With the November 3 election less than two weeks away, this episode features a story about Philadelphians who choose not to to vote… and why. We also hear about what it takes to create classrooms that are conducive to learning for neurodivergent students, and how community members in three Philly neighborhoods are dealing with the impact of gentrification in three different ways.
Podcast
Posted inAround the Block, Episodes, Podcast
October 18, 2026 (Around the Block)
On this episode, we hear about a new book shop in South Philly, and we have a conversation about the impact of school closures with Fahmee Shabazz, a parent organizing against the closure of Overbrook Elementary School in West Philadelphia.
Around the Block is a community news program from the Block by Block team at WPPM-LP 106.5 FM. On this program we explore issues in the Philadelphia region with voices from the community – with reports from our team of community journalists and live in-studio interviews.
Winter Schneider and Anaiah Davis hosted this episode, and Dounya Ramadan was our board operator.
Brad Linder is Radio News Managing Editor for WPPM. Peta Liu is Radio Operations Manager. And Allison Durham is WPPM’s Radio Program Director.
Posted inBlock by Block, Episodes, Podcast
October 7, 2026 (Block by Block)
This episode features stories on city of Philadelphia lawsuit against gun maker Glock over deceptive marketing, the challenges facing mental health professionals, how some community members are helping fill the gaps left by a shortage of school librarians in the city, and how a local burlesque show provides a safe space for members of Philly’s queer community to express themselves.
Posted inAround the Block, Episodes, Podcast
September 20, 2026 (Around the Block)
This episode features stories from reporters Milan Parker and Alisha Miranda about how communities are stepping up to fill a gap left by the small number of Philadelphia schools staffed by professional librarians, and a look a the history of Philadelphia’s iconic Bellevue hotel. We also speak with Alexa Palma about the Save the Academy Movement that has arisen since Drexel University announced it would close the Academy of Natural Sciences, effective September 27th. Alex Palma is an archivist, lecturer and grants consultant in the Philadelphia area. He is president of the Museum Council of Greater Philadelphia and an ally of the Save The Academy coalition.
Posted inAround the Block, Episodes, Podcast
August 16, 2026 (Around the Block)
This episode features a story about efforts preserve the character of Philadelphia’s historic buildings and neighborhoods from unchecked development, and an interview with Philadelphia City Council Education Chair Isaiah Thomas and Children First Policy Director Symbol Lai about pre-school pushout and the impact of only some Philadelphia schools offering Algebra I classes to eight grade students.
Posted inAround the Block, Episodes, Podcast
July 19, 2026 (Around the Block)
This episode features a story about events that took place around the July 4th holiday to call attention to the ugly truths behind the some of the nation’s foundational stories, and a live in-studio interview with Chloe Harris, director of Starr Garden Playground and Rec Center, which is known for its LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC inclusive programming.
Posted inAround the Block, Episodes, Podcast
June 21, 2026 (Around the Block)
This episode features reports from our community journalists about a program bringing soccer to kids in Southwest Philly, an effort to keep AI data centers out of the region, and an interview with Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation Executive Vice President Kate McNamara about development at the Navy Yard in South Philly.
Posted inBlock by Block, Episodes, Podcast
June 10, 2026
This episode of Block by Block features stories from our community news reporters about a political activist’s return to the US after being detained by the Israeli military while participating in the largest flotilla attempting to break through Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, what it takes for students to succeed when learning English as a […]
Posted inBlock by Block, Episodes, Podcast
May 27, 2026
This episode of Block by Block features stories from our community news reporters about a group of Philadelphians working to bring back the spirit of the early web by hand-coding their own websites, the importance of diversity among archivists and research librarians, a new Yemeni-style coffee shop in West Philly, and a Northwest Philly non-profit […]
Posted inAround the Block, Episodes, Podcast
May 17, 2026 (Around the Block)
Around the Block is a community news program from the Block by Block team at WPPM-LP 106.5 FM. On this program we explore issues in the Philadelphia region with voices from the community – with reports from our team of community journalists and live in-studio interviews. This episode features reports from our community journalists about […]