John Kopp

John Kopp is the Chief Health Reporter/Assistant Editor at PhillyVoice. He joined the newsroom after spending five years reporting for the Delaware County Daily Times. He spent the prior year covering state and local politics, including a $4 million Pennsylvania state Senate race. He previously covered Chester city government, the Chester Upland School District and high-school sports. A Temple University graduate, John enjoys long-distance running, watching baseball and exploring new places.

john@phillyvoice.com

August 4, 2016

Education

Drinking water at 40 Philly schools being retested for lead concentrations

by John Kopp

The School District of Philadelphia is retesting drinking water outlets for lead concentration levels at 40 schools across the city to ensure they meet federal and city guidelines.

August 3, 2016

Education

Audit: School District of Philadelphia owes $6.5 million to former employees

by John Kopp

The School District of Philadelphia owes $6.5 million in termination pay to former employees, according to a fiscal audit released Wednesday by City Controller Alan Butkovitz. But district officials say that should total should be cleared within the next year.

August 3, 2016

Criminal Justice

Five Philadelphia-area men given commutations by Obama

by John Kopp

Five Philadelphia-area men are among 214 individuals who had their sentences cut short Wednesday by President Barack Obama. That total marks the most commutations granted on a single day in more than a century.

August 2, 2016

Health

Millennials abstaining from sex at greater rates than Generation X

by John Kopp

Millennials born in the 1990s are twice as likely than Generation X to have no sexual partners in young adulthood, according to a study published Tuesday in Archives of Sexual Behavior. Some 15 percent of Millennials, aged 20 to 24, reported having no sexual partners since turning 18, a rate that more than doubled the 6 percent of Generation Xers born in the late 1960s.

August 2, 2016

Environment

What are those unsightly green splotches in the Schuylkill River?

by John Kopp

Heavy rainfall washed huge biomass patches of duckweed into the Schuylkill River, according to the Philadelphia Water Department. Such large amounts of duckweed are uncommon, but do not harm the river or negatively impact the water quality.

August 1, 2016

Religion

New Mormon temple pays homage to colonial Philadelphia

by John Kopp

The Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple is the first Mormon temple constructed in Pennsylvania and is expected to serve some 41,000 Mormons living in portions of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. It pays homage to Mormon founder Joseph Smith and colonial Philadelphia.

July 29, 2016

DNC2016

Hillary Clinton's 5,000-plus-word speech – in just one word

by John Kopp

We asked DNC attendees to describe Hillary Clinton's 5,000-plus word speech in one word

July 29, 2016

DNC2016

Clinton, Kaine launch bus tour with intimate rally at Temple University

by John Kopp

One night after delivering a historic acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, Hillary Clinton is set to appear at Temple University for a joint rally with her vice presidential nominee, Tim Kaine. Thousands of Clinton supporters will file into McGonigle Hall Friday morning to kick start a joint bus tour the campaign will take across Pennsylvania and Ohio, focusing on jobs.

July 28, 2016

DNC2016

Gov. Tom Wolf takes turn attacking Donald Trump at Democratic National Convention

by John Kopp

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf took his turn attacking Donald Trump Thursday evening at the Democratic National Convention, contrasting the values he gained as a York County businessman with those displayed by the Republican nominee.

July 28, 2016

DNC2016

Recap: Day Four at the Democratic National Convention

by John Kopp

Hillary Clinton delivered an acceptance speech Thursday at the Democratic National Convention that highlighted her vision for improving the economy and national security. She called on all Americans to come together to make the country freer, fairer and stronger.