The Why: Philly Explained

The wine scene in the Philadelphia area is booming, with boutique bottle shops popping up in the city and the suburbs. The industry’s expansion is thanks to a 2016 change in Pennsylvania’s strict liquor laws, which require that all alcohol be sold through the state. But wine purveyors are facing a major obstacle that they say could ruin their businesses: tariffs.

Guest: Maddy Sweitzer-Lamme, Philadelphia Magazine

When you look around Center City, much of what you see can be traced back to one man: David L. Cohen. But unless you’re a close observer of Philly politics or media companies, you may have never heard of him. Even as Cohen prepares to step down from his senior role at Comcast, he’ll still be a key local power player in this year’s presidential race.

Guest: Chris Brennan, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Philadelphia Judge Lyris Younge has been accused of violating parents’ due process rights in family court from not allowing people to defend themselves to berating attorneys to the point of tears. As she prepares to stand trial in an ethics probe this week, why examine why she has been allowed to stay on the bench — and what her case says about the state of Pennsylvania’s judiciary.

Guest: Legal Intelligencer reporter P.J. D’Annunzio

Hahnemann Hospital’s recent closure means it may no longer be able to pay for malpractice insurance for its doctors. That could create a public health crisis for some of Philadelphia’s most vulnerable patients long after the hospital shut its doors.

Guest: WHYY health reporter Nina Feldman

The news of Wawa’s massive data breach has a lot of customers freaked out. The malware that infected the payment processing servers at Philly’s favorite convenience store chain may have exposed millions of people’s credit and debit card information to hackers. How does this data breach reflect weaknesses in our ever-evolving payment system — and what can be done about it?

Guest: Christian Hetrick, The Philadelphia Inquirer

The Philadelphia Police Department used to routinely include mental health information in its missing persons reports — until one reporter started raising questions about privacy and public safety.

Guest: Victor Fiorillo, Philadelphia Magazine

Philadelphia is getting a younger and more liberal City Council this week as new members are sworn in. What does that bode for actually getting things done? It turns out, City Council has passed more than 12,000 bills over the last 20 years — most without objection. But as new faces take the oath of office, that could be changing.

Guest: Max Marin with WHYY’s Billy Penn

The “Green Book” was a travel guide that listed restaurants, hotels and other establishments, vetted as safe for African-Americans during segregation — including 45 spots in Philadelphia. Many that are still standing are hiding in plain sight — and their history is being further obscured today.

Guest: WHYY’s PlanPhilly editor Ariella Cohen

What do a full-time viking impersonator, a pioneering female sushi chef and a man who can’t stop decorating his car have in common?  They’re all from Philly, and they’ve all been featured in Stephanie Farr’s series We the People for The Philadelphia Inquirer. For the new year, meet some of Stephanie’s favorite Philadelphians and find out what she’s learned from them about what makes Philly so… Philly.

The Inquirer’s Lauren Schneiderman produces video content for We the People. 

Decades before she became a liberal firebrand, Elizabeth Warren was a registered Republican. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jonathan Tamari explains why her time at Rutgers and the University of Pennsylvania helped shift her political views and shaped the future presidential contender.