New Podcast: Election Data, Austin Powers & Sex: Philadelphia’s Two New City Commissioners Bring Reform

Last year, I followed Stephanie Singer, a ward leader at the time, while she campaigned for the Commissioner’s Office. She eventually went head-to-head with Marge Tartaglione, a then-78-year-young commissioner who was running for her 10th term.

Now, Singer, along with newly elected Republican Commissioner Al Schmidt, have been busy making lots of changes in the Commissioner’s Office, many of which you’ll probably be hearing over the next few months.

I reported, wrote and produced this podcast, which my colleague hosted:

LINK: http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/phillynow/2012/03/23/podcast-matt-petrillo-and-aaron-kase-check-in-with-the-city-commissioners-office/

My First Cover Story!

Check it out HERE

or a podcast-version I made:

Vacant School Buildings to be Sold

Just three months of school left before I strut down some auditorium I’ve been in maybe twice and accept my diploma!

Anywho, I continue to post all the work I do on my Facebook Page, but here’s a video I produced for class about the school district’s plan to sell its vacant school buildings– and the possible challenges of selling some of the deteriorating properties.

CLICK HERE for the full story. 

State officials protest the reinstatement of food stamp asset tests

I can tell my voiceovers are becoming increasingly more solid. I’m talking more confidently, a more comfortable pace and am having fun with words. For FSRN:

And here’s a story for NewsWorks.

Police Dismantly Occupy Philadelphia

For Free Speech Radio News, I filed this radio report:

The Real News Network

My first The Real News Network video:

New Facebook Page

I’ve created a Facebook Page to more easily post my work.

The page isn’t for ego-purposes–for the most part! Although this fancy Nieman Journalism Lab article says Facebook Pages are great for a “journalist’s personal brand.”

I’m mostly using it as an easier way to trek through a tireless storm of information overload.

Check it out here!

Marijuana, Bicycling & City Council

I have just one more year of school left until I graduate! Until then, I’m working for Philly Weekly this summer and have been super busy the past three weeks.

Here’s a video I’ve been working on for a week about the marijuana movement in Philly:

I write, take pictures and shoot video for its blog, as well, like here.

I also am freelancing for Voice of America. Here’s a story from last week about the increase of bicyclers in America.

Keystone Press Award

This past week, Temple University held its annual Journalism Awards, and I won an Excellence in Student Award in the audio slideshow and radio feature categories.

I also received the DeAnn White Scholarship, which is a huge honor!

Outside of Temple University, a cover photo shot that I took for Philly Weekly won first place in the Keystone Press Awards for best front page design in DivisionV. The Keystone Press Awards honor newspapers from across Pennsylvania for journalistic achiecement. The design of the paper was a team effort and makes me super proud to have worked for PW this past summer and so excited to start again after the semester ends in May!

Here’s the cover that won:

Jazz Fest!

For Newsworks,