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McCain Comes to Lehigh Valley Hospital - 05/05/08
He proposes that employers no longer get a tax write-off for providing healthcare benefits to their employees. Instead he would give employees a $5,000 refundable tax credit. He said this would help Americans with healthcare costs and it would allow employees to choose their own healthcare providers instead of having to depend on companies employees choose. He stressed that he does not agree with universal health insurance. “I do not believe in a government’s involvement and control in healthcare in America. I know it is not the right answer. I will do everything I can, to do as I did some years ago when Senator Clinton once before tried to sell the people a government run healthcare system,” Senator McCain said. McCain said he encourages more students to pursue the nursing and healthcare professions by making more scholarship available to them. Senator McCain said such scholarship programs may help alleviate our nation’s shortage of nurses. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, there is a serious shortage of health care professionals. American Association of Colleges of Nursing website McCain also addressed the issues of cigarettes and healthcare. “Smoking is really unfortunate,” he said. McCain said he used to smoke because it was considered cool when he was in the navy, and he jokingly added that he sometimes still craves a cigarette. He said taxes from cigarettes should go toward funding health care for Americans. When one of the attendees of the meeting asked McCain what he plans to do about the level of drug and alcohol abuse in Pennsylvania, he said he plans to create programs to help families and the Pennsylvania economy. He said jobs in Pennsylvania, specifically manufacturing jobs being shipped overseas, could be a contributing factor to the drug and alcohol abuse in our state. He said when families do not have the proper means to support themselves and feel hopeless, crime and substance abuse tend to increase. McCain defended his summer gas tax-cut plan and said although it would not resolve the problem of rising gas prices, it would be a “nice little break for families.” This is particularly true for lower-income families, he said, because they usually drive the longest distances to work and generally drive older cars that use more gas. ........................................................................................................................ Hispanics Are More Prone to Heart Disease - 04/18/08 Dr. Javier E. Banchs, a cardiologist at the Hershey Medical Center, says as the Hispanic population continues to rise in the United States, so does the need to reduce their risk of heart disease.
The American Heart Association and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce have partnered together to educate Central Pennsylvania residents about the dangers of heart disease and what they can do to prevent it. During a recent dinner at Herby's El Mexicano restaurant in Steelton, the two organizations discussed ways the Hispanic community can reduce their risk of heart disease. Dr. Banchs, the keynote speaker, who is also of Hispanic decent said Hispanics have a higher risk of diabetes and obesity, which make them more prone to heart disease. He said, “It’s expensive to eat healthy food and that’s part of the problem.” He added, it is important for parents and schools to teach children to eat healthier and exercise more during their childhood and adolescent stages. These are their formative years and it directly affects the heart and its potential for blood clots later on in life. Dr. Banchs also said statistics show the Hispanic community in the United States currently does not have an abnormally high rate of heart disease. However, these statistics do not count age as a factor in its results and do not show that the high rate of obesity and diabetes within the Hispanic community puts them at greater risk for heart disease. The average age for the Hispanic population is currently between the ages of 28 and 30, and heart disease usually does not show up until later in one’s life. Dr. Banchs encourages everyone to make regular trips to the doctor and check their cholesterol and blood pressure levels to help prevent heart disease. He said the challenge is, “It’s hard to convince Hispanics to go to the doctor and about eleven to twelve percent of Hispanics in the United States are uninsured.” He also said women are at a higher risk of heart attacks than men once a woman goes through menopause. He encourages women to closely monitor their blood pressure and cholesterol levels, especially after menopause.
Dr. Javier E. Banchs, a cardiologist at the Hershey Medical Center, said he loves his profession because it is the most dynamic one out of "all the specialties in medicine." He said cardiologists can make a difference in such a short time because the heart rhythm changes so fast and it affects the way a patient feels. However, the most difficult aspect of his job is telling a patient their heart problems are so severe they must rely on a pump for the rest to keep them alive for the rest of their life. He said everyone can help reduce their risk of heart disease by doing the following things:
Dr. Banchs believes diet and exercise are two of the key components of reducing one’s risk for heart disease. He said exercise is so important that managers should have at least 15 to 30 minute breaks for employees to exercise during their workday. “It would be nice if factories had at last 15 minutes where their employees could jog around the machines they are working with,” he said. On May 8 th, The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Central Pennsylvania and the American Heart Association will also host the “Go Red for Women” luncheon at 11:30 am at Whitaker Center in Harrisburg. ........................................................................................................................ Gettysburg National Military Park New Visitor Center - 4/14/08 Visitors to the Gettysburg National Military Park are getting the chance to experience the battlefield in a whole new way. The National Park Service is opening a $103 million visitor center with a goal of providing a better understanding of the iconic battle that left 51,000 dead, wounded or captured and the Civil War. WITF’s Tim Lambert takes us on a tour of the new facility…
........................................................................................................................ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Life and Legacy Will on Live through Our Work - 4/11/08 For the first time in our nation’s history, we have a black man and a white woman as leading presidential candidates. Some African-American community leaders who attended Reverend Nathaniel Gadsden’s recent memorial of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at the Writers Wordshop in Harrisburg said they believe the candidacies of Barak Obama and Hillary Clinton are part of the Civil Rights leader’s dream.
However, despite the progress, some African Americans at the event said there is still more work that needs to be done, particularly within their communities.
Guy also lamented the high crime rate within the African American community and said, “There was a time when the black community policed itself. Violating the law by disrespecting other people and damaging others’ property was the exception to the rule.” He added, “There were less blacks in jail in the 50’s and 60’s, comparatively speaking, than there are today.” Guy said the purpose of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Development Initiative is to help keep King’s dream alive by mentoring and training a new generation to address urban problems. “It’s my hope that as a result of the implementation of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Initiative, the younger generation will take advantage of existing opportunities and create new ones,” he said.
Click this link to hear WITF’s Faith Camp’s interview with the Rev. Harris. “In every era, God has chosen men and women to serve the needs of the people. Such a servant was Martin Luther king Jr. whose birth we celebrate. We are deeply thankful for the life of this twentieth century prophet.” This was a verse the Rev. Gadsden read from the responsive reading in their African American Hymnal. Click here to watch Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. ........................................................................................................................ Diner Series Part 1: Sampling political opinions in Mifflin County – 3/31/08
........................................................................................................................ Fidel Castro’s Daughter Steps Out of His Shadow - 3/31/08 Alina Fernandez, daughter of former Cuban President Fidel Castro hopes to see a more Democratic Cuba under her uncle, Raoul’s regime. Although she said the progress may be slow, she also said Raoul has been “making signs to the U.S. that he’s willing to meet” to discuss bilateral relations.
In 1993, she said she risked imprisonment and fled the country to provide her daughter with a better life. She said her daughter was 16 at the time and she wanted her to have the political freedom Castro would not allow. Fernandez described her father as both cruel and dictatorial.
Fernandez said she has been shunned by many of her family members and she is currently a political exile living in the United States.
She says there are many misperceptions Cubans and Americans have of each other and the only way to overcome them is to get to know one another. Fernandez believes in political freedom and hopes that Cuba will one day find its own way for democracy. WITF's Faith Camp spoke with Alina Fernandez at the event:
........................................................................................................................ Finding those who are willing to switch their registration - 3/20/08 Members of Barack Obama's presidential campaign likely have Monday circled on their calendars. That's because it's the deadline for registering to vote in April's Democratic primary. As WITF's Scott Detrow reports, finding independents and Republicans who are willing to switch their registration and vote in the contest is a key part of Obama's campaign strategy. ........................................................................................................................ WITF Exclusive Interview with Sen. Hillary Clinton - 3/18/08 (Millersville) -- The job of president, clean energy and the economy were some of the topics that came up last night when Senator Hillary Clinton talked with WITF. The Democratic presidential hopeful spoke with WITF's Scott Gilbert. ........................................................................................................................ OPFM Mortgage Crisis – 3/10/08
Hear other individuals tell stories about how the case has impacted their lives:
Related links: A website set up by OPFM victim Jaime Moyer provides information to the 811 families. Contact the PA Attorney General Office's Bureau of Consumer Protection. Website for OPFM victims to contact state Attorney General. Find out more about the mortgage lending reform being championed by PA Dept of Banking. ......................................................................................................................... The PA Legislative Black Caucus Celebrates their 36th Anniversary through Poetry -- 2/29/08
These were some of the closing remarks one could hear echoing across the room of the Capitol Rotunda as poet laureate, Iya Isoke, paid tribute to the men and women in the PA Legislative Black Caucus. On Tuesday, February 12 th, the Black Caucus held a special anniversary ceremony."We have 11 African American committee chairman, the most ever in the PLBC and the PA Legislature. This accomplishment is a testament to our members and caucus commitment to our communities. And because of this, I wanted to honor them through poetry," Executive Director, Ronald Starr said. Poetry has played a major role in politics, especially in the African-American community. During the Civil Rights movement, political activists used poetry to speak against injustice. “The Black Poets of the Civil Rights Movement used black poetry readings as a means to use our language while the performances expressed political slogans and also as a tool for organization,” Isoke said. “The joining of politics and poetry was an arranged marriage consistently standing the test of time,” she added. Poetry was not just used in the Civil Rights movement, but it is still being used in the political arena today. “Barack Obama uses poetry. He gets people to move through his speech,” Gadsden said. He elaborated, “Obama is making inroads because of his ability to articulate and sound righteous. Even is theme “The audacity of hope” is poetry. Poetry is not just a form of artistic expression, but a voice that can be used to move people in politics. “She [Iya] did a wonderful job of reminding us of the history of the Black poet and how it is linked to our history and our politics. It has made us better as people,” Gadsden said. Click on the link below to hear more about former poet laureate, Nathaniel Gadsden’s views on poetry and politics, and what he thought about the PA Legislative Black Caucus’s poetic tribute to their chairmen and women. ......................................................................................................................... Midstate advocate looks back on turbulent life -- 2/28/08
......................................................................................................................... A midstate community newspaper changes hands –- 2/6/08 .........................................................................................................................
(More information about the program can be found at www.hopedogs.org.)
Harold Billow of Mount Joy was one of just a few soldiers to survive the Malmady Massacre, in which German troops executed 88 American prisoners. Paul Lehman of Halifax fought in the Battle of the Bulge and helped to capture Hitler's retreat in the Austrian mountains. He, too, was awarded the Bronze Star. Here, the three men share their memories of battle. They spoke this summer with WITF's Scott LaMar, and their comments were edited here by Craig Cohen. Harrisburg resident Helen Bender Metzger married her husband on December 6, 1941 -- the day before the attack on Pearl Harbor. She raised their daughter while he went off to war. Pat McIntyre lives in Hershey, but she lived in Buffalo, New York, during World War II. Her father, two brothers, and soon-to-be-husband all saw action in the war. For these two women, memories of the home front during the war are vivid and powerful. They spoke this summer with WITF's Scott LaMar, and their comments were edited here by Craig Cohen. ......................................................................................................................... Winners of 2007 Edward R. Murrow Awards
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