The Spark

With Pennsylvania’s primary election just weeks away, Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt joined WITF’s The Spark to walk voters through the critical deadlines and options for casting their ballots. “The primary in Pennsylvania is May 20th,” Secretary Schmidt reminded listeners, noting that “the last day to register to vote is May 5th” and “the last day to apply to vote by mail … is May 13th.” For people of faith, civil discourse often begins in recognizing the image of God and/or the inherent dignity in our conversation partner. As a result, Braver Angels approach involves mutual respect. Respect, not agreement, is an essential key for a healthy discussion. Asia speaks with two representatives of Braver Faith to speak on their process and the benefits Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Lucieu and Sue Gleiter of PennLive joined our journalist roundtable to dissect their compelling feature on “Dueling Downtowns: How Lancaster Thrives as Harrisburg Struggles to Reinvent Itself.” Drawing on extensive reporting, John and Sue explored why Lancaster’s revitalized riverfront development, bustling arts scene, and strategic public–private partnerships have sparked a renaissance, while Harrisburg wrestled with vacant office towers, a sluggish retail core, and the challenges of post-industrial reinvention. Their insights offered a vivid, data-driven comparison of two neighboring capitals on very different trajectories. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On May 2, Braver Angels’ own Red Co-Chair of Braver Faith, Lenny Greenberg, and Reverend Chad Butz joined The Spark to explore how faith communities can heal our fractured political landscape. Lenny, a retired high-tech executive, explained that “we must learn to talk to each other about our disagreements in a civil way again,” while Pastor Chad reflected on the shared mission of church and Braver Angels: “Relationship is at the heart of what it means to be Christian… and Braver Angels teaches us to compromise for the benefit of the relationship.” Both guests underscored the importance of releasing our need to be right so that love and care for our fellow humans can guide us toward a more united future. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the juvenile treatment facility where Jack Berkenstock Jr., MHS Executive Director of the Bodhana Group —and several colleagues—worked closed its doors, he and his friends faced an unexpected question: “What’s next?” As Jack recalls, “we decided to start a nonprofit to help other organizations know about unique and innovative treatment opportunities.” Their answer was unconventional—and inspired by an activity Jack knew well from childhood: gaming. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Pennsylvania’s primary election just weeks away, Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt joined WITF’s The Spark to walk voters through the critical deadlines and options for casting their ballots. “The primary in Pennsylvania is May 20th,” Secretary Schmidt reminded listeners, noting that “the last day to register to vote is May 5th” and “the last day to apply to vote by mail … is May 13th.” Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year, Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum celebrates its centennial, honoring a vision born nearly a century ago when brothers Henry and George Landis “started collecting as boys” to “protect and collect all Pennsylvania German history that [they] were seeing disappear from the area,” explains longtime curator Jennifer Royer. Their early passion has blossomed into a sprawling living-history campus of more than 30 historic buildings, over 200,000 artifacts, and award-winning exhibits that continue to draw newcomers and generations of locals alike. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This interview was recorded on Monday, April 28. Two wildfires that tore through the Michaux State Forest last week are now largely under control, even as foresters warn that dry conditions could fan new blazes. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since it opened in 1968, the Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion has stood as a deliberate statement of state pride—and a beacon of resilience. “It was the first one that was actually built to be a governor’s residence,” explains David Morrison of the Historic Harrisburg Association. Prior to its construction, gubernatorial families lived in purchased townhouses on Harrisburg’s Front Street, retrofitted to serve their needs. When the Commonwealth decided it needed a purpose-built home—complete with security features, public meeting rooms, and private living quarters—it commissioned architect George Ewing to evoke early American manor houses like William Penn’s Pennsbury Manor and Virginia’s colonial estates. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nashville‐based singer‐songwriter Maya de Vitry returns to her hometown this week for two special homecoming events at Zoetropolis. On Tuesday, April 29, she’ll lead an interactive workshop titled “Find Your Voice, Unblock Your Creativity, and Gain the Courage to Share Your Songs,” designed to help participants mine their personal stories and sharpen their craft. Then, on Wednesday, April 30, Maya will perform with her trio—Joel Timmons on guitar and Rhees Williams on bass—showcasing material from her latest releases and her celebrated 2024 album The Only Moment. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Stress is really the body’s response to some type of a challenge,” explains Dr. Patrick DeLone, a clinical psychologist, “whether it’s a physical challenge, an emotional challenge, or a combination of both.” At its core, stress triggers the familiar “fight or flight” cascade: cortisol and adrenaline spikes that sharpen focus, speed up your heart, and prime your muscles. “In fifth grade you learned about fight and flight…your metabolism goes up, you can see better, you focus better”—all reasons why short‐term stress can actually enhance performance. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since 2016, the Partnership for Better Health’s Match Madness campaign has raised over $5 million to bolster small and mid-sized nonprofits across the region. “We saw that our local nonprofits didn’t necessarily have the staff to do the fundraising they needed,” explains Carol Thornton, the Partnership’s Executive Director. “We spotted an opportunity to leverage our capacity…to bring in flexible funding into their organizations to meet their needs.” The very first Match Madness matched $50,000 in partnership funds and galvanized 15 organizations to raise $116,790—more than doubling the match. Thornton recalls, “That first year showed that this was something that definitely was wanted and needed, and there was opportunity for growth.” Today, the campaign matches the first $1,500 of each nonprofit’s donations dollar-for-dollar, then allocates an additional $150,000 pool proportionally up to $30,000 per organization. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's edition of The Spark Weekly. The Most Reverend Timothy Senior, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, joins us from Rome to reflect on the life and legacy of Pope Francis, who died the day after Easter. Religious and political leaders, along with the Catholic faithful, are gathering in Rome for the Pope’s funeral, which took place on Saturday. Also on the program... Johannes Kelpius was a German Pietist, mystic, musician, and writer. He was also interested in the occult, botany, and astronomy. He came to believe with his followers – called the "Society of the Woman in the Wilderness" – that the end of the world would occur in 1694. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Journalist Roundtable for April 25 included Ivy DeJesus from PennLive and David Payne, The Spark producer and former Radio Pennsylvania Reporter. In this episode, DeJesus reported the life and legacy of Pope Francis including his reaction to the clergy sex abuse scandal in PA. Payne discussed his report at the 2015 World Meeting of Families and offers firsthand perspective on Francis’s impact in Philadelphia and beyond. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 theme is “hope”—a reminder that “we are pilgrims of hope…trying to share that hope and encourage others…in the midst of so many challenging and difficult times, we all need hope.” Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 weekends, the region has seen more days in the 70s—and even flirted with the 80s in the extended forecast—than the cooler 50s and 60s typical of early spring. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Week in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration and AASHTO. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WITF Creator Academy, an exciting audio and video curation and coaching program, is all about uncovering and boosting the next big student creators from colleges and universities across central Pennsylvania. Dive into the world of authentic storytelling, sharing your unique take on campus life and the hot topics that matter most to today’s young adults. With awesome mentorship and hands-on coaching, you’ll sharpen your skills, find your voice, and maybe even go viral! Get ready to create, connect, and shine with WITF Creator Academy! Asia Tabb interviews current Creator Academy student Grace Harbour and Mentor Dr. Julia Lennox about this springs program. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 cases and hushed galleries. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.