The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio

Latest Episodes:

SEPTA cuts disrupt work and school, teachers union agrees to a contract, and the Eagles get ready to kick off the new season Aug 30, 2025

Show notes

If you were late for work or your kid missed school because of SEPTA’s service cuts this week, you’re far from alone. KYW Newsradio’s Mike DeNardo checks in on how folks are faring and what’s ahead from SEPTA, plus how the first week of school went. We get the latest city government news from City Hall Bureau Chief Pat Loeb, including State Senator Sharif Street stepping down as PA’s Democratic Party chair. And Community Impact Reporter Racquel Williams tells us about a rally of cancer survivors and advocates highlighting the importance of research in the face of the Trump administration’s proposed funding cuts. Host Matt Leon covers all that and more headlines from around the region with the KYW news team.

00:00 Intro

02:07 SEPTA cuts hit as school starts in Philadelphia

08:17 Water rates increase, DOJ’s letter on immigration reaches Philly, and more city news

13:48 The state of the governor’s race and more NJ news

18:59 The Eagles get ready to kick off the new season

25:33 Cancer survivors rally against proposed cuts to research

30:44 Mural Arts founder announces retirement

Listen to The Week in Philly on KYW Newsradio every Saturday at 5am and 3pm, and Sunday at 3pm.

Bracing for SEPTA cuts and back to school, and a challenger to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s re-election Aug 23, 2025

Show notes

Those dreaded SEPTA cuts begin on Sunday, with still no state budget agreement in sight. We’ll tell you what to prepare for. And school starts in Philadelphia on Monday. KYW Newsradio’s Mike DeNardo tells us how the district is getting ready amidst the SEPTA cuts and a potential teacher strike, plus he previews his new weekly conversation with Superintendent Dr. Tony Watlington. We also hear about Stacy Garrity’s bid for the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania Governor, changes to your PGW energy bill, and a preview of Temple University football under a new head coach.

00:00 Intro

02:08 Be prepared, SEPTA cuts are coming

07:08 Back to school with several unknowns

12:47 Stacy Garrity announces campaign for PA Governor

18:30 Federal cuts eliminate a program to prevent lead poisoning; gas bills increasing, but less than expected

24:40 Mütter Museum updates policies on acquiring human remains

28:50 Temple’s new football coach previews the upcoming season

Listen to The Week in Philly with Matt Leon and our team of reporters on KYW Newsradio every Saturday at 5am and 3pm, and Sunday at 3pm.

SEPTA standoff reaches tipping point, Philly teachers float strike possibility, and the local impact of “KPop Demon Hunters” Aug 16, 2025

Show notes

Another key SEPTA deadline passed, and now, according to the region's mass transit operator, due to a budget stalemate in the state legislature, there’s no turning back from dramatic funding cuts. Will reduced service and increased fares go through as planned? We also learn more about the state of contract negotiations between the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and School District of Philadelphia, and whether a strike could be on the table. Plus, hear about the inspiring ripple effects the Netflix smash hit summer movie “KPop Demon Hunters”is having on local Korean-Americans, the role a salvage company is playing in reconnecting former University of the Arts students with their works, and a decades-old cold case from Virginia that was recently connected to a missing child in Philly.

00:00 Intro

02:08 SEPTA deadline passes and still no state budget

07:58 Philly schools updates: impact of SEPTA cuts, potential teacher strike?

13:49 What Dugan’s defection to GOP ticket means for Philly DA race

19:35 Cold case starts in Philly, ends in Virginia creek

25:10 Salvage company reunites UArts students with works

29:20 KPop Demon Hunters craze inspires local Korean-Americans

Listen to The Week in Philly with Matt Leon and our team of reporters on KYW Newsradio every Saturday at 5am and 3pm, and Sunday at 3pm.

Looming SEPTA cuts, grocery prices causing stress, and a community rallies around a man detained by ICE Aug 09, 2025

Show notes

SEPTA’s budget crisis has reached a tipping point. The transit agency says if the state Legislature does not agree on a budget that provides more funding by August 14, they will have to make significant cuts on August 24. KYW Newsradio’s Mike DeNardo tells us what’s on the chopping block. The U.S. Department of Justice released a list of “Sanctuary” jurisdictions that it intends to sue if they don’t change their immigration policies - and Philly is on it. City Hall Bureau Chief Pat Loeb digs into that and some new city laws. Plus, we talk about PFAS, ICE, grocery prices, and mosquitos with Matt Leon and KYW’s team of reporters.

00:00 Intro

02:07 What’s at stake if SEPTA doesn’t get more state funds

08:02 Philly among “Sanctuary” jurisdictions threatened by DOJ

13:43 NJ settles lawsuit with DuPont over PFAS contamination

18:18 Majority of Americans are stressed about grocery costs

24:14 Germantown rallies behind restaurant owner detained by ICE

30:14 Eco-friendly ways to fight mosquitoes

Listen to The Week in Philly on KYW Newsradio every Saturday at 5am and 3pm, and Sunday at 3pm.

Wild Mütter Museum discovery, Phillies make some big moves, and Delco’s crackdown on e-scooters Aug 02, 2025

Show notes

What do you do when you find two infant skulls in a box? Such was the situation confronting the Mütter Museum, best known for its collection of human remains. Hear how the museum's next steps led to a months-long journey that linked a true crime story to serious morality questions. We also check in on the Phillies’ activity at the trade deadline, and discuss whether the additions of closer Jhoan Duran and Harrison Bader will make a difference in the season's stretch run. And, if you’re an e-scooter owner in Delaware County, you might want to think twice about how you use it. Catch up on the week’s headlines with Matt Leon and KYW Newsradio’s reporting team.

00:00 Intro

02:00 West Philly communities left on edge after rec center shooting

06:49 How could potential SEPTA cuts affect school transportation?

12:49 Mütter Museum discovery digs up true crime story, prompts questions about the morality of housing human remains

18:25 Delco to crack down on e-scooters

22:25 Could Duran and Bader make the difference for Phillies?

30:35 Urban Youth Kings & Queens take the field

Listen to The Week in Philly on KYW Newsradio every Saturday at 5am and 3pm, and Sunday at 3pm.

CHOP doctor and police officer deaths get closure, inside Eagles training camp, and planning America’s 250th birthday Jul 26, 2025

Show notes

The city, state, and country are busy planning for America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, but is Philadelphia really prepared for the crowds it will bring? KYW’s City Hall Bureau Chief Pat Loeb tells us what plans were unveiled this week. We have updates on several trials that captured the region’s attention. The Eagles get serious at training camp, meanwhile the Savannah Bananas bring the fun and spectacle to baseball in Philly this weekend. Catch up on the week’s headlines with Matt Leon and KYW Newsradio’s reporting team.

00:00 Intro

02:00 What the city, state, and country are planning for America’s 250th birthday

07:30 Sentencings in the killings of a CHOP doctor and a Philly SWAT officer

13:31 Verdict reached in a tragic, fatal home invasion

18:30 Eagles training camp gets underway

23:48 Savannah Bananas put on a show at their baseball tour

29:39 Beloved dinosaur from Haddonfield returns to her glory at the Academy of Natural Sciences

Listen to The Week in Philly on KYW Newsradio every Saturday at 5am and 3pm, and Sunday at 3pm.

Philly Superman, PA taking a lead in AI, and more severe storms Jul 19, 2025

Show notes

Republican Senator Dave McCormick announced $90 billion in investments to put Pennsylvania at the forefront of AI at his Energy and Innovation Summit at Carnegie Mellon University. Meanwhile in Philadelphia, city workers in the DC 33 union went back to work after eight days on strike, and both they and the DC 47 union are voting on tentative agreements. Plus, one of Philly’s own is the biggest star on the silver screen right now: David Corenswet is putting his nice-guy stamp on “Superman”. Brian Seltzer and Sabrina Boyd-Surka stand in for Matt Leon to recap the region’s biggest news this week with KYW Newsradio’s reporters.

00:00 Intro

02:03 Two city worker unions reach tentative agreements

07:09 How climate change is impacting nor’easter storms

12:30 President Trump attends PA energy summit focused on AI

19:40 Young People’s Continental Congress considers the future of democracy

23:59 Philly Superman captures hearts and box office dollars

30:03 Another Delco defecation incident

Listen to The Week in Philly on KYW Newsradio every Saturday at 5am and 3pm, and Sunday at 3pm.

City worker strike ends, a violent 4th of July weekend, and driverless cars tested in Philly Jul 12, 2025

Show notes

After eight days of trash piling up, the DC33 strike ended on Wednesday. KYW’s City Hall Bureau Chief Pat Loeb tells us what’s in the final agreement between the city and its blue collar workers and how this reflects on Mayor Parker. We also hear about multiple mass shootings this past weekend, despite an overall decrease in gun violence; a gruesome trial in Bucks County; a ride-hailing company using driverless cars; and a fungal discovery by Penn researchers that connects ancient Egypt to fighting cancer.

00:00 Intro

01:50 DC33 strike ends

06:50 Mass shootings amid an overall decrease in gun violence

12:52 Bucks County man found guilty of murder for beheading his father and posting a video

18:05 Waymo tests its driverless cars for ride-hailing in Philly

23:30 A fungus found in King Tut’s tomb could help fight cancer

Listen to The Week in Philly on KYW Newsradio every Saturday at 5am and 3pm, and Sunday at 3pm.

Live Aid at 40: How Philly made rock and roll history Jul 11, 2025

Show notes

Forty years later, Live Aid remains arguably the most iconic concert event of all time. Two cities, more than 70 acts, all joining forces to make 24 straight hours of live music that helped raise millions of dollars for a charitable cause. Live Aid, staged July 13th, 1985 in London and Philadelphia, certainly left a mark. How did rundown JFK Stadium in South Philly wind up hosting such a high-profile show? If it hadn't been for the efforts and influence of renowned promoter and Philly native Larry Magid, Live Aid's American bill might have landed somewhere else. But despite Live Aid's success, Magid avoided talking about it for a long time. In a conversation with KYW Newsradio's Brian Seltzer, he explains why, and shares stories and memories from a defining day of his career.

City workers on strike, Philly gets a WNBA team, and the Philly Pops get their name back Jul 05, 2025

Show notes

Philadelphia’s blue collar workers went on strike this week, affecting services like trash pickup. KYW’s City Hall Bureau Chief Pat Loeb breaks down what’s at stake. Philly is finally getting a WNBA team. We talk with a women’s sports expert about what that means for the city and for the sport. Plus, after Miles Pfeffer was found guilty of murdering Temple police Sgt. Christopher Fitzgerald, KYW’s Crime and Justice Reporter Kristen Johanson tells us how widows of other fallen officers showed up to support Fitzgerald’s wife. Matt Leon recaps all that and more of the week’s news with KYW Newsradio’s reporting team.

00:00 Intro

02:08 DC 33 city workers on strike

07:48 NJ approves a state budget bigger than proposed

13:05 The WNBA is coming to Philadelphia

20:14 SEPTA’s plan to fight fare evasion

25:40 How widows of fallen police officers support each other

30:42 The Philly Pops are back with their original name and a new director

Listen to The Week in Philly on KYW Newsradio every Saturday at 5am and 3pm, and Sunday at 3pm.