(University Park) -- More people will be working in teaching roles under Penn State's plan to streamline its Extension service, which has several offices in the midstate.  It's an effort to get more people involved in agricultural education and research.  Penn State Extension has offices in each of the state's 67 counties, and it's now putting those offices into 21 regional districts.  Six of those districts will encompass the midstate, and more than 30 workers currently in administration roles will be reassigned to education positions.  College of Agricultural Sciences Dean Bruce McPheron says the reorganization answers some pressing questions: "How do we keep our educators at the local level in counties wherever possible, and how do we continue to bolster the connections of those educational programs with our science, with our research?"  The Extension is also creating new program areas, like livestock use and horticulture, which will be headed by College of Agricultural Sciences faculty.  Governor Corbett has proposed maintaining level state funding for the extension program and agricultural research.  The system has a center for fruit study in Biglerville, Adams County, and a special research center in Landisville, Lancaster County.

Radio Smart Talk for Friday, May 11:

Times have changed.  It used to be that salary was the major factor when a prospective employee considered his or her compensation package.  Today, healthcare insurance and retirement benefits are in some cases just as important.

There are numerous choices employees have when it comes to benefits too but choices can result in confusion and questions.

On Friday's Radio Smart Talk, two actuaries from Conrad Siegel Actuaries | Employee Benefits and Investment Advisors will appear to answer your healthcare and retirement benefits questions.

Do you understand 401(k) plans and how your investments fit into your retirement?  How will the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or healthcare reform law affect you?

What questions do you have?  We'll get them answered on Friday's program.

(Harrisburg) -- Governor Corbett is speaking out at length for the first time about a recent article analyzing his role in the firing of the late Joe Paterno as Penn State's football coach. The article, published last month in ESPN the Magazine, quotes a source as saying Corbett was proud of his role in the ouster of Paterno this past November. But speaking on witf's Radio Pennsylvania program "Ask the Governor," Corbett says he had a minimal role in the Penn State Board of Trustees' discussion about whether to fire Paterno and then-university president, Graham Spanier. "When somebody said I was relishing, I never relished in the fact," he says. "There was a vote taken, an oral vote taken. There were no objections to it. The only thing I said, and I will stand by this, and I have many witnesses to that, before they voted, I said, 'You have to remember the children.'" Corbett says much of the story by reporter Don Van Natta, Jr. is untrue. "That article is so full of mistakes. I believe that article was misleading, and I believe it was misleading for a number of different reasons, and there was some kind of motive there. I was not the driving force there." However, Anthony Lubrano, who was recently elected to Penn State's Board of Trustees, disagrees. "Do I think he [Corbett] played a significant role? Yes." Corbett also takes issue with the claim by Van Natta, Jr. that he declined to speak with him for the story. Corbett says his spokesman told the writer he'd speak with him after his trade trip to Europe in March, but was not contacted again.

Radio Smart Talk for Wednesday, May 9:

One of the most anticipated events after the six tumultuous months since former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky's arrest for allegedly sexually assaulting and molesting young boys was the university's Board of Trustees election.  The results were finalized last week and three new board members were elected, including our guest on Wednesday's Radio Smart Talk, Anthony Lubrano.

Lubrano was critical of how the Board of Trustees fired legendary Coach Joe Paterno in the fallout of the Sandusky scandal last November.  College football's all-time winningest coach was terminated in a brief telephone call after the Board voted unanimously to fire Paterno last November.

During his campaign, Lubrano demanded the Board of Trustees offer an apology to the Paterno family.  We'll asked how he plans to proceed and what other issues he would like to see addressed at the university.

Also, as part of witf's on-going Facing Cancer Together initiative, Wednesday's show will focus on the rights adoptees in Pennsylvania have to obtain information about their biological parents' medical histories.

Appearing on the program will be Amanda Woolston, founder of the group Pennsylvania Adoptee Rights.

Gov. Corbett responded to the ESPN magazine article portraying him as having a major role in the ouster of Penn State's late football coach Joe Paterno and former president Graham Spanier.  Mitt Romney spoke to a rally of Tea Partiers in Philadelphia yesterday and heads to Lancaster today. The first negative ad in the Democratic race for state attorney general has hit the airwaves.

Radio Smart Talk for Tuesday, April 17:

The Patriot-News was awarded a Pulitzer Prize Monday for the newspaper's coverage of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case.  Last March, reporter Sara Ganim was the first to report that the former Penn State defensive coach was under investigation for allegedly having inappropriate contact with a Clinton County boy several years ago.  Sandusky was arrested in November after a Grand Jury handed down dozens of charges that he had sexually molested or raped nine boys over a period of years.

Ganim's stories consistently provided new information on the case, including remarks from mothers of two of the alleged victims.

At age 24, Ganim is the second youngest person to win a Pulitzer, which is considered journalism's most prestigious honor.

Appearing on Tuesday's Radio Smart Talk will be Patriot-News Editor David Newhouse.

Also, witf's Election 2012 coverage continues as we talk with Republican Pennsylvania Auditor General Candidate Frank Pinto.  Pinto faces John Maher in the Republican primary on April 24.  The winner will compete against Democrat Eugene DePasquale in the November election.  DePasquale is unopposed in the primary.  Both Maher and DePasquale currently serve in the State House of Representatives. 

(Harrisburg) -- The Harrisburg Patriot-News has been honored with its first Pulitzer Prize for its reporting on the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. But its editor says one of the most important things to come out of the case is the attention that's now being paid to child sexual molestation. David Newhouse says he hopes the coverage will help abuse victims find the courage to tell their stories. "No one feels good about this story, but if there's one good that can come out of it, it is the attention that this issue has gotten," he says. "There has been an increase in the calls to hotlines for reporting child sex abuse, so hopefully, this makes it easier for people who may be victims of child sex abuse or their families to feel supported." Newhouse says many states, including Pennsylvania, have looked into strengthening their own laws about reporting child sex abuse as a result of the Sandusky case. Twenty-four-year-old Sara Ganim and the staff won the prize for local reporting for its coverage of Sandusky and the ensuing scandal. Newhouse says the staff is honored and proud to have won the award, which he adds showcases the importance of local journalism. The Pulitzers are the most prestigious awards in journalism.

Rick Santorum is back on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania, after taking a break over the holiday weekend to stay with his ailing daughter. The Centre County judge presiding over the trial of former Penn State assistance football coach Jerry Sandusky has put a catch-all gag order on anyone involved in the case.  And the ACLU’s Pennsylvania chapter says its promised lawsuit over the state’s new voter ID law is coming in the next month.

Men, known and unknown, came together to share how Coach Paterno, his coaching staff, the program, and college life at Penn State affected their lives.

Santorum is bowling through central Pennsylvania, and Mitt Romney is hitting the northeast part of the Keystone State today. PoliticsPA has the latest on yesterday’s Public Policy Polling showing Romney’s five-point lead in the state. Gov. Corbett responds to the ESPN article scrutinizing his role in the late Joe Paterno's firing.  Plus, state House lawmakers have debated and approved a bill to shrink the size of the Legislature.