What A Week!

Episode 95 of What a Week! features Fern Leard, Shannon Groshek (campaign manager and nonprofit founder), and Hannah Butterwick in a passionate discussion about the growing threat of data centers to rural Pennsylvania communities. The guests share their experiences organizing against these massive facilities, highlighting concerns over farmland loss, skyrocketing energy demands, environmental impacts, and inadequate community protections. They explore how citizens can hold officials accountable, the role of incentives in driving development, and strategies for building effective grassroots movements. This is a call to action for anyone in NEPA or rural areas facing similar challenges—subscribe, share, and get involved.

Episode 194 of What a Week! features Alyssa Fusaro, former Vice Chair of the Luzerne County Board of Elections and Registration, in a candid discussion about her 4-year term and the end-of-term report she released detailing election vulnerabilities. Alyssa shares why she joined the board after witnessing 2020 issues, her role as a liaison between voters and the Bureau of Elections, and the challenges she faced—including retaliation, false accusations, and barriers to transparency. She highlights uninvestigated incidents, such as envelopes mistakenly discarded, revoked access, and systemic problems that remain unaddressed. With a focus on public awareness and hope for reform, Alyssa explains her shift from speaking out to documenting, and why these issues matter for election integrity in Pennsylvania. A must-listen for anyone concerned about fair elections. Subscribe, share, and let’s demand change. #WhatAWeek #ElectionIntegrity #LuzerneCounty #PAElections

Episode 93 of What a Week! features Bailey Simrell, a NEPA technologist living on the bleeding edge of innovation, for a deep dive into AI, data centers, and their massive impact on Pennsylvania. Bailey breaks down his origin story—from growing up in a marketing agency to building apps in real estate, construction, government, and finance—before unpacking data centers: their massive power needs (one equals 100,000 homes!), cooling systems, and why they're exploding in rural PA. We explore AI's role in amplifying demands, economic incentives driving corporate expansion, environmental risks to farmland, and alternatives like nuclear power or distributed computing. With Scranton's future on the line, this is a wake-up call on tech's double-edged sword—subscribe, share, and let's talk solutions! #WhatAWeek #AIDataCenters #TechInPA #ScrantonProud

Episode 92 of What a Week! brings together PA State Rep Jamie Walsh and PA resident John Zola for a serious, eye-opening discussion on the data center invasion in Pennsylvania. They recount a trip to "Data Center Alley" in Ashburn, VA, where endless giant, windowless buildings sit in eerie silence, destroying farmland and communities. Walsh and Zola explain the "Stop the Line" movement, the environmental and economic threats of these facilities, and how a small core group of citizens can hold elected officials accountable. From township meetings to podium speeches, they share practical advice on organizing against corporate overreach. If you're in NEPA or rural PA, this is your wake-up call—subscribe, share, and join the fight! #WhatAWeek #StopTheLine #PADataCenters #ScrantonProud

Episode 91 is a 2-hour-35-minute casual chat with Joe Diehl and Jeff Squier, founders of NEPA Street Scene – the Northeast PA car community since 2012. Joe shares his military enlistment at 17 in 2001 (pre-9/11), deployments, injuries, PTSD, and transition to civilian life. They discuss building NEPA Street Scene, mental health advocacy, tech interests, and plans for podcasts on tech and mental health. A grounded conversation about service, community, and purpose.Listen now and connect with NEPA Street Scene on Facebook.#WhatAWeek #JoeDiehl #JeffSquier #NEPAStreetScene #Military #MentalHealth