The gang goes on a Graeme Park ghost hunt

Do ghosts exist? It’s a question that’s been asked over and over again throughout modern history. But as impossible as it is to pin down an answer, that doesn’t stop people like John Levy from trying. When he’s on the clock, John is a Philadelphia police officer. In his spare time, he’s a paranorma…

The best city for naked biking

A recent study named Philadelphia the best city in the U.S. for naked biking - and the city’s annual Naked Bike Ride makes a good case. With over 1,000 riders, it’s part of the World Naked Bike Ride, and the largest one on the east coast. But…why do people do this? There’s more to it than novelty -…

Saving Philadelphia’s Irish Center

The Commodore Barry Irish Center was established as a gathering place for Irish immigrants in 1958 - but by 2014, the center was both literally and figuratively starting to crumble. The waves of Irish immigration had slowed to a trickle…so why was it so important to some people to save the center? …

Should Philadelphia change its flag?

Philly Flags Part III: Philadelphia has an official flag. You knew that, right? Well, if you didn’t, you’re probably not alone. Contrary to the city’s DNA, the Philadelphia flag is somewhat subdued, lowkey. It doesn’t really stand out. But even if the flag tends to hide in plain sight, it’s been ar…

All the presidents' flag-makers

Philly Flags Part II: Did you know that everywhere the president or vice president of the United States goes, they take a little piece of Northeast Philadelphia with them? True fact! The Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support Flag Room, located at the Naval Support Activity base in Oxford Circle, i…

The Betsy Ross American flag mystery

Philly Flags Part I: Even if you’re not intimately familiar with the history of Betsy Ross, you probably know the highlights of the story, right? The South Jersey native, at the request of George Washington and other leaders of the Revolution, made the first American flag, right there in her home i…

A brothers' bond, through fatherhood

This episode is a follow-up to a story on The Jawncast titled 'Young, Black, Philly fathers, united' that was originally released June 16th, 2022. It has been republished, and should appear as the preceding episode in your feed.  Fatherhood can be challenging for anyone, especially members of at-r…

Young, Black, Philly fathers, united

This story was originally published June 17th, 2022. To hear an update, listen to The Jawncast episode released June 16th, 2023 titled, 'A brothers' bond, through fatherhood.' Philadelphia’s 19132 zip code sees a lot of violence. It’s also home to the Institute for the Development of African Americ…

“Time travel” fashion and making clothes good again

Kimberly McGlonn owns two clothing stores that stand out in a sea of fast fashion. Grant Blvd sells sustainable, ethical, locally-made clothes, and Blk Ivy is a thrift store based on the fashion of the Civil Rights Era. Sabrina Boyd-Surka visits the stores to learn more about Kimberly’s mission, wh…

Pickleball: not (just) your grandma’s sport

Pickleball has exploded in popularity over the last few years, but it’s actually been around since the 1960s. You might think of it as an old people’s game, but most of the players in Philadelphia now are actually in their 20s and 30s. What’s drawing this new crowd to play a sport with such a silly…