Throughout the U.S., approximately 95 percent of incarcerated individuals will inevitably return to their communities, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, but a person's successful reentry is not as sure to happen. The Bucks County Reentry Coalition is a group of more than 50 agencies looking to break barriers for justice-involved individuals by offering the resources and support needed to stop the revolving door of recidivism. 

In this episode, you’ll hear from Michael Harrison, chair of the coalition and deputy chair of Bucks County Adult Probation and Parole, and Megan Cohen, a sub-chair of the coalition and founder/executive director of The Grace Project, a non-profit built on the hope that everyone is good and capable of being saved. Follow The Grace Project on Facebook and Instagram. 

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The Bucks County Commissioners and county residents will ring in the new year with a balanced 2023 budget with no tax increase. But before the new year begins, the Commissioners look back at some accomplishments of 2022, as well as ongoing projects and initiatives that will continue into 2023. For example: the expansion to the Bucks County Emergency Operation Center (EOC), and the groundbreaking at the future site of our county's African American History Museum, as well as the Newtown Rail Trail grand opening and the various human services expansions. And more!

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There are several departments within the Bucks County Government that recommend its staff work well under pressure. Then there’s the departments that require it - and they fall under the Bucks County Emergency Management Agency (EMA). Audrey Kenny, Director of EMA, joins us to talk about the eight departments she oversees and how the team develops plans and responds in the face of hurricanes, snowstorms, tornadoes, a pandemic and, well, just about anything else thrown their way. And later, we talk to Rob Kay, Sr., a 911 dispatcher supervisor  and the current chair of the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC).

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There are not many careers that get an “all eyes on you” moment. But for Board of Elections offices, that’s the way it goes. Bucks County has more than 470,000 registered voters. Today we are going to talk about how the Bucks County Board of Elections functions throughout the year, what goes into the temporary hiring process and who exactly is behind the office that has two Super Bowls every year. 

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Established in the late 1950s by a resolution of the Bucks County Commissioners, the Bucks County Free Library System (BCFL) provides residents with near limitless access to knowledge and educational resources -- and all at no charge to those who wish to use it. In this episode we hear from Hannah Miller, the District Consultant for the Bucks County Library District, and Holly Ambrose, who is the Collection Management Director for the BCFL, who gave us a look inside the library system's important work.

September is Library Card Sign-up Month, and the third week of the month is dedicated to banned books. Commissioner Bob Harvie, a former teacher, used to encourage his students to explore the list of “taboo” novels. We also take a listen in this episode to his comments on the topic of banned books from September's second Commissioners' Meeting. 

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If you’ve driven around Bucks County, you’ve probably seen a cornfield, horses, maybe some cows, chickens and well, farms. But did you know many of the county's farms operate on preserved land?  

In this episode of Bucks County Conversations, our summer intern Josh Brown heads out to some of those farms and talks to some of the farmers who work on land preserved through the Bucks County Farm Preservation Program. You’ll hear from the owners of Blooming Glen Farm, Crooked Acres Dairy and Snipes Farm and Education Center, get to know the people behind the farms, and learn to look at farming in a whole new way.

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The Bucks County Administration Building’s courtyard is filled with memorials dedicated to the fallen heroes of nearly every American war. In this episode of Bucks County Conversations, we chat with Tim Wynn, the Director of Bucks County Veterans Affairs and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. We also take a little tour of the courtyard with Tim and Steve Brauns, Deputy Director of General Services and designer of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial. They talk about how some of the memorials have been there since the world had only seen one world war, and how one memorial just showed up one day ~ with no explanation. 

 

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In this episode of Bucks County Conversations, we talk about Buck County’s Foster Parent and Volunteer Program. The Bucks County Children and Youth Social Services Agency currently has close to 200 children in its foster care system, which depends on dedicated caseworkers, as well as adults and volunteers who help to make a difference in the lives of children. 

Shantelle Gammon, Foster Parent and Volunteer Recruiter for Bucks County C&Y, breaks down the process of getting involved and explains just how important it is for kids to realize that they're not alone.

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On this episode of Bucks County Conversations, we are talking about the importance of training and safety from both the education side and the enforcement side. Rich Vona, Director of Law Enforcement and Safety, explains his role in Bucks County and how he coordinates with the county’s park rangers, security personnel and 39 police departments. 

We also hear from Carly Mannon who is the Community Traffic Safety Program Manager for TMA Bucks or the Transportation Management Association. In a typical week, Carly goes from schools to businesses to police stations giving lessons on seatbelt and traffic safety, all part of their FREE programming. 

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In this episode of Bucks County Conversations, we discover our sprawling park system in two different ways.

Angie Nagle, the executive director of the Bucks County Parks and Recreation Department joins us to talk about her first few months on the job, her goals for the park system and some fun facts she thinks we should know - like how Core Creek Park has a moon tree!

We also step back in time with Amy Hollander, the Historic Properties Manager for Parks and Recreation. Amy’s job is to keep history alive at our historic sites. She’ll give us a brief tour of the Erwin Stover House that’s been in Upper Bucks for more than 200 years.

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In this episode of Bucks County Conversations, we chat with the department that handles everything from land development to household hazardous waste to rail trail connections, as well as interactive, informational maps on our website. Evan Stone, the director of the Planning Commission, tells us, “Data is our life.” The commission is currently planning for the future of the county with their Bucks2040 comprehensive plan.  

Later, we head out to West Rockhill Township where their township buildings are being powered by a small field of solar panels, a first in Pennsylvania. Jim Miller, an involved community member and former supervisor, helped lead the charge on implementing the solar panels. Jim says the township hit their first yearly electric goal, with two months to spare.

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In this episode of Bucks County Conversations, we’re talking about a recently passed county-wide ordinance that aims to crack down on human trafficking by regulating the operation of massage parlors. 

Chelsey Jackman, assistant county solicitor, joins us to break down how the ordinance will function, specifically through the Consumer Protection Department, as well as the Health Department. And later, Mike Bannon, Director of Consumer Protection/Weights and Measures joins to talk about his unique department that deals with everything from gas pump inspections to fraudulent contractors to now, helping to crack down on human trafficking.

As part of the new ordinance, an “Unlawful massage business report/complaint form” is available on our website and can be filled out anonymously. 

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In this episode, we are celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Bucks County Human Services Connect Hub. We also catch up with Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia, who was inspired to run for county commissioner to “be a social worker for the whole county.” Since taking office, she has made it her mission to create programs and initiatives, like the Hub, to help residents succeed. 

Created to streamline the process of connecting people in-need of social services with the people who provide them, the Hub in its first 12 months fielded more than 2,000 inquiries, including phone calls, emails and in-person contacts. 

For help with any number of issues, including substance use problems, food insecurity, mental health and wellness issues, call the Hub at 215-348-6201 to speak to a Resource Navigator, or to make an appointment at the Doylestown office or the Visit House in Langhorne. 

Visit the Hub online! The Hub can also be reached by email at thehub@buckscounty.org.  

If experiencing an emergency, please call 911. If you are experiencing a housing crisis, please call the Housing Link Helpline at 1-800-810-4434. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please call Bucks County Mental Health 24-Hour Crisis Intervention Services at 1-800-499-7455.


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In this episode, Bucks County's Project and Diversity Officer Bernard Griggs talks about his fairly new role in the county's government. Then, two members from the nonprofit No Longer Bound Prevention and Training Services join us to talk about their new community center in Lower Bucks.

Learn more about No Longer Bound: nolongerboundpa.org

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"People are affected by county government every day, they just don't realize it." This podcast dives into what makes Bucks County tick, from new initiatives to reliable resources to upcoming events and everything in between.
 
 Bucks County Conversations: real conversations happening within the Bucks County government.
 
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