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The Catholic community in Pennsylvania is still reeling more than a year after a grand jury reported decades of child abuse and cover-ups in six of Pennsylvania’s eight Roman Catholic dioceses.

Wednesday, the Diocese of Harrisburg announced it is filing for bankruptcy. It’s the first Pennsylvania diocese to do so. While the eight dioceses have opened compensation funds to pay abuse victims, they’ve also been dealing with a rush of legislative and legal action.

That includes one case—Rice verses the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown—in which the state Superior Court decided victims with expired cases can still sue over cover-ups.

Matt Haverstick, one of the lawyers representing the Harrisburg diocese, says that’s one of the factors behind the decision to file for bankruptcy.

Haverstick appears on Thursday’s Smart Talk to discuss what the filing means for the diocese and abuse victims. Attorney Benjamin Andreozzi, who represents alleged child abuse victims that have sued, will also join the conversation to talk about how bankruptcy could impact abuse survivors. Finally, we’ll hear from two plaintiffs who are in a lawsuit against the Diocese of Harrisburg to discuss their way forward.

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The photographs are haunting.

Images of shackles and bondage force the viewer to face the reality of the people held by the chains. The reality that theirs was a brutal existence and it happened not that long ago.

Michael Doub says that seeing the chains and shackles in person have an even more profound impact. Doub has amassed one of the largest privately held collections of historical slave artifacts in the country. He appears on Smart Talk on Wednesday to share how the collection developed over 30 years and why he believes there is a “danger in forgetting.”
Michael Doub appears on Smart Talk on February 19, 2020.

Alexandra Stein

Michael Doub appears on Smart Talk on February 19, 2020.

Slavery relics from Michael and Ruby Doub’s collection.

Also, Puerto Rico experienced a 6.4 magnitude earthquake on January 7th. More than a month later the island is still experiencing aftershocks and experts say they could persist for many years.

This is a frightening prospect for the fragile Island that also took a direct hit from Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Joining Smart Talk to offer an on-the-ground assessment of earthquake recovery efforts is Delma Rivera-Lytle, of York, Pa. Rivera is a member of the Governor’s Commission on Latino Affairs. Dr. Louisa Rodgriguez, Resource and Volunteer Services Director of Puerto Rico Rises, a nonprofit organization, appears on Smart Talk to continue the discussion.
Delma Rivera-Lytle appears on Smart Talk on February 19, 2020. Photo submitted by Rivera-Lytle.

Delma Rivera-Lytle appears on Smart Talk on February 19, 2020. Photo submitted by Rivera-Lytle.

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Monday is Presidents Day. Actually, the federal government still recognizes the Monday holiday as Washington’s Birthday but some time in the past 50 years, the holiday has been expanded to honor and recognize presidents other than George Washington.

Monday’s Smart Talk goes back more than 200 years and also discusses more contemporary stories of presidential history.

Two-hundred-twenty years after his death, there still is much to learn about the nation’s first president — George Washington. In fact, there are so many myths about Washington and facts that don’t get as much attention. For example, on the fact side, Washington played a large part in starting a world war. How about a myth? Washington didn’t have wooden teeth, even though he did have dental problems his whole life.

One of the nation’s foremost Washington re-enactors and experts — John Koopman III appears on Smart Talk.

Also, when President Trump awarded conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh with the Medal of Freedom two weeks ago, it surprised and angered some who thought Limbaugh wasn’t worthy of the medal that recognizes “those people who have made an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”

Elizabethtown College Professor of Political Science Fletcher McClellan has written about Trump and the Presidential Medal of Freedom and is on Monday’s Smart Talk.

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Last Saturday the Susquehanna Art Museum in Harrisburg unveiled their new exhibit, Many Visions; Many Versions: Art from Indigenous Communities in India. The exhibit is on view in the newly renamed Beverlee and Bill Lehr Gallery until May 10, 2020.

The exhibit features 47 drawings and paintings from contemporary artists that highlight the four major indigenous artistic traditions known to India. The work is displayed thematically, rather than being separated into different sections based on their cultural association, to showcase the shared artistic styles and traditions of all four indigenous artistic traditions.

Alice Anne Schawb, Executive Director, and Lauren Nye, Director of Exhibitions, from the Susquehanna Art Museum appear on Friday’s Smart Talk to discuss the new exhibit.

Also, Friday is Valentine’s Day when the world is thinking about love or at least that’s how we have been conditioned. On Valentine’s Day, those who aren’t in a relationship may be looking for one.

No doubt there will be some who will utilize what’s thought of as a pick-up line to attract a mate. Often, its men using language they think is catchy or clever. However, research at Bucknell University has found women also will try to attract a man they have just met with what they say, but in a different way.

Appearing on Smart Talk is Dr. T. Joel Wade, Professor of Psychology at Bucknell University, to talk about new research.

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Ninety percent of firefighters in Pennsylvania are volunteers and there are far fewer of them than in the past. There were more than 300,000 volunteer firefighters in the state in the 1970s. Today there are about 38,000. The problem may get worse too because the average volunteer firefighter — at least nationally — is over 40 years old.

The numbers alone indicate lives could be in danger when there is a fire or emergency.

Why aren’t more people volunteering? Many cite time constraints, going through the training required and fundraising by volunteer fire companies.

Moves are in the works on the state level that include tax credits for volunteers. Some municipalities have implemented taxes to help defray expenses but that does little to recruit firefighters and emergency personnel.

Thursday’s Smart Talk addresses the volunteer firefighter shortage and the needs of local fire departments.

Appearing on the program are Jerry Ozog, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Fire & Emergency Services Institute and an active volunteer firefighter in Hampden Township (Cumberland County), Mike Ibberson, Chief, Swatara Township Fire Rescue (Dauphin County), Justin Eberly, Volunteer Firefighter & Active EMT from Cumberland County who is also a Volunteer Recruitment / Retention Trainer for VFIS/Glatfelter Insurance Group, and Duane Ober, Commissioner Warwick Emergency Services Commission (Lancaster County).

 

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For years, Pennsylvania has trailed other states across the country by not offering ways to vote other than at voting precincts or by absentee ballot. That all changed last fall, when Gov. Tom Wolf signed legislation that allows voters to submit ballots in other ways.

Mail-in voting may be the most significant of the changes. Starting this year, voters can opt to apply for a mail-in ballot with no excuse or reason needed and mail their completed ballot to the state. Other changes include the voter registration deadline has been shortened to 15 days before an election, rather the traditional 30 days. Also, the deadline for a county to receive an absentee ballot is now 8 p.m. on election day.

There are other changes as well and county election directors have expressed concern that there may be additional staff or funding needed. Counties have also cautioned that counting votes and final results may not be available as quickly.

Pennsylvania’s Secretary of State Kathy Bookvar and Deputy Secretary of State Jonathan Marks appear on Wednesday’s Smart Talk to explain the changes and discuss elections in this important election year.

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Most people probably associate polluted, unhealthy air with large metropolitan cities — that’s entirely accurate in some places across the country, but in Pennsylvania, the metropolitan areas with the most days of unhealthy air in 2018 were Lancaster, Harrisburg and Lebanon. York wasn’t far behind. All four places had more days of unhealthy air than the state’s largest cities, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Lancaster had 119 days of elevated air pollution in 2018, followed by Harrisburg with 114.

Those numbers come from a recent report titled “Trouble in the Air: Millions of Americans Breathed Polluted Air in 2018.”

The report was released by the environmental group PennEnvironment and the Frontier Group.

The statistics came from the federal Environmental Protection Agency and focused on fine particulates in the air and ground level ozone pollution.

What can done to make the air cleaner?

Appearing on Tuesday’s Smart Talk to discuss the findings are Zachary Barber, Clean Air Organizer with PennEnvironment, and Dr. Kelly Kuhns, Chair of the Department of Nursing at Millersville University and a member of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments. Also, Senate Minority Leader, Democratic State Senator Jay Costa of Allegheny County joins us as well.

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The three-decade long effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay appears to be entering a critical stage.

In 2010, the federal Environmental Protection Agency established what it called the total maximum daily load or TMDL, which set limits for the amount of nutrients that drain into the Chesapeake. Six states and the District of Columbia were part of the agreement. Even though Pennsylvania does not border the Chesapeake Bay, the Susquehanna River is the biggest source of freshwater running into the Bay.

Progress has been made in the past 30 years and even since the 2010 agreement. Maryland and Virginia, in particular, are on track to meet their goals. However, Pennsylvania appears to be lagging — especially when it comes to nitrogen runoff into waters that enter the Bay. Pennsylvania is reportedly about nine million pounds short of meeting its nitrogen reduction goal by 2025.

It’s gotten to the point where Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has threatened to sue Pennsylvania to force it to meet its goals.

Dan Aunkst, director of EPA’s Chesapeake Bay program has said the TMDL goals were an aspiration and not enforceable.

As a result, Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation may sue EPA over Pennsylvania’s not meeting its goals.

Monday’s Smart Talk focuses on the Bay cleanup and Pennsylvania’s plans.

Appearing on the program are Patrick McDonnell, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Will Baker, President of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

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In Pennsylvania, human services, emergency management, 911 services, and administration of courts, corrections and elections are all administered by the state’s 67 counties. However, those county governments often believe they don’t get the kind of attention from the state and even their residents that they deserve.

That’s why the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) makes a list of priorities at the beginning of each year. In 2020, priorities include increasing funding for mental health services, finding solutions to what they describe as the emergency medical services crisis, county property tax reform, rural broadband expansion, and funding for adult probation programs and services.

One of the biggest challenges many Pennsylvania counties have faced in the past year is updating or even replacing voting machines during this crucial presidential election year.

Appearing on Friday’s Smart Talk to discuss the CCAP’s priorities for 2020 are CCAP Executive Director Lisa Schaefer, Butler County Commissioner and CCAP First Vice President Kevin Boozel, and Bradford County Commissioner and CCAP 2nd Vice President Daryl Miller.

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There are more than a thousand lobbying firms and 12,000 lobbyists registered to lobby the federal government in Washington D.C. They present their views and try to influence government on many issues. Those that attract the most lobbying interests relate to business, healthcare, energy, pharmaceuticals and communications.

The Friends Committee on National Legislation is not a lobbying group that spends large sums of money like some other lobbyists. However, the lobbying group representing Quakers is the nation’s oldest faith-based lobbying group having formed in 1943.

According to the FCNL, they meet with members of Congress or their staffs to discuss issues of peace, equality and simplicity and they do it while usually focusing on one issue.

Right now, the Friends Committee is lobbying for “preventing endless war through the repeal of two outstanding Authorizations for Use of Military Force” that were enacted after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001 and the lead up to war in Iraq in 2002. The issue has taken on more urgency since tensions have increases recently between the U.S. and Iran.

On Thursday’s Smart Talk, we’re joined by Beth Reeves and Anthony Crocamo — advocates from the Friends Committee on National Legislation to discuss the issues important to Quakers and how they go about lobbying members of Congress.

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