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SPEAK EASY
Editor:
Eric Walter
ewalter@whyy.org
Seth Williams is shown in his office. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, file)The Philadelphia district attorney has been criticized for its spending, yet Seth Williams himself has testified that his office was one of the most underfunded in the country. How much is actually budgeted to the office? And when so many programs in Philadelphia are experiencing cuts, how many millions of dollars are enough More »
By
Josh McNeil
May 24
City Controller Alan Butkovitz easily won the Democratic renomination over challengers Brett Mandel and Mark Zecca in a low-turnout election. (Matt Rourke/AP Photo, file)"Why should young people vote in local primary elections?" Public education, climate change, civil rights, the justice system, taxes, services. Primaries are where most of the actual decisions in this city get made. "Why didn't More »
By
Eric Walter, @ericaceous
May 23
(Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)The game of roads is often understood as a battle between motorist and bicyclist, but this is not the full story. Every day on my bike convinces me that the mercenary pedestrian is among the most dangerous players. More »
By
Nicole Foulke, for NewsWorks
May 23
104-year-old WW II vet, Bill Mohr, recalls days of serviceWilliam "Bill" Mohr, thought to be the second-oldest World War II veteran in the United States, celebrated his 104th birthday late last year, surrounded by friends, family, Pennsylvania Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick, and other More »
By
Tyler Fisher
May 22
Tyler Fisher  stands with a bunch of friends at their junior prom. (Image courtesy of Tyler Fisher)I have always had something of a love for suits, and I welcome any occasion to wear one. At my high school, opportunities to don a suit come rarely, if ever. So my penchant for wearing them led me to create a new tradition. More »
By
Jonathan Zimmerman
May 21
Is prom an American relic?In 1954, American Girl magazine published a book of beauty tips for young women. It included helpful suggestions about preparing for the ultimate American beauty contest: the high school prom. More »
By
Barbara Dundon, for NewsWorks
May 17
Therapy dog Stella brings smiles to kids at St. Christopher's HospitalStella is getting ready for her big day. As Joanne Dhody brushes Stella's teeth, a pink tongue searches for a random smear of beef-flavored toothpaste. Stella is Dhody's 13-year-old Jack Russell terrier, a registered therapy More »
By
Eric Walter, @ericaceous
May 15
Minn. Governor Mark Dayton signs the state's same-sex marriage bill into law in front of the Capitol in Saint Paul on Tuesday as bill authors Sen. Scott Dibble, second from left, with his partner Mark Leyva, and Rep. Karen Clark, second from right, and her partner Jacqueline Zitaduring, look on. (Craig Lassig/AP Images for Human Rights Campaign)On Tuesday, Minnesota became the 12th state in the union to legally recognize same-sex marriage — and the first Midwestern state to do so through legislative means. And I couldn't be more annoyed. More »
By
David Woo
May 15
David Woo, serial juror, says the graphic details of criminal trials can take their toll on the mental well-being of jurors. (Image courtesy of David Woo.)Several years ago at a murder trial, my first time in the jury box, I held in my hand the piece of lead that took the life of a man. Every time I remember my physical revulsion in that moment, I hold back a shudder. I remember More »
By
Kate Oxx
May 14
Running for Boston was nice, but who's running for Philly?What a scene the Broad Street Run was this year. Tens of thousands of people were wearing red socks or Boston Marathon shirts on Sunday, May 5, or holdings signs or carrying American flags. To be clear: I sympathize with the More »

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Featured Poll
Are you likely to interfere when you think you see child abuse?
Yes. Right then and there. - 12.9%
I'll call the cops or get help some other way. - 45.2%
No. I don't want to get involved. - 12.9%
Maybe. Won't know until it happens. - 29%

Total votes: 31
The voting for this poll has ended on: 23 May 2013 - 13:19
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ABOUT ERIC WALTER
Eric loves living in South Philly and is very happy to be working in public media again as a NewsWorks web producer. Before moving to Philadelphia, he spent some time on the “dark side” producing web content at MTV Networks in New York. Eric did some freelance work for WNYC, but prior to that he lived in Minneapolis and produced websites and email newsletters for many of Minnesota Public Radio’s programs. Highlights from that time include meetings with a barefoot Garrison Keillor in his office, biking around the beautiful lakes of Minneapolis, and eating plenty of cheese curds, corn dogs and pronto pups at the Minnesota State Fair every year. Eric is originally from Michigan and wears his Detroit Tigers cap with pride.
Top Stories
Rutgers University graduates its largest class (Photos)
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May 25 - NewsWorks Staff

NewsWorks would like to congratulate all of this year's Rutgers University graduates. You are the school's biggest graduation class ever. School officials say the class of 2013 included an estimated 14,302 graduates from the university's More »

After Sandy, a race against time to save an endangered shorebird
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May 25 - Jana Shea for NewsWorks

When Superstorm Sandy damaged the beaches in the Delaware River bay, it left horseshoe crabs without a place to nest. The loss of spawning grounds dramatically worsened the plight of an endangered shorebird which depends More »

Wilmington’s mayor calls for special council session over budget, council says no
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May 25 - John Mussoni

Wilmington Mayor Dennis Williams wants city council to meet Tuesday to deal with the budget impasse. Council says that’s not going to happen.  More »

Review: 'Spring Awakening' awake yet groggy
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May 24 - Howard Shapiro