The Spark
When people come together and talk about really interesting topics, great questions spark better understanding and opportunities for new ideas to form. On The Spark from WITF, hosts Scott LaMar and Aniya Faulcon start the conversations about what’s happening in the world and at home. Share your ideas at https://witf.org/programs/the-spark.
Episodes
Last week, The Most Reverend Timothy Senior, Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg, found himself originally traveling to Rome as part of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year 2025, Bishop Senior joined forty faithful from his diocese to “walk in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare” before making arrangements to attend Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday. As Bishop Senior explains, the Jubilee the...
Over the past two weeks, Central Pennsylvania has traded April showers for an almost unbelievable stretch of spring sunshine. As ABC27 Meteorologist Dan Tomaso put it, “It’s kind of phenomenal that this time of year…we’ve had lots of sunshine, very little active weather,” making it “the perfect recipe” for spring sports and outdoor plans. After a damp start to April and a few chilly weeken...
In an era when family vloggers and “kidfluencers” can earn upwards of six figures, the rights—and privacy—of the children at the center of that content often go unprotected. Quit Clicking Kids, a grassroots initiative founded by Chris McCarty, is on a mission to change that by pushing for legislation that treats these minors as the revenue-generating contributors they are.
Nearly 27 years ago, the Virginia Department of Transportation launched a pilot effort to curb the rising number of highway work-zone accidents. “They put together an awareness campaign and then after a year said, ‘You know, we need to take this national,’ ” recalls Stacey Taschner, President and CEO of the American Traffic Safety Services Association, which now spearheads National Work Zone Awareness...
Nestled in the rolling hills of Western Pennsylvania, Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village offers a captivating journey through nearly 19,000 years of human habitation. We sat down with David Scofield, the site’s director for the past 31 years, to uncover how this nationally recognized landmark brings prehistory and pioneer life vividly to public view.
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At a time when digital media shapes everything from global news to everyday conversations, a new generation of communicators is finding its voice—right here in Central Pennsylvania. In this installment of The Spark, host Asia Tabb goes behind the scenes of WITF’s Creator Academy to explore how college students are learning to craft their own stories and why media literacy matters more than ever.
In a former tire factory in Oaks, Pennsylvania, the American Treasure Tour Museum unfolds like a pop‑culture funhouse, where vintage cars, mechanical music machines, and stuffed animals coexist in kaleidoscopic harmony. “If you have a concept of a museum, I can almost 100 percent guarantee this isn’t it,” says director Ross Brakman, who delights in upending every expectation of quiet glass case...
Since its founding in 1990, Keep PA Beautiful has removed 161 million pounds of trash across all 67 counties—with over three million volunteers contributing to litter pickups, planting events, and stewardship programs.
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April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month—a time to spotlight the importance of keeping children safe and supporting families through education, community awareness, and access to critical resources. In Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance (PFSA) leads the way with its annual Blue-Ribbon campaign and an array of statewide initiatives dedicated to prevention.
In the shadowy woods above the Wissahickon Creek in present-day Philadelphia, legend has it that a mystic once awaited the end of the world. His name was Johannes Kelpius—a German-born spiritual seeker who led a small band of followers from Europe to the wilds of Pennsylvania in 1694. Their purpose? To prepare for the second coming of Christ and live lives of contemplation and purity.
On a recent episode of The Spark, host As...
On this week's edition of The Spark Weekly...
We’ll discuss the arson attack on the Governor’s Residence with Peter Hall and Ian Karbal of the PA Capital Star, along with Laura Esposito of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who wrote a story earlier this year on political violence in Pennsylvania.
also, on the program.
When Dr. James P. Delgado took his first dive to the Titanic in 2001, he expected awe. W...
During one of the darkest chapters of the American Revolutionary War, George Washington’s army settled into winter quarters at Valley Forge. What followed was a six-month ordeal that tested the endurance, resilience, and unity of a nation. On a recent episode of The Spark on WITF, host Asia Tabb welcomed Adam Gresek, Director of Community Engagement at Valley Forge National Historical Park, to take listeners deep into the sto...
In this episode of The Spark, we confront a disturbing incident that has shaken Pennsylvania’s capital: the arson attack on the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg. As law enforcement continues its investigation, we turn to journalists who have been closely following this developing story and the broader rise in political violence across the state.
Joining the conversation was Peter Hall and Ian Karbal of the Pennsylvani...
At least two more Pennsylvania residents have been deported to Bhutan. That brings the total to eight Bhutanese refugees from Pennsylvania and 20 from across the country who have been deported back to Bhutan, according to leaders from those communities who have been tracking cases.
In early March, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents began arresting members of the Bhutanese refugee community in Central Pennsylvania...
Every June, hundreds of riders saddle up for an epic journey spanning eight states and nearly 2,000 miles — all in the name of history. On a recent episode of The Spark, host Asia Tabb caught up with Petra Keller and Linda Jenny of the National Pony Express Association to talk about the enduring legacy of the legendary Pony Express and how it continues to ride strong today.
As part of National Library Week, we took a closer look at the critical and evolving role libraries play in our lives. To help us understand, we welcomed two local leaders in library services—Ryan McCory, Executive Director of the Dauphin County Library System, and Carolyn Blatchley, Executive Director of the Cumberland County Library System. Together, they painted a vibrant picture of how libraries have become vita...
As maternal health outcomes worsen across the nation, Pennsylvania’s hospital leaders are taking action. Nicole Stallings, president and CEO of the Hospital and Health System Association of Pennsylvania (HAP), joined WITF’s The Spark to discuss the group’s new maternal health report and the sweeping recommendations it offers.
When Dr. James P. Delgado took his first dive to the Titanic in 2001, he expected awe. What he didn’t expect was tears.
Delgado—one of the world’s foremost marine archeologists—spoke with Asia Tabb for The Spark about what it was like to descend two and a half miles beneath the ocean's surface and come face-to-face with the wreck of the Titanic, a site as iconic as it is tragic.
Inside Chester County lies Kennett Square, a town known for its mushroom farms. But hidden beneath its surface is a powerful history—one that reveals the courage, solidarity, and risk that defined the Underground Railroad. Today, that legacy lives on through the work of the Kennett Underground Railroad Center (KURC), where volunteers are striving to preserve a story too long overlooked.
During a recent public hearing hosted by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, lawmakers, mental health professionals, and advocates came together to examine the escalating mental health crisis in the Commonwealth’s rural communities. The hearing, which featured testimony from experts and those with lived experience, laid bare the complex web of challenges facing rural Pennsylvanians—from a lack of providers to geographic ...
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