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Radio PA Roundtable – June 14, 2013

On this week’s Radio PA Roundtable, the state House of Representatives passed its version of the state budget. You’ll hear segments of the final debate; also, a major twist this week in the Philadelphia building collapse story. Governor Tom Corbett stops by and we bring a very special surprise celebrity guest in segment 3.

Radio PA Roundtable is a 30-minute program featuring in-depth reporting, commentary and analysis on the top news stories of the week.

Click the audio player below to hear the full broadcast:

Radio PA Roundtable – June 7, 2013

On this week’s Radio PA Roundtable, the investigation into a deadly building collapse in Philadelphia may focus on the city’s licensing and inspections process. The Mayor and a city commissioner faced heated questions the day after the collapse this week. Also, tempers flared at a hearing on liquor privatization as the Lieutenant Governor and a state senator squared off and U-S Senator Pat Toomey takes a 10-year old girl’s fight for life to the Senate floor.

Radio PA Roundtable is a 30-minute program featuring in-depth reporting, commentary and analysis on the top news stories of the week.

Click the audio player below to hear the full broadcast:

[audio src=”https://s3.amazonaws.com/witfaudio/radiopa/Roundtable06-07-13.mp3″]

Licensing & Inspections at Center of Philadelphia Building Collapse Probe?

A day after the collapse of a building claimed 6 lives in Philadelphia, more questions are being asked about the city’s processes for granting permits and inspecting demolition sites.

City Licensing and Inspections Commissioner Carlton Williams was on the hot seat during a Thursday press conference at the scene. When asked if the backgrounds of contractors were checked out before granting permits, Williams said “On specific jobs yes, in terms of electrical contractor or plumbing contractor, but not specifically to a demolition, no.”

That has many questioning the existing policies the city follows to allow for building and demolition jobs. Mayor Michael Nutter deflected such questions Thursday, saying it’s part of the official investigation, but he says Philadelphians should not be worried about other demolition of construction sites in the city.

Six people are confirmed dead in Wednesday’s collapse. Nutter said today that search and rescue efforts continued through the night and into today despite rumors that they had been temporarily suspended. One woman was pulled alive from the rubble overnight, more than 12 hours after the collapse at 2136 Market Street, which took out a Salvation Army Thrift Store next door.

About 75% of the thrift store rubble has been searched as of midday Thursday.

 

Mayor Michael Nutter Promises Full Investigation

In the wake of a building collapse that left at least six people dead and more than a dozen injured in Philadelphia, Mayor Michael Nutter is promising a full investigation into the tragic incident.

The 4-story building, which was in the demolition process, took out a Salvation Army Thrift store next door. Search and rescue teams pulled one woman out of the rubble overnight after she had been trapped for more than 12 hours.

Mayor Nutter says city, state and federal officials will be part of the official investigation, but his focus on Wednesday was on the horrific human toll and sorting through the debris in the hunt for survivors.