October is Hispanic Heritage Month. Carlos Graupera is the CEO of Tec Centro Workforce Center and spent 50 years as the CEO of the Spanish American Civic Association. He joined The Spark to share the importance of highlighting Hispanic Heritage month.

“It is appropriate that Latinos and Latinos in Pennsylvania, because that's where we're at, that community is celebrated because it's roughly 8% of the state population. It is not an insignificant group of people, and it's continues to grow and it's making its presence in some very important urban areas. Allentown, Bethlehem. Redding, of course, Philadelphia, Lancaster and beyond. Those city centers are being revitalized by the influx of Latinos, setting up businesses, buying homes and really providing the energy so that these cities are able to rethink themselves.”

Tec Centro in Lancaster offers bilingual education and skill training in Lancaster. Throughout the month, the organization will highlight the impact of investing in diverse workforce development.

“We're busy training people day in and day out so that they can climb out of poverty. And that's important because among Latinos, the poverty rate is 32% compared to all Pennsylvanians, about 14%. So, we have a lot of work to do. And we try to train people as best we can so that they can, one at a time, overcome poverty, become part of the economic mainstream, become homeowners. And that's our celebration of the Hispanic Heritage Month. Just keep doing what we're doing over and over again.”

October is Hispanic Heritage Month. Carlos Graupera is the CEO of <a href="https://sacapa.org/tec-centro/workforce-programs/">Tec Centro Workforce Center</a> and spent 50 years as the CEO of the Spanish American Civic Association. He joined The Spark to share the importance of highlighting Hispanic Heritage month.
“It is appropriate that Latinos and Latinos in Pennsylvania, because that's where we're at, that community is celebrated because it's roughly 8% of the state population. It is not an insignificant group of people, and it's continues to grow and it's making its presence in some very important urban areas. Allentown, Bethlehem. Redding, of course, Philadelphia, Lancaster and beyond. Those city centers are being revitalized by the influx of Latinos, setting up businesses, buying homes and really providing the energy so that these cities are able to rethink themselves.”
Tec Centro in Lancaster offers bilingual education and skill training in Lancaster. Throughout the month, the organization will highlight the impact of investing in diverse workforce development.
“We're busy training people day in and day out so that they can climb out of poverty. And that's important because among Latinos, the poverty rate is 32% compared to all Pennsylvanians, about 14%. So, we have a lot of work to do. And we try to train people as best we can so that they can, one at a time, overcome poverty, become part of the economic mainstream, become homeowners. And that's our celebration of the Hispanic Heritage Month. Just keep doing what we're doing over and over again.”

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, hosts Scott LaMar and Aniya Faulcon start the conversations about what’s happening in the world and at home. Share your ideas at https://witf.org/programs/the-spark.

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 <a href="https://www.witf.org">WITF</a>, hosts Scott LaMar and Aniya Faulcon start the conversations about what’s happening in the world and at home. Share your ideas at <a href="https://witf.org/programs/the-spark">https://witf.org/programs/the-spark</a>.

The Spark

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, hosts Scott LaMar and Aniya Faulcon start the conversations about what’s happening in the world and at home. Share your ideas at <a href="https://witf.org/programs/the-spark">https://witf.org/programs/the-spark</a>.

Tec Centro Workforce Center Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

The joro spider has been discovered in Bucks County, Pennsylvania in September. The Joro Spider is about four inches long according to Michael Skvarla, Assistant Research Professor of Arthropod Identification at Penn State University.

"They're kind of gray and green stripes. The males look. So that's the adult females. The males look a little bit different. They're much smaller and kind of a reddish, reddish brown color. And they're all weaver. So they build a large orb web and they sit in the middle of it. There's a similar species of related species in the same genus golden orb weavers or golden silk orb weavers that live in Florida, parts of southern Georgia, if I recall correctly. And they're similar in size and shape. They have a different color pattern to them, but they kind of do the same thing. They make a big web. They sit in that web. They don't really move from it. So draw spiders are similar, but differently colored and from a different part of the world, "said Skvarla.

Joro Spiders does have venom, however, Skavarla believes it is not medically important.

"They don't leave their web. And so to get bit, you have to physically go up to the web and touch or grab them. Most people aren't going to be doing that. If you do that. They're reluctant biters because most orb weavers are like, you have to really mess with them to get them to bite you. Most orb weaving spiders, if you pick it up in their web, they're going to curl their legs up and sit in your hand if you can make it bite you. The venom is weak because it's not evolved toward causing pain in mammals. It's evolved for subduing insect prey. And because of that, it doesn't elicit much of a pain response. It's maybe on par with a bee sting. There haven't been any reports of people having allergic reactions to it that. In theory could happen. People have allergic reactions to lots of things, but as far as we can tell, there's been no reports of that in their native range. So. Theoretically somebody might have an allergic reaction if they can make it bite them. But that is the only risk and it is a small one. So are they venomous? Yes. But does it matter? Not really. Not for people, at least, "said Skvarla.

The joro spider has been discovered in Bucks County, Pennsylvania in September. The Joro Spider is about four inches long according to <a href="https://extension.psu.edu/michael-j-skvarla">Michael Skvarla,</a> Assistant Research Professor of Arthropod Identification at Penn State University.
"They're kind of gray and green stripes. The males look. So that's the adult females. The males look a little bit different. They're much smaller and kind of a reddish, reddish brown color. And they're all weaver. So they build a large orb web and they sit in the middle of it. There's a similar species of related species in the same genus golden orb weavers or golden silk orb weavers that live in Florida, parts of southern Georgia, if I recall correctly. And they're similar in size and shape. They have a different color pattern to them, but they kind of do the same thing. They make a big web. They sit in that web. They don't really move from it. So draw spiders are similar, but differently colored and from a different part of the world, "said Skvarla.
Joro Spiders does have venom, however, Skavarla believes it is not medically important.
"They don't leave their web. And so to get bit, you have to physically go up to the web and touch or grab them. Most people aren't going to be doing that. If you do that. They're reluctant biters because most orb weavers are like, you have to really mess with them to get them to bite you. Most orb weaving spiders, if you pick it up in their web, they're going to curl their legs up and sit in your hand if you can make it bite you. The venom is weak because it's not evolved toward causing pain in mammals. It's evolved for subduing insect prey. And because of that, it doesn't elicit much of a pain response. It's maybe on par with a bee sting. There haven't been any reports of people having allergic reactions to it that. In theory could happen. People have allergic reactions to lots of things, but as far as we can tell, there's been no reports of that in their native range. So. Theoretically somebody might have an allergic reaction if they can make it bite them. But that is the only risk and it is a small one. So are they venomous? Yes. But does it matter? Not really. Not for people, at least, "said Skvarla.

Joro Spider lands in Pa, but should we be worried about them?

The American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania is working to support states in need impacted by Hurricane Milton and Helene. According to Laura Burke, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Central Pa Chapter, says their work begins before the first drop of rain.

“Our work actually began before that first drop of rain. And then with our partners, we're helping we'll be helping for weeks and months to come. So we're right now sheltering thousands of people in emergency shelters. And we have over 2100 Red Crossers on the ground supporting our partners, making sure we're supporting those relief efforts, “said Burke.

PPL has been assisting by restoring power in those areas hit hard by the hurricanes. Dana Burns, the Communications Director for PPL says have crews on the ground for hurricane relief efforts.

“ We've had troop I had crews on the ground helping to restore power for Hurricane Mountain. We sent down over 60 people, electric line workers and support personnel, along with 40 contractor line workers to help Florida Power and Light and aid in their restoration efforts. And, you know, I think it's just it's a really important way that we all support each other and give back to the regions that are hardest hit by this weather, “said Burns.

T<a href="https://www.redcross.org/local/pennsylvania/greater-pennsylvania/about-us/locations/central-pennsylvania.html">he American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania</a> is working to support states in need impacted by Hurricane Milton and Helene. According to Laura Burke, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Central Pa Chapter, says their work begins before the first drop of rain.
“Our work actually began before that first drop of rain. And then with our partners, we're helping we'll be helping for weeks and months to come. So we're right now sheltering thousands of people in emergency shelters. And we have over 2100 Red Crossers on the ground supporting our partners, making sure we're supporting those relief efforts, “said Burke.
<a href="https://www.pplelectric.com/">PPL</a> has been assisting by restoring power in those areas hit hard by the hurricanes. Dana Burns, the Communications Director for PPL says have crews on the ground for hurricane relief efforts.
“ We've had troop I had crews on the ground helping to restore power for Hurricane Mountain. We sent down over 60 people, electric line workers and support personnel, along with 40 contractor line workers to help Florida Power and Light and aid in their restoration efforts. And, you know, I think it's just it's a really important way that we all support each other and give back to the regions that are hardest hit by this weather, “said Burns.

How Central Pa. organizations are helping with the aftermath of Hurricane Milton and Helene

Ted Czech spent 25 years as a journalist before he left the industry in 2021. He just published a book, Saving the Beast:  A recovering reporter reflects on America’s broken media and how to fix it.

Czech got his official start in news in 1996 in Rhode Island.

“There's a guy that he was a millionaire, Ernie, and he wanted to start up a newspaper. And because he didn't like his hometown newspaper that had been there for so long. And so, he started this newspaper. And five and a half months later, they think tank. But I got a great amount of experience out of that. And I already have a degree in criminal justice. So, I was able to parlay that into this job as a crime reporter. And I was also in school for journalism at the time. And so, I took a leave of absence from the University of Rhode Island to take this full-time job. And then when it was over, I just went right back to school.”

Five years before leaving his career behind, he realizes a shift in the media.

I saw a lot of people who were upset at the media, and they were frustrated with the media, and they were taking there, as I say in the book, they were taking their time and their money, and they were going elsewhere with it other than the mainstream media. That's why I felt compelled to write the book.”

Czech is hoping that readers feel informed and entertained when reading the book.

“it’s a tremendous profession to be in. It's a burden in some ways. But I say that people have the right to know, and journalists have a duty to report. Or maybe it's the other way. Journalists have a duty to report, and the public has a right to know. I think that's the way that I put it. And I came to that phrase because at some point, this was another reason why I left journalism and wrote the book.

Ted Czech spent 25 years as a journalist before he left the industry in 2021. He just published a book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Beast-recovering-reporter-reflects/dp/1646494083/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid&amp;sr">Saving the Beast:  A recovering reporter reflects on America’s broken media and how to fix it</a>.
Czech got his official start in news in 1996 in Rhode Island.
“There's a guy that he was a millionaire, Ernie, and he wanted to start up a newspaper. And because he didn't like his hometown newspaper that had been there for so long. And so, he started this newspaper. And five and a half months later, they think tank. But I got a great amount of experience out of that. And I already have a degree in criminal justice. So, I was able to parlay that into this job as a crime reporter. And I was also in school for journalism at the time. And so, I took a leave of absence from the University of Rhode Island to take this full-time job. And then when it was over, I just went right back to school.”
Five years before leaving his career behind, he realizes a shift in the media.
 I saw a lot of people who were upset at the media, and they were frustrated with the media, and they were taking there, as I say in the book, they were taking their time and their money, and they were going elsewhere with it other than the mainstream media. That's why I felt compelled to write the book.”
Czech is hoping that readers feel informed and entertained when reading the book.
“it’s a tremendous profession to be in. It's a burden in some ways. But I say that people have the right to know, and journalists have a duty to report. Or maybe it's the other way. Journalists have a duty to report, and the public has a right to know. I think that's the way that I put it. And I came to that phrase because at some point, this was another reason why I left journalism and wrote the book.

Tec Centro Workforce Center Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

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