It's hard to believe a decade has passed since I first began hosting Smart Talk on witf TV.  One week after assuming the anchor chair in September 2001, the terrorist attacks profoundly changed our lives.  In response, witf transformed Smart Talk from a taped, 30-minute, one-subject public affairs show, into a live, dynamic, interactive forum for conversation and exploration of the issues affecting all of us.  So, it's fitting that tonight we launch our season recalling the shock and horror of the events of 9/11, but also examining how far the nation has come in defending itself from the threat of terrorism and healing the wounds laid open that sunny, September day.  As always, your comments are welcome.  You may call in live tonight at 8 to 1-800-729-7532, send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or post a comment to facebook.

In our first segment, producer Scott LaMar brings us the reflections of Ken Nacke who lost his brother Louis, one of the heroes who perished aboard hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed near Shanksville, PA.  Dignitaries, including President Barack Obama and U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, will help dedicate the new memorial at the crash site this weekend.  Our guests include Republican State Senator John Pippy who served with the U.S. Army Reserve on active duty in Iraq, Dr. G. Terry Madonna, director of the Franklin & Marshall College Poll and professor of public affairs at F&M,Dr. Mubashir Mumtaz, a cardiothoracic surgeon and spokesman for Harrisburg's Ahmadiyya Muslim community, and Mark Campbell, who served as former Governor Tom Ridge's chief of staff at the time of the attacks and now is a partner at the Ridge Policy Group.

We shift gears in our second segment and focus on the fall legislative agenda.  Pennsylvania lawmakers face a full slate of contentious issues including school choice, liquor-store privatization, transportation-funding options, reapportionment, an impact fee on Marcellus Shale gas drillers, and a voter ID bill.  Laura Olson, Harrisburg bureau reporter for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Scott Detrow, StateImpactPA reporter, John Micek, state house reporter for The Morning Call, and Terry Madonna will share their insights on what's likely to pass in the coming weeks.

Be sure to watch and join the conversation.