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It’s almost December and the plants many people are thinking about are red and green – Christmas trees and poinsettias.

Horticulturist Erica Jo Shaffer was on The Spark Tuesday and said watering a real tree is very important,"It usually takes two or three days for the tree to start drinking and then suddenly it really starts drinking. So you would get your tree, you would shake it, make sure a lot of needles aren't going off, whatever stand you've got. And then it should be in water within an hour or two after they put a fresh cut on. They should take off about an inch and then it's going to be ready to drink. But then you need to get it in water. Even if you're not ready to set it up, then stick it in a bucket of water so that that cut is in water. And then follow it  every couple of days or every day (with water)."

What if a family opts for a potted Christmas tree,"Potted Christmas trees are a good idea, especially for people who don't want to cut one and they don't want artificial. And if you've got the space to plant it afterwards, the trick on that is they are right now going into dormancy and all the plants are. So, if you buy a potted tree and then bring it into your 70 degree house for three weeks or a month, it's going to wake it back up. And then you're going to throw it out in 20 degree temperatures and that's most likely going to kill it. You're going to want to bring it in only for 3 to 5 days. You don't even water it before you brought it in and then you don't water it again until you take it out. It's a good idea to have the hole dug already because that way if the grounds frozen and your hole is already dug, you could put the the soil that you took out of the hole and take it in the garage so it's not frozen. Make sure it's at the right depth. A lot of times the tree is too deep in the root ball too. The trunk stops, the roots start. That needs to be ground level."

Shaffer said stores and holiday customers make mistakes when it comes to poinsettias, "They're tropical plants so don't put your poinsettia near your front door that every time you open (the door) and it gets a cold blast."

Poinsettia pots are often wrapped in foil and Shaffer said that's not good for them,"When you water it, that water gets trapped in, and they'll immediately start to root rot. And then they start wilting because they can't drink water. And then you give them more water. And totally drown them. So that would be another quick way to kill your poinsettia."

 

 

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Fifty-years-ago, preserving history usually meant protecting historic sites where the big moments in history occurred.

But in the 1970s – a new movement took hold and gained momentum -- historic preservation.

It meant preserving or remembering what made a place special – like its buildings, landscapes or objects.

The Historic Harrisburg Association was founded in 1973 to promote historic preservation, urban revitalization, and smart growth.

Historic Harrisburg’s Executive Director David Morrison was with us on The Spark Monday, who said attitudes toward historic preservation have changed over the past five decades,"I think certainly 50 years ago when the preservation movement was really getting underway nationally and here in Harrisburg, a lot of people saw preservation as sort of an impediment to progress. And as time went on, and partly through the messaging that Historic Harrisburg has done, people have begun to see it as a positive force. And really a lot of the great things that have happened in Harrisburg have been through historic preservation and some of the things that we've been encouraging, whether it's by large developers or projects initiated by the city itself or individual homeowners, all of that has a positive impact."

Morrison was asked what have been a few of Historic Harrisburg's most tangible successes,"The Tracy Mansion, which later was Char's restaurant, Char Magaro, that was slated to be demolished, as well as Shipoke (after the 1972 Agnes flood). Several other front street mansions where were slated for demolition and historic Harrisburg, my predecessors really fought back and won those battles one way or another."

Morrison pointed to restoration of the Brick Market House at the Broad Street Market that was destroyed by fire earlier this year and possible other uses for William Penn high School as preservation priorities.

 

 
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The two biggest expenses most Americans have traditionally faced is a mortgage or rent and a vehicle. It looks like the cost of healthcare can added to the list of largest debts for many.

Results of a statewide poll released last week finds 57% of Pennsylvanians say they struggle with affording medial care and half are delaying or avoiding medical care due to its cost.

Other results of the poll include:


Nearly 3 in 5 struggled with at least one healthcare-related financial burden in the last year;
More than 4 in 5 worry about affording health care in the future;
More than half delayed or went without health care due to cost in the last year;
1 in 3 Pennsylvanians are either incurring debt, taking out loans, or sacrificing basic necessities in order to pay their medical bills, and 1 in 4 have medical bills that are overdue;
Rural Pennsylvanians reported higher rates of going without care and rationing medications due to cost; still, nearly half of those living in urban areas went without care due to cost; and
Across party lines, Pennsylvanians show strong support for government action, endorsing a wide range of policies aimed at lowering healthcare costs.

Joining us on The Spark Monday were Antoinette Kraus, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Health Access Network and Laura Smith of Allegheny County, who survived cancer and the removal of a tumor but faced medical bills she couldn't afford afterwards.
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More Americans travel over the Thanksgiving weekend than any other period of the year. They’ll be going to family gatherings for the holiday, college students are returning home over break, and in Pennsylvania, many deer hunters are heading to camp.

Most of the travelers will be driving. Traffic is already heavier on some highways than usual. There’s no doubt that some of us will asked ourselves whether we’re following the laws or protocols of the road. More likely though, we’ll be critical of another driver.

On The Spark, we take this timely opportunity to talk about rules of the road – answering questions about what’s safe, what’s legal, what’s not and how to be better drivers.

Joining us on the program Wednesday were Lt. Adam Reed, Director of the Communications Office for the Pennsylvania State Police and Fritzi Schreffler, Safety Press Officer with District 8 Penndot.

Schreffler said that motorists should be on the lookout for deer this weekend and this time of year overall,"I think people forget it's rutting season. They're (the deer) all looking for a mate right now. So they're not paying attention or whether they're running across the road. But also hunting season is upon us. The farmers are clearing out their fields, and that's the area where they like to hang out. And the more construction, the more development that we have. They're losing their habitat."

State Farm Insurance has these tips for avoiding a collision with a deer:


Always scan ahead for animals as you drive, particularly if you see signs such as “deer crossing.”
Slow down when you see animals along the road.
If you see one deer, you can assume others are nearby — so exercise extra caution.
Reduce distractions, such as from a cellphone.
Avoid swerving if a crash seems inevitable. It is better to maintain control of your car even if that means a collision.
Flick your high beams at night: This can cause animals to flee.

Lt. Reed said the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is one of the biggest party nights of the year and as a result, stopping drunk driving is a priority,"Thanksgiving weekend, really through the holidays, but specifically, Thanksgiving weekend is a very DUI focused weekend for PSP. In addition to enforcing and being present with the increased traffic volumes. Our troopers are also going to have special details out there, checkpoints out there on the lookout specifically for impaired drivers."

 
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November 22nd, 1963 – 60 years ago today, President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas. It was one of the defining moments of the 20th century.

During that week in November, 1963, there was an observance of another seminal moment in American history – the 100th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

President Kennedy was invited to speak in Gettysburg, but declined and went to Dallas later in the week.

On The Spark Wednesday we talked about that week in 1963 in Gettysburg, documents that survive and Kennedy and Gettysburg.

Appearing on the program, Jill Ogline Titus, Associate Director of the Civil War Institute, Co-Coordinator of Public History Minor at Gettysburg College and author of the book Gettysburg 1963 Civil Rights, Cold War Politics, and Historical Memory in America's Most Famous Small Town, said Kennedy could have chosen to attend both the commemoration of the Gettysburg Address and gone to Dallas as well,"The Gettysburg Centennial Commission did invite Kennedy to come for the anniversary and the the anniversary commemoration wasn't just the (November) 19th. The events really spanned from the 17th through the 19th. There were a few more things on the 20th, and the invitation to Kennedy was to speak on the 19th itself. But there were a number of other activities that the Commission would have loved to have him involved in if he had been here for longer than just the 19th. That it's definitely true that people involved with the commemoration, as soon as word of the assassination reached them, immediately drew the conclusion that if Kennedy had come, his life would have been saved. They wrote about that very extensively. You know, if President Kennedy had only accepted our invitation, he'd still be alive and the country would have been spared this this horrible tragedy. But I think the documentation shows us that it's not quite that much of a black and white issue."

Titus indicated that Kennedy went to Texas because there was a political feud amongst Democrats on the state level and Kennedy wanted to shore up support in an important state in the 1964 election.

Andrew Dalton, Executive Director of the Adams County Historical Society said on The Spark that documents in the Historical Society's archives include plans for President Kennedy if he came to Gettysburg, but he added those plans included someone who had a significant role after the president was killed,"It's actually just very kind of hastily put together notes from a meeting that was held, sort of a memo that was created based on this meeting held on September 5th, 1963, between Louis Simon, who was the secretary of the planning committee here in Gettysburg, and Malcolm Kilduff, who was the assistant press secretary.  I just wanted to point out, I didn't know this until a few hours ago, but Malcolm Kilduff ended up going to Dallas with Kennedy a few days after and was actually the acting press secretary there with Kennedy. He was in, I think the third car of the motorcade that went to the hospital. He was actually the man who informed Lyndon Johnson that Kennedy had died. He gave the statement in front of TV cameras to the press and then actually recorded the oath of office on the plane when Johnson was sworn in. So this guy, just a few days later, is right there on the front lines of what was going on in Dallas. But fast rewind 78 days and you have this meeting in the press office at the White House between the folks in Gettysburg and Kilduff."

The document Dalton referred to (see below) included logistical questions about Kennedy's time in Gettysburg and the activities surrounding the 100th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. One question from the White House was whether Kennedy would ride in a car through the streets of Gettysburg to the National Cemetery, where Kennedy would speak, or if there was a place for a helicopter to land closer to the cemetery. Dalton speculat

Renowned pianist Robin Spielberg has marked a milestone in her illustrious career with the release of her 24th album, "By Way of The Wind." Breaking away from her previous solo piano and piano/ensemble compositions, this latest offering presents a collection of Spielberg's original works fully orchestrated for a complete symphony and piano and string orchestra. The album represents a departure from her established repertoire and showcases her versatility in a fully orchestrated context.

A remarkable aspect of "By Way of The Wind" lies in its unique recording process, as Spielberg collaborated with the Budapest Scoring Orchestra remotely over Zoom. Notably recognized for their work on the score of the acclaimed film "Parasite" and various other projects, the Budapest Scoring Orchestra contributed to the distinctive sound and texture of Spielberg's latest release.

The album not only demonstrates Spielberg's artistic evolution but also reflects the adaptability of musicians and orchestras to virtual collaborations. "By Way of The Wind" stands as a testament to Spielberg's enduring creativity and ability to push the boundaries of her musical expression, captivating audiences with a symphonic journey that adds a new dimension to her extensive discography.
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