The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio

Time to take a look at the American economy at the end of another week during the coronavirus pandemic. Unemployment claims are creeping higher, we're expecting a new stimulus bill, and a lot of uncertainty is ahead for millions of American workers in essentially every sector of the economy. David Fiorenza, Associate Professor of Practice at the Villanova School of Business joins KYW In Depth to b...

One of the groups of people who have been hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic are people who make a living by earning tips. In some places across the country, restaurants, hotels, and bars are opening again -- but in most cases they're restricted to 25% or 50% capacity. Can a tipped worker even scratch out a living at a place with coronavirus capacity restrictions? Jennifer Lee, Law Pr...

What's going to be in the next coronavirus relief bill from congress? When will it be done? What can the two parties agree on and where are they going to have to compromise? And when all is said and done, who's actually going to be helped out the most? Scott Deacle, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Business and Economics at Ursinus College joins KYW In Depth to break down how the...

The world of college athletics has been turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic. We've seen seasons shortened, conferences decide not to participate in fall sports, and even whole programs cut or suspended. So what's the state of college sports right now, and what's next? Dr. Karen Weaver, Associate Clinical Professor of Sport Management at the LeBow College of Business at Drexel University...

Only 17 percent of lost pets get reunited with their owners nationwide. The Brandywine Valley SPCA is the first animal shelter in the Philadelphia area to use facial recognition software to help reunite more lost pets with their owners. Linda Torelli, Marketing Director of the Brandywine Valley SPCA joins KYW In Depth to talk about how it works and how the technology can help boost that percentage...

What's going to happen when school starts back up, and how can we keep kids safe while they get an education? Those are still the biggest questions parents have right now across the country. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy called in to KYW Newsradio to talk with Ian Bush about the state's plans for getting back to school. Ian also asked Governor Murphy about the future of bars and restaurants in t...

Philadelphia has seen its share of health emergencies. Obviously, 2020 is the year of the coronavirus pandemic. There was the Spanish Flu in 1918. And in 1793, the city was devastated by a Yellow Fever outbreak. And in the center of that storm was Dr. Benjamin Rush, a physician, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and a founding father that you should know more about. Stephen Fried is the...

Live music and shows are coming back to Philly next month with a drive-in concert series at Citizens Bank Park. Live Nation Regional President Geoff Gordon joins KYW In Depth to break down how it will work. Check out the Live-In Drive-In lineup here: https://kywnewsradio.radio.com/articles/news/live-shows-follow-drive-in-model-for-philly-summer-series See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for priva...

When the coronavirus pandemic hit, production on TV shows and movies stopped abruptly. It became pretty clear that essentially every part of filming would have to change in significant ways while COVID-19 remains a threat. So, what's happening right now in the movie and TV production industry? What will the future of a set look like? For the projects that were able to return to production, what ki...

If you haven't seen it, "Floor is Lava" is a delightfully silly gameshow on Netflix where teams of people try to make their way across a room covered in 'lava' without falling in. It's sort of a perfect distraction from how real life is nowadays. Megan McGrath, creator of "Floor is Lava" joins KYW In Depth to talk about her path from Boyertown, PA to Temple University to Los Angeles, where the ide...

A lot of people have taken a big hit to their personal finances -- and getting credit right now has become more difficult. So FICO made a new tool lenders can use to help determine who is credit worthy during difficult times, like right now in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. Beverly Harzog, credit card expert and consumer finance analyst for US News and World Report joins KYW In Depth to e...

We've been spending a lot more time with our dogs since coronavirus restrictions went into place. But as more and more things start opening back up, will they be able to handle the separation without too much anxiety? Leigh Siegfried, owner of Opportunity Barks Behavior and Training in Philadelphia joins KYW In Depth to talk about helpful tips for keeping your best friend healthy and happy. Check...

Coronavirus cases are rising across the country and sectors of state economies are being closed down -- again. The enhanced federal unemployment assistance is ending at the end of the month, and we don't have a clear roadmap for what's next. And why are some politicians pushing for a payroll tax cut instead of direct cash assistance? David Fiorenza, Associate Professor of Practice at the Villanova...

Right now some of the hardest conversations happening around the country are about finding the safest ways for kids to attend school in the fall. Is it safe to reopen the building for a traditional school experience? Is it possible to get young kids to wear masks and social distance? The debates are happening everywhere, but we wanted to zero in on one county and one school district for this episo...

Many colleges and universities have announced plans to bring students back on campus in the fall. Plans like reducing the number of students on campus, having only one person per dorm room, banning parties, requiring masks, eliminating dine-in cafeteria service. And the stakes are high: If cases rise on campus, they may once again be forced to close. But are these plans realistic? Temple Universit...

The Supreme Court has been busy over the past few weeks handing down a number of rulings on everything from the electoral college to the president's financial records. But there was another really interesting decision that we want to talk about -- a ruling that provided a big victory for Native American rights. Ann Juliano, Professor of Law at Villanova University's Charles Widger School of Law jo...

There's a lot of focus on physical health during the coronavirus pandemic. And rightfully so. But there's also a big mental health burden that people will have to deal with for a long time. What are the mental heatlh effects of long stretches of lockdown or quarantine? How is life during COVID-19 affecting people who already struggle with mental health day to day? Dr. Rachel Daltry, Psychologist a...

Pennsylvania has become one of the first states to pass police reform in response to the death of George Floyd under the knee of an officer in Minneapolis and the protests against racial injustice that followed. Governor Wolf this signed two bills that passed unanimously in both the state House and Senate. The top law enforcer in Pennsylvania, Attorney General Josh Shapiro was at the signing cerem...

The presidential election in November is going test America in more way than one. But, it's not necessarily unique in history. Yes, there's an ongoing pandemic and civil unrest in the forefront of the 2020 election -- but Americans have gone to the polls before during a crisis. In fact, one of the most consistent institutions in American history is Election Day. Americans voted during the Civil Wa...

Mae Krier is a real-life Rosie the Riveter. She built bombers for Boeing during World War II, and now she's serving her country in a different way -- trading in her rivet gun for a sewing machine and making masks during the coronavirus pandemic. She's made more than 200, and she's not stopping. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.

What is the evidence that the coronavirus can linger in the air? Does the ventilation in a room affect transmission? What are the safest and least safe ways to reopen schools? If you could do one thing to make the country safer, what would that be? We took these questions and many more to Dr. Krys Johnson, Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Temple University...

We're in the fourth month of new weekly unemployment claims topping 1 million. How is that number going to change as coronavirus cases keep rising in the US? Why are unemployment claims trending down, but pandemic assistance claims rising? Could we be in store for another big round of layoffs across the country? David Fiorenza, Assistant Professor of Practice at the Villanova School of Business jo...

There's a lot going on right now. The pandemic is ramping up across the country. Protests are still ongoing nationwide against racism and police brutality. A lot of 2020 has been just plain overwhelming, even if you're an adult. But what about for kids? How much are they processing, and how are they doing it? How do you know if they need more help then they're letting on? Dr. Jennifer Rich, Execut...

The US Supreme Court unanimously ruled on a case about the electoral college, just four months ahead of a presidential election. The decision affects something that's come up a couple times in recent elections, including in 2016: faithless electors. So why is this issue being addressed now? What’s the significance of the ruling? And why do we have an electoral college in the first place? Tuan Sama...

School districts across the country are not only trying to figure out how to safely send kids back to school in the fall, they're also trying to manage getting students caught up with everything they missed during remote classes amid the coronavirus shutdowns. Jim Cowen, Executive Director of the Collaborative for Student Success joins KYW In Depth to talk about how teachers and schools are going...