Changing Communities
Why both sides of Philly’s supervised injection debate say it’s about life and death
A plan to create a supervised injection site in Philadelphia is faces fierce opposition from neighbors in Kensington, ground zero of the city's opioid epidemic.
Air Date: May 22, 2019
Listen 12:56Why the Philadelphia Free Library is putting community before books
Modernizing the Philadelphia Free Library system has meant more than offering computer labs and e-books.
Air Date: May 21, 2019
Listen 12:06Philly school closures found to make neighborhoods safer
Penn researchers found calls to police went down by “significant and substantive” margins after schools were shuttered.
6 years ago
Implosion of former Bethlehem Steel HQ highlights changing face of the Lehigh Valley
Bethlehem Steel built a skyscraper in the 1970s, just ahead of the industry's collapse. The tower sat mostly vacant for a decade, but the city found other ways to revitalize.
6 years ago
Listen 4:38A $1M pedestrian plaza is coming to Reading Terminal Market
Filbert Street outside Reading Terminal Market will become Philly’s first roadway designed to transform from vehicle pathway to pedestrian plaza, officials announced Thursday.
6 years ago
Why the Uber driver protest is the latest milestone in a gig economy reckoning
While Uber says drivers "are at the heart" of its service, the company admitted in a recent SEC filing that it only expects driver dissatisfaction to increase.
Air Date: May 14, 2019
Listen 12:49Changing city: How should Philly view its historical buildings?
As Philly grows, historical preservationists worry that the city is sacrificing its built heritage for the sake of development.
Air Date: May 9, 2019 10:00 am
Listen 49:47Old fish, new fish: Tracing the history of Fishtown’s most ubiquitous sign
The popular fish address sign is a potent symbol with different meanings for different people in the fast-changing Philadelphia neighborhood.
6 years ago
Why students really called for prof Camille Paglia’s firing — and why UArts won’t do that
Recent student protests of professor Camille Paglia at University of the Arts reflect the larger debate about free speech on campus.
Air Date: May 7, 2019
Listen 12:26Critiquing Kenney: Mayfair residents see neighborhood changes, with City Hall in the backseat
As the Mayfair section of Philadelphia becomes more diverse, residents are united in their hopes for a way of relieving the traffic congestion.
6 years ago
Listen 4:26Critiquing Kenney: For North Philly residents, everyday problems overshadow politics
The name Jim Kenney didn’t inspire much emotion around Fairhill and Strawberry Mansion. People are focused on worries that never seem to change no matter who's in City Hall.
6 years ago
Listen 9:19Critiquing Kenney: Could the mayor’s signature soda tax sink his re-election bid?
Philadelphia’s soda tax — which raises money to fund pre-K, community schools, improving parks, and other initiatives — has many critics and some defenders
6 years ago
278 apartments will rise on site of partially demolished Gothic-style West Philly church
The building will include a green roof and 54 underground parking spaces, as well as four electric vehicle charging stations.
6 years ago
Why Philly’s Chinatown and Callowhill neighborhoods are fighting over land
Philly's changing demographics, and what some residents see as a renewed threat to Chinatown’s cultural identity, are at the center of this debate.
Air Date: April 29, 2019
Listen 14:00How a formerly homeless man’s letter turned into a meme and inspired a giant picnic
Philly’s furnace party, explained.
6 years ago