The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio

Latest Episodes:

The connection between gas prices and inflation: Weekly economy update Sep 09, 2022

Show notes

As gas prices go down, people seem less worried about inflation. How much are the two connected? We check in with Philadelphia economist David Fiorenza on that and how much more the Federal Reserve could increase interest rates to control inflation. Plus, we're at a 3-month unemployment low, the Jersey shore saw good profits from Labor Day Weekend, and is the housing market finally starting to correct itself?

New British Prime Minister Liz Truss takes over volatile U.K. landscape Sep 08, 2022

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These are tricky times in the United Kingdom. The country is dealing with an energy crisis, and the face of the monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II, just passed away. But such are the circumstances under which Liz Truss takes over as Britain's new Prime Minister. Dr. Joshua Weikert, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Civic Engagement at Immaculate University, looks back at Truss' path to 10 Downing Street, and examines the issues she'll have to navigate in the early days of her tenure.

Quiet quitting: bad mindset, or bad label? Sep 07, 2022

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When it comes to work, what's wrong with simply doing what's in your job description - no more, no less? Is it unreasonable for companies to expect employees to buy in to corporate hustle, and always go above and beyond? Questions like these have been getting more and more attention ever since the TikTok-inspired concept of "quiet quitting" went viral. Jennifer Rossi Long, Senior Director of West Chester University's Twardowski Career Development Center, examines the implications of "quiet quitting," and explains why it might just be a good mindset for employers and employees alike to embrace.

Will Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan actually have a significant impact? Sep 06, 2022

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The Biden administration has announced its much anticipated - and much debated - student loan forgiveness program. We dig into what that looks like and the motives behind it with Dr. Sam Rosen, Assistant Professor of Finance at Temple University's Fox School of Business. We talk about who the program helps and how, what Pell Grants are and why they're important to the program, what impact it could have on inflation, and whether or not this does enough to address the high cost of education overall.

Is the housing market finally course correcting? Weekly economy update Sep 02, 2022

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For most of the pandemic, the housing market has been out of control. Sellers have seen home values soar, while many buyers have either been forced to make insane offers, or simply put dreams of a new house on hold. Recent trends, however, suggest the tide could finally be turning, and that a course correction could be on the horizon. In his weekly check-in, Philadelphia economist David Fiorenza examines this storyline, breaks down the August jobs report, and looks at overall consumer confidence.

Mikhail Gorbachev's complicated legacy Sep 01, 2022

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Mikhail Gorbachev's leadership of the U.S.S.R. represented a defining moment in Russian history. On the heels of his passing at 91, how will the last Soviet leader be remembered? The answer to this question probably depends a lot on where you're from in the world, says Dr. Mark Schrad, Professor of Political Science and Director of Russian Area Studies at Villanova University. While Gorbachev drew praise from the West for being a man of peace and principle, those same qualities complicated his legacy at home.

"It's a shocking number": a look at what's happening in the travel and hospitality industries Aug 31, 2022

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War. Gas prices. Inflation. Recession fears. 2022 has thrown a lot at us, and there's still fourth months to go. How have these developments affected travel and hospitality ? Morning Consult travel and hospitality analyst Lindsey Roeschke explains what's happening in the industry, and how these trends could impact you - the consumer. Interested in reading more about Morning Consult's findings after you listen? Check out their semi-annual travel and hospitality report: Travel and Hospitality Trends Report | H2 2022 (morningconsult.com)

Nursing is a much harder job now. Have schools and healthcare employers adjusted? Aug 31, 2022

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Nursing is an incredibly hard job in the best of times. For the last few years, nurses have been facing significant stress, burnout, and political opposition on top of their normal jobs. These are challenging times for the profession, so we wanted to know if the last couple of years have changed how hospitals and healthcare providers recruit nurses. How have nursing schools adjusted the ways they teach and prepare people for the job? How different is the job now than it was just a couple of years ago? We asked Dr. Wendy Robb, Dean of the School of Nursing at Cedar Crest College in Allentown.

'Just the clothing they were wearing.' What refugees from Afghanistan face in the US Aug 29, 2022

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It has been a year since the US officially pulled out of Afghanistan. When the US left, thousands of Afghans left as well, some settling in the United States. Many had to leave in the middle of the night, possibly with a bag, some just the clothes they were wearing. We wanted to talk about what the last year has been like for the people who resettled here in America. What kind of challenges have Afghan families faced in a new country? What kind of support do they need? We asked Nazanin Ash, CEO of Welcome.US and Wida Amir, board member of the Afghan-American Foundation.

Positive inflation news for once? Weekly economy update Aug 27, 2022

Show notes

More big news about the Federal Reserve tackling inflation came down, is the worst over or will there be more to come? Unemployment filings went down a bit and the labor market keeps chugging along. The GDP estimates got a little more positive than the last time we chatted about them. Could we be looking at a positive number in the third quarter? And what is student loan debt forgiveness going to mean in the big picture? Philadelphia economist David Fiorenza is on the podcast to talk about the biggest economic news of the week and what it means for you and me.