The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio

Host Matt Leon and KYW Newsradio reporters recap the biggest news in Philadelphia each week. Catch up on what you missed and dig deeper into the top stories.

News
1176
Philly teachers are concerned their hand saniti...
Philadelphia school teachers are concerned that the foamyiQ Lemon Blossom hand sanitizer in their classrooms isn't as good at killing coronavirus as an alcohol based hand sanitizer, like the ones the CDC recommends. Mike DeNardo joins KYW In Depth to explain their concerns and what the Philadelphia School District says about it. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
8 min
1177
Coronavirus Q&A with Dr. Brian McDonough
Listeners have been sending us questions about the COVID-19 outbreak, so we asked KYW Newsradio medical editor Dr. Brian McDonough to come on KYW In Depth to answer them. Today, Dr. McDonough tackles questions like "What's the difference between a pandemic and an epidemic?" and "How can people in New Jersey and Pennsylvania get tested for coronavirus? Why can't you just drive up to a place and get tested?"  If you have a question about the coronavirus, give us a call at 855-KYW-NEWS. Dr. McDonough will keep answering your questions in the coming weeks. Again, 855-KYW-NEWS to leave your questions about the coronavirus. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
24 min
1178
Canceling March Madness: Matt Leon on sports du...
When the NCAA announced the cancellation of the Division I college basketball tournament on Thursday, March 12th, it was just the latest of a series of high profile suspensions or cancellations in sports. The NBA, NHL, and Major League Baseball have all announced the suspension or postponement of parts of the season. KYW's sports anchor Matt Leon joins KYW In Depth to break down everything that has changed in sports because of the coronavirus pandemic, and what it all means.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
13 min
1179
Coronavirus in Pennsylvania: Montgomery County ...
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf ordered the closing of all schools, community centers, gyms, and entertainment venues in Montgomery County, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Pennsylvania. Jim Melwert joins KYW In Depth to break down what that means to people who live or work in Montgomery County, and whether something similar could be coming to people who live in other counties in Pennsylvania. This is the first episode of a new series from KYW In Depth on the coronavirus outbreak. Whenever something important happens or we have breaking news about the virus in the Philadelphia area, we'll put out an episode about what happened and why it matters to you.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
16 min
1180
What you need to know about coronavirus in Phil...
Coronavirus or COVID-19 is rapidly spreading across the globe, and in cities across the United States, hand sanitizer, soap, cleaning wipes and masks are flying off store shelves. With new cases reported every day, health experts are scrambling to learn more about the virus, and government agencies are working to contain it. So what do we actually know about the outbreak, and is Philadelphia prepared? Today on KYW In Depth, Dr. Harvey Rubin, infectious disease specialist at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Steven Alles, the Director of Disease Control at Philadelphia's Department of Public Health, and Dr. David Weiner, director of the Wistar Institute's Vaccine and Immunology Center join the podcast to tell us what we need to know and how Philadelphia is going to respond to the virus.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
29 min
1181
Oh yeah, we were supposed to have scooters by now
Go to pretty much any big city in America and you'll see people zooming around on electric scooters. But not in Philly. Or Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, or Allentown for that matter. Not legally, at least. This week on the podcast, KYW Newsradio City Hall bureau chief Pat Loeb breaks down how a Senator from central PA and a Segway lobbyist have kept Pennsylvania (mostly) scooter free for more than a decade, and Matt Nichol from Philly E-Riders pitches a high tech, green version of the future of urban transportation.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
13 min
1182
Can you really take the Phillie out of the Phan...
The Phillie Phanatic has held down the job as the Phillies mascot for more than 40 years. But now a feud between the design firm behind the mascot and the Phillies organization means that suddenly, the future of the Phanatic could be a question mark. This week on the podcast, KYW Newsradio's Paul Kurtz breaks down what makes the Phanatic unique in the universe of baseball mascots, and Peter Wakiyama, a partner at Pepper Hamilton's intellectual property department helps us understand what's actually happening, why the two sides are fighting, and what the odds are that 2020 ends up being the Phanatic's last season in Philadelphia. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
20 min
1183
The opioid epidemic through the eyes of a funer...
Years ago, Nick Renn, a South Jersey funeral director, began giving tours of funeral homes to high school classes learning about grief. Nearly a decade later, he continues to give tours and teaches students about his profession. But one thing that has changed since the tours began is the effects from the opioid epidemic. He says now about 30% of the average business for many funeral homes in the area are overdose deaths. This week on the podcast, KYW In Depth host Carol MacKenzie and producer Charlotte Reese get a tour of Sweeney Funeral Home in Burlington County and see what the opioid crisis looks like through the eyes of a funeral director. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
28 min
1184
The Iowa caucus in a Penn residence hall
On Monday, Iowans in Philadelphia got the chance to participate in their state's caucus from a thousand miles away. A room in a University of Pennsylvania residence hall transformed into Philadelphia's first ever Iowa caucus satellite location, where fourteen Iowa Democrats tried to convince each other to upgrade their presidential preference -- while a lot of curious Philadelphians watched. This week on KYW In Depth, Andrew Kramer reports back from the first Iowa caucus in Philadelphia, and David Thornburgh, President and CEO of the Committee of Seventy talks about the outsized impact young voters could have on the 2020 election. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
18 min
1185
The survivor and the liberator
In 1945, Ernie Gross came one hour away from being murdered in the Dachau death camp. Don Greenbaum was an American soldier sent to liberate him. 75 years later, they're among the last surviving people who are able to tell the story of what they did and what they saw. KYW In Depth is a KYW Newsradio Original Podcast. You can subscribe to the podcast on the Radio.com app, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
36 min
1186
What's it like when the pipeline goes through y...
The Mariner East Pipeline system goes across 17 counties of Pennsylvania, carrying natural gas liquids past neighborhoods and schools. Some residents of Delaware and Chester Counties say issues like water contamination have been happening ever since construction started. This week on the podcast, KYW In-Depth producer Charlotte Reese went to talk to people in Thornbury Township, Delaware County who say their lives have changed ever since the work on the pipeline started in their back yards. KYW In Depth is a KYW Newsradio Original Podcast. You can subscribe to the podcast on the Radio.com app, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.    See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
22 min
1187
Prohibition 100: How dry Philadelphia got soaked
Prohibition went into effect in America 100 years ago, and the City of Brotherly Love tested the ban on alcohol to its limits. Philadelphia responded to the 18th Amendment with thousands of speakeasies, bathtubs full of gin, a wave of organized crime, and public officials who looked the other way. This week on KYW In Depth, the Beer and Booze Broz take over the podcast to tell uncorked stories of prohibition in Philadelphia. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
42 min
1188
New year, same Mummers controversy. So what's n...
Philadelphia's Mummers parade is in the national spotlight again for all the wrong reasons after two Mummers wore blackface on New Year's Day. The racist display was quickly and roundly criticized by Philadelphia officials and Mummer representatives alike, but some Philadelphians say the parade is now more trouble than it's worth. This week on KYW In Depth, we take a look at the roots of the parade and Mummer traditions, and ask how the Mummers plan to move forward without repeating the mistakes of the past. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
24 min
1189
They will hold your hand in court when no one e...
One of the most devastating things a person can go through is the death of a loved one, especially if it's because of an act of violence. When someone is murdered in Philadelphia, families often don't know where to turn. The people at the Anti Violence Partnership of Philadelphia are there to help navigate the court system, connect grieving families with counseling, or even just provide emotional support in a court hearing. This week on KYW In Depth, we meet two of the people whose job it is to help when no one else is there. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
14 min
1190
Why Philadelphia's media came together like nev...
This week, Philadelphia's major broadcast, print, and digital media outlets came together in an unprecedented show of unity after certain reporters, including KYW Newsradio's own Kristen Johanson, were excluded from a press conference at the Philadelphia District Attorney's office. This week's episode is the story behind that incident. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
18 min
1191
Why David Sheppard's clemency ignited a politic...
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf granted clemency this year to 8 people serving life sentences. One of those people is David Sheppard. He's 54 years old, and in 1992 he was one of four people convicted of the robbery and murder of Thomas Brannan, a pharmacy owner in Overbrook. Sheppard served 27 years in prison before he was given his freedom. But after an email from the Lieutenant Governor accusing Delaware County's District Attorney of trying to hold up his clemency and a social media post by Kim Kardashian West, Sheppard found himself suddenly in the middle of a war of words on the national stage. KYW In Depth is a KYW Newsradio Original Podcast. Subscribe to the podcast on the Radio.com app, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
17 min
1192
"Everything I can do, to have justice for my da...
Navigating the criminal justice system can be long and painful for families of murder victims. It sometimes takes more than a year for a murder case to wind its way through court in Philadelphia. Rusten Johnson, whose daughter Kierra was murdered in 2017, has experienced this first hand. He’s sat through more than three dozen court listings, waiting for justice for his daughter. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
21 min
1193
Coming Soon: KYW In Depth
In the next couple of weeks, you're going to see some changes coming to this podcast feed -- starting with the name and how often new episodes will be released. Scroll Down is becoming KYW In Depth. Every Friday, starting on December 6th, we'll take one of the local news stories that KYW's reporters are covering on the radio, and we'll dig into it on the podcast, talking about why it matters and how it will affect people who live in the Philly area. The podcast name and artwork are going to change. What's not going to change is the high quality storytelling and real, factual, on-the-scene reporting you expect from KYW Newsradio and KYW's original podcasts. We want you to meet the team making KYW In Depth, so Charlotte, Allie, and Carol are on the podcast this week to introduce themselves. We're excited about the new project, and we're exciting about going weekly! See you on the 6th.  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
4 min
1194
The Port Richmond Blues
Port Richmond is a Philadelphia neighborhood known for its great polish food, the best pound cake in Pennsylvania, and a working class, blue collar vibe. But for the better part of the past couple years, the neighborhood has been turned upside down. Two different infrastructure projects have claimed the trolley, the ramp from I-95, and the main road through the business district. Today on the podcast, we're following John McDevitt through Port Richmond to meet some of the characters who live there and find out how the neighborhood is reacting to the changes. Scroll Down is hosted and produced by Tom Rickert (@teerick) in the KYW Studios in Philadelphia. You can follow the show on Twitter: @ScrollDownPod. Find us wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe!  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
11 min
1195
The Inventor vs. the Spotted Lanternfly
The Spotted Lanternfly has invaded Pennsylvania, and it's kicking bark and taking names. So far its only natural predators are humans who enjoy squishing bugs, and we're losing. But there might be some hope for the humans -- a secret weapon named Rachel Bergey. She's 14, she's an inventor, and she's on a mission to save the trees and kill the lanternflies. Jim Melwert (@JMelwert) joins the podcast to talk about the coolest science fair project we've ever heard of. Check out his article about Rachel on kywnewsradio.com. Scroll Down is produced by Tom Rickert (@teerick) in the KYW Studios in Philadelphia. You can follow the show on Twitter: @ScrollDownPod. Find us wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe!  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
18 min
1196
8 Hours of Hell
On Wednesday, August 14th six police officers were shot in North Philadelphia. KYW Newsradio covered the harrowing standoff that night and into the morning. It was an intense, scary, and completely affecting 8 hours of radio. Today on the podcast, we wanted to bring you that night. Or at least what it sounded like on the radio -- in a much shorter amount of time than the 8 hours it took to play out. This is what we heard and what we found out that night, as it happened, as heard on KYW Newsradio. Scroll Down is produced by Tom Rickert (@teerick) in the KYW Studios in Philadelphia. You can follow the show on Twitter: @ScrollDownPod. Find us wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe!     See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
29 min
1197
The Skeleton in the Museum, Part 2
This is part two of a story we started last year about a remarkable woman named Carol Orzel. Carol was 59 years old when she died from a very rare bone disease. Her last wish was for her body to be donated to the Mütter Museum -- so scientists could study her skeleton and learn more about the disease that killed her. KYW reporter Mark Abrams (@MAbramsKYW1060) is back on the podcast today to tell us how Carol's wish was fulfilled. You can hear the first part of the story wherever you get your podcasts (it's episode #37), or at kywnewsradio.com. Read more about Carol Orzel on kywnewsradio.com.  To find out more about the Mütter Museum, check out their great website at muttermuseum.org. Find out more about the great work done by Skulls Unlimited at their website, skullsunlimited.com.  Remembrance photos of people who have passed away from FOP can be found at ifopa.org. Carol's photo is there too. Scroll Down is hosted and produced by Tom Rickert (@teerick) [LINK = https://twitter.com/teerick ] in the KYW Studios in Philadelphia. You can follow the show on Twitter: @ScrollDownPod [LINK = https://twitter.com/scrolldownpod ]. Find us wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe!  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
20 min
1198
The Skeleton in the Museum, Part 1
Part one of the story of Carol Orzel originally aired in August of 2017. We're re-airing the episode today because part two is up next! Carol Orzel had a very rare bone disease. It's called Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, or FOP. It's a condition she shared with only about 800 or 900 people around the world. And when Carol died, she had a request: she wanted her skeleton to be displayed in the Mütter Museum in Philadelphia. Mark Abrams (@MAbramsKYW1060) joins the podcast to talk about the life, death, and legacy of Carol Orzel. Check out the article Mark wrote about Carol: CLICK LINK For more about the Mütter Museum, head to muttermuseum.org. Scroll Down is hosted and produced by Tom Rickert in the KYW Newsradio studios in Philadelphia. You can follow the podcast on Twitter: @ScrollDownPod, and you can follow Tom on Twitter at @teerick. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
24 min
1199
The Old Books in the Warehouse
When Bucks County Recorder of Deeds Robin Robinson discovered the county's oldest deeds weren't in her office, she threw herself into a search and rescue operation that took her from an old, musty Doylestown warehouse to a laboratory in Vermont. Today on the podcast, Jim Melwert (@JMelwert) has the story of a rediscovered treasure trove of history. Scroll Down is hosted and produced by Tom Rickert (@teerick)  in the KYW Studios in Philadelphia. You can follow the show on Twitter: @ScrollDownPod. Find us wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe!  See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
16 min
1200
Haircuts for the Homeless
Jawuan Jones is not your typical barber. He finds a spot in the city -- anywhere, really, from a sidewalk in Center City to Love Park -- sets up a chair and a generator, and hangs up a sign that reads "Free Haircuts for Homeless." Then the line starts, and Jawuan gets to work. Today on the podcast, KYW Newsradio reporter Cherri Gregg (@CherriGregg) takes a trip to Jawuan's office, the median at the center of Broad Street just south of City Hall, to find out more about the barber to the homeless. Follow Jawuan on Instagram: @haircut4homeless Scroll Down is hosted and produced by Tom Rickert in the KYW Newsradio Studios in Philadelphia. You can follow the show on Twitter: @ScrollDownPod. And you can follow Tom: @teerick. Find us wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe! See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
15 min