The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio

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Economy update: the textbook definition of a recession, but... Jul 03, 2022

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We're getting hints about GDP numbers from the second quarter, and so far estimates have us looking at the textbook definition of a recession... but is there a silver lining? Are some recessions not like the others? It's the beginning of July -- what can we say about the first half of 2022, good and bad alike? Philadelphia economist David Fiorenza is on the podcast to break down the economic news of the week and what it means for you and me.

Covering an out-of-control crisis: looking at how the media reports on gun violence Jul 02, 2022

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Throughout the country, families and communities are being torn apart by guns. Mass shootings here, a random bullet there. The violence is so rampant and pervasive, it's hard not to feel numb to the crisis. What responsibility does the media bear to make sure we understand just how devastating the effects of guns are on American life? Dr. Jason Gravel, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Temple University, believes gun violence coverage has improved since mass shootings like Columbine and Sandy Hook, but a lot more progress needs to be made.

Monkeypox is ‘concerning,’ spreading, and unwarranted stigmas against gay men are making the response more difficult Jul 01, 2022

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Since monkeypox first appeared in the headlines several weeks ago, the number of people infected has grown. Now, we're seeing a lot of stories that bring back memories of the early days of the COVID pandemic, like problems with testing, tests not getting where they are needed, vaccines being nearly impossible to find. The virus is also showing up in higher numbers in men who have sex with other men -- why is this? We had a lot of questions and got a ton of really valuable information from Dr. Perry Halkitis, Dean & Hunterdon Professor of Public Health & Health Equity at Rutgers School of Public Health.

Losing faith: how a "lack of reality" is fueling election concerns Jun 30, 2022

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The greatest gift of the American political system? Look no further than elections, says Dr. Bill Rosenberg, Professor of Political Science at Drexel University. But what happens when the officials we elect start sowing seeds of doubt about the validity of voting outcomes? Rosenberg believes the consequences could be immense, and as a recent string of debunked election fraud accusations have shown, we might not even be close to the tip of the iceberg...

Ginni and Clarence Thomas: Questions about ethics, family, politics, and the Supreme Court Jun 29, 2022

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The Supreme Court has been making a lot of headlines, and not just for recent decisions. Ginni Thomas is a lawyer, a political activist, and she's married to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. She's been in the news because her name keeps popping up in connection with the January 6th attack on the US Capitol, and with former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Has something like this ever happened before? What does it mean to the court’s legitimacy, and its perception in the public eye? We asked Craig Green, professor of law at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law to come on the podcast and talk about the norms of family, politics, and the Supreme Court.

What does a recession mean if you're trying to buy a home? And other recession questions Jun 29, 2022

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There's a lot of concern that the American economy is headed toward a recession. We have questions: How legitimate are the concerns, and what are the odds we head into a recession? What would being in a recession mean for the average American? What does it mean if you're trying to buy a house? How common is it for a recession to happen when the labor market is so tight? We asked these questions and more to Dr. Ron Anderson, Dean of Temple's Fox School of Business.

Parent's guide to COVID vaccines for kids under 5: Q&A with Dr. Neal Goldstein Jun 27, 2022

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COVID-19 vaccines are now available for children six months to five years old. What do parents need to know about vaccines for kids this young? Why did it take so long to get approval for this age range? What's the difference between Pfizer and Moderna for children? We asked these questions and many more to Dr. Neal Goldstein, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at Drexel University.

Recycling: Despite good intentions, we're still getting it wrong. Here's how to fix the problem Jun 26, 2022

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We want to recycle because it seems like an easy, low barrier to entry way of showing some love to the planet. Unfortunately, most of us are not doing as much good as we think we are when we recycle, because we're doing it incorrectly. Today we asked Dr. Ronald Mersky, chair of the Civil Engineering Department at Widener University about the most common mistakes people make when they recycle, how much of the stuff we recycle actually ends up in the trash, and how to fix the biggest problems with how we recycle.

Ask an economist: Is a gas tax holiday a good idea? Weekly economy update Jun 25, 2022

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Initial claims for unemployment benefits dropped just a bit, but overall the numbers have been staying pretty steady. There are legitimate recession concerns on the horizon, but how unusual is it to have those recession concerns when there's also a labor market that's this hot? There's a lot of talk about a vacation from the gas tax. Is this a good idea from an economic perspective, or are there hidden pros and cons? Philadelphia economist David Fiorenza breaks down the biggest stories in the economy this week and what they mean for you and me.

Roe v. Wade was overturned. Here’s what's next for America Jun 24, 2022

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The Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, upending five decades of constitutional protections for abortion, making it a state issue. For people who have been fighting to overturn Roe and Casey, is this the endgame, or one step on the road to a national ban on abortion? Has a reversal of rights like this ever happened before in the Supreme Court? What will the effects on women be from state to state, here in PA, NJ, and Del, and across America? And could other rights be in question now that Roe is no longer constitutional? We asked Rachel Rebouché, Interim Dean of Temple University's Beasley School of Law and the James E. Beasley Professor of Law.

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