Domestic violence — ending the abuse

Also, economic growth through 'opportunity zones'

• Scott LaMar
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.
• Merideth Bucher
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Producer of WITF's Smart Talk

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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of abuse and how to prevent it from happening.

More than 1,600 Pennsylvanians have died from domestic violence in the last decade, and last year alone there were 123 victims in Pennsylvania. Sixty-seven percent of those victims were killed by a current or former intimate partner and most often a firearm were used. Domestic violence affects all areas of society — men, women and children, young and mature, all races and socio-economic groups, but women make up a disproportionately higher number of victims.

Smart Talk

Susan Higgenbotham, CEO of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, appears on Smart Talk on October 17, 2019.

Preventing domestic violence before it occurs means taking a multi-tracked approach. This includes engaging men and boys in the problem and creating “safe communities” on college campus’s and in faith-based organizations, for example.

Appearing on Smart Talk to discuss tackling the problem of domestic violence in Pennsylvania is Susan Higgenbotham, CEO of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Also, as part of the 2017 federal tax overhaul, federal lawmakers created tax incentives called opportunity zones. The goal of the zones is to spur investment in distressed communities.

Charlotte Keith

Charlotte Keith, Spotlight PA, explains opportunity zones on Smart Talk on October 17, 2019.

The premise is that individuals and businesses can defer and reduce their capital gains taxes by putting their profits or other investments toward projects, properties and businesses in certain low-income U.S. census tracts.  About 300 places were designated as opportunity zones in Pennsylvania by the Wolf Administration.

Communities are optimistic about the program, but are the opportunity zones working to create investment in communities that need it the most?

Joining us on Thursday’s Smart Talk to discuss opportunity zones are two journalists who have reported on the initiative. Charlotte Keith, is with Spotlight PA, an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by the Philadelphia Inquirer, and PA Post Reporter Ed Mahon.

Ed Mahon / PA Post

PA Post reporter Ed Mahon explains opportunity zones on Smart Talk on October 17, 2019.