Smart Talk Tuesday: Contact tracing app unveiled and alcohol sales up everywhere but PA

• 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.

 Steven Senne / AP Photo

A smartphone belonging to Drew Grande, 40, of Cranston, R.I., shows notes he made for contact tracing Wednesday, April 15, 2020. Grande began keeping a log on his phone at the beginning of April.

Contact tracing that is utilized to identify and inform those who have come into contact with another person who has contracted COVID-19, has been described as one of, and maybe, the best way to control spread of the virus.

However, Pennsylvania still has not met goals for the number of people employed or acting as contact tracers.

The state is introducing a new mobile phone app that could be a tool to identify those who have been exposed to the virus. The app, called Covid Alert Pa, will be available later in September for download through app providers. Pennsylvanians seeking help finding testing or information can call 1-877-PA-HEALTH (1-877-724-3258).

Tuesday’s Smart Talk features Pennsylvania Department of Health Deputy Secretary for Health Innovation Meghna Patel and Communications Director April Hutcheson to discuss the app and contact tracing.

Also, during the past five-and-a-half months when many Pennsylvanians were home from work and restaurants and bars were either closed or had limited capacities, it appeared, at least anecdotally — as if more wine, beer and other alcoholic beverages were being consumed.

However, a report on June sales figures from the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association found that Pennsylvania was the only “control” state in the country where spirit sales didn’t increase by double digits and actually only went up by less than 1%.

State Wine and Spirit stores were closed for the first weeks of the pandemic and curbside sales were initially the only avenue for liquor purchases.

Was it the only factor?

Alex Baloga, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association is on Smart Talk with his take.