The Spark

Asia Tabb speaks with journalists Kate Huangpu and Kara Jeffers about updates on the legalization of recreation cannabis in Pennsylvania. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A national podcast about deaths at the Dauphin County Prison from award-winning journalist Joshua Vaughn. Asia speaks with Joshua about the podcast. 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; Ashlie Crosson, an English and journalism teacher at Mifflin County High School in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, has just been named the 2025 National Teacher of the Year — and while the spotlight may be on her, she’s making it clear her mission is still focused on the students she serves. Also, on the program. A Pennsylvania Senate panel has rejected a bill advanced by Democrats that would permit the sale of recreational cannabis to adults at state-owned stores. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA) and the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials (PASBO) will hold a press conference to call for urgent legislative action on cyber charter funding reform. Education leaders from across the Commonwealth will gather on the front steps of the Capitol to highlight the financial impact on public schools and outline specific, actionable reforms to improve fairness, accountability, and transparency in cyber charter operations. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asia Tabb speaks with Nancy Bell and Danielle Keperling about an open house on May 17 at the 1850 Bowmansville Roller Mill. This is one of only two functional mills left in Lancaster County and the last standing as the combination grist and sawmill of its kind in the County. Plus, visitors can experience history firsthand as two millers from George Washington's Mount Vernon gristmill will be operating the facility, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the event. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asia Tabb spoke with Kim Hogeman, Erin Igo and Abby Buchan about York Colleges Museum Exhibit Project. For this exhibit, we focused on the Zion Lutheran Church, which is located on South Duke Street in York City. This exhibit focused on three subtopics within Zion Lutheran Church's history: creating, designing, and reviving the community. Each section focuses on different attributes of the church. More specifically, the creating community aspect of the exhibit discusses the church's contributions to the York community. The designing community subtopic focuses on architecture and the development of the church as a whole. Lastly, the revving community focuses on the congregation, the voice of veterans, pastors, and families to light. This exhibition will be at MarketView Arts Center on 37 W Philadelphia St, York, PA 17401-5309, and will be open on May 2nd at 6:00 p.m. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ashlie Crossan, an English and journalism teacher at Mifflin County High School in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, has just been named the 2025 National Teacher of the Year — and while the spotlight may be on her, she’s making it clear her mission is still focused on the students she serves. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Harrisburg, a small team is taking a new approach to curb gun violence—one that places empathy, community engagement, and early intervention at its core. Group Violence Intervention (GVI), led by Angelo Bailey and Gina Vasquez, aims to interrupt cycles of violence by connecting high-risk individuals with resources, not just repercussions. The program, supported by law enforcement but driven by community partnership, is actively shifting the narrative around crime prevention. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coming up on this week's edition of The Spark Weekly. This week, Dickinson College President John Jones and Susquehanna University President Jonathan Green joined more than 300 higher-education leaders in publicly condemning what they described as “unprecedented government overreach and political interference endangering American education and public research funding." also, on the program, Acclaimed award-winning author Dan E. Hendrickson shines a powerful light on female empowerment through his gripping novels centered around heroic women who lead with courage, conviction, and heart. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s journalist roundtable dove into the growing staffing shortages impacting all corners of the justice system—from sheriff’s deputies to public defenders. Joining the conversation were Dan Nephin, reporter for LNP/LancasterOnline, and Kara Jeffers, multimedia journalist at Lilly Broadcasting. Both shared insights from their reporting and on-the-ground observations, highlighting how vacancies in law enforcement and legal defense are straining local justice systems across Pennsylvania. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the podcast for the full conversation. With Mother’s Day just around the corner, author Dan E. Hendrickson joins The Spark to share a story rooted in love, legacy, and liberation. His latest novel, Brandy, Dame of the Caribbean, continues the saga of a woman pirate turned abolitionist, capturing both swashbuckling adventure and heartfelt family moments. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This spring, as we look forward to harvesting homegrown produce and gifting fresh flowers for Mother’s Day, horticulturalist Erica Jo Schaffer joined The Spark to share her expert advice on everything from planning your first vegetable patch to reviving cut blooms. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paralegal-by-day and debut novelist by night Doug Peiffer joined us on The Spark to discuss his six-year labor of love, Big Blue, “a parable of modern-day migration” that explores the fraught relationship between the United States and Mexico through the eyes of ordinary—and extraordinary—individuals. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the podcast for the full conversation. This spring, the Cumberland County Historical Society (CCHS) unveiled Contrasting Photos: Behind and in Front of the Camera at the Carlisle Indian School, a groundbreaking exhibition featuring over 300 rarely seen images that reveal how students reclaimed their own representation at the controversial boarding school. Many of these photographs are on public display for the first time, offering visitors a richer, more nuanced understanding of life at Carlisle between 1879 and 1918. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the podcast to hear the full conversation. This week, Dickinson College President John Jones and Susquehanna University President Jonathan Green joined more than 300 higher-education leaders in publicly condemning what they described as “unprecedented government overreach and political interference endangering American education and public research funding.” In a statement circulated nationally, the signers affirmed their commitment to campuses as “centers of open inquiry where, in the pursuit of truth, faculty and students … are free to exchange ideas and opinions across a full range of viewpoints without fear of retribution, censorship, and deportation.” Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On The Spark, Asia Tabb sat down with Paul Schaeffer—longtime spokesperson for ENIAC, the world’s first general-purpose electronic computer—to explore how a 1940s Army weapons project gave birth to the digital age and why its lessons still matter. ENIAC, unveiled in February 1946 at the University of Pennsylvania’s Moore School of Engineering, was originally built “to solve a problem the Army was having,” Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lancaster History is a nonprofit museum preserving the county’s heritage since 1886. We dove into Lancaster’s rich past with Robin Surratt, President and CEO of Lancaster History. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the past three years, Woodward PA’s 90-mile-from-Harrisburg action-sports summer camp has been forging a unique blend of elite coaching and genuine camaraderie. Camp Program Director Eric Brown and Olympic gold-medalist Charlotte Worthington joined The Spark to explain what makes Woodward’s “wheeled sports” experience unlike any other—and why campers keep coming back for more. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last Thursday, President Trump issued an executive order directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to halt federal funding for NPR and PBS. For WITF and hundreds of other public media stations nationwide, that order—and a pending congressional budget vote—could have serious implications. WITF’s Chief Impact Officer Cassie Farrelly and Vice President of Media and Production Fred Vigeant joined The Spark to break down what this all means for local journalism. 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.” 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.