The Jawncast from KYW Newsradio

Anyone who has had medical debt could tell you how unexpected and crippling it can be. What's worse, that debt can even follow your family after you die. But a group of queer activists in Philadelphia found a loophole in the system. With the help of Undue Medical Debt , they bought and forgave $2 million of medical debt, and they celebrated it in a symbolic burning. Sabrina Boyd-Surka finds out ex...

We're about to have a golden opportunity to see Philadelphians shine on a global scale: at the 2024 Academy Awards. Colman Domingo, born in West Philly, is nominated for Best Actor for his performance in "Rustin", and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, from Mount Airy, is nominated for Best Supporting Actress for "The Holdovers". Both are Temple University graduates. Sabrina Boyd-Surka digs into their Philadel...

The biggest event in professional wrestling is coming to Philadelphia in just a few weeks. Join super fans and KYW Newsradio staffers Andre Bennett and Tim Jimenez for this ode to the audacious; a love letter to legends of the squared circle; an appreciation for how Philly became the home of hardcore wrestling and left an indelible mark and legacy on a multibillion-dollar industry that continues t...

Introducing a new project from another KYW Newsradio Original Podcast - "Ricochet" is a mini-series from Gone Cold: Philadelphia Unsolved Murders that examines the gun violence crisis in our country through stories of unsolved shootings in Philadelphia. In the first episode, we talk with Joan Ortiz, whose 2-year-old daughter Nikolette was shot and killed in her arms. It was at the hands of a man n...

Recreational adult use of marijuana has been legal for over a year and a half in New Jersey, but small businesses still struggle to break into the industry, even if they were operating underground before. Sabrina Boyd-Surka visits the first Black, woman-owned cannabis manufacturing business in Delaware and the first independent edibles brand on shelves in New Jersey, ButACake , to find out how the...

When Bec Richman started out in rabbinical school, she felt lost. What was she going to do with herself? Then, her vision became clear: she wanted to learn how to scribe. The only problem was, tradition stood in her way. According to Jewish law, only men could be scribes, but Rabbi Bec and other non-male aspiring scribes like her worked around the rules. In a time when so much attention is being p...

In honor of Veterans Day, we’re revisiting the story of Michael Crescenz , a man who gave his life to save his fellow soldiers in the Vietnam War. He was the only Philadelphian to receive a Medal of Honor for that war, and his family and friends have done everything they could to make sure he’s remembered - from putting up a statue to renaming the VA Hospital - because his story represents so many...

Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most classic horror and mystery writers of all time. We see countless re-creations of his stories around Halloween - like the new Netflix series “The Fall of the House of Usher”. Poe lived in Philadelphia for six years, which are said to be the happiest and most productive time of his life. He published 31 stories in that time. What was it that made Poe’s Philadelphia...

For many Philadelphians, the Painted Bride mosaic that covers an entire building on Vine St. has become a piece of the city’s identity, embedded with images and memories of the local art community. But as of October 2023, it’s being taken apart, and the building will soon be demolished to make way for a new mixed-use building. The artist, Isaiah Zagar, is now 84 years old, and he spent nine years...

During two weeks in September, the Philadelphia area was gripped by a dramatic, unpredictable, and unnerving manhunt for a convicted killer. Residents impacted by the search wanted answers: how did Danilo Cavalcante escape from Chester County Prison, and where did he go? For nearly 150 years, one of Philadelphia’s most popular neighborhoods lived under the steady specter of incarcerated people bre...

Do ghosts exist? It’s a question that’s been asked over and over again throughout modern history. But as impossible as it is to pin down an answer, that doesn’t stop people like John Levy from trying. When he’s on the clock, John is a Philadelphia police officer. In his spare time, he’s a paranormal investigator. Brian Seltzer , John McDevitt , and Holli Stephens join John on a spooky season ghost...

A recent study named Philadelphia the best city in the U.S. for naked biking - and the city’s annual Naked Bike Ride makes a good case. With over 1,000 riders, it’s part of the World Naked Bike Ride , and the largest one on the east coast. But…why do people do this? There’s more to it than novelty - the Philly Naked Bike Ride makes a statement about body positivity and fuel reduction. Sabrina Boyd...

The Commodore Barry Irish Center was established as a gathering place for Irish immigrants in 1958 - but by 2014, the center was both literally and figuratively starting to crumble. The waves of Irish immigration had slowed to a trickle…so why was it so important to some people to save the center? KYW Newsradio’s City Hall Bureau Chief, Pat Loeb , guest hosts this week to share the story of how a...

Philly Flags Part III : Philadelphia has an official flag. You knew that, right? Well, if you didn’t, you’re probably not alone. Contrary to the city’s DNA, the Philadelphia flag is somewhat subdued, lowkey. It doesn’t really stand out. But even if the flag tends to hide in plain sight, it’s been around a while -- since 1895. Brenda Exon, for one, loves the Philadelphia flag so much she’s created...

Philly Flags Part II: Did you know that everywhere the president or vice president of the United States goes, they take a little piece of Northeast Philadelphia with them? True fact! The Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support Flag Room, located at the Naval Support Activity base in Oxford Circle, is the only place in the world authorized to make the official hand-embroidered presidential and vice...

Philly Flags Part I: Even if you’re not intimately familiar with the history of Betsy Ross, you probably know the highlights of the story, right? The South Jersey native, at the request of George Washington and other leaders of the Revolution, made the first American flag, right there in her home in the Old City section of Philadelphia! But is that really what happened? Maybe so, maybe not. Some h...

This episode is a follow-up to a story on The Jawncast titled 'Young, Black, Philly fathers, united' that was originally released June 16th, 2022. It has been republished, and should appear as the preceding episode in your feed.  Fatherhood can be challenging for anyone, especially members of at-risk, violent communities in big cities like Philadelphia. Enter Young Fathers United, a weekly program...

This story was originally published June 17th, 2022. To hear an update, listen to The Jawncast episode released June 16th, 2023 titled, 'A brothers' bond, through fatherhood.' Philadelphia’s 19132 zip code sees a lot of violence. It’s also home to the Institute for the Development of African American Youth , where each week, fathers, fathers-to-be, and aspiring fathers come to talk about fatherhoo...

Kimberly McGlonn owns two clothing stores that stand out in a sea of fast fashion. Grant Blvd sells sustainable, ethical, locally-made clothes, and Blk Ivy is a thrift store based on the fashion of the Civil Rights Era. Sabrina Boyd-Surka visits the stores to learn more about Kimberly’s mission, why it’s so needed in the fashion industry, how historical struggles have impacted Black fashion, and h...

Pickleball has exploded in popularity over the last few years, but it’s actually been around since the 1960s. You might think of it as an old people’s game, but most of the players in Philadelphia now are actually in their 20s and 30s. What’s drawing this new crowd to play a sport with such a silly name? (And where did that name come from?) Sabrina Boyd-Surka talks with pickleball players and orga...

If you go to the Penn Relays - the largest track and field meet in America - you’ll notice Jamaican flags all over the crowd and on the field. Athletes don’t come from a lot of foreign countries - mostly the East Coast and a few other states - so why are there so many teams and fans from Jamaica? Sabrina Boyd-Surka talked with some Jamaican athletes and the team behind the scenes that makes their...

This week, we’re sharing an episode of a new KYW Original Podcast, unCovering the Birds with Jeff McLane , a podcast sharing untold stories and perspectives about the Eagles. It’s co-produced by the Philadelphia Inquirer and our own Brian Seltzer. Follow unCovering the Birds wherever you get podcasts to hear more every week! Getting drafted in the first round is the dream scenario for just about a...

Pennhurst Asylum was never actually an asylum. It was previously Pennhurst State School and Hospital, one of the most notoriously harmful institutions for people with disabilities. Today, it’s the site of a haunted Halloween attraction and paranormal tours, despite some strong opposition. What happened there, and how it closed, has shaped disability rights and advocacy today.  Sabrina Boyd-Surka  ...

Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie finally confirmed what many fans have been asking for: the Kelly Green uniforms will officially return in 2023 ! Why do Eagles fans love Kelly Green so much? In September, Brian Seltzer set out on a journey to answer that question and found that there’s so much more to our city’s connection with the color green. We’re revisiting that episode this week. To le...

People who have visual impairments can miss out on a lot of opportunities - but sports doesn't have to be one of them. Philadelphia Blind Hockey is part of a national league that adapts hockey so that blind and visually impaired people can play. Sabrina Boyd-Surka visited a blind hockey practice to see how it works and what it means to the players, especially young kids who thought they might neve...