The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio

By Audacy

Host Matt Leon and KYW Newsradio reporters recap the biggest news in Philadelphia each week. Catch up on what you missed and dig deeper into the top stories.... more

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FAQs about The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio:

How many episodes does The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio have?

The podcast currently has 1,467 episodes available.

The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio episodes:

June 03, 2026 Lines of dialogue remain “open” in facilities plan aftermath | After School with Dr. Tony Watlington Sr.
The School District of Philadelphia may not want to budge on its facilities plan, but that doesn’t mean Dr. Tony Watlington Sr. isn’t willing to keep lines of communication open. From having frank conversations with students at schools set for closure to hearing concerns from City Council members, the superintendent understands there are pockets of people still upset with his vision. He addresses this topic with KYW Newsradio Education Reporter Mike DeNardo, as well as the district topping the charts of a recently-released study assessing post-pandemic academic performance in big American cities. They also discuss a bell-to-bell cell phone ban bill making its way through the Pennsylvania state legislature.
00:00 Would Watlington return to the negotiating table for district facilities master plan?
00:43 Reflections on recent visit to Lankenau High School, set to close as part of facilities plan
02:36 Reaction to district ranking no. 1 among big American cities in recent Harvard / Stanford study of post-pandemic academic performance
06:42 How would district implement a statewide bell-to-bell cell phone ban?
Have a question for Dr. Watlington? Email us at [email protected] and listen for a response on future episodes of "After School!” Catch the show on the air every Wednesday at 3:45 PM ET on KYW Newsradio 103.9 FM
...more
10min
May 30, 2026 Mayor Parker’s proposed Airbnb tax, Philadelphia school budget cuts, and local players in the World Cup | The Week in Philly
Mayor Parker has shifted her budget plan, lowering the proposed tax on hotels and instead adding a tax increase on short-term rentals like Airbnbs. The Philadelphia School Board approved a budget that includes $225 million in classroom cuts. Tuesday is New Jersey’s primary election - will progressive, grassroots Democrats beat out establishment candidates? Matt Leon recaps the week’s biggest headlines with KYW Newsradio’s reporters.
00:00 Intro
02:00 Changes to Mayor Parker’s hotel tax; city acknowledges a long overlooked war memorial
07:01 Key primary races in New Jersey
13:02 Philly School Board makes classroom budget cuts; SEPTA Board approves bus route overhaul
19:04 Murder conviction overturned 29 years later
24:10 Chester claims drop in crime
29:41 Local soccer players represent US in the World Cup
Listen to The Week in Philly every Saturday at 5am and 3pm, and Sunday at 3pm and 9pm.
...more
35min
May 27, 2026 “Fierce” urgency needed to address reading performance | After School with Dr. Tony Watlington Sr.
Have you seen the recent viral “Can you read?” TikTok that exploded for over 15 million views? The montage doesn’t reflect well on the reading aptitude of Philadelphia high school students, who are shown in the video struggling to read simple sentences and words on index cards. Dr. Tony Watlington Sr. told KYW Newsradio Education Reporter Mike DeNardo he hasn’t seen the clip, but the superintendent also didn’t back down from sharing impassioned thoughts about the message the video implies, and how the district intends to address its reading performance scores. The superintendent also discusses the impending vote on the district’s annual budget, as well as returns the district has received on a million-dollar AI contract.
00:00 Expectations and goals ahead of this week’s district budget vote
02:04 Assessment of $1.4 million contract with firm behind district’s AI website chatbot feature
03:53 Response to viral “Can you read?” TikTok video
Have a question for Dr. Watlington? Email us at [email protected] and listen for a response on future episodes of "After School!” Catch the show on the air every Wednesday at 3:45 PM ET on KYW Newsradio 103.9 FM.
...more
9min
May 23, 2026 Philly’s primary progressive win, screen time in school, and a historic church lost to a fire | The Week in Philly
In Tuesday’s primary election, all eyes were on District 3’s congressional race, where progressive candidate Chris Rabb won over candidates backed by major Philadelphia Democrats. We hear about that and the broader election results in the Commonwealth, plus a battle in Lower Merion over laptop use in classrooms, and a fire that burned down a Delaware church with ties to the Underground Railroad and the Civil Rights Movement.
00:00 Intro
02:00 Chris Rabb’s win demonstrates that Philly voters want change
07:30 Shapiro-backed Democrats win primaries in PA swing districts
14:56 Mother African Union Church destroyed by fire
19:55 Lower Merion parents protest “excessive” screen use in class
25:42 Shootings are at all-time low in Philadelphia
30:28 What’s doing on down the shore this summer
Listen to The Week in Philly every Saturday at 5am and 3pm, and Sunday at 3pm and 9pm.
...more
34min
May 20, 2026 Does the teachers union facilities proposal move the needle? | After School with Dr. Tony Watlington Sr.
It’s been more than a year since the School District of Philadelphia, under the direction of the Board of Education, launched Project RiSE, an initiative aimed at tracking the future of charter school performance and accountability in the city. In addition to giving an update on the program’s timeline, Superintendent Dr. Tony Watlington talks to KYW Newsradio Education Reporter Mike DeNardo about the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers’ recent release of its own facilities master plan, and whether he deems the union’s proposal worthy of moving the needle.
00:00 Update on Project RiSE's timeline
01:54 Response to teachers union-commissioned facilities report
Have a question for Dr. Watlington? Email us at [email protected] and listen for a response on future episodes of "After School!” Catch the show on the air every Wednesday at 3:45 PM ET on KYW Newsradio 103.9 FM.
...more
5min
May 16, 2026 An AI data center and self-driving cars, plus stories from the PGA Championship | The Week in Philly
Residents in Limerick, Montgomery County are not happy about the proposal to build an AI data center in their community. Primary election day is Tuesday, and there’s really only one race that everyone’s watching in Philadelphia: the race to fill Dwight Evans’ congressional seat in District 3. We also hear about driverless cars in Philly, the PGA Championship, and the 76ers firing their president, as Matt Leon catches up with KYW’s reporters about the biggest stories in the region this week.
00:00 Intro
02:01 Montco residents push back against proposed AI data center
07:02 Stanford, Rabb, or Street? Who will win the heated District 3 congressional election?
12:28 Questions about Waymo’s driverless cars, and about SEPTA’s budget
18:03 Sixers fire president Daryl Morey after second-round playoff defeat
25:05 Local stories on the green at PGA Championship
30:01 Odunde festival expands for 2026
Listen to The Week in Philly every Saturday at 5am and 3pm, and Sunday at 3pm
...more
35min
May 13, 2026 “I’d be…salty, too” | After School with Dr. Tony Watlington Sr.
The School District of Philadelphia won’t be closing any facilities until after the 2026-27 academic year, but with his plan now approved by the Board of Education, Dr. Tony Watlington Sr. realizes staff and students at lame-duck buildings could be in store for anxious, bittersweet emotions. The superintendent tells KYW Newsradio Education Reporter Mike DeNardo how his administration intends to support communities ahead of impending facility transitions, and expresses hope that a new attendance initiative between the district and faith-based programs can make an impact.
00:00 When can communities impacted by impending school closures expect transitional support?
01:23 Navigating potential academic and social consequences for students and staff affected by school closures
04:04 The benefits of implementing new partnerships with faith-based leaders
06:19 Renaming district headquarters in honor of former superintendent Dr. Constance E. Clayton
Have a question for Dr. Watlington? Email us at [email protected] and listen for a response on future episodes of "After School!” Catch the show on the air every Wednesday at 3:45 PM ET on KYW Newsradio 103.9 FM.
...more
10min
May 09, 2026 Colman Domingo’s KYW connection, city budget hearings finale, PGA preview
Colman Domingo’s star has seen a meteoric rise the past decade. But the West Philadelphia native and Academy Award-nominated actor hasn’t forgotten the importance of his formative years, including the time he spent at Temple University. Earlier this week, while in town to give the school’s commencement speech, Domingo caught up with some old friends from his college days. One of them was KYW Newsradio’s own John McDevitt, who shares memories about what the younger Domingo was like. Learn about this story and more, as Matt Leon checks in with KYW’s team of reporters to explain major developments from the past week that shaped the region.
00:00 Intro
02:08 Final budget hearing draws major crowd to City Council
07:08 From deepfakes to medical care, AI regulation takes center stage in state legislature
13:29 Anti-Defamation League releases annual antisemitism report; where PA, Philly rank
18:17 A history of PGA and other major golf tournaments in our region
23:17 With global events on horizon, city prepares for human trafficking vigilance
30:18 KYW’s Colman Domingo connection
Listen to The Week in Philly every Saturday at 5am and 3pm, and Sunday at 3pm.
...more
36min
May 02, 2026 Phillies shake up their management, school closure plan passes, and Market East gets a glow-up
Protesters caused a ruckus at this week’s Philadelphia School Board meeting, where the Board ultimately voted to pass the superintendent’s facilities plan that includes closing 17 schools. After a rough start to the season, the Phillies fired their manager, Rob Thomson. And Monday is the last day to register to vote for this year’s primary election - we hear about the biggest race on the ballot in Philly.
00:00 Intro
02:08 School facilities plan passes, despite protests
06:58 “Philly Rob” is out as Phillies manager
12:55 Investigation into Quakertown police use of force against student leaves residents dissatisfied
18:55 Philadelphia’s primary election centers on filling Dwight Evans’ seat in Congress
25:00 Extreme weather fluctuations have put local farmers’ livelihoods at risk
31:05 Pop-up shops bring new life to Market East corridor
Listen to The Week in Philly every Saturday at 5am and 3pm, and Sunday at 3pm.
...more
35min
April 25, 2026 School Board delays vote on closing schools, an email prompts an ICE investigation, and the Eagles get aggressive in draft
The Philadelphia School Board was scheduled to vote on a plan to close 17 schools in the district this Thursday, but after pressure from City Council, they delayed the vote by a week. We hear the latest on what’s in that plan, including one more school that was removed from the list. Plus, a Montgomery County man found himself the target of an ICE investigation after sending a 4-sentence email advocating for an Afghan immigrant, and the State Senate made a new push to keep trans girls out of female sports.
00:00 Intro
02:00 School closing vote delayed, one more school removed from list
07:05 A bold robbery and a crash into a police station in Northeast Philly
12:35 PA lawmakers take on the state budget and trans girls in sports
18:06 The 4-sentence email that launched an ICE investigation in Montgomery County
24:32 Eagles trade up to draft Makai Lemon
29:27 Brad Lidge’s journey from baseball to archaeology
Listen to The Week in Philly every Saturday at 5am and 3pm, and Sunday at 3pm

...more
34min

FAQs about The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio:

How many episodes does The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio have?

The podcast currently has 1,467 episodes available.

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