Dog Therapy Programs at Hospitals Declined During the Pandemic. Akron Children’s is Trying to Change That.

Oct. 4, 2023

HOST: Hospitals around the state offer therapy dog programs to emotionally support patients with serious conditions. Now a study suggests these dogs can provide clinically signficant benefits. The Ohio Newsroom’s Jeanette Beebe followed a therapy dog at Akron Children’s to see the impact first-hand.

U.N. Calls on Iran to Release Princeton Graduate Student

HOST: The U.N.’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has concluded that Iran had “no legal basis” for arresting and detaining Princeton graduate student Xiyue Wang. Jeanette Beebe reports that this is giving advocates new hope for Wang's release.

In Princeton Talk, Former Ambassador to Russia Urges ‘Strategic Patience’

HOST: Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul spoke at Princeton University yesterday. For WHYY, Jeanette Beebe reports he tried to put President Trump's Russian tweets into context.

New Jersey Requires Six-Month Refills of Birth Control

HOST: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has signed a bill that requires insurers to pay for a six-month supply of birth control. 

New Jersey Provides $5M to Help Pregnant Women Recover from Opioid Addiction

HOST: The New Jersey Department of Health is targeting five million dollars for substance abuse programs that serve pregnant women addicted to opioids.

Attorney: Delays at N.J. Board of Nursing Endanger Public, Leave Healthcare Workers Uncertain

HOST: On Thursday, the New Jersey Senate's oversight committee will hold a hearing on the state's Board of Nursing. Some lawmakers and advocates say it’s improperly funded and under-staffed to the point of "crisis."

Candlelight Vigil Honors Princeton Graduate Student Imprisoned in Iran

New Jersey Offers 'Care Cam' to Nursing Home Patients, Families

HOST: A hidden camera program designed to catch elder abuse in New Jersey is reaching new territory. The state Attorney General's "Safe Care Cam" program was launched last fall, and originally loaned cameras to families who've hired live-in caretakers. Now, the state says the cameras can be used in nursing homes.

Trenton Water Works Alerts Homeowners of High Lead Levels, Warns Against Drinking Water

HOST: This week, thousands of people across Mercer County, New Jersey found a lead level advisory in their mailbox. Trenton Water Works was required by law to warn its customers of a recent water test.

Christie: Doctors Key to Cutting Through Opioid Epidemic — Yet Some Share Blame

HOST: President Trump recently tapped New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to lead a new federal commission on combatting addiction, with a focus on the opioid crisis. Today, he spoke about these issues at the New Jersey Hospital Association's annual summit.

'Labeling Error' Leads South Jersey Distributor to Announce FDA Recall of Phenobarbital

HOST: The FDA has announced a nationwide recall for Phenobarbital, a drug prescribed to young children and pets to treat epilepsy. The company, Truxton Inc., is based in Bellmawr, S. Jersey.

HeroCare Connect Aims to Hasten the Healing for New Jersey Vets

HOST: Veterans and military service members in South Jersey have another option for getting healthcare when the VA system is too slow.

HOST: The charismatic leader of a social justice movement that’s gained national attention addressed a packed crowd in Trenton, New Jersey last night. At Shiloh Baptist Church, Reverend William Barber urged for his ‘Moral Mondays’ movement to spread to New Jersey.

Feb. 9 2017

HOST: It took nearly four years and tens of millions of dollars, but the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory celebrated a milestone in its research on fusion energy. WHYY's Jeanette Beebe reports Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz just toured the upgraded research facility.

Princeton Poet's Debut Novel Features Disappearing 'Translator Superhero' 

HOST: Today, poet and translator Idra Novey will celebrate the debut of her first novel, Ways to Disappear, at a book launch in New York City. Novey, who teaches in the Creative Writing Program at Princeton University, is building connections between poetry, fiction and translation.

A Sneak Peek of 'Mercy Street' Premieres on PBS

HOST: As the final season of Downton Abbey plays out on WHYY TV, PBS is rolling out another period drama, Mercy Street. It's set in a Civil War hospital in Alexandria, Virginia, and it premieres this weekend. WHYY's Jeanette Beebe reports the show's creator — a Princeton graduate — is a stickler for medical accuracy.

Study: Heroin Use is Spreading Hepatitis C More Widely

HOST: Rising heroin use has public health officials in New Jersey worried for a new reason. A recent study shows it’s leading to more Hepatitis C cases.

Kidney Transplants Get Creative with Craigslist

HOST:  Last week, doctors at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital canceled a kidney transplant surgery under unusual circumstances. The donor, Glenn Calderbank, was diagnosed with liver disease on the operating table. WHYY's Jeanette Beebe reports the case was also part of a growing trend: organ donations born online, not through traditional channels.

New Jersey Mall Workers Petition Stores to Opt Out of 'Black Friday'

HOST:  The holiday shopping season used to kick into high gear on Black Friday. To jumpstart sales, more and more stores are opening up shop on Thanksgiving Day. But as WHYY's Jeanette Beebe reports, not everyone is planning to pound on shopping mall doors.

Services Mark Transgender Remembrance Day

HOST: Today (Sunday) in Princeton, New Jersey, LGBT activists will hold a state-wide vigil of remembrance to honor transgender men and women killed in the past year.

Gloria Steinem Delivers Keynote Address on Feminism, Eating Disorders

HOST: In the 1960s, Gloria Steinem was on the front lines of the second-wave feminist movement. She delivered the keynote address at the Renfrew Foundation's 25th Anniversary Conference, and said many women struggle with eating disorders because they feel social pressure to be "perfect."

Philadelphia Chosen to Compete in White House "Healthy Communities Challenge"

Nov. 11 2015

HOST: Yesterday was the first open enrollment day for Healthcare.gov, the federal Health Insurance Marketplace. This year, the Obama administration is giving an extra incentive to boost enrollment for 20 cities nationwide — including Philadelphia.

Going to Bat to Treat, Identify Devastating White-Nose Syndrome

Oct. 30 2015

Out-of-State Same-Sex Couples Wait to Wed in NJ

Princeton University | JRN450: "Radio Reporting and Storytelling" with Steven Drummond (NPR) | Jan. 2014

HOST: In October, New Jersey became the 14th state to legalize same-sex marriage. After Republican Gov. Chris Christie announced he would drop his appeal, the LGBT community celebrated the day as a victory. It's been two months, and some couples are still waiting to say "I Do."

Review: "Enough Said"

Princeton University | JRN450: "Radio Reporting and Storytelling" with Steven Drummond (NPR) | Nov. 2013

HOST: In the new rom-com Enough Said, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the late James Gandolfini play Eva and Albert. It's a love story. But the boy and the girl are nearly 50, and divorced, and with daughters on the way to college.

Students Take Time Off and Mind the Gap Years

Princeton University | JRN450: "Radio Reporting and Storytelling" with Steven Drummond (NPR) | Oct. 2013

HOST: It's that time of year again: crunching leaves, hissing espresso, crisp textbooks, brisk air. In college towns around the country, the new school year is beginning. Princeton, NJ celebrates its own way: there's a freshman parade, social club sign ups, arts auditions, new course schedules. Students return to fanfare and, eventually, to routine. But some students don't take the typical path to graduation.