Joel Wolfram, WHYY

Joel Wolfram

WHYY

Philadelphia, PA, United States

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Recent:
  • Unknown
Past:
  • WHYY
  • NewsWorks

Past articles by Joel:

Autism and child care: How a lack of quality programs hurts families

Providers equipped to meet autistic kids’ needs are lacking, experts say. Some parents have no alternative but to cut back at work or quit their jobs. → Read More

Big bucks for child care: Families who don’t qualify for assistance say they need help

For parents, child care is the top expense after the rent or mortgage, a report said. The Philly median: $10,920/year for full-time day care for an infant. → Read More

Going to school in Kensington amid drug crisis: ‘We need to be beacons of hope’

Schools in Kensington strive to be safe havens from violence and drug use, while also helping kids deal with the emotional trauma they carry inside. → Read More

Viral South Philly utility pole to be reborn as green fuel

Becoming “furniture” or “toothpicks” isn’t in the cards. But the long-serving pole will liely get an afterlife of sorts, a PECO spokesperson said. → Read More

Penn ramps up addiction research that could help doctors tailor treatments

The PET Addiction Center of Excellence will use PET scans to peer inside the brain, allowing for the study of opioid receptors’ function in different individuals. → Read More

Inclusive playgrounds give kids with disabilities an equal chance to join the fun

The specially designed Jake’s Place Delran, which opened Tuesday, could be the first of many more to come with the passage of a New Jersey state law. → Read More

Redesigning an Old City green space for park use, not drug use

Community members see discarded syringes in the Old City walkway known as Commerce Street. With a $1.25 million redo, they hope to make it less secluded. → Read More

For non-swimmers, a chance to jump in the water and learn

A 2017 study found 66% of African-American kids couldn’t swim well enough to be safe in the deep end of a pool. We Can Swim dives in to change that. → Read More

Old 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. → Read More

Narcan scarce at pharmacies in N.J. cities hurting from opioid crisis, researchers find

Drugstores in cities like Camden were less likely to have it in stock than those in smaller, wealthier towns. Insurance coverage may be another barrier. → Read More

Beyond South Philly Acme, hepatitis A is on the rise

Philadelphia now sees more than 30 cases of hepatitis A a year, about five times more than just two years ago. The viral liver infection is also showing up in people who don’t have any of the known risk factors. → Read More

Safehouse vows to take more community input on supervised injection site plans

Directors of the nonprofit that wants to open a supervised injection site in Philly told outraged residents they wouldn’t move forward without further input. → Read More

State Sen. Williams makes supervised injection site issue in Philly mayor’s race

At a contentious forum, Democratic state Sen. Anthony Williams said he's against opening a place where people could use drugs under medical supervision. → Read More

Grant aims to create economic opportunity in opioid ravaged Kensington

Through $5 million from the JPMorgan Chase Foundation, a partnership will provide loans for residents to open small businesses, buy homes, and become real estate developers. → Read More

Report finds Kensington homeless encampments not just a symptom of opioid crisis

A survey included in the Penn study suggests that the Kensington encampments also reflected broader issues that lead to homelessness. → Read More

After mumps outbreak, Temple will require new students to be vaccinated

The university is preparing, in case there are more cases of the flulike illness as students return from spring break. Current policy doesn’t require them to be vaccinated. → Read More

Neighbors urge DEP to deny permits for Bucks County industrial-waste plant

A controversial proposal to build an industrial-wastewater treatment facility in Falls Township is close to regulatory approval after years of contention. Opponents packed a public hearing, where environmental regulators heard their concerns. → Read More

Philadelphia lawsuit threatens to shut down Kensington clubhouse for addiction recovery

The city says The Last Stop violates its zoning by allowing some people to live there, and that it lacks a permit for meetings. → Read More

Philadelphia police recruits get up-close tour of Kensington neighborhood

The Philadelphia Police Academy’s new class visited the epicenter of the city’s opioid crisis. Officers told them to be open to unconventional solutions. → Read More

In Kensington, police offer drug users help instead of criminal charges

A Philadelphia police-assisted diversion program has expanded to the epicenter of the opioid crisis. The goal is to provide services to some drug users — not to make arrests. → Read More