The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio

Latest Episodes:

Virtual nursing: how a struggling industry can adapt Mar 16, 2023

Show notes

We’ve seen all kinds of jobs go virtual since the pandemic, but nursing? Actually, nursing started to go virtual in the acute care setting even before the pandemic. Now that remote work is increasing in popularity, some hospitals are looking to expand virtual nursing to different departments. Dr. Terri Hinkley, the CEO of the Medical Surgical Nursing Certificate Board and the Academy of Medical Surgical Nurses, discusses how virtual nursing can alleviate the nursing shortage, improve patient care, and provide a better work life balance.

A cure for education culture wars? Mar 14, 2023

Show notes

School board meetings across the country are increasingly becoming battle grounds in the American culture war. Do well-intentioned parents who want to shield their children from sensitive subject matter have legitimate concerns? And about those “sensitive” topics, how do we define what they are and what to do about them? When it comes to banning books and other forms of expression in schools, Cabrini University Chairperson and Associate Professor of Teacher Education Dr. Thomas Conway examines where the lines start to get blurred, plus potential consequences.

Get the lead out! A fresh approach to a longtime water pipe problem Mar 09, 2023

Show notes

One of the worst nightmares for a homeowner? Finding out you've got lead water pipes. Not only is replacing them expensive, but lead in water poses a serious health risk, especially for young children. Identifying and removing lead water pipes is a decades-old problem, but Dr. Charles Haas, the LD Betz Professor of Environmental Engineering at Drexel University, has been working with a team to find fresh solutions. With the Biden-Harris administration prioritizing clean water, the timing seems optimal.

Beached whales, disappearing crabs - what’s happening to our oceans? Mar 07, 2023

Show notes

Over the past few months, we’ve seen a lot of reports of weird things happening in the oceans - dead whales and dolphins washing ashore in New Jersey, crabs disappearing off the coast of Alaska, “red tides” filled with toxic algae in Florida. These things sound pretty worrying - are they a sign of serious damage to our climate? We discuss these concerns with Dr. Lisa Rodrigues, Associate Professor of Environmental Science, and Dr. Samantha Chapman, Professor of Biology, both from Villanova University. They tell us not to be too alarmist, and give us a realistic look at the state of our oceans and how we can help.

The GOP's Pennsylvania problem: can Republicans reverse course? Mar 02, 2023

Show notes

With Governor and a U.S. Senate seat up for grabs in Pennsylvania during the 2022 midterm election cycle, plenty of political eyes were fixed on the Keystone State. What everyone ended up witnessing was a one-sided performance in favor of Democrats, who not only claimed the gubernatorial and senate races, but tipped the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in their favor as well. What lessons and cues should Republicans take from these losses? KYW Newsradio's Jim Melwert spoke to three political strategists, including two affiliated with the GOP, about how - and if - Republicans can regain their footing in Pennsylvania.

A not so shining moment? The NCAA faces a wake-up call Feb 28, 2023

Show notes

The implementation of name, image, and likeness sponsorships for student-athletes has been messy, while the power of member institutions continues to be consolidated to the few rather than the many. As a result, the NCAA's identity is shifting, and its influence could be on the decline. What's stopping schools from leaving and going off on their own? Dr. Karen Weaver, Graduate Faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, answers this question, and explores other key issues facing a rapidly-changing NCAA.

Politicians and mental health: a complicated history Feb 23, 2023

Show notes

That politicians grapple with mental health issues should come as no surprise. Think of the pressures and demands of the gig. What is alarming to one expert, however, is that too few elected officials seem willing to share their struggles. That's why Dr. Ann Rosen Spector believes there could be power in United States Senator John Fetterman's recent decision to buck past precedent, and go public about his clinical depression diagnosis. Spector, a Philadelphia-based psychologist, also discusses the signs of clinical depression, and why diagnosing it can be tricky.

The real problem with the alleged Chinese spy balloon Feb 21, 2023

Show notes

Are you keeping an eye on the sky now more than ever? If your answer is yes, we get it. In recent weeks, the United States has shot down four unidentified flying objects, calling into question who (or what) is watching us. But here's the thing: so far, only one of the four objects shot down is said to have been a foreign spy instrument, and according to one expert, this ambiguity poses a problem that's potentially big. La Salle University Assistant Professor of Political Science Dr. Mark Thomas served as a special advisor to the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Army in the early 2000s, and has experience working on national security issues. He weighs in on how much information a spy balloon can actually collect, and where the leak about the balloon might have come from.

How to save for retirement in 2023 Feb 16, 2023

Show notes

Money is a major source of concern for a lot of working Americans - 87%, according to a recent survey by the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA). And retirement isn’t what it used to be - systems like social security haven’t adapted to today’s economy and lifespans. How can workers manage their finances and make sure they’re saving enough - and early enough? Jeff Jones is the Board Chair for NAPFA. He gives us some advice on how to assess your financial situation, and how employers can help.

The rotation of the Earth's core is slowing: what does it mean for us? Feb 14, 2023

Show notes

Much like the plot of the 2003 disaster film, The Core, the rotation of Earth’s inner core is changing. But unlike the movie, this change is very subtle. What exactly makes up the Earth’s core? And how significant is its rotation change? Swarthmore College Professor of Astronomy Dr. Eric Jensen explains how scientists made this new discovery and what it could mean for the future.