City Cast Philly

Philly has some amazing restaurants. From great crispy tacos, to cheesy pizza, and even that Szechuan restaurant where a robot serves you. Another thing Philly’s got is a lot of BYOBs. Host Trenae Nuri chats with Arindam Basu, molecular scientist and educator at Wine & Spirit Education Trust, about the city’s best places to eat, drink, and bring-your-own-beverage.  Want some more Philly news? Then...

For a decade, Theatre in the X has provided opportunities to theater professionals of color. Their mission is to make high-quality theatrical arts accessible to Philadelphians. Now, they’re teaming up with Painted Bride, a long-running performance space, for their 10-year anniversary. Host Trenae Nuri chats with our City Cast Philly arts and culture contributor, Charles Tyson, Jr., about the creat...

It’s the Friday news roundup! In today’s episode, host Trenae Nuri is joined by Jay Arzu, Ph. D. student studying City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia Inquirer reporter, Jake Blumgart, to discuss public transportation and safety.  Our Friday news roundups are powered by great local journalism:  SEPTA to deploy more police officers on trains in response to...

Democrats won three special elections this month, ending a two-month debate over which party would control the Pennsylvania House. Host Trenae Nuri talks with City Cast Philly political contributor Denise Clay-Murray about what Democrats could accomplish this session and what this could mean for Philly. Want some more Philly news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’re also on...

If you’re down at Cherry Street Pier, you’ll see work by local painters, illustrators, and other artists. You’ll also see one-of-a-kind Black figurines made by a local sculptor. Host Trenae Nuri chats with published multimedia artist Acori Honzo about how his figurines spark cross-generational conversations and focus on representation. To follow Honzo’s work, you can check out his Instagram.  Want...

Philly is known as “The City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.” So it seems only right that we hold the actually LOVE statue. It’s iconic. Host Trenae Nuri and Marguerite Anglin, public art director for the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, talk about how Philly got the LOVE statue and why it became so recognizable. Want some more Philly news? Then m...

A Commonwealth Court judge recently ruled that the way Pennsylvania funds school districts is unconstitutional. The School District of Philadelphia was not a plaintiff in this case, but a few of their officials testified. City Cast Philly’s Trenae Nuri and City Cast Pittsburgh’s Mallory Falk are joined by senior reporter for Chalkbeat Philadelphia, Dale Mezzacappa, to talk about how Philly schools...

It’s the Friday news roundup! In today’s episode, host Trenae Nuri is joined by our sports contributor John Barchard and Philadelphia Tribune sports writer O.J. Spivey to discuss the Philadelphia Eagles 2022-2023 season, the historical significance of Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes becoming the first Black starting quarterbacks at the Super Bowl and the differences and similarities to the 2017-20...

It’s getting closer to game day! But where are you going to be watching the game? Host Trenae Nuri chats with Cass Foley about the best sports bars in town to cheer on the birds and where to get great wings.  Want some more Philly news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Follow us @citycastphilly. Have a question or just want to share some th...

Philly’s sports fans weren’t the first to climb greased poles in our city. They’ve just gotten the most hate for it. Host Trenae Nuri talks with Isa Segalovich, educator, art historian, and TikToker about the historical roots of climbing poles in Philly.  Check out Segalovich’s original social media post about this tradition. You can also follow her for more art history content on TikTok. To read...

When you gotta go, you gotta go! But in Philly, sometimes finding a public bathroom isn’t easy. So where do you go when nature calls? The question has led city officials to the Portland Loo — a single stall, outdoor toilet that’s a little fancier than your typical porta-pottie. But is the Portland Loo really the answer to Philly’s public bathroom woes? City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri talks with...

What do the Grays Ferry, Fairmount, and Tioga neighborhoods have in common? Taney Street. But that name triggers a racist history. Neighbors have voted to rename the street after Caroline LeCount, who’s considered “Philly’s Rosa Parks” and fought to integrate the city’s streetcars in the 1860s. Host Trenae Nuri speaks with Samaya Brown, a member of the Rename Taney Coalition, about how community m...

It’s the Friday news roundup! In today’s episode, host Trenae Nuri is joined by Eliot Olaya, fellow at Al Día News, and freelance journalist Ben Seal to discuss the partnership between the Philadelphia International Airport and WhereWeFly, how students are learning about climate change in and out of the classroom, and events celebrating Black History Month in Philly. Our Friday news roundups are p...

Pennsylvania has two beloved groundhogs. But one draws spectators from around the world for, let’s face it, his bizarre lore. It’s February 2, which means a groundhog will predict if spring will come early based on if he sees his own shadow or not. In honor of Groundhog Day, host Trenae Nuri is chatting with City Cast Pittsburgh host, Morgan Moody, about the man of the hour, Punxsutawney Phil, and...

It seems like everyone wants to be Philly’s mayor! Except Mayor Kenney, of course. Today, producer Abby Fritz talks with political contributor Denise Clay-Murray about the crowded field of candidates, when the race will narrow down, and why anyone would want to be the mayor of Philly.  For more of Denise’s work, follow her on Twitter @denisethewriter. Want some more Philly news? Then make sure to...

Whether you’re driving from the Ben Franklin Bridge to 76 or Broad Street to Fairmount Park, traffic in Philly can be a nightmare. According to the InRix Global Traffic Scorecard of 2022, which tracks mobility data of the world’s most-congested areas, Philly ranked number 10 when it comes to highest traffic delay times by city. Host Trenae Nuri, producer Abby Fritz, and Hey Philly newsletter edito...

Violent crime is all over TV news. There’s a popular saying in journalism, “if it bleeds, it leads.” But it wasn’t always this way; in fact, the origins of this TV news format trace back to Philly. Host Trenae Nuri speaks with Layla Jones, the economic equity reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, about the history of this format, how it stereotyped BIPOC communities, and its lasting impact today...

It’s the Friday news roundup! In today’s episode, host Trenae Nuri is joined by Frank Kummer, who covers regional environmental issues for the Philadelphia Inquirer, to discuss why the Boys Scouts are under pressure to sell land in Pennsylvania, the debate surrounding the historic Cobbs Creek Golf Course, and why dead whales have been washing up on New Jersey shores. Our Friday news roundups are p...

Let’s hit the slopes. There are great mountains and indoor spots to ski and snowboard near the Philly area. Host Trenae Nuri and Alisha Wiles, trip lead for the Philly Freeriders, break down some of the best places to go no matter your skill level.  The Philly Free Riders’ next trip is to Jay Peak.  You can stay connected with the Philly Freeriders Meetup Group and on Facebook. Ski spots mentioned...

On Monday, the Philadelphia Housing Authority made 10,000 spots available on its Housing Choice Voucher waitlist. Formerly know as Section 8, this waitlist has been closed for the past 12 years, and a lottery will determine which Philadelphians can potentially receive affordable housing assistance. Trenae Nuri spoke with Rasheed Ajamu, lifelong Philadelphian and the curator of Phreedom Jawn, about...

Ever wondered what questions non-locals have about Philly? Which stereotypes are true and which ones need debunking? In today’s episode, City Cast CEO David Plotz asks host Trenae Nuri about jawn, “Abbott Elementary,” Philly cheesesteaks, who gets to say they’re from Philly, and much more. Want to dive deeper into the word “jawn”? Check out our episode with linguist Dr. Taylor Jones. We also did a...

Faith leaders in the city are getting training on how to have conversations about race and reparations. Host Trenae Nuri and Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart, director for Faith-Based and Interfaith Affairs for the City of Philadelphia and adjunct professor at Villanova University and Arcadia University, discuss how congregations talk about the intersections of faith and racial justice.  If you're...

It’s the Friday news roundup! In today’s episode, host Trenae Nuri is joined by senior reporter for Philadelphia Magazine Victor Fiorillo and city editor at the Philadelphia Tribune Sharyn Flanagan, to discuss a call for an independent investigation into the taser incident involving a Lower Merion police officer and a Black woman, sightings of disembodied pigeons around the city, and how a Philly...

Does sprucing up abandoned homes really help reduce gun violence? The answer is yes, according to a 3-year study done by University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University researchers. Dividing the 258 randomly-selected houses into three groups and providing varying levels of interventions to them, they found that the houses that received both maintenance and yardwork saw a 13% drop in gun assault...

Car tires, dirty mattresses and scattered contractor bags get tossed throughout Philly neighborhoods. The trash is piling up. Host Trenae Nuri talks with Bernard Brown, writer for GridPhilly and author of Exploring Philly Nature: A Guide For All Four Seasons, about why illegal dumping is still a major problem despite efforts to clean things up.  You can read Brown's original story for GridPhilly a...