Scroll Down Kyw: A Podcast About Philadelphia

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it came to information, one of the more interesting things was learning how wastewater could be tested and help gauge just how much of the virus was in a given community. While case counts and such don't make the headlines any more, the technology continues to grow and it is used to track much more than just COVID. Dr. Marlene Wolfe is an assistant professor in the school of public health at Emory University down in Georgia and also Program Director of WastewaterSCAN - a nationwide program working with wastewater treatment plants to scan for various viruses and diseases. We spoke with her about how this all works, what it used for now and what we could see down the road. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

School safety is at the top of every parent and educator’s mind these days, between mass shootings, gun violence in the streets, and threats against students in marginalized groups. How can we protect and prepare students for a possible attack without adding anxiety and trauma in the process? Dr. Roderick Sams is the Chief Development officer for CENTEGIX, a safety platform that helps school staff send alerts quickly when a threat occurs, and he’s a former principal. Stacey Locke is the Deputy Superintendent for the Yakima School District in Yakima, WA, where she’s had to respond to multiple school shootings. We talk with both of them about how to address safety in schools, how new technology can help, and how this conversation has changed over the past few decades. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There seems to be a conspiracy theory for everything these days, especially with the way social media has grown. Why can it be so easy for people to believe them, even when there are facts that disprove the theories? Derek Arnold is an assistant instructor at Villanova University who teaches a course on conspiracy theories, taking an academic and critical approach to how they catch on. We talk with him to learn more about the appeal behind these ideas, how people get so deep that these theories become part of their identities, and how to try to counter them if you know someone who supports a conspiracy theory. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kevin McCarthy dared a tired and fed up faction of Republicans to try and oust him. In the end, they succeeded, setting in motion a historic tailspin of events that left the third-most powerful role in the United States government vacant, and the House of Representatives in a state of chaos. Now what? Where do House Republicans go from here? How long will it take to find a replacement? Who will it be? Dr. John J. Kennedy is a professor of political science at West Chester University, and has studied American government and politics for decades. He explains the significance of the Speakership, and why resolving this situation sooner rather than later is in the best interest of Republicans and Democrats alike. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re starting to see some sentences in the January 6th investigation, and former President Trump is facing multiple trials - but will the consequences be enough to discourage similar things in the future? We’ve talked in the past with Dr. Ben Berger, Associate Professor of Political Science at Swarthmore College and Executive Director of the Lang Center for Civic & Social Responsibility, about the gaps in our system when it comes to holding people in power accountable. Today, we bring Dr. Berger back to check in - have we been doing better, or are we still lacking accountability where it really counts? We discuss whether the January 6th cases are making progress towards change and how it affects public trust when politicians on both sides of the aisle get away with bad behaviors. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s not much people in the United States seem to agree on these days. That every American child deserves a quality education is probably one of the few exceptions. Where things get dicey, though, is how to pursue this goal. The role that school vouchers should or shouldn’t play in the solution falls right at the center of the debate. What are vouchers? Why have they become such a politicized, hot-button issue? Dr. Zora M. Wolfe is the Associate Dean for the College of Health and Human Services at Widener University. She’s also the Director, K-12 Educational Leadership & Instructional Technology, and goes beyond vouchers to look at other big picture issues affecting education in the United States. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Pennsylvania, we all know what to do when we see a spotted lantern fly. Kill it, immediately, with no hesitation. But, according to a recent Penn State study, hardwood trees such as maple, willow and birch may be less vulnerable to the flies than first thought. What changed? Are we totally in the clear? And, is this just the beginning? We dissect the study with Dr. Christopher Tipping, the chair and professor in the department of biology at Delaware Valley University. He tells us what this new information means and what to look for moving forward. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emergency childcare funding passed early into the pandemic as part of the American Rescue Plan included funds to help improve worker’s compensation and cover expenses like rent and costs of personal protective equipment. But the funding is set to expire on September 30 and is set to close down 70,000 childcare programs and cause 3.2 million children to lose care. Why is this funding essential? How will ending it affect parents? We talked to Krista Scott, the senior program officer at the Rober Wood Johnson Foundation, a nonprofit community advocacy organization. She tells us about the need for childcare funding and what ending this funding could mean for the future of childcare. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In August, a federal jury handed out its first death sentence since 2019. But will the killer who carried out the mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue ultimately face execution? Views on the death penalty have evolved over time, and Robert Dunham has some data that shows why. The Director of the Death Penalty Policy Project, Special Counsel at Phillips Black, and Adjunct Professor of Death Penalty Law at Temple University shares his thoughts on the complex issues surrounding capital punishment, and how, in his mind, the United States could adopt more practical alternatives.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s easy to get caught up in always reaching for more. No matter how much money you make or how many accomplishments you achieve, it can feel like it’s never enough. Financial wellness expert Manisha Thakor felt that way, until she hit a crisis point, where she had to re-evaluate her relationship with work and money and how that was hurting other aspects of her life. She joins us to discuss what she learned and how you can escape what she calls “the cult of never enough”. Take Manisha’s quiz to find out if you’re part of the cult, and check out her book, “MoneyZen: The Secret to Finding Your ‘Enough’". To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Increasing costs. The pandemic. Crazy parents. American youth sports is facing some serious hurdles, and the numbers bear it out. Millions of kids still play, but participation has dipped. Dr. Amy Giddings, chair of Sport & Recreation Management at Temple University and a former collegiate scholarship athlete, even finds herself questioning how much youth sports, in their current environment, are worth it. The outlook for youth sports in the United States, however, isn’t all doom and gloom. Giddings says that despite recent struggles, the country’s youth sports culture could very well be positioned for long-term improvement. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ve all felt lonely, it’s a human emotion. But after the pandemic, Americans reported an increased feeling of loneliness. With quarantine and more people isolating themselves, it makes sense, but does that make it a bad thing? What role does social media play in feeling lonely? And, what can we do to remedy it? Dr. Jaime Zuckerman is a licensed clinical psychologist from Delaware Valley. She talks about what causes loneliness and when to know to ask for help. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The United States and China have a complicated history dating back to 1949. But, relations shifted when President Richard Nixon visited China for the first time in 1972. A year later, the Philadelphia Orchestra toured China and was the first American orchestra to do so. The trip was more than just about music, it was diplomacy. Jennifer Lin is the author and filmmaker of “Beethoven in Beijing”. She details what happened on the tour and what it means for U.S. and Chinese relations 50 years later. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the U.S. about 6.7 million people have Alzheimer’s, making it the seventh leading cause of death in the country. It’s also the most common cause of dementia among older adults. In July, the FDA approved a new drug that helps slow down the rate of memory loss. Dr. Sanjeev Vaishnavi is an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and the Clinical Director of the Division of Cognitive Neurology. He tells us more about the new drug, some of the challenges of curing Alzheimer’s and what this new drug might mean for the future of Alzheimer’s research.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Clinical trials are how we find new medicines or ensure treatments work for a wide range of people. But what happens when the people doing the clinical trials are all the same? Jim Murphy is the CEO of Greenphire, a King of Prussia-based company dedicated to bettering clinical trials. He tells us what goes into them, how to improve them, and why it’s crucial to have a diverse range of people participating. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ve seen tremendous growth in the interest of women’s sports over the past few years. Whether it’s celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX or explaining drama between basketball players, women’s sports have been constantly in the news. Dr. Julie Lanzillo, the program director and associate professor of sports management and sports business at Neumann University, tells us about what’s driving this shift in interest, how this affects franchising and investing, and what this all means for the future of women’s sports. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Federal student loan payments have been on pause since early on in the pandemic, but the break is over - those loans will start accruing interest again on September 1, and minimum payments will resume in October. What could that do for the national economy? Will we see people spending less on recreational activities, or will it be a benefit to have more money coming in for the government? We talk with Dr. Samuel Rosen, assistant professor of finance at Temple University's Fox School of Business, about the current state of student loan debt, the Biden administration’s new plan for loan forgiveness, and options for people who might have trouble making payments again. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Earlier this month, Fitch downgraded the U.S. credit rating from AAA to AA+. It was the first time the country’s rating dropped since 2011. What does downgrading the credit rating mean? How did it happen? And what does this all mean for us? Dr. Marco Airaudo is a professor of Economics at Drexel University's Lebow College of Business. He explains what it means for the U.S. credit rating to be down and how this affects us. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the COVID vaccine rolled out less than a year after the pandemic was first announced, we wondered about progress on a similar front: how close are we to creating an HIV vaccine? What do scientists know about HIV? And what did COVID teach us about immunization? Dr. Amelia Escolano is an assistant professor at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia. She talks about the intricacies of the HIV virus and what goes into developing an HIV vaccine. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At the height of the pandemic, we saw government assistance make a difference for a lot of people. They helped food banks like Share Food Program help a lot of Philadelphians get access to healthy food. But that pandemic-era relief has gradually come to an end. George Matysik is the executive director of Share Food Program. He discusses how the pandemic affected food banks, how they’ve had to adapt and how people can get involved.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices