Each has their own special characteristics and degrees of success. Former Governor Ed Rendell at one time proposed merging school districts - a proposal that didn't get much traction. However, that hasn't stopped certain areas from trying to leave their current school districts and become part of another. For the last three years, a group of parents in Highspire, Dauphin County has made moves to leave the Steelton-Highspire School District and become part of the Middletown School District. We'll learn more about it on Friday's program from Ken Becker, a spokesman for the Highspire Education Coalition and attorney Brian Carter. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April142017.mp3" Friday, 14 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Dr. Michelle Mart's 2015 book Pesticides, A Love Story: America's Enduring Embrace of Dangerous Chemicals examined the extensive ripple effects of the use of pesticides in agriculture. Today, the Penn State Berks professor of history is researching the relationship between American eating habits and the practices and influences of big agri-business and other players in the food industry - including the US government. Dr. Mart discusses how we choose the food we eat and often it's not advertising. Dr. Mart joins us on Thursday's Smart Talk to discuss her research and what we should know about what we eat. Also, Goodwill Industries, including Goodwill Keystone Area has a mission to support persons with disabilities and other barriers to independence. Goodwill Keystone Area has a new program called Good Careers Start Here that is designed to assist those who have worked at and with Goodwill and their families, with getting a higher education and also providing employers with skilled workers. Jennifer Diaz, Senior Director of Resource Development, Goodwill Keystone Area appears on Thursday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April132017.mp3" Thursday, 13 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The latest Smart Talk Road Trip takes the show to the campus of Lebanon Valley College for Wednesday's program. (At Suzanne H. Arnold Gallery and Zimmerman Recital Hall) The small liberal arts college in Annville, with a student population of just over 1600, has more than 40 majors but has an especially strong music program. Almost a tenth of Lebanon Valley's student population are in the college marching band and there are music events on campus almost every night. On Smart Talk, we'll discuss that music program and the careers it launches with Sharon Davis, Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Music Education, Matthew Erpdeling, Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities and Tom Strohman, Professor of Music. Leading off the show is Dr. Lewis Thayne, the President of Lebanon Valley College, who will discuss the strengths and benefits and maybe a few of challenges facing a liberal arts college. Finally, a letter signed by President Abraham Lincoln and sent to Lebanon County Industrialist George Dawson Coleman in the 1860s has been donated to the Lebanon County Historical Society and we'll this fascinating story on the program as well. Adam Bentz, Archivist and Librarian with the Lebanon County Historical Society and Rick Abel, who contributed the Lincoln letter join us on Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April122017.mp3" Wednesday, 12 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 A recent report from Penn State's Population Research Institute indicates minority students in Pennsylvania are leaving public schools of diversity for charter schools populated by like - minority students. Plainly put, black students are leaving for charter schools with other black students, Latino students are leaving public schools for primarily Latino charter schools. That research also points to an unparralleled value to attending schools in a diverse atmosphere; that "Minority students in more diverse school settings have higher short-term and long-term academic outcomes than those who attend racially isolated minority schools." Smart Talk will parse out this study with lead researcher, Erica Frankenberg, an associate professor of education at Penn State. We'll also be joined by Tim Eller, Executive Director of the Keystone Alliance for Public Charter Schools. Also, Earth Day is a week from Saturday on April 22nd. There will be hundreds - maybe thousands - of events focusing on the environment but there is something new this year in cities across the country. They are called March for Science which is described as the first step of a global movement to defend the vital role science plays in our health safety economies and government. Among the places where there will be a March for Science in downtown Lancaster. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April112017.mp3" Tuesday, 11 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 When it comes to Pennsylvania's future, education may be the most important issue facing the state. Almost everyone can agree that a good education is key to making a good living, preparing a work force, and maintaining a healthy economy and high quality of life. How to provide and pay for quality education is what makes it an issue. There are many opinions and almost as much research into what is successful and even how to measure that success. As a result, there is no simple answer on how to improve schools and education overall. There are many. Monday's Smart Talk features Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera. A few of the issues we'll discuss are improving student performance, the role of schools in today's communities, education funding, the state budget, challenges facing schools, higher education, and charter schools. You are encouraged to call in or email your questions for Secretary Rivera, the Smart Talk call-in line is 800-729-7532 or email us at smarttalk@witf.org. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April102017.mp3" Monday, 10 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Nearly two million people with serious mental illnesses are incarcerated in America every year. About a quarter of Pennsylvania's prisoners suffer from mental illness. The chief of medical operations for the Philadelphia Department of Prisons describes the state's county jail system as "the largest psychiatric hospital in the state of Pennsylvania." In response, state and county officials are rolling out a multiyear initiative with the goal of reducing the population of inmates with mental illness and directing them towards treatment rather than incarceration, as well as training first responders how to handle situations involving mentally ill citizens. The 'Stepping Up' program is already in use in Ohio and California. Smart Talk will discuss the initiative with Pennsylvania Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel, Richard Cho, Director of Behavioral Health at the Council of State Governments Justice Center and Brinda Carroll Penyak, Deputy Director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania. Also, Paula Poundstone began a stand-up career in the early Eighties and made her mark with her wry and snarky observations of the everyday routine of life. She starred in several cable specials through the 90's and has been a regular staple on NPR's Wait Wait . . . Don't Tell Me! Poundstone continues to tour with as a stand-up comic and will appear at Bucknell's Weis Center on Satuday. Smart Talk checks in with her to talk about her 40-year comedy career and her take on current events. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April052017.mp3" Wednesday, 5 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 In Pennsylvania, Protection from Abuse defendants, who own guns, may or may not be ordered to give up their firearms by a judge (for final PFAs). If the defendant has to surrender the guns, they can be held for safekeeping by a third party like a family member or friend. In most cases, that's enough to keep the guns from being used to harm the person who took out the PFA. But not always. A series of domestic violence-related proposals have been made that includes a stipulation that guns would be surrendered to a local police agency or firearms dealer under terms of a final Protection from Abuse order. In a state where there are many hunters and gun owners, that part of the proposal is sure to be debated intensely. Other proposals would permit judges to extend PFAs beyond the current 36 months and also to require someone from law enforcement to be present with PFA plaintiffs for service of orders or when they are retrieving property. Appearing on Tuesday's Smart Talk to discuss the bills are Ellen Kramer, Deputy Director of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Rhonda Hendrickson: Director of Violence Intervention and Prevention Services at the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April042017.mp3" Tuesday, 4 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 On Monday's Smart Talk explore the reasons Americans are so politically polarized. Author Jonathan Haidt argues that political affiliations stem from the elements people use to establish moral and ethical guidelines. The polarity of those ethical judgements force people to either the liberal or conservative side, that people are subject to their own psychological predispositions. April Kelly-Woessner is Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Legal Studies at Elizabethtown College where Haidt will speak this Thursday night. She has written extensively about political intolerance and the lack of viewpoint diversity in higher education. Dr. Kelly-Woessner appears on Monday's Smart Talk. There have been a few examples within the past month. Author Charles Murray has been called a white nationalist and became best known after writing a book that claimed blacks weren't as intelligent as whites. Protestors became violent at Middlebury College in Vermont last month when Murray was scheduled to speak and shouted down Murray at Villanova University last week. Two weeks until Tax Day - have you filed yet? If not, Smart Talk will discuss recent changes to the tax code, what can and cannot be deducted and filing options. Certified Public Accountants Eric MacCollum and John Steffe will join us to answer your questions about everybody's favorite subject - income tax. And remember, the deadline for filing federal income taxes has been pushed back a few days this year to Tuesday, April 18. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April032017.mp3" Monday, 3 April 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Nearly a million hunting licenses were issued in the state last year - that's one for every thirteen Pennsylvania residents. The Pennsylvania Game Commission approved updates to state hunting regulations on Tuesday. These changes include some fee increases, increased number of permits and expansions of bow hunting. However, the big issue was whether semi-automatic rifles could used for hunting. Smart Talk discusses these changes and take your questions for Travis Lau, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Also, the Pennsylvania State Geography Bee, sponsored by National Geographic, will be held this afternoon at the State Museum in Harrisburg. Geography is a subject that doesn't get near as much attention as say math, reading and writing in schools. A recent study found that half of social studies teachers spend less than 10 percent of their time in the classroom on geography. Smart Talk will discuss the importance of geography education with Kristin Byers, Program Manager for the Pennsylvania Alliance for Geography Education and coordinator of the Pennsylvania Geography Bee. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March312017.mp3" Friday, 31 March 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The legalization of marijuana - both medicinally and recreationally - is becoming normalized around the country. Pennsylvania is beginning a medical marijuana program and the state's Auditor General Eugene DePasquale recently advocated for the tax revenue that could be derrived from legal, recreational marijuana in the state. One of the unintended consequences of these legalization programs is that it puts many drivers on the road who could be under the influence of marijuana and this has the attention of transportation safety advocates. When this is coupled with the use of perscription pain killers and other medications with side effects, this is a major concern for public safety. On Thursday, March 30th, AAA Mid-Atlantic will host the first Pennsylvania Drugged Driving Summit in Harrisburg. Joining Smart Talk to discuss the impact of drug use and driving will be Ted Leonard, Executive Director of Pennsylvania AAA and Stephan Erni, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania DUI Association. Also, Elizazbeth Wein's 2013 novel Rose Under Fire tells the story of a female pilot captured by Nazis and sent to Ravensbruck women's concentration camp and the bond established by the prisoners as they fought to survive. Wein will be the guest lecturer at Congeregation Beth Israel on Tuesday, April 4th in Lebanon. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March282017.mp3" Tuesday, 28 March 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Homeowners often don't think about how much their properties are worth until it comes time to sell or their homes have been reassessed for tax purposes. Lancaster County property owners have been thinking about it for the last few weeks though after receiving preliminary reassessment figures on the value of their properties. Many found their property values increased since the last reassessment and are concerned their tax bills will rise as well. Reassessments always generate a lot of questions. We'll try to answer those questions on Monday's Smart Talk. Appearing on the program are Republican State Senator John Eichelberger of Blair County, Phil Klotz, Executive Director and Danette Magee, Research Associate for the Local Government Commission and Deborah Crawford, Assessors' Association of Pennsylvania. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March272017.mp3" Monday, 27 March 2017 12:30:00 -0400 This week is Sunshine Week - a national recognition of the need to maintain transparency in government and the acknowledgement of the importance of a free and independent press. The PA Freedom of Information Coalition has been committed to protecting press freedoms and eliminating government secrecy since 2005. "The whole purpose of the FOIC is to be a resource for the regular guy or gal looking for information about their government" FOIC president Donald Gillibrand told the PennLive editorial board earlier this week. "Now, more than ever, focusing on transparency is important." Smart Talk will speak with Gillibrand about the need for government transparency and the value of a free press. Also, Smart Talk discusses the roots of rock and roll with Penn State Behrend history professor Richard Aquila. He looks at the symbiotic relationship between early rock music and the cultural landscape in post-war America in his new book, Let's Rock!: How 1950s America Created Elvis and the Rock and Roll Craze. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March172017.mp3" Friday, 17 March 2017 12:30:00 -0400 If there is one constant today in healthcare it is that change is occuring all the time. The repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare is one of the most significant issues being debated in Washington today. No matter what happens, that could mean big change for healthcare and health insurance. Meanwhile, one of Central Pennsylvania's largest providers -- Pinnacle Health -- is in the news this week for a couple moves that could alter the region's and maybe even the state's healthcare landscape. Pinnacle announced it is purchasing Carlisle Regional Medical Center, Heart of Lancaster Regional Medical Center, Lancaster Regional Medical Center and Memorial Hospital of York. The deal must be approved by regulators. Pinnacle also has signed a letter of intent to work towards an affiliation with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center or UPMC. WITF's Transforming Health reporter Ben Allen appears on Thursday's Smart Talk to explain what it all means. Disclaimer: Smart Talk is supported in part by Pinnacle Health. The NCAA men's basketball tournament begins Thursday and women's tourney is set to start Friday. Three teams from two area universities will be competing in the "Big Dance." Bucknell University's men's and women's squads take to the court this weekend. The Bison's men play highly-ranked West Virginia Thursday afternoon in Buffalo, New York while the women will try to topple powerhouse Maryland Friday. Bucknell's Associate Athletic Director for Communications John Terry joins us on Smart Talk to discuss March Madness -- Bison style. Also, Mt. St. Mary's University, which is located just 10 miles south of Gettysburg in Emmittsburg, Maryland, may have the toughest challenge of all. The 16th seeded Mountaineers play defending men's national champion Villanova in Buffalo. The Mount's radio play-by-play announcer Adam Pohl gives us the inside scoop. Obviously, Villanova also has a large rooting interest in Pennsylvania. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March162017.mp3" Thursday, 16 March 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The Trump administration has vowed to make massive cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency; part of those cuts include a 93% reduction in funding for the EPA's Chesapeake Bay cleanup project, the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint. The $73 million program will see its budget reduced to $5 million. The program is a joint state/federal project that has seen a successful restoration of the Chesapeake watershed; water pollution is down, the Bay's aquatic "dead-zone" has shrunk and this has resulted in an improvement in local economies and job creation. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has been working since 1967 to preserve the natural habitats within the watershed, CBF President William Baker and Pennsylvania Chapter Executive Director Harry Campbell join us on Smart Talk to discuss the impact these cuts may have on conservation efforts in the Chesapeake region and what the future for the area could look like without environmental protections. Also, advancements in warfare often include advancements in medicine - both on and off the battlefield. ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff explores the evolution of medical care and technology for soldiers serving on the frontline, and those who require care after returning home. Military Medicine: Beyond the Battlefield will air Thursday, March 16th at 7:15pm at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center. The PBS documentary shares the stories of active duty soldiers, combat veterans, families and doctors to explore the relationship between warfare and healthcare. Dr. Rory Cooper, Director of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories at the University of Pittsburgh and a participant in the documentary will join Smart Talk to discuss some of the advancements in military medicine to emerge from the recent wars and the need to provide care for veterans after they return home. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March152017.mp3" Wednesday, 15 March 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Tuesday's Smart Talk provides the latest information on today's snowstorm. It could end up being one of the largest winter storms during the month of March the region and Pennsylvania have ever seen. As of 8:30 this morning, several areas have already gotten 14 inches of snow. Some places could get up to 20 inches of snow. Actually, there's been sleet throughout the region which can keep snow totals down. This is not a normal day. Almost everything is closed including schools and government operations. There are few vehicles on the road but some that are have had problems. On today's program, we'll talk with Eric Horst with the meteorology department at Millersville University, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, Penndot in the Central Pennsylvania region, and the Pennsylvania State Police. By the way, the record snowfall for March measured at Harrisburg International Airport is more than 20 inches on this date in 1993. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March142017.mp3" Tuesday, 14 March 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The U.S. House of Representatives has unveiled a healthcare plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. Republican lawmakers committed to 'repeal and replacement' of the ACA or Obamacare. The new program is drawing criticism from both sides of the aisle. Republican Congressman Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania's 15th District (Lehigh, parts of Berks, Dauphin, Lebanon and Northampton Counties) has also been critical of the ACA, but voted against dismantling it back in January. In speaking with The Morning Call, he said "Before I load a gun, I like to know where it's pointed. I'm not yet clear on that point." Representative Dent appears on Monday's Smart Talk to discuss the efforts to replace the ACA and talk about issues including the government's travel ban and immigration policy. Listeners are welcome to call Smart Talk at 800-729-7532 or email us at 'smarttalk@witf.org' to ask questions of Rep. Dent. Also, Landowners opposed to the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline have been meeting in a barn and camping on private property in the proposed pathway; Conestoga Township is trying to displace the protestors citing zoning violations in the use of the barn. StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Marie Cusick discusses the protest encampment in Lancaster County and other developments in the pipeline project. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March132017.mp3" Monday, 13 March 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Many Americans have questions about the policies of regional and municipal police departments following high profile cases involving deadly force in recent years. Names like Eric Gardner, Philandro Castile and Oscar Grant have become ubiquitous with perceptions of heavy-handed law enforcement, the legitimacy of 'use-of-force' and the integrity of officers and their agencies. Dr. Jennifer Gibbs, a Penn State Harrisburg researcher and assistant professor of criminal justice, collated data from phone surveys to determine that citizens view police integrity in terms of morality, as opposed to adherence to the word of law. In addition, 88% of respondents expressed that they "would feel safer if a police officer was wearing a video camera." "The primary implication of these findings is that police and academicians alike should take heed of the public voice" says Gibbs; communication between law enforcement agencies and the public are key. Dr. Gibbs joins us on Friday's Smart Talk to discuss the findings and how the research could be useful in helping bridge the divide between law enforcement and the citizenry. Also, the recent discovery of seven Earth-seized planets orbiting the ultra-cool dwarf star, TRAPPIST-1, has scientist speculating about the possibility of habitable planets just 40 light years away. Astronomer Dr. Paul Robertson, a Sagan Fellow at the Center for Penn State's Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds joins Smart Talk to discuss the discovery, the possibility of life existing on those planets and why 40 light years isn't exactly around the corner for humans. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March102017.mp3" Friday, 10 March 2017 12:30:00 -0400 A 'sanctuary city' is one that welcomes refugees and undocumented immigrants without fear of prosecution or deportation by its municipal agencies. It is an unofficial title, usually designated by executive officials in city government. Both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have declared themselves 'sanctuary cities.' Some cities, like Lancaster, haven't officially announced their 'sanctuary city' status, though they make it clear that there would be no collusion between local law enforcement and the federal government in deporting undocumented residents and welcoming refugees. Last month, the Pennsylvania State Senate approved a bill that would withhold state funds from 'sanctuary cities' that do not share information on undocumented residents with federal authorities. The vote passed the senate 37-12, with every Republican senator and three Democratic senators supporting the bill. The bill would result in a loss of up to $1.3 billion for municipalities seeing as harboring the undocumented. Supporters of the bill argue they are simply enforcing the rule of law. Opponents regard it as a knee-jerk reaction to addressing "our broken national immigration system." Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray will join WITF's Smart Talk in studio to discuss the policies he has enacted in his city and how this bill may impact its economy. State Senator Richard Alloway (R-33rd) will also discuss his support for the bill and how he would like to see municipalities interact with the federal government in enforcing immigration law. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March092017.mp3" Thursday, 09 March 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is moving forward with a 30 month program to kick-start a major solar energy initiative called "Finding Pennsylvania's Solar Future." Though less than 1% of the state's energy generation is derived from solar, DEP Acting Secretary Patrick McDonnell wants to use this to "lead in solar energy development" and would like to "position the Commonwealth as a solar energy leader by 2030." The first stakeholder's meeting took place in Harrisburg last week; it included "state and local government leaders, consumer advocates, utility and business leaders, academics, solar industry experts, and others interested in solar energy." Acting DEP Secretary McDonnell will join Smart Talk in studio to discuss the $550,000 program, funded by the US Department of Energy's SunShot Initiative and other issues involving energy and the environment of Pennsylvania. Also, in March of 1681, King Charles II of England granted a charter for a large tract of land to William Penn. The king insisted on naming the land for the young man raised in a family with a deep military heritage. Penn, who by then had converted to Quakerism, was aghast at the hubris associated with the name, and expressed his concern in a letter to a close friend. Fast forward 336 years to 2017, when officials from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania stumbled upon this very letter. It gives great insight to the very early days of our Commonwealth's development and a glimpse into the ethos of our state's namesake. Beth Twiss Houting, Senior Director of Programs and Services at the Historical Society, was one of the people who discovered this artifact, and she will join Smart Talk to talk about the find and how it helps our historical perspective of William Penn and the origins of Pennsylvania. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March082017.mp3" Wednesday, 08 March 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Human trafficking forces people -- usually young women -- into the commercial sex trade or labor. It is widespread throughout the world, in the U.S. and in Pennsylvania. Just last week, a Berks County man was arrested on charges related to trafficking a young woman. Police and the justice system have re-evaluated their approach to dealing with victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Instead of punishment and prison, many cities are using rehabilitative measures to re-integrate the victims into communities. Because of the evolving nature of the approach to trafficking and exploitation, there is a lack of continuity in the enforcement, prosecution and rehabilitation of the perpetrators and their victims. The Commercial Sexual Exploitation Institute of the Villanova Law Institute is sponsoring a symposium Thursday, March 9th to address these disparities and promote ideas to improve the relationships between attorneys, lawmakers, social workers and law enforcement agencies and aid in combating commercial sexual exploitation. Shea M. Rhodes is the Director of Villanova's CSE Institute and she will join us on Tuesday's Smart Talk to discuss the scope of human trafficking and forced prostitution and society's approach to aiding those victims. Dr. Susan Mapp, Professor of Social Work at Elizabethtown College will be in studio to describe the impact these crimes have in Central Pennsylvania. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March072017.mp3" Tuesday, 07 March 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Twenty years ago, PBS debuted Antiques Roadshow - a seemingly simple production where people brought arts, family heirlooms and pieces of folk, sports and cultural memorabilia to be appraised. But the production of Antiques Roadshow is anything but simple. Its a carefully choreographed event where people's belongings are categorized and they are trafficked towards specific experts in a variety of fields. Sometimes they find valuable treasures from the attic, sometimes they find the only value an object has is sentimental. Antiques Roadshow is coming to Harrisburg, June 3rd, for three episodes. Executive Producer Marsha Bemko joins us on Smart Talk to discuss the show from behind the scenes and offer some tips about which relics and bric-a-brac to bring. Also, for ten years, Kelly Withum served as executive director of Venture Lititz, the economic development agency that drove that town's successful re-development. Withum facilitated events such as Taste of Lititz and the Lititz Beer Fest as well as attracting new, locally-owned businesses to Lititz's downtown corridor. Withum is now hoping to help the City of Lebanon revitalize its downtown with new businesses and development. She appears on Monday's Smart Talk to talk about what worked for Lititz and what could work for other cities and towns. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March062017.mp3" Monday, 06 March 2017 12:30:00 -0400 A healthy community requires more than simply getting medical attention. Other factors contribute to the overall health of people. Financial stress causes people to put off paying for health care in favor of more pressing responsibilities: food, shelter, utilities. Gaps in public health programming leave those reliant on such services waiting for care. And often health care resources are geographically inaccessible for those seeking treatment. A 2016 report commissioned by First Family Health determined that the poverty levels in the city of York are beyond national and state averages, and there are direct correlations between socio-economy and health care. Transportation, adequate health education and awareness of nutrition are lacking in York communities. Smart Talk addresses the obstacles that stand between Pennsylvanians and quality healthcare with First Family Community Health CEO Jenny Englerth. Also, committees in the Pennsylvania General Assembly are holding budget hearings. The news that often comes out of these hearings often isn't directly related to dollars and cents. Even though money was behind the layoffs of unemployment compensation workers in December, the big story out of a hearing this week is that unemployed Pennsylvanians are waiting for hours to get service when they apply. Frank Brogan, the Chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education reiterated what he told us on Smart Talk last week that fewer students and tight budgets for the 14 state-owned universities may result in one or more schools closing or mergers of institutions. WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Katie Meyer joins us on Smart Talk with more insight. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March022017.mp3" Thursday, 02 March 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Vandals desecrated nearly 100 headstones in a Philadelphia cemetery last weekend. As communities rallied to fix the damage on Monday, bomb threats led to the evacuation of Jewish Community Centers in Harrisburg, York and in New Jersey and Delaware. A total of twenty bomb threats were made against Jewish Centers in twelve states. The Southern Poverty Law Center identified 1,034 hate incidents since the beginning of the year. "A lot were anti-Semitic" said Mark Potok, a senior fellow at the SLPC. This is in contrast to 2014 when the FBI reported 609 anti-Jewish crimes for the entire year. While no bombs were found and no people were physically harmed, the vandalism and threats have Jewish communities across the country on edge. Governor Wolf released a statement assuring support for Jewish Pennsylvanians: "Any anti-Semitic act or act of intimidation aimed at Jewish institutions and people in Pennsylvania is truly reprehensible, and we must find those responsible and hold them accountable. This is not who we are as Americans or Pennsylvanians." Wednesday's Smart Talk addresses the uptick in anti-Semitic incidents with leaders of the Jewish community including Rabbi Carl Choper, Jennifer Ross, President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg; Nancy Baron-Baer, Executive Director of the Anti-Defamation League of Philadelphia, Geoffrey Biringer, Director of Education and Outreach with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and Democratic State Senator Daylin Leach. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March012017.mp3" Wednesday, 01 March 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The number of in-state students enrolled at five of Pennsylvania's major research universities plus the 14 universities that constitute the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education dropped by 5% between the 2012 and 2016 fall semesters. At the same time, the number of international students increased by 34% to 31,000. It's one of the reasons colleges and universities opposed President Trump's temporary restrictions on travel from seven mostly Muslim countries earlier this month. As the Allentown Morning Call reported this week, academic freedom certainly was one factor why the institutions came out in opposition to the executive order but the schools also would suffer financially with fewer foreign-born students enrolled. Morning Call Contact reporter Steve Esack investigated the story and appears on Tuesday's Smart Talk. Also, Krista Tippett is a best-selling author and Peabody Award winning broadcaster, who host the program "On Being" which can heard every Sunday morning on WITF-89.5 and 93.3 FM. The program is described as it examines what it calls the "animating questions at the center of human life: What does it mean to be human, and how do we want to live? Ms. Tippett speaks at Lancaster Mennonite School this Saturday, March 4th at 7. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February282017.mp3" Tuesday, 28 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The Affordable Care Act or Obamacare is perhaps the most controversial issue of the past decade. After surviving a U.S. Supreme Court decision and a rocky start, the ACA has changed healthcare as we knew it. For years, Republicans in Congress and Republican candidates for office called Obamacare a disaster for the nation -- often criticizing the part of the law that required Americans to have health insurance and the rising premiums. Democrats pointed to the millions of people who were uninsured who now have health insurance or those with pre-existing conditions who were able to obtain insurance. Now that there is a Republican president and majorities in the U.S. House and Senate, moves are underway to repeal the Affordable Care Act and possibly replace it. WITF's Transforming Health reporter Ben Allen has produced a series that examines the winners under Obamacare and those who didn't make out so well. It's called Healing and Hurting: Obama's Healthcare Legacy. Ben Allen appears on Monday's Smart Talk to tell us more about the series and the future of healthcare. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February272017.mp3" Monday, 27 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The first Franklin and Marshall College Poll since last November's election shows registered voters polled in Pennsylvania are not impressed with President Donald Trump's job performance so far but the majority of those polled are confident in the president's ability to handle the economy. F&M political analyst and pollster Dr. G. Terry Madonna appears on Friday's Smart Talk to analyze the poll results. The poll found 32% of registered voters believe Trump is doing an excellent or good job as president. Two in three said the U.S. is on the wrong track. Meanwhile, 52% of registered voters say Pennsylvania as a state is moving in the wrong direction. Six in ten favor an increase in the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $12 an hour as proposed by Gov. Tom Wolf. Also, the Central Pennsylvania Spelling Bee is set for this weekend at WITF's Public Media Center. On Friday's Smart Talk, Host Scott LaMar, News Director Tim Lambert and Transforming Health reporter Ben Allen take our annual shot at spelling and show just how smart the young spellers are. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February242017.mp3" Friday, 24 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Earlier this month, Congress voted to revoke a rule set forth by the Obama Administration that banned the sale of guns to people who are registered as receiving mental disability support from the Social Security Administration. About 75,000 Americans, who are described by the New York Times as "individuals who suffer from schizophrenia, psychotic disorders and other problems to such an extent that they are unable to manage their financial affairs and other basic tasks without help" would have had their names added to a national background check database that would have prevented them from legally purchasing guns. Supporters of the ban regard it as common sense gun legislation - Democratic Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy worried "I hope something truly awful doesn't happen because of this." Those who supported the repeal felt the wording of the ban was overly broad and infringed upon 2nd Amendment rights. Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley feared the ban would preclude anyone with "an eating disorder" to buy a gun. On the Thursday edition of WITF's Smart Talk, Republican Congressman Tim Murphy, who represents part of Southwest Pennsylvania, lends his perspective as the only pyschologist in Congress as to why he supports the repeal of this ban. We will also talk with Shira Goodman, Executive Director of Cease Fire PA, about why her organization feels a ban on weapons sales to the mentally ill is a good idea. Also, many Lancaster County residents rely on the 67 volunteer fire companies that service the region. But volunteer numbers have dropped dramatically - from a peak 250,000 in the 1970's to about 45,000 today. A grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency has allowed the Lancaster County Fire Chiefs Association to initiate a recruitment drive to sign up and train 210 new volunteer firefighters over the next three years. Duane Hagelgans, commissioner of Blue Rock Fire Rescue and a retired Lancaster city battalion chief, joins us on Smart Talk to discuss the impact a shortage of firefighters has on the community and how people can apply to volunteer. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February232017.mp3" Thursday, 23 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The program 1A - hosted by Joshua Johnson - made its debut at the beginning of January on WITF-FM and on public radio stations across the country. 1A replaced the Diane Rehm Show after Rehm's retirement late last year. Joshua Johnson is on Wednesday's Smart Talk to discuss the early months of 1A and civil conversation at a volatile time in the nation's history. Human beings and gorillas share 99% of DNA - and while that 1% demonstrates a remarkable difference between the two species, that 99% points to considerably more similarities. Dr. Lauren Howard is an Assistant Professor of Psychology & Scientific and Philosophical Studies of Mind at Franklin and Marshall College. She recently led a team of researchers studying the social and communicative development of chimpanzees and gorillas. Their research concluded that these primates develop memories and skills based on observations of live beings - that they are more inclined to learn from people or other primates than from non-organic examples. She appears on Wednesday's program. Dr. Howard is also the director of the Early Social Cognition Lab at F&M's Development and Experience (DAX) Center, providing three innovative child development research labs. Information about becoming involved with the center's research can be found at their website, www.dax.fandm.edu. Last month, President Trump met with Robert Kennedy Jr. who is someone who questions whether vaccinations for children are safe and whether they may contribute to or cause autism. Kennedy left that meeting saying Trump asked him to head up a committee to research the safety of vaccines. Dr. Loren Robinson, the Deputy Secretary for Promotion and Prevention in the Pennsylvania Department of Health is with us on Smart Talk to discuss vaccinations. WITF's ultimedia News Director recently led a WITF listener excursion to Cuba. He tells about it on Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February222017.mp3" Wednesday, 22 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 In 2011, Republicans, who held the majority in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, re-drew the state's congressional districts to reflect the population shifts recorded in the 2010 census. The districts were cut up and redrawn - Christopher Ingraham of the Washington Post referred to them as "real funky-looking Congressional districts." They stretch hither and yon, disjointed and often connected by tenuous strips of land. The result? Thirteen Republicans and five Democrats represent Pennsylvania in the United States House of Representatives. This is in a state where registered Democratic voters outnumber Republicans by one million. Former Pennsylvania Democratic Chairman Jim Burn told the North Hills Patch "We knew that the Republicans would use their control of the process to draw a map that benefited Republicans, but we did not expect them to abuse their power to this degree, all while shutting out the public." To add more context, states where Democrats control the legislature also have districts that many considered gerrymandered. Maryland is an example. The results of the 2016 election have many people questioning the validity of the current congressional districts. As stated on their website, Fair Districts PA is a "coalition of citizens and organizations who believe that in American democracy, elections should represent the will of all the people, not just the politicians, and should provide citizens with meaningful choices in electing representatives." Smart Talk will speak with Carol Kuniholm, Director of Fair Districts PA as well as organization aides Diana Dakey and Jim Foster. Also joining the conversation are David Thornburgh of Pennsylvania's Committee of 70 and Drew Crompton, Chief of Staff and counsel for Pennsylvania Senate Pro-Tempore Joe Scarnati. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February212017.mp3" Tuesday, 21 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Discourse in America has taken an unpredictable turn in the 21st Century as "truth" and "lies" seem to have become interchangeable. While Americans have become inured to the smudging of facts by advertisers, political leaders and certain media outlets, the brazenness of the unapologetic lying in both mass and interpersonal communication has been taken to a level that makes people question their perceptions of reality. On Friday's Smart Talk, we'll discuss the value of truth and the harm of lies, how to differentiate the two and what we can do to promote honest dialogue to develop sustainable relationships with other people and institutions. Joining us in studio are Kevin Mahoney, Professor of Rhetoric and Composition at Kutztown University and founder of the Pennsylvania-based news and activism site, Raging Chicken Press. Also in studio is Linda Beck who teaches as an adjunct professor of communications at several Pennsylvania colleges. Joining us by phone from New York City is Jason Stanley, a Jacob Urowsky Professor of Philosophy at Yale University and author of the 2015 book, How Propaganda Works. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February172017.mp3" Friday, 17 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Declining enrollment. State funding that is less than before the Great Recession nine years ago. Competition. All are factors in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education entertaining moves that some may consider drastic. PASSHE Chancellor Frank Brogan has raised the possibility that some of the 14 state-owned universities may close or merge. Money is at the heart of the challenges facing the system. Brogan indicates that state system is undergoing a strategic review. He appears on Thursday's Smart Talk to explain. Also, Pennsylvania's Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine joins us to discuss the state's opioid epidemic. About ten Pennsylvanians are dying each day of an opioid overdose. That's even though the overdose reversal drug naloxone has saved many lives when administered by police or emergency technicians. Naloxone isn't available to first responders only and Dr. Levine has been touring the state to drum up awareness for how it can be obtained at pharmacies. Dr. Levine tells us on Smart Talk https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February162017.mp3" Thursday, 16 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 In April of last year, Governor Wolf signed into law Pennsylvania's medical cannabis legislation. Pennsylvanians suffering from numerous illnesses including cancer, HIV/AIDS, epilepsy, and Parkinson's Disease are qualified to obtain medical marijuana in the form of pills, oils and creams - but not in plant form. A patient must be certified by a physician and issued a patient ID card. Government assistance and private health insurers are not required to reimburse patients for medical marijuana costs. Last month, the Pennsylvania Health Department released applications for growers and dispensers. Permit approvals will be announced this June. Joining us on Wednesday's Smart Talk to discuss the implementation of the state's medical marijuana program are Christine Brann, an attorney with JSDC Law Offices, who advocates for the use of medical cannabis; April Hutcheson from the Pennsylvania Department of Health who will talk about the state's role; Kevin Provost, co-founder of Greenhouse Ventures Partnership in Philadelphia, a consultancy firm that help to grow businesses supporting the marijuana industry and Dr. Andrew Rosenstein, CEO of Steep Hill , a laboratory that tests cannabis for safety and efficacy headquartered in Maryland. Kevin Provost and Dr. Rosenstein will be speaking at the World Medical Marijuana Business Conference and Expo April 21st and 22nd in Pittsburgh; it is the first large-scale, physician-led conference for healthcare providers and patients interested in medical marijuana. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February152017.mp3" Wednesday, 15 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 In 2016, the US Small Business Administration estimated there were about 1 million small business in Pennsylvania about 98% of businesses in state. More than 52,000 of those businesses are in Lancaster County - the most outside of the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh regions. According to a 2015 report by nerdwallet.com, more than a quarter of those Lancaster businesses are owned by women making Lancaster the 10th best city in the country for female entrepreneurs. WITF's Smart Talk will discuss cultivating and promoting women-owned businesses and entrepreneurship in Lancaster and Central PA. Joining Smart Talk in studio are Melisa Baez, Director of Women's Business Center and Yessenia Blanco, Microloan Program Coordinator - both with ASSETS, a Lancaster based business development organization and Patricia Robinson, owner and CEO of EVOLVE Training and Development, an organization that supports aspiring entrepreneurs. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February142017.mp3" Tuesday, 14 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The days of getting a high school diplama and obtaining a high-paying job are over. Almost all jobs require some post-secondary training. In an era of the "gig economy," a constantly evolving workforce and multiple generations crippled by student debt, educators are re-thinking the role of a four-year college degree as part of the American educational structure. America has had a skilled labor shortage for much of the last two decades and it only could get worse. Careers in occupational therapy, construction, automotive technology, manufacturing, plumbing and nursing pay well for the most part there aren't enough workers with the skills and educations to fill them. Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology exclaims on their website "Technical skills are the new currency. Do you have a plan to acquire them without breaking the bank? Get on the path to success in the new economy!" The school trains students in programs including architectural technology, computer and systems network administration, masonry and many other skilled trades. Laurie Grove, Director of Career Services at Thaddeus Stevens Technical College; Vic Rodgers, Associate Provost for Workforce Development at Harrisburg Area Community College, Central Pennsylvania's Community College and Dr. Peggy Grimm, Administrative Director at Dauphin County Technical School appear on Monday's Smart Talk to discuss preparing Pennsylvanians for meaningful and sustainable careers. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February132017.mp3" Monday, 13 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Marshall N. Price of the National Academy Museum describes the nude paintings by Philip Pearlstein as "a radical departure from the dominant aesthetic of abstraction . . . reactionary, even retardataire." The Pittsburgh-born painter is known for his modernist realism nudes, referred to by art critic Sidney Tillim as "not as a symbol of beauty and pure form but as a human fact--implicitly imperfect." Pearlstein's works are on display at more than seventy museums and he is the recipient of the National Council of Arts Administrators Visual Artist Award. The Susquehanna Art Museum is opening its exhibition, Philip Pearlstein: Seventy-Five Years of Painting on Saturday and Pearlstein will join Smart Talk for a special broadcast from the WITF Atrium to discuss his works and the imperfect beauty of the human form. Also, the Trump Administration is proposing extensive cuts to government spending. White House staffers informed the newspaper The Hill in January that "the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities would be eliminated entirely." Government support of the arts has encouraged artistic education and expression since 1965. Philip Horn, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts will join Smart Talk to discuss the importance of promoting the arts and why investment in the arts contributes to culture and society. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February102017.mp3" Friday, 10 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Since 2009, Pennsylvania has been the epicenter of the recent natural gas boom. The vast Marcellus Shale deposit has generated much gas and many jobs, but also extensive lobbying activity by the industry. The Marcellus Money Project has tracked such activity as well as campaign contributions to state officials and lawmakers from the gas industry. Pennsylvania State Representative Greg Vitali (D-Delaware Co.) is unveiling a report predicated on research from the Marcellus Money Project and he joins Smart Talk to discuss the political influence and lobbying efforts of the gas industry in the state legislature. Also, Dickinson College's Interim President Neil Weissman joins Smart Talk to talk about the value of international education, open borders, and how Donald Trump's recent immigration order is affecting higher education. Impact Pennsylvania Reporter Marie Cusick sits in for Scott LaMar on the Thursday edition of WITF's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February092017.mp3" Thursday, 09 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Governor Wolf presented his budget for the state's 2017-2018 fiscal year on Tuesday. It includes $32.3 billion in expenditures, a 1.3% increase over last year with no broad-based (like sales or personal income) tax increases. However, the governor is asking for a tax on natural gas drilling and expansion of items that are subject to taxes. The budget also recommends merging the Department of Corrections with the Board of Probation & Parole and consolidating the departments of Health, Human Services, Aging and Drug & Alcohol Programs into one Department of Health & Human Services. Wolf wants residents of municipalities that are patrolled by Pennsylvania State Police to pay $25 per person, an increase of the minimum wage from $7.25 to $12 per hour and an increase of $200 million in education spending. The governor plans to cut $2 billion in spending, but promised "my budget protects the investments we've made in education, in senior services, in fighting the scourge of opioids, and in growing Pennsylvania's economy." Dr. G. Terry Madonna, Director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin and Marshall College, will join us on WITF's Smart Talk Wednesday to parse out the proposed budget and answer your questions about the state spending plan. With's reporters also weigh in on several different aspects of the budget. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February082017.mp3" Wednesday, 08 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 In 1909, Milton and Catherine Hershey had an elegant, glass-walled conservatory built to house the tropical plants used to landscape the couple's home. They opened it up to the public to provide a tropical respite during the winter months. Over the years, multiple conservatories were erected by the Hersheys throughout the region. A new, 16,000 square foot facility opened in October, featuring "a Welcome Pavilion and a Horticultural & Educational Wing, as well as an overlook and a terrace." The Milton & Catherine Hershey Conservatory at Hershey Gardens also features an atrium devoted to showcasing butterflies from around the world. WITF's Smart Talk Road Trip travels to new conservatory to talk about the history of these indoor gardens in Central Pennsylvania with Pamela Whitenack, Director of the Hershey Community Archives. We'll also learn about butterflies and their role in the pollination process with Dan Babbitt, Associate Director of the Hershey Gardens and we'll explore some of the educational and conservation programs offered by the Hershey Gardens with Mariella Trosko, Director of the Gardens. Later, Smart Talk looks at the future of horticulture and gardening trends with PennLive gardening columnist George Weigel and Erica Jo Scheaffer, nursery manager at Highland Gardens in Camp Hill. With Valentine's Day next week, it's a good time to talk love and relationships (and flowers) with Diane Brockman, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer of Psychology at Messiah College. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February072017.mp3 Tuesday, 07 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Talk with almost any Penn State graduate from the last 40 years and Thon will often be mentioned as one of the highlights of their college experience. Talk with anyone who has been involved with planning or staging Thon and you'll probably hear how the 46-hour dance marathon held every February has helped support children with cancer and their families as well as contribute to research. This year's Thon is scheduled to begin Friday, February 17th. It marks the 40th anniversary that Thon has benefitted the Four Diamonds Fund at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center. Thon is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. About 136 million dollars has been raised over the years. We'll learn more about Thon and what the money raised supports on Monday's Smart Talk. Appearing on the program are Suzanne Graney, Executive Director of the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Austin Sommerer, Executive Director of Thon and Dr. Valerie Brown, heads of experimental therapeutics at Penn State Hershey. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February062017.mp3 Monday, 06 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 A study published in the medical journal 'Cancer' last month, researchers found that the mortality rate from cervical cancer is substantially higher than previously believed. The research also found that there is a significant disparity in the rates of death between white women and black women with cervical cancer. These findings are especially vexing because cervical cancer is easily treatable with proper treatment and follow-up. A lack of proper screenings means that too often cancer isn't detected until it is in an advanced stage. Healthcare professionals are concerned that changes in the Affordable Care Act and reduced funding for women's clinics like Planned Parenthood could result in even fewer screenings. Dr. Rebecca Phaeton, a gynecologic oncologist at Penn State Cancer Institute, will join Smart Talk to talk about screening and treatment of cervical, ovarian and endometrial cancer. Also, in September of last year, Scott Hoke arrived at the home of his estranged wife, Susan, shot her to death and then turned the gun on himself. The couple's 17-year-old daughter was in the house during the shooting. Susan Hoke had sought a protection-from-abuse order from a York County judge, and Scott was arrested for violating it. Despite a state law that dictates guns are to be seized from the arrestee in such a case, Scott was allowed to keep his guns. He had more than a dozen. There were many safety nets established to protect Susan Hoke from her abusive husband, but he seemed to slip between them all. State lawmakers proposed legislation to close this loophole, though no action has been taken. York Daily Record reporter Ed Mahon has written extensively about this case and the discrepancies in protective law that allows abusers to retain possession of their firearms. Mahon joins Smart Talk to discuss his findings and how state officials are looking to remedy this gap in protective enforcement. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February032017.mp3 Friday, 03 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 In a 2016 report titled "Envisioning Pennsylvania's Energy Future ," the Delaware Riverkeeper Network lays out a plan calling for capital investment in wind and solar energy and in increase in energy efficiency standards. The organization says the proper execution of this plan could result in the state using 100% renewable energy sources by 2050, creating 500,000 jobs and saving consumers $134 billion over the next 35 years. According to the Riverkeepers Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining clean air and water throughout the Delaware River Watershed, a carbon-free energy program is technologically attainable, the will to achieve carbon-free energy lies with a commitment to efficiency and conservation. Tracy Carluccio, Deputy Director of the Delaware Riverkeepers Network will join us on Smart Talk Thursday to discuss the practicality of creating an energy network free of fossil fuels and Matt Elliott, Executive Director of the Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance will describe what clean energy policy might look like in the Trump Administration. Also, President Trump's nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court has been accepted well by Republicans and conservatives -- not so much by Democrats and liberals. At this early stage, much of that has to do with politics and not Gorsuch's qualifications. On Thursday's Smart Talk, we'll discuss what we know about Judge Gorsuch and identify a few descriptions of him like Jeffersonian and originalist. Among our guests is Elizabethtown College political science professor Dr. Kyle Kopko. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February022017.mp3 Thursday, 02 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 In 1926, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History declared the second week of February "Negro History Week." The effort was to introduce the history of African Americans in public school and its timing was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Forty-three years later, the Black United Students at Kent State University proposed extending this to the full month and in 1970, Black History Month was celebrated for the first time. On Wednesday February 8th, the Widener Commonwealth Law School will host the National Parks Conservation Association as speaker Alan Spears will discuss the contributions of African Americans to the history of national parks including Gettysburg, where African Americans managed supply lines for both the North and South and Valley Forge, where black soldiers fought the British on the front lines alongside white soldiers. Spears is the NPCA's Director of Cultural Resources and serves as the association's historian and has spent years developing programs to create greater accessibility to park resources for a wider diversity of park users. Tonya Evans is the Associate Dean for Inclusion and Equity at the Widener Commonwealth Law School and will join Alan Spears on Smart Talk to discuss the importance of teaching African American history in creating a community of inclusion. Human skeletal remains were recently found in the woods in Cumberland County. The bones are estimated to be about two years old. Now, the focus will be on identify the remains. So what is the process? Who will assign a life to this scattering of old bones? Graham Hetrick has served as Dauphin County's coroner for 25 years, participated in 3,000 autopsies and certified more than 13,000 deaths. He is an avid student of thanatology - the study of death and how passings impact people and society. He lectures on grief counseling and hosts The Coroner: I Speak for the Dead on the Investigation Discovery channel. Hetrick will join Thursday's Smart Talk to talk about identifying human remains and discuss the topic of death and why it is important to understand the process of dying https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February012017.mp3 Wednesday, 01 February 2017 12:30:00 -0400 It seems as though there has been one controversy after another or at least very vocal opposition every day since President Donald Trump took office. Perhaps the most controversial issue of all is still being debated today -- the president's executive order that temporarily bans travel from seven mostly Muslim countries. Trump said the executive order was keeping in line with his campaign promise to keep Americans safe from terrorists and described Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen as havens for those who would want to harm the United States. The president added that terrorists could come here saying they were refugees and ordered the ban until refugees could be more fully vetted. Central Pennsylvania's Republican Congressional delegation has come out in support of the ban, with the exception of Rep. Charlie Dent. Several did say though they thought the order was not handled well and that led to confusion and immigrants being detained at airports. However the opposition to the order has been widespread. Democrats in Congress, immigration and refugee advocates and protestors across the country have condemned the order and called it a ban on Muslims. The American Civil Liberties Union has challenged the order saying it violated the Constitutional rights of freedom of religion and equal treatment under the law. On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we'll hear from several members of Pennsylvania's Congressional delegation, Church World Services in Lancaster that helps to resettle refugees, a law professor who specializes in immigration law and a Somali immigrant. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January312017.mp3 Tuesday, 31 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 There were protests around the country this weekend after President Donald Trump's Executive Order Friday that bars all refugees from entering the U.S. .for 120 days, as well as citizens of seven largely Muslim countries for 90 days. The order resulted in some immigrants being detained at airports across the country, including Philadelphia, and around the world. It also left many confused. We'll hear from several people during the program. The Trump Administration and Republican majorities in Congress have made repealing the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare a priority. However, health insurance coverage for 2017 is not affected and Americans are still able to sign up for insurance, but the deadline to do so is Tuesday. The overwhelming number of news stories about the possible demise of the ACA and as of yet defined replacement plan may have led some to believe there was no reason to enroll or shop in the healthcare marketplace. In addition, the Trump Administration has withdrawn about $5 million in advertising to cut costs. More than 11 million people had signed up this year through December 24th. Monday's Smart Talk focuses on open enrollment and questions about healthcare. Appearing on the program are Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller, Lynn Keltz, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumer's Association and Tia Whitaker, Statewide Director of Outreach & Enrollment with the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January302017.mp3 Monday, 30 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Nine years after subprime mortgages and shaky home loans contributed to the Great Recession, home sales have made a big comeback. Almost five-and-a-half-million existing homes were sold last year and housing starts had their strongest year in a decade. Although 2016 was a strong year for housing, December was a down month. Home sales declined by 2.8%. Analysts believe higher mortgage rates and prices as well as a small inventory of houses on the market all led to the decrease in sales. These statistics are all national. What does the home sale and real estate market look like in Central Pennsylvania? That's the topic of Friday's Smart Talk. Appearing on the program are Greg Rothman, President and CEO of RSR Realtors, Angela Shifflet, Residential Mortgage Sales Manager and Mike Peduzzi, Executive Vice President and CFO with Mid Penn Bank and Daniel Durden, CEO of the Pennsylvania Builders Association. Also, it's been a busy week at Pennsylvania's State Capitol. WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Katie Meyer joins us to discuss updated projection of the state's budget shortfall by the Independent Fiscal Office, the Wolf Administration's plan to close the state prison at Pittsburgh to save money and the firing of former Secretary of Drug and Alcohol Programs Gary Tennis. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January272017.mp3 Friday, 27 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The American Lung Association has been advocating tobacco prevention and cessation in an effort to end lung cancer and other respiratory diseases that result from smoking. Promoting policies that create smoke-free areas, raising the legal tobacco buying age and eliminating marketing programs targeted at youth have successfully reduced smoking rates. Tobacco use has been in decline in recent years - 15% of adults smoked cigarettes in 2015 compared with 20% usage just ten years ago. Still, the CDC reports more than 480,000 Americans die each year as a result of cigarette smoking. The American Lung Association in Pennsylvania is releasing its 15th annual "State of Tobacco Control Report" which analyzes tobacco usage and the efficacy of tobacco control legislation.Deborah Brown, President and CEO and Joy Meyer, Vice President of Community Impact of the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic joins us on Thursday's Smart Talk to discuss the findings of this report and take your questions about trends in tobacco use and effective means of reducing these preventable deaths. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January262017.mp3 Thursday, 26 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 A 2015 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development concludes that high-quality early childhood education is key in developing successful learning habits later in life. The report suggests free access to pre-school and increasing subsidized child care and pre-kindergarten for low income working parents. It concludes that American students are falling behind the global academic curve and they can catch up with the aid of early education. To spread this message, four-time Olympic medal winning wrestler Bruce Baumgartner and Pittsburgh Steelers legend Franco Harris will release a report from the nonprofit Champions for America's Future that details the benefits of early childhood education and pre-K. The event will be held at the Main Rotunda of the State Capitol, Wednesday January 25th at 10:30. Baumgartner and Harris will join Smart Talk beforehand to discuss the importance of early education and how the organization advocates for pre-kindergarten. Also, January is National Radon Action Month and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is reminding residents of the dangers posed by this colorless, odorless, radioactive gas. Radon occurs naturally in the ground as uranium within the soil breaks down and it causes 20,000 lung cancer deaths every year in America. Pennsylvania has some of the highest radon levels in the country with 40% of homes testing above the EPA's level of concern. Bob Lewis, the DEP's Radon Program Manager, will join Smart Talk to talk about the dangers of radon, testing and remediation as well as dispel some myths about radon. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January252017.mp3 Wednesday, 25 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 A 2016 report issued by the University of Pennsylvania Institute for Research on Higher Learning determined that PA ranks 49th in the nation for college affordability. The report, titled the 2016 College Affordability Diagnosis, found that financial aid no longer covers an entire four year education, that lower and middle-income families face too many economic obstacles to effectively save for college and too often taking on debt has become the default option for students pursuing a degree. In her 2016 book, Paying the Price: College Costs, Financial Aid, and the Betrayal of the American Dream, Sara Goldrick-Rab points to an economy that does not support the financial structure necessary to secure a college education. The Temple Professor of Higher Education Policy & Sociology argues that loans are the only way to a degree for many students and "there is reason to think that until prices are reduced students from low-income families might be more successful in college if they were willing or able to borrow more." We will talk about the daunting task of paying for college - overcoming the obstacles and finding the opportunities in achieving a degree in the current economic climate. Joining Smart Talk are Dr. Joni Finney, Director of the University of Pennsylvania's Institute for Research on Higher Education and lead author of the 2016 College Affordability Diagnosis and Dr. Sara Goldrick Rab, author of Paying the Price. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January242017.mp3 Tuesday, 24 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania's counties are in a precarious situation. As the point of delivery for many services utilized by their residents, but having to count on limited resources and money from the state, counties seem to be constantly on the edge of wondering where funding will come from. The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania is about to announce their list of legislative priorities for 2017. They will no doubt include state funding for human services and maintaining the shale gas impact fee. Both were priorities last year too. The difference in 2017 though is the state is facing a budget deficit that goes into the hundreds of millions of dollars and a structural deficit of over a billion dollars in the next fiscal year. On top of that, the opioid crisis has hit counties especially hard because often counties are paying for treatment. We'll look at the needs of Pennsylvania's counties on Monday's Smart Talk with Doug Hill, the Executive Director of the County Commissioner's Association of Pennsylvania and Dauphin County Commissioner Jeff Haste. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January232017.mp3 Monday, 23 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as the nation's 45th president at noon on Friday. This Inauguration may be a bit different than those in the past. Usually, Inaugurations are celebrations of a peaceful transition of power from the outgoing president to the new one. There is no doubt that many voters and Americans will celebrate President Trump. He won. However, the country is divided politically and the people who opposed Trump have been especially vocal since November's election. As a result, there probably will be more protestors in Washington for an Inauguration than usual. For example, dozens of Democratic members of Congress are boycotting the event. At the same time, millions will be listening to hear what President Trump says in his Inaugural speech to the American people. The Inauguration and the Trump presidency are the topics of Friday's Smart Talk. Joining us is NPR political reporter Scott Detrow from Washington, Republican Congressman Lloyd Smucker of Lancaster County, Democratic Congressman Dwight Evans of Philadelphia, who is boycotting the Inauguration, and Dr. David O'Connell, a professor of Political Science at Dickinson College. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January202017.mp3 Friday, 20 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Central Pennsylvanian Robert Garrett has attended every Presidential Inauguration since 1961 when John F. Kennedy took the oath of office. The 58-year-old Garrett will be in Washington in front of the Capitol Friday when Donald Trump is sworn in as the nation's 45th president. Garrett doesn't remember the Kennedy Inauguration but he has memories of all the others. We'll talk with Bob Garrett about his Inauguration experience and what he would like to hear from the new president on Thursday's Smart Talk. Central Pennsylvania is historic in many ways. There are the sites where historic events took place that had a great impact on the state or nation, but there are also neighborhoods, buildings and architecture that is historic as well. On Thursday's Smart Talk, we'll speak with David Morrison, the Executive Director of the Historic Harrisburg Association about his organization's efforts to preserve landmarks and neighborhoods, and promote urban revitalization and heritage tourism. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January192017.mp3 Thursday, 19 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania is facing a $600 million budget shortfall, and as expected, state agencies and programs could see cuts. This will include two state-run corrections facilities. Five prisons are on the chopping block, the Department of Corrections will announce which two will close next week. They include state prisons in Frackville, Pittsburgh, Mercer, Wayne County and Luzerne County. The target date for closure is June 30th of this year. Pennsylvania prisons are already nearly 4% over capacity, with about 48,000 inmates currently housed by the DOC. Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel have initiated a number of reforms since 2010 in an effort to reduce the prison population. These closures will affect more than 800 corrections employees and thousands of inmates. According to the Department of Corrections, every employee will be offered a position within DOC and inmates will be transferred to other prisons. Jason Bloom, president of the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association will join Smart talk to discuss the impact these closures will have on the state's prison guards facing displacement. He will also discuss the efficacy of some new programs and the state of corrections from the perspective of the guards who maintain the prisons. Also, the Pennsylvania Auto Show opens a week from Thursday at the State Farm Show Complex and Expo Center. The Auto Show is always one of the midstate's most popular destinations for those who may in the market for a new car or just want to see the latest models and technology. On Smart Talk we discuss trends and the future of cars with Washington Post reporter Steven Overly, who writes about automobiles and anchor and edits The Washington Post's Innovations section. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January182017.mp3 Wednesday, 18 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The Affordable Care Act or Obamacare was signed into law by President Obama in 2010 to give Americans better access to health insurance. The idea behind it was to provide affordable healthcare for people who weren't insured through their employers, offering subsidies for low-income Americans who couldn't afford the premiums and deductibles. The ACA, also allows people to stay on their parents' plan until age 26 and prevents those with pre-existing health conditions from being shut out of insurance plans due to their risk level -- two parts of the law that are popular. Donald Trump made repealing Obamacare a cornerstone of his presidential campaign. Now, Republican leadership in Congress is racing to repeal it. Trump is promising a replacement plan but Republicans haven't settled on one. Over the weekend, Trump told the Washington Post he wanted to replace the ACA with "insurance for everyone . . . in a much simplified form - much less expensive and much better." Overshadowed by the politics surrounding the repeal and replacement of 'Obamacare' are the 23 million Americans who may see their insurance disappear with the repeal and no replacement. There are other questions such as what happens to the expansion of Medicaid, how to pay for what's popular in the ACA and what do the economics of healthcare look like without Obamacare? Transforming Health reporter Ben Allen has been covering the effects of the ACA on Pennsylvanians for years and he joins us on Smart Talk Tuesday to discuss the implications of a repeal of Obamacare and what a replacement plan may look like. You can be part of the discussion by emailing us at smarttalk@witf.org, post a comment to our facebook page, or follow our twitter feed at @SmartTalkWITF. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January172017.mp3 Tuesday, 17 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Monday Is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We commemorate the birth of the nation's most revered civil rights leader who was assassinated in 1968. His non-violent efforts to fight segregation in the South and organization of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference earned him a Nobel Peace Prize and a position in American history as one of the pre-eminent leaders of social justice. Dr. King's legacy thrives in communities across America, but in recent years a growing chasm has emerged in race relations. The shootings of unarmed black men, a recognition of the need for reform of what some call a racially biased justice system, an economic structure that falls short of addressing the needs of minorities and the working class and gross disparities in educational and residential opportunities represent just a few of the issues facing African-American communities in 2017. This, coupled with an incoming president who attracted very little support from Black America, presents a multitude of issues that require civil discussion. On Smart Talk, we address these issues and civil rights today with several leaders from Central Pennsylvania's African-American communities. Joining us are Sandra Thompson, President of the York Chapter of the NAACP; Dr. Rita Smith Wade-El, Professor of psychology and African-American studies at Millersville University; and Rev. Trey DuPont, Director of Youth Services with the Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church of Harrisburg. We will look back at the enduring legacy of Dr. King and forward to the future of community relations in Pennsylvania. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January162017.mp3 Monday, 16 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Penn State Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics Niel Brandt has been studying X-ray images of deep space taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The satellite, orbiting the Earth at 65,437 miles, recorded images of galaxies 12.5 billion light years away. Extrapolating data from these images, coupled with recordings from the Hubble Space Telescope, Brandt and his team have found evidence of billions of black holes - some as massive as 10 billion Suns. These images give astronomers a glimpse of celestial development about a billion years after the Big Bang. Last week, the researchers presented their findings to the 229th meeting of the American Astronomical Society and Dr. Niel Brandt joins us on Friday's Smart talk to explain what can be learned about black holes and what 12 billion year old images can tell us about how the universe came to be. Also, most books about the Civil War focus on battles and military strategy. Those that are about relationships are usually fictional accounts. In addition, the great majority of Civil War stories take place on the Eastern battlefields of Gettysburg or Virginia. The new book A Civil War Captain and His Lady: Love, Courtship and Combat from Fort Donelson through the Vicksburg Campaign is unique. Author Gene Barr obtained letters written in the midst of the war to and from a young couple -- Captain Josiah Moore and his 19-year-old sweetheart Jenny Lindsay. The letters themselves paint a picture of life on the battlefield and the homefront. Barr writes a historical narrative that describe the events the couple were dealing with that also provides context. Gene Barr appears on Friday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January132017.mp3 Friday, 13 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 "Right-to-work" (RTW) laws are used in 27 states and give employees the ability to work without paying mandatory union fees. Pennsylvania has no such law. Supporters of these laws contend they allow workers to dissent with union policies and that being forced to join or pay union fees is unconstitutional. Opponents say that collective bargaining benefits all workers, including non-union employees, and that RTW laws protect management from the collective power of unions. The Allegheny Institute for Public Policy feels it is time to pass a "right-to-work" law in Pennsylvania. In its December, 2016 report, the Institute points out that 24 of the 27 RTW state voted for Donald Trump. They see this as an indication that voters are tired of public unions driving up government costs and private union corruption. Labor advocates say these laws are unnecessary and only used by companies to dilute the power of unions. They point to studies that correlate lower standards of living to RTW laws in their enacted states. Smart Talk will delve into Right-to-work laws to see what value, if any, they would provide for workers in Pennsylvania. Paul Clark, Director of Penn State's School of Labor and Employment Relations will explain the history of RTW laws and the role they've played in post-WWII economic development. Jake Haulk, President of the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy, will join Smart Talk to discuss why these laws would be beneficial for the state and Wendell Young, President of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1776, will explain why organized labor opposes these laws. Then, Governor Wolf has assigned this week as "Teen Health Week." Speakers from the state Department of Health will address issues including diet and exercise, mental health resources, sexual health and substance abuse. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January122017.mp3 Thursday, 12 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) recently released their 2016 report card assessing the state of the bay. The Foundation is committed to preserving the Bay through pollution reduction, protection and rehabilitation of the habitats and encouraging sustainable fish management. The CBF gave the Bay a C-, an improvement over 2014's D+. CBF President William Baker is pleased with the improvement, but concedes it is "a grade that is far from acceptable." Oxygen levels have increased though levels of toxins have stagnated withut reduction. The Maryland Blue Crab population improved though oyster numbers have decreased. The quality of the Bay also impacts the Chesapeake Watershed, a network of above and below ground waterways that feed the water table extending from the bay into Western Virginia and Southern New York. Will Baker will join Smart Talk with Harry Campbell, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Pennsylvania Office. They will discuss the positives and negatives of the report, discuss the impact on the regional economy and the water safety for those living within the watershed. Then, Governor Wolf has assigned this week as "Teen Health Week." Speakers from the state Department of Health will address issues including diet and exercise, mental health resources, sexual health and substance abuse. Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Dr. Loren Robinson will discuss the health issues teens struggle with and the programs that will address them during "Teen Health Week." https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January112017.mp3 Wednesday, 11 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Smart Talk makes our annual visit to the Pennsylvania State Farm Show for a live broadcast Tuesday. The Farm Show is a celebration of agriculture in Pennsylvania but it also is a good time to catch up on the status of farming and hear stories from individual ag-related businesses and families. Pennsylvania's Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding appears on Tuesday's program to do just that. What are a few of the challenges facing the state's farmers and food producers in 2017? One of the real unknowns is in Washington with a new president. President-Elect Donald Trump has yet to name a nominee to be the nation's Secretary of Agriculture. That nominee will have a lot to say about the direction farm policy takes over the next four years. Trade is another issue Pennsylvania farmers will be watching closely. About one-fifth of the products produced by farmers are exported. Also on the program, The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau says the state's farmers are doing much more than they're being giving credit for when it comes to reducing pollution that runs into the Chesapeake Bay. The Shaw Family that runs Blue Mountain Farms and Fiber Mill in Dauphin County has a unique story to tell. With no background in farming, the family became farmers only after the Shaw children became involved in 4-H programs. Today, they raise beef cattle, goats, sheep and rabbits, produce maple syrup and run a fiber mill. Three members of the Shaw Family joins us on Smart Talk. Finally, did you ever think of vacationing on a farm? Gary Schubert of Hummerhaven Farmstead in Juniata County tells us about a farm vacation and how you can do it. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January102017.mp3 Tuesday, 10 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Last week, rookie Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Landon Weaver was laid to rest -- a week after being shot and killed in Huntingdon County by a man who was accused of violating a Protection From Abuse Order. The 23-year-old Weaver was a newlywed who had just married his high school sweetheart a few months before. Trooper Weaver was one of 140 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2016 and one of four in Pennsylvania. Five police officers were killed in an ambush in Dallas and three more were shot to death in Baton Rouge, Louisiana last July. Those shootings may have been triggered in retaliation for several unrelated police shootings of African-American men. In fact, one of the most contentious issues facing the country today is the relationship between police officers and their communities. National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day is Monday. On Smart Talk, we are joined by Les Neri, President of the Fraternal Order of Police Pennsylvania State Lodge and Joe Kovel, President of the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association to discuss policing in 2017. Also, the York Daily Record and several other local newspapers are publishing a series of stories about what area county prisons are doing in the fight against opioid addiction. Recognizing that a large percentage of inmates are behind bars because of substance abuse, the jails and counties are attempting to help those suffering from addiction and those who are being released from coming back. On Monday's Smart Talk, we're joined by York Daily Record News Director Randy Parker, Lebanon Daily News Investigative Reporter Daniel Walmer and a woman who has been incarcerated and suffered through addiction. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January092017.mp3 Monday, 09 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 Untitled Harrisburg continues the tradition of oral story telling with quarterly storytelling and slam events at the Zero Day Brewing Comapny in Harrisburg. On Tuesday, January 10th, they will hold a special event at the Mid-Town Cinema. Participants are encouraged to share experiences and anecdotes that follow a theme assigned to each event. The stories are judged and a small prize awarded to the winner. Caitlin Copus, Rachel Moore and Stuart Landon of Untitled Harrisburg joins Smart Talk to talk about the events and discuss the social importance of sharing stories. Also, in late June of 1863, Confederate forces marched into the city of York, Pennsylvania. The soldiers demanded payment from the people of York, or face the destruction of the city. This rebel invasion of Pennsylvania culminated in the Battle of Gettysburg, the deadliest of the Civil War. Union Major General George Meade repelled Confederate General Robert E. Lee's foray into the North, turning the tide of the war in favor of the Republic. Nearly 50,000 Americans from both the North and South died in battle. Sixteen years after the battle, French artist Paul Philippoteaux was commissioned to create a painting documenting the events in Gettysburg. More than a year and a half later, Philippoteaux presented the Gettysburg Cyclorama, a 377 foot, six ton, 360 degree painting depicting Pickett's Charge, the failed Confederate offensive on the final day of battle. The painting shows specific individuals engaged in the battle and details of events that the artist gleaned directly from veterans who fought at Gettysburg. Its realism elicited tears in the eyes of the Confederate veterans who saw it. It represented the greatest accomplishment of the Southern Army - it's farthest push into Union territory - as well as the resolve of the Union Army to protect the North. Gettysburg Battlefield guides Chris Brenneman and Sue Boardman authored The Gettysburg Cyclorama, analyzing every detail of the painting and connecting them to the events of the Battle of Gettysburg. They will join Smart Talk to talk about the Cyclorama and why such artifacts are important in preserving our history. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January062017.mp3 Friday, 06 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 In 2003, CIA analyst John Nixon was in charge of interrogating the recently-deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. The former dictator had been captured by US forces following the 2003 invasion, and the intelligence analyst needed to open a dialogue with the high-profile prisoner. Hussein ruled Iraq as a thuggish despot for 24 years. He rose through the ranks of the ruling Ba'ath Party to take the presidency in 1979. His successful modernization and education programs in Iraq were overshadowed by an oppressive regime that fostered a cult of personality around the man and demanded absolute loyalty to the party. While America supported Hussein's military campaign against Iran in the 1980's, relations soured following revelations that the US also armed Iran during that war and international condemnation of Iraq's slaughter of ethnic Kurds. This culminated with Iraq's 1991 invasion of Kuwait which was quickly quashed by an international force led by the US. From 1991 to 2003, the international community heaped sanctions on Iraq in response to Hussein's lack of cooperation in complying with weapons restrictions. Following the attacks of 9/11, the George W. Bush Administration trumped up intelligence to suggest the attacks were linked to Hussein. They were not. In 2003, the US invaded Iraq under the pretext that it was developing weapons of mass destruction. There were none. Hussein was captured shortly after by US Special Forces. Nixon chronicles his experience in his book, Debriefing the President: The Interrogation of Saddam Hussein. He joins Smart Talk to talk about his experience sitting across from one of the most infamous dictators of the 20th Century. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January052017.mp3 Thursday, 05 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 For generations, American youth have been told that "if you work hard, do well in school and follow the rules, you can be anything you want to be." George Mason University Associate Professor Paul Gorski feels this version of the American Dream is fallacious. In his book Reaching and Teaching Students in Poverty, Gorski points to high-poverty school districts that are underfunded, yet have the same academic performance expectations as affluent districts as causation for a lack of achievement in low-income communities. He identifies educational elements such as quality instructors, safe and modern facilities, extracurricular activities and educational tutors as advantages students in poverty do not have and the way these obstacles stunt academic development over time; how the 'achievement gap' is really an 'opportunity gap.' Gorski explains that rote memorization and standardized testing do little to educate youths and suggests strategies such as using music, art and theater to teach, connecting the curricula to the students with applicable real-life examples and discussing poverty and class bias in the classroom. Paul Gorski joins Smart Talk to discuss the inequities in today's educational system, identify the mistakes that schools make in addressing the needs of students who live in poverty and some of the changes that can be made to create more opportunities for today's students. Highspire-Steelton High School Principal Sheri Woodall will talk about challenges faced by both the students and faculty at a high school where 75% of the students live below the poverty line. Dr. Paul Gorski will be speaking to school leaders at the Capital Area Intermediate Unit on January 12th as part of an ongoing series focused on Equity and Excellence. CAIU is a proud to support WITF's series "Chasing the Dream: Poverty and Opportunity in America" https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January042017.mp3 Wednesday, 04 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The first Smart Talk of 2017 examines incarceration -- what prisons and sentences will look like in the future and a discussion of one of the most notorious prison riots in history. Pennsylvania's Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel is considered one of the nation's foremost pioneers in changing how America incarcerates law breakers. It wasn't very long ago that most of society had an attitude of "lock 'em up and throw away the key." It happened during in response to high crime rates that includes a rise in violent crime. The mandatory sentences that legislators enacted resulted in the largest prison population ever at one point, new prison construction and hundreds of millions of dollars being spent to house inmates. What Wetzel and others have been working toward is finding alternatives to harsh prison sentences, especially for non-violent criminals. That includes dealing with inmates who have substance abuse problems, are mentally ill and who need support to get on their feet once they are released. John Wetzel appears on Tuesday's Smart Talk. The prison riot at New York state's Attica prison in 1971 is considered one of the nation's worst. Thirty-nine men, including eight hostages, were killed when state police stormed the prison to retake it from inmates. It's taken 45 years but Heather Ann Thompson has written the definitive account of what happened at Attica in her book Blood in the Water. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January032017.mp3 Tuesday, 03 January 2017 12:30:00 -0400 The proposed merger between two of the region's largest healthcare providers could have had a significant impact on Central Pennsylvania. We'll never know because the partnership between Penn State Health and Pinnacle Health was eventually rejected in 2016. The deal had been approved by a lower federal court but in a rare move, the Federal Trade Commission and Pennsylvania Attorney General appealed. Penn State Health and Pinnacle said the move was needed to handle new patients and claimed it would be more efficient. The FTC said the merger would allow the combined hospitals to dominate the marketplace and could lead to higher prices. WITF's Transforming Health reporter Ben Allen joined us on Smart Talk. Also, six refugee students in the city of Lancaster School District who were placed in an alternative school sued saying their Constitutional rights were being violated. A court agreed but the district is appealing. Finally, West York residents demanded the borough's mayor resign after he posted racist images on social media but they found removing elected local officials isn't easy in Pennsylvania. Keystone Crossroads reporter Emily Previti appeared on Smart Talk to discuss both stories. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December292016.mp3 Thursday, 29 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Last summer, the streets of America had the feel of late 1960s, when the nation was torn apart -- often violently -- by racial strife, assassinations and the Vietnam War. The country was in the midst of great upheaval and change. Almost 50 years later, one has to wonder has much has changed. The shootings of two black men -- one in Louisiana and another in Minnesota -- by police were the latest in a string of violent confrontations between police and African-American men over the past two years. With each one, the mistrust between the black community and law enforcement seems to get wider. Then, on a July night, a sniper shot and killed five police officers and wounded seven others in Dallas -- just blocks from where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 -- another reminder of the volatile 1960s. A sense of sadness, anger and fear has spread over the country and left many asking when does it all end, how do we stop the violence and bridge the gap between the races and especially blacks and police. Smart Talk spoke with a panel of community leaders about the violence and bridging the gaps between people. We re-visit this discussion with Ophelia Chambliss, First Vice President of the York NAACP; Rev. Nathaniel Gadsden, Community Impact Manager for the United Way of the Capital Region; Dr. Jonathan Lee, an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Penn State Harrisburg; Rob Martin, Director of Public Safety for Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County and Dr. Rita Shah, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Elizabethtown College. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December282016.mp3 Wednesday, 28 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The top stories of 2016 on Smart Talk series continues Tuesday with the culmination of the Kathleen Kane saga. Kane, the first woman and Democrat elected as Pennsylvania's Attorney General, has been embroiled in controversy for the last three years. She was considered a rising star in Pennsylvania political circles but the luster came off after a story in the Philadelphia Inquirer was published in March 2014. That story reported that Kane shut down a sting operation that included several state legislators on videotape accepting money from an undercover agent. Kane said the case was weak and targeted African-Americans. The Philadelphia District Attorney took over the case and got convictions. The narrative was that Kane was furious and suspected a former agent in the Attorney General's office of leaking the story to the Inquirer. According to court testimony, Kane wanted to get back at the agent so she leaked secret grand jury information to the Philadelphia Daily News about another case the agent was involved with and then lied about doing so under oath. Along the way there was Kane's discovery of pornographic and other inappropriate emails that were shared by judges, prosecutors and lawyers. It became known as Porngate. In 2016 Kane was convicted of perjury and other charges, resigned and sentenced to prison. Tuesday's Smart Talk features a recap on one of the most bizarre cases in Pennsylvania's history with longtime Capitol reporter and author Brad Bumsted and Kane's former spokesman Chuck Ardo. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December272016.mp3 Tuesday, 27 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 This week, Smart Talk looks at the people and stories that defined 2016. This year's presidential campaigns dominated the news cycles in a way no other election has. Beginning with a contentious primary election with a Republican field of 17, businessman Donald Trump managed to dominate the primary caucuses to win his party's nomination. Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton followed a traditional campaign playbook, hammering the issues and working the ground game in the swing states of Wisconsin, Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Trump built a platform attacking the policies of the Obama administration and discrediting the media. Despite winning 2.8 million votes more than Trump, Clinton lost the electoral college. Pennsylvania voted for a Republican president for the first time since 1988. Trump's victory was a surprise for voters on both sides, as polls showed Clinton leading in virtually every demographic. Pollsters, campaign workers and the media have been forced to look inward at their methodology and strategy, as conventional campaign paradigms shifted dramatically. As part of our look back at 2016, Smart Talk revisits conversations about the campaign. We will hear an interview with WITF Capitol Bureau Chief Katie Meyer, who discussed Clinton and Trump's many visits to Pennsylvania in an effort to earn the state's twenty electoral votes. We'll look back at a discussion with Franklin and Marshall Political Science Professor Terry Madonna from November 9th - the day after the election. And we'll discuss the role Pennsylvania played in contributing to the outcome of the election. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December262016.mp3 Monday, 26 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 WITF Cooks Chef Donna Marie Desfor makes her annual pre-holiday visit to Smart Talk Thursday and it's always a fun show. This year our theme is "spicing up the holidays" by turning up the flavor on traditional meals -- easy, quick ideas you can use to make your meal even more flavorful. That includes fresh and dried spices and different ways to use them, hot sauces and condiments like mayonaisse, mustard, sour cream and yogurt. Then there are onions, garlic and butter and oils. And of course none of this would be complete with a holiday beverage such as hot chocolate, wine, cider and all those infused vodkas. This show is not just about food either. We like to hear about your holiday memories and traditions -- even if they don't involve good. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December222016.mp3 Thursday, 22 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The rate of opioid overdoses has skyrocketed in Pennsylvania. According to a DEA report, 3,383 Pennsylvanians died of drug overdoses - more than half involving heroin. In recent years, heroin has seen a resurgence in use among addicts. Experts attribute this to the explosion of prescribed opioid painkillers. Medical trending in the late 90's and early 2000's led doctors to prescribe painkillers rather than recommend physical rehabilitation or alternative pain management. A proliferation of time-released, opioid painkillers flooded the market. Doctors were encouraged by the pharmaceutical companies to push them on patients and insurance companies were quick to pay for the drugs that were cheaper than other pain-management techniques. This led to widespread opioid pill abuse. In 2013, the DEA began reducing the amounts of pills the pharmaceutical companies could manufacture. This drawback in supply led many addicts to turn to heroin, the illicit Schedule 1 narcotic that many painkillers base their chemistry on. The problem of heroin addiction has been exacerbated by powerful additives used to strengthen street heroin. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain medication that is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine. Fentanyl is being illegally manufactured and exported by Chinese labs and cut with heroin for distribution. Addicts seek the augmented high at the elevated risk of death by overdose. And every day, a new story of another overdose fills the front pages. Earlier this month, Philadelphia saw 35 deaths in five days, all attributed to heroin cut with fentanyl. Another three died in York County - in a span of five hours. Police finding unattended children, found in squalid conditions with parents nodding off or dead from heroin, have become a common occurrence. State and local officials are scrambling to find a solution to this growing trend. Governor Wolf recently signed a bill that would restrict prescriptions for minors and increase educational outreach. But these programs do little to address the underlying causes of addiction. Smart Talk will spend the hour discussing opioid addiction and the consequences thereof. Deb Beck, President of the Drug and Alcohol Service Providers Organization of Pennsylvania will discuss the scope of the problem and some of the causes for the outbreak. Jason Snyder, Special Assistant to Pennsylvania's Secretary of Human Services, will talk about a $20 million effort to fight the opioid addiction outbreak. York County Assistant District Attorney David Sunday will talk about what he's seeing in the courtroom and which programs are most effective in treating addicts. Transforming Health Reporter Ben Allen will walk us through the maze of state agencies and private service providers working to combat opioid addictions. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December212016.mp3 Wednesday, 21 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The Civil War drama Mercy Street begins its second season on PBS and WITF-TV on January 22. The critically-acclaimed program is remarkable in several ways. First of all from a cinematography standpoint, Mercy Street has the look and feel of a major motion picture. Like other PBS dramas, there are rich characters and smart writing.. Mercy Street is one of few TV series using the Civil War as its backdrop. A Union hospital located in Alexandria, Virginia is where the show is situated and the location itself brings several storylines into the program. Mercy Street was hailed in the first season for its historic authenticity whether it be the depiction of medical care during the war or the lives led by freed blacks. Season one ended with a failed assassination attempt on President Abraham Lincoln at the hospital. This season begins with a small pox outbreak among free African-Americans and former slaves that could have an impact on the hospital and the whites who work there. ON Tuesday's Smart Talk, we'll discuss season two of Mercy Street with Lisa Wolfinger, the show's co-creator and Executive Producer, Audrey Davis, a historical consultant for Mercy Street and Director of the Alexandria Black History Museum and Dr. Ian Isherwood, Assistant Director of the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December202016.mp3 Tuesday, 20 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Conversion therapy is a non-scientific technique used to change the sexual orientation of people who identify as being gay. It is widely discredited among the medical community including the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Medical Association. Supporters base their arguments on Biblical verse they feel dictates opposition to homosexuality. Last year, the White House issued a statement declaring "As part of our dedication to protecting America's youth, this Administration supports efforts to ban the use of conversion therapy for minors." Conversion Therapy can be especially dangerous for adolescents as they are pressured or forced into the process by parents and religious organizations opposed to homosexuality. The administrators of the "therapy" are unlicensed and use unapproved techniques with no grounding in scientific reality. The issue has been lifted to the forefront of LGBT+ concerns since Donald Trump's victory has elevated Republican Indiana Governor Mike Pence to the office of the vice president. Pence has supported conversion therapy in the past, saying in 2000: "[Public] Resources should be directed toward those institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior." So, supporters of LGBT+ rights are very concerned. Seven states have banned the use of conversion therapy on minors. A bill was brought before the state Legislature in the last session, but it died in committee without a vote. Last week, the Pittsburgh City Council voted unanimously to ban the use of 'conversion therapy' on minors. The bill was introduced by council president Bruce Kraus, who stated, as a gay man, conversion therapy represented "a form of soul murder." Council President Kraus will join Smart Talk's Scott LaMar to talk about the ban and we'll speak with the Human Rights Campaign about the scope of the practice. Comedian and social commentator Peterson Toscano will share his experiences as a young man looking to use conversion therapy to suppress his homosexuality, something he only learned to accept later in life. A man who says he successfully changed his sexual orientation and provides the service will join us to discuss how and why he aids gay men who "choose to address those attractions in ways that align with their own personal faith, values, morals, beliefs and life goals." https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December192016.mp3 Monday, 19 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 From time to time, WITF invites musicians to the station to perform and sit for interviews which turn into multimedia features that appear on radio and the web. But these features were sporadic. In the past year I kept looking at our performance studio and thinking about our capabilities. With our audio and video gear, and with a vibrant Central PA music scene, I wanted to utilize it all to create a series that used all forms of media to showcase musicians and their stories. That's how the series WITF Music began. Each musician or band we feature gets the full multimedia treatment. They come to the Public Media Center in Harrisburg and perform 3-4 songs and sit for an interview. We do a multitrack audio recording, a video shoot and a photo shoot of the performance. The resulting media gets compiled into a few different products: a four-minute radio feature, YouTube videos, a collection of photos and a web article that ties it all together. Each of these elements can exist on its own as a product to be shared on radio and the web. Today's Smart Talk will feature a handful of interviews and performances we've collected during WITF Music's first year, including appearances by Rivers, Apes of the State, Shine Delphi, Shawan and the Wonton, and THT GRL. Our full collection of artist features can be found at www.witf.org/music https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December162016.mp3 Friday, 16 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 In Pennsylvania, more than half of the 2,562 municipalities have no police force. In these 1,287 communities, the State Police step in to conduct criminal investigations, patrol the streets, and enforce traffic codes. The municipalities pay nothing for the law enforcement protection but receive half of the revenue generated from traffic citations. While this includes some rural communities, Hempfield Township outside of Pittsburgh (with a population of 43,000) relies on State Police coverage. The residents of Lower Macungie Township have a median household income of $80,000, but their community pays nothing for the State Police to protect them. A 2012 report by Penn State's Justice Center for Research estimated the State Police spends nearly half its annual budget on municipal policing. Last year, state Representative Mike Sturla (D-96th) sponsored a bill that would have charged municipalities a $156 per capita fee to cover the costs of the State Police coverage as well as generate transportation revenue. The bill died in committee, but will be re-introduced in the next session. David Sanko, executive director of the Pennsylvania State Association of Townships Supervisors, has expressed opposition to the fees, saying it would create an undue financial burden on the municipalities. Sturla and Sanko will join WITF's Smart Talk to discuss the proposal. Also, Joe Kovel, President of the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association, will talk about the impact this policing of municipalities is having on the agency. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December152016.mp3 Thursday, 15 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 During Pennsylvania's nine-month state budget impasse that ended last March, school districts across the state weren't receiving state funding. At the height of the crisis, many were borrowing money and more than a few were making plans to close. One of the districts hardest hit was Erie. It was the district that probably was closest to shutting down when money dried up from Harrisburg. Erie is a district surrounded by thriving suburban schools. It may be a good example of inequity in how Pennsylvania funds its schools. Just two hours to the north of Erie is the Canadian province of Ontario. The city of Toronto has schools with student populations comparable socioeconomically with Erie, but the students in the Toronto schools are performing better than Erie. WITF's Keystone Crossroads education reporter Kevin McCorry is producing a series this week comparing Ontario and Pennsylvania schools. He'll join us on Wednesday's Smart Talk. Franklin and Marshall College President Dan Porterfield is leading a historic effort to enroll more low or moderate-income but talented students at thirty of the nation's top universities and colleges. The American Talent Initiative, which was announced yesterday, will be funded by an initial $1.7 million grant from former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Bloomberg Philanthropies. As part of the program, the institutions will collaborate on recruiting and sharing ideas on what works. Besides Franklin and Marshall, other participating colleges and universities include Harvard, Princeton, Duke and Stanford. Dr. Dan Porterfield explains the initiative on Wednesday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December142016.mp3 Wednesday, 14 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) was formed in 1986 under the Dick Thornburgh administration. The Council is an independent state agency tasked with analyzing health care costs and quality as well as making recommendations regarding care for the uninsured. The agency stood out as the first in the nation to issue hospital report cards, the first to release studies on hospital infection rates and it broke ground with its study on hospital re-admission rates. The PHC4 has published comprehensive reports on issues such as drug-related hospitalizations, bariatric surgery, depression and firearm related injuries. The agency is celebrating its 30th anniversary and Smart Talk's Scott LaMar will talk about the agency's accomplishments with Executive Director Joe Martin and Dr. David Nash, the Chairman of PHC4's Technical Advisory Group.Also, while there's been a lot of focus on the conflicts of interests in the incoming Trump administration, StateImpact Pennsylvania recently reported on the issue surfacing in Governor Tom Wolf's office. One of his top aides is married to a natural gas lobbyist and routinely works on policy matters related to her husband's industry clients. Plus, over the past four years, the state's natural gas impact fee has brought in more than a billion dollars. These fees are supposed to be used by local governments to offset the negative effects gas drilling can have on communities, however some of the money has been spent on questionable services--including a community party, featuring an appearance by an American Idol contestant, and general operating expenses of government agencies. State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale (D) says a quarter of the impact fees he reviewed were misspent, and he's calling for better oversight of the use of these fees. StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Marie Cusick will join Smart Talk to discuss the potential conflict of interest and parse out the uses of impact fees and how the funds may be better spent in the future. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December132016.mp3 Tuesday, 13 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Gridlock at the state Capitiol is leaving Pennsylvania's Department of Labor and Industry with a 57 million dollar budget gap resulting in the layoffs of more than 500 state employees. A stopgap measure to keep the department's Unemployment Call Centers open was passed in the House, but the Senate walked away without voting on the proposal as the 2015-2016 legislative session expired, essentially killing the bill. Governor Tom Wolf said that without the funding for the department, he had no choice but to initiate the lay-offs. Republican lawmakers contend that funding for the call centers has been misspent and that oversight of the department is inadequate. So, these state employees find themselves jobless, right before the holidays. So what is next for unemployed unemployment professionals? Karla Hodges is the Assistant to the Director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Chapter 13 serving Harrisburg. She will join Smart Talk's Scott LaMar to talk about what went wrong and how employees are coping with layoffs scheduled for the end of the week.Also, fake news stories have proliferated across the internet and social media in the last year. Given the shift of attention from print and broadcast news to online content, this has created an atmosphere where Americans are reading and sharing false and misleading stories with alarming regularity. Such a paradigm shift has proliferated during the the 2016 presidential election and is being criticized for an increase in hate crimes and online harassment. Smart Talk will speak with S. Shyam Sundar, a professor of media studies at Penn State about the explosion of fake news sites and their impact on public opinion. WITF News Director Tim Lambert will discuss the challenges of navigating the news landscape and NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik will talk about reconnecting Americans with legitimate news sources. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December122016.mp3 Monday, 12 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Harrisburg's parking system is facing a tough road. It's not hitting its revenue goals, and that's putting many in a bind. The Harrisburg Parking Authority has authorized a lawsuit over payments from the deal and Dauphin County is warning that garages could fall into disrepair if money isn't set aside. A public meeting is set for Monday. To break it all down, PennLive reporter Christine Vendel will join me in studio. Keystone Crossroads reporter Emily Previti will also share her insight and add context about what has becoming a very challenging situation. Working pro bono, a Lancaster attorney successfully petitioned President Barack Obama to reduce the sentence of a nonviolent drug offender who was sentenced to 20 years in jail. Jason Rakel of Shreveport, Louisiana will be released to a residential drug treatment home next October. McNees, Wallace, and Nurick Attorney Kiandra Bairwill talk about her work on the case. It's the holiday season. In that spirit, a planeterium show at the State Museum will combine astronomy with holiday traditions. Where did the burning Yule log come from? What about candles in windows? Or the Hanukkah Menorah? Jeni Ashton, Chief of Education at the State Museum, will answer those questions and more. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December092016.mp3 Friday, 09 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Human skeletal remains were recently found in the woods in Cumberland County. The bones are estimated to be about two years old. Now, the focus will be on identify the remains. So what is the process? Who will assign a life to this scattering of old bones? Graham Hetrick has served as Dauphin County's coroner for 25 years, participated in 3,000 autopsies and certified more than 13,000 deaths. He is an avid student of thanatology - the study of death and how passings impact people and society. He lectures on grief counseling and hosts The Coroner: I Speak for the Dead on the Investigation Discovery channel. Hetrick will join Thursday's Smart Talk to talk about identifying human remains and discuss the topic of death and why it is important to understand the process of dying. Also, The Diane Rehm Show has been a fixture on public radio stations, including WITF, but when she retires at the end of this year, a new program will make its debut. It's called 1A and will be hosted by Joshua Johnson. He was the co-creator and host of Truth Be Told, a radio series about race in America, and spent five years as the morning host at KQED, San Francisco. 1A with Joshua Johnson will debut January 2nd and can be heard hear on WITF. Smart Talk's Scott LaMar will speak with Johnson about the new show, the pressures of hosting a national program and what the future of news reporting will look like. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December082016.mp3 Thursday, 08 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 "A day that will live in infamy." That's how President Franklin Roosevelt described December 7, 1941 when he asked Congress to declare war on Japan the next day. It was 75 years ago today that Japan attacked the American Naval Fleet at Pearl Harbor and airfields on the island of Oahu. It brought America into World War II and must be considered one of the most significant events in American and maybe even world history. More than 2,400 Americans died at Pearl Harbor. Many survived the attack but 75 years later, only a few hundred are still living today. As Smart Talk commemorates the anniversary on Wednesday's show, we talk with one of those survivors. James Downing is 103 years old and is the second oldest Pearl Harbor survivor. He was stationed on the USS West Virginia but was at home getting ready for his Sunday breakfast when the bombing started. Then Lt. Downing sprang into action only to find the West Virginia sinking. Dodging Japanese bullets, he helped to rescue survivors. Mr. Downing speaks to us from Hawaii where he is attending the 75th anniversary commemoration. On Wednesday's program, we'll also learn about two exhibits tied to Pearl Harbor. The Gettysburg Museum of History is honoring Lee Fox, a New Cumberland man, who was one of the first people killed during the attack. Also, the State Museum of Pennsylvania has just opened an exhibit called Pennsylvania at War: The Saga of the USS Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania was in dry dock at Pearl Harbor and suffered damage during the bombing. Twenty-four crewmen were killed and 29 wounded. The Pennsylvania was repaired but torpedoed two days before Japan surrendered making it the last major Navy vessel to be damaged during World War II. Smart Talk also features a conversation with retired Major Charles Redding of Ephrata who piloted a bomber. Maj. Redding flew 69 combat missions in the Pacific Theatre. In August 1945, he flew over Hiroshima, Japan and saw the mushroom cloud from the atomic bomb blast that destroyed that city. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December072016.mp3 Wednesday, 07 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 According to Pennsylvania's Independent Fiscal Office (IFO), the state will face a structural deficit of $1.7 billion for the 2017 fiscal year. That deficit is projected to grow to $3 billion by 2021. Democratic lawmakers blame a lack of tax revenue, Republicans blame government over-spending. The IFO report points to the costs of human services including public pensions and Medicaid expansion - services whose expenditures are expected to grow as the state's senior population continues to grow. As Governor Wolf prepares the 2017-2018 annual budget, the stage is being set in the legislature for a fiscal brawl. Added to this is the potential of a low-tax climate precipitated by the incoming Trump Administration. Matthew Knittel, director of the Independent Fiscal Office will join Tuesday's Smart Talk to discuss the numbers and how they will be used to craft policy in Harrisburg. We will also look at how the state's economy is measuring up in the national picture and some prognostications about what can be expected from the next president. Also, the state senate failed to pass a budgeting bill that would have infused the Department of Labor and Industry with $57.5 million for unemployment call centers. As a result, nearly 600 state employees working within the unemployment division will find themselves unemployed by the end of the year. Opponents of the budget bill were critical of what they felt were previous misappropriations of funds. Republican State Senator Scott Wagner of Spring Garden Township told the York Dispatch "They [the Department of Labor &Industry] didn't get the job done and need to be held accountable. Let them close down." Conversely, Department of Labor &Industry Secretary Kathy Manderino said in a press release "The Senate put politics before people and now 600 employees will be without a job just before the holidays. It's beyond disappointing; it's disgraceful." We'll discuss the problems facing the public employees who work in the unemployment division with WITF Capitol Bureau Chief Katie Meyer. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December062016.mp3 Tuesday, 06 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association has announced a 16-point guideline for investigating police-involved shootings. The recommendations are the first of their kind in the country. According to the group, they are meant to "standardize investigations," but also "improve community relations through a transparent and understandable process." In recent years, criticism has been mounting of law enforcement agencies investigating shootings by their own officers. In effort to bolster positive relationships between police and the communities they serve, the association worked with "community groups, police organizations and prosecutors" in developing what they hope to be a guide of uniform standards. The recommendations include: - Using an agency independent of the law enforcement agency being investigated - Procedures for securing the integrity of a crime scene - Not allowing officers involved in a shooting to corroborate stories prior to an investigation - Maintaining confidentiality during an investigation - District Attorneys would make decisions about releasing video and audio evidence and making any statements to the media during an investigation While these guidelines are unenforceable, the authors hope that it will serve as a roadmap for police agencies and prosecutors in establishing acceptable levels of transparency in investigations into officer-related shootings. On Monday's Smart Talk at 9:00am, we will discuss these guidelines as well as issues involving the use of police body-cameras and the release of the names of officers involved in shootings. Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico and Cumberland County District Attorney Dave Freed will join Smart Talk to talk about these recommendations and how it will improve community policing in Central Pennsylvania and how it could be implemented elsewhere in the country. Also, Candidate Donald Trump promised to repeal the Affordable Care Act - Obamacare - if he were to be elected president. Candidate Trump is now President-Elect Trump and 20 million Americans who obtained their healthcare from the ACA Marketplace are wondering where their insurance will come from if the act is repealed. Transforming Health reporter Ben Allen will join Smart Talk to discuss the impact an Obamacare repeal could have on Pennsylvanians. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December052016.mp3 Monday, 05 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Lancaster County is treasured by visitors and locals alike, for its rolling farmland, natural areas, and urban places. But with a growing population and more demands on its open spaces, what will it look like 25 years from now? If current trends continue, county planners project the amount of undeveloped land will fall from about 8,300 acres today, to just 93 acres in 2040. Scott Standish of the Lancaster County Planning Commission appears on the show to discuss its major initiative, Places 2040. And December has arrived, which means holiday parties. Steve Wood of Luca will offer up holiday drink ideas and discuss the evolution of the local cocktail scene. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December022016.mp3 Friday, 02 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 It's early December so it must be time for Smart Talk's annual show focusing on books as gifts for the holidays or books you would like to read during the holiday season. Books have always been a thoughtful and treasured gift. Almost everyone enjoys and can appreciate a book as a present -- whether it is fiction, a novel, non-fiction, poetry, or a how-to book. Maybe one of the classics. We'll also have a few book suggestions for children or teenagers. On Thursday's Smart Talk, we'll discuss the books that would make great gifts. They may or may not be new or on the bestseller lists, but our panel will recommend and describe several titles to think about. Joining us will be Catherine Lawrence, co-owner of the Mid Town Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg and a writer herself and Todd Dickinson, co-owner of Aaron's Books in Lititz We'd like to hear your suggestions as well. What books do you think your friends or loved-ones would enjoy or what books are on your wish list this year? https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_December012016.mp3 Thursday, 01 December 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Twenty years ago, Pennsylvania enacted the Electricity Generation Customer Choice and Competition Act of 1996, shattering the long-held paradigm of monopolistic energy distribution. The act allowed Pennsylvanians to shop for competitively priced electricity from the source, choosing how it is generated it and who supplies it, essentially creating a' la carte energy delivery rather than a prix fixe rate from a singular supplier. Two decades on, supporters regard the act as a success. Power costs in Pennsylvania are 9.3% below the national average. That's a 25% decrease since 1996. Critics are concerned about protecting low-income consumers from the predatory marketing techniques that can accompany marketplace competition, but properly regulated, they feel this trend will be successful. We'll speak with John Hanger, a former Commissioner of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and one of the architects of the Electricity Generation Customer Choice and Competition Act. We'll discuss the benefits to both the industry and consumers in the Commonwealth. We will also speak with Christina Simeone of the Kleinman Energy Center and co-author of a retrospective study of the affects the act. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November302016.mp3 Wednesday, 30 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 In September of 1992, FBI Special Agent John W. Whiteside was summoned by his superiors at the Bureau's Philadelphia Field Office. He was told that a man code-named "Dan" was an agent for the KGB, selling over 200 top secret documents between 1965 and 1967. "Dan" was Robert Stephan Lipka, a former Army intelligence officer assigned to the National Security Agency, and he was living in Lancaster County. Agent Whiteside's investigation led him across Amish Country and involved Soviet double agents, a fake KGB contact and a crack in the case that came from a game of chess. Retired FBI Agent John Whiteside joins Smart Talk to discuss the case of Robert Lipka, the spy who lived in Lancaster. Whiteside chronicles the investigation in his book, Fool's Mate: The True Story of Espionage at the National Security Agency. Also, last year more than 254,000 children visited America's emergency rooms with injuries caused by toys. The $25 billion industry has come a long way since fire-prone E-Z Bake Ovens and flesh-piercing lawn darts. But today's toys still can pose hazards to young children. We'll talk with Michael Roles, Field Director of the Pennsylvania Public Interest Research Group and David Pollick, a personal injury lawyer and managing partner at Dale E. Anstine law firm of York. They'll tell us how to follow recalls, what types of toys never to buy second-hand and what to do if your child is injured by a well-intentioned holiday gift. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November292016.mp3 Tuesday, 29 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Two pipeline projects that run through the midstate have gotten a significant amount of attention. The Atlantic Sunrise project that will send natural gas from the shale fields of northeastern Pennsylvania to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions crossing ten counties along the way. The Mariner East 2 pipeline, that would located next to the Mariner 1 existing pipeline, could carry liquidfied natural gas from west to east to the Marcus Hook refinery south of Philadelphia. There has been opposition to both pipelines from property owners who are concerned about property values, the environment and even the threat of eminent domain in some cases. The protests in Central Pennsylvania have been somewhat mild compared to what's going on in North Dakota. There, the Dakota Access oil pipeline has drawn hundreds of protestors from across the country and have turned violent as police used water cannons in sub-freezing temperatures and rubber bullets to subdue protestors trying to get past a barricaded bridge. The biggest fear in North Dakota is water could be polluted and the pipeline is near the Standing Rock Sioux Native American reservation. What Dakota Access has done is bring more attention to pipelines. We'll look at the midstate projects and opposition on Monday's Smart Talk. Appearing on the program are Chris Stockton, of Williams Partners -- the company building Atlantic Sunrise, Mark Clutterbuck of the group Lancaster Against Pipelines, landowner Susan Cappiello, Cumberland County farmer Ralph Blume, who may lose some of his land through eminent domain and Marie Cusick, WITF's StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter, who covers Pennsylvania's energy economy. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November282016.mp3 Monday, 28 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The Thanksgiving weekend is the most traveled four-day period of the year. Families are going "over the river and through the woods" to enjoy and share their holiday dinners with loved ones. Friday has earned a reputation as the biggest shopping day of the year, so traffic will be heavy near shopping centers and malls and even some downtowns. Of course, in Pennsylvania, Monday is the start of the antlered deer season, so thousands of hunters will be on their way to deer camps throughout the state. Against that backdrop, Smart Talk features a discussion and mostly a question and answer session on the rules of the road. Specifically, what's legal and what isn't? Pennsylvania State Police Public Information Officer, Cpl. Adam Reed joins us to answer questions about who has the right-of-way and maybe a few less than obvious ones as well. Do you have a question about a traffic law in Pennsylvania? Write it below or call 1-800-729-7532 between 9 and 10 a.m. Wednesday. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November232016.mp3 Wednesday, 23 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 How we refer to people of different races, ethnicities, religions and age groups obviously is important. While there is consensus on most groups, there seems to be some confusion and no clear-cut answer to what to call an aging adult. It's one of the reasons the York County Community Foundation's Embracing Aging initiative asked nearly 650 individuals that question as part of their "A Name for the Ages" survey. We've heard most of the descriptions before -- elderly and senior citizen are two that have been used in the past and not used very often today. Embracing Aging's Managing Director Cathy Bollinger appears on Tuesday's Smart Talk with the term that was most popular and it spawns a conversation many have about stereotypes. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November222016.mp3 Tuesday, 22 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Food, football, family, a nap, turkey, a chill in the air, newspapers bursting with holiday advertisements, which pie to eat for dessert, wine, the kids' table, the aroma of turkey in the oven and thoughts of what you and your family are thankful for and appreciate in life. These are all images that come to mind when thinking about Thanksgiving. Take one or two away and Thanksgiving may not be the same. But if there is one constant with Thanksgiving, it is the food and dinner with family. Maybe more so than any other holiday. It's one of the reasons we always look forward to Chef Donna Marie Desfor's appearance on Smart Talk just before Thanksgiving. If you're the kind of person who plans ahead, Chef Desfor may have an idea for something to add to the Thanksgiving menu. For those who like to wait until the last minute, she may change the direction your Thanksgiving dinner will be going in. Or maybe it's just a dessert or new holiday breakfast Chef Desfor will suggest. Now That's A Mouthful--New Podcast Series! Do you love to cook or bake? Join us as a recipe tester! WITF is seeking motivated volunteers to test out new recipes for a new podcast series that we are developing, "Now that's a Mouthful". Your experience testing out recipes may be included as content in this new series. Sign up today! https://www.witf.org/arts-life/now-thats-a-mouthful---recipe-testing-registration.php https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November212016.mp3 Monday, 21 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Smart Talk is live Friday morning at Lancaster's historic Central Market for the fifth annual Extraordinary Give fundraising campaign. The Lancaster County Community Foundation says "The 2016 Extraordinary Give is the region's largest day of online giving and will benefit more than 425 regional participating nonprofit organizations. For 24-hours only on November 18, individuals can visit www.ExtraGive.org and donate to an organization of their choice; from supporting kids, health and education to the environment, animals and the arts. Every dollar donated will be stretched by $350,000 from the Lancaster County Community Foundation and presenting sponsor Rodgers & Associates." A full list of participating organizations from around Central PA (including witf) is here: https://extragive.org/leaderboard/ Last year's event raised more than $6 million. In fact, the total amount of money given by the community has increased every year since the first event in 2012. Appearing on Smart Talk are Sam Bressi, President and CEO of the Lancaster County Community Foundation, Rick Rodgers of Rodgers and Associates, Sheila Mastropietro and Stephanie Gromek of Church World Services, Ben and Shirley Nolt from Capital Area Therapautic Riding Association, and Will Kiefer of the Bench Mark Program. Be sure to give and stop by to say hello. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November182016.mp3 Friday, 18 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 For the second time in sixteen years, the American popular vote favored one presidential candidate while the other candidate emerged victorious by winning the definitive electoral vote. Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is still counting individual votes - around a million more votes than the winner, Republican President-elect Donald Trump. But Trump won by capturing the minimum 270 Electoral College votes needed to take the White House. Questions are beginning to arise about the value of the Electoral College. Originally formulated to afford small, rural states the same attention as larger states with urban centers, critics say that considering today's communications, technology and the evolution of the political process, the Electoral College is antiquated and doesn't reflect the will of the people. Advocates say it creates parity among the states - giving the vote of Montanans the same weight as Californians. The question still remains - what is the fairest way to collate the votes of Americans? Apropos of last week's election results, many differing opinions are being heard. Appearing on Thursday's Smart Talk to discuss the pros and cons of the Electoral College are Dr. Allen Guelzo, the Henry R. Luce Professor of the Civil War Era and Director of the Civil War Era Studies at Gettysburg College who believes in the integrity of the Electoral College, and Robert Speel, Associate Professor of Political Science at Penn State, Erie, who believes many of the pro-Electoral College arguments are myths. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November172016.mp3 Thursday, 17 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The state Board of Pardons is offering redemption to Pennsylvanians who have broken the law and have turned their lives around. As part of a program called "Pathways to Pardons" people with criminal records can get a pardon to move forward with their lives, allowing them better access to jobs, housing, the right to military service and the restoration of their voting rights. Nearly five million Americans are involved in some portion of the criminal justice system - incarcerated, on probation or on parole. Seventy percent are for non-violent drug offenses or property crimes. The economic impact to these individuals and their communities can be devastating when work becomes limited due to prior convictions. "People make mistakes when they're young and then they get a criminal record and it affects the rest of their life. It's in everybody's interest to help these folks get their record cleaned up," said Lieutenant Governor Mike Stack, speaking to a gathering outside Pittsburgh. Stack has been promoting "Pathways to Pardons" in an effort to reduce the convicted status of Pennsylvanians who have served their time, successfully attended recovery programs and met their financial obligations. He joins us on Smart Talk to discuss this program, how it will benefit all Pennsylvanians and how it could serve as a model for justice reform nationwide. Also, in 2010, President Obama nominated Peter Smith to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Smith's public service in the state goes back 45 years when he started as an Assistant District Attorney working under Philadelphia's then-DA, Arlen Specter. Since then he prosecuted public corruption and fraud as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, served as Pennsylvania's first Inspector General where he worked to maintain governmental integrity and spent three years as the deputy chief of the Environmental Crimes Section at the Justice Department. As a U.S. Attorney in Pennsylvania, his office prosecuted Lackawanna County's "Kids for Cash" case, horse doping cases at Penn National Race course and routine fraud and organized crime cases throughout the state. Peter Smith retired from the post in October. He appears on Smart Talk to discuss his career serving the Commonwealth and share some court room stories from his time as a U.S. Attorney. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November162016.mp3 Wednesday, 16 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The late historian Stephen Ambrose said of historic documentarian Ken Burns' films, "More Americans get their history from Ken Burns than any other source." Burns speaks at Messiah College in Grantham Tuesday night. Before his appearance Burns joins us on Smart Talk to discuss American history and the state of a divided country -- a week after a contentious election. Among the topics he addresses are how the story of the 2016 election would be told on film, why the nation is divided and two of his upcoming projects -- country music and the Vietnam War. Working as the executive chef at a restaurant can be incredibly time consuming and stressful. Imagine doing it for the most powerful man in the world. And his kids. Chef John Moeller did just that as Executive White House Chef for Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. The Lancaster native studied in France under Michelin-rated chefs and eventually made his way back to Washington DC where fate would lead him to the White House. In addition to preparing meals for the First Families, Chef Moeller also cooked for State Dinners and guests including Tony Blair, Nelson Mandela, Sophia Loren and the legendary Julia Child. Following his time in Washington, Moeller returned to the area and began a catering business. Chef Moeller joins us to talk about working his way up to the kitchen at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, creating meals for world leaders and dignitaries and talks about the eating habits of American Presidents past. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November152016.mp3 Tuesday, 15 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The 2016 presidential race included more caustic rhetoric than any in recent memory. The Republican Candidate, President-Elect Donald Trump built his platform on shoring up the southern border and cracking down on illegal immigrants. He proposed a ban on Muslims entering the country. The Republican platform includes stripping away the right to marriage for gay couples, not allowing transgendered Americans to use the facilities of their choice, even allowing parents to force their gay children into "conversion therapy" - a practice opposed by the Obama administration. These campaign points are now of concern to those groups as Trump prepares to assume the presidency this January. We will talk to leaders in the Islamic, Latino and LGBT communities about their concerns and what they are hearing from Pennsylvanians regarding this transition of power. Joining us to discuss these issues are Salaam Bhaati, Deputy Spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and Ted Martin, Executive Director of Equality Pennsylvania and Gloria Vazquez Merrick, Executive Director for the Latino Hispanic American Community Center of Greater Harrisburg. Also, today is World Diabetes Day - first recognized by the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) in 1991, the day was established to address concerns about the growing threat of diabetes on world health. 415 million adults live with diabetes - one in two adults with diabetes is undiagnosed and the goal of the IDF is to facilitate one million individual screenings for Type 2 Diabetes through community organization and a social media campaign. Joining Smart Talk to discuss World Diabetes Day and the impact the disease has on Pennsylvanians are Dr. Loren Robinson, Deputy Secretary for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Dr. Renu Joshi, an Endocrinologist at PinnacleHealth. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November142016.mp3 Monday, 14 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 While the politics of the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare were still being debated, open enrollment for health insurance on the healthcare exchange began last week and runs until January 31, 2017. Almost 90% of Americans now have health insurance but there are still hundreds of thousands of people who are uninsured and could qualify. Every open enrollment period has a few changes and this year is no exception. Rates for the most part will be higher and there are fewer insurance companies participating or offering insurance plans. However, there are tax credits available to offset some of the rate hikes. For those who don't have insurance, a fine of $695 and $347.50 for each child will be leveled. Thursday's Smart Talk answers your health insurance questions. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November102016.mp3 Thursday, 10 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 It's finally over. The long, unprecedented 2016 presidential campaign that began almost two years ago is now history. And it will be one for the history books. Republican Donald J. Trump has been elected the 45th president of the United States in a stunning upset. The question many are asking today is how did Trumpt defeat Hillary Clinton to pull opff the upset? Was there more anger than anticipated, did rural America rise up, was it an anti-Clinton vote and now that Trump will be in the Oval Office - how will he govern? That same question could be ask about all those who were elected deal with the many issues and challenges the nation faces? Wednesday's Smart Talk is a special one. The program is being produced in the atrium of the WITF Public Media Center in front of a live audience. Those watching the show can ask questions or state their opinions about Election 2016. The content of the program itself focuses on the results, an analysis of the election and what lies ahead for the winners. Franklin and Marshall College political analyst and pollster, Dr. G. Terry Madonna appears on Smart Talk to provide his experiences insights. We also talk with a few of the candidates to get their thoughts on what influenced the outcome of the election and what's next for them. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November092016.mp3 Wednesday, 09 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Just as a reminder -- former Florida Governor Jeb Bush announced his candidacy for president in December, 2014. That's officially how long this presidential campaign has been going on. In those early months almost two years ago, Bush and former First Lady, Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were viewed as the frontrunners for their party's nominations. Much has happened since then and very little of it was expected or ordinary. Donald Trump's entry into the presidential race wasn't taken very seriously by the political establishment. But Republican voters had different ideas and Tuesday voters will be deciding between Clinton and Trump for the most part. This longest of campaigns has felt longer because of the thousands of political commercials on TV, the insults and charges that have been leveled by the candidates against their opponent and a sense that a bombshell would be dropped on a weekly -- or maybe even a daily basis. So, it finally all comes down to this. Or does it? For the first time, a presidential candidate (Trump) has questioned the legitimacy of the results -- even before the votes have been counted. There are strong feelings about the candidates but ultimately issues -- as is normally the case -- should decide which candidate wins. On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we want to hear from you about the issues most important to you as you decided who to vote for. We'll get reports from a few nearby polling places too so be sure to tune in. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November082016.mp3 Tuesday, 08 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 A question will appear on Tuesday's election ballot asking Pennsylvanians if state judges should be forced to retire at the age of 75. The question hasn't raised as many eyebrows as the wording on the ballot. Pennsylvania judges are required to retire at 70, but the ballot question makes it appear as though there is no current mandatory retirement age. This vernacular has led to several attempts to change the ballot question, ultimately leading to a federal complaint placed by former state justices. There are questions about the motivation behind this initiative as well as whether the question has been presented as intentionally misleading. A recent Pittsburgh Post-Gazette op-ed stated "The GOP-controlled Legislature's actions clearly were intended to boost the odds of passage -- and perhaps to influence the makeup of the Supreme Court." Berwood Yost is the Director of the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin and Marshall College and he authored an op-ed last month in the Philadelphia Inquirer voicing his opposition to the wording of the ballot measure. He feels the wording is surreptitiously deceptive and it undermines voters' confidence in the political process. Yost joins Smart Talk to discuss why he believes the ballot's wording sets a dangerous precedent for Pennsylvania voters and how the issue should be rectified. We'll also speak with three Penn State Harrisburg professors involved in a poll study into Pennsylvanians' attitudes towards government and the criminal justice system. Despite the rhetoric and divisions exposed by this year's contentious election season, voters in the state have a reasonably positive opinion about governmental services and law enforcement. We will be joined by Dr. Patria De Lancer Julnes, Dr. Michele Tantardini and Dr. Juliette Tolay of Penn State Harrisburg's School of Public Affairs to discuss where Pennsylvanians stand on politics and what can be done to shore up confidence in government. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November072016.mp3 Monday, 07 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Best-selling author John Karkauer appears on Friday's Smart Talk for a conversation about his latest book Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town. Sexual assaults on college campuses are getting more attention across the country after several high profile cases and controversies. That's after years of not always being taken seriously. It was, and still is, rare for victims to file reports, and in those instances, rarer to see through to conviction. Campus sponsored programs may have made more students aware of the problem, but it hasn't stopped it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 19% of undergraduate women experience sexual assault in college. Yet, the Federal Office of Civil Rights is only investigating 11 cases of sexual assault in Pennsylvania. Many victims find the process of reporting and prosecuting the crime to be almost as traumatic. Krakauer writes that campus sexual assaults are prevalent and that the criminal justice system is itself a deterrent. The book chronicles a series of sexual assaults at the University of Montana and the chaos that plagued victims looking for justice. It forces questions about the commitment of universities to their athletic programs and their indifference to campus safety. Also, 11th District Republican incumbent Congressman Lou Barletta joins us as part of Smart Talk's Conversations with the Candidates. The 11th District includes parts of Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry Counties as well as all of Columbia, Montour and Wyoming Counties and parts of Luzerne, and Northumberland Counties. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November042016.mp3 Friday, 04 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank provides meals to almost 50,000 people each week or 453,000 annually in its 27 county service area. Of the clients who the Food Bank serves, 86% live in households that are "food insecure" meaning all people at all times don't have access to enough food for an active, healthy life. About 65% of client households have incomes that fall at or below the federal poverty level. Why are there so many people in Central Pennsylvania who don't have enough food to eat? It goes back to the Great Recession that began in 2007. Nine years later, many families haven't recovered. WITF is partnering with Wegmans and the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank Thursday to raise money to provide meals for those in need. Joining us on Smart Talk to discuss hunger are Jennifer Powell, Director of Development for the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and Bob Finn, the store manager at Wegmans in Mechanicsburg. Also, seemingly out of nowhere, the Penn State Nittany Lion football team has turned its season around and could be on the way to their best record in almost a decade. Just over a month ago, Penn State had just been beaten 49-10 by Michigan. It seemed to be a low point in the almost five years since the NCAA imposed sanctions on the football program as the result of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case. The Nittany Lions had a two win two loss record and fans started calling for Coach James Franklin's job. But since then, they've won four games in a row, including a huge victory over then second-ranked Ohio State, and are ranked in college football's top 25 for the first time since 2011. PennLive's Penn State reporter Greg Pickel explains the turnaround on Thursday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November032016.mp3 Thursday, 03 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Less than 15% of the American electorate turned out to vote in the 2014 mid-term election. That is a startling low level of political engagement, especially in a country that prides itself on its citizens' freedom to vote. Six political analysts collaborated to determine the degrees of civic engagement in each state and the District of Columbia. Commissioned by WalletHub.com, the experts found very high involvement in Wisconsin, Colorado and Maine and very low engagement in Texas, West Virginia and Oklahoma. Smart Talk will speak with Keith Gaddie, one of the authors of the report and the Chair of the Political Science Department at The University of Oklahoma, about the state of political engagement in both the United States and Pennsylvania as we are less than a week away from one of the most contentious election in memory. Then we meet with Ted Herman and Mike Aumiller - collectors of political buttons. They will share their favorite pieces from their collections and talk about the role memorabilia plays in presidential campaigns. They will be showing their collection at the Hershey Derry Township Historical Society tonight at 7:00pm. Also, we speak with Paul Rizzo, the Libertarian candidate running for the seat in Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District. The district includes all of Lehigh County and parts of Berks, Dauphin, Lebanon and Northampton Counties and is currently represented by Republican incumbent Charlie Dent. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November022016.mp3 Wednesday, 02 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 With just a week before Election Day, Smart Talk continues conversations with the candidates - giving voters the opportunity to learn more about the candidates on the ballots they'll see next Tuesday. Tuesday, we'll talk with two candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives. Mary Ellen Balchunis is a Democrat looking to represent the 7th Congressional District. The 7th district includes parts of Lancaster and Berks Counties along with Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties. She is running against incumbent Republican Congressman Patrick Meehan. The 11th Congressional District features a matchup of two former Mayors of Hazleton - Republican incumbent Congressman Lou Barletta and Democrat Mike Marsicano. Mayor Marsicano joins us on Tuesday's program. The 11th District includes parts of Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry Counties as well as all of Columbia, Montour and Wyoming Counties and parts of Luzerne, and Northumberland Counties. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_November012016.mp3 Tuesday, 01 November 2016 12:30:00 -0400 "The notion that there is greater comfort with personal attacks in the political process is terribly concerning." That's Allegheny College President Jim Mullen upon receiving the results of a Zogby commissioned survey measuring the level of civility in contemporary political discourse. "It is now clear that voters not only view this year's campaign as the most uncivil in recent memory," he says. "But many are beginning to lower their standards for civility in politics." The report can be viewed as startling. Of 1,286 polled adults, 63% called the 2016 presidential election as "extremely or very uncivil." That's up from the 20% who regarded the 2012 election in the same way. Jim Mullen will be a guest on Smart Talk on Monday to discuss the findings of these polls and why he fears they are "bad news for our democracy," as he sees it. Also, Republican Donald Trump didn't like Jeffrey McCausland, the former dean of the Army War College in Carlisle, questioning the presidential candidate's foreign policy acumen. "You can tell your military expert that I'll sit down and I'll teach him a couple of things" Trump told ABC's George Stephanopoulos in response to McCausland's assertion that the candidate doesn't understand military policy when it comes to reclaiming the Iraqi city of Mosul. Jeffrey McCausland is a retired Army Colonel, a former Ranger with a West Point degree and a Ph.D. in law and diplomacy. A veteran of the first Gulf War, he has served as an advisor to the National Security Council, the Pentagon, and an array of tactical and diplomatic positions that cements his bona fides as a military expert. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October312016.mp3 Mon, 31 Oct 2016 09:00:00 EST Before you conclude that the 2016 presidential campaign is the strangest ever, read Erin McHugh's book Political Suicides: Missteps, Peccadillos, Bad Calls, Backroom Hijinx, Sordid Pasts, Rotten Breaks and Just Plain Dumb Mistakes in the Annals of Americans Politics. It is WITF and Aaron's Books Pick-of-the Month for the month of October. What McHugh's book shows is that there have been a lot of bizarre politics and politicians over the past 240 years in the United States. Many of them have ties to Pennsylvania like Daniel Sickles, a former Congressman who almost lost the Battle of Gettysburg for the Union, lost a leg during the battle, saved the leg to view, had affairs with a prositute and the Queen of Spain and killed the son of Star-Spangled Banner author Francis Scott Key for having an affair with Mrs. Sickles, but was acquitted by pleading temporary insanity. Also, the first Central Pennsylvania Whisky Festival is scheduled for Saturday at the Zembo Shrine in Harrisburg. You're probably familiar with wine and craft beer festivals but a whisky festival is new to this part of the state. Events highlighting whisky have been successful in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is a partner in the whisky festival that include world-renowned brands, luxury spirits, as well as highly-rated, reserve and small batch products for sampling, according to the festival website. The tasting list will feature more than 200 varieties of whisky, scotch, bourbon, vodka, gin, rum, tequalia and other cordials. Appearing on the program are Pam Bernd, Head of the Luxury Division for the Pennsylvania LCB and Andrew Martin, owner and proprietor of Thisle Finch Distillery in Lancaster. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October282016.mp3 Friday, 28 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Smart Talk takes a Road Trip Thursday to talk politics before next month's election. The show is being broadcast live from the Cornerstone Coffeehouse, 2133 Market Street in Camp Hill. Appearing on the program are Sarah Niebler and David O'Connell - both assistant professors of political science at Dickinson College and former Pennsylvania State Senator Franklin Kury. Sen. Kury is an author and is probably best known for championing the amendment to Pennsylvania's Constitution that guarantees clean air and water in the state. Stanley Lawson, president of the Greater Harrisburg chapter of the NAACP also joins us to discuss issues important to African-American voters in the election. Among the topics to be discussed is how to bring together a divided country after the election. This Smart Talk Road Trip is supported by Boyer and Ritter, Certified Public Accountants and Consultants and Reager and Adler, Attorneys and Counselors at Law. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October272016.mp3 Thursday, 27 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District cuts a long and narrow swath from the New Jersey border in the east through the Lehigh Valley, Berks County, Lebanon County and southwest into Dauphin County. It includes parts of Allentown, Emmaus, Lebanon and Hershey. Democrat Rick Daugherty is challenging incumbent Republican Charlie Dent for the seat. Smart Talk spoke with Representative Dent last week and on Wednesday Scott LaMar has a conversation with Rick Daugherty about his plans, policies and how he feels he can serve Pennsylvanians in the US House of Representatives. Also, Lloyd Smucker has been representing people in portions of York and Lancaster Counties in the Pennsylvania State Senate since 2009. The Lancaster born-and-raised Republican is competing against Democrat Christina Hartman and Independent Shawn Patrick House for the vacant US House seat in Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District, covering portions of Berks and Lancaster Counties. Smucker has built a platform on repealing Obamacare, strengthening our Southern border and reducing federal spending. Also on Wednesday he will join Scott LaMar to make the case why he can best serve the 16th District. His opponents, Hartman and House, have already appeared on the show. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October262016.mp3 Wednesday, 26 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The two candidates running the Pennsylvania State Senate in the 15th District -- Democrat Rob Teplitz and Republican John DiSanto -- appear on Tuesday's Smart Talk to debate the issues. WITF and the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and Capital Region Economic Development Corporation have teamed up tp produce the debate. The 15th District includes most of Dauphin County and all of Perry County. Teplitz is the incumbent who is in his first term in office. DiSanto is a political newcomer who has operated a construction firm. Judging by the competing TV commercials the two candidates are airing lately, the contest has become increasingly more negative. Both candidates have accused the other of not being truthful in their commercials. Among the issues to be discussed are property taxes, education funding, spending and government reform. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October252016.mp3 Tuesday, 25 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Almost half of Americans have saved nothing for retirement. As more baby boomers reach retirement age and people are living longer, its obvious more planning is warranted. While soon-to-be retirees probably feel the most urgency, Gen Xers and Millenials maybe haven't even thought about saving for later in their lives. These topics will be addressed at 6:00pm, Sunday, October 30th on WITF - TV on the documentary When I'm 65. On the Monday edition of Smart Talk, we will discuss some of the keys to successful retirement planning for Millenials, Gen-Xer's and Baby Boomers with Tracy Burke, Partner and Investment Consultant with Conrad Siegel Investment Advisors and Brad Neumann, Certified Financial Advisor, Roof Advisory Group. West York Mayor Charles Wasko resigned earlier this month under pressure from constituents and fellow officials. Wasko had posted racist images to social media, including pictures of monkeys he compared to the Obamas and an image of Clint Eastwood holding a noose with a caption implying the lynching of the president. He initially resisted calls for his resignation, defending himself by refusing to be "politically correct," telling WHTM-TV "I will say what is on my mind and what I believe in. The racist stuff, yeah, I'll admit I did that, and I don't care what people label me as." For weeks, the calls for resignation went unheeded by Wasko. When the West York Borough Council looked at ways to remove him from office, they were faced with a Pennsylvania law that places the power to remove elected municipal officials in the hands of the legislature. West Yorkers learned first-hand just how hard it is to remove politicians from office. Wasko's Monday night resignation eased that burden for both his constituents and state lawmakers. WITF's Emily Previti reported on the removal process for Keystone Crossroads this week and she will join Smart Talk to explain why Pennsylvania is one of only three states that require this process for firing ineffective or inappropriate elected officials. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October242016.mp3 Monday, 24 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 After months of not being a major issue, the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare has once again become a political issue in the presidential and other political campaigns. One of the reasons is there are insurance companies dropping out of the federal health insurance exchange where those looking for insurance can shop and compare plans. Earlier this year, Aetna and UnitedHealth announced they're not offering plans in Pennsylvania. But perhaps the most significant reason is because rates have gone up significantly. Here in Pennsylvania, rates will increase an average of 42%. The Pennsylvania Insurance Commission sets those rates based on information submitted to them by the insurance companies.Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Theresa Miller appears on Friday's Smart Talk explained the higher rates. WITF's Election 2016 coverage continues on Friday's Smart Talk as we're joined by Democratic 6th Congressional candidate Mike Parrish. The 6th includes parts of Lebanon, Berks and Chester Counties. Parrish is running against incumbent Republican Ryan Costello. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October212016.mp3 Friday, 21 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The 16th Congressional District has been a Republican stronghold for the past 50 years. The last three Congressmen from the district during that half century were all Republicans. So it is indeed rare when the district's congressional seat is being vacated but that's the case this year with the retirement of Congressman Joe Pitts. Three candidates are vying to success Pitts. The Democratic candidate Christina Hartman appears on Thursday's Smart Talk as part of our continuing conversations with the candidates and Election 2016 coverage. Republican Lloyd Smucker and Libertarian Shawn Patrick House are also running. The 16th Congressional District is made up of parts of Lancaster, Berks and Chester Counties. On a lighter note, fall is a popular time of year for traveling in Pennsylvania -- whether to get a look at the colorful leaves, enjoy a seasonal event or tourist site, the crisp fall air brings many people outside. One of the big questions this year is whether the hot, dry summer will have an impact on the color of the leaves. We'll find out on Thursday's program with Carrie Lepore, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, Deputy Secretary, Office of Marketing, Tourism and Film and Dave Schmidt, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October202016.mp3 Thursday, 20 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 We'll discuss the University Strike that began this morning. In 2011, the Republican-controlled state legislature redrew congressional district lines throughout Pennsylvania. A spokesman for then - Republican House Majority Leader Mike Turzai told Newsmax in 2011: "Everything else is off the table, congressional redistricting is the priority." The districts were carved up with the support of then-Governor Tom Corbett and the 2014 election reflected a distinct Republican advantage as a result of the redrawn district lines. No challengers won seats, the only new candidates elected replaced retired representatives. Republican lawmakers from the Keystone State outnumber Democrats 13-5. The state was considered a strategic battleground in the 2016 presidential election, before polls showed Democrat Hillary Clinton holding a distinct advantage. Franklin Kury served in the state legislature as both a representative and a state senator, and he is critical of this redistricting. In a September 30th editorial for Philadelphia Inquirer, Kury uses an analogy that should resonate with most Pennsylvanians: "The Eagles defeat the Steelers in their first game and then they - the Eagles, not the National Football League - set new rules for the next game. The Steelers will have to go 150 yards to score a touchdown, but the Eagles will only have to go 50 yards." He is advocating for a pair of bipartisan bills that would take the Constitutionally mandated redistricting process out of the hands of lawmakers and assign it to an independent third-party. A commission comprised of Republican, Democratic and Independent voters would be tasked with setting the standards by which the borders of the districts are determined. Franklin Kury will join us on Wednesday's Smart Talk to discuss why he feels the current system cheats Pennsylvanians out of adequate representation and why he thinks these proposals are the solution. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October192016.mp3 Wednesday, 19 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 In a year when many voters have complained they're not happy with the Democratic and Republican candidates -- at least in the presidential race -- candidates from other political parties are getting some attention. Maybe not a lot and that's one of their complaints. As WITF continues Election 2016 coverage before next month's election, Smart Talk is featuring conversations with many of the national and state candidates. Appearing on Tuesday's program is 16th Congressional District candidate Shawn Patrick House, who is representing the Libertarian Party. The 16th District is made up of parts of Lancaster, Berks and Chester Counties. Also, Saturday Night Live has long poked fun at and used politicians as the butt of their jokes. The Hillary Clinton-Donald Trump match-up this year has provided lots of material for the show and apparently last Saturday's sketch infuriated Trump. After the show aired, Trump tweeted "Watched Saturday Night Live hit job on me. Time to retire the boring and unfunny show. Alec Baldwin portrayal stinks. Media rigging election." Political satire has been around since before there was a United States. For hundreds of years it was in the form of political cartoons. To discuss that history is Dr. Amelia Rauser, Professor of Art History, Chair of the Art and Art History at Franklin and Marshall College, Author of the 2008 book Caricature Unmasked and Dr. Alison Dagnes, a Professor of Political Science at Shippensburg University, author of the book, A Conservative Walks Into a Bar... https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October182016.mp3 Tuesday, 18 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The narrative of the Presidential race has taken an ugly turn as the focus has shifted from policies and platforms to the history of sexual assault by one candidate and questions regarding the spouse of the other. A video was recently released showing Republican candidate Donald Trump bragging about committing sexual assault. His response was to attack Bill Clinton's history, which has forced Americans to examine the proliferation of sexual abuse and the attitudes regarding gender relations. What is being discounted as "locker room talk" elicits very real and harrowing memories for survivors of rape and sexual assault. The silver lining of that unpleasant rhetoric may be that Americans are becoming more aware of just how many girls and women are forced to endure and hide this abuse. The narrative has been pushed to the front, and there is no ignoring it. Kristen Houser of the National Sexual Violence Resource Center and Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape will join us on Smart Talk Monday to discuss the dramatic increase in reports of sexual assault since the release of the Trump video, and the messages that each campaign is imparting to women of all ages. We will speak with Republican Congressman Charlie Dent from Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District. Dent, who is fighting to retain his seat in a three-way race with Democratic challenger Rick Daugherty and Libertarian candidate Paul Rizzo, represents Pennsylvanians from Lebanon, Dauphin. Berks, Lehigh and Northampton Counties. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October172016.mp3 Monday, 17 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 When speaking to supporters at rallies across the country, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has often warned voters that next month's election could be rigged so that Democrat Hillary Clinton would win. Trump has been very vocal about the potential for a corrupt election in Pennsylvania -- especially in the city of Philadelphia. As a result, Trump and Republicans are calling for more poll-watchers in the state and there is a little known law in Pennsylvania that allows a poll-watcher to challenge the identity of a voter and where that voter lives. That raises the possibility of voter intimidation. Dave Davies of WHYY Newsworks in Philadelphia recently reported on election security and joins us on Friday's Smart Talk to describe what he found. WITF's Smart Talk is speaking with state and national candidates for office until November's election. On Friday's program, Mike Molesevich, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 10th Congressional District appears on the program. Molesevich is running against Republican incument Congressman Tom Marino. The 10th District includes Juniata, Mifflin, Snyder, and Union Counties and parts of Perry and Northumberland Counties. It also runs to the New York border and into northeastern Pennsylvania. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October142016.mp3 Friday, 14 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The presidential campaigns of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have garned so much attention during this election year that many of the candidates for other important offices have been drowned out. And that shouldn't be the case, especially when it comes to the Pennsylvania's Attorney General race. The office has been embroiled in controversy for the past two-and-a-half years under former Attorney General Kathleen Kane. Kane was convicted this summer of leaking secret grand jury information and lying about it under oath. She resigned but not before the office of Attorney General went through numerous personnel changes and reportedly law morale. So it would seem that job one for the candidates running would be to clean up the office and establish policies to ensure it operates ethically and efficiently. Both Republican John Rafferty and Democrat Josh Shapiro have promised to do just that. Both candidates have also zeroed in on aggressively prosecuting the suppliers of opioids and heroin that have reached crisis stage in Pennsylvania. Both Shapiro and Rafferty appear on Thursday's Smart Talk in separate conversations. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October132016.mp3 Thursday, 13 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 According to the Centers for Disease Control the majority of Americans say it's extremely important to them that their families are not burdened by tough decisions at the end of life. But about the same number have not communicated their end-of-life wishes. Wednesday's Smart Talk focuses on an issue that affects us all, but doesn't get the kind of attention it deserves. As part of WITF's ongoing Transforming Health series, Finding Peace is a multimedia project that explores the different questions and options Pennsylvanians have regarding end-of-life decisions for themselves and their loved ones. WITF-TV will present HealthSmart: Finding Peace on Thursday, October 13th at 8 pm. Appearing on the program are Dr. Jim Hoefler, a professor at Dickinson College, who has written extensively about end-of-life issues, Dr. Vipul Bhatia, Medical Director of Post-Acute Services, Wellspan Health, Keira McGuire, the producer of WITF's Health Smart and Ben Allen, WITF's Transforming Health reporter. We will also speak with a family who have faced these difficult decisions. The 71st Pennsylvania National Horse Show kicks off on Thursday with the ten day event beginning with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex. The event will include various equestrian competitions, training and dressage contests as well as an exhibition of industry vendors. The National Horse Show celebrates the relationship between man and equine and benefits children in the region via the Harrisburg Kiwanis Youth Foundation. Susie Webb, Executive Director of the PA National Horse Show will join us to discuss the week's events and talk about the role the event plays in the community. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October122016.mp3 Wednesday, 12 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 WITF's Smart Talk program will be featuring conversations before the November 8 election with many of the candidates running for national and state offices. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Katie McGinty appears on Tuesday's show to discuss the issues and her campaign. McGinty is running against incumbent Republican Sen. Pat Toomey. It's a campaign that has become increasingly negative based on the TV commercials voters see. McGinty, who is the former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Chief of Staff to Gov. Tom Wolf, has been hitting Toomey hard on the senator not disavowing Donald Trump's presidency. Toomey, on the other hand has hit back at McGinty for enriching herself by accepting jobs that had ties to her government positions. We'll discuss those issues and others on the program. Also, October is LGBT History Month. One of the focuses of this month's events in Central Pennsylvania is related to aging. Joining us on Tuesday's program are Ted Martin, Executive Director of Equality PA, Louie Marvin, Executive Director of the LGBT Center of Central Pennsylvania and Terri Clark, a certified trainer with the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October112016.mp3 Tuesday, 11 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Last night's debate between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton was probably different than any other in American presidential campaign history. Candidates have had testy exchanges in debates but perhaps none ever got as personal as the second debate in this campaign. Coming two days after the release of a 2005 tape that recorded Trump talking about how celebrities aggressively pursue women in a sexual manner and with Republicans pulling their support across the country, Trump went on the offensive calling Clinton a liar and "the devil," saying if elected he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate whether she broke laws and countered that Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton actually sexually assaulted women. Clinton for her part also called Trump a liar, repeated that he is unfit to be president and said the tape showed exactly who Trump is. On today's Smart Talk, Franklin and Marshall College political analyst and pollster Dr. G. Terry Madonna joins us to make sense of it all and how the debate will impact voters. Madonna also talks about several recent polls that show much different results in Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race between Democrat Katie McGinty and Republican incumbent Senator Pat Toomey. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October102016.mp3 Monday, 10 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Ireland's Ambassador to the United Nations David Donoghue appears on Friday's Smart Talk. Donaghue has served in diplomatic postings that have allowed him to participate in some of the most pivotal events in modern history. Donoghue served a diplomatic posting to the Holy See during the short reign of Pope John XXIII and the election of John Paul II. He was instrumental in brokering the peace agreements ending hostilities between Northern Ireland and Great Britain and represented Ireland to the Russian Federation during Vladimir Putin's rise to power. In 2013, Donoghue was made the Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations and has since been appointed to the UN Summit on Global Migration and Refugee Issues to address the growing problem of human displacement on a global scale. Ambassador Donoghue will speak about the role of the United Nations in a time of a worldwide human rights crisis. The lecture will take place at Elizabethtown College on Monday, October 17th in Gibble Auditorium, Esbenshade Hall. As the world's population continues to increase, so do trends in global warming and increased land development which means agricultural production places increasing strain on communities. The demand for higher food production has led to deforestation, costly irrigation in arid regions, toxic accumulations of fertilizer and pesticide runoff and an increased attention to industrial scale farming and crop modification. The sprawl of urban development has provided an opportunity for progressive farming concepts to take root. In Lancaster, the Urban Farming Initiative seeks to use existing infrastructure as platforms for growing crops in the city. Rooftops, abandoned properties and unused structures can be used to create locally produced organic produce as well as provide jobs. The newest initiative from the UFI involves building a vertical greenhouse adjacent to the Prince Street Garage at West Orange Street. Vegetables would be grown hydroponically, using no soil and a tenth of the water used in traditional methods. Corey Fogarty, president of the Lancaster Urban Farming Initiative joins us to discuss this project and the implications vertical farming could have on future urban planning. We're joined by Nona Yehia, CEO and Co-Founder, Vertical Harvest, Jackson Hole, Wyoming where the first vertical greenhouse is located. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October072016.mp3 Friday, 07 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The act of being grateful -- showing appreciation or thankfulness -- is more than being polite. As children we all were taught that saying "thank you" after someone had given us something was polite and the right thing to do. But gratitude can be more than that according to our guest on Thursday's Smart Talk. Janice Kaplan is the author of the 2015 book The Gratitude Diaries -- How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life. Kaplan used gratitude to do just that. Kaplan vowed on New Year's Eve to spend the next year being grateful for what she had in her life and not the material things that many people think of immediately when ask what they're thankful for. She kept a daily diary -- listing what she was grateful for every day. Instead of complaining to her husband about his mistakes or what bothered her, she looked for what her husband did and meant to her that she was grateful for. Then Kaplan focused in on other areas of her life and what she appreciated when it came to her finances, career and health. Along the way, she was leading a happier and more satisfying life. Janice Kaplan is a best-selling author, former editor of Parade Magazine and TV producer. The Gratitude Diaries is WITF's Summer Read for 2016 -- a collaborative reading initiative of libraries in Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York Counties and community partners. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October062016.mp3 Thursday, 06 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Urban theorist Richard Florida thinks that successful economic development and growth is cultivated by what he terms the "creative class," a STEM educated workforce influenced by culture and geography. He points to specific regions throughout the country and the characteristics that make them attractive to specific industries and their relationship to the global economy. Florida taught public policy at George Mason University and spent 18 years at Carnegie Mellon's Heinz College in Pittsburgh. He is a Senior Editor at The Atlantic and currently the dean of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. Richard Florida will be speaking at Penn State, Harrisburg Campus on October 12th as part of the PNC Thought Leaders Lecture Series and he appear on Smart Talk Wednesday to discuss responsible and sustainable economic growth in the region. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the American Cancer Society is partnering with Harrisburg community leaders to raise awareness of a disease that afflicts more than 38,000 Pennsylvania women annually. Real Men Wear Pink has collected more than $20,000 for breast cancer research, and they are sponsoring the October 15th "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" walk to raise funds for research, screening and treatment. We'll learn more about this disease that touches one in eight women and how to get involved with Brent Woodward and Joe Henriques of Real Men Wear Pink of Harrisburg. There was a question during the program about 3-D mmaograms. The Pennsylvania Insurance Commission provided information. You can see it here. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are confirming Pennsylvania's status as a key swing state with their frequent visits and appeals to supporters. On Saturday evening, the Republican candidate stopped in Manheim to continue a campaign largely focused on discrediting his opponent, who, according to a Franklin and Marshall poll released on Tuesday, surged to a nine point lead in Pennsylvania. Hillary Clinton held an event in Harrisburg Tuesday where she urged Pennsylvanians to register and rallied supporters to encourage voters to the polls. WITF's Katie Meyer covered both events and she joins Smart Talk to compare and contrast the candidates and their supporters as they work their ground game for what is a key prize in the race for electoral votes. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October052016.mp3 Wednesday, 05 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania has voted Democrat in every presidential election since 1992 but this year the state could serve as the lynchpin in the race for electoral votes. As the presidential candidates try to court votes in one of the most divided electorates ever, experts try to pin down the elusive "undecided voter" who could tip the balance and try to understand the motivations of today's voters. Three reporters from the York Daily Record have traveled the state to meet voters and learn from them how and why Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton both connect with and repel Pennsylvanians. Reporter Ed Mahon met with Donald Trump supporters in Luzerne County to discuss the appeal of the Republican's unprecedented and bombastic campaign style and learn what resonates the most about his policies and personality. Columnists Mike Argento and photographer Paul Kuehnel traveled Route 30, the old Lincoln Highway, from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh meeting Pennsylvania voters from all points on the political spectrum. They documented their journey for the York Daily Record in words and images, and they will share the stories of the people they met while they weave a narrative combining both the frustrations and the optimism that both unites and divides Pennsylvanians. They'll describe what they heard from voters on Tuesday's Smart Talk. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently struck down portions of "Act 13" - the controversial 2012 oil and gas law that was deemed too friendly to the drilling industry. A majority of the court tossed out legal restrictions on physicians' access to information about fracking chemicals. The court also ruled against the use of eminent domain for underground natural gas storage facilities, and held that the exclusion of private wells from notification of hazardous spills is unconstitutional. State Impact Pennsylvania reporter Marie Cusick will speak on Smart Talk about the ruling and what it may mean for Pennsylvanians living in the Marcellus Shale region and how the opinion could impact the industry. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October042016.mp3 Tuesday, 04 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Ursinus College is showcasing some new initiatives that take a different approach to the college experience. Half off of tuition for high achieving students would lessen the financial burden on middle-class families. An intra-collegiate academic program with Drexel University and other Philadelphia schools and a new science center that will educate students about the relationship between technology and society will offer students new academic options. Ursinus President Brock Blomberg will join Smart Talk to discuss these programs as well as the recent resignation of the college's board of trustees following a string of offensive tweets and changes to the federal student aid applications that will bring much needed stress relief to families applying for college aid. According to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, as many as one million Americans live with Parkinson's with 60,000 new diagnoses each year. The progressively degenerative disease causes sufferers to lose control of motor skills, and eventually lead to dementia. Ancillary symptoms from the disease can include loss of sleep, anxiety and depression. Eventually, the disease will lead to permanent disability or death. The causes of Parkinson's is unknown and while there are short-term treatments for symptoms, there is currently no cure. Dr. Thyagarajan Subramanian of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center advocates a cell transplant treatment for Parkinson's sufferers. Dr. Subramanian will discuss preventative measures and the future of Parkinson's treatment. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_October032016.mp3 Monday, 03 October 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Nearly 3400 Pennsylvanians died of opioid overdoses in 2015. There are currently three different bills on the statehouse floor addressing this crisis. On Tuesday, Governor Wolf addressed lawmakers during a joint session, pleading for effective legislation. One proposal would restrict opioid prescriptions to seven days for emergency room patients. A second would add more steps if a doctor wanted to prescribe the powerful painkillers - they would have to check a database of all prescriptions. A third piece of legislation would require insurance companies to cover a special group of opioids that are considered safer - but insurance companies are also concerned about the proposal. On Friday's Smart Talk, Scott LaMar speaks with Pennsylvania's Secretary of Policy and Planning, Sarah Galbally about the state's strategy for dealing with this opioid crisis. Twelve-term Texas Republican Congressman and former presidential candidate Ron Paul will be speaking at his alma mater, Gettysburg College this week and he joins us on Smart Talk to discuss the current campaigns and issues that Paul championed during his time in Washington and on the campaign trail. They include the role of the Federal Reserve, tax policy and the war on drugs. Also, after a 49 - 10 rout by Michigan last week, Penn State (2-2) is looking to regroup in preparation for Saturday's home game against Minnesota (3-0). We'll discuss the status of the Nittany Lions' program and their prospects for success through the rest of the season with Audrey Snyder, the Penn State beat reporter for DKPittsburgh Sports. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September302016.mp3 Friday, 30 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Arthur Johnson spent 37 years in solitary confinement while incarcerated by the State of Pennsylvania. A federal judge recently ordered Mr. Johnson to be re-acclimated into general population.Johnson was sentenced to life, no parole for a 1970 gang-killing in Philadelphia. He was 18 years old when he shot and stabbed Jerome Wakefield in a street fight. After several escape attempts, Johnson was placed in a 7 by 12 foot cell where he spent 23 hours a day, alone. Arthur Johnson's situation was brought to the attention of the Abolitionist Law Center, a Pittsburgh-based firm addressing civil and prisoner's rights. Their advocacy help release Arthur Johnson from the closet that had become his world for nearly four decades. We will speak with Mr. Johnson's attorney, Bret Grote of the Abolition Law Center about this case as well as Jamelia Morgan, a fellow with the ACLU's National Prison Project whose work has focused on curtailing the use of solitary confinement. Also, clown sightings have been reported from the Carolinas to Pennsylvania. Random people, dressed as clowns, literally lurking around residential neighborhoods. Law enforcement seems perplexed as to how to address these clowns, as they do little more than act creepy. In recent weeks, clowns have been reported in Lebanon, York and Reading, where clown activity turned violent. We'll explore the history of clowns with historian Andrew Stott, English professor at the University of Buffalo, SUNY. We'll also speak with Jennifer Diaz about overcoming coulrophobia, the fear of clowns and Jimbo the Clown will tell us what it's like being a clown in 2016. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September292016.mp3 Thursday, 29 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 A merger that would have created the largest healthcare system in Central Pennsylvania has been rejected by a federal court. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the Federal Trade Commission and the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office in denying the merger between Penn State Health and Pinnacle Health. The deal had been approved by a lower federal court but in a rare move, the FTC and AG appealed. Penn State Health and Pinnacle said the move was needed to handle new patients and claimed it would be more efficient. The FTC said the merger would allow the combined hospitals to dominate the marketplace and could lead to higher prices. WITF's Transforming Health reporter Ben Allen joins us on Smart Talk to discuss what the latest court action means. Also, agriculture has been pointed to as one of the major contributors to pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. Pennsylvania has joined with several other states in efforts to clean up the bay. Although progress has been made in many areas, there still are challenges. One involves animal waste in waterways. State Rep. Mike Sturla (D-Lancaster) plans to introduce legislation to make it illegal for cattle to stand in streams. Sturla, who is part of a legislative delegation to the Chesapeake Bay Commission, appears on Wednesday's Smart Talk along with Jim Cowell of the Pennsylvania Cattlemen's Association. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September282016.mp3 Wednesday, 28 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Monday's presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump was hyped like a Super Bowl. Between 50 and 100 million people were expect to watch. But did either of the candidates help themselves or hurt their chances in November? On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we'll discuss the debate with Dr. G. Terry Madonna, Professor, Director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs, Professor of Public Affairs, and Director of the Franklin and Marshall College Poll. Raw milk, or milk that has not been pasteurized has been slowly creeping into retail refrigerators in recent years. Advocates contend the processing of commercial milk strips it of healthy enzymes and nutrients and large corporate dairies taint the product with hormones and anti-biotics. The FDA and CDC have opposed introducing raw milk to consumers, arguing unpasteurized milk contains dangerous pathogens including E. Coli, Salmonella and Listeria. It was that Listeria pathogen that was linked to a death in Florida, the milk traced to an organic farm in Bird-In-Hand dealing in raw milk. The farm owner resisted USDA inspections until last week, when a federal judge issued a court order allowing inspectors on the property. This, and previous cases, has pitted supporters of the raw milk movement against what they see as intrusion of a government more concerned with protecting corporate profits than the health of the citizens. Government officials feel they are enacting policy that best suits the public's well-being. We'll speak to a reporter who has closely covered the investigation into the Miller's Organic Farm as well as a raw milk advocate One of Pennsylvania's native sons and one of the all-time great golfers Arnold Palmer died Sunday at the age of 87. Palmer won seven major golf championships and 62 professional golf tour tournaments. But it wasn't just his record on the golf course that made him a legend. Palmer expert Marino Parascenzo, a freelance golf writer who retired from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and whose work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Golf Digest and Golf Magazine, joins us Tuesday. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September272016.mp3 Tuesday, 27 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 In 1938, the Fair Labor and Standards Act was passed, offering security for workers including a standardized forty hour work week, a minimum wage and the elimination of child labor. The Act also mandated "time and a half" pay for employees working overtime, though this benefit was restricted "line workers" - the nation's blue collar work force. But wage and salary stagnation through the last three decades coupled with a steadily rising inflationary rate has led many overworked, white collar salary earners to seek overtime benefits. In May of this year, the Department of Labor updated overtime regulations to include four million workers. The ruling includes an increase in the minimum salary requirements to qualify for overtime and automatic updates to compensate for inflation. Response has been predictably mixed. Business leaders and regional business chambers predict the overtime rules will be job killers, wringing small business owners of much needed operating capital. In an April 7th Wall Street Journal opinion piece, Donald Boudreaux and Liya Palagashvili argue " . . .instead of paying more workers overtime, many companies will simply cut back their hours or lower their salaries." President Obama said "It's a move that will boost wages for working Americans by $12 billion over the next ten years." The new rules become effective December 1st of this year. On Monday's Smart Talk, we'll speak with Scott Fiore, Vice President of Tristarr Staffing and David Black, President and CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC about what these new overtime rules could mean for both small and large businesses in Pennsylvania. We'll also talk about the state of job growth in Pennsylvania as well as a forecast of the impact the elections will have on Pennsylvania's workers. At the Shale Insight Conference in Pittsburgh last week, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said he would encourage American energy production and roll back environmental regulations as a way to "make America wealthy" again. StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Marie Cusick was at the conference and appears on Monday's program to discuss what she heard. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September262016.mp3 Monday, 26 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 On January 4, 2014, 28-year-old Timothy Davison of Portland, Maine was shot and killed after his car was run off of Interstate 81 in Franklin County by another vehicle. For months, news reports said the incident was the result of road rage. Finally last September, we may have finally learned the truth of what happened. Police arrested John Wayne Strawser Jr. of Preston County, West Virginia and said that Strawser killed Davison in a case of mistaken identity. Strawser thought he was shooting the husband of a former girlfriend. As bizarre as that is it isn't the end of a very unusual story. The Carlisle Sentinel is reporting on Strawser's criminal past and it is the story of one missed opportunity to lock up a serial criminal after another, who went on to allegedly murder two people. Strawser had an extensive criminal history that included theft and assault. Several failed relationships ended with violence and protective orders issued against him. Strawser had been arrested multiple times in his home state of West Virginia, but always seemed to evade jail, drawing probationary terms instead. Despite the unwillingness of officials to imprison him, it was made clear he was not to be in possession of a firearm. Strawser continued to violate his probation, leaving West Virginia for Pennsylvania and amassing a dozen guns. More failed relationships and a deeper descent into madness finally led Stawser to murder a former girlfriend. The ensuing investigation unveiled even more depraved acts of violence and more questions about Strawser's ability to travel freely and purchase guns, both direct violations that should have put him in jail. Carlisle Sentinel reporter Joshua Vaughn joins us on Friday's Smart Talk to share the story of John Wayne Stawser as well as discuss some of the cracks in the system that allowed a violent repeat offender to escape justice. Also, twelve-million Americans have to cope with hunger every day. Project SHARE is a collaborative effort of 66 local schools, congregations and community organizations dedicated to providing relief for more than 1,100 families in the region. Joe Kloza, Education and Communication Outreach Coordinator for Project Share will discuss the services offered and how you can get involved. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September232016.mp3 Friday, 23 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 It's been more than 50 years since the Beatles first set foot in America. It's not an exxageration to say no act during the rock and roll era has endured as well and is revered as much as John, Paul, George and Ringo. Director Ron Howard released his much anticipated film Eight Days a Week: The Touring Years last week. It chronicles the group's concerts and tours throughout the U.S. and overseas in the mid-60s. Philadelphia TV journalist Larry Kane, who was working in radio at the time, was the only American reporter to follow the Beatles to every stop on their tours in 1964 and 1965. He appears throughout the movie. Kane also has written two books about his time with the Beatles. His last one When They Were Boys came out two years ago. At that time Kane was on Smart Talk. You'll get to hear that conversation on Thursday's Smart Talk. Also, we've heard many times that Pennsylvania is one of the key states in the presidential race so when a poll of voters in the state comes out, it's big news. The latest poll from The Morning Call and Muhlenberg College has Democrat Hillary Clinton Leading Republican Donald Trump by nine points in a poll of likely voters. In Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate contest, Democrat Katie McGinty is ahead of incumbent Republican Senator Pat Toomey by five points. Dr. Christopher Borick, the Director of Muhlenberg College's Institute of Public Opinion gives us his take on the poll results and where the campaigns stand in Pennsylvan https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September222016.mp3 Thursday, 22 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Often we hear about states being ranked in different areas and here's one to be proud of: Pennsylvania is among the top five states that exports products to other countries. The top five exporting industries in 2015 were chemicals, transportation equiipment, computer and electronic products, machinery and primary metals. So while much of the presidential campaigns have focused on imported products to the U.S., the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development is staging an event to connect businesses in the state with nations thay may want to purchase those products. It's called Bringing the World to Pennsylvania and it provides the state's businesses the opportunity to meet with authorized trade representatives and discuss foreign market intelligence, agents and distributor candidates and industry and government contacts from 14 different countries. We'll learn more about Pennsylvania exports on Wednesday's Smart Talk from Joseph Burke, Deputy Secretary, DCED, Office of International Business Development, Jennifer Black, Executive Director, Export Development, DCED, Office of International Business Development. Also, in 2007, the Pennsylvania Turnpike had a surplus of $1.76 billion. At the same time, then Gov. Ed Rendell supported the idea of leasing the Turnpike to a private operator. Then came Act 44 - legislation that Turnpike Commission officials went along with that would take money generated from tolls on the Turnpike to pay for public transit in Pennsylvania. That payment amounts to 450 million dollars a year. A recent audit by Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale found that surplus has now turned into a $4 billion deficit. In the meantime, tolls continue to rise every year. The Auditor General joins us on Wednesday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September212016.mp3 Wednesday, 21 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Educators with the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF), which includes instructors and athletic coaches at all levels, have been working without a contract for more than a year. Negotiations are held up over several concerns. Many full time instructors are concerned about being displaced by the increasing use of temporary faculty. Research funding is being greatly reduced. Pay scale for the lowest pay grade would take a 20% hit. Faculty would see an increase in health benefit contributions. There are many grievances. Last week, the union voted overwhelmingly to approve a strike if conditions are not met. The negotiations, which have been continuing since late 2014, are scheduled through Wednesday. Faculty at the fourteen schools in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education are soldiering through until the union tells them otherwise and more than 100,000 undergraduate and graduate students are on edge awaiting the outcome. On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we'll speak with Ken Mash, President of APSCUF, about the negotiations and what the students and faculty of the state's colleges can expect over the course of the coming weeks. Also, since drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale took off in Pennsylvania eight years ago, thousands of landowners have leased their properties to gas companies and have been paid billions of dollars in royalties. But now there are landowners in northern Pennsylvania's Bradford County that say some drilling companies charge exorbitant, and possibly fraudulent fees for processing gas- leasing landowners with little to no royalty money. Last Wednesday, a protest was held in Bradford County to rally support for landowners who feel they have been fleeced by Chesapeake Energy. Bradford County Commissioner Doug McLinko is concerned that industry lobbyists are blocking efforts by the state legislature to address the problem, by amending the state's guaranteed minimum royalty law. McLinko will join Smart Talk to discuss the concerns of Pennsylvania landowners, along with WITF's StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Marie Cusick who has covered gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale since 2011. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September202016.mp3 Tuesday, 20 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Have you ever walked through the woods and saw deer or sat along a stream fishing and wondered whether future generations will get to enjoy the beauty and serenity that you were admiring? There was a time not that long ago when water and forests weren't so clean and healthy. There still are places that have been scarred, but people who care about the environment have made a great difference in the last 40 years. Tomorrow's conservationists are being trained in the outdoors today with an eye toward the future at Wildlife Leadership Academies in Pennsylvania. Monday's Smart Talk features a discussion of how high school-age teenagers are learning about wildlife, fisheries and conservation. Appearing on the program are Michele Kittell, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Institute for Conservation Education and wildlife biologist and photographer Gary Alt. We'll preview the festival on Friday's Smart Talk. Those of you who listen to WITF on a regular basis have heard stories from Keystone Crossroads -- a public media initiative covering both challenges and solutions for distressed cities. Keystone Crossroads is a collaborative reporting project of partner public media stations: WHYY, WITF, WESA and WPSU. Now there's a new way to learn more about Pennsylvania cities. It's called Keystone Crossroads Grapple - a podcast that gives voice to people living and working in distressed communities. On Monday's program, we'll learn more about Grapple from Naomi Starobin, Editor and Stephanie Marudas, Executive Producer of Keystone Crossroads. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September192016.mp3 Monday, 19 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 During the Civil War, Union General John Pope said of U.S. Secretary of War Simon Cameron, "Everybody in this wide land knows Cameron to be corrupt and dishonest, a public plunderer and unprincipled politician." Pope wasn't alone in his assessment of Cameron and that's what history remembers most about Cameron, who for almost 60 years was one of the powerful people in Pennsylvania and the entire country. Author and historian Paul Kahan has written a new book titled Amiable Scoundrel: Simon Cameron, Lincoln's Scandalous Secretary of War. Kahan discusses Cameron and the book on Friday's Smart Talk. Simon Cameron was born in Maytown, Lancaster County and lived most of his life outside Mount Joy and in Harrisburg. He rose from being a poor orphan to running newspapers and railroads. In politics he served as a U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania for four terms, Secretary of War at the beginning of the Civil War, and U.S. Minister to Russia. Pennsylvania had one of the nation's largest populations and second most electoral votes at the time so candidates for president and presidents often catered to Cameron, who wielded as much political clout as any Pennsylvanian. Kahan writes that even though Cameron had a reputation for corruption, very little was ever proven and that history has labeled him as corrupt without knowing Cameron's full story. Also, the second Harrisburg-Hershey Film Festival begins Friday featuring over 40 feature, short, and documentary films. We'll preview the festival on Friday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September162016.mp3 Friday, 16 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Unless they have had direct contact with or work in the criminal justice system, most people don't know much about criminal law and how the courts work. Bail for criminal defendants may be one of the areas the public understands the least. In Pennsylvania district magistrates most often set bail for those who have been charged criminally. While it's accurate that the judge has a table that list guidelines for the seriousness of the crime and the corresponding bail, bail is not meant to be a punishment. A priority for setting bail is to ensure that defendants show up for future court proceedings. Does that keep the public safe? There have been dozens of cases across the country recently where someone accused of a crime and free on bail has committed another crime, including several over the last 18 months here in Pennsylvania. For example, in June 2015, 38-year-old Leeton Thomas of Quarryville was charged with murdering a neighbor -- Lisa Scheetz and her 16-year-old daughter Hailey. Thomas was free after his wife posted one-tenth of the $50,000 bail set when he was accused of sexually molesting Hailey Scheetz and her 15-year-old sister. The sister was stabbed but survived. There also are many cases where a criminal defendant is charged with a non-violent or less serious crime but is in jail because they don't have the money to post bail. Our guests on Thursday's Smart Talk believe bail reform is needed in Pennsylvania. Joining us are Pennsylvania Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel and Pennsylvania's Victim Advocate Jennifer Storm. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September152016.mp3 Thursday, 15 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The Department of Veteran's Affairs determined that an average of 20 US military veterans commit suicide every day. Thank You For Your Service is a documentary that follows the lives of four veterans of the Iraq War as they navigate through life carrying the "invisible scars" they brought home from war. Director Tom Donahue addresses the difficulties re-acclimating to the routines after the homecoming, from managing personal relationships and careers to obtaining care from veteran services. The film uncovers the cracks in the system that can leave veterans feeling helpless and the misguided philosophies about war planning and accommodating service men and women following their service. Interviews with high level civilian and military leaders, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Generals David Petraeus and Mayor Rudy Giuliani, demonstrate a series of miscues and neglect when addressing the needs of the more than 2 million Americans who have served in the Middle East over the last 15 years. We will talk with the film's director, Tom Donahue, as well as Lieutenant Colonel (Dr.) Gary Wynn, Assistant Chief of Psychiatry at the Department of Defense's Medical School and William Barko, a retired Army colonel who has dedicated his life to advancing military medical care. Thank You For Your Service will be shown September 15, 2016 at 6:30pm at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center. Also, September is Sepsis Awareness Month and it's dubbed the silent killer. It's also believed to be highly under-reported. In the US, there are 250,000 deaths each year from Sepsis, but some health care providers believe it could be 500,000 death a year. More people die from Sepsis than breast cancer, prostate cancer, and HIV/AIDS combined. Dr. Thomas Stoner of Pinnacle Health appears on Wednesday's Smart Talk to discuss. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September142016.mp3 Wednesday, 14 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 In a recent report issued by the Keystone Research Center, researchers found Pennsylvania's wages for all workers, regardless of gender, race, age or other factors, have stagnated or declined. Traditionally the gateway to prosperity has been found in secondary education, but the findings within the report, The State of Working Pennsylvania, determine that wages for college educated Pennsylvanians have been in decline since the early 2000's. The report also identifies a growing resentment towards what Keystone Research Center economist Mark Price refers to as " . . . some 'other' group [that] is unfairly receiving more of the economic benefits of a growing economy . . ." Many suggestions are offered to offset this disparity in pay, from raising the wages of care-givers and truckers to regulating worker's schedules and strengthening of organized labor. The report ultimately concludes "The economy has not been deliberately organized in a way that favors hard-working families. At the federal and state level, it has been 'rigged' so that economic gains flow to the top." The Keystone Center recommendation is to create an economy that has a wider breadth of economic distribution. We'll speak with one of the authors of the report, Keystone Research Center Executive Director Stephan Herzenberg as well as James Paul, Senior Policy Analyst with the Commonwealth Foundationabout ideas to help elevate and equalize worker pay in Pennsylvania. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September132016.mp3 Tuesday, 13 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Over the past 50 years, American astronauts have been hailed as modern day heroes and explorers. Considering that only about 600 humans have ever been in space, it's quite a select group. NASA astronaut and Commander of the 25th International Space Station Expedition, retired Colonel Douglas Wheelock appears on Tuesday's Smart Talk. The space program may not get the attention from Americans that it did during the Apollo program or when space shuttles were exploring space every few months, but there often are discoveries being made and experiments being conducted that could impact our lives. For example, NASA's Kepler Space Telescope recently discovered more than 1,200 planets that could be similar to earth and have water content which could possibly sustain human life. What do findings like that mean for the future of NASA and space exploration? https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May172016.mp3 September, 12 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 September 11th, 2001. This Sunday marks the 15th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on American soil. Everyone who is old enough to remember that day can describe exactly where they were and what they doing when they heard the news of the first airplane -- piloted by terrorists -- hitting the World Trade Center in New York. They'll often talk about the picture-perfect blue skies that provided a backdrop for the planes, the fireballs and the smoke, soot and dust. Not long after the first plane, a second aircraft crashed into the other tower at the World Trade Center and a third hit the Pentagon outside Washington -- leaving no doubt America was under attack. The fourth plane, which was probably destined for Washington, was different. After United Flight 93 was commandeered by the terrorists, passengers started making phone calls to loved ones and learned of the other crashes. Even though they probably knew their fate, the 40 passengers decided to fight back. When they stormed the plane's cockpit and wrestled with the hijackers, the plane crashed into the ground killing everyone on board. The passengers' heroism no doubt saved other lives. The place where Flight 93 crashed was a windy, lonely field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Today, it is the site of the Flight 93 Memorial. Friday's Smart Talk comes to you from that sacred ground. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September082016.mp3 Thursday, 8 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The spoken word has transcended print, television and the internet as a living document of human progress. Storytelling preserves history, teaches generations life lessons hidden within parables and fables, it entertains and comforts us. It connects people through our most basic form of communication. And while people drift from moveable type to radio to television to the internet, the one constant is the need for people to share their stories with others. This tradition will be on display at the 5th Annual Lititz Storytelling Festival, Friday and Saturday, September 10th & 11th at the Warwick Middle School Auditorium. Award winning Welsh storyteller Daniel Morden joined Smart Talk Wednesday to discuss life as a modern-troubadour, the role of Greek myth in contributing to today's storytelling tradition, and why pain and adversity make for the most resonant tales. Morden described just how engaging a well told story can be for the listener: "When you finish a performance of The Iliad or The Odyssey, the audience ought to have gone a journey. They ought to have finished and sit back and go "aahh." And there ought to be sweat rings under their armpits. They ought to have been through that ordeal, at some level, with Odysseus." Good storytelling can create images every bit as vivid as something seen on film, what Morden calls the 'cinema of the mind': "Someone can tell the story of a giant tearing a palace out of the ground and wading across the ocean and placing the palace on the other side of the sea and we don't have to spend all that money, we don't have to waste all those resources on CGI. We just say it, and the audience pictures it." Festival founder David Worth discussed who will be presenting at the event, including Carmen Didi, a Cuban American who tells tales of growing up Cuban in Georgia, Donald Davis, the "Dean" of American storytelling as well as Daniel Morden. During Wednesday's Smart Talk, we also explored the juxtaposition of social responsibility and environmental attention with business development in Lancaster County as Jessica King and Jonathan Coleman, both of ASSETS Lancaster, talk about Lancaster County's 2017 Great Social Enterprise Pitch, an effort to encourage new businesses that serve the community as well as their clients. ASSETS Lancaster spoke of the motivation for the endeavor: "It's a way of doing business that integrates impact, social impact, environmental impact, changing the world in some way into an actual business model. So not to say that business is to make money at all costs, but also to do good and to make change in the community." The Great Social Enterprise is a partnership between the Lancaster County Community Foundation and ASSETS Lancaster. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September072016.mp3 Wednesday, 7 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 State and federal prisons get a lot of attention but what about county jails and prisons? It can cost up to $40,000 a year to house an inmate in a county lock-up. That makes the jail one of the biggest expenses for counties. A task force appointed by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania found that nearly two-thirds of inmates at county jails have substance abuse issues, 10 to 30% suffer from a mental illness and 14% have a serious mental illness. Considering county jails house more individuals with mental illness than psychiatric hospitals, it raises the question of whether keeping people behind bars is the right way to go in the long run. The report's conclusion was it isn't and made a number of recommendations to control the need for incarceration, expand training and education to staff and law enforcement and provide effective supports and services to inmates. Counties are calling for engagement with communities, lawmakers, citizens and judges to improve the situation. County jails and their inmates and reaching better outcomes are the topics of Tuesday's Smart Talk. Our guests are CCAP Deputy Director Brinda Carroll Penyak, and Ed Michalik, administrator of Berks County's Office of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September062016.mp3 Tuesday, 6 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 This week, as part of the ongoing collaborative project A Nation Engaged, NPR and WITF will feature stories and conversations around the theme "What is America's place in the world?" On Friday's Smart Talk, we're discussing how trade deals have impacted and continue to affect Pennsylvania. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has blamed trade deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA as one of the culprits for Americans losing jobs. It was designed to open trade between Mexico, Canada and the United States. NAFTA was negotiated by President H.W. Bush and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1993. Citing his business background, Trump has said he would renegotiate past trade agreements and doesn't support the Trans-Pacific Partnership currently being considered. Democrat Hillary Clinton has not been enthusiastic about NAFTA and reversed her support for the TPP. The questions are: what impact has NAFTA and international trade had on Pennsylvania. The state has lost manufacturing jobs but how much of the job loss was due to those jobs going overseas? What about Pennsylvania products? How did exports fare? Trade's impact on Pennsylvania is the topic of Friday's Smart Talk. Our guests are Fariborz Ghadar, a distinguished scholar and senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and founding director of the Center for Global Business Studies at Penn State University and David Patti, Principal at David Patti Strategic Consulting and former head of the Pennsylvania Businesss Council. Read more about trade and Pennsylvania from WITF's Keystone Crossroads Also, Penn State opens its football season Saturday against Kent State. Audrey Snyder, who covers the Nittany Lions for the Pittsburgh Sports Report, provides a preview of the 2016 season. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September022016.mp3 Friday, 2 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Here may be a couple of the most obvious statistics you'll ever read -- pain affects more Americans than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. Pain is the number one reason people seek medical treatment. The National Center for Health Statistics estimates than more than 76 million Americans have suffered from pain that lasts longer than 24 hours. It makes sense because pain is part of most illnesses, conditions or diseases and it is the symptom most of us want to go away or be controlled first. Chronic pain is the most common cause of long-term disability and is a major contributor to rising healthcare costs. Not that pain doesn't get attention, but the opiod drug epidemic sweeping Pennsylvania and the country could be viewed as a direct result of pain because many people dependent on opioids, including heroin, started with painkillers. September is National Pain Awareness Month and Smart Talk starts it with a discussion of pain and pain management Thursday. Our guests are Dr. Malik Momin, Medical Director and Founder of Susquehanna Valley Pain Management and Dr. Norman Heueisen, who is certified in pain management. Also, Labor Day weekend means Harrisburg's Kipona Festival - the end of summer celebration along the Susquehanna River. This year's event is a special one - the 100th Kipona Festival. We'll talk about it on Thursday's program with Jeb Stuart, Preservation Advisor with Historic Harrisburg Association and Chair, Harrisurg Parks Foundation and Devan Drabik, Director of Business Development, City of Harrisburg. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_September012016.mp3 Thursday, 1 September 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The end of summer and the beginning of fall is a time for optimism for many college students. The new school year is starting. Students will be one-step closer to graduation and hopefully their careers. Of course, most are also looking forward to seeing and meeting new friends and social activities as well. However, as some 120,000 students return to Pennsylvania's state-owned universities this year, there's a cloud hanging over their heads. Faculty members represented by the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties, who have been working without a new contract for 14 months, will vote next week on whether to authorize a strike. It's just one of the issues we'll discuss on Wednesday's Smart Talk with Millersville University president John Anderson. Another one includes a recent article by the investigative news organization ProPublica that found tuition and fees increased by 56% between 2000-2001 and 2014-2015 at Millersville -- the largest percentage of any of the state-owned universities. Millersville has attributed the increase, at least in the last year, to a per-credit tuition model that had an impact on students taking more than 13 credits. The new credit model is considered an innovation. There are others at Millersville as well. We'll discuss the changing face of higher education. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August312016.mp3 Wednesday, 31 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The nation has been shifting away from coal as an energy source for some time now after decades of being one of the biggest producers of electricty. At first, the motivation to move away from coal was environmental -- coal simply was dirtier than other fuels. That's still a big factor but natural gas, which is cleaner and abundant in Pennsylvania, became the fuel of choice. However, Pennsylvania is a coal-producing state -- something that the 2016 presidential candidates have seized upon. Democrat Hillary Clinton has a $30 billion plan to "put miners back to work" while Republican Donald Trump just says he will bring coal back. StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Marie Cusick recently travelled to coal country and talked with Pennsylvanians who are skeptical. She appears on Tuesday's Smart Talk. Also, the City of Lancaster's school district has about 11 thousand 500 students. More that 500 of them are refugees from other countries. Most of them are enrolled at McCaskey High School's International School that has a quality English as a Second Language program. Six student refuges who were sent to another school sued and a court ruled in their favor late last week. Those students claimed they were being denied equal access to education because they were sent to the Phoenix Academy, which usually is reserved for students at risk for dropping out or aging out before graduation. Keystone Crossroads reporter Emily Previti joins us with more insight into the ruling. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August302016.mp3 Tuesday, 30 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf appears on Monday's Smart Talk. Pennsylvania, like many other states, is in the midst of an opioid crisis. Heroin overdose deaths are commonplace throughout the state. Heroin is cheap and easy to obtain. Many heroin users started by taking prescription drugs and then turned to heroin. The Wolf Administration has announed plans to battle the problem. It's one of the topics the governor addresses. If you have a question or comment for Gov. Wolf, call 1-800-729-7532 or email smarttalk@witf.org. Also, we've heard many times that the 2016 presidential campaign is unlike any other. Donald Trump's attention-grabbing presence is one of the reasons. The controversy that follows Trump has had a polarizing effect on the electorate. So much so that a few local university or college political science professors are wrestling with their own political beliefs and whether to discuss them in class. Three of them join us on Monday's program. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August292016.mp3 Monday, 29 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 At least 3,500 people died of a drug overdose in Pennsylvania last year, and this year's total is expected to climb even higher. How many of those people tried to get help, but couldn't get into a treatment facility? Experts have frequently cited a shortage of treatment beds for people addicted to opioids like heroin, oxycodone, or suboxone. Cheryl Dondero, Executive Director of Dauphin County Drug and Alcohol Services will be in studio to talk about it, and why there's hope for people battling addiction. This weekend in Lancaster, a Recovery Day walk is happening. The event will take place on Sunday and aims to show it's possible to live a productive life after addiction. Scott Theurer is the executive director of Lancaster County Recovery Alliance, and joins us. Finally, the Department of Agriculture recently announced its preserved 5,000 farms in the state. How did it reach this milestone, and how does it balance preservation with development? Secretary Russell Redding will answer those questions and more on Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August262016.mp3 Friday, 26 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Thursday is the 100th birthday of the National Park Service. WITF's Smart Talk marks the occasion with a Smart Talk Road Trip and a live broadcast from the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor's Center Thursday, at 9 a.m. On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill that mandated the agency "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." The Gettysburg Battlefield is one of the country's most popular national parks. New books continue to be written and we learn more about the battle -- a full 153 years after it was fought July 1-3, 1863. Meanwhile, the Eisenhower National Historic Site on the edge of the battlefield is a monument to President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who also served as the Allied Supreme Commander during World War II. There are Centennial activities throughout the day in Gettysburg Thursday, including a first-come, first-serve behind the scenes tour of the Gettysburg museums collections storage area. Thursday's Smart Talk features a discussion of the Centennial and the Gettysburg historic sites with Ed Clark, superintendent of the Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site, and retired U.S. Army Colonel Dr. Jeffrey McCausland, who teaches at Dickinson College and through his company Diamond6 conducts leadership workshops and uses the Battle of Gettysburg as a case study. Rick Lemmers tells us about the Eisenhower National Historic Site, often called the Eisenhower Farm. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August252016.mp3 Thursday, 25 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The flooding in Louisiana has been described as the worst natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy or Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana. More than 20 inches of rain two weeks ago resulted in 13 deaths and 60,000 homes being damaged or destroyed. President Obama visited the state Tuesday to see the devastation first-hand. The president has been criticized for not cutting his vacation short and visiting the site sooner. President George W. Bush came under the same criticism after Katrina. Many have complained that the flooding hasn't gotten as much attention nationally and consequently, not as much aide has gotten to the flood victims. On Wednesday's Smart Talk, we get an eyewitness account of the flood damage from Sue Lincoln, who is in the news department at WRKF public radio in Baton Rouge. We also hear from the American Red Cross for the Central Pennsylvania region. Also, a new United States Champion will be crowned at the Little League World Series in Williamsport this week. At this time last year, the Red Land Little League team was on their way to the American title and a spot in the world championship game against Japan. A new book called Boys in the Field A Championship Journey from Red Land to Williamsport is out. Its author Scott Slayton appears on Wednesday's program. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August242016.mp3 Wednesday, 24 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 College students are returning to campuses and classes across the country this week. Questions a student and their parents often asked themselves are whether the student can get a job in their field of study after graduating and if their major is preparing them for the jobs and careers of the future? The job site Indeed has just released research on the best college majors for jobs of the future. Indeed's Chief Economist Tara Sinclair appears on Tuesday's Smart Talk to discuss their findings. One result is that the majors for jobs of the future aren't necessarily matching up with the fields of study students are currently majoring in. For example, the number one major for jobs of the future is computer and information sciences. In today's most popular fields of study, computer and information sciences comes in 11th. Also, Capital Blue Cross is offering a unique class for cancer survivors starting August 31. The 12-week anti-cancer program is designed for cancer survivors and provides lifestyle information that if applied could stop a reoccurrence. The program is one of only two being offered on the East Coast. It focuses on diet, exercise, mindset and environment. Joining us on Tuesday's show are Kelly Brennan, the Director of Health education and training for Capital Blue Cross and Maura Carbaugh, a cancer survivor who has gone through the course. For more on cancer and healthy lifestyles, plus a deeper look at the changing tide of healthcare--check out WITF's Transforming Health. From policy to personal choices we're taking a comprehensive look at today's health system. Transforming Health is partnership of WITF, Penn State Health and WellSpan Health. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August232016.mp3 Tuesday, 23 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The year was 1993. Bill Clinton was president of the United States. First Lady Hillary Clinton began a campaign for healthcare reform. Jurassic Park was the top film, Seinfeld among the highest rated TV shows, and Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You was the number one song. It also was a historic year in Pennsylvania. Gov. Robert Casey had been diagnosed two years before with a rare blood disease that attacked his organs. By June of 1993, the governor's condition had worsened and doctors feared his organs would shut down. He needed a liver transplant but his heart couldn't withstand the surgery, so Casey underwent a rare double organ transplant -- getting a new heart and liver. It took six months for Casey to recover. Lieutenant Governor Mark Singel became Pennsylvania's Acting Governor during that time. Singel was not just a caretaker. While not venturing far from Casey's agenda, Singel worked on issues such as waste recycling, a statewide 911 emergency phone system, workers compensation and property tax reform. Twenty three years later, Singel has written an account of 1993 and his time leading the state through that Year of Change and Consequences -- the title of his new book. Former Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor and Acting Governor Mark Singel appears on Monday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August222016.mp3 Monday, 22 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The criminal conviction of former Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane this week joins a long list of political corruption in Pennsylvania. Kane resigned Wednesday after being convicted of charges related to leaking secret grand jury information to a newspaper and then lying about it under oath. The Kane saga of the past two years doesn't just include the criminal charges against her. She was elected saying she would determine why the child sex abuse investigation of former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky took so long. Kane was considered a rising star politically before a Philadelphia Inquirer story about an investigation that wasn't pursued by her office. After that she became obsessed with revenge against a former prosecutor. Along the way there were pornographic and racist emails exchanged by several judges, prosecutors and lawyers. The Kane story is just one of several corruption stories in Pittsburgh Tribune-Review columnist Brad Bumsted's new book Keystone Corruption Continues -- a follow-up to his first book on several other corruption cases. Also, visitors from across the country will descend on Mt. Gretna in Lebanon County this weekend for the annual Mt. Gretna Outdoor Art Show. It is one of longest-running and most respected art shows anywhere. Linda Bell, the Chairperson of the Mt. Gretna Outdoor Art Show Committee appears on Smart Talk to describe what to expect and what makes the show special. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August192016.mp3 Friday, 19 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania new Acting Attorney General Bruce Castor Jr. appears on Thursday's Smart Talk in what is one his first broadcast interviews since taking office Wednesday. Castor, who was the First Deputy Attorney General, took over for Kathleen Kane, who resigned her office Wednesday. Kane was convicted by a Montgomery County jury Monday of charges related to leaking secret Grand Jury information to a newspaper and then lying about it under oath. At a press conference earlier this week, Castor said he would make it a priority to restore public trust in the office and boost morale among prosecutors and agents in the state's top law enforcement office. Castor is no stranger to controversy himself. While serving as Montgomery County's District Attorney, he promised to not prosecute entertainer Bill Cosby for sexual assault saying the case couldn't be won and that he entered into a deal with Cosby so that Cosby would testify in the alleged victim's civil suit. She has since sued Castor for defamation. Also on Thursday's program -- Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump said in Altoona last week that the only way he would lose Pennsylvania is if cheating occurred on Election Day. Elections officials throughout the state have responded by saying safeguards are in place to ensure cheating or fraud doesn't occur. Philadelphia City Commissioner Lisa Deeley and Dauphin County's Director of Elections and Voter Registration Jerry Feaser join us on Thursday's program to discuss elections there. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August182016.mp3 Thursday, 18 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Severe mental illness is often defined by its length of duration and the disability it produces. These illnesses include disorders that produce psychotic symptoms, such as schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, and severe forms of other disorders, such as major depression and bipolar disorder. Some 10 million Americans suffer from serious mental illness. Twenty-six percent of the homeless staying shelters live with serious mental illness. Those with a serious mental illness are also more likely to have physical medical problems like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. They also have a life expectancy that could be up to 20 years less than the average American's lifespan. So how are those living with serious mental illness being treated? Sometimes it appears that treatment is all over the place. On Wednesday's Smart Talk, we examine a residential treatment program for adults who struggle with serious mental illness. It's called Project Transition and places emphasis on apartment living, employment, family support and recovery. Project Transition's CEO Luke Crabtree appears on the program. Also, Chef Donna Marie Desfor, host of the WITF Cooks TV shows and owner of There's a Chef in my Kitchen appears to review four cookbooks with tasty summertime food and drink recipes. Review - Spritz: Italy's Most Iconic Aperitivo Cocktail, with Recipes Review - Around the Fire: Recipes for Inspired Grilling and Seasonal Feasting from Ox Restaurant Review - The Elements of Pizza: Unlocking the Secrets to World-Class Pies at Home Review - Sweeter Off the Vine: Fruit Desserts for Every Season https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August172016.mp3 Wednesday, 17 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane has been convicted on all four counts related to charges that she leaked secret Grand Jury information to a newspaper and then lied about it under oath. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review columnist Brad Bumsted covered the trial in Montgomery County Court and joins us Tuesday. In the mid-1980s, there were predictions that AIDS would kill millions of people in the United States and the Western World. Education campaigns and other strategies kept that from happening in the West. However, in Africa, it was a different story where tens of millions did die. AIDS was a death sentence for many who were diagnosed in the '80s and '90s. With the possible exception of cancer, AIDS and the HIV virus that caused AIDS, were researched and studied probably more than any other illness during those times. No cure was found and still hasn't been, but treatments like antiretroviral therapy, got much better to the point where those diagnosed today are living long lives. However, the key is to get treatment and almost 50% of Americans who are HIV positive aren't on antiretroviral therapy and are risking their health. Meanwhile, there are some 50,000 new infections in the U.S. every year. The challenge is reaching the people who are most at risk of contracting the virus -- mostly young men of color. Penn State Health's infectious disease HIV/AIDS program has received a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration to expand its OPT-In For Life social media campaign to encourage testing and treatment. Dr. John Zurlo, Director of Infectious Diseases Training at Penn State Health leads the campaign and appears on Tuesday's Smart Talk along with Yolanda Edrington, Community & Patient Engagement Supervisor with Hamilton Health Center. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August162016.mp3 Tuesday, 16 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 More Americans are identifying themselves as "independent" voters. National polls over the past two years find that around 40% or more called themselves independent. For the most part, voter registration statistics from across the country don't show that high of a percentage who are registered as independents. That could be because, in states like Pennsylvania, independents can't vote in primary elections. The bottom line is many see Republicans as conservative and Democrats as liberal. There doesn't seem to be a place for moderates and as a result many moderates call themselves independents. But are they really? Do independents lean toward one party or the other? Do they vote for candidates from both parties? In other words, do independents split their tickets? Independent voters could be especially important in this election year. Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton need independents to vote their way -- especially Trump who is trailing in most polls now. If Trump loses, other Republican candidates need voters to split their tickets. We discuss ticket splitting and independent voters on Monday's Smart Talk with Elizabethtown College Political Science Professor E. Fletcher McClellan. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August152016.mp3 Monday, 15 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 In a story reported by the York Daily Record, the Harrisburg Catholic Diocese acknowledged by name 15 priests who have been accused of sexually abusing children and who at time or another worked in the diocese. The Daily Record says it may be the first time the Diocese has provided details on the priests. Seven of the priests had been identified in various reports previously and the story was researched to find the other eight. The Diocese continues to hear from survivors of the abuse and provides funding to them for counseling, medical treatment, travel and child care among other expenses. We learn more on Friday's Smart Talk from York Daily Record reporter Brandie Kessler and Enterprise Editor Scott Blanchard. On the complete other side of the spectrum, a segment of Friday's program is devoted to heroes -- 50 American Heroes Every Kid Should Meet is a book that was written 15 years ago by retired Millersville University professor Dennis Denenberg and a co-author Lorraine Roscoe. The book has been updated. There still are 50 heroes but 10 were subtracted another 10 added. Dennis Denenberg, co-author of the revised 50 American Heroes Every Kid Should Meet joins us Friday. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August122016.mp3 Friday, 12 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The Smart Talk program that airs Wednesday was produced at Pine Grove Furnace State Park within sight of the Appalachian Trail earlier this week. It's the latest in the Smart Talk Road Trip series. The next Smart Talk Road Trip is at the Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor's Center Thursday, August 25. With Pine Grove Furnace at about the midpoint of the 2,200 mile Appalachian Trail, much of the discussion focuses on hiking and hiking culture. Two of the guests on the program -- Nan "Drag N Fly" Rysinger and Carolyn "Freckles" Banjak -- have hiked the entire length of the Trail from Georgia to Maine. In fact, Drag N Fly is the oldest woman to ever through hike the Appalachian Trail. The Appalachian Trail Museum is also located at Pine Grove Furnace State Park and we explore what the museum has to offer. Smart Talk also touches on topics such as conservation, the outdoors, state parks, and history, including the history of the furnace that was used to make iron. Appearing on Smart Talk are Cindy Dunn, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Joe Harold, Manager of the Appalachian Trail Museum, and Dr. Andre Weltman, President and Historian with Friends of Pine Grove Furnace State Park. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August102016.mp3 Wednesday, 10 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Photographs of an overburdened horse being beaten went viral on social media and created a nationwide firestorm last week. The single horse was hauling a large wagon filled with watermelons. When the horse appeared to be having trouble pulling the wagon, a man allegedly beat the horse. It was later euthanized. Ephrata police charged 20-year-old Marvin M. Sensenig with two counts of animal cruelty. One of the reasons this case has gotten so much attention is Sensenig was identified as Amish and it brought up the issue of how Amish treat animals. It also was reported that a witness to the incident said a police officer told her the Amish are not subject to the same animal cruelty laws as others. Police denied the officer said that. So what does the law say and what do the Amish believe about animals? On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we answer those questions with Steven Nolt, Senior Scholar for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies and Professor of History and Anabaptist Studies at Elizabethtown College and Nicole Wilson, Director of Humane Law Enforcement, Pennsylvania SPCA. Also, on two different Smart Talk programs last week, we heard about deficiencies at Pennsylvania nursing homes. The association representing non-profit nursing homes agrees there are bad facilities but that all nursing homes shouldn't be criticized and changes are needed. Ron Barth, the CEO and president of LeadingAge PA joins us. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August092016.mp3 Tuesday, 09 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The political conventions are now history and even though it's not Labor Day yet, voters can't help but pay attention to this year's presidential campaigns. Pennsylvania has been called a swing state so the nation is watching what's happening in the Keystone State. The latest Franklin and Marshall poll released this week shows Democrat Hillary Clinton gaining on Republican Donald Trump. Appearing on Friday's Smart Talk is Dr. G. Terry Madonna, political analyst and pollster, who will also discuss the current status of Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race. The Penn State Nittany Lion football team opened practice Thursday and there are a few changes this year. Head Coach James Franklin is in his third year but there are new offensive and defensive coordinators and Christian Hackenberg has moved onto the NFL, so there will be a new starting quarterback. Talk in the off season included discussion of a revamped Beaver Stadium and other schools bringing up the Sandusky child sex abuse scandal when recruiting. Audrey Snyder, who covers Penn State for DKPittsburghsports.com, will join us throughout the season including tomorrow. Finally, did you know Central PA is home to a growing literary scene? It's embodied in Hippocampus Magazine, a publication whose mission "is to entertain, educate and engage readers and writers of creative nonfiction." They publish new work from emerging and established writers of creative nonfiction. Next weekend, they're hosting the 2nd annual HippoCamp: A Conference for Creative Nonfiction Writers in Lancaster. The conference will feature guests and presenters of local interest. Donna Talarico, Founder and Publisher of Hippocampus Magazine, joins us to discuss the conference and the magazine behind it. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August052016.mp3 Friday, 05 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale appeared on Smart Talk Tuesday to discuss a recently released audit on nursing homes at the request of the State Department of Health. That audit found the Health Department was not reviewing nursing home staffing levels as much as required -- meaning some facilities may have been understaffed. The audit also found that the Department of Health stopped taking anonymous complaints in 2012, which may have jeopardized residents' safety. Meanwhile, PennLive is publishing a series called Failing the Frail this week that goes in-depth on nursing home care across the state. The series comes after a six-month investigation by the news website. For example, PennLive found that 46 care-related deaths were reported at Pennsylvania nursing homes between 2013 and 2015. Of those, only 17 triggered a penalty for the nursing home. And, even then, many of the penalties were small. The website quotes experts from across the country that compares nursing homes in Pennsylvania to other states. PennLive reporters Daniel-Simmons Ritchie and David Wenner join us on Thursday's Smart Talk to provide more details oo what they found https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August042016.mp3 Thursday, 04 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The Summer Olympic Games open in Rio de Janeiro later this week. The Olympics is a spectacle that the world looks forward to every two years. More than 200 nations competing in peace and harmony is still the ideal of the Olympic Games. We often remember when that was close to happening or when athletic history was made, but today the world is a different place. Politics, the threat of terrorism and the high cost of staging the events often tarnish the ideals. Our guest on Wednesday's Smart Talk is an expert on the Olympic games and their history. Appearing on the program is Mark Dyreson, Ph.D. Professor of Kinesiology at Penn State. He authored the books Crafting Patriotism: America at the Olympic Games and Making the American Team: Sport, Culture and the Olympic Experience. Also on Wednesday's show, college students want internship experience to boost their resume and learn the tricks of the trade. Cities in Pennsylvania could use an extra set of hands to help out around the office. Enter a new Penn State program that matches those two groups. It's called the Scholarship, Sustainability and Civic Engagement Program. Eleven students participated this summer and several Pennsylvania cities and their taxpayers reaped the benefits. To tell us more are Tim Kelsey, Ph.D. Co-Director of the Center for Economic and Community Development at Penn State and Alexandra Sorce, a Community, Environment and Development major at Penn State, who spent the summer in McKees Rocks working on food access and nutrition issues. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August032016.mp3 Wednesday, 03 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Democrat Hillary Clinton touted jobs in a campaign stop in Harrisburg Friday night and Republican Donald Trump made trade and manufacturing the themes of his appearance at Cumberland Valley High School Monday night. The two major party candidates campaigning in the midstate indicates how important Pennsylvania is to each of them. Even though Pennsylvania has favored every Democrat in presidential elections since 1992, the Trump campaign believes the state could swing his way this year. WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Katie Meyer covered both events and joins us on Smart Talk to discuss what she observed. Also, police officers were shot at in two separate incidents last week in Lancaster County. None of the officers were hit on either occasion but a 13-year- old boy was wounded last Wednesday night during the first incident that occured in Lancaster. The shooting in Columbia early Friday morning was probably the most chilling. Two teenagers - 17-year-old Marquell Rentas and 18-year-old Michael Nace were charged with deliberately targeting police. This comes just a few weeks after police officers were gunned down in Baton Rouge and Dallas. The gunmen in both those shootings apparently were angry over police shootings of African-American men. Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman is with us to discuss the incidents. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August022016.mp3 Tuesday, 02 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Tens of thousands of Pennsylvania's most vulernable and needy citizens live in nursing homes. Most have been diagnosed with an illness or other medical condition and are in need of nursing care. In Pennsylvania, nursing home residents are required to receive a minimum of 2.7 hours of direct care each day. An audit of nursing homes by Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale found that the State Department of Health was not reviewing nursing home staffing levels as much as required meaning some facilities may have been understaffed. The audit also found that the Department of Health stopped taking anonymous complaints in 2012, which may have jeopardized residents' safety. Auditor General DePasquale appears on Monday's Smart Talk with more information about the audit. Department of Health's Nursing Home locator can be found here. Also, computers don't make mistakes - or do they? It may sound counterintuitive, but a Franklin and Marshall College study is looking into whether computers can learn through trial and error -- just like humans. Joining us on Monday's program is Erik Talvitie, Associate rofessor of Computer Science, Franklin and Marshall College https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_August012016.mp3 Monday, 01 August 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Turmoil around the world, specifically in the Middle East, is leaving many people displaced and seeking a new home. Conflicts arose as different sides, in the United States and Europe, argued both for whether to accept or turn away refugees. Despite the controversy, the U.S. plans to take a maximum of 85,000 refugees during the 2016 fiscal year. But once they've been screened and accepted, what happens to refugees in the United States? They integrate. They begin to live their lives in the United States. In part, that involves their children attending school wherever they've settled. The School District of Lancaster, which enrolls approximately 500 refugees annually, was recently sued by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of six student refugees. The suit alleges that school officials unfairly forced the students into the Phoenix Academy, an institution which is described as using "boot-camp-style discipline," and having less English language education, resulting in several student refugees dropping out. Joining us Friday to discuss the suit and her recent article detailing the situation is Emily Previti, a WITF reporter for Keystone Crossroads. Also, WITF's Radio Pennsylvania reporter Rachel McDevitt joins us on Friday. Rachel spent the past week in Philadelphia covering the Democratic National Convention. Rachel wraps up the week for us including her take on Hillary Clinton's nomination acceptance speech. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July292016.mp3 Friday, 29 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Nearly 1 in 8 American women develop breast cancer in their lifetimes. It is the most common form of cancer among women in the United States. It is also the second most deadly. More than 40,000 women in the U.S. were expected to die from breast cancer in 2015, and over 300,000 new cases of breast cancer are estimated to be diagnosed in 2016. Most of the women and men who are diagnosed with breast cancer develop the disease after the age of 40. It's one of the reasons that mammograms, the tool used most often to screen for breast cancer, aren't typically conducted until after those being tested are over 40. However, some 11,000 women under 40 are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Before turning 40 most women detect breast cancer through self-examination. That's where the Feel Your Boobies Foundation comes in to make young women aware and encourage them to examine their breasts for lumps or irregularities. The Feel Your Boobies Foundation has partnered with TFM Advertising on an edgy new campaign to spread breast health awareness. Appearing on Smart Talk Thursday to discuss breast cancer and the campaign are Leigh Hurst, Founder of Feel Your Boobies, Michelle Burger, breast cancer survivor and FYB supporter, and Tom Hollerbach, TFM Advertising President. Also, President Barack Obama spoke at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday night. Franklin & Marshall College political analyst and pollster Dr. G. Terry Madonna joins us again with news of that and other updates from Philadelphia. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July282016.mp3 Thursday, 28 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 With the continuous loss of manufacturing jobs in Pennsylvania, many are asking the question, now what? Some cities and regions have transitioned to other industries like tech, education or healthcare. Still others haven't moved ahead fully yet. York County has shed 6,600 manufacturing jobs since the Great Recession started in December 2007. So what industries and jobs will replace those that were lost during the economic crash? The York Daily Record recently produced a package of stories examining that question. Joining us on Wednesday's Smart Talk is Gary Haber, Business Reporter at York Daily Record to tell us what he found. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA is hosting a three-day conference starting Friday in Harrisburg to "spiritually rejuvenate Muslim Americans." The conference comes at what is a tense time for many Muslims - after terrorist attacks in San Bernardino, Orlando, Istanbul and Iraq. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has launched a campaign entitled "True Islam and Extremists." Salaam Bhatti, Deputy Spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community appears on Wednesday's Smart Talk to discuss what the sect wants to achieve. Finally, Franklin and Marshall College political analyst and pollster Dr. G. Terry Madonna updates us from the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July272016.mp3 Wednesday, 27 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Thunderstorms rolled over most of the region Monday night bringing some much needed relief from the heat and humidity of the last week. However temperatures are expected to rise into the 90s again for the next couple days. Pete Jung of the National Weather Service in State College appears on Tuesday's Smart Talk to discuss what's been referred to as a "heat dome" and whether drought conditions could be in our our future. (In response to a listener's question about the highest low ever in Harrisburg, Mr. Jung answered: #1 - 83.0 set 08/09/1900 #2, #3, #4 - 81.0 set 07/24/2011, 07/24,2010, 08/05/1930 #5, #6, and #7 - 80.0 set 07/22/2011, 07/15/1995, 07/02/1901 All others are below 80 degrees. So in other words, there have only been 7 occurrences where the overnight low in Harrisburg failed to drop below 80 degrees, with the record "high-low" of 83 degrees on August 9, 1900.) Day one of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia is in the books and it wasn't the smooth running event Democrats were hoping for. Franklin and Marshall College political analyst and pollster Dr. G. Terry Madonna updates us. Nineteen-year-old Sawyer Neale of Elizabethtown is one of the youngest delegates at the DNC. He joins the program too. Also, a new report says more people are getting jobs in the clean energy industry. A recent report conducted for the groups Environmental Entrepreneurs and Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance by BW Research Partnership claims that PA is home to 66,000 clean energy jobs. According to the report, that is a 15% growth from 2014. Joining Smart Talk this Tuesday to discuss the report and the state of clean energy jobs in PA is Bob Keefe, Executive Director of Environmental Entrepreneurs. The report can be found here. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July262016.mp3 Thursday, 26 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 A proposed merger between Penn State Health and Pinnacle Health could have major ramifications in Central Pennsylvania. It certainly would be the largest healthcare provider in the region. A federal court gave its blessing to the merger earlier this year but then the Federal Trade Commission took the unusual step of appealing the ruling - still arguing the merger could create a monopoly. The two sides will be back in court Tuesday. WITF's Transforming Health reporter Ben Allen has been following this case closely and appears on Monday's Smart Talk to provide the latest. The Democratic National Convention opens in Philadelphia this week. Before the convention even got started, marchers are parading through the city to bring attention to climate change. The march comes just a few days after a report that says the Delaware River will flood significantly as the climate changes. StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Susan Phillips joins us on Smart Talk to provide details. Finally, we'll a report from the Democratic National Convention itself. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July252016.mp3 Monday, 25 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Friday's Smart Talk is one of our most interactive programs -- in part because almost everyone can relate to our topic -- antiques. Do you have a family heirloom rattling around in the attic, a dusty hand-me-down, or maybe something you've picked up along the way? Perhaps you have an old letter or postcard -- something with a famous person's signature on it? Today it seems almost everyone has an older piece they've purchased, handed down through the family or held onto from childhood. And at one time or another, we've all wondered what that item may be worth. Friday, Smart Talk returns to what's becoming a show favorite. Describe it as Antiques Roadshow on radio. David Cordier, President and CEO of Cordier Auctions and Appraisals, appears on the show to discuss antiques, collecting, and value. Far from just talking about antiques, we want to hear from you. Give us a call at 1-800-729-7532 to describe an antique item that you have. Or, even better for Mr. Cordier, send us a photo and basic description of your item to smarttalk@witf.org as the show's going on. Mr. Cordier will try to provide a rough estimate of its value, based on what he sees and hears. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July222016.mp3 Friday, 22 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 This past April, the world was shocked when rock star Prince died at the age of 57. Then, we learned that the late artist had not left behind a will. This left his large estate, valued at about $300 million, in a state of flux for Prince's five half-siblings and the more than 700 people who came forward claiming to be related to the artist in the weeks following his death. When is the proper time to draw up a will? How does one go about it? Maybe you're even asking yourself, what is a will? With the massive Baby Boomers reaching retirement age, and the even larger Millennials entering their 20s and 30s when their assets will begin to grow, these questions matter to the young and old alike. On Thursday's Smart Talk we look at all those questions and more. To provide answers are our guests Sean Foley, Owner of ComForCare Home Care, and Randy Moyer, partner and practice group leader for Barley Snyder Law Firm's Personal Planning Group. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July212016.mp3 Thursday, 21 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 There are medical conditions and illnesses that have no cure -- think many forms of cancer or Alzheimer's Disease. But it isn't often that there is one that is known and has been making hundreds of thousands of people sick for years and we still can't agree on how to treat it or whether it's a chronic illness. However, that's the case with Lyme Disease. It is a illness that is difficult to diagnose and not all doctors treat Lyme patients the same way. There is even a disagreement about how many people are infected from the bite of a deer tick. The Centers for Disease Control increased their estimates of Lyme Disease tenfold three years ago from 30,000 to 300,000. What we do know is that Pennsylvania leads the nation in the number of Lyme Disease cases and has for the past several years. A state Task Force made recommendations on education, prevention and treatment last year. We'll discuss Lyme Disease on Wednesday's Smart Talk with Dr. Loren Robinson, the Deputy Secretary for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention with the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Eric Huck, co-founder and board member of the Pennsylvania Lyme Resource Network and Dr. Timothy Stonesifer of Shippensburg. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July202016.mp3 Wednesday, 20 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Earlier this month the Central Pennsylvania-based American Mental Health Wellness Association launched a website that could be described as a one-stop resource for mental wellness or mental illness. It includes information on mental illness symptoms, diagnosis and how and where to get help. The AMWA has also joined with other organizations to promote and educate on mental wellness, including Please Live -- an organization that focuses on depression, anxiety and suicide prevention -- especially amongst young people. Education and awareness of mental wellness is important today when the numbers are taken into account -- one in five adults experienced a mental health issue in 2014 and one in five young people live with a diagnosable mental health condition. But yet, mental illness still has a stigma attached to it and isn't discussed as often as physical illnesses. We learn more on Tuesday's Smart Talk from Sharon Engdahl, the Executive Director of the American Mental Wellness Association and her assistant Alexa Moody, who also is the founder of Please Live. Also, Franklin and Marshall College political analyst and pollster Dr. G. Terry Madonna speaks to us live from the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July192016.mp3 Tuesday, 19 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Three police officers were shot and killed and three others wounded - one critically - in Baton Rouge, Louisiana yesterday. The shootings occurred less than two weeks after police shot and killed an African-American man -- Alton Stirling during a struggle. Five police officers were murdered in Dallas and another black man was killed by police in Minnesota - all in the last two weeks. Police identified the Baton Rouge shooter as 29 year old Gavin Eugene Long of Kansas City Missouri. Joining us to discuss the latest is Sue Lincoln, Capitol Access reporter at WRKF Public Radio in Baton Rouge. Merit selection of statewide appellate court judges is an issue that has been debated for years in Pennsylvania but yet never seems to change. Currently, Pennsylvania voters elect judges to the state Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth Courts. There are several criticisms to electing judges. Critics say voters don't know the candidates so they'll choose a candidate based on their ballot position or area of the state they're from. They also contend too much money goes into judicial races -- much of it from law firms or organizations that may one day appear in the courtroom of a judge who they supported with contributions. No changes have been made until this point because legislators are hesitant to take the responsibility away from voters and many say that a panel appointed to choose judges could also be too political. Legislation is being considered in Harrisburg now that would change how judges are chosen. Widener University Commonwealth Law School Professor Emeritus John Gedid appears on Monday's Smart Talk to discuss it. Also, the Republican National Convention opens Monday. We'll get a report from Cleveland with Franklin and Marshall College political analyst and pollster, Dr. G. Terry Madonna. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July182016.mp3 Monday, 18 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 There was a time when the mention of the Three Mile Island nuclear plant made Central Pennsylvanians think back to the 1979 partial meltdown at the facility's Unit #2 reactor. TMI doesn't seem to get the same reaction today, especially since Unit #1 has been generating electricity safely for the past 30 years. However, TMI is not making the kind of money it once did in the energy market and its future is being assessed by owner Exelon Corporation and that includes the possibility of shutting the plant down, even though it is currently licensed to operate until 2034. Appearing on Friday's Smart Talk to discuss the speculation is Joe Dominguez, Exelon Executive Vice President of Governmental and Regulatory Affairs and Public Policy. Also, on July 17, 1996, Trans World Airlines Flight 800 exploded and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 230 people on board. This Sunday marks the 20th anniversary of the third-deadliest accident in U.S. aviation history. The tragedy disproportionately affected one Pennsylvania community more than any other. Twenty-one of the 230 victims came from Montoursville in Lycoming County. They were Montoursville High School students and their five chaperones traveling for a student exchange program in France. Joining us Friday to discuss the impact of the tragedy on Montoursville over the last 20 years are Chris Miller, Penn State College of Technology Police Chief and Police Chief of Montoursville in 1996, and John Dorin, Mayor of Montoursville. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July152016.mp3 Friday, 15 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 How well do you know your family history? Not just your parents, siblings, and children, but all the second cousins twice removed and great uncles too. And even your parents, where did they come from? What were their parents like and what did they do? Thursday's Smart Talk examines genealogy. The study of a family's line of descent and a family's history first began in royal and wealthy families who had power and wealth to preserve. However, as time went on more and more families from every class and nationality developed an interest in where they came from. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming to research one's genealogy because of the number of branching paths the family tree can take as well as the amount of records available. Everybody has a 1 in 4 chance of having a grandparent's surname and a 1 in 8 chance of having a great grandparent's making it even more complex. Joining us on Smart Talk are Jonathan Stayer, the Supervisor of Reference Services for the Pennsylvania State Archives and Cara Curtis, Archives & Library Manager with the Cumberland County Historical Society. They'll be able to tell you more about genealogy, specifically in Pennsylvania and what resources are good starting points for researching a family's past. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July142016.mp3 Thursday, 14 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 When George W. Bush ran for president in 2000, most of his campaign focused on domestic issues. Tax cuts and "compassionate conservatism" were two terms heard most often. But just nine months into Bush's first term, there were the 9/11 terrorist attacks and then war with the Taliban in Afghanistan and the invasion of Iraq. Even though the nation's economy tanked near the end of the 2008 presidential campaign, campaign promises that attracted voters to Barack Obama included his promises to end the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and bring American troops home. Eight years later, troops have been removed for the most part, but terrorists have gained strength. The point is the foreign policy of a president can be influenced and maybe changed by events beyond his or her control. So while much of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump's campaign pronouncements have been on domestic issues, America's place in the world and foreign policy will make up much of their agendas. What will a Trump or Clinton foreign policy look like? That's the topic of conversation on Wednesday's Smart Talk with Dr. Christopher Dolan, Professor of Politics and Director of Global Studies at Lebanon Valley College and Dr. Nicholas Clark, an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Susquehanna University. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July132016.mp3 Wednesday, 13 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 What are the basic things you need to lead a happy, healthy, productive life? Water, food, clothing, and shelter: the age old list of necessities any human needs. But is it missing something? The UN would say so, stipulating in 2011 that a person's access to the Internet should be classified as a human right. Just looking around, the world certainly has come to understand the convenience and necessity of the web. And it isn't just reserved for entertainment and distraction. Countless jobs now can only be applied to through online portals, numerous newspapers and print publications are failing, falling to the might of paperless publishing, making access to the happenings of the world continually more restricted to online spaces. So, how is a person supposed to thrive if their Internet connection is too slow to be functional? Or, what if they don't even have access to the internet? A 2013 survey found that 28% of Pennsylvania households didn't have Internet access. Joining us Tuesday to discuss the expansion of fast, stable, and reliable web access to a corridor through southeastern PA is Bernadette Reineberg, Director of Community Outreach and Special Projects for United Fiber and Data. Also on the show is Kelly Lewis, President and CEO of Lewis Strategic and Jonelle Darr, Executive Director of the Cumberland County Library System. Libraries serve as points of access to the Internet and countless other digital resources for the numerous Pennsylvanians without an Internet connection in their home. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July122016.mp3 Tuesday, 12 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Last week had the feel of late 1960s America when the nation was torn apart -- often violently -- by racial strife, assassinations and the Vietnam War. The country was in the midst of great upheaval and change. Almost 50 years later, one has to wonder has much has changed. The shootings of two black men -- one in Louisiana and another in Minnesota -- by police were the latest in a string of violent confrontations between police and African-American men over the past two years. With each one, the mistrust between the black community and law enforcement seems to get wider. Then last Thursday night, a sniper shot and killed five police officers and wounded seven others in Dallas -- just blocks from where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 -- another reminder of the volatile 1960s. A sense of sadness, anger and fear has spread over the country and left many asking when does it all end, how do we stop the violence and bridge the gap between the races and especially blacks and police. We'll investigate those questions on Monday's Smart Talk. Our panel includes: Ophelia Chambliss, First Vice President of the York NAACP Rev. Nathaniel Gadsden, Community Impact Manager for the United Way of the Capital Region Dr. Jonathan Lee, an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Penn State Harrisburg Rob Martin, Director of Public Safety for Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County Dr. Rita Shah, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Elizabethtown College. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July112016.mp3 Monday, 11 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Death, like life, is one of the few things universally shared among humanity. Whether by natural causes, disaster, accident, or the will of others, it's something that everyone will have to face eventually. However, not all deaths are alike. Sometimes, the cause of a person's death is a mystery. Sometimes, the cause of someone's death can help solve a mystery. That's the premise behind an upcoming Investigation Discovery miniseries. The eight-part show, "The Coroner: I Speak for the Dead," premieres Monday, July 18, and it reconstructs eight different cases of forensic science from the files of one coroner: Dauphin County Coroner Graham Hetrick. Hetrick has been Dauphin County's Coroner for 25 years, as well as a grief counselor, adjunct professor, and Funeral Director. Hetrick joins us not only to discuss his upcoming show, but also other cases he's been involved in in the past and forensic science in general. Also, terrifying deaths struck the waterways of New Jersey a century ago. From July 1 until July 12 in 1916, five shark attacks occurred in the communities of Beach Haven, Spring Lake, and Matawan resulting in four fatalities. The attacks shocked the country and the world, flipping long held notions that sharks didn't exist in Northern waters and would surely never attack. So indelible were these "12 Days of Terror" that they led to the entrance of sharks in popular culture, inspiring films like Jaws and events like Discovery's annual Shark Week. Speaking with us Friday about the events of a century ago and the commemorations of this tragedy going on this summer is Jim Vogel, Executive Director of the Museum of New Jersey Maritime History. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July082016.mp3 Friday, 08 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Say the word rabies and what image conjures itself in your mind? Perhaps it's the iconic image of a dog who is frothing at the mouth. But is this the reality of what rabies actually is? That may be an important thing to know since Pennsylvania is second in the country for overall number of rabies cases. And it's in the Midstate where the highest numbers of those cases appear. While rabies is far more common amongst wild animals, and Pennsylvania ranks third in terms of wild animals with rabies, the virus can easily be passed on to domestic pets. Pennsylvania leads in reported cases of rabies among cats That's significant because cats are almost four times as likely to be infected as dogs are, contrary to the widespread idea of rabies. The first step you can take as a pet owner to keep your animals safe is to get them vaccinated against rabies. What are the realities of rabies, and how can you spot it to keep you and your pets safe? We'll discuss all that and more on Thursday's Smart Talk with guests Amy Kaunas, Executive Director of the Humane Society of the Harrisburg Area, and Dr. Elizabeth Santini, Veterinarian for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July072016.mp3 Thursday, 07 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Smart Talk finishes the week Friday with a show that will be a lot of fun. Describe it as Antiques Roadshow on radio. David Cordier, President and CEO of Cordier Auctions and Appraisals, appears on Friday's show to discuss antiques, collecting, and value. The program may be the most interactive one we've ever had. That's because we're encouraging you to either call the show at 800-729-7532 to describe an antique item that you have or send a description and photograph to smarttalk@witf.org. Mr. Cordier will try to provide a rough estimate of its value, based on what he sees and hears. Do you have a family heirloom that has been handed down or maybe something you've picked up along the way? Perhaps an old letter or postcard -- something with a famous person's signature on it? Tune in to Friday's Smart Talk at 9 a.m. to hear more https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July062016.mp3 Wednesday, 06 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 A year ago, the U.S. Supreme Court made a decision that in effect legalized same sex marriage in all 50 states. It was a historic ruling, especially for those in the LGBT community. Polls have shown that Americans are more accepting of same sex relationships and the LGBT community. That doesn't mean that everyone is on board. In Pennsylvania, there is no anti-discrimination law protecting people from being fired from their jobs or unable to obtain housing based on sexual orientation. Pennsylvania is the only state in the northeast without such a law, although almost three dozen municipalities in the state have enacted anti-discrimination laws. Opponents of anti-discrimination laws are concerned that their religious beliefs and freedoms would be eroded. Two weeks ago, the Senate Housing and Urban Affairs Committee approved a bill in bipartisan fashion that would prohibit discrimination in housing or employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. However it appears, the bill is bogged down. Joining us Tuesday to discuss the bill, its nuances and ramifications, is Ted Martin, Executive Director of Equality Pennsylvania. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_July052016.mp3 Tuesday, 05 July 2016 12:30:00 -0400 There have been many films, television programs and even documentaries about undercover police work. But most of them fall very short of what the reality of such a job is like. Michael Kaminski actually lived that life as an undercover detective in the city of Baltimore in the 1970's. He submerged his true self into different false identities to get close to drug dealers and leaders of criminal gangs in order to set them up to be arrested. Kaminski says, "I had three different names, three different social security cards from three different states, and I was three different people. I had three contracts on my life when I left the police department." Mike Kaminski now lives in Pennsylvania, and has written a book about his experiences called Life After Russian Roulette, available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Kaminski appears on Thursday's Smart Talk to share stories from his life - some of which are brutal, harsh and violent. He also shares how that lifestyle transformed him and eventually led him to become a minister. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June302016.mp3 Thursday, 30 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The deadline with the state budget is approaching this Friday. Last year it took nine months for the budget process to wrap up. This time, Governor Tom Wolf and legislative leaders are optimistic their work will be done close to on time. There are signs that the mood is better this year among leaders with some compromises on the table. On Wednesday's Smart Talk guest host Terry Madonna, Director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs, Professor of Public Affairs, and Director of the Franklin and Marshall College Poll, is joined by Angela Couloumbis, reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, and Steve Esack, Harrisburg Correspondent for The Morning Call, to discuss the prospect of a budget process complete on time. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June292016.mp3 Wednesday, 29 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 In this episode of Smart Talk we will talk about sleep deprivation: causes, stress factors, how sleep needs change as we age. We will talk to the experts about sleep studies in clinics, effects on the body and mind, and prescription meds and natural ways to get sleep. Joining us Tuesday are: Batbayar Damdin, L.Ac. a Licensed Acupuncturist at Tian Shi Acupuncture Dr. George Robinson, a pulmonologist with WellSpan Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine Dr. Jennifer Hailey, an integrated behavioral health psychologist with Philhaven We'll talk about fur babies. Millions of us have them. The ASPCA estimates that over 70 million dogs and 74 million cats are owned in the United States. Our guests today will answer your questions about pet adoption. Dr. Brendon Brophy - Medical director for Rossmoyne Animal Emergency Trauma Center Zella Anderson - Central PA Animal Alliance Tim Karchnak - Retired Susquehanna Township K-9 handler https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June282016.mp3 Tuesday, 28 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Let's talk about your credit card. It's been almost a year since a soft deadline passed for the introduction of new chip credit cards for consumers. These cards are supposed to be better at preventing fraud and harder for crooks to duplicate. But many consumers are still waiting for their cards to arrive - while many retailers have yet to accept the cards for purchases. Last year, VISA and MasterCard issued a self-imposed deadline to introduce a new, more secure kind of credit card into the American marketplace. The banking and retail industry refer to them as "EMV" cards for Europay MasterCard and VISA. But most consumers simply know them as "chip" cards. A chip in the card would replace the magnetic stripe on the back of the cards that we have used for decades. But that deadline of October 1, 2015, came and went without much fanfare. And now, months later, the transition to the new cards can best be described as slow. Major retailers like Walmart and Home Depot have filed lawsuits against VISA and MasterCard, alleging that the credit card giants have been slow in in introducing the cards to consumers. The legal actions also accuse VISA and MasterCard of now using the chip technology in the cards to its full extent, leaving consumers in the united States more exposed to fraud than consumers in approximately 80 other countries around the globe. MasterCard who have changed their payment terminals to accept these new cards report a 25% drop in the amount of counterfeit card fraud. At the same time, law enforcement agencies report a growing number of card crooks flocking to the U.S. trying to steal and duplicate as many magnetic stripe credit cards as they can before they go away. While the U.S. accounts for approximately 25% of the world's credit card transactions, more than half of the credit card fraud also occurs in this country because our magnetic stripe cards are easy for crooks to duplicate. On this episode of Smart Talk we'll talk with Corrine Sherman of the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association about how quickly the cards are being brought into the retail marketplace. And we'll also talk with Brian Rider of the Pennsylvania Retail Association about the challenges that retailers are facing in accepting and processing these cards. And of course, we'll be taking your calls and questions on an issue that effects nearly every adult consumer. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June272016.mp3 Monday, 27 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The housing crisis of 2008 happened almost a decade ago. Since then, property prices in the mid-state have rebounded. However, for many seeking housing, rising sale and rental costs are a source of stress. In Pennsylvania, a low-income family would need to work 101 hours a week at minimum wage to afford a 2-bedroom apartment. Rising property prices are pushing rental costs even further upwards. These rising prices are forcing many Americans to cut other expenses. Fifty-seven percent of people struggling with their rent or mortgage cut back on grocery expenses, 43% on household necessities, and 31% cut back on paying off their credit card debt. The issue has support from a majority of the country. Seventy-five percent of respondents to a recent survey agreed that community leaders should work to "create and preserve safe and affordable homes for all." Seventy-seven percent agreed that rental homes, which are affordable for families should be developed. Some organizations in Central PA have been working to provide solutions to these issues of housing availability and affordability. Ray D'Agostino, Chief Executive Officer of the Lancaster Housing Affordability Partnership, joins us Friday to discuss the prevalence of affordable housing in Central Pennsylvania. LHAP is a nonprofit whose mission is to cultivate partnerships and resources to increase the availability of quality, fair, and affordable housing throughout Lancaster County. Also with us Friday to provide an understanding of the housing situation across all of Pennsylvania is Cynthia Daley, Policy Director of the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania. The Housing Alliance is a statewide organization that advocates for homes that are within reach of all Pennsylvanians, especially those with low incomes. They work to see policy changes which improve communities and reclaim blighted properties. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June242016.mp3 Friday, 24 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 On the afternoon of July 8, 2014, 18-year-old Meredith Demko of Lancaster County was killed in a crash with another vehicle, driven by a man under the influence of alcohol and heroin. That driver was driving with a suspended license due to previous driving under the influence offenses. A short time later, Meredith's parents began campaigning to make Pennsylvania's drunk driving laws tougher and more up-to-date. The group they formed, that includes families who also have lost loved ones at the hands of a drunk driver, is called Pennsylvania Parents Against Impaired Driving (PA PAID). Their work paid off last month when Governor Tom Wolf signed into law a bill that requires many drivers to install an ingition interlock in their vehicles, a device that measures blood alcohol levels in order to start the engine. The law will take effect in August of 2017. Pennsylvania police made more than 18,000 DUI arrests in 2015 -- an increase of 6% from the year before. Driving while under the influence of drugs is also increasing. Appearing on Thursday's Smart Talk are, Chris and Susan Demko and Eileen Lee, the Director of Ignition Interlock Quality Assurance with the Pennsylvania DUI Association. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June232016.mp3 Thursday, 23 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 When asked what characteristics they would look for if moving into a new town or neighborhood, most people would reply that low crime rates, economic stability, great schools, and access to medical care and public transportation are important to them. Many of those same people may say art and culture are high on their list of what makes a place attractive to them as well. However, despite respect and passion from large segments of people, arts and cultures are often viewed as a nicety rather than a necessity. Supporters of the arts often point to how often arts programs are cut in schools and communities when money is tight. Starting Thursday, The Impact Arts and Culture Conference will be held in York that will bring together the arts and other segments of the community. Building Public Will for the Arts is one part of the conference that makes the case for how significant the arts are. We'll learn more on Wednesday's Smart Talk from Kelley Gibson, Director of Communications and Engagement with the Cultural Alliance of York County and Eric Friedenwald-Fishman, Creative Director and Founder of The Metropolitan Group -- an organization leading a public campaign to support the arts. Also, Chef Donna Marie Desfor, host of the WITF Cooks TV shows and owner of There's a Chef in my Kitchen appears to review four cookbooks with tasty summertime food and drink recipes. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June222016.mp3 Wednesday, 22 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 At one time, slavery was commonplace and legal in both northern and southern states before the United States actually became an independent nation and afterwards. In Pennsylvania, there were blacks held in bondage well into the middle of the 1800s. Even while slavery was diminishing in Pennsylvania -- driven by Quakers and other Christian denominations - Cumberland County had more slaves than other county in the region. In his new book, Slavery and the Underground Railroad in South Central Pennsylvania, historian Cooper Wingert writes about slavery in Cumberland, Franklin, Adams and York Counties. Unlike the large plantations in the south, most Pennsylvania slave owners had just a few slaves. But like the southern planters, Pennsylvania slave owners would advertise for return of escaped slaves -- something that Wingert chronicles in the book. Under the law under which Pennsylania abolished slavery, slaves weren't freed until they were 28-years-old. Wingert, who is 18 and will be a freshman at Dickinson College this fall has written 10 books since he was 12. Cooper Wingert appears on Tuesday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June212016.mp3 Tuesday, 21 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Some 27,000 babies were born drug dependent in the U.S. in 2013 -- the last year for which statistics are available. That works out to a baby being born drug dependent every 19 minutes. Under the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003, states were required to come up with laws to protect newborns. Under these laws, healthcare providers were supposed to let child protection agencies know when a dependent baby had been discharged. However, it's not happening in most states, especially when the mother is taking a drug that is prescribed. As a result, some babies have died under the care of a drug dependent parent who was still being treated for their addiction. The causes of death include unsafe sleep, poisoning, drowning or physical abuse. Monday's Smart Talk examines this most tragic of collateral damage in the opioid drug crisis. Appearing on the program are former Pennsylvania Congressman James Greenwood, who pushed the 2003 law, Cathleen Palm, Founder of the Center for Children's Justice, Dr. Connie Andrejko, Director of Neonatology at Wellspan Ephrata Community Hospital and WITF's Transforming Health reporter Ben Allen. Also, we'll get a report from WHYY's Katie Colaneri about Philadelphia's "soda tax." The new law places a one-and-and-half cent tax on every ounce of soda or other sweet drinks. Other cities across the country are watching to see how successful the tax is and whether they can copy it. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June202016.mp3 Monday, 20 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Summer vacation is not a time off for school administrators. A recent survey conducted by Pennsylvania superintendents and school business officials on the rising costs and budget cuts found that the coming 2016-17 school year offers "the worst outlook" so far. The Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA) and The Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO) report found that during the 2015-16 year, 14% of districts were forced to borrow over $746 million and 74% dipped into fund balances to make it. The report also found that 46% of districts are planning on cutting staff before the coming school year. 34% plan to increase class sizes, and 50% plan to remove academic programs and extracurriculars. At the same time, 85% of districts plan on raising property taxes, the seventh consecutive year in which over 60% of districts are raising taxes. The report surveyed 71% of Pennsylvania's 500 school districts, at least one from every county, and ranging from the largest district in Philadelphia to districts with fewer than 750 students. The coming year will clearly affect districts across the state. Jeff Ammerman, Director of Member Assistance at The Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO), and Jim Buckheit, Executive Director of The Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA), join us Friday to discuss the findings of their organizations' survey, the causes behind these problems, the impacts we'll see, possible solutions, and changes we can expect to our taxes and schools. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June172016.mp3 Friday, 17 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 It's another Smart Talk Road Trip for Thursday's program. This one promises to be a lot of fun as Smart Talk is being broadcast live from Jubilee Day in Mechanicsburg. Smart Talk will be set up at 138 West Main Street at Clay's Service Center. We encourage you to stop by and say hello and watch the program. Jubilee Day is a significant event in Central Pennsylvania and beyond. This 88th edition makes it the longest-running one day street fair on the East Coast. It also is one of the largest with more than 300 vendors and 70,000 people attending. Appearing on Thursday's Smart Talk are Mechanicsburg Mayor Jack Ritter, who will talk about the history of the borough and the challenges facing small towns; Kristen Rowe, the Communications Manager for the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau to discuss tourism, destinations and events in the Cumberland Valley; and Jeff Palm, the Executive Director of the Mechanicssburg Chamber of Commerce, the organizer of Jubilee Day. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June162016.mp3 Thursday, 16 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Legal cases can often be complicated and the public isn't always privy to what actually goes on in a court room or behind closed doors. But one reason high-profile cases generate so much attention is because they often raise legal questions. On Wednesday's Smart Talk, we discuss two such recent cases. One has resulted in a buzz across Pennsylvania and the other outrage nationwide. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that former Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald Castille should have recused himself when deciding whether convicted murderer Terrance Williams' death penalty sentence should be upheld. Williams was convicted of murdering a Philadelphia man in 1984. At the time, Castille was the District Attorney in Philadelphia and authorized the prosecutor in the case to pursue the death penalty -- even though he was not directly involved in the prosecution. The U.S. Supreme Court decision said Castille violated Williams' 14th Amendment right of due process. Appearing on the program is Constitutional rights expert Spero Lappas, who was a member of the Pennsylvania Task Force and Advisory Committee on Capital Punishment. Also, the judge who sentenced a Stanford University swimmer to six months in jail after being convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman is facing nationwide criticism and maybe a recall campaign. Twenty-year-old Brock Turner could have been sentenced to 14 years in prison but California Judge Aaron Persky handed down the lighter sentence citing Turner's previously clean record. This case has outraged many people and raises legal questions as well. Joining us on Smart Talk is Professor Emeritus Robert Power, Widener University Commonwealth Law School to discuss the case. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June152016.mp3 Wednesday, 15 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Governor Tom Wolf signed legislation last week that will make major changes in the way alcohol sales are conducted in Pennsylvania. In fact, the governor called the modifications the most significant in 80 years. Consumers will be able to purchase wine and beer at their local licensed grocery stores and at licensed convenient stores with gas pumps. Under this new legislation, consumers can make wine and liquor purchases at state liquor stores on Sundays and holidays -- some of which will be operating under extended hours. Hotels and restaurants may be able to sell up to four bottles of wine to go. The State House Appropriations Committee estimates an increase of $150 million in revenue for the state due to the new sales rules. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is charged with implementing the changes. Joining us on Tuesday's Smart Talk are LCB board members Mike Negra and Michael Newsome. Not everyone likes the direction the state is going. Wendell Young, the President of United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which represents liquor store clerks is its biggest critic. He also appears on Tuesday's program. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June142016.mp3 Tuesday, 14 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Tragedy isn't a strong enough word to describe the worst mass shooting in American history in Orlando, Florida this weekend. Fifty people were killed and 53 wounded at the Pulse nightclub -- a venue with a mostly LGBT clintele. The shooting combines the worst aspects of what we fear most -- terrorism and hatred of a specific group. The suspected killer -- 29-year-old Omar Mateen -- called 911 to pledge his allegiance to the terrorist group ISIS. Mateen's father was quoted as saying his son's Muslim faith had nothing to do with the shooting but that he was angered by seeing two men kissing. Monday's Smart Talk will be devoted to issues related to the Orlando terrorist attacks. Among the guests to appear are Ted Martin, Executive Director of Equality PA and Dr. Michael Kenney, an expert on terrorism at the University of Pittsburgh. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June132016.mp3 Monday, 13 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The battles of equality, not only for all races, but between classes and sexes as well, is currently being fought and discussed on the national stage as November's general election creeps closer day by day. However, these debates are not only talking points. They are actual conflicts between people in local settings, even here in Central PA. Much controversy surrounded whether there was inequality between women and men's sports teams at Lock Haven University from 2004 to 2012. The argument was directed at then Athletic Director, Sharon Taylor. Several trustees accused Taylor of favoring the university's women's teams over its men's. Taylor was confronted with several lawsuits citing Title IX inequality. In 2012, she was reassigned from her position as Athletic Director after 23 years in the role. Taylor also won seven national championships coaching the Lock Haven field hockey and lacrosse teams. Joining us Thursday to discuss his new book, The Lost Haven of Sharon Taylor, is C. Terry Walters and Sharon Taylor herself. Walters' book focuses on the controversy at the end of Taylor's tenure as Athletic Director. He provides context in the form of Taylor's own perspective as well as helping explain the significance of Title IX. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali, who died last week, was the first African-American athlete to speak out about race and religion in America. Joining us on Thursday's program discussing Ali and the history of activism by black athletes is Gregory Kaliss, a Visiting Assistant Professor of History at Dickinson College. Kaliss discusses the significance of Ali and others' contributions to this movement in his recent book, Men's College Athletics and the Politics and Racial Equality: Five Pioneer Stories of Black Manliness, White Citizenship and American Democracy. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June092016.mp3 Thursday, 9 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 When Gov. Tom Wolf signed legislation last April legalizing the use of medical marijuana to treat about a dozen illnesses, it was celebrated by thousands across Pennsylvania -- especially the parents of children who suffered from violent seizures and could be treated with the substance. The governor and others were quick to point out that medical marijuana wouldn't be available overnight and that it may two years before the program was fully operational. In the meantime, many questions have arisen like how and when will marijuana be grown, will doctors who will have to prescribe it and banks that will finance operations get on board and what about insurance companies? Also, it's called tagging and you probably have seen something today that has been tagged by a graffiti artist or at least an amateur graffiti artist. Graffiti and other trash can be seen in even some of the most pristine places in Pennsylvania, including our state parks. But now there is a program to clean the parks and forests up - it's called the Stewards of Penn's Woods Initiative. Joining us to talk about it is Marci Mowery, President, Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June082016.mp3 Wednesday, 8 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Have you made your vacation plans for this summer? Whether you're traveling to the beach or mountains or just lounging by the pool or staying cool in an air conditioned house, a good book is probably an essential part of your efforts to relax. On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we've assembled a panel to discuss what they're reading and suggest a few books you may enjoy too. Joining us on the program are Catherine Lawrence, a writer and owner of the Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg, Todd Dickinson, an owner of Aaron's Books in Lititz, and Jon Walker, who blogs at www.jonosbookreviews.com. We'd also like to hear about a few of the books you've read lately. Call the program at 1-800-729-7532 or email us at smarttalk@witf.org. All literary genres are welcome including novels, short story collections, mystery thrillers, historical non-fiction, or romance. Our panel will even offer ideas on books of poetry. Current best-sellers, classics, or paperbacks -- we're open to all suggestions with a brief synopsis as well. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June072016.mp3 Tuesday, 7 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 National conversation has recently been focused on Cincinnati where a 3-year-old boy fell into the Silverback gorilla exhibit. While unharmed from the fall, the child was picked up by a gorilla named Harambe. Fearing for the child's life and doubting the effectiveness of tranquilizers in the situation, zoo officials made the decision to shoot and kill the endangered gorilla. By now, the situation is widely known. However, most of the current discussion and argument surrounds the capability of the parent for letting their child fall into the enclosure and whether killing Harambe was the only recourse for officials. Speaking with us on Monday about the other half of this incident's members, the gorilla, is Dr. Bob Wheelersburg, a professor of Anthropology at Elizabethtown College. Dr. Wheelersburg studied primatology in graduate school. He has taught courses on the subject at Elizabethtown for more than 20 years, focusing on the behaviors, social structure, anatomy, aggression, and infant care of primates. UPDATE: The Hamilton County (Ohio) Prosecutor announced Monday that no charges will be filed against the mother of the child that fell into the exhibit. Also, June is National Dairy Month. How does dairy get a whole month all to itself? By being big. In Pennsylvania specifically, more than 530,000 milk cows, and their 10.8 billion pounds of produced milk, generates more than $2.7 billion in revenue annually for the commonwealth. Our official beverage also happens to have been milk since the early 80s. Joining us on Monday's program to discuss some of the month's planned events are Dave Smith, Executive Director of the PA Dairymen's Association, Jennifer Powell, Director of Development, Central PA Food Bank and Jane Clements-Smith, Executive Director of Feeding PA. The Pennsylvania Dairymen's Association is the oldest dairy group in PA. They also supply the popular milkshakes at each year's Farm Show. Feeding Pennsylvania is a partnership among the member food banks of Feeding America in PA. They work to secure food and resources to reduce hunger across the commonwealth. Together, PDA and Feeding PA, along with the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program, are collaborating this June to raise money for the "Fill a Glass with Hope" campaign, a project which seeks to provide fresh milk to the hungry. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June062016.mp3 Monday, 6 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 As part of WITF's on-going Chasing the Dream: Poverty and Opportunity in America project, Friday's Smart Talk looks at how those who can't afford a lawyer or struggle with paying utilities are able to get legal assistance or help in heating their homes. Utilities are one of the basics in life. Gas heating and electricity are not merely quality of life improvements, but are also needed to perform the essentials like preparing food or keeping a house warm in dangerously cold winter temperatures. Many households lose their utilities if bills haven't been paid on time. In 2014 alone, more than 312,000 households in Pennsylvania had their utilities shut off, four times greater than the number of shutoffs that regularly occurred in the 1990s. Joining us Friday to discuss the burdens and cycle of struggling with utilities and late payments are Patrick Cicero, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project. The Pennsylvania Utility Law Project is a specialized project of the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network. They seek to provide information, assistance, and advice on low income residential utility and energy matters. Also, many people living in poverty may feel they are unable to seek legal help because they can't afford a lawyer. That means justice isn't served sometimes. Appearing on the program to discuss the help and options available is Rhodia Thomas, Executive Director of MidPenn Legal Services. MidPenn Legal Services is a non-profit operating in Central Pennsylvania that says it is dedicated to providing equal access to justice and high quality civil legal service to low-income residents and survivors of domestic violence. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June032016.mp3 Friday, 3 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Since 1950, the average US life expectancy has gone up by almost 10 years, from 70 to 80. With health care continuing to advance, including improvements to end of life care, this steady rate of growth can only be expected to continue. One of the most unexpected results of everyone living longer has been the rise of the Sandwich Generation. Referring to many adults in their 40s and 50s, they are the nearly 50% of their group who have a parent that is 65 or older while also raising or supporting a child. These adults, sandwiched between caring for their children and parents, make up some of the more than 4.4 million US households where three or more generations live under one roof. Unfortunately, the responsibility of caring for parent and child alike is placing undue stress on members of the Sandwich Generation. Faced with helping their parents navigate their golden years or getting their kids set on their own track in life, middle-aged Americans are left with little time to care for their own needs. In conjunction with WITF's Transforming Health, Thursday's Smart Talk looks at the continuing growth of the Sandwich Generation, what challenges come with multi-generational care, and the effects on child, parent, and grandparent alike. Appearing on the program are Dr. Linda Rhodes, Former Pennsylvania Secretary of Aging and Author of The Essential Guide for Caring for Aging Parents and Joan Krechmer, Executive Director and Geriatric Care Manager at Jewish Family Services in York. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June022016.mp3 Thursday, 2 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 There have been significant recent developments related to Pennsylvania schools and money. The prolonged state budget impasse resulted in school districts across the state not getting any funding from the state for months. Many had to borrow and several took out loans to keep schools open. Now, dozens of districts in tight spots can neither get extensions on their loans nor borrow money from the state. So what will they do? These districts include Philadelphia, Reading, Coatesville, Hazelton and Erie. Also, Gov. Wolf and the General Assembly have reached agreement on a new school funding formula that will count actual enrollment of students, plus a number of other factors, including student poverty. The bipartisan funding formula is seen as more fair, especially to poorer schools. Providing insight into these issues on Wednesday's Smart Talk is Keystone Crossroads education reporter, Kevin McCorry. Also, Chuck Ardo, the former spokesman for Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane appears on the program after resigning this week. During Kane's three years in office, the Attorney General has been embroiled in one controversy after another and will be tried this summer on charges she leaked secret grand jury information to a newspaper and lied about it. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_June012016.mp3 Wednesday, 1 June 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Has your doctor ever received a disciplinary warning letter? We don't know. In fact, the information isn't public. If a doctor makes a mistake, like showing up to work intoxicated or failing to follow regulations, Pennsylvania sends them a warning letter. But, the Department of State says state law prevents them from releasing the letters, and it recently rejected a Right to Know request from WITF. A special project by the Pittsbugh Post-Gazette looks at disciplinary procedures in Pennsylvania. Are they adequate? Joining us Friday are Dr. Rachel Levine, Pennsylvania's Physician General and Rich Lord, reporter for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. We'll also get an update from Dr. Loren Robinson, Deputy Secretary for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at the Pennsylvania Department of Health, on the current efforts to fight the Zika virus. Also, health insurance companies recently submitted their requests for rates for next year - and some are sky high. Highmark and Geisinger Health Plan recently requested premium hikes upwards of 40% for some plans sold on the Affordable Care Act's online exchange. State Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller visits the program to discuss the causes behind these requests, what kind of review she'll be doing, and what changes you can expect next year. Published in Smart Talk https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May272016.mp3 Friday, 27 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Watchdog.org recently reported that Pennsylvania school districts are wasting $54 million on bus service. The state does reimburse school districts up to a certain amount; however studies have shown that an increasing number of school districts are actually paying more than the amount promised to be reimbursed. Evan Grossman a Pennsylvania-based education reporter for Watchdog.org, joins us on Wednesday's Smart Talk to provide some insight on exactly why our school districts are spending so much of their funding on transportation for students and what they can do to cut down on those costs. WITF's Ben Allen is joining us on Wednesday's Smart Talk to discuss the nearly 42,000 calls, discovered by the State Auditor General DePasquale and his staff, at the state hotline for reporting suspected child abuse and neglect that went unanswered last year. He is working to develop strategies to eliminate the state of neglect at the hotline. Tourism is important to any state, because it helps generate revenue outside of the expected business. Pennsylvania offers many affordable and accessible places both local and statewide to take that getaway that most hope for as they plan for the summer months. Appearing on Wednesday's Smart Talk are Carrie Lepore, Deputy Secretary for Marketing, Tourism, and Film, with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and Michael Chapaloney, the state's Director of Tourism to talk about the economic impact of tourism, and travel opportunities and entertainment venues that Pennsylvania has to offer. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May252016.mp3 Wednesday, 25 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 A federal directive was issued earlier this month to provide protection from discrimination for transgender students in American schools. Many have focused solely on which restrooms transgender students may use, but the order goes beyond the bathroom issue, touching upon privacy rights, education records and sex-segregated athletics, giving transgender students the right to identify in school as they choose. Tuesday's Smart Talk explores two aspects of the issue. The Pennsylvania Youth Congress, an LGBT organization for young people, has launched a project called Dignity for All that includes guidelines for schools to adopt. Jason Landau Goodman, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, appears on the program. Meanwhile, nearly a hundred Pennsylvania Republican state lawmakers have written a letter to President Obama objecting to the federal directive designed to protect transgender students against discrimination. Republican State Representative Sheryl Delozier of Cumberland County is of those who signed the letter to the president and she joins us on Smart Talk. Finally, a Baltimore police officer was acquitted Monday in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray last year. WBAL radio reporter and former WITF Radio Pennsylvania State Capitol reporter Robert Lang provides some insight to us. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May242016.mp3 Tuesday, 24 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 For many poor people, poverty is the one constant in their lives. Poverty impacts the health, education, and safety and security of everyone living in it. It feels like something that can't be escaped. As part of WITF's Chasing the Dream: Poverty and Opportunity in America project, Monday's Smart Talk explores the impact of long-term continuous poverty on the people living in it. How do members of impoverished communities purchase healthy foods when those products are regularly more expensive than cheaper frozen or junk food alternatives? Or what if the resource of a grocery store isn't even close by? How do policies create systems in which schools in the lowest income areas end up with the fewest resources? And why does crime seem to be committed so much more frequently against poor people? Joining us Monday to help us examine these questions is Kristen Rotz, President of the United Way of Pennsylvania. The United Way of Pennsylvania seeks to advance United Way's mission of "improving lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good" within Pennsylvania. Also appearing on Monday's program is Steven Martinez, Communications Director of Community Action Association of Pennsylvania. Community Action Association of Pennsylvania exists to solve community problems related to issues of poverty by "providing quality training, educational resources, and other services to alleviate poverty in local communities." https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May232016.mp3 Monday, 23 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Can presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump win Pennsylvania this November? That's the question being asked after Trump won 56% of the Republican Vote in the April 26 primary, during which he also won the majority vote in every single county .That number doesn't ensure victory in November, especially in Pennsylvania where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by over 1 million. However, many working class Democrats in industry towns like Scranton and Wilkes-Barre are expressing support for the populist Trump. NPR's Scott Detrow joins us Friday to discuss his recent article, "Can Trump Turn Pennsylvania's Disaffected Democrats Into Believers By November?" and whether or not we can expect a Trump-won Pennsylvania come Election Day. Also, Memorial Day is fast approaching, but you have the opportunity to learn about history this Saturday and Sunday during the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center's Army Heritage Days. Appearing on Friday is Colonel Peter Crean, Director of the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, who will discuss the event's various programs along with its special display, The Moving Wall, a half-scale replica of the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial. No one wants to be caught in the middle of civil conflict, however another Friday guest has faced a tear-gassing in Bahrain, Arab uprisings, and she has profiled a war fixer in Beirut, a smuggler in Dubai, a sex-worker in Baku, a pirate in the Strait of Malacca and a marriage broker in Vietnam. All of this, Kelly McEvers has gone through, to report stories and news from around the Middle East. Now McEvers is debuting a new NPR podcast titled Embedded to bring to light the deeper story beyond the surface. Co-host of All Things Considered, Kelly McEvers joins us on Friday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May202016.mp3 Friday, 20 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 How do Pennsylvania's economy and taxes compare to other states? That's a question undertaken in a new report by The Tax Foundation in partnership with the Pennsylvania Business Council. The two groups identify themselves as independent, although they are often described as conservative leaning. However, the report -- Pennsylvania Illustrated: A Visual Guide to Taxes and the Economy -- uses data to compare and rank Pennsylvania in areas such as income, jobs and several taxes. Appearing on Thursday's Smart Talk to discuss the report's findings are Nicole Kaeding, an economist with the Center for State Tax Policy at the Tax Foundation and David Patti, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Business Council. Also, anyone who has gone through an American history class in middle school knows that Benedict Arnold is the country's most famous traitor. We know that Arnold betrayed the young United States and the Continental Army by providing and attempting to sell information to the British during the American Revolution. Nathaniel Philbrick has written a new book called Valiant Ambition that portrays Arnold and his treason as much more complicated than what most of us have learned about him. Philbrick joins us on Thursday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May192016.mp3 Thursday, 19 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The complex issue of poverty is often approached without a proper understanding of the nuances to the root causes and subsequent effects in families, homes and communities. With that in mind, WITF is one of several public media outlets participating in a national project called Chasing the Dream -- Poverty and Opportunity in America. As part of the project, WITF will take a multimedia, data-driven approach to poverty in Pennsylvania, telling the stories of people who live in its grip. Chasing the Dream launches on Wednesday's Smart Talk with a focus on where poverty is in Pennsylvania. Geography isn't the main priority on the program, but how poverty manifest itself in urban, rural and suburban areas of Pennsylvania is. On the show, we'll hear the stories of two women -- one who lives in a Central Pennsylvania city and another who is from Potter County -- one of the most rural counties in the state. Pennsylvania has a poverty rate of 13.7% with 6% living in extreme poverty; 12% have food insecurity and more than 15,000 people are homeless. To explain what all these numbers mean and bring their own observations are Scott Shewell of Safe Harbour in Carlisle, Joe Arthur of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and Barry Denk of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May182016.mp3 Wednesday, 18 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Over the past 50 years, American astronauts have been hailed as modern day heroes and explorers. Considering that only about 600 humans have ever been in space, it's quite a select group. NASA astronaut and Commander of the 25th International Space Station Expedition, retired Colonel Douglas Wheelock appears on Tuesday's Smart Talk. The space program may not get the attention from Americans that it did during the Apollo program or when space shuttles were exploring space every few months, but there often are discoveries being made and experiments being conducted that could impact our lives. For example, NASA's Kepler Space Telescope recently discovered more than 1,200 planets that could be similar to earth and have water content which could possibly sustain human life. What do findings like that mean for the future of NASA and space exploration? https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May172016.mp3 Tuesday, 17 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 It wasn't very long ago that the only time we heard about unmanned flying aircraft or drones was when they were being used in warfare. Today, we're much more likely to see video or photography that has been shot from a drone here in the United States. Drones have become a lot less expensive and as a result, almost anyone is able to afford one and can fly them as a hobby or for other purposes. Today's news stories involving drones often are about drones near airports, flying in restricted airspace or flying over someone's house. Government has taken notice and are studying whether regulations are in order. Leading the charge in Pennsylvania is Republican State senator Mike Folmer of Lebanon County, who is a guest on Monday's Smart Talk. In October, 2013, after a bomb threat was made at Central York High School and nothing was found. Later a student posted on Facebook "the bomb isn't found and goes off tomorrow." The student was suspended for 23 days. The student's parents filed a federal lawsuit saying their son's first amendment rights of free speech were violated. A judge ruled the school's safety concerns outweighed the student's first amendment rights. But it brought up a point - a school's authority to punish students for something that occurred outside of school. To discuss that issue on Monday's program is Mark Cheramie Walz, a former deputy district attorney and education law attorney who specializes in technology issues. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May162016.mp3 Monday, 16 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania colleges and universities are holding their graduation ceremonies this month. Several are scheduled for this weekend. Most will include well-known and thoughtful commencement speakers to inspire the graduating seniors. Elizabethtown College's graduation is Saturday and the speaker will be the former Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Regina Benjamin. Dr. Benjamin served as the nation's 18th Surgeon General from 2009-2013. Her tenure early in the Obama Administration came at a time when obesity became a national health emergency. Prevention of illnesses and diseases became one of Dr. Benjamin's priorities. Dr. Benjamin joins us on Friday's program to discuss the nation's health and how we could be a healthier nation. "At the Table" is a imaginative project of the Lancaster County Community Foundation to bring people together over a meal or a cup of coffee to engage in conversation about Lancaster County's future. On May 20 and 21, dozens will get together to share some time, talk about the future and then use social media to tell others about their conversations. Appearing on Friday's program are Tracy Cutler, Vice President of Communications and Donor Cultivation and Fran Rodriguez, Program Officer, with the Lancaster County Community Foundation. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May132016.mp3 Friday, 13 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Pain. It is the word that may be most widely associated with suicide. For the 40,000 who took their own lives in 2013, there was the mental and possibly physical pain they endured that led them to decide to end their lives. For the family and friends of those who died by suicide, there is the pain that will stay with them forever over their loss and the questions they keep asking themselves, "Why and could I have done anything to prevent it?" Thursday's Smart Talk focuses on suicide and the mental illnesses that most often are contributing factors in suicides, the signs that someone contemplating ending their life often exhibit, how they can get help and be treated once they do, the stigma associated with mental illnesses, and the survivors left behind. Appearing on the program are Brandon Marsico, the Board Chair of the South Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Dr. Ahmad Hameed, a psychiatrist and Director of the Adult Residency Program at Penn State Hershey's College of Medicine. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May122016.mp3 Thursday, 12 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 A federal court ruled this week that the merger between Penn State Health and Pinnacle Health could move forward. The Federal Trade Commission and Pennsylvania Attorney General had contested the merger saying it would result in a monopoly. The court disagreed ruling that both healthsystems attract patients from beyond a four-county area. The decision also shut down the government's argument that the merger would end up costing patients more money. WITF's Transforming Health reporter Ben Allen has been closely following the case and appears on Wednesday's Smart Talk to explain what it all means. (Both Penn State Health and Pinnacle Health are financial supporters of WITF programming, including Transforming Health and Smart Talk). The Centers for Disease Control says sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise, especially amongst young people. The CDC reports one in four adolescent females has an STD and that 15 to 24 year olds account for half of the total number of STD cases. It's the first time since 2006 cases of chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea have increased Dr. Loren Robinson, the Deputy Secretary for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention with the Pennsylvania Department of Health joins us to discuss the increase of STD's. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May112016.mp3 Wednesday, 11 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton will probably be the next President of the United States. The new president won't take office until next January, but already plans are in the works for the transition from the Obama Administration to the new president. Actually, the process has begun with the help of a new organization called the Center for Presidential Transition. Why start so soon? The quick answer is to ensure a smooth transition at a very dangerous time in the world. The peaceful transition from one administration to another is one of the unique characteristics of the United States. They haven't always been without problems but President Obama has made it a priority. Obama has given the previous administration of George W. Bush credit for helping with his transition. Bush wanted to make sure the new president would be prepared in case of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. The Director of the new Center for Presidential Transition David Eagles joins us on Tuesday's Smart Talk. Do you have a favorite restaurant? Or are you someone who likes to visit and sample a lot of eating establishments? You no doubt base your opinion of a restaurant on the food it serves, the service, and maybe the atmosphere. But do you know whether those restaurants are clean and are meeting state health and safety standards? According to an investigative report in the York Daily Record, it's not that easy to find out if a restaurant is out of compliance or has violations. Brett Sholtis, business reporter for the York Daily Record, is on Tuesday's program to discuss their findings. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May102016.mp3 Tuesday, 10 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Mention human trafficking and most people immediately think its something that only happens in other countries. However, forced labor and sexual exploitation in the commercial sex trade happens in the United States, including here in Pennsylvania. Twenty-four cases of trafficking have been reported from Pennsylvania to the the National Human Trafficking Resource Center in 2016. Two-thirds were in sex trafficking. Monday's Smart Talk addresses the issue with Rhonda Hendrickson who is the Director of Violence Intervention and prevention Services at the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg And Sherry Knowlton, a writer whose work incorporates social issues like trafficking. National Human Trafficking Resource Center Need help? 1 (888) 373-7888 SMS: 233733 (Text "HELP" or "INFO") Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week Languages: English, Spanish and 200 more languages Website: traffickingresourcecenter.org Also, In the summer of 2012, the Curiosityrover landed on Mars - 140 million miles from Earth. It doesn't get the kind of attention that the Apollo moon landings did, but it is not an exaggeration to say it was one of this nation's greatest scientific achievements. At the helm of putting a vehicle on Mars was Adam Steltzner, who has written a new book The Right Kind of Crazy: A True Story of Teamwork, Leadership, and High Stakes Innovation. Steltzner, who has a colorful background, appears on Monday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May092016.mp3 Monday, 09 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Friday's Smart Talk will be a different kind of show highlighted by memory and donuts. The USA Memory Championship will be held at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey Saturday. It's the first time the event has been staged outside New York City. The location is fitting too because Hershey High school has dominated on a national level. The USA Memory Championship is described as an event for mental athletes that consists of memory challenging tournament-style contests including memorization of more than 100 names and faces, a shuffled deck of cards, an unpublished poem and speed numbers. Appearing on Friday's Smart Talk are the founder of the Memory Championship Tony Dottino, and Collette Silvestri, the teacher who leads Hershey's record-breaking team. Also, Pennsylvania is home to one million small businesses that employ 2.4 million people. It is Pennsylvania Small Business Week -- a time to recognize the contributions small business make to the state. Joining us on Friday's program is Sheri Collins, Pennsylvania's Deputy Secretary of Technology and Innovation at the Department of Community and Economic Development. We'll also hear from Russ DiGilio, the founder and owner of Duck Donuts Franchising Company in Mechanicsburg. He started Duck Donuts in Duck, North Carolina in 2006 and will open Duck Donuts' headquarters and training center in Mechanicsburg next month, along with a new franchise in Lancaster next weekend. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May062016.mp3 Friday, 06 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 We've all heard the stories -- there was a time when American schools were only expected to educate students in the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic. For most careers, that was all that was needed. High school graduates could get their diplomas and get a good paying manufacturing job soon after. The world is much different place today and not just because many of those manufacturing jobs have gone away. Technology has changed the workplace and our world in ways that couldn't be imagined 30 years ago and most of the careers that do pay well require post-secondary educations. That is especially true in fields that involve science, technology, engineering and math or the STEM subjects. Unfortunately, there are many statistics that point to American students falling behind their counterparts overseas in STEM subjects. For example, in 2008, 4% of U.S. bachelor's degrees were in engineering compared to 31% in China. Meanwhile, less than a quarter of STEM workers are women and 12% are black or Latino. On Thursday's Smart Talk, we look at what it could mean for the future and what has to change. Our guests are Dr. Eric Darr, the president of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology and Matthew Randazzo, the CEO of the National Math and Science Initiative. Randazzo will be delivering Harrisburg University's Commencement Address this weekend. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May052016.mp3 Thursday, 05 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Funding for education has been a contentious issue in Pennsylvania for many years. School districts get a large portion of their funding from local property taxes. The state provides money to schools at one of the lowest percentages in the country. In the meantime, educators and advocates have been complaining for years about how inequitable school funding is in Pennsylvania. Poorer school districts that don't have big property tax bases, or have a large segment of their students living in poverty or learning English have often said they're left behind. A bipartisan commission has recommended a new funding formula to rectify the situation. However, the formula didn't go into effect this school year. A coalition of groups calling themselves the Campaign For Fair Education Funding rallied in Harrisburg this week to not only press for the new formula but also for more money for schools period. We'll learn more on Wednesday's Smart Talk from our guests Joan Benso, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, Jim Buckheit, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators and Kevin McCorry, a reporter for the Keystone Crossroads team and Senior Education Writer at WHYY News in Philadelphia. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May042016.mp3 Wednesday, 04 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Over the years, you have told us that some of your favorite Smart Talk shows are the ones that focus on spring time gardening and planting. And why not? The program reminds everyone that the long winter is behind us, spring and warmer weather are here and you can get a few great tips too. Every year is unique. March and most of April were warmer than usual so the early blooming flowers and trees got a head start -- even when there was one final snow. But recently, there's been a lot of rain and not much sunshine so will it have any impact in the long run? Tuesday's Smart Talk features Erica Jo Shaffer, the nursery manager at Highland Gardens in Camp Hill who will share her knowledge and expertise on a variety of questions. Yes, Erica talks about the virtues of dandelions in the yard but she also has many tips to pass along when it comes to flowers, gardens, vegetables, trees and grass. So what questions do you have? Call 1-800-729-7532 between 9 and 10 a.m. Tuesday. Also, send photographs or what you've grown to WITF's Facebook page so everyone can enjoy them! https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May032016.mp3 Tuesday, 03 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The nine month period that Pennsylvania went without a state budget will live in infamy in the state's history. Gov. Tom Wolf has proposed a 2016-17 spending plan that is due June 30th. Will the Republican led House and senate be able to reach agreement with the Democratic Governor before that deadline? The governor's proposal includes higher taxes to deal with a structural deficit and increase spending on education. Republicans have opposed any tax hike. Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale says another budget impasse will in effect result in a tax hike even if it isn't voted on because the state's credit rating will be downgraded and it will cost more to borrow. DePasquale appears on Monday's Smart Talk. Also, Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz named businesswoman Carly Fiorina as his running mate. The timing was unusual since most candidates wait until after they're nominated to choose a vice presidential candidate. Will the move help Cruz' campaign that trails Donald Trump? Elizabethtown College political science professor Kyle Kopko is the author of the new book The VP Advantage and he joins us on Monday's show. Dr. Kopko outlines four advantages a VP pick could offer a canidate in a recent TIME article. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_May022016.mp3 Monday, 02 May 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The accomplished authors of two recent books appear on Friday's Smart Talk. Renowned historian Brent Glass' new book is 50 Great American Places -- Essential Historic Sites Across the U.S. For those who love American history, there probably is no greater thrill than to stand on the same ground where that history was made. Glass chose 50 sites and writes about the history that was made at those places, but also has websites and nearby interesting places listed at the end of each chapter. There are three sites located in Pennsylvania -- the Gettysburg Battlefield, the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and the Forks of the Ohio in Pittsburgh. But there others that may surprise some readers like the Mall of America in Minnesota or the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Glass has ties to Pennsylvania. He is the former Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Glass is also Director Emeritus of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Also joining us on Friday's program is Ron Lieber, author of The Opposite of Spoiled -- Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money. Lieber, who is the "Your Money" columnist for the New York Times and a bestselling author, offers parents insights into how to talk openly with children throughout their lives about money and to teach them to be more generous, less materialistic and not spoiled. The Opposite of Spoiled is the WITF and Aaron's Book April Pick of the Month. The book is available at Aaron's Books in Lititz. For more information visit AaronsBooks.com. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April292016.mp3 Friday, 29 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 There was a time when the fish species shad swam from the Chesapeake Bay into and up the Susquehanna River to spawn. Shad was a source of food for millions of people. But then just before the mid-1850s dams were built across the river and that kept the shad from migrating. In the 20th Century, the Conowingo Dam just south of Pennsylvania in Maryland was perhaps the biggest barrier. Over the years fish lifts and trucking shad upstream were used with mixed success. Now there is a new agreement to restore shad to the Susquehanna. We'll learn more about it on Thursday's Smart Talk from John Arway, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and Josh Trininewski, a biologist with the PA Fish and Boat Commission who is in charge of shad restoration efforts. Also, the Pennsylvania State Archives has outgrown its current location next to the State Museum in Harrisburg. So, now plans have been set in motion to build a new $24 million facility just a few blocks away. The Archives houses some of the state's most significant and oldest documents and images. There are a few that are over 300 years old. The new building will provide more space to store the archives and also be more environmentally conducive for storage. Pennsylvania State Archivist and Director of the Archives David Carmichael appears on Thursday's program. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April282016.mp3 Thursday, 28 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The long-awaited Pennsylvania Primary Election is now history and there weren't many surprises. Franklin and Marshall College political analyst and pollster Dr. G. Terry Madonna appears on Smart Talk with analysis of the results and a look ahead to the November election. Donald Trump was the choice of a sizable margin of Republican voters and the same can be said for Hillary Clinton on the Democratic side. With their victories in Pennsylvania and several other states Tuesday, the road to their parties' nominations seems more clear. So how does that race shape up? Former DEP Secretary Katie McGinty rode a wave of last-minute momentum to victory in the Democratic U.S. Senate contest and will now face Republican incumbent Sen. Pat Toomey this fall. Lloyd Smucker emerged as the winner in the 16th Congressional District and incumbent Republican Bill Shuster narrowly beat back a challenge in the 9th Congressional District. Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane has been in the news as much as anyone in the last two years and often not in a positive light. Republican John Rafferty and Democrat Josh Shapiro -- both from Montgomery County -- won their primaries yesterday and compete to succeed Kane. Three area State Senate seats saw competition. Scott Martin defeated two other Republicans in Lancaster County's 13th District; Democratic incumbent Sen. Rob Teplitz goes against Republican John DiSanto this fall, and Mike Regan was the winner in the hotly contested 31st District in Cumberland and York Counties. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April272016.mp3 Wednesday, 27 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 York was the nation's first capital and the first place where the words "United States of America" were used. So, it is only fitting that on Pennsylvania's primary election day, the Smart Talk Road Trip takes us to York. The live broadcast comes from another historic site -- York's Central Market. The discussion on Tuesday's program is not all about the primary, although there will some of that. York Mayor Kim Bracey joins us as well as York Daily Record Editorial Page Editor Scott Fisher. Much of the conversation centers on the challenges facing cities like York that often are limited in the way they can generate revenue, must find ways to improve the performance of their schools and don't know how they're going to pay for a mounting pension debt. Another issue York and other cities have had to deal with is losing people to the suburbs. That has slowly turned around for some cities as more young people have expressed a willingness to live in cities where they can walk to stores, restaurants and bars and enjoy the entertainment. The Daily Record has taken the question a step further -- bringing York to the suburbs. It was a topic broached last week at a town hall meeting in Manchester. Scott Fisher has written about it and discusses it on Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April262016.mp3 Tuesday, 26 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 It's estimated that one in five children between the ages of 6 and 17 have some type of mental disorder. Anxiety disorder is the most prevalent but behavioral disruption disorders like ADHD are also widespread. It's also estimated that 79% of those kids do not receive any mental health care. What can be done to ensure these young people get the treatment they need and what kind of treatment is that? That's what the discussion focuses on during Monday's Smart Talk. Dr. Ehsan Syed, who specilizes in child and adolescent psychiatry with the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, is on the program. Also, the day before the Pennsylvania primary, we get a last minute update from political analyst and pollster Dr. G. Terry Madonna of Franklin and Marshall College. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April252016.mp3 Monday, 25 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Smart Talk has had conversations with the Democrats running for the U.S. Senate this week ahead of next Tuesday's primary election. Friday, John Fetterman joins us to discuss his views on the issues and why he feels he is the best candidate to face Republican incumbent U.S. Senator Pat Toomey in November. Fetterman is a supporter of presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders and has many of the same opinions. Also, April 25 is National Parental Alienation Awareness Day. Parental alienation occurs when one parent or family member manipulates a child into disliking their other parent or family members. Some say it is psychological abuse that permanently affects the child and the rejected family member. In fact, there are those in the mental health community that call it Parent Al;ienation Syndrome. However, despite support from many mental health professionals, both the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association have rejected parental alienation syndrome. It's the topic of Friday's Smart Talk. Appearing on the program are Dr. Craig Childress, a psychologist who is considered one the nation's experts of parent alienation, Pam Moran, a Cumberland County social worker and psychotherapist and Suzanne Spencer, an active member of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Parental Alienation Awareness Organization who was exposed to alienating behaviors as a child, parent and grandparent. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April222016.mp3 Friday, 22 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Imagine living somewhere you didn't choose. Being told you can't love - or leave. For decades that was reality for people with intellectual disability. For years, children with intellectual disability were not allowed to attend public schools. Parents were told to send their children with intellectual disability away to institutions - that it was best for the child, the family and the community. WITF-TV tells that story in i go home, a one-hour original documentary on the history of people with intellectual disability that airs Thursday starting at 8 p.m. On Thursday's Smart Talk, we meet a few of the people who made the documentary but we'll also discuss life as a person with intellectual disability. Appearing on the program are Maureen Westcott, Executive Director of the Arc of Lancaster County, Elise, a self-advocate and Maureen's daughter, Bill Krebs, a self-advocate, Dana Olsen, Projects Manager, Pennsylvania History Coalition Honoring People with Disability and Keira McGuire, the producer of i go home. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April212016.mp3 Thursday, 21 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 More women are mounting political campaigns than ever before in 2016. Yet the number of women in elected office falls far below how many men who hold elected positions in both Pennsylvania and the nation.. The Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics states that just 18 percent of Pennsylvania's General Assembly is female. Nationally, the numbers are similar. There could be changes on the way though. More than 265 women are candidates nationwide this year, including Hillary Clinton in the Democratic presidential contest and Democrat Katie McGinty, who is running for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania. Two Dickinson College political science professors, Drs. Sarah Niebler and Kathleen Marchetti appear on Wednesday's Smart Talk to discuss women and politics. With less than a week before Pennsylvania primary elections, Smart Talk is having conversations with all three of the Democrats running in the primary for the United States Senate. The winner of next week's election will face incumbent Republican Pat Toomey. Joining us on Wednesday's Smart Talk is former U.S. Navy Admiral and U.S. Congressman Joe Sestak. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April202016.mp3 Wednesday, 20 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania's primary election is only a week away. The presidential campaigns have been getting most of the attention but voters will choose nominees for several important officies, including the U.S. Senate. There are three Democrats competing to face incumbent Republican Pat Toomey in November. All three will be on Smart Talk this week. Katie McGinty joins us on Tuesday's program. Pam Tripaldi's father received a diagnosis of Alzheimer disease in 2007. Tripaldi served as her father's primary caregiver for the final four years of his life, during which he received care at several different hospitals. During these hospitalizations, she encountered near-miss patient safety events in which staff did not recognize her father's dementia. Tripaldi contacted the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority in 2015 and recounted examples of situations in which hospital staff either obtained inaccurate information from her father or failed to provide the assistance necessary to support her father in activities of daily living, such as feeding himself. The Authority investigated and issued an analysis of whether health care providers not recognizing or knowing a patient they're treating has been diagnosed with dementia. Appearing on Tuesday's program is Michelle Feil, the Senior Patient Safety Analyst with the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April192016.mp3 Tuesday, 19 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The final political debate of State Senate candidates before Pennsylvania's April 26 primary election is scheduled for Monday's Smart Talk. Appearing on the program are the three Republicans running for State Senate in the 13th District, which is located in Lancaster County. The candidates are Ethan Demme, Scott Martin and Neal Rice. The trio is competing to replace Sen. Lloyd Smucker, who is running for Congress. Among the issues to discuss are education, jobs, taxes and experience. In fact, in previous debates, government experience or being an "outsider" has been one of the biggest areas of disagreement. The debate follows Smart Talk's normal conversational format and allows the candidates to address one another. There are no phone calls from listeners during the program. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April182016.mp3 Monday, 18 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The Federal Trade Commission is challenging the proposed merger between two of Central Pennsylvania's largest healthcare providers -- Penn State Health and Pinnacle Health. The FTC is concerned that the deal may have a negative impact on consumers. Testimony was heard in federal court this week. WITF's Ben Allen was in the courtroom and appears on Friday's program to describe what he heard. A bill that would make medical marijuana legal in Pennsylvania is on its way to Gov. Tom Wolf's desk for his signature. One of the prime sponsors, Democratic Sen. Daylin Leach, talks about the bill. At risk young people and poetry - what do the two have to do with one another? More than you may expect in the city of Lancaster. The Mix at Arbor Place is a youth development center in Lancaster that offers an innovative spoken word poetry program and also utilizes hip hop to encourage students to express themselves, promote literacy and improve confidence. We'll learn more about the program and how it works on Friday's Smart Talk. Joining us are Jeremy Raff, Assistant Executive Director at The Mix at Arbor Place, Ty Gant, Program Associate at The Mix at Arbor Place and the co-winners of the Lancaster City Youth Poet Laureate program Natalia Delgado and Thea Buckwalter. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April152016.mp3 Friday, 15 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 WITF's Smart Talk, along with the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC, are hosting several political debates this month before Pennsylvania's April 26th primary election. Our goal is to inform voters and talk with the candidates about their priorities and positions on the most important issues facing Pennsylvania. The candidates to appear on Smart Talk Thursday are Republicans Brice Arndt, Scott Harper, Mike Regan and Jon Ritchie. They are running for the Pennsylvania State Senate in the 31st District, which includes parts of Cumberland and York Counties. The seat is being vacated by longtime Sen. Pat Vance, who is retiring. Among the issues we'll discuss are jobs, education, taxes, experience and bipartisan cooperation in Harrisburg. Smart Talk will also host candidates running for the Senate in Lancaster County next Monday. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April142016.mp3 Thursday, 14 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Technology has changed many of our institutions. One that may have had to adapt the most is the library. April 10-16 is National Library Week and the theme is "Libraries Transform." Whether it is a transformation or part of an evolution, the use of computers, tablets, and mobile phones that are tied to the internet have made the library of just 20 years ago outdated. No longer are visitors to the library satisfied to search from amongst thousands of hardbound books for research or to borrow. Today's libraries are set up to be information hubs in communities or academic and school settings. Most are equipped with the technology. However, with dollars tight, some asked whether libraries are relevant. We'll learn more about today's libraries and the libraries of the future on Wednesday's Smart Talk. Appearing on the program are Kathy Silks, Program Manager for PA Forward/Pennsylvania Libraries and Rob Lesher , Executive Director of the Dauphin County Library System. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April132016.mp3 Wednesday, 13 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 How will human health be impacted by a changing climate? The answer is rather startling according to a first-of-its-kind report issued this week. The U.S. Global Change Research Program concluded that air quality will be degraded due to rising temperatures, ozone, drought and wildfires; heavy rains will be more frequent; heat waves will be hotter and hurricanes are more severe. The Report says major shifts in weather and environment will have disastrous consequences for public health, including worsened symptoms of lung disease and other chronic illnesses; higher risk of heat stroke and heat exhaustion; new threats of food- and waterborne diseases; and increased hospital admissions for cardiovascular and kidney disorders. Thursday's Smart Talk features a discussion of the impact climate change could have on lungs and the rest of the body. Appearing on the show are Dr. Alan Peterson who is the emeritus Director of Environmental and Community Medicine of Lancaster General Health and Kevin Stewart who serves as the Director of Environmental Health for the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic Region. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April072016.mp3 Thursday, 07 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 WITF's Smart Talk, along with the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC, are hosting several political debates this month before Pennsylvania's April 26th primary election. Our goal is to inform voters and talk with the candidates about their priorities and positions on the most important issues facing Pennsylvania. The first candidates to appear on Smart Talk Wednesday are Republicans Andrew Lewis and John DiSanto. They are running for the Pennsylvania State Senate in the 15th District, which includes a portion of Dauphin County and all of Perry County. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April062016.mp3 Wednesday, 06 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 As the heroin and opioid epidemic grows in Pennsylvania, families, treatment providers, law enforcement and policy makers search for ways to tame it. There's a delicate balance that experts are seeking to find between addiction treatment, criminal charges and prevention of the abuse of prescription drugs and heroin. The Center for Rural Pennsylvania recently reported on the extent of heroin in all corners of the state. The process to end the heroin and opioid crisis is the focus of Tuesday's Smart Talk. Appearing on the program is Sen. Gene Yaw (R-PA), the Chairman of the Center of Rural Pennsylvania, Jack Carroll, Executive Director of the Cumberland-Perry County Drug and Alcohol Commission and Andy Watson, a district attorney in Potter County. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April052016.mp3 Tuesday, 05 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 In March, Gov. Tom Wolf signed an executive order to raise the minimum wage for state workers under his jurisdiction and employees of Pennsylvania state government contractors from $7.25 to $10.15 an hour. Gov. Wolf hopes to increase the minimum wage statewide and this could be the first step in a campaign to do so. On Monday's Smart Talk, we'll hear about the pros and cons of hiking the minimum wage. Appearing on the program are Mark Price, a labor economist with the Keystone Research Center and Alex Halper, Director of Government Affairs for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry. Talk show host Diane Rehm will also appear on Monday's program. Following the death of her husband, John, in June 2014 after battling Parkinson's disease, she became an advocate for the right-to-die movement. In her newly published book, On My Own, Diane Rehm writes about her belief that the terminally ill should be able to die with dignity with the aid of a physician -- something her husband was not able to do. She also describes her emotions and grief after the death of John. Diane Rehm appears on Monday's Smart Talk to discuss the book just before her own program airs on WITF at 10 a.m. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_April042016.mp3 Monday, 04 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The federal government has announced expanded safety rules for natural gas pipelines. The new regulations will have an impact in Pennsylvania, which is one of the nation's leading natural gas producers. Meanwhile, natural gas production is down in Pennsylvania and that means less money for the state. StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Marie Cusick appears on Friday's Smart Talk with details. There is a severe emergency shortage of blood right now according to the Central Pennsylvania Blood Bank. The Blood Bank says there has been a significant decrease in the number of blood donors at blood drives and donor centers over the past two months. We'll hear from the Central Pennsylvania Blood Bank on Friday's program. Finally, the domestic equivalent of the Peace Corps introduced by President John F. Kennedy in the 1960s is Americorps Vista - Volunteers in Service to America -- which was designed to fight poverty. Today, it does much more, including fostering partnerships between schools, national service programs, and community-based organizations to support low-performing schools. Max Finberg is the director of AmeriCorps VISTA and he's in Harrisburg and on Smart Talk Friday. To donate blood, contact the Central Pennsylvania Blood Bank at 1-800-771-0059, go to cpbb.org or contact any of the following donor centers: Carlisle Donor Center Walnut Bottom Professional Center 419 Village Drive Phone#: 1-800-771-0059 Ephrata Donor Center 446 N. Reading Rd., Suite#201 Ephrata, PA 175222 Phone#: 1-800-771-0059 Lebanon Donor Center 750 Norman Drive, Lebanon, PA Phone#: 1-800-771-0059 Hanover Donor Center 100B West Eisenhower Drive, Hanover, PA Phone#: 1-800-771-0059 Hershey Donor Center 35 Hope Drive, Hershey, PA Phone#: 1-800-771-0059 Camp Hill Donor Center Holy Spirit Donation Center 875 Poplar Church Rd., Camp Hill, PA Phone#: 1-800-771-0059 Lancaster Donor Center 3027 Columbia Ave., Lancaster, PA Phone#: 1-800-771-0059 Harrisburg East Donor Center 4311 Londonderry Road, Harrisburg, PA Phone#: 1-800-771-0059 Pinnacle Hospital Harrisburg Donor Center Corner of Chestnut & 2nd Streets 3rd Floor of Medical Sciences Building Phone#: 1-800-771-0059 Downtown Harrisburg Donor Center 223 Walnut Street, Harrisburg, PA Phone#: 1-800-771-0059 York Donor Center WellSpan Health Apple Hill Medical Center 25 Monument Rd., suite#198, York, PA Phone#: 1-800-771-0059 https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/April012016.mp3 Friday, 01 April 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania, like almost every other state in the country, is dealing with a heroin epidemic. According to a 2014 Drug Enforcement Administration report, over half the drug overdose deaths in Pennsylvania were attributed to heroin. Heroin use has spread to the suburbs and rural areas of Pennsylvania. Often, those dependent on heroin started using painkillers or other prescription drugs and then moved onto heroin, that is cheap and easy to find. What to do about a problem that is so big is a challenge. Lycoming County Corner Chuck Kiessling Jr. is taking a stand. Kiessling has decided to classify heroin overdose deaths as homicides to hold the drug dealers responsible. Kiessling appears on Thursday's Smart Talk to explain. Also on the program is Pam Gay, the York County Coroner, offering her insight on Kiessling's decision to classifysome heroin overdose deaths as homicides, and sharing what York County does instead. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March312016.mp3 Thursday, 31 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Do healthcare professionals always recognize when a patient they are treating for another condition or illness has dementia? The Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority concludes the answer is not always. A Northampton County woman had firsthand experience. Pam Tripaldi of Walnutsport witnessed her father, who had been diagnosed with dementia, providing incorrect information to doctors who asked about his medical history. She went to the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority for a solution such as a colored wristband. The Authority conducted a multi-year analysis which we'll learn about on Wednesday's Smart Talk. Michelle Feil, the safety analyst who conducted the research appears on the program. Also, the Pennsylvania State Geography Bee is scheduled for Friday at the State Museum in Harrisburg. Some of the brightest young people from throughout the state will be participating. But when it comes to geography education in the K thru 12 grades, geography is often a forgotten subject. In fact, nearly three-quarters of eighth graders tested below proficient in geography on the 2014 National Assessment of Education Progress. Part of the explanation could be geography is not a required subject in most states. We discuss the geography bee and geography education on Wednesday's show with Kristin Byers, Program Manager for the Pennsylvania Alliance for Geographic Education and the Pennsylvania State Level Coordinator for the National Geographic Bee and Nicole Eshelman, a teacher at Manheim Township High School and an active member of PA Alliance for Geographic Education. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March302016.mp3 Wednesday, 30 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Go to the Pennsylvania State Police website and you can find a link to Megan's Law website -- a list of convicted sex crime offenders. The list includes photographs of the criminal, his or her current address and the crime the person was convicted of. Those on the list must register for 15 years up to the rest of their lives for offenses ranging from luring a child to rape. When an offender relocates, the victim, neighbors, county and others are informed. The idea behind the Megan's Law website is that the information will help to keep the offender from committing another sex crime. But does it work? The Carlisle Sentinel investigated and published a series of stories that may surprise you. Reporter Joshua Vaughn appears on Tuesday's Smart Talk to discuss what he found. Also, during the month of March, there have been at least eight terrorist attacks around the world that killed more than 220 people. Three have been in Pakistan, including the 37 killed by a suicide bomber Easter Sunday. But there have been others in Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Yemen and Turkey and of course Brussels Belgium where the number of dead is now up to 35. It all seems too much to comprehend and makes one think if terrorism can ever be stopped. Our guest Tuesday is one of the nation's foremost experts on terrorism Dr. Michael Kenney is associate professor of international affairs and program director of international affairs at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Kenney is a former faculty member at Penn State Harrisburg. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March292016.mp3 Tuesday, 29 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Digital technology has been instrumental in changing the world we live in today. Other than complaints that we don't talk to one another face-to-face enough, the change has improved our lives for the better. However, all the screen time has had an impact on the bodies of many people. For example, staring at monitors, tablets or mobile phones taxes our eyes. According to The Vision Council, 65 percent of Americans experience digital eye strain symptoms. This month, The Pennsylvania Optometric Association is commemorating Save Your Vision Month -- a time when Pennsylvanians are encouraged to take steps to maintain good optical health. Two renowned Doctors of Optometry join us on Monday's Smart Talk. Dr. Marianne Boltz, an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Penn State Eye Center and Dr. Gregory Caldwell, who practices with Doctors of Optometry in Duncansville answer your eye health questions. Also, the American Cancer Society's Bark for Life has become one of Central Pennsylvania's most fun and anticipated fundraisers in just a few short years. This year's event is scheduled for April 30th at Indian Echo Caverns in Hummelstown. According to a news release, Bark for Life is an opportunity for people to be empowered through their canine companion partnerships and to continue to contribute to cancer cures. Appearing on Monday's program are Diane Phillips, Director of Government Relations for the American Cancer Society Action Network, East Central Division, Anne Lipko who is a cancer survivor and Myra Taylor, Bark For Life Volunteer Event Lead. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March282016.mp3 Monday, 28 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 For the first time in years, Pennsylvania's April 26 primary may help to decide the presidential nominees. There's a better chance the Republican nomination won't be decided by then. Donald Trump continues to lead Ted Cruz but won't have enough delegates to sew up the nomination, so delegate-rich Pennsylvania could be significant. The Franklin and Marshall College Poll that was released this week shows Trump leads John Kasich by three percentage points in Pennsylvania. Kasich continues to trail in delegates by a wide margin but isn't giving up. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton has a big lead in the poll and in delegates over Bernie Sanders. In Pennsylvania's Democratic U.S. Senate contest, the F&M poll indicates Joe Sestak leads Katie McGinty by 17 points. Franklin and Marshall political analyst and pollster Terry Madonna appears on Friday's Smart Talk to discuss what the numbers mean. Also, WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Mary Wilson is with us for Capitol Week-in-Review. The big news of the week is Pennsylvania will finally have a state budget. Finally, WITF's Ben Allen tells us about his investigation into the number of babies born in Pennsylvania who are addicted to opioids. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March252016.mp3 Friday, 25 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 One of the happiest stories of 2015 was the championship run of the Red Land Little League team. A group of 12 and 13-year-old boys brought joy to a whole nation with charisma, character and obvious baseball skills to win the U.S. National Championship before losing a heartbreaker to Japan in the Little League World Series Championship Game. Red Land's drive to the title was often described as a Cinderella story, but it was a great story. A group of boys from a small York County town go up against and defeat opponents from teams that represent areas with much larger populations. They did it with an explosive offense and great pitching but also with class and good sportsmanship. It's such a compelling story that a feature film is in the works. It's called Against the Odds. We'll learn more about the film on Thursday's Smart Talk from Director/Producer Jameson Hesse, Producer A.J. Ferrara, and Red Land shortstop/pitcher Jaden Henline. Also, Presidential election years always generate more voter enthusiasm than other election cycles. Voters could be even more motivated to go the polls in Pennsylvania this year than in previous presidential elections. Pennsylvania's April 26 primary may go a long way toward deciding the Republican nominee and maybe the Democrat as well. Monday is the deadline to register to vote in the primary. To discuss registration and voting on Smart Talk is Pennsylvania's Secretary of State Pedro Cortes. For more information and to register to vote in Pennsylvania visit VotesPA.com. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March242016.mp3 Thursday, 24 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Our collective sense of security wears away -- maybe ever so slightly -- every time Americans hear of another terrorist attack overseas. That may be the case once again with the deadly bombings in Brussels Tuesday. More than 30 people have been killed and over 200 wounded in three separate attacks. The Islamic State or ISIS claimed responsibility. Security was stepped up around the world, including here in Pennsylvania. Transportation hubs like airports and passenger rail stations got extra attention. Gov. Tom Wolf said there are no known threats to Pennsylvania. However, there is heightened security. The Director of the Governor's Office on Homeland Security Marcus Brown appears of Smart Talk to explain. Also, Pennsylvania has not had a complete state budget for almost nine months now. Gov. Tom Wolf has threatened to veto a spending plan approved by the Senate and House and their Republican majorities last week. The budget debate has been especially harsh. Many are concerned that Harrisburg is becoming as polarized as Washington. Our second guest Wednesday retired as a lobbyist two weeks ago after a long career in the legislature - a time that was different under the Capitol Dome. Former State Senator Franklin Kury joins us with his take on history and today's politics. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March232016.mp3 Wednesday, 23 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Smart Talk is embarking on a different way to meet and have a discussion with the people of our region. It's called Smart Talk Road Trip - a live on location broadcast of the program. This spring, Smart Talk will broadcast from Lancaster, York, Mechanicsburg and Hershey. Smart Talk Road Trip debuts 9am Tuesday, March 22 at Lancaster's Amtrak train station. Transportation, with an emphasis on rail and bus travel, will be focus of the program. What transportation infrastructure needs exist and what does transportation look like for Lancaster and other Central Pennsylvania cities in the near future? Joining host Scott LaMar will be Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray, David Kilmer, Executive Director of the South Central Transit Authority and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary for Multi Modal Toby Fauver. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March222016.mp3 Tuesday, 22 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 It's not law yet, but medical marijuana could be legal in Pennsylvania soon. The State House of Representatives approved the bill last week and sent it back to the Senate to review amendments. The Senate had previously passed the legislation. Gov. Tom Wolf says he will sign the bill into law. It's been a long battle for the parents of children who suffer from debilitating seizures and those diagnosed with several other diseases or conditions. Advocates say the extract from marijuana can reduce the symptoms and pain. Appearing on Monday's Smart Talk are York Daily Record reporter Mark Walters, who has covered the medical marijuana debate for several years and Lolly Bentch-Myers with the group Campaign4Compassion. Her daughter, Anna, has Mesial Temporal Sclerosis, a brain condition that causes epilepsy, insomnia, and autism. Also, Dickinson College's House Divided Project is marking its 10th anniversary this weekend with a special conference on the Reconstruction period after the Civil War. Teachers across the midstate get help teaching about the war from the project. On Monday's program, we learn more from Matt Pinkser of the House Divided Project and two teachers -- Linda Niessen of Crossroads Middle School in the West Shore School District and Todd Mealy of Penn Manor High School. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March212016.mp3 Monday, 21 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 What role do primary care providers play in the opioid crisis that has killed thousands of Pennsylvanians? This week, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidelines on prescribing opioids like OxyContin and Percocet. Pennsylvania has its own set of voluntary recommendations too. Again, these are all voluntary. So will health care professionals cut back on the number of opioid prescriptions? And what other options do they have to treat pain? We'll talk it over with Dr. Chris Echterling, a medical director with WellSpan, and Dr. Robert Rodak, president of the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians. Then, the city of Sunbury is dealing with a controversy in its police force. An outside report released earlier this week finds the city's former police chief erased cell phone records while an internal investigation was underway. Investigators call the department's internal investigation fatally flawed, biased, and unprofessional. Keystone Crossroads reporter Emily Previti, who was a part of the effort to make the report public, joins us to discuss the issue. Plus, Marc Levy of the Associated Press will be along to talk about a busy week at the Capitol, including the House voting to legalize some uses of medical marijuana. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March182016.mp3 Friday, 18 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Public pension debt may not be an issue that many Pennsylvanians discuss socially or even with candidates for office, but it is one of the most important money issues facing the state, municipalities, and school districts. Pennsylvania's $53 billion unfunded debt for retired state workers and educators, including teachers, is the third largest in the country. When Gov. Tom Wolf proposed his 2015-16 fiscal year state budget over a year ago, Republicans said fixing the pension problem was their priority. Even though both parties agree the pension issue has to be dealt with, they have different strategies on how to do it. Since the state still doesn't have a spending plan in place and there's disagreement on solving the pension dilemma, not much has changed. The PEW Charitable Trusts -- one of the nation's most respected public policy organizations -- has been studying underfunded pension obligations across the country. PEW's director of that project Greg Mennis discusses their findings on Thursday's Smart Talk. Also, Thursday is St. Patrick's Day and there will be a lot of celebrating and often that takes the form of drinking. it also means there could be more drunk drivers on the road than normal. Police will be on the lookout for drivers who pose a risk to themselves and others on the road. Those drivers not only face criminal charges but a hefty bill to go along with it -- one that may surprise you. George Geisler of the Pennsylvania DUI Association joins us on Smart Talk to address several drunk-driving topics. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March172016.mp3 Thursday, 17 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Republican Senate Majority Leader Sen. Jake Corman appear on Wednesday's Smart Talk. Republicans have proposed and the House and Senate could vote Wednesday on a $30 billion, 2015-16 state budget. The spending plan doesn't include tax hikes but also doesn't address the structural deficit the state is facing. A completed budget is now almost nine months late. Gov. Wolf signed a plan approved by the legislature in December but used his line-item veto power to blue-line some $6 billion in spending. That got money moving to school districts and social service organizations, but now there are schools that say the funding is starting to run dry. In the meantime, others owed money from the state say they're reaching a point where they can't continue to operate, including Penn State's extension offices and other agriculture-related programs. There are other issues to discuss with Gov. Wolf and Sen. Corman including who will replace retiring Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Michael Eakin, campaign finance reform, and Wolf's health -- a few weeks after the governor announced his battling prostate cancer. Do you have a question for Gov. Wolf or Sen. Corman? https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March162016.mp3 Wednesday, 16 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 It has been estimated that more than 2.7 million children in the United States have at least one parent currently in prison. Because of the absence of a parent, these children may be impacted negatively for the rest of their lives. According to one study, they are more likely to experience poor school performance, housing instability, mental and physical health issues and economic hardship. In order to lessen the burden on these children, Ambassadors for Hope, an advocacy group in Lancaster County, is working to bridge the gap between parents in prison and children on the outside. The group reconnects children with their incarcerated parents. A recent report suggested that although there are in-prison programs focusing on parenting skills, few are focused on meeting the needs of children directly during the time the parents are in prison. Appearing on Tuesday's Smart Talk to discuss the issue are Robert R. Cooper, Founder and Co-ordinator, Ambassadors for Hope: Serving Children with a Parent in Prison, family advocate Jennifer Strasenburgh, Dr. Mary Glazier, Chair, Professor, Director of the Center for Public Scholarship and Social Change, Millersville University and David Bender, Chief Strategic Officer Compass Mark. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March152016.mp3 Tuesday, 15 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Agriculture research and agencies that focus on issues ranging from pests that could harm crops, to food safety, could be jeopardized by the ongoing state budget impasse. A partial spending plan was approved in December. However, Gov. Tom Wolf used his line-item veto power to blue line some $5 billion from the Republican-passed budget. Included was more than $50 million meant for agricultural research farms and Penn State Extension offices across the state. Those programs could be shut down unless the money begins flowing from the state. To discuss the situation on Monday's Smart Talk are Richard Roush, Dean of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, Mark O'Neill, Director of Media and Strategic Communications with the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and Cumberland County farmer Matthew Meals. March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. The American Cancer Society estimates there will be 95,000 new cases of colon cancer and 40,000 rectal cancers diagnosed in 2016. More than 49,000 will die from colorectal cancer this year. It also is one of the most preventable types of cancer. What causes colorectal cancer, how can it be prevented, and what are the symptoms? Joining us on the program are Dr. Parvi Panchal, who is board certified in gastroenterology, as well as internal medicine and Cheri Shoemaker, a colon cancer survivor. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March142016.mp3 Monday, 14 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 As the refugee crisis in Europe deepens, one Central Pennsylvanian witnessed the influx of refugees entering Greece first hand. York County youth pastor Jay Worth appears on Smart Talk to discuss his recent trip to Greece and describe efforts to assist refugees from war-torn Syria and Afghanistan find homes in Europe. Worth says he doesn't think Americans have a true perception of the refugee crisis. Also, Pennsylvania has a new slogan and logo to attract visitors to the state. Those visitors will now be encouraged to "Pursue Your Happiness," a nod to the famous "Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness" line found in the Declaration of Independence. The Executive Director of Tourism in the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, Michael Chapaloney joins us on the program to discuss the process that went into the logo and slogan, its implementation and what it is designed to do. WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Mary Wilson is also on the show, with Capitol-Week-in-Review. Two big stories this week were budget hearings coming to an end in the legislature and advocates warning of impending trouble for farmers unless money begins flowing from the state. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March112016.mp3 Friday, 11 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Lead contamination in Flint, Michigan's water supply is bringing national attention to the topic of lead poisoning and the safety of resources we use every day. Pennsylvania's water supply is generally considered safe from lead poisoning. However, lead exposure and poisoning have been linked to paint, children's toys, and some art supplies. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, lead-based paints present the most common threat to Pennsylvanians. Any home built before 1978 could contain lead paint. Exposure to lead poisoning can stem from swallowing or inhaling the paint. Children are especially at risk for lead exposure. Their physical and mental health can be affected permanently. Appearing on Thursday's Smart Talk is Dr. Loren Robinson, the Deputy Secretary for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention with the Pennsylvania department of Health. Also, one of Central Pennsylvania's most popular attractions, especially at this time of year, could close without an influx of money. Millions of migrating waterfowl stop at the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area on the Lebanon-Lancaster County line near the end of every winter. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is pushing for an increase in hunting license fees to generate money needed to maintain Middle Creek and for other expenses. License fees have not increased since 1999. Game Commission Press Secretary Travis Lau explains on Thursday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March102016.mp3 Thursday, 10 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 NO MORE is a national campaign to end domestic and sexual violence. Spelled out in all capital letters, NO MORE sounds like a shout. A demand. It should be, considering the action needed to get the attention of batterers and sexual predators and maybe even society as a whole. March 6 through 12 is NO MORE Week to shine a spotlight on two of the most important and dangerous issues of our time. The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape have a number of activities scheduled and points to make this week. PCADV Executive Director Peg Dierkers and PCAR Chief Public Affairs Officer Kristen Houser do just that on Wednesday's Smart Talk. Also, the influence and history of American Jews in cinema could chronicle the history of film itself. But that's what Jewish film educator, historian and author Eric Goldman does. Dr. Goldman makes a presentation at Chisuk Emuna Congregation in Harrisburg Saturday exploring the film depictions of what it means to be a Jew in America. Dr. Goldman provides a preview and discusses a century of America Jews in film on Wednesday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March092016.mp3 Wednesday, 09 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Gov. Tom Wolf has signed an executive order to raise the minimum wage for state workers under his jurisdiction and employees of Pennsylvania state government contractors from $7.25 to $10.15 an hour. The governor supports increasing the minimum wage statewide and this could be the first step in a campaign to do so. Supporters say a higher minimum wage would give low-income workers more spending money and put tens of millions of dollars back into the state's economy. Opponents counter a minimum wage hike will result in a loss of jobs, especially some those workers without many skills who need the jobs the most. We'll take a look on Tuesday's Smart Talk. Appearing on the program are Mark Price, a labor economist with the Keystone Research Center and Alex Halper, Director of Government Affairs for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry. Also, there's already media speculation about who the leading presidential contenders would name as their running mates if they win their party's nomination. It's rare to find a story that doesn't include the narrative that a potential running mate would come from a battleground state in the presidential election. The idea being that the vice presidential candidate would deliver that state's voters to the ticket. Is that really the case? Our guests Tuesday have researched and written a book called The VP Advantage: How Running Mates Influence Home State Voting in Presidential Elections. They are Kyle Kopko, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Elizabethtown College and Christopher Devine, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March082016.mp3 Tuesday, 08 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 It seems as though every major decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in recent years has been decided by a 5-4 vote of the justices. Usually, those one-vote rulings have come down along ideological lines between the so-called conservative and liberal justices. Justice Anthony Kennedy has often been the deciding vote. So when Justice Antonin Scalia died last month, the nomination of a new justice was sure to be controversial, because it could swing the direction of the court for years to come. Republicans said right away that the next nominee should not be named until after a new president is elected so the people can have a say in the selection. President Obama plans to nominate a justice saying it is his Constitutional duty. Widener University Commonwealth Law School Professor Michael Dimino appears on Monday's Smart Talk to discuss what the Constitution says about Supreme Court nominations and their history. Also, we'll hear from a new group formed to preserve the historic James Bell Tavern in Cumberland County. A meeting there in 1788 started momentum toward a Bill of Rights. The building was partially demolished in January until the history was called to the owners' attention. Eric Kelso of the Patriots of Captain James Bell Tavern joins us on Monday's show. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March072016.mp3 Monday, 07 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvanians were shocked, saddened and disgusted this week when Attorney General Kathleen Kane announced that an investigative Grand Jury had found that more than 50 Catholic priests and other religious leaders had sexually abused children in the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese. Two Bishops were accused of covering up the abuse that allegedly occurred over a 40-year period. The investigation indicated both boys and girls were victims. Kane said no one has been criminally charged in part due to the statute of limitations. In fact, the Grand Jury recommended that Pennsylvania's statute-of-limitations for sex crimes be changed. So how did this happen and what can be done to make sure it doesn't happen again? Appearing on Friday's Smart Talk to address the case are Angela Liddle, President and CEO with the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance and Democratic State Representative Mark Rozzi of Berks County, an abuse survivor. Sensing displeasure among Pennsylvanians following a controversial 2015 judicial election season, five former Pennsylvania governors and current Gov. Tom Wolf have formed a bipartisan group to make a renewed call for changes in how the state selects statewide appellate court judges. The governors support a merit selection process over the current election of judges. Joining us on the program to discuss the proposal are Lynn Marks, executive director of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, and Republican State Representative Bryan Cutler of Lancaster County, the House Majority Whip. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March042016.mp3 Friday, 04 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Thursday's Smart Talk features two segments that are good examples of how much healthcare is changing. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is promoting telemedicine as a tool to help the nation's 40 million family caregivers provide care and also find some assistance for themselves in dealing with the stress and other challenges they face. AARP's National Vice President for State Advocacy and Strategy Elaine Ryan appears on the program to explain how telemedicine can make a difference. Also, medical science has been revolutionized in the past century. Many diseases and illnesses that used to be lethal are now treated with procedures and medications that are almost routine. Technology has accelerated the progress even more in the last 20 years. So what may surprise you is that doctors are basically being trained in medical school under a timeline developed in 1910. But that's changing and Penn State Hershey is one the medical schools leading the way. Appearing on the program to discuss the changes are Dr. Susan Skochelak, Group Vice President for Medical Education with the American Medical Association and Dr. Jed Gonzalo, Assistant Dean for Health Systems Education, Penn State College of Medicine. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March032016.mp3 Thursday, 03 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The centerpiece of President Obama's battle against climate change is the proposed Clean Power Plan. Under the plan, states would set goals to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by the year 2030. The states could cut emissions in a variety of ways and it would be up to the states to decide. Pennsylvania's target was to reduce emissions by more than 30%. The plan was controversial because many believe it will have a negative economic impact, especially on certain industries like coal. Lost in the vast media coverage of the New Hampshire primary three weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay against implementing the Clean Power Plan. Pennsylvania was not one of the states that challenged the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to regulate emissions. In fact, the Wolf Administration may go ahead and slash emissions. We'll hear what the Administration plans are on Wednesday's Smart Talk when we're joined by John Quigley, Pennsylvania's Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection . https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March022016.mp3 Wednesday, 02 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Since Russia became active militarily in Syria's civil war, we haven't heard much about violence between Ukrainian fighters and Russian-backed separatists. Even though a cease fire has been in place for the last six months, there are dozens of violations -- by both sides -- every day. The violations have increased since January. Another cease-fire agreement -- this one even more fragile -- began last weekend in Syria. If it is effective will it mean the Russians will divert attention to Ukraine? And if they do, then what? Ukraine leaning toward Europe economically, sanctions against Russia, Russia's annexation of Crimea and the ambitions of Russian President Vladimir Putin all are part of the conversation. On Tuesday's Smart Talk, we'll also discuss the implications for the west with former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Steven Pifer and Dickinson College Professor of History, Karl Qualls. Ambassador Pifer speaks at Dickinson Wednesday night at 7. Also, Pennsylvanians love the outdoors and some of our favorite activities outdoors include hiking, running, or biking on nature trails. History is also one of our favorite topics and that's why a 250-mile trail under development would be of great interest. The Grand History Trail would connect York and Gettysburg with Frederick, Baltimore and Annapolis in Maryland, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and Washington D.C. A few of the trails exist already, but not the complete trail. Joining us Tuesday's program are Pennsylvania Secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Cindy Dunn, and Don Gogniat, an author, educator and traveler, who is one of the biggest advocates for the Grand History Trail. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_March012016.mp3 Tuesday, 01 March 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Gov. Tom Wolf's announcement last week that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer stunned many people across the state. Even though the governor described his cancer as treatable and said he wouldn't need chemotherapy, Pennsylvanians were concerned. Wolf's announcement brought attention to prostate cancer -- one of the most curable cancers. When diagnosed in its early stages, prostate cancer can be treated with a high degree of success. However, prostate cancer presents few symptoms in its early stages and that's why screening is so very important. Monday's Smart Talk examines prostate cancer. Appearing on the program are Kristine Warner, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Prostate Cancer Coalition, Dr. Charles Reninger of Hematology and Oncology Consultants of Pennsylvania, Dr. Suzanne Merryll, Urologic Oncologist at the Penn State Cancer Institute, and prostate cancer survivor Retired Colonel James E. Williams Jr. Outside of the Keystone State, Pennsylvania Dutch is often synonymous with the Amish or Mennonites. Many visualize buggies, no electricity and handmade furniture. But within Pennsylvania's borders it is more nuanced than that. For many Pennsylvanians, there's a cultural history and ancestry connected to Pennsylvania Dutch. The Pennsylvania Dutch language is the focus of Monday's Smart Talk. Appearing on the program is Mark L. Louden, professor of Germanic linguistics and co-director of the Max Kade Institute for Germanic-American Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He's also the author of a new book, Pennsylvania Dutch: The Story of an American Language. Louden, a leading scholar and fluent Pennsylvania Dutch speaker discusses the origin, evolution and linguistic features of Pennsylvania Dutch, which he has found is a booming language even in the 21st century. Louden talks about the differences between the "Fancy Dutch," the "Plain People" and the fracturing of the language into different forms. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February292016.mp3 Monday, 29 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The latest Franklin and Marshall College Poll that was released this week shows Donald Trump leading the Republican presidential race in Pennsylvania while Hillary Clinton has a big lead over Bernie Sanders on the Democratic side. Two months before Pennsylvania's primary, Trump is the choice of 22% of those polled compared to 16% for Marco Rubio and 15% for John Kasich. Clinton outpolls Sanders 48% to 27%. The F & M poll also indicates 67% of registered voters believe Pennsylvania is on the wrong track. That number, which increased five percentage points since October, comes against the backdrop of the state not having a final budget for the past eight months. Franklin and Marshall College pollster Dr. G. Terry Madonna, appears on Friday's Smart Talk to provide his take on what the numbers mean. Finally, WITF's Central Pennsylvania Spelling Bee is scheduled for this weekend. You'll have more respect for the young spellers once you hear several WITF air personalities spell during the Smart Talk Spelling Bee. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February262016.mp3 Friday, 26 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The New York Times reported earlier this week, "The worsening of tidal flooding in American coastal communities is largely a consequence of greenhouse gases from human activity, and the problem will grow far worse in coming decades" (according to scientists). The report was just the latest from the scientific community that indicates the Earth's temperatures are going up and so are ocean levels. However, climate change is one of the most hotly debated issues politically in the U.S. President Obama has outlined a series of taxes and limits on carbon emissions. Most conservatives oppose the president's proposal saying it will cripple the country economically. Self-described libertarian Jerry Taylor, president of the Niskanen Center isn't one of them. Taylor has written and speaks on The Conservative Case for a Carbon Tax. In fact, he'll speak Thursday afternoon at Widener Law Commonwealth. Taylor's carbon tax plans are different than President Obama's as he'll tell us on Thursday's Smart Talk. Also joining us is John Dernbach, a Distinguished Professor and the Director of the Environmental Law and Sustainability Center at Widener Law Commonwealth. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February252016.mp3 Thursday, 25 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Pulitzer Prize winning author, Eric Foner, one of the nation's most respected historians, appears on Wednesday's Smart Talk. Dr. Foner discusses his new book Gateway to Freedom: The Hidden History of the Underground Railroad, which is WITF and Aaron's Books Pick-of-the-Month for February. It's also a great story for Black History Month. The book describes the secret network that helped more than 3,000 African-American slaves escape to freedom during the early and mid-1800's. It builds on previously unseen evidence from that time period that includes detailed records of slave escapes and the collaboration of hundreds of black and white Americans to deliver slaves from the South to freedom. Much of Gateway to Freedom focuses on the Underground Railroad in New York City but also talks about stops and events in Pennsylvania that include Philadelphia, Columbia, York, Lancaster, Chambersburg, and Harrisburg. Also, loyal WITF listeners, viewers and visitors to witf.org are aware of and have been part of WITF's 50th anniversary celebration over the past year. Often, we would hear a congratulatory refrain of "Here's to the next 50!" With the next 50 years in mind, we want to talk with you Wednesday about a new campaign called "50 for the Future." Appearing on the program are WITF President and CEO Kathleen Pavelko and Susan Piggott, a WITF Premier Circle member. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February242016.mp3 Wednesday, 24 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 It is legal for pharmacists to administer seasonal flu immunizations in all 50 states. That authorization has only occurred within the past 20 years. With a changing healthcare landscape, pharmacists want to expand their patient care roles even more to include chronic disease management, health screenings and tests and to provide immunizations for other health conditions. Many of those responsibilities are now only performed in a doctor's office or under the scrutiny of a physician. As a result, doctors have opposed expanding pharmacist roles in patient care. Pharmacists also support federal legislation that would compensate them for the expanded services through Medicare. We'll learn more on Tuesday's Smart Talk from Patricia Epple the Secretary and Treasurer of The Pennsylvania Pharmacist Association and Charles Kray the owner of Hershey CKC Pharmacy. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February232016.mp3 Tuesday, 23 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Not long ago, there were plans for Harrisburg International Airport to become a multi-transportation hub -- not only the largest airport in the region but also would be an Amtrak train stop. The project never was fully realized. But that doesn't mean officials have given up on expanding HIA's role in the region. For example, the airport is always looking to add flights and airlines to conduct those flights. Allegiant Air has been offering flights to Florida that are comparable in price to nearby larger airports. For many Central Pennsylvania travelers, that's how Harrisburg International can compete with larger airports in Philadelphia and Baltimore -- offer more convenience at a comparable price. Other plans are in the works too that include bringing air travel-related businesses to the area near the airport, building a hotel and developing the Route 230 corridor. Harrisburg International Airport and air travel in Central Pennsylvania are the topics of Monday's Smart Talk. Appearing on the program are Tim Edwards, Executive Director, Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority and Scott Miller, Deputy Director, Business Development and Strategic Marketing, Harrisburg International Airport. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February222016.mp3 Monday, 22 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 There were about 50,000 people incarcerated or serving other alternative sentences in Pennsylvania last year. That's the smallest number since 2009. In fact, the prison population fell by 842 inmates in 2015. The Wolf Administration attributed the drop to reforms made in 2012. While a declining prison population is a step in the right direction, Pennsylvania's criminal justice system faces other challenges like too many mentally ill people who are in jail rather than getting treatment or a small group of criminals who continue to commit crimes. The Council of State Governments Justice Center has worked with 24 other states to find ways to reduce corrections spending, lower recidivism and redirect those funds to proven public safety strategies. The Justice Center is now reviewing Pennsylvania's criminal justice system. Appearing on Friday's Smart Talk to discuss what works and what doesn't are Marc Pelka, Deputy Director of State Initiatives for the Council of State Governments Justice Center and Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Also, three antique guns were stolen from the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg last Sunday morning. The thief got into the building through a broken window and stole the guns from a controversial exhibit sponsored by the National Rifle Association. The burglary has prompted many questions - some we hope to get answered Friday by Gene Barr, the Vice Chair of the Board of the National Civil War Museum. Also, WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Mary Wilson is on the show with Capitol-Week-in-Review highlighted by Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane announcing she won't seek re-election. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February192016.mp3 Friday, 19 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Albert Einstein's name may come up often in a college physics class, but you don't hear the renowned physicist's name in the news much. So you knew that last week's announcement that scientists had discovered gravitational waves Einstein had researched a hundred years ago was big news. In fact, it was historic scientific news. For the first time, scientists actually heard the sound of two black holes merging in deep space a billion years ago. What questions did the discovery answer and what questions does it raise? On Thursday's Smart Talk, we'll ask those questions and learn more about gravitational waves. Our guest is Dr. Andrea Lommen, Associate Professor of Astronomy and Director of the Grundy Observatory at Franklin and Marshall College. Also, natural gas prices are down. That's good news for consumers who heat their homes with natural gas, but it is having a negative financial impact on gas drillers in Pennsylvania. It also has affected the businesses that were doing well, sprung up, or expanded when drilling took off in the Marcellus Shale. Now, workers are being laid off and at least one company could be bankrupt. Joining us on Thursday's show is StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Marie Cusick to describe the downturn in the gas industry. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February182016.mp3 Thursday, 18 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 In June 2014, talk show host Diane Rehm's husband of 54 years, John, died. John Rehm's death came after a long fight with Parkinson's Disease. He didn't want to live any longer with the debilitating disease but his physician could do nothing to facilitate his death, so John Rehm decided he would not eat food or drink fluids to end his life. He died 10 days later. Diane Rehm became and outspoken advocate for the right-to-die movement. In her newly published book, On My Own, Diane Rehm writes about her belief that the terminally ill should be able to die with dignity with the aid of a physician. She also describes her emotions and grief after the death of her husband. Diane Rehm appears on Wednesday's Smart Talk to discuss the book just before her own program airs on WITF at 10 a.m. Also, it's National Court Reporters and Captioning Week. Court reporters are an important part of our legal system but often go unnoticed. Gail McLucas of GLFM reporting joins us on Wednesday's show to explain what court reporters and captioners actually do. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February172016.mp3 Wednesday, 17 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The Latino population in Pennsylvania is booming. On a national level, Pennsylvania ranks #13 when it comes to total Latino population in the U.S., with more than 750,000 Latinos calling the Keystone State home. However, as the population grows, many Latinos face challenges. Thousands don't have health insurance or struggle to find employment despite the advantage of bilingual capabilities--a skill many employers actively recruit. George Fernandez, the founder and CEO of The Latino Connection, a marketing and communications firm located in Harrisburg, wants to break the disconnect between Latinos and employers. He'll appear on Tuesday's show to discuss the growing Latino population, the challenges of being Latino in the U.S., the relationship between the job market and Latinos, as well as programs offered by The Latino Connection. Also, eight Pennsylvania non-profit organizations will be benefitting from the work of Pennsylvania students this month. Students and faculty from the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design in Lancaster are participating in the 2016 Designathon, an event that challenges students to create logos, website brochures, and more for participating non-profit organizations. Appearing on the show to discuss the Designathon are Pam Barby, chair of the Graphic Design Department of Pennsylvania College of Art and Design and Avery Rose, a participating student. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February162016.mp3 Tuesday, 16 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 With another President's Day upon us, we can expect to see the annual roll out equivalent to presidential hots and nots; lists of best and worst presidents will be flooding the internet, famous quotes will be shared and you'll likely be home from work or school. But there's a fundamental question that remains unanswered. What makes a president "best" or "worst"? And what about everyone in between? Monday's Smart Talk focuses on presidents -- everyone from underrated to overrated, game changers, the forgettable and those who are undeservedly forgotten. If you think you have a favorite president now, you'll want to tune in and give some others a try. Dr. David O'Connell, assistant professor of political science at Dickinson College, author and presidential history expert will be joining us on the program. He'll be on the show to discuss the popular presidents, like Kennedy and Lincoln, unpopular presidents, like Pennsylvania's own James Buchanan and presidents in between.​ https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February152016.mp3 Monday, 15 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 February is American Heart Month -- a good time to think about our lifestyles and whether how we live translates to a healthy heart. Heart disease is the number one killer in America. According to the Centers for Disease Control, some 610,000 people die each year of heart disease. One-and-a-half million suffer heart attacks or strokes. At the same time, medical science has made many advances in the treatment of heart disease over the past three decades. And that's where Friday's Smart Talk takes us -- the latest surgical innovations in the treatment of heart disease. Here's a quick hint -- the procedures are not as invasive as in the past. Joining us on the program is Dr. Hemal Gada who is with PinnacleHealth's CardioVascular Institute. Also, WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Mary Wilson is on the show with Capitol-Week-in-Review. Two big stories this week were Gov. Tom Wolf's Budget Address and the State Senate vote to not oust Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane from office. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February122016.mp3 Friday, 12 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Almost six million adults in the U.S. are living with bipolar disorder, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. We've seen the movies and know the stereotypes, but what is bipolar disorder? How does it impact the lives of those diagnosed and their families? Most importantly, do we know what causes bipolar disorder and how to treat it? That's the focus of Thursday's Smart Talk. Appearing on the program is Dr. Erika Saunders, Associate Professor and Chair of Psychiatry at the Penn State College of Medicine. Dr. Saunders has been working on understanding the importance and impacts of certain omega-3 fatty acids in the brains of people diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She'll discuss what her findings could mean for the future understanding and treatment of bipolar disorder. Also, the presidential candidates have left conservative Iowa and moderate and independent New Hampshire and are on their way to South Carolina for a primary a week from Saturday. Who's out? Who's in? Will it matter? Is the slugfest going to drag on long enough that Pennsylvania comes into play like it did in 2008? Will there be a candidate around whom the religious right will coalesce? Will Bernie Sanders be able to cut into Hillary Clinton's lead among non-white voters in South Carolina and Nevada? Dickinson College political science professor and author Dr. David O'Connell tells us on Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February112016.mp3 Thursday, 11 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Gov. Tom Wolf's Budget Address Tuesday before a joint session of the legislature was unique in several ways. It was the first time in Pennsylvania's history that a governor was proposing the next fiscal year's spending plan while the budget for the current fiscal year isn't completed. Wolf's tone and criticism of House Republicans in particular was different and resulted in Republicans loudly booing and groaning. Wolf accused House Republicans of adjourning before Christmas without finishing a budget. Republicans countered that they completed a budget -- just not the one the governor wanted. The governor is proposing a budget of more than $33 billion that includes spending increases for K-12 education, higher education, human services and programs for drug and alcohol treatment. Wolf is looking for $2.7 billion in tax increases and new taxes to pay for additional spending. Under Wolf's plan, the personal income tax would go from 3.07 to 3.4%, an extraction tax would be imposed on natural gas drillers and the sales tax would include a few items not previously taxed. Republicans, who hold majorities in both the House and Senate, are critical of the governor's proposal, after shooting down his plans to generate new revenue for the past seven months. We'll hear from both sides on Wednesday's Smart Talk. Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa and House Majority Leader Dave Reed join us. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February102016.mp3 Wednesday, 10 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 A protection from abuse order is designed to restrict a person who has caused harm or could jeopardize the safety of a spouse, family member or partner. A PFA is signed by a judge and tells the alleged abuser to stop the abuse or face serious legal consequences. It offers civil legal protection from domestic violence to both female and male victims. There are three types of PFAs - emergency, temporary and final protection from abuse orders. An investigation and subsequent stories by the York Daily Record found that York County judges are issuing temporary PFAs far less often than the state average. York Daily Record reporters Brandie Kessler and Ed Mahon explain on Tuesday's Smart Talk. Also, Gov. Tom Wolf outlines his 2016-17 budget proposal Tuesday. For the first time in the state's history, a governor will be proposing a new state budget before the current budget has been enacted. Since the beginning of the current fiscal year July 1, Wolf and Republican legislative leaders have haggled over a spending plan with taxes being the big holdup. Political analyst Dr. G. Terry Madonna of Franklin and Marshall College joins us with a budget preview. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February092016.mp3 Tuesday, 09 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 During the six month state budget impasse when no money was flowing from Harrisburg to Pennsylvania's 67 counties, county commissioners sometimes complained that state lawmakers didn't understand the needs of counties and that included the responsibilities counties are mandated to perform. Gov. Tom Wolf signed a partial state budget in late December that got some money moving. However, at the same time, he used his line-item veto power to blue line some $7 billion of the state spending plan sent to him by the House and Senate where Republicans hold majorities. Even without a complete budget for the current fiscal year, the governor proposes next year's budget Tuesday. Counties will be watching closely. At the same time, counties have listed their priorities for 2016. They include budget and human service funding from the state as well as diversifying counties' tax bases and improving the child welfare system. Monday's Smart Talk focuses on county priorities with Doug Hill the Executive Director and Franklin County Commissioner Bob Thomas, the president of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February082016.mp3 Monday, 08 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Spread of the Zika virus in Brazil and other Latin American countries has raised concern in the United States. Florida Gov. Rock Scott declared emergencies in four counties in his state after nine people were found to have the virus. All are thought to have contracted the virus outside the U.S. Those with the Zika virus present with flu-like symptoms most often and can recover quickly. However, pregnant women who have the virus have delivered babies with birth defects. The virus is spread by a certain type of mosquito. Could Zika make its way beyond Florida into the United States and maybe even into Pennsylvania? Dr. John Wallace, a medical entomologist and Pofessor of Biology at Millersville University tells us on Friday's Smart Talk. Also, many of you will be watching the telecast of Sunday's Super Bowl for the commercials. Since the broadcast typically has the largest audience of the year, advertisers run their best commercials during the game. What makes a successful or memorable Super Bowl commercial? Messiah College professors Keith Quesenberry and David Hagenbuch lay out their theories on Friday's program. Finally, WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Mary Wilson provides insight into Gov. Wolf's request for an additional $200 million in education spending in next year's budget. That's on top of the $400 million Wolf asked for in the budget that wasn't completed this year. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February052016.mp3 Friday, 05 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 We live in a partisan society politically. Some say the Congress is as polarized along party lines as any time in our history. How did we get that way? Many point to Congressional reapportionment practices by states like Pennsylvania as one of the culprits. Using U.S. Census population statistics that are collected every 10 years, the state legislature in Pennsylvania gets to draw the state legislative and Congressional district boundaries. The majority party in the legislature wields a lot of power over what those final maps will look like. Often, the districts are developed or gerrymandered in a way that would make it easier for candidates from the majority party to be elected or re-elected to office. Democratic State Senator John Wozniak is proposing taking redistricting out of the hands of lawmakers and setting up a commission to draw the district lines. Wozniak describes his plan on Thursday's Smart Talk. We often hear that early childhood education - learning in a structured setting before a child enters kindergarten - is one of the keys to a child growing up to be a good student. Research also indicates early children education is especially important for children living in poverty. The Joshua Group is a non-profit that operates a program for kids in Harrisburg's Allison Hill. Kirk Hallett, founder and director of the Joshua Group joins us on Thursday's program https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February042016.mp3 Thursday, 04 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The decline of the nation's bee population was a great mystery for a long time -- so much so that a presidential order was issued in June of 2014 to investigate the state of bees. It's important because much of our food supply depends on the pollination of bees. We've heard that honey bees are in danger, and it turns out they aren't alone. In recent years, wild bees, another type of pollinating bee, have also faced a plight of population decline. A study, co-published by a Franklin and Marshall professor, maps the decline of wild bee populations. The study, which is the largest of its kind, tracked the status, trend and impact of wild bees across the United States. How large was the population loss, and what could it mean for the future of the food supply chain, honeybees and human life? Dr. Eric Lonsdorf, co-publisher of the wild bee study and Franklin and Marshall professor of ecology and Clair Kauffman, Orchard Manager at Kauffman's Fruit Farm & Market in Lancaster appear on Wednesday's Smart Talk to discuss why wild bees are important, why they're disappearing and how farmers and homeowners can help combat the population decline and destruction of wild bee habitats. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February032016.mp3 Wednesday, 03 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 In a historical hotspot like Pennsylvania, many pride themselves on local and national history knowledge; but what do you know about the history of medicine? Moreover, what do you know about the history of medicine specific to Central Pennsylvania? This is type of history you won't find in typical textbooks. We'll learn more about this history of medicine and focus on its relationship to Central Pennsylvania on Tuesday's Smart Talk. The Edward Hand Medical Heritage Foundation was founded in 1982 in Lancaster. Since then, it has been studying, cataloguing and curating historical artifacts. The foundation, which also has a virtual museum, has focused on medical history as a whole, but has specifically targeted its surrounding Lancaster County, preserving priceless historical artifacts for years to come. Joining us on Thursday's Smart Talk are Donna Mann, the museum's curator, and Dr. Nikitas Zervanos, the president of the Edward Hand Medical Heritage Foundation, to discuss the history and taking questions about the past and future of medicine. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February022016.mp3 Tuesday, 02 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Actual voters will begin choosing presidential candidates tonight at the Iowa Caucuses. It's the first in the country after months of debates, campaigning in small town diners and a campaign like we've never seen. No more polls -- only the numbers that count. NPR political reporter Scott Detrow has spent weeks in Iowa leading up to the Caucuses and joins on Monday's Smart Talk. February is National Children's Dental Health Month. Monday's program answers questions about dental health and not just for kids and provides tips on how to make sure children grow up with healthy teeth and gums. Appearing on the show are Philip Goropoulos, president of Catholic Health Initiative's CHI St. Joseph Children's Health in Lancaster County and dental hygienist Laura Myers. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_February012016.mp3 Monday, 01 February 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 6-to-3 decision that juveniles sentenced to life in prison as teenagers must be retroactively granted the opportunity to argue that they should be released from prison. The ruling an expansion of the 2012 Supreme Court decision that eliminated mandatory life terms without parole for juveniles, What does that ruling mean for Pennsylvania -- a state with about 500 inmates who could be affected -- the most of any state in the country? It is the focus of Friday's Smart Talk. Appearing on the program are David Arnold, Lebanon County District Attorney and President of the Pennsylvania District Attorney's Association, Pennsylvania's Victim Advocate Jennifer Storm, an attorney from the Juvenile Law Center, the sister of a teenager murder by her 15-year-old boyfriend and Cindy Sanford, a woman who befriended Kenneth Carl Crawford, an inmate at the State Correction Institution in Greene County, who was convicted for his involvement in a double murder in Luzerne County in 1999 when he was 15. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January292016.mp3 Friday, 29 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Some 20,000 Americans die each year from lung cancer related to exposure to radon gas according to the American Cancer Society. It is second only to smoking as a cause of lung cancer. However, radon is a danger we don't hear about too often. Maybe it's because there are so many other health threats we face every day or that radon is an odorless, colorless, radioactive gas we can't see. The Department of Environmental Protection estimates that almost half of Pennsylvania homes are affected by radon. As a result, DEP is encouraging homeowners to get their homes tested for radon and if levels are above recommendations, take steps to fix the problem. Thursday's Smart Talk focuses on radon -- what it is, how to test for it and what to do if radon levels are too high. Our guests are Pennsylvania Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection John Quigley and Robert Lewis, Program Manager of the Bureau of Radiation Protection with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Also, Steve Kemper, author of the newly published book, A Splendid Savage, The Restless Life of Frederick Russell Burnhamjoins us. Burnham was a gold prospector and scout who fought Apaches then went to Africa to find his fortunate and was a warrior there too. Be sure to tune in. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January282016.mp3 Thursday, 28 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 There could be a crush of Americans signing up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act as the open enrollment deadline approaches this Sunday, January 31. At least that's the hope of the Obama Administration. The law was designed to reduce the number of uninsured and it has in the first three years the healthcare exchanges have been available. Another component though was that more people were needed to enroll in order to keep costs down. Critics point out that healthcare cost still have gone up. Young people, who are uninsured, are being encouraged to sign up for insurance. Many were weighing whether to purchase a plan or pay a fine if they go without insurance. The fines increase this year to $695 for an adult and $347 per child up to $2,500 or 2.5% of family income, whichever is greater. We're also marking a year since Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf expanded Medicaid for low income individuals and agreed to accept money from the federal government to do so. Appearing on Wednesday's Smart Talk to answer questions about health insurance and Medicaid are Pennsylvania's Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller and Lynn Keltz, a health insurance navigator. Need help from Insurance Marketplace Navigators? Call 1-855-274-5626 (toll free) to make an appointment or speak with a Navigator. This program is part of WITF's Transforming Health project covering health news and in depth analysis of today's evolving Health Care landscape. Visit us at TransformingHealth.org. Transforming Health is an educational partnership of WITF, Penn State Hershey Medical Center and WellSpan Health. To learn more about health insurance in Pennsylvania, explore the online Transforming Health tool Getting Covered. It's an easy-to-use guide for understanding year three of Pennsylvania's new healthcare system, how to access health insurance, and how to make the most of your plan to ensure positive health outcomes for you and your family. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January272016.mp3 Wednesday, 27 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 On Monday's Smart Talk, we talked with you and many others about the national issues that you felt were most important right now. On Tuesday's program, we'll do the same with issues facing Pennsylvania and Pennsylvanians. There has been a lot of negative political news surrounding Pennsylvania over the past few months -- the state has been without a complete budget for seven months, Attorney General Kathleen Kane faces criminal charges while a State Senate committee could decide to remove her from office, and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is getting deeper into a scandal that included pornographic, sexist and racist emails. Those issues may not have an impact on your day-to-day lives but what does? What about property taxes, education, pensions, infrastructure or crime? We'll open the phones to ask the question -- what state issue is most important to you right now? Between 9 and 10 a.m., call 1-800-729-7532 or email smarttalk@witf.org to get in on the show. Joining us are WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Mary Wilson and political analyst and pollster Dr. G. Terry Madonna of Franklin and Marshall College. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January262016.mp3 Tuesday, 26 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 "The mood of voters is one of the most important political factors in an election year. And this year voters are anxious, frightened and angry." That's the basis of a national conversation NPR is promoting this week that focuses on three themes: Economic uncertainty -- the shrinking middle class; Terrorism -- are we secure?; and Demographics -- a changing national identity. What may be contributing to this anxiety? The share of income held by middle-income households was 43% in 2014, down from 62% in 1970; Americans are more fearful of a terrorist attack than any time since 9/11; and from 1965 to 2015, immigrants and their descendants added 72 million people to the U.S. population and are projected to add another 102 million within the next 50 years. Several presidential candidates have played upon voters' anxieties and are doing well in the polls to the surprise of many experts and pundits. WITF's Smart Talk program is participating in the NPR project and wants to hear your opinions. On Monday's program, we're looking for you to tell us what issue is most important to you or that you are moxt concerned with this year. Comments may be forwarded to NPR for use nationally. Call 1-800-729-7532 during Monday's show, send an email to smarttalk@witf.org, post a message on WITF's Facebook page, or comment below. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January252016.mp3 Monday, 25 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The snow storm that is forecast to hit Central Pennsylvania Friday night and Saturday is being anticipated on a few different levels. It's the first significant snow of the winter, which always creates some excitement, meteorologists have been tracking the storm for most of the week, and the storm could produce snowfall totals of a foot and-a-half in some areas of the region. Plus, the snow is coming on a weekend so most people don't seem to mind it as much as they might if they had to go to work or school on a weekday. The impending snow event is the focus of Friday's Smart Talk. Our goal is to provide useful information for you but not the same stories you hear before every storm. Joining us on the program is a National Weather Service forecaster to not only provide the latest information but to explain the nuances of the storm and the factors that have contributed to making it a major storm, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and Capitol Blue Cross' Senior Health Coach to discuss outdoor activities in the snow and cold. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January222016.mp3 Friday, 22 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 A tax on natural gas drillers to help pay for increases in education spending was one of Gov. Tom Wolf's fundamental proposals when he ran for office in 2014 and in the budget he laid out last March. Much has happened since then but Republican legislators wouldn't accept an extraction tax as part of the budget and the price of natural gas would have driven down revenues derived from it. The governor has promised to once again campaign for a gas severance tax when he proposes his next budget in three weeks. Democratic State Rep. Mike Sturla of Lancaster County is proposing a severance tax that is somewhat unique in that the revenue would go toward the state's multi-billion dollar public pension debt. Sturla explains on Thursday's Smart Talk. Also, StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Marie Cusick's new feature "Pennsylvania's Blurred Lines" tracks people who hold or have had held high level state government positions moving between public and private sector jobs. Specifically, Marie documents those who have held jobs related to the environment, in the oil and gas industries, or lobbying since 2007 when the state's natural gas industry took off. Marie Cusick tells us about it on Smart Talk. Finally, Health Smart: Hidden Hazards airs on WITF-TV Thursday night at 8. Producer and host Keira McGuire appears on Smart Talk to discuss infectious diseases that are making a comeback. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January212016.mp3 Thursday, 21 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Our population is getting older. For the first time in the U.S. we have a larger proportion of people over the age of 60 than under 15. Americans can expect to live 15 years beyond the traditional retirement age. The post-World War II baby boom generation is reaching retirement age in larger numbers too. Baby boomers bring a unique perspective to getting older. Boomers grew up in a time of great change socially. They were comfortable for the most part in living the American Dream. They also took advantage of the innovation and technology introduced during their lifetimes. So much so that many don't want to admit and fail to accept they're getting older. So says Dr. Bill Thomas, author of the book Second Wind: Navigating the Passage to a Slower, Deeper, and More Connected Life. Dr. Thomas will be speaking at York College on January 25 and joins us on Smart Talk Wednesday. Dr. Thomas' appearance is part of the York County Community Foundation's Embracing Aging initiative. The project's Managing Director Cathy Bollinger explains on Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January202016.mp3 Wednesday, 20 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The life sciences industry has become an innovative and economic engine in Pennsylvania. The industry itself says "Modern biotechnology provides breakthrough products and technologies to combat debilitating and rare diseases, reduce our environmental footprint, feed the hungry, use less and cleaner energy, and have safer, cleaner and more efficient industrial manufacturing processes." In Pennsylvania, that means the production of medical devices and equipment, drugs and pharmaceuticals and research and testing. The life sciences industries has a $40 billion impact on Pennsylvania. More than 79,000 people are employed in the industries and they earn an average salary of more than $90,000 a year. It's not just the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh universities and medical facilities that are on the forefront of the biotech industries -- Central Pennsylvania is home to several nationally ranked facilities. We'll learn more about the biotech or life sciences industries on Thursday's Smart Talk. Our guests include Fritz Bittenbender, Executive President, Public Affairs with the Biotechnology Industry Organization and Sheri Collins, Deputy Secretary of the Office of Technology and Innovation with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January192016.mp3 Tuesday, 19 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Whether he wins or not, Donald Trump will be remembered as the candidate who drove the 2016 campaign -- at least before the primaries. Trump's bombastic, take-no-prisoners style, that sometimes offended, also made the headlines that forced the media and the other candidates to catch up. It shows in the polls that have had Trump leading on the Republican side since the middle of the summer. The most respected political pundits said and many still say Trump would never last -- that his abrasive persona would not play well with voters. Polls are one thing -- actual voting is another. Within the next three weeks, voters will decide on the candidates they support in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire Primary. Another surprise has been the effectiveness of Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders. Former First Lady, Senator, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was expected to cruise to the nomination. But the polls have Clinton behind or running neck-in-neck with Sanders in both states. Now that the election year of 2016 is actually here -- we wanted to refresh our look at the campaigns on Smart Talk. Franklin and Marshall College Political Analyst Dr. G. Terry Madonna joins us on Monday's program. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January182016.mp3 Monday, 18 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Mary Wilson appears on Friday's Smart Talk with Capitol-Week-in-Review. What a week it has been. At least a dozen members of the State House of Representatives or State Senate have announced they're leaving Harrisburg. They have different reasons, including the partisan atmosphere at the Capitol. A State Senate Committee that could recommend removing Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane from her job held a hearing this week. And still no final state budget -- more than six months after it was due. Also, Friday's program will be fun, featuring a conversation about a sport people love to participate in, but might not know much about: ice skating. Interested in knowing what's fact and what's fiction when it comes to ice skating stereotypes? Ever wanted to take up skating as a hobby, but worry you're too old, too busy or not coordinated enough? Janice Reinke, Skating Director at Twin Ponds Family Recreation Center, joins us on Friday along with Renee Greenawalt, Vice President of the Central PA Figure Skating Club, to discuss the ins and outs of ice skating, local skaters on their way to the National Competition this week, what it's like being skate parents and coaches, why they love the sport, and think you should, too. Tune in to hear why the fast spins don't make a skater dizzy, how skating can be implemented in an exercise plan and how to get started skating at any age. You'll also get some insight into how the testing and scoring process works, how to avoid injury while skating and what it really takes to make it to the Olympics. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January152016.mp3 Friday, 15 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Americans may not be convinced, but the U.S. economy is healthier than it has been for a long time. Job growth in the past two years was the best since 1999. The economy added a robust 292,000 jobs in December. Average hourly wages were flat in December but were up 2.5% from the end of 2014. The Federal Reserve finally thinks the economy is strong enough to increase interest rates. So what does all this mean for the Central Pennsylvania region's economy? We'll find out from PNC Financial Services Economist Kurt Rankin on Thursday's Smart Talk. In the summer of 2012, the Curiosityrover landed on Mars - 140 million miles from Earth. It doesn't get the kind of attention that the Apollo moon landings did, but it is not an exaggeration to say it was one of this nation's greatest scientific achievements. At the helm of putting a vehicle on Mars was Adam Steltzner, who has written a new book The Right Kind of Crazy: A True Story of Teamwork, Leadership, and High Stakes Innovation. Steltzner, who has a colorful background, appears on Thursday's Smart Talk. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January142016.mp3 Thursday, 14 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Wednesday's Smart Talk is being broadcast live from the Pennsylvania Farm Show. In what has become a bit of a tradition, the live broadcast acts as a "State of Agriculture in Pennsylvania." Pennsylvania Secretary of the Department of Agriculture Russell Redding joins us to discuss the challenges facing the state's farmers and Ag-related industries. It's the 10th edition of the Farm Show this year so we'll discuss the history and what the world's largest indoor agricultural exhibition means to the state. Another tradition that Farm Show visitors look forward to every year is the milkshakes. For 60 years, milkshakes have come in just two flavors -- vanilla and chocolate. This year the strawberry and cream milkshake made its debut. We'll find out why that's significant. Mushrooms are a highlight of the 2016 Farm Show. Pennsylvania is the nation's leading mushroom producing state and we'll hear from the Pennsylvania Mushroom Farmers. Finally, a display getting attention at this year's show is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association. During the show, we'll address land environmental restoration. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January132016.mp3 Wednesday, 13 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The federal government is out with new dietary guidelines that are designed to advise Americans on foods that are healthy to eat and those that are not. This is the eighth edition of the guidelines and even though they're based on research, the guidelines still change and that sometimes creates confusion. For example, previous guidelines recommended against eating a lot of eggs because too many could increase cholesetrol. However, eggs were taken off the not recommended list this time because they contain good monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Sugar and salt were targets this time. Vegetables and fruits were not surpringsly recommended. Capital Blue Cross Registered Dietitian Hilary Gillette appears on Tuesday's Smart Talk to discuss the guidelines. Also, Terri Roberts, whose son Charles shot and killed five Amish girls and wounded five others in October, 2006 joins us to tell her fascinating story. Terri Roberts tells a story of forgiveness by the Amish community and how she befriended one of the victims who was disabled in the shooting. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January122016.mp3 Tuesday, 12 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 President Obama has the nation's attention focused on guns and gun violence after a series of executive actions he took last week and the town hall meeting he held on guns Thursday night. Any time there is a discussion of guns, it becomes a debate and this is no different. The president wants to expand background checks to most people who sell guns, overhaul the background check system, hire 200 new Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents, spend $500 million on mental health, and use technology like "smart" guns that could only be used by the gun's owner. Obama's proposals come just a few weeks after the mass shooting in California that turned out to be a terrorist attack, but he has referenced the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut while making his proposals. Guns and gun violence is the subject of Monday's Smart Talk. Appearing on the program are York County Congressman Scott Perry, who opposes the president's actions, Shira Goodman of CeaseFirePA, Dr. D. Scott McCracken, who sees gun violence as a public health threat and John Olson, a sales associate from Musser's Outdoors store in Ephrata. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January112016.mp3 Monday, 11 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Smart Talk finishes the week Friday with a show that will be a lot of fun. Describe it as Antiques Roadshow on radio. David Cordier, President and CEO of Cordier Auctions and Appraisals, appears on Friday's show to discuss antiques, collecting, and value. The program may be the most interactive one we've ever had. That's because we're encouraging you to either call the show at 800-729-7532 to describe an antique item that you have or send a description and photograph to smarttalk@witf.org. Mr. Cordier will try to provide a rough estimate of its value, based on what he sees and hears. Do you have a family heirloom that has been handed down or maybe something you've picked up along the way? Perhaps an old letter or postcard -- something with a famous person's signature on it? https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January082016.mp3 Friday, 08 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Downton Abbey is in its sixth and final season as the most widely acclaimed TV program on PBS. The next great series -- Mercy Street -- premieres right after Downton Abbey on Sunday, January 17 at 10 p.m. on WITF-TV. Mercy Street is another historical drama -- this time set in an 1862 Civil War hospital. Unlike other Civil War TV shows or movies, Mercy Street doesn't focus on battles or commanders. It follows the lives of two volunteer nurses on opposite sides of the conflict but working in the same Alexandria, Virginia hospital where wounded soldiers from both the Union and Confederate armies are treated. Mercy Street is about the people who lived through that time period and the challenges they faced. It is probably different than any other Civil War era TV series you've ever seen. We'll discuss Mercy Street, the time period being portrayed in the show, and Civil War medicine on Thursday's Smart Talk. Appearing on the program are Lisa Wolfinger, Executive Producer & Co-Creator of Mercy Street, Dr. Jill Ogline Titus, Associate Director, Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College, and Dr. Ian Isherwood, Assistant Director Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January072016.mp3 Thursday, 07 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 Pennsylvania is more than six months into the fiscal year and there still isn't a final budget. Last week, an angry Gov. Tom Wolf used his line-item veto power to blue line some $7 billion from a Republican passed $30.3 billion budget. The move got money flowing to cash-starved schools and social service organizations that had been borrowing, scrimping, cutting services and laying off workers. But it didn't provide the state with a final spending plan. As a result, negotiators are back at it this week trying to resolve issues the governor and Republican legislative leaders disagree on like taxes, spending and pension reform. Wolf and Republican leaders said they had a framework in place before Thanksgiving. The Senate approved a budget bill the governor called reasonable. But House leaders balked saying they saw no need to raise taxes and didn't know where additional revenue was coming from. So, less than a month before Gov. Wolf is scheduled to propose next year's budget, Wednesday's Smart Talk focuses on the latest in the current deadlock. Pennsylvania Secretary of Policy and Planning John Hanger and Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman appear on the program. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January062016.mp3 Wednesday, 06 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 It has been a mystery as to why the smallmouth bass population in the Susquehanna River has declined to less than a third of what it was 10 years ago. However, a new study has narrowed the causes down to two -- endocrine-disrupting compounds and herbicides and infections from parasites and pathogens. The research says the immune systems of the fish have been weakened by the compounds and herbicides, making them more susceptible to infections. Endocrine disrupters come from sources such as wastewater treatment plants and pharmaceuticals along with other chemicals. The plight of the smallmouth bass raises the question of just how healthy the Susquehanna River is and is it part of larger environmental issues? Pennsylvania's Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection John Quigley and John Arway, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission appear on Tuesday's Smart Talk. Among the issues we'll address is whether the Susquehanna should be designated as "impaired." The Fish and Boat Commission supports the move while DEP has resisted. We'll discuss other environmental issues as well. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January052016.mp3 Tuesday, 05 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400 The arrest of comedian and TV star Bill Cosby last week in Montgomery County surprised many people -- not because a man who once was one of the world's most respected and admired entertainers was accused of having inappropriate and unwanted sexual contact with a woman. What raised eyebrows is that criminal charges were filed against Cosby. Cosby is accused of drugging and having sexual contact with Andrea Constand -- a Temple University basketball manager -- almost 12 years ago in Cosby's Cheltenham Township home. The charges were filed before the state's statute of limitations kicked in. Constand is one of more 50 women who have made similar accusations against Cosby in the last year but none have been prosecuted due to the passage of time or lack of evidence. Cosby's arrest raises several issues, including the rights of victims and statute of limitations' laws. It's the topic of Monday's Smart Talk with Pennsylvania's Victim Advocate Jennifer Storm and Kristen Houser of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape. https://www.witf.org/smart-talk/ smarttalk@witf.org (Smart Talk) https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/smarttalk/RST_January042016.mp3 Monday, 04 January 2016 12:30:00 -0400