The Why: Philly Explained

The Painted Bride, Philadelphia’s oldest alternative art space, wanted to pursue a more nomadic vision and sell its landmark building in Old City to a condo developer. WHYY’s arts and culture reporter Peter Crimmins explains why a judge recently blocked the sale, a surprising move that could change the direction of the Bride’s future.

The School District of Philadelphia boasts about its improved attendance numbers as a sign of success. But at Edison High School, students are swiping in, getting marked present, and then cutting class. Jessica Calefati, an investigative reporter at The Philadelphia Inquirer, explains why it’s a sign of deeper attendance problems throughout the district.

The census counts prisoners in the districts where they’re in incarcerated — not where they’re from. Researchers at Villanova figured out that if people in prison were counted where they lived, Philadelphia actually could have at least one more state representative. Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Jonathan Lai explains why “prison gerrymandering” has led to shifts in political power in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey is a rare Republican interested in some form of gun control – specifically a bipartisan effort to expand background checks. The Allentown Morning Call’s Laura Olson explains why Toomey keeps reaching across the aisle trying to pass this bill, and why things are looking bleaker for his efforts now.

There’s a big fight going on in Cherry Hill about short-term rentals like Airbnb, and it all centers around the former mansion of heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Ellie Rushing explains why renting out that home on Airbnb has led to angry neighbors — and put the South Jersey town in the middle of a bigger debate about how these rentals affect communities.

Over more than two years of construction, Sunoco’s Mariner East 2 pipeline — which carries natural gas liquids across Pennsylvania to an export terminal in Delaware County — has been plagued with delays and mishaps. The construction has destroyed some private water wells, opened sinkholes, and sparked a criminal investigation by Chester County’s District Attorney. StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Susan Phillips explains why now, the DA is threatening to sue Sunoco.

Fashion District Philadelphia, the shiny and new revamp of the old Gallery mall, has been open for a week now. Hosts Shai Ben-Yaacov and Annette John-Hall look at the many failed attempts to revitalize the Market East neighborhood, including a broken deal with Disney. Why has this promising section of downtown Philadelphia struggled, and why could it be different this time?

It’s been nine months since Philly banned smoking at city-funded inpatient addiction-treatment centers. WHYY health reporter Nina Feldman explains why it’s hard to get answers about whether it’s helping or hindering people in recovery amid the opioid crisis.

A Philadelphia man suffering from mental health and substance abuse issues was shot by police on Labor Day. Police said he was holding a box cutter. The incident is raising questions about how well the department is trained to deal with these kinds of interactions — and why cops wind up being called to handle these situations. Max Marin with WHYY’s Billy Penn explains.

Former Bordentown police chief Frank Nucera is standing trial for allegedly assaulting a black teenager while in custody. Nucera’s own officers recorded him using racist slurs, but is that enough to convict him of a hate crime? The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Melanie Burney and Grant Hill, producer of the podcast “Stay the F—- Out of Bordentown,” explain the unusual circumstances that led to the charges.