City Cast Philly

City Council voted to permanently enact a 10:00 p.m. curfew for teens. If the mayor signs off on this, it would also require children 13 and under to be home by 9:30 p.m. Officials are citing public safety as the reason for the change. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri talks with Dr. Caterina Roman, a criminal justice professor at Temple University, about the effectiveness of curfews.  Want some m...

Words mean everything. They say so much, right? So do the colors chosen for political campaigns. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri chats with Conrad Benner of Streets Dept. blog and podcast about his interpretation of some of the city’s potential mayoral candidates and what we can learn about them through their campaign logos and websites. *Please note that after we recorded this conversation Rev....

Violence at gas stations in the city has risen sharply in recent years. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri talks with Mensah Dean, Philadelphia reporter at The Trace, about how gas stations fit into this larger gun violence crisis in the city.  Read Mensah’s full story for The Trace here.  If you’re looking for gun violence resources, check out Up The Block, powered by The Trace.  Want some more Ph...

It’s the Friday news roundup! This week, host Trenae Nuri is joined by Denise Clay-Murray, a freelance journalist and City Cast Philly’s political contributor, and Vanessa Maria Graber, the director of News Voices at Free Press and the Philly president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. The trio discuss the latest developments in the mayor’s race, a potential rail workers strike,...

The new five-part podcast series, “Stop and Frisk: Revisit or Resist” from WHYY and the Logan Center for Urban Investigative Reporting explores the history of the complicated policing practice that’s been deemed unconstitutional by federal courts, and why some city officials in Philadelphia want to bring it back. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri chats with podcast creators Sammy Caiola, WHYY’s gu...

Philadelphia is full of family-owned businesses that get passed down from generation to generation. For the Anastasio family, their seafood and produce business of the early 20th-century blossomed into something completely different. Now, the family runs Anthony’s Italian Coffee & Chocolate House at the historic Italian Market in South Philly. So, how have they kept evolving for four generations?...

Back in the 1960s and 70s, there once was a movement to bring UFO-like buildings to the city. They were large, pre-made pods known as Futuro. They were going to modernize American living, but these spaceship looking homes flopped. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri talks with Kevin Riordan of The Philadelphia Inquirer about the Futuro homes that survived in our region and why there’s a movement to...

The holiday shopping season is officially in full swing. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri talks with Yvonne Blake, owner of Hakim’s Bookstore, Philly’s oldest Black-owned bookstore about how her family kept the business going over the years and what books she’d recommend as gifts.  Want some more Philly news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’re also on Twitter and Instagra...

While some people may be rushing to the store looking for cranberry sauce or prepping those casseroles, others are ditching the cooking responsibilities all together this Thanksgiving. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri talks with our food contributor Jackie Freiberg about recommendations for restaurants where you can grab a Thanksgiving meal without having to cook. Plus, we’ll hear some cooking ti...

A bus carrying 48 migrants from Texas arrived outside of the 30th Street station on Monday. It’s the second bus in just six days that’s been sent to Philadelphia by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.  City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri speaks with Benjamin Gamarra, a resource organizer for Juntos, a community-led, Latinx immigrant organization in South Philadelphia about what it was like welcoming people and...

Libraries aren’t just about books. They’re a community gathering place. But these institutions are severely understaffed and underfunded in our city. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri talks with Adam Feldman, a library coordinator at Parkway Central Library and a chief steward and executive board liaison for District Council 47's Local 2187, about where all the librarians went and what needs to ha...

It’s been a jam-packed news week: Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner was officially impeached, the city will start hiring civilian public safety officers to handle things like traffic control, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. The City Cast Philly team is back behind the mics to break down those stories and give you some rec’s on where to volunteer next week for the holiday! ...

The Philadelphia School District is getting $5 million to clean up the drinking water at its 200+ schools. But it’s been a journey to get here. And advocates say there’s still a lot more to be done. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri talks with City Council member Helen Gym about what it took to upgrade the water filtering systems in the city’s public schools.  Want some more Philly news? Then make...

The use of the word “jawn” is getting out of hand. It’s on billboards, T-shirts, coffee mugs, even food! But the origins of the word are kind of murky. What is for sure though is that Philadelphians feel strongly about how “jawn” is used and who gets to say it. Recently, City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri sat down with Dr. Taylor Jones, a linguist who focuses on regional accents in African American...

According to a recent report from the Philadelphia Education Research Consortium, just 35% of Philadelphia’s public school students in 2018 and 2019 would have been able to graduate based on their test scores alone. But in 2018, the state enacted new graduation standards for the Class of 2023. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri talks with Aubri Juhasz, WHYY education reporter, about why more studen...

Back in 2019, The Trocadero Theater closed its doors. This historic theater and former concert venue has a really interesting past. Over the years, audiences could see Blackface minstrel shows, burlesque, Kung Fu movies and rock concerts. Now that there’s money to reopen it, City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri talks with Peter Schmitz, adjunct theater history Professor at Temple University and host...

It’s the Friday news roundup! A blue wave swept through Pennsylvania on Election Day. Democrats won both the races for governor and U.S. Senate and they even seem poised to take back control of the State House. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri and City Cast Pittsburgh host Morgan Moody speak with Spotlight PA’s Capitol Reporter Stephen Caruso about what the blue wave means for the future of polit...

In honor of the “Philadelphia chicken man” who ate 40 rotisserie chickens in 40 days, the team discusses the most overrated and underrated chicken spots in the city. Host Trenae Nuri, lead producer Xandra McMahon, producer Abby Fritz, and newsletter editor Brittany Valentine share their hottest and spiciest takes. Want some more Philly news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We...

The midterm election is over and the City Cast Philly team stayed up late watching results trickle in. Hear host Trenae Nuri, lead producer Xandra McMahon, and producer Abby Fritz chat about the races on election night.  Our election coverage was powered by great journalism from the Inquirer, Billy Penn, Politico, and WHYY. We’ll have more updates on the election results throughout the week. Sign...

Does the midterm election have you feeling nervous or stressed? Well, not to worry. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri gets tips on coping with election anxiety from Dr. Thea Gallagher, a clinical psychologist who specializes in exposure therapy and evidence based practices. Check out Thea’s podcast Mind in View where ever you get City Cast Philly! Be sure to sign up for our newsletter for the late...

The city is in a crisis. According to city data, as of Nov. 2, more than 2,000 Philadelphians have been, both nonfatal and fatal, victims of gun violence. So, what happens after a shooting? City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri speaks with Afea Tucker, Philadelphia engagement reporter for The Trace, about connecting Philadelphians to Up The Block, a gun violence resource hub.  Take Afea's survey about...

It’s the Friday news roundup! Election Day is around the corner, so City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri is breaking down some of the biggest statewide races with the help of City Cast Pittsburgh host Morgan Moody. Looking to move past the ridiculous campaign ads, cut through the misinformation, and get down to where the candidates actual stand on important issues? We’ve got you covered. As always, o...

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-potty. But is the Portland Loo really the answer to Philly’s public bathroom woes? City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri talks with A...

We’re in the final days before the 2022 midterm election. But before you go to the polls or mail in your vote, City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri and political contributor Denise Clay-Murray discuss some of the less publicized races and questions on your ballot this year.  Want some more Philly news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Follow u...

After 35 years, WHYY’s “Radio Times” is coming to an end. But before longtime radio host Marty Moss-Coane broadcasts the last show on Nov. 18, she sits down with one of her former producers, Trenae Nuri (yes that same Trenae Nuri!) to reflect on the show’s legacy. Want some more Philly news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Philly!  Head to our Twitter and Instagram to see...