City Cast Philly

It's the Friday news roundup. Catch up on the controversial 'no' vote that State Representative Chris Rabb, a 3rd Congressional District hopeful, got heat for this week. Also, Mayor Cherelle Parker signed six of seven bills that that will restrict immigration enforcement in Philly starting in July. Host Trenae Nuri and senior producer Abby Fritz talk through all of this, plus how Knicks fans are g...

Philly is giving its neighborhood parks some TLC this weekend with the start of Love Your Park Week. Running from May 9 through 17, this annual celebration brings volunteers together to clean up some of the 10,000 acres of parkland across the city. However, some people aren't giving our parks the flowers they deserve. So we're revisiting a conversation with the team, host Trenae Nuri, executive pr...

A heated Philadelphia School Board meeting ended in a 6-3 vote, which approved a $3 billion facilities plan that would close 17 schools and renovate 169 more. Not before city council members disrupted the meeting with chants and shouting, to protest the plan. Although this didn’t stop its initial passing, city leaders are pushing back. Councilmember Isaiah Thomas was present at the board meeting a...

It seems like a crack in the sidewalk or broken curb should be an easy fix. However, in Philly these issues get complicated because it isn't the city that’s responsible, it's property owners. That’s why our sidewalks look the way they do. Host Trenae Nuri talks with Malcom Burnley, a staff writer at the Philadelphia Citizen, who's looked to cities across the country for answers on how to fix our s...

Despite an extraordinary and emotional confrontation with City Council last week, the Philadelphia School Board voted 6-3 to approve a $3 billion facilities plan that would close 17 schools and renovate 169 more. Parents, teachers, and students still have many questions. So joining host Trenae Nuri to talk about the controversial facilities plan, and the justification behind it, is School Board Pr...

It’s the Friday news roundup. We’re talking about this week’s congressional debate – and which candidate was a no-show. Plus, the strange origin of some tables at Philly restaurants, and could Passyunk Avenue ever be totally car-free? Host Trenae and executive producer Matt Katz also dish for a bonus segment only for our City Cast Philly Neighbors about where to get tacos and free margaritas.  Our...

May kicks off festival season in the city. From music to food, we couldn’t be more excited to check out the festivals Philly is offering this month. We also recommend exploring the exhibit about monuments and Philly’s boxing legacy at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a restaurant serving falafel hoagies, and an ACME where you can win prizes for singing. For the Broad Street Run on May 3, our team a...

The school district is broke, and the mayor has a controversial plan to solve the problem. Meanwhile the Center City bike lane saga continues. And what’s going to happen with the anti-ICE bills on the mayor’s desk? Our political contributor Lauren Vidas is here with Trenae Nuri to give us a round-up of what’s going on in City Hall.  Our newsletter has Philly news & events in your inbox every weekd...

Nightlife seems to be getting earlier in Philly, and that’s given rise to a new trend – aperitivo hour. Think small plates, small bites, and low-ABV cocktails. Host Trenae Nuri talks with  City Cast Philly food contributor Alisha Miranda about how Philadelphians are maximizing aperitivo hour this spring – and where you should be going to have the ultimate aperitivo experience.   Our newsletter has...

A congressman representing about half of our city is retiring, so Philly is getting the rare chance to fill an open seat with a new congressional representative. In recent weeks the campaigning in Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District has gotten heated, and the issue that keeps coming up again and again is Gaza, Israel, and the use of the word “genocide.” Today on City Cast Philly, Anna Orso,...

Are DIY urban projects the key to improving the infrastructure in cities like Philly? The grassroots group To Nashville, With Love has built and installed 60 benches at bus stops around Nashville, all without government approval. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Nashville podcast host Marie Cecile Anderson about what this guerrilla campaign is doing, why it’s gotten pushback from the...

It’s the Friday news roundup! We’re talking about the big fight over funding the School District of Philadelphia, given the $300 million structural deficit and expected teacher cuts. We’ll break down Mayor Parker’s push for the $1 tax on ride-share. Also: Are rats returning to Mayfair? And in today’s show City Cast Philly Neighbors get an extra segment on everything you need to know about jumping...

Rocky Balboa never actually lived in Philly (since he is the fictional character portrayed by actor Sylvester Stallone). But if you take a look around the city, he definitely has a home here. Rocky is on posters, shirts, and mugs. He’s even quoted in a mayonnaise billboard along the highway. The pinnacle of the character’s influence can be seen in the long lines at the Philadelphia Museum of Art l...

In just about six months, voters go to the polls in our politically divided state to vote for either incumbent Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro or the state treasurer, Republican Stacy Garrity. Neither of them have opponents in the party primary elections, which are next month, so this face-off is in November – but the campaigning and fundraising are well underway. Stephen Caruso, capital reporter...

As Philadelphians feel the squeeze of rising costs, the Free Library of  Philadelphia is offering something that's always been free, and it's a lot more than books. In this sponsored bonus episode, Trenae talks with Kelly Richards, President and Director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, about how the library serves as the city's "people's university." From computers and job certification prep...

Philadelphians are spending their own time and resources to maintain vacant and neglected land in their neighborhoods. These vacant lots can become community gathering spaces, such as gardens and playgrounds, thanks to the stewardship of these neighbors. Then the owners of the lots can take them back when they want to build. Host Trenae Nuri speaks with Ryan Gittler-Muñiz, land security organizer...

Inside Pennsylvania’s largest women's state prison, those serving life or long-term sentences battle chronic illnesses like diabetes, arthritis, and cancer, from as young as 35 years old. By 50, their health has declined even further. "Dying On the Inside" is a new five-part podcast series that digs deep into what medical care, justice, and health disparities really look like for women behind bars...

Could public financing get Philly more involved in local elections? For the last decade, the City of Seattle has issued $100 in vouchers to every voter to donate to the candidate of their choice in municipal elections. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Seattle podcast host Jane C. Hu about how these Democracy Vouchers work, how many people are participating, and what the impact on loc...

It’s the Friday news roundup! Today, we bring you the latest in the battle between landlords and renters’ rights advocates over a package of bills that aim to protect tenants. We’ll break down the budget Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel has requested. And: could a beloved Philly sports tradition be under threat this summer? Plus, members get an extra segment with our hot takes on upcoming changes...

Mayor Cherelle Parker recently inked a deal with the genealogy research company Ancestry.com, allowing the website to add Philadelphia’s public records to its database. Now, the trove of documents stowed at City Hall and the City Archives will be scanned, digitized, and easily searchable online, but if you want to browse from your home, it'll come with a price. The deal has sparked questions over...

We’ve been following the progress of a bill that aims to limit how Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers can operate in Philadelphia. If passed, the bill would prohibit ICE from wearing masks and using unmarked vehicles, forbid them from using public spaces to stage operations, and limit how Philadelphia police can aid ICE. The bill has passed out of a committee meeting and will face a fina...

Philly is known as the mural capital of the world. But murals are just one form of public art – and our city is teeming with many more. Through his blog Streets Dept, lifelong Philadelphian Conrad Benner has made it his mission to help denizens notice the art all around them – from wheatpaste posters to stickers slapped on the back of PPA signs to graffiti art and more. Now, Conrad is re-launching...

Can you walk to the grocery store or commute to work on foot? For many Philadelphians, this isn't possible. But the city keeps receiving high ranks from publications for being pedestrian-friendly, and is often referred to as a walkable city. So host Trenae Nuri, senior producer Abby Fritz, and newsletter editor Siani Colón discuss what makes a city walkable –  and better yet, what could make our c...

Philadelphians, what do you do when your night life starts to dwindle? Nightlife is a huge economic driver for cities, but city offices are often closed when those businesses need help. That’s why Portland is considering hiring a Night Mayor. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Portland podcast host Claudia Meza about what this new position would do, and if it is the answer to the pande...

It’s the Friday news roundup! First, we have the latest on a deadly parking garage collapse in Grays Ferry. We’ll talk about the most recent developments in the fight over recognizing the history of enslaved people at the President’s House. And, how to prepare for new guest parking rules in Philadelphia. Plus, neighbors get a special bonus segment this week! Listen to our episode with Rev. Mark Ke...