The Why: Philly Explained

Yo, Philadelphia’s trademark accent is more than just “jawn” and “youse guys.” We’ll take a look at what makes a Philly accent distinctive, the difference between the white and black Philly accent, and why linguist Betsey Sneller thinks millennials are killing it.

We return to our episode about the spotted lanternfly, with an update from Penn State entomologist Amy Korman on how the “great hitchhiker” has spread over the summer and the tools being used to combat it.

Trans and nonbinary Pennsylvanians got gender-neutral markers (“X” or “U” instead of “M” or F”) on their driver’s licenses long before PennDOT said they could. WHYY’s Alex Stern explains what shifting tides at the DMV have to do with trans rights, and why we ask drivers about their gender anyway.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross resigned last week after failing to address sexual harassment allegations filed by a female officer, with whom he allegedly had an affair. The incident illustrates a failure across police administration to address similar complaints for years. WHYY’s Nina Feldman and Ryan Briggs explain why this could be a sign of a systemic problem.

Earlier this year, New Jersey became the eighth state to allow doctors to prescribe lethal medication to terminally ill patients with less than six months to live. The law took effect this month, but there’s an on-going court challenge from a geriatrician in the state. WHYY reporter Nick Pugliese explains why some doctors are concerned about what this law could require them to do, and why more states around the country are passing aid in dying laws.

Last year in hopes of preventing a mass shooting, Tamaqua, Pennsylvania became the first school district in the state to allow staff to carry firearms. But now, as students begin the school year, implementing that idea has been put on hold. Keystone Crossroads contributor Jen Kinney explains why Tamaqua’s controversial plan rests on competing interpretations of state law and a heated school board election.

Ryan Briggs, investigative reporter for WHYY’s PlanPhilly, recently got pulled into a mystery a little less hard-hitting than usual: is Philadelphia’s iconic home called a “row house” or a “rowhouse”? He explains why the question of a single space is so contentious, so steeped in Philadelphia history, and so wrapped up in our city’s identity.

Three Mile Island, infamous for being the site of the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history 40 years ago, is shutting down in September. StateImpact Pennsylvania reporter Marie Cusick explains what the closure means for how Pennsylvania gets its energy — and why the nuclear waste it generated is staying put.

Philadelphia social worker Summer Mills is one of the 1.2 million Medicaid patients in Pennsylvania left with bare bones dental coverage after recent budget cuts. WHYY’s Dana Bate explains why Summer’s recent saga to deal with a sore tooth reveals major gaps in the system.

Hammonton, New Jersey is known as the “Blueberry Capital of the World,” but several farms there were recently cited for illegally housing migrant workers in sheds without proper septic systems — violations that could also affect the crops. Why were these farms allowed to operate this way for years? Philadelphia Inquirer investigative reporter Claudia Vargas explains.