News roundup: Philly, with Patrick Kerkstra, Ben Waxman & John Baer April 30
Hour 1 This week's political news roundup turns to the city of Philadelphia, where: a second straight year of steep budget cuts looms as Mayor Nutter and Council lumber toward a budget deadline with reduced revenues and unpopular tax proposals; Nutter and his Council allies are trying to abolish the Clerk of Quarter Sessions office and marginalize the Board of Revision of Taxes; and the city grapples with the wild card of whether a second casino will come to the Delaware River waterfront even as the first, SugarHouse, prepares to open its doors as early as this summer. Helping Marty make sense of all this will be Philadelphia Inquirer City Hall reporter PATRICK KERKSTRA and It's Our Money blogger BEN WAXMAN of the Philadelphia Daily News and WHYY. Then, we'll speak to Daily News political columnist JOHN BAER about Harrisburg happenings, including the gubernatorial primary fast approaching on May 18th.

An Evening withOUT Woody Allen April 30
Hour 2 Philadelphia's 1812 Productions' Artistic Director Jennifer Childs has adapted some of her favorite Woody Allen essays and short stories for the stage. The upcoming show, An Evening without Woody Allen is a world premier comedy of the prolific filmmaker and comedian's work. We'll talk to Childs and two 1812 actors, Charlotte Ford and Dan Hodge, and listen to them read selections from Allen's "The Whore of Mensa" and other hilarious favorites from the Allen Cannon. "An Evening without Woody Allen" will run April 29th-May 16th at the Plays and Players Theater in Center City Philadelphia.

Immigration laws — is the time right for national reform? April 29
Hour 1 Arizona's new immigration law will require law enforcement officials to check the residency status of those thought to be in the country illegally. The questions arising from this state law has prompted another call for immigration reform on the national level. Do we need to reform the immigration system and what would new federal laws look like? We'll also check in on the status of Hazleton Pennsylvania's controversial ordinance aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration. Our guests are Temple University law professors PETER SPIRO and JAN TING, and KENT JACKSON of the Hazleton Standard Speaker.

Anna Quindlen on her new novel "Every Last One" April 29
Hour 2 Something horrible happens in Anna Quindlen's new book, "Every Last One." The novel, Quindlen's sixth, is the story of a mother, father, a family, and the explosive, violent consequences of what seem like inconsequential actions. She joins Marty to talk about this book, her career and her take on a range of contemporary issues.

Dr. Bettye Collier-Thomas April 28
Hour 1 Dorothy Height, the behind-the scenes heroine of the civil rights movement and women's movement died this week at 98. Our guest DR. BETTYE COLLIER-THOMAS includes the former president of the National Council of Negro Women in her new book, "Jesus, Jobs and Justice: African American Women and Religion." We'll talk to Dr. Collier-Thomas about Height and other resilient African American women who organized for a better life through our country’s two hundred years of evolving enlightenment. Dr. Collier-Thomas is a professor of history at Temple University.

The War on Salt April 28
Hour 2 Americans consume on average 1 ½ teaspoons of salt a day - that's more than twice the amount that we should be eating. Most of it comes from processed and restaurant food. High sodium intake has been linked to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. In fact, the American Medical Association has said that has many as 150,000 lives could be saved if Americans cut their salt intake in half. Last week the Institute of Medicine released a report outlining strategies for reducing salt intake, including urging the government to set limits in salt levels in food. This hour, we'll examine our taste for salty food and look at ways to lower our salt intake. Our guests are Gary Beauchamp, director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Lawrence Appel, professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University, and Krista Faron, a marketing analyst with Mintel International.

Legal challenges to health care legislation April 27
Hour 1 The controversial passage of sweeping changes to American health care have spurred 14 states’ attorneys general to file legal challenges to the federal law. These efforts have enlisted language and legal precedents of “nullification” and “interposition” that have roots that date back to Madison and Jefferson, John C. Calhoun and the secession of the Confederate South, and the Southern resistance to Civil Rights law and integration. Joining Marty to discuss these efforts, their legal and political bases and the Constitutional questions they raise are Columbia Law professor and Constitutional legal scholar GILLIAN METZGER and Princeton historian SEAN WILENTZ.

Should Horse-Drawn Carriages Be Banned? April 27
Hour 2 Last week a car crashed into a horse-drawn carriage in Philadelphia. The accident ended up involving four other carriages. Two of the carriage drivers were hospitalized along with car’s driver; however the horses were only scratched. The accident has sparked debate over the use of horse-drawn carriages for tourism in Philadelphia and other cities. This hour, we'll debate the issue and get a historical perspective on how horses have been used in American cities. Our guests include: Midge Leitch, University of Pennsylvania equine veterinarian, Edita Birnkrant, New York director of Friends of Animals, Michael Kates, vice-president of operations for 76 Carriage Company, and Ann Norton Greene, an historian at the University of Pennsylvania.

War update: Quil Lawrence, Trudy Rubin & Mark Bowden April 26
Hour 1 On today's "Radio Times," Marty will get an update on the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from a trio of distinguished journalists. NPR's Baghdad Bureau Chief QUIL LAWRENCE will update us from Iraq about that country's post-election political upheaval as the withdrawal deadline for U.S. troops nears. Then, TRUDY RUBIN writes the Philadelphia Inquirer's Worldview column, and recently returned from a trip to Afghanistan and Iraq. In Iraq, she reported on the tragic fate of her Iraqi driver Salam, tortured and imprisoned for working with Iraqi authorities against the sectarian slaughter. Fellow Inquirer columnist MARK BOWDEN's most recent article in "Vanity Fair," meanwhile, profiled the architect of the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq: General David Petraeus. We'll talk to these journalists about what their reporting tells us about modern U.S. warfare and the way ahead in both wars.

Confederate Reckoning April 26
Hour 2 We're coming into the 150th anniversary of the American South's first organized attempt to secede from the Union. Our guest, University of Pennsylvania professor of history STEPHANIE MCCURRY, looks at the Confederate War through the experience of the South's women and slave struggles in her new book, "Confederate Reckoning." We'll talk to her about how women and slaves influenced the demise of the Confederacy, including how they took on the Jefferson Davis government on government enlistment, and tax and welfare policies.

National political roundup, with Mark Halperin & David Mark April 23
Hour 1 Now that health care law has been signed, the next major legislation dominating Washington DC is financial regulation. Fresh off fraud charges against Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs, President Obama gave a speech outlining his goals for financial reform on Thursday, just blocks away from Wall Street. But also vying for political attention are the retirement of Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens and the politics of Obama's selection of a replacement; major policy questions surrounding immigration law and environmental regulations, especially in a week including the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. And campaign politics continue to stump the experts, with Tea Party partisans upending the status quo, Florida Governor Charlie Crist in trouble against conservative Marco Rubio in the Republican primary for Florida's Senate seat; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in trouble defending his Democratic seat in Nevada; and famed party defector Arlen Specter fighting off a challenge for Pennsylvania’s Democratic Senate nomination against Congressman Joe Sestak. Joining Marty to discuss all this and more on today's "Radio Times" are MARK HALPERIN of "TIME" magazine and DAVID MARK, senior editor for Politico.com.

A conversation with Afghan women's rights activist Suraya Pakzad April 23
Hour 2 As the new Afghan government tries to negotiate peace with the Taliban, women in Afghanistan fear that their concerns and safety will be forgotten. In this hour of "Radio Times," we talk with Afghan women’s right activist SURAYA PAKZAD. During the Taliban years she ran secret schools for Afghan girls. Her organization Voice of Women provides Afghan women who have been the victims of gender violence with shelter, counseling and job training.

The Future of the Oceans April 22
Hour 1 This Earth Day we thought we would get an update on the health of the world’s oceans. Rising temperatures, increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and over-fishing are threatening marine life. Many of ocean’s plants and animals are endangered and could face extinction, including blue fin tuna, certain shark species, polar bears, and coral reefs. This hour, we’ll talk about ocean conservation and the marine life that’s most at-risk with Boris Worm, marine biologist at Dalhousie University in Halifax, and Carl Safina, President of the Blue Ocean Institute.

Author Charles Bowden calls Ciudad Juarez 'Murder City' April 22
Hour 2 Ciudad Juarez is just across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Texas. What once was a border boom town after NAFTA spurred the building of factories is now best known for a horrific wave of violence that continues to escalate. The city’s murder rate soared from 207 in 2007, to 1,660 in 2008, to 2,660 in 2009, and is on an even higher pace this year. CHARLES BOWDEN has written a new book, "Murder City: Ciudad Juarez and the Global Economy’s New Killing Fields," that offers bloody testimony to an epidemic of drug-trade-fueled murders that has turned Juarez into one of the most dangerous places on Earth.

Financial reform, Congress and Goldman Sachs April 21
Hour 1 As the president pushes forward on finance reform legislation, congress is aggressively debating the philosophy and specifics of the bill. Meanwhile, the SEC has launched a civil fraud suit against investment bank Goldman Sachs. We're joined by Delaware Senator TED KAUFMAN, a critic of the current version of finance reform legislation, Politico reporter EAMON JAVERS and McClatchy investigative reporter GREG GORDON who was nominated for a Pulitzer prize for his stories about Goldman Sachs' mortgage business.

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer JENNIFER HIGDON April 21
Hour 2 Philadelphia-based composer JENNIFER HIGDON has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize in music for her "Violin Concerto" that premiered on February 6, 2009, in Indianapolis, IN, written for two-time Grammy winner violinist Hilary Hahn. The Pulitzer website describes the pieces as "a deeply engaging piece that combines flowing lyricism with dazzling virtuosity." It's a great year for Hidgon as she also received a 2010 Grammy for best classical contemporary composition for her "Percussion Concerto." Jennifer returns to "Radio Times" to talk about her compositions and we'll listen to excerpts of these award-winning pieces.

The Future of Space Exploration April 20
Hour 1 Last week President Obama visited the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to present his plan for NASA's future. His proposal shifts the focus away from the moon and into deep space. NASA's Constellation program was heading for the moon in 2020, but now Obama has proposed landing on an asteroid and Mars instead. The President's plan also gives commercial space companies the job of shuttling U.S. astronauts to and from the International Space Station. The new policy has received mixed reviews from the space community. While some are excited about the new direction, others have criticized its lack of detail or a concrete goal. This hour, we'll discuss Obama's new space policy and the future of human space flight with Franklin Institute Chief Astronomer Derrick Pitts, Lunar and Planetary Institute scientist David Kring and CBS News Space William Harwood.

Chinese American writer Anchee Min on her new novel based on the life of Pearl S. Buck April 20
Hour 2 Writer Anchee Min was born in Shanghai and was raised in China on the teachings of Chairman Mao. She fled to the U.S. in 1983 and since then has written several books set during the Cultural Revolution and its aftermath -- a memoir and five novels. Her new book, "Pearl of China," is based on the life of Pearl S. Buck, who Min was forced to denounce when she was a schoolgirl in China.

Entrepreneurship and Job Creation April 19
Hour 1 In March, employers added 162,000 jobs and the unemployment rate remained steady at 9.7%. This was seen as a hopeful sign of the economic recovery. But over eight million jobs have been lost since the start of the recession. So how do we get them back? This hour, we’ll talk about job creation with economist Robert Litan who believes encouraging entrepreneurship may be the key. Litan is the vice president for research and policy at the Kauffman Foundation and a senior fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution.

Getting to Know Your Neighbors Through Sleepovers April 19
Hour 2 If you wanted to get to know your neighbors better, how would you go about it? What about inviting yourself to stay overnight at their homes? Our guest PETER LOVENHEIM lived out this social experiment in his leafy Rochester, NY suburb by staying over night at many of his neighbor’s homes on his street. After seven years of sleepovers and interviews, he’s written a book of his experience, "In the Neighborhood: The Search for Community on an American Street, One Sleepover at a Time." We'll talk about how a traumatic incident on his street inspired him to understand his neighbors deeper in a world of digital social networking and insular suburban living.

Pennsylvania's upcoming elections for U.S. Senate & governor April 16
Hour 1 We’ll listen back to Marty's off-site interview recorded this Wednesday, April 14th at the Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church. The "Radio Times on the Road" panel featured MICHAEL HAGEN, Temple University Political Science Professor; G. TERRY MADONNA, Professor of Public Affairs at Franklin & Marshall College; and TOM FERRICK of Metropolis, a local news and information site. The guests discussed the upcoming Pennsylvania elections, including closely watched primary races for U.S. Senate and Pennsylvania governor.

Keyboard Conversations with JEFFREY SIEGEL April 16
Hour 2 There is concern in the music world that there is a decline in interest in classical music. Why should we care about classical piano music? What is the difference of sonata and an etude? Will a composer’s intention of a work help us understand it better? Our guest, pianist and music educator, JEFFREY SIEGEL, will sit down at our Radio Times Studio 2 piano and explain what is behind some of Frederik Chopin’s masterpieces. Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center is celebrating Chopin’s 200th birthday, and Siegel is returning with his “Keyboard Conversations” series Monday, April 19th.

Bioethicist Art Caplan on why it's time for the hard conversations about health care April 15
Hour 1 According to our guest, Penn bioethicist ART CAPLAN, despite the passage of historic health care legislation, the discussions about health care have only just begun. He joins guest host Tracey Matisak to share his thoughts on the bill and the challenges ahead.

Newspapers in crisis, the copy-editing edition April 15
Hour 2 Many of us are accustomed to getting our news from newspapers, and many of us are also familiar with the industry-wide crisis threatening their continued existence. But far fewer are aware of the behind-the-scenes work of copy editors, who toil in the dark (often a late shift) to fix the grammar, check the facts, and generally improve the stories filed by reporters and content editors. The copy desks of the nation’s newspapers are also suffering the industry slump, and today's "Radio Times" will look at what they do, and why news readers should care. Guest host TRACEY MATISAK will talk with DAVID SULLIVAN, assistant managing editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer and a board member of the American Copy Editors Society (ACES); TERESA SCHMEDDING, news editor of the Daily Herald in suburban Chicago and new president of ACES; and MERRILL PERLMAN, former director of the copy desks at "The New York Times."

Daily News Pulitzer Prize winners Barbara Laker and Wendy Ruderman April 14
Hour 1 "Daily News" reporters BARBARA LAKER and WENDY RUDERMAN were notified on Monday that they were awarded the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for their 2009 series Tainted Justice. According the the Pulitzer citation they received the award for "for their resourceful reporting that exposed a rogue police narcotics squad, resulting in an FBI probe and the review of hundreds of criminal cases tainted by the scandal." Laker and Ruderman join us in studio to talk about the series, its impact and the prize.

Ryan Conklin, from "The Real World" to real war in Iraq April 14
Hour 2 Many young veterans and members of the Individual Ready Reserve have gotten the dreaded call ordering them back to war. But RYAN A. CONKLIN of Gettysburg is the only one to have that moment filmed and broadcast to millions by MTV. When Ryan, then 23 years old, got that call in 2008, he was being filmed around-the-clock as a cast member on MTV's "The Real World: Brooklyn," their first cast member who had seen war. MTV followed Ryan's 2nd tour in Iraq for a critically praised special, "Return to Duty." Since returning home, Ryan has become active with the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and has written a new book, "An Angel From Hell: Real Life on the Front Lines." On today's "Radio Times," Marty will talk with Ryan about life under fire and before the cameras.

Marijuana law enforcement in the city of brotherly love April 13
Hour 1 Philadelphia is moving toward changing how minor marijuana possession offenses will be treated. Joining Marty to discuss the changes and what prompted them are Philadelphia District Attorney SETH WILLIAMS and CHRIS GOLDSTEIN of Philly NORML, an advocacy group opposing marijuana prohibition. Then, we'll talk to Carroll Dougherty of the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, about a recent poll they conducted that showed widespread support for the legal use of medical marijuana, as well as growing support for marijuana legalization.

In Cheap We Trust April 13
Hour 2 Americans are spending less due to the recent recession, but pinching a penny is a longtime virtue. Our guest, journalist and historian LAUREN WEBER grew up with a tightwad father – he didn’t like to use the family car’s brakes as the pads would later need to be replaced; and reused his tea bags up to ten or twelve times. Weber has taken her childhood experiences and has examined our country’s history of thrift and what was behind the aphorisms of famous Americans like Ben Franklin, and has written a book, "In Cheap We Trust: The Story of a Misunderstood American Virtue."

Holding clergy and church leaders legally accountable for child abuse April 12
Hour 1 As the worldwide call for accountability grows louder, we talk about what state and federal governments can do to protect children against sexual abuse by clergy. Our guest are law professor MARCI HAMILTON and SISTER MAUREEN PAUL TURLISH, an educator and victims advocate.

Charter school scandals in Philadelphia April 12
Hour 2 Philadelphia City Controller ALAN BUTKOVITZ released a scathing report on the Philadelphia School District's oversight of charter schools last week. Butkovitz’s office took a close look at 13 of the 67 charter schools in the district, and found major problems at each of them. The report also called for changes in the state Charter Schools law. On today's "Radio Times," Marty will talk to Butkovitz about his investigation. Then we'll hear from Dr. ARLENE ACKERMAN, superintendent of the Philadelphia School District. Then we'll hear from GUY CIARROCCHI, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Charter Schools.

New Jersey political roundup, plus, Steve Wynn's disappearing act April 9
Hour 1 To make up what he says is an $11 million dollar deficit, New Jersey’s new Republican Governor, Chris Christie, has proposed a state budget that would slash spending on social welfare programs and raise revenue from higher fees on mass transit and slashing the Earned Income Tax Credit. Christie says the austerity budget is necessary for New Jersey to dig itself out of financial hole that was far deeper than his Democratic predecessor, Jon Corzine, let on before he left office in January. But his critics say Christie is not asking New Jersey’s richest residents to shoulder their share of the state’s bill, as he’s not renewing a tax on those earning $400,000 or more. The budget is the biggest battle of a multi-front political war in New Jersey, and joining Marty on today's "Radio Times" to discuss the Garden State's politics are TOM MORAN, editorial page editor of the Newark Star-Ledger, and Montclair State political scientist BRIGID HARRISON.

Michael Lewis and his new book "The Big Short" April 9
Hour 2 Two years after the financial meltdown and one year after President Obama’s Wall Street bailout, details on how and why America’s banking system came so close to collapsing are still emerging. In "The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine," bestselling author and financial journalist Michael Lewis turns the tables and asks the question: Who got it right? Lewis traces the fights of the loners who bet against subprime mortgages and, in time, had their suspicions of Wall Street’s investment practices proved right. He joins us today to talk about the evolution of his latest book and the financial crisis.

The New Nuclear Policy April 8
Hour 1 President Obama and Russia’s President Medvedev are set to sign a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START treaty, in Prague on Thursday. Both sides have agreed to reduce their arsenals of long range nuclear weapons. Obama has said this treaty signals a "reset" to U.S. relations with Russia. Also this week, Obama released the government's Nuclear Posture Review which limits the conditions in which the U.S. will use nuclear weapons. And finally, next week world leaders will meet at the White House for a summit on nuclear security. This hour we'll discuss the new U.S. nuclear policy and what it means for U.S.-Russia relations. Also, how realistic is Obama’s goal of a non-nuclear world? Our guests are Rajan Menon, Professor of International Relations, and William Hartung, Director of the Arms and Security Initiative at the New America Foundation.

Helping your home dust off winter's effects April 8
Hour 2 Winter snow and ice and spring rain and floods can wreak havoc on your house – indoors and out. In this hour of "Radio Times," we’re going to talk about what we can do to help our houses recover from one of the snowiest winters and rainiest springs on record. We’re joined by two professionals – contractor/carpenter CAROLYN HENRY and builder TIM SCHWARTZ. They both teach courses on basic home repair at the Mt. Airy Learning Tree.

The Quarterback, the Pitcher and the Golfer April 7
Hour 1 It's a big week in sports with the Eagles trading Donovan McNabb, the Phillies starting their season with newly acquired ROY HALLADAY at the mound, and Tiger Woods returning to the Masters in the wake of a scandal that rocked his marriage, his brand and the world of golf. We’re talking football with RAY DIDINGER, baseball with TOM VERDUCCI and golf with MICHAEL BAMBERGER.

William Greider, on financial reform and more April 7
Hour 2 Political journalist WILLIAM GREIDER has been taking on the conventional wisdom in U.S. politics and economics for four decades. Now the national affairs correspondent for "The Nation," Greider has written several books, including "Come Home, America: The Rise and Fall (and Redeeming Promise) of Our Country," which is just out in paperback. It continues Greider’s well established tradition of challenging Beltway and Wall Street thinking that works against the interest of average Americans. Yesterday, Greider delivered the keynote speech at Villanova University’s symposium on "Economic Crisis and the Common Good: Local and Global Dimensions," and he's Marty’s guest on today's "Radio Times."

Opening Coasts to Offshore Drilling April 6
Hour 1 Last week President Obama announced plans to open areas along the Atlantic coast, the Gulf of Mexico and the north coast of Alaska to offshore drilling for oil and natural gas. The administration says this step is part of a comprehensive energy plan that will help reduce our dependence on foreign oil, create jobs, and raise revenue. Others think it is a political calculation aimed at winning Republican votes for Obama’s climate bill. This hour we discuss the politics behind the decision and look at the risks and possibilities of offshore drilling. Our guests are energy reporter for The Hill," Ben Geman and Boston University professor of geography and environment, Robert Kaufmann.

The Life of Poetry April 6
Hour 2 Has a poem reminded you you’re human? Who has the time to write these days? Why write poetry? We’ve invited three area poets to talk about their life, work, and poems they love. Our panel is former MacArthur fellow and Annan Professor of English at Princeton University, SUSAN STEWART; a faculty member of both Community College of Philadelphia and the Creative Writing Program at Rutgers, Camden, ELAINE TERRANOVA; and THOMAS DEVANEY, Senior Writing Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania and Visiting Assistant Professor in poetry at Haverford College.

The pending crisis for public pensions April 5
Hour 1 There's a crisis brewing over public pensions - those retirement funds promised to government employees like teachers, policemen, firemen and state workers. In most states, including Pennsylvania, there simply may not be enough money in the till to pay these retirees what they’ve been promised. According to a recent study published by the Pew Center on the States, some of it has to do with the recession and investment losses, but most of it is the fault of policy decisions that resulted in severe under-funding of pension plans. Harrisburg AP reporter MARK SCOLFORO and KIL HUH, author of the Pew Center report who will put it all into a national context.

How America will look like by 2050 April 5
Hour 2 America's future is bright, according to our guest writer and researcher JOEL KOTKIN. He says that from in the next fifty years, the U.S. will add another 100 million people to its population and with that growth will come a host of economic and social benefits. Kotkin's newest book is "The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050."

National political roundup: Sam Stein & Julian E. Zelizer April 2
Hour 1 Congress is in recess, but politics haven't paused. On this week's national political roundup, Marty chats with SAM STEIN, political reporter at the Huffington Post, and JULIAN E. ZELIZER, Professor of History and Public Affairs at Princeton University. We'll talk about how health care legislation is playing out on the airwaves and in the districts of campaigning Congresspeople; financial regulation's fortunes; President Obama's support for offshore drilling; a mini-scandal at the Republican National Committee; Tea Party politics and heated rhetoric; and international interactions with Russia, Iran and Afghanistan.

Philadelphia student leaders Dan Jones & Zakia Royster April 2
Hour 2 Philadelphia's student population has been much in the news lately, especially regarding adults' plans for their schooling and in recent surges of violence along South Street, the Gallery Mall and South Philadelphia High School. On today's "Radio Times," Marty will talk to two student activist-leaders involved with the Philadelphia Student Union, a youth-led organization working to build a youth movement to make changes in the Philadelphia school district. ZAKIA ROYSTER is a senior at Sayre High School and DAN JONES is a senior at Masterman High School, and both create content for the Student Union’s youth-produced radio show, "On Blast."

The Soda Tax April 1
Hour 1 Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has proposed a 2-cents-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, including soda, energy drinks, ice tea, and chocolate milk. Nutter says the so-called "soda tax" will raise revenue for the budget and combat the obesity epidemic. But while public health experts cheer, the beverage industry, union members, and store and restaurant owners are up in arms, arguing that this tax is bad for business. Philadelphia’s Deputy Mayor of Health Donald Schwarz comes in to discuss the proposed tax. And we'll talk with Councilwoman Maria Quinones Sanchez about her opposition to the tax.

Racehorse Retirement April 1
Hour 2 An organization on the grounds of Philadelphia Park is leading the nation in finding homes for ex-racing thoroughbreds. Race horses take a beating on the track and the average age of one of these animals is four years old, but their life expectancy is twenty to thirty years. What do they do with the rest of their lives? If the horse is a ‘sound’ horse, no lameness issues or injuries that prevent from jumping, many families adopt them and keep them as riding horses for their children or for companions. These thoroughbreds are high maintenance and require a lot of care – the horses that don’t make the cut are often sold to auctions and then on sent to Canada and Mexico to be slaughtered. The U.S. shut down horse slaughter houses as recent as 2007. We’ll speak to BARBARA LUNA, the program administrator for Turning for Home, which is the only non-profit organization on the grounds of a racetrack that helps to find homes for retired racehorses.