Author: julrich

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Smart Talk: Overdose deaths rise significantly during pandemic

Listen to Smart Talk every weekday at 9am and 7pm on WITF 89.5 & 93.3. You can also stream WITF radio live on our website or ask your smart speaker to “Play WITF Radio.”

While the world watches COVID ravage communities and families, another epidemic is taking its toll unabated.

The disruption of the coronavirus pandemic to people’s lives has hit those with substance abuse disorders particularly hard, leading to a significant increase in opioid overdose deaths.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that over eighty-one thousand overdose deaths occurred in the US in the 12 months ending in May 2020. This is the highest number ever recorded in one year.

Joining Smart Talk Friday to discuss the impact in Pennsylvania are Jennifer Smith, Pennsylvania Secretary of Drug and Alcohol Programs and the York County Coroner Pam Gay.

For treatment help, call 1-800-662-HELP

Pharmacists an essential part of vaccine distribution

As COVID-19 vaccines begin to trickle into communities and hospitals around the state it is clear that pharmacies will play an instrumental role administering the shots.

Independent and chain pharmacies are an important health resource for Americans so it makes sense they would be a crucial component to vaccine distribution, too.

Appearing on Smart Talk to underscore the role played by community pharmacies are Erik Hefti, PharmD, Ph.D., Executive Director and Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, along with Chuck Kray, R.Ph., President of the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association and a pharmacist with the Hershey Pharmacy.

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Smart Talk: U.S. Capitol breached as Congress is counting electoral votes

Listen to Smart Talk every weekday at 9am and 7pm on WITF 89.5 & 93.3. You can also stream WITF radio live on our website or ask your smart speaker to “Play WITF Radio.”

 

What started as a mass demonstration against what the protestors falsely called a fraudulent 2020 presidential election turned into chaos and a dangerous attack on the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. Wednesday. A joint session of Congress was meeting to count the votes certified from the states that would have elected Joe Biden as president.

Before what Washington Metro police called a riot, President Donald Trump spoke at a rally where he again falsely claimed he won the election. Many blamed Trump for inciting the protestors.

Members of Congress were evacuated before the vote was completed.

Rioters broke through security gates, broke windows, confronted police and wandered around the floors of the House and Senate and in the offices of members of Congress. Four people are reported killed.

Some 140 Republican House members, including eight from Pennsylvania, and 13 Republican Senators planned to object to several states’ electoral votes being accepted. Most denounced the violence but none said their objections led to the attack on the Capitol.

Thursday’s Smart Talk focuses on a historic and infamous day in American history with Shirley Anne Warshaw, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science and Director of the Fielding Center for Presidential Leadership Study at Gettysburg College, Fletcher McClellan, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science at Elizabethtown College, and Simona Kralova, editor on BBC Monitoring, to gauge international reaction to events.

 

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Smart Talk: The urban and rural divide; how wide is the gap?

Listen to Smart Talk every weekday at 9am and 7pm on WITF 89.5 & 93.3. You can also stream WITF radio live on our website or ask your smart speaker to “Play WITF Radio.”

 

Pennsylvania boundaries have changed very little since the state was admitted into the union in 1787. Within the boundaries, however, a lot has changed over the last 233 years.

The state still boasts ample forested and agricultural lands in the most of it’s six geographical regions, but as the fifth most populous state, cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia bear little resemblance to other more rural communities.

Urban and rural areas here are quite different in ways other than population density and composition. Access to healthcare and economic opportunities and the availability of certain services, like broadband, further divide how Pennsylvanians live and work.

It is clear that rural and urban residents vote differently, as well. In the most recent Presidential election, the state’s electoral votes went to President elect Joe Biden after claiming just 13 of the states 67 counties.

So, how can rural and urban Pennsylvania bridge the divide?

Appearing on Smart Talk Wednesday to share data and analysis of rural and urban Pennsylvania are Kyle C. Kopko, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania with the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Daniel J. Mallinson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Administration, School of Public Affairs, Penn State Harrisburg.

Also on the program are Cheri Rinehart, CEO of the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers and Eric Kiehl, Director of Policy and Partnerships for PACHC, who will look at healthcare access and the impact of the pandemic to the different communities. Finally, Pennsylvania State Senator Democrat Wayne Fontana of Allegheny county will appear on Smart Talk to discuss how to balance policies that represent both urban and rural areas.

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Smart Talk: Homeless Pennsylvanians suffer as the temperatures drop

Listen to Smart Talk every weekday at 9am and 7pm on WITF 89.5 & 93.3. You can also stream WITF radio live on our website or ask your smart speaker to “Play WITF Radio.”

 

Finding a place out of the cold for homeless Pennsylvanians is always a challenge as the winter months set in. Now with the pandemic restrictions in place, the challenges have become more acute.

Social distancing guidelines have cut available shelter space significantly, forcing many to remain instead in the homeless encampments scattered around the city of Harrisburg. Advocates fear the situation will get worse with potential winter storms and the surging virus.

Appearing on Smart Talk Tuesday to share their perspective on the homeless situation are Mike McKenna, President Tabor Community Services, Jen Koppel, Executive Director, Lanc Co MyHome and the Lancaster County Coalition to End Homelessness and Anne Guenin, Executive Director of the Downtown Daily Bread, a soup kitchen and shelter offering services to the homeless.

Low income Pennsylvanians bear unfair burden in the legal system

A comprehensive study by the ACLU of Pennsylvania looked into the impact of court fines and costs on low-income earners in the state. The findings highlight the disproportionate impact that some face in the criminal justice system.

The study looked at the average amounts imposed in court cases, how long it takes defendants to pay the money, and how long court debt remains uncollected.

Mary Catherine Roper is the Deputy Legal Director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania and she appears on Smart Talk Tuesday to discuss the social implications of their findings.

 

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Smart Talk: A fat tongue and its affect on sleep

If you were to conduct a web search on how to get a good nights sleep, you’ll get back literally millions of hits. There are tips and suggestions ranging from the proper temperature of the bedroom to limiting screen time, cutting mid-day naps and avoiding caffeine.

There is certainly plenty of wide-ranging advice out there to steer a nation of insomniacs toward the elusive restful night’s sleep. But one solution may be closer to home — inside of your mouth.

Sleep experts at the University of Pennsylvania evaluate and diagnose many different conditions impacting sleep, one of which is sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea is marked by abnormal breathing during sleep and is one of the most common sleep disorders. A recent study led by University of Pennsylvania researchers suggests that losing weight can reduce or cure the condition.

Dr. Richard Schwab, MD, is the Chief of Sleep Medicine at Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine and he joins Smart Talk Monday to explain how a fat tongue and weight loss plays a role.

Pa renters and owners lose access to safety net

Housing advocates unsuccessfully petitioned the Governor and state legislature for months to extend the temporary moratorium on evictions that expired on September 1.  A federal order through the end of the year banned most evictions, stalling what many fear is a future wave of homelessness as it expires.

A recent Spotlight PA investigative report found that more than half of the Federal CARES dollars earmarked to help both Pennsylvania tenants and homeowners was not distributed because it was too difficult to access.

Charlotte Keith is an investigative reporter with Spotlight PA and she joins Smart Talk Monday to discuss what caused the funding problems.

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Smart Talk: Adapting to a Pandemic holiday brings new reasons to celebrate the season

The 2020 Holiday season will be unlike any other before, with more families and individuals experiencing food insecurity.

The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank points out that because hunger doesn’t take a holiday, neither will they. Since the pandemic began, the Food Bank has seen a more than 40 percent increase in food distribution over the same time last year. Of the people they support, one-third are children.

While most companies are cancelling holiday office parties to ensure employee safety, some organizations and individuals are devising other ways to help their community.

Appearing on Smart Talk Tuesday to share how some are finding ways to spread cheer are Joe Arthur, executive director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Blake Lynch, Community Policing Liaison with the Harrisburg Bureau of Police and Christopher Markley, Corporate Communications Executive with Penn National Insurance.

Major league baseball recognition and reorganization

One hundred years ago a league structure was formed to bring organization to the many black baseball teams playing in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. The Negro leagues maintained a high level of professional skill and became centerpieces for economic development, and pride, in many black communities. The last Negro League teams folded in the early 1960’s, as black players were recruited into major league baseball.

Last week, MLB completed the full integration of these players by reclassifying the Negro baseball league as a major league. Ted Knorr is a local Baseball historian and he’ll appear on Smart Talk to discuss what these changes mean to the sport. Also, Smart Talk is joined by Andrew Linker, an author and longtime sports writer to talk about recent cuts of Minor league programs around the country.

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Smart Talk: U.S. Senator Bob Casey introduces two bills to change police response

Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Law Enforcement Education and Accountability for People with Disabilities (LEAD) Initiative, seeking to bring about “racial justice and address the high incidence rate of police violence involving people with disabilities.”

The LEAD Initiative is comprised of two bills – the Safe Interactions Act and the Human-services Emergency Logistic Program (HELP) Act – which would reduce calls to 9-1-1 call systems regarding non-criminal emergencies and provide training to law enforcement on interacting with people with disabilities, particularly those experiencing a mental health crisis.

Senator Casey appears on Smart Talk Monday to offer details on both bills and how the overall initiative will change policing.

Distance learning is changing the American education system

Around the country children in all grade levels from Kindergarten through High School, attend virtual classes every day. It has become the standard method of teaching during the pandemic and has allowed, for the most part, schools to continue uninterrupted.

The process is not without problems, though, to include an alarming rise in truancy reports.

In Pennsylvania, students are considered truant after three unexcused absences in a single academic year. There are limited exceptions to the attendance requirement, but school districts are finding wide-spread abuse of the rules.

Reporter Mark Keierleber is a senior writer-reporter at The 74, a non-profit news site covering education in America. He recently reported on a growing concern that these absences could funnel more children into the court systems to face the truancy charges and he joins Smart Talk Monday to share his findings.

Also on Monday’s Smart Talk, Betheny Gross is the Associate Director at the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) who will share an overview of the data on distance learning, attendance, and learning loss. She’ll appear Monday to discuss survey results from families on how distance learning is working for them.

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Smart Talk: Pa Farm show goes virtual to highlight state’s agriculture industry

Listen to Smart Talk every weekday at 9am and 7pm on WITF 89.5 & 93.3. You can also stream WITF radio live on our website or ask your smart speaker to “Play WITF Radio.”

Plans for the 2021 Pennsylvania Farm Show are taking shape, although exhibits and the experience will look quite different this year.

Noticeably missing will be the sounds and smells of the yearly event that draws thousands of Pennsylvanians from across the state. But the sights will go on, albeit on a virtual platform, from Saturday, January 9 through Saturday, January 16.

In a normal year, Pennsylvania hosts the largest indoor agricultural exposition under one roof in the nation, to showcase the diverse Pennsylvania agriculture industry and the people who make it happen. Pennsylvania agriculture employs nearly half a million people and contributes $185 billion to the economy. While this year’s event will be different in many respects, there will things familiar to past show-goers.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding appears on Smart Talk to talk about the changes to the 2021 show, and current issues and challenges facing the industry.

Bringing Life Back to Impaired Pennsylvania Waterways

Pennsylvania agriculture contributes considerably to the economic strength and vitality of the state, but there are also downsides to the industry. Removing trees to accommodate farming practices has left some waterways without the benefit of one of the main food sources that organisms in the waterways rely on: leaves.

A Bucknell University biology and environmental sciences research class is studying the impact of leaves on biodiversity and stream health on Buffalo Creek, a Susquehanna River tributary. The researchers hope their findings will have an impact on other waterways and lead restoration efforts throughout the state.

Matthew E. McTammany, Ph.D., is a Professor with Biology & Environmental Studies and Sciences at Bucknell University and he joins Smart Talk Friday, along with Jordan Isaacs (2023), a Biology major and Presidential Fellow to discuss the innovative research plan.

Jordan Isaacs (2023), a Biology major, places leaves in the stream during restoration project.

 

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Smart Talk: Harrisburg commits to bridging gap between community and police

Municipalities across the country are working to evaluate what policing will look like in their communities going forward. Harrisburg has taken the next step by proposing a Community Services Division within the Harrisburg Police Department. Mayor Eric Papenfuse had proposed a force of about a dozen community service officers that would aid in mental health calls and work closely with citizens. However, Harrisburg Council approved seven as a pilot program in next year’s budget.

The Community Services Division would be made up mostly of civilians with a mission to “build a bridge” between the community and the police force.

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse and City Police Commissioner Thomas Carter appear on Smart Talk Thursday to discuss the merits of the program.

 

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Smart Talk: Testing sewage for COVID-19 is another tool for disease monitoring

In June, sewage testing found that Dauphin County may have had at least ten times more COVID-19 cases than reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. That was one of the findings in sewage tests taken by an MIT research firm — Biobot Analytics.

Those findings were conducted by Capital Region Water, one of about 400 systems across the country participating in this kind of testing, and they have recently been accepted into a CDC trial on wastewater surveillance. The goal of the trial is to detect the presence of COVID-19, monitor trends, and then alert healthcare officials of potential hotspots or viral surges.

The virus can be detected in human waste and that includes those who may have contracted the coronavirus but didn’t show any symptoms. Wastewater-based disease surveillance is a rapidly developing science that has gained momentum during the pandemic.

Appearing Wednesday’s Smart Talk to discuss joining the CDC research trial and their surveillance program are Charlotte Katzenmoyer, CEO of Capital Region Water and Jess Rosentel, Director of Wastewater Operations, Capital Region Water.

Adult Day Service Centers are closed in Pa, leaving vulnerable seniors with few options

For many seniors and families in Pennsylvania, Adult Day service centers are an invaluable part of their lives. Adult day services, also called adult care, are usually open during normal work hours. Unlike senior centers — which are usually sponsored by recreational departments and targeted at healthy older adults — adult day services are a resource for people with physical limitations or limited functioning like memory loss.

The majority of these centers in Pennsylvania closed in March leaving vulnerable seniors largely forgotten.

Leslie Gilman, is the president of PA Adult Day Services Association and she appears on Smart Talk to discuss the impact these closures are having on seniors.

Local author’s debut book lands at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list

Hummelstown resident and author Kate Baer’s debut book of poetry WHAT KIND OF WOMAN achieved a huge milestone on release – #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list. Baer appears on Smart Talk to share her story and world that inspires her poetry.

“In these confident and fearless poems, Baer suggests that the deepest and most vulnerable love is found in life’s imperfections.” Review, Publishers Weekly

 

 

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