Improving STEM Education

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On the Wednesday January 24th, 2018 edition of WITF’s Smart Talk:

The careers and jobs of tomorrow will increasingly rely on science, technology, and math skills.  Throw in engineering and STEM education becomes even more essential when preparing students for their futures.  But are students receiving the quality STEM educations they need to thrive and compete?

The National Science Foundation’s Science and Engineering Indicators 2018 report, released last week, found that the United States is the global leader in science and technology (S&T). However, the U.S. global share of S&T activities is declining as other nations — especially China — continue to rise.  And American students are scoring only in the middle-of-the-pack compared to other nations in science and math.

Last year, the Pennsylvania Department of Education announced the creation of a STEM ecosystem.  It consist of collaborations between educators, businesses, museums and science centers and community organizations to help cultivate and nurture student engagement with STEM studies.  It is the fifth such effort in the nation.

However, standards that include STEM subjects were devised during the 1990s in Pennsylvania.  Much has changed in technology since then.  Is it time for an update?

On Wednesday’s Smart Talk, we look at how STEM education has or hasn’t kept up with the lightening pace of tech advances  with Jeff Remington, a science teacher at Palmyra Middle School and a National Science Teachers Association / National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Teacher Ambassador.  We will also be joined by Dr. Christine Royce, a professor of education at Shippensburg University and President of the National Science Teachers Association.

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Jeff Remington – Palmyra Middle School science teacher and National Science Teachers Association-National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Teacher Ambassador / Dr. Christine Royce – professor of education, Shippensburg University and President of the National Science Teachers Association

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– 1. The US will never be a STEM leader until we spend more than 45 minutes every other day on science in elementary school. This is the reality if my fourth grader. The science that is taught is totally unconnected to any other curriculum.

2. I appreciate STEAM, the A standing for Art. Art is so closely related to science and those whose minds excel in science often excel in art. I worked with many students at Carnegie Mellon University who proved that point again and again.                               – Theresa, Mt. Joy

– Could the guests comment on the importance of a STEM curriculum being included in the very early years of education – like in Pre-K.  I’ve seen studies showing how the seeds of science and math begin in those early years.    – Steve, Lebanon

– Mr. Remington was my science teacher in 2001, and one of my favorite teachers.  While I didn’t end up in the STEM field, he inspired a lifetime curiosity and a love for learning.  Quality STEM teachers are so important for inspiring a passion for science and a desire to pursue careers in the STEM fields.  We need to focus on the problem public schools are having finding and retaining quality young educators (i.e. cost of college education, school funding, teacher pay).                                                                                – Nick, Wormleysburg

– Regarding emphasis in Biology. Biology is THE building block for many of the important medical fields, whether as a physician or nurse; or for much of the research being conducted to find cures for many of rhe horrific diseases we are battling in the 21st century, such as cancer, alzheimers, cystic fibrosis.  – Edward, Strasburg

– Scott – the original State Board of Ed policy on Keystone Exams were to include tests in Chemistry and Physics. Funding and the testing backlash forced these tests to be put on the back burner.         – Jim Buckheit, Former Exec Director, State Board of Ed

– Could your guests give their thoughts  on the recent inclusion of arts in STEM?    – GK

– As background, I have a minor in engineering, but majored in History. I went to to get my PhD in History and have taught college for ten years at two institutions. I have great respect  for my collegues in STEM, but there’s a reason that the liberal arts curricula at universities demand students understand more than just the technical skills required for a job. They will have responsiblities as citizens and as people, where things are important, but can’t necessarily be quantified. How does this STEM push cooexist with these skills where what matters can’t be measured?  – Ed

Court says boundaries gerrymandered/Government Shutdown / Campus Hunger

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On the Tuesday January 23rd, 2018 edition of WITF’s Smart Talk:

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled the state’s 18 Congressional district boundaries unconstitutional.  The decision concludes that the Republican majority legislature gerrymandered the districts in order to benefit Republican candidates.  The justices — ruling just days after oral arguments in the case, also state in their order that a new map will be in place by February 19 to use for Pennsylvania’s primary election in May.

Keystone Crossroads reporter Emily Previti has been following the case and appears on Tuesday’s Smart Talk.

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Keystone Crossroads reporter Emily Previti

Meanwhile, Republicans blamed Democrats for the federal government shutdown over the weekend while Democrats pointed a collective finger at Republicans.  In the meantime, many government offices were closed and important issues like spending and immigration weren’t being dealt with.  Although both parties say the bickering was over priorities, but was it really?

On Tuesday’s Smart Talk, we look into the shutdown more depth with Dr. G. Terry Madonna, Professor of Public Affairs and Director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin and Marshall College. He is also the Director of the Franklin & Marshall College Poll.

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Dr. G. Terry Madonna, Professor of Public Affairs and Director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin and Marshall College

While many think of college cuisine as a never-ending buffet of ramen, pizza and campus fare, the truth is a large number of two and four year college students go through their school day dealing with chronic hunger.  A 2016 study of 3,765 students in 12 states found that nearly half experienced a level of food insecurity during the previous month; 22% experiencing levels low enough to categorize them as “hungry.”

Campus food insecurity is tied to other problems for students; homelessness or housing insecurity, inability to buy books and other classroom materials and difficulty making class or completing assignments.  Many work 20 or more hours a week, though 75% of the respondents receive financial aid.  A quarter grew up on SNAP.

Pennsylvania colleges are addressing the issue of campus hunger by starting food distribution programs on more than half on the state’s public college campuses.  Millersville University initiated their Campus Cupboard in 2015 to meet the need of students with hunger; the collaboration with the United Campus Ministry at First United Methodist Church in Lancaster has helped students focus on their studies rather than their next meal by providing food to create meals throughout the week.

Smart Talk will discuss the crisis of hunger on college campuses with Ed Weber, director of United Campus Ministry, the non-profit that manages the pantry  and Clare Cady, director of the College and University Food Bank Alliance (CUFBA), a national organization providing support to campuses and students.

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Ed Weber – Millersville University Campus Minister / Clare Cady – director, College and University Food Bank Alliance (CUFBA)

**SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY has opened a Food Pantry with nonperishable food items available to all students who have a need.This is a safe zone located in the Spiritual Center. Please bring your student ID and speak to the student manager, Rev. Jan Bye, or Roxanne Dennis for assistance.  The food bank hours are 4 -7 pm, Monday through Thursday.

Food resources in the Shippensburg Community:

King’s Kettle, 30 N. Fayette St., Free food items, Schedule: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Tuesdays of each month from 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm.

Shippensburg Produce and Outreach, 130 S. Penn St.| Free fresh fruit and produce, Tuesdays from 4 pm – 6 pm.

For a calendar of free meals open to all in Shippensburg, visit shipout.org.  If you have other needs contact the office of the Vice President in Old Main.

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– We have elected politicians to represent us and not leaders, they think that they are so far above everyone else. I would like to see all of us proletariat shut down just for a day. The government shuts down for a weekend and everything is fine. What if working class Americans just called in sick for a day, and we let the government stay open?                          – Thomas

– You miss the point of the short deadline.  For a fair process, that’s plenty of time.  Imagine if the leaders sat down and said, “We have to draw a map that’s fair or the court is going to do it for us”

Having spent 30 years in a courtroom, i can promise you that parties become extremely reasonable right before trial when they know a judge will make a decisiion for them if they can’t figure it out themselves.

Fair maps are already part of teh court record.  They just have to pick one   – Daniel, York

– The redistricting case was based on the PENNSYLVANIA constitution, while the others going through the federal courts are based on the US Constitution. Why would the Supreme Court have any business getting involved? Can’t a state redistrict as long as it does not discriminate?         – Lee, York

Flu Season / Retail and Robots

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On the Monday January 22nd, 2018 edition of WITF’s Smart Talk:

The United States is in the grip of a vicious flu epidemic; the CDC reports Americans are visiting hospitals with flu-like symptoms at the rate of 22.7 per 100,000.  32 deaths in Pennsylvania have been attributed to the virus; CDC tracking shows the influenza A – H3N2 strain has been recorded in every state in the nation for the first time since 2004.

Children and the elderly are especially vulnerable – 20 pediatric deaths have been recorded since the beginning of the 2017-18 flu season.  Health officials are encouraging everybody to get flu shots and to see a doctor and avoid contact with others if symptoms surface.

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Dr. Loren Robinson, Deputy Secretary for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention with the Pennsylvania Department of Health

On Monday’s Smart Talk, we’ll discuss flu prevention, minimizing the contagion and what to do if symptoms persist with Dr. Loren Robinson, Deputy Secretary for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Dr. Creston Tate, medical director of WellSpan Urgent Care.

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Also, the internet has been applying pressure on brick and mortar retail businesses for years and now modern technologies are increasing the squeeze on retail jobs.  Automated self-check out systems and robotic inventory control may prove cost effective for large retailers, but their employees aren’t as optimistic about the benefits of those technologies.

CVS Pharmacies have implemented automated checkouts at 448 locations and many fast-food restaurants are experimenting with automated kiosks.  Walmart is using automated cashiers that can count eight bills a second, 3,000 coins a minute and electronically deposit the money in the bank.

A 2017 report compiled by the Cornerstone Capital Group predicts automation will eventually displace 30 to 50% of retail employees leading to a loss of seven million jobs, creating a class identified as “stranded workers.”  Women are especially vulnerable as they make up 73% of the retail cashier employees in the US.

Smart Talk will discuss the report with one of its authors, Sebastian Vanderzeil, Director and Global Thematic Analyst with Cornerstone Capital Group.  We’ll also be joined by PA State Representative Mike Schlossberg (D-Allentown) who is spearheading efforts to research and retrain a workforce ready to handle accelerated automation and Wendell Young, IV, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776, will discuss the union’s efforts to prepare retail and food workers for this new paradigm in commerce.

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Sebastian Vanderzeil, Director and Global Thematic Analyst with Cornerstone Capital Group / PA State Representative Mike Schlossberg (D-Allentown) / Wendell Young, IV, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776

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Marshal killed in Harrisburg/New Mayor of York

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On the Friday January 19th, 2017 edition of WITF’s Smart Talk:

Arrest warrants are served everyday — usually without incident.  But that’s not what happened Thursday morning when U.S. Marshals and local police attempted to serve a warrant in Harrisburg — only to be met with gunfire from an upstairs window.  In the shootout, 45-year-old U.S. Deputy Marshal Christopher Hill was killed and York City police officer Kyle Pitts — a member of a fugitive from justice task force — was wounded.

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Deputy US Marshal Christopher Hill / First responders salute Marshal Hill (photos: PennLive)

The investigation is continuing but what we do know is the shooter was shot and killed by police.  He was not named on the arrest warrant.  That was for a woman living in the house, who was taken into custody.

Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo is on Friday’s Smart Talk to provide details on the incident.

Also, Republican State Senator Mike Regan of York County worked as a U.S. Marshal before running for elective office.  He was a colleague of Deputy Hill and joins us.

York residents turned showed up at City Hall in sub-freezing temperatures early this month to watch Michael Helfrich sworn in as the 25th mayor of the city.  Helfrich defeated incumbent mayor Kim Bracey in November, after losing to her in the May primary but just over 300 votes.

Helfrich previously served on the York City Council as president; he started his public service career addressing environmental needs in York County.  He became an advocate for clean waters in the 1980’s and protested industrial polluting in area creeks.  This led to a successful council run in 2011.  A 1991 drug conviction has led to multiple challenges to his eligibility for a seat on the council and more recently for the mayor’s office; Helfrich faced down those challenges.

As he begins his term, Helfrich will need to deal with several issues confronting the City of York; an ongoing opioid crisis, an aging population with increasing healthcare needs, an economy that ranks York the 10th poorest city in PA in a PennLive survey and an unemployment rate nearly twice the national average.

Mayor Helfrich joins us on Friday’s Smart Talk to discuss both the challenges facing him as York’s mayor and some of the successes in the community he is looking to build on.

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York Mayor Michael Helfrich

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Epidemic of sexual assaults on people with intellectual disabilities

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What to look for on Smart Talk Thursday, January 18, 2018:

Allegations of sexual assault and harassment against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein last October spawned the #MeToo movement.  Since then, thousands of women (and many men) have publicly talked about being assaulted or harassed.  We as a society have learned just how widespread sexual misconduct is.

Much of the attention has focused on the well-known and powerful men who committed the acts and disrespected women and men.

What wasn’t discussed until last week was that the most vulnerable members of our society are the victims of sexual assault most often.  NPR has produced a groundbreaking series that tells the story of people with intellectual disabilities who are sexually assaulted.  NPR reported U.S. Department of Justice statistics that show people with intellectual disabilities are seven times more likely to be sexually assaulted than people without disabilities.  It is a crime that often goes unreported and not prosecuted.  A little more than a third of sexual assaults reported in Pennsylvania when the victim was a person with an intellectual disability were confirmed.  That’s much higher than some other states.

Thursday’s Smart Talk discusses sexual assault and people with disabilities.  Our guests are Nancy Thaler, Deputy Secretary for the Office of Developmental Programs at Pennsylvania Department of Human Services; Kristen Houser, Chief Public Affairs Officer, Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape; and Maureen Cronin, Executive Director of The ARC of Pennsylvania.

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Nancy Thaler – Deputy Secretary, Office of Developmental Programs, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services / Maureen Cronin – Executive Director, The ARC of Pennsylvania / Kristen Houser – Chief Public Affairs Officer, Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape

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TMI’s future/DACA from local perspective

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What to look for on Smart Talk Wednesday, January 17, 2018:

The Three Mile Island nuclear plant may be closer to shutting down after a ruling by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last week.  FERC rejected a plan by the Trump Administration that could have helped nuclear and coal plants financially.

The plan would have forced grid operators to guarantee “full recovery of costs” plus “a fair rate of return” to power plants that can keep 90 days of fuel on-site (according to StateImpact Pennsylvania). Only coal and nuclear plants can do that.

Nuclear and coal plants have found it hard to compete with inexpensive and abundant natural gas.

TMI’s owner has plans to close the facility 20 months from now unless another resource is found, including aid from the state. TMI employs 675 people.

On Wednesday’s Smart Talk, we hear from Republican State Senator Ryan Aument, who is part of a nuclear power caucus in the legislature.

Meanwhile, a group formed in response to efforts to keeping nuclear plants operating with government help.  The Citizens Against Nuclear Bailouts Coalition obviously opposes propping nuclear power up in Pennsylvania.

Carl Marrara, is with the Citizens Against Nuclear Bailouts Coalition and is Vice President of Government Affairs at the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association.  he also is with us.

Also, the federal government could shut down later this week or next month unless Democrats and Republicans in Congress and the Trump Administration reach agreement on several issues, including DACA – the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

The Obama era initiative temporarily protected immigrants who came to the United States illegally as minors from being deported.  President Trump has said he would end the program unless a solution was agreed to.  Republicans want to make DACA part of a larger immigration policy that includes Trump’s promise to build a wall along the southern border.

Dr. Jill Family, Commonwealth Professor of Law and Government and Director, Law and Government Institute at Widener University Commonwealth Law School joins us on the program.

Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra Conductor Stuart Malina/Norwegian journalist on Trump and U.S.

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What to look for on Smart Talk Tuesday, January 16, 2018:

Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra Music Director and Conductor Stuart Malina is one of Central Pennsylvania’s treasures.  A Tony Award winner, Maestro Malina had led orchestras throughout the United States and in China and Hong Kong and is respected for his work internationally.

So there may be no better person in Pennsylvania to discuss the arts and how important they are — especially to young people.

Maestro Malina and Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra Director of Education & Youth Symphony Administrator Mark Hunsberger appear on Tuesday’s Smart Talk to discuss arts education.

Today’s public school curriculum place a heavy emphasis on teaching the core subjects of reading, writing and math to prepare students for today’s world.  It also is true that those core subjects are what students are tested in and the standardized tests are important for the students and school districts alike.

With so much attention focused on the core subjects along with tight budgets — art, music and theater sometimes get left behind.  In fact, many schools have cutback or even eliminated arts education.

That’s even though research shows the arts contribute to students’ creativity, academic performance and motor skills.

Arts organizations like Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra are making efforts to ramp up arts education.  We learn more on Tuesday’s program.

Also, last week President Trump met with Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg and discussed several issues including the sale of military equipment to Norway and the Paris climate agreement, which Trump says the U.S. will leave.

Later on in the week came the meeting with legislators from both parties to discuss immigration.  That’s when the president allegedly made remarks about disparaging countries like Haiti and Africa and added that the US should get more people from countries like Norway.

So, Norway has been mentioned as part of this controversy.  Christina Pletten is a journalist who works for Aftenposten, Norway’s largest newspaper and she was at the White House with Primate Minister Solberg and later traveled to the Pennsylvania Farm Show.  She joins us from Norway on Smart Talk.

Martin Luther King Day: Civil rights today

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On the Monday January 15th, 2018 edition of WITF’s Smart Talk:

Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – a day when we remember the contributions and legacy of a man who rose above the violence and hatred of his era to demand equality through peace.  We celebrate this day on January 15th, his birthday.  This April will mark the 50th anniversary of his death, assassinated in Memphis at the age of 39.

His message inspired Americans of all colors to fight for equal rights and in some Central Pennsylvania communities, it was a hard fight.  While Pennsylvania wasn’t like the South with overt Jim Crow laws, institutional segregation did exist, and communities in the region had developed deep racial divides. By the summer of 1969 there was enough tension in York to spark riots between many white and black residents.

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Protesters in front of York City Hall in 1970. York County History Center (photo:ydr)

In the 21st Century, there have been gains in civil rights and racism may not be as overt as it was in Dr. King’s lifetime (although overt racism can still be found) but many African-Americans feel there are still barriers to equal opportunities for them and believe they are harassed and assaulted by police at a greater rate than whites.

On Monday’s Smart Talk, we discuss the legacy of Dr. King in central state communities with Dr. Nathaniel Gadsden, a Harrisburg native and Senior Pastor of Imani African Christian Church.  We will also be joined by Dr. Dorothy King, an assistant professor of sociology at PSU-Harrisburg and the Reverend Frank Allen, president of the Greater Harrisburg chapter of the NAACP and pastor of the First Zion Baptist Church.

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Black Lives Matter demonstrators in Harrisburg in 2015 (PennLive: James Robinson)

 

Road Trip to Farm Show

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What to look for on Smart Talk Friday, January 12, 2018:

Smart Talk is on the road Friday for a Smart Talk Road Trip to the Pennsylvania State Farm Show.

State Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding joins us on the program to discuss the state of farming in Pennsylvania.  Much of the discussion focuses on the challenges facing farmers across the state like milk prices and farmers making ends meet while relying on those prices and factors like the weather.  Earlier this week, President Trump addressed agriculture issues and we’ll follow up on what he said about federal policies toward farming.

Also, many more Pennsylvanians are making an effort to shop, buy and eat locally produced products, but especially foods.  The food is fresher, healthier and supports local farmers.  With that in mind, the South Central Pennsylvania Harvest Hub gathers and distributes local produce to local schools.  We’ll talk with the founder of the organization and participants about why local, fresh food is so important.

Pennsylvania leads the nation in the number of farms permanently preserved for agricultural production.  This ensures those farms will be producing food forever.  The family farm is also a great tradition in Pennsylvania.  The state has a Century and Bicentennial Farm Program to recognize farms that remain in a family for 100 or 200 years.

Two families join us.  Their ancestors lived on the same farm land since 1816 and 1864.

 

 

Wolf declares opioid disaster/Chesapeake Bay Barometer

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On the Thursday January 11th, 2018 edition of WITF’s Smart Talk:

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has declared the heroin and opioid epidemic a statewide disaster emergency.  The declaration makes history as it is the first-of-its-kind for a public health emergency in Pennsylvania.

The governor’s action has 13 initiatives that include establishing an Opioid Command Center at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency in Harrisburg and allowing Emergency Medical Service providers to dispense Naloxone that can be used to save overdose patients.

The Centers for Disease Control reports more than 52 hundred Pennsylvanians died of overdoses in 2017 — an increase of more than 600 from the year before.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Policy and Planning Sarah Galbally appears on Thursday’s Smart Talk to explain what the emergency disaster declaration means.

Here is additional information about fentanyl that was discussed during the program:

Fentanyl is legally prescribed by physicians, including fentanyl patches, etc., often for chronic or severe pain.  It is Schedule II.  The fentanyl that is on the streets is more often referred to as illegal fentanyl or nonpharmaceutical fentanyl. 

 Information here from the CDC on both legal and illegal fentanyl.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5729a1.htm

The Chesapeake Bay Program released a report last week indicating improvements in the health of the bay.  The Bay Barometer: Health and Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed 2016 – 2017 used twenty different metrics to record the cleanliness and sustainability of the bay, including the viability of underwater flora, water-life populations and pollution content.

Many targets were met; the blue crab population is thriving; nitrogen and phosphorus levels are dropping significantly and water quality in the bay and its tributaries are meeting standards.  The CBP report also recorded civic engagement in the preservation of the Chesapeake; “Environmental Literacy and Planning, Student Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences and Citizen Stewardship” were all factors in considering the bay’s health.

On Thursday’s Smart Talk, we discuss the findings of the report, what this means for recreation and commerce on the bay and what aspects of the Chesapeake’s sustainability still need to be addressed with Harry Campbell Executive Director Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Alison Prost, Interim Vice President of Environmental Protection & Restoration for the Bay Foundation.

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Harry Campbell – Executive Director, Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Foundation

 

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