The Spark cover art

The Spark

The Spark

Written by: WITF Inc.
Listen for free

About this listen

When people come together and talk about really interesting topics, great questions spark better understanding and opportunities for new ideas to form. On The Spark from WITF, host Asia Tabb starts conversations about what’s happening in the world and at home. Share your ideas at https://witf.org/programs/the-spark.

2026 WITF
Politics & Government
Episodes
  • The Spark Weekly | Trailblazers in Pennsylvania: Horseshoe Curve and The Rise of The Internet.
    Jan 26 2026

    When Matthew Wolfe walks through the Railroaders Memorial Museum in Altoona, he isn’t just surrounded by locomotives and artifacts, he’s surrounded by the lives of the people who built them.

    and

    In September 1982, that problem surfaced on a small network of computers at Carnegie Mellon University, where a few dozen computer scientists were using early electronic message boards—primitive by today’s standards, but revolutionary at the time. Messages were text-only, stripped of facial expressions, tone of voice, or context. Humor, sarcasm, and jokes often landed the wrong way.

    Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
  • Lost Mail, Late Budgets, and the Legacy of Mt. Tabor
    Jan 24 2026

    (00:00:00)

    We begin with Gillian McGoldrick of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who details her reporting on the Shapiro Administration’s lawsuit against a vendor accused of failing to deliver more than 3 million pieces of mail from state agencies. The missing documents, everything from benefits notices to tax information, raise serious questions about oversight, transparency, and the impact on Pennsylvanians who depend on timely communication from their government. WITF’s Jaxon White then previews the upcoming state budget season, reflecting on last year’s prolonged delay and the political stakes as Gov. Shapiro seeks re‑election.

    (00:22:18)

    In the second half of the show, we turn to Mt. Tabor AME Zion Church in Mount Holly Springs, a one‑room church built by formerly enslaved people and a cornerstone of the region’s African American community for more than a century. Now the focus of the Mt. Tabor Preservation Project, the church stands as a testament to resilience, faith, and the determination to protect Black history in Cumberland County. We speak with Carmen James, a board member and lifelong advocate for the site, about the ongoing restoration efforts, the stories preserved within its walls, and why safeguarding Mt. Tabor’s legacy matters for future generations.

    Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    47 mins
  • Growing Things: In the Garden and Online
    Jan 23 2026

    (00:00:00)

    Winter may still have its grip, but we’re already dreaming of green. In this episode, we finally dig into the houseplant care we didn’t get to last time. From keeping indoor plants thriving to refreshing bird feeders and bird baths during the coldest stretch of the year. We’ll talk about what’s blooming right now, the seeds you can start early, and the small rituals that help us look toward spring.

    (00:22:30)
    Then we shift to a very different kind of ecosystem: the early internet. Our guest reflects on the moment he proposed the very first emoticons :-) and :-( and how those simple keystrokes reshaped digital communication.

    Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
No reviews yet