City Cast Philly

Philadelphia is considered to be one of the most haunted cities in America. It makes sense, right? This city is old! And there’s a new book that chronicles some of Philly’s haunted past. It’s called “Haunted History of Philadelphia” by Josh Hitchens, an author and longtime tour guide with Ghost Tours of Philadelphia. For Halloween, Hitchens shares some ghost stories with City Cast Philly host Tren...

The first game of the World Series is TODAY. The Phillies will face off against the Astros in enemy territory, so City Cast Houston host Lisa Gray is crashing our Friday news roundup for a “friendly” conversation about baseball. Plus, the City Cast Philly team unpacks the latest in the Philadelphia mayoral race, and offers up some Philly-themed Halloween costume ideas.  Want some more Philly news?...

There’s really no competition: The biggest story in the city this week was the Phillies making it to the World Series. This hasn’t happened in 13 years, and the excitement on the streets has been palpable for days. But we wanted to know what it’s been like for the people working at the sports bars where fans have gathered, watching every pitch with bated breath, and where there will no doubt be pa...

Pennsylvania is expected to receive more than $1 billion from a major opioid settlement. More than 5,000 Pennsylvanians died from drug overdoses last year, with Philly accounting for 24 percent of those deaths. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri spoke with two people on the frontlines of opioid overdose crisis in the city—Nicole Bixler, from Operation In My Backyard, and Sarah Laurel, from Savage S...

We’ve been getting a lot of perspectives on the FDR Park Plan — a $250 million redesign project of the former golf course that would add a welcome center, new soccer fields, playgrounds, and more wetlands. Some people would like to see it remain an open green space, while others see a need for more athletic fields and recreation spots for the city’s youth. Today, City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri...

For folks in South Philly, the FDR Park Meadows is a respite from city life. People run along its pathways, walk their dogs, or enjoy the green space and wildlife. But in late August, construction began on a massive $250 million redesign project of this former golf course that would add a welcome center, new soccer fields, playgrounds, and more wetlands. But some residents have taken issue with th...

Philly sports fans are having a good week, with the Eagles celebrating a major win and the Phillies inching closer to the World Series. In other news, there’s a librarian shortage in city schools. Plus, free avocados! City Cast host Trenae Nuri chats with producers Xandra McMahon and Abby Fritz about the week’s biggest news.  Want some more Philly news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning ne...

It’s good to be a Philadelphia sports fan right now. The Eagles are undefeated, the Phillies are inching closer to the World Series, and the Flyers and the Union are racking up some wins, too. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri is joined by sports contributor and co-host of the Bell and the Birdmen podcast John Barchard to discuss the recent wins among the city’s sports teams and what it means to b...

Every October, the Philadelphia Film Society hosts the Philadelphia Film Festival. Now in its 31st year, the film festival brings together more than 25,000 people over their love of film. This year’s festival will showcase locally-produced and international movies, as well as cult classics like John Waters’ “Pink Flamingos.” City Cast host Trenae Nuri spoke with arts contributor Charles Tyson, Jr....

Many former prisons tap into spooky season by holding haunted houses and other types of Halloween fun. But is that ethical given that real horrors took place at these sites? City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri spoke with journalist Hope Corrigan about the ethics of prison tourism and how these institutions could be doing better. Read Hope’s reporting on this for the Marshall Project.  Want some more...

For years the University of Pennsylvania touted itself as being on the right side of history. That’s what Penn student, VanJessica Gladney, thought, too. But when Gladney walked past the bronze statue of George Whitefield, she soon learned that the university’s founding story had deep connections to slavery. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri unpacks this story with Zoe Greenberg, journalist for th...

There’s a reason Philadelphia is called the mural capital of the world — we have a lot of murals. And every October, the city celebrates its public art through events hosted by Mural Arts Philadelphia. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri and producer Abby Fritz attended a recent Mural Arts Month event in Kensington where a mural was unveiled on a van that will connect residents with art opportunitie...

Historically, voter turnout in Philadelphia is low when it comes to local elections. But this one coming up in November is a big one. Philadelphians will be picking a new governor, a new U.S. senator, and more. So how do you convince folks to show up to the polls? Host Trenae Nuri talks with City Cast Philly political contributor Denise Clay-Murray about some ways to motivate Philly voters.  You’r...

SEPTA is investing more than $500 million to make all stations on the Broad Street and Market-Frankford lines accessible within the next decade. But what does complete accessibility really look like? And what changes are coming to make trains more ADA-compliant? Host Trenae Nuri chats with Cassandra West of SEPTA and Charles Horton, the chair of the board of directors for Disability Pride PA.  If...

Everyone has a favorite spot to eat in the city and yeah sometimes the food looks so pretty you just have to snap a pic for the ‘gram before digging in. We all do it! But some people take those food pics to the next level. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri asks Philly food influencer Jackie Freiberg, creator of the Instagram account @bon_nappetit, where the most photogenic food is in Philly and ho...

Five teenaged football players were leaving a scrimmage Tuesday afternoon when at least two gunmen ambushed them outside of Roxborough High School. Fourteen-year-old Nicholas Elizalde of Havertown was killed. The other four teens suffered injuries and are expected to recover. But after-school activities are meant to keep kids safe. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri talks with Kendra Van de Water,...

Philly is often referred to as “the city of neighborhoods.” And it’s true — there are a lot of distinct neighborhoods with rich histories and tight-knit communities. These neighborhoods are also filled with stories, which is why City Cast Philly is going to take time to get to know some of them through the pod. First up is Chinatown, because that neighborhood has had to deal with a lot of change o...

“Abbott Elementary” has kept us laughing for 13 episodes over a fictitious Philadelphia public school. Now, with season two premiering this week, fans can’t wait to see what Janine and her teacher friends will get up to this school year. But the season premiere had the City Cast Philly team wondering: How does “Abbott’s” depiction of life in Philly’s public schools hold up to reality? Host Trenae...

Ever since Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner took office in 2018, his work has been under fire. That’s because his progressive policies were a game changer for criminal justice reform in the city. Over the summer, state Republicans have been making moves to impeach Krasner. And last week, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted to hold Krasner in contempt. City Cast Philly host...

It’s Eagles season again! With the home opener on Monday, we thought it would be a good time to talk football and food. Because you gotta have a solid game-day menu lined up, right? City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri chats with John Barchard, host of the Eagles podcast, Bell & The Birdmen about how the team looks this year, what’s decent to order inside the Linc, and why the real food competition i...

Earlier this month, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman announced a plan to pardon thousands of people with non-violent, cannabis convictions calling it the “Marijuana Pardon Project.” But those charges generally come compounded with a slew of other ones. So realistically, how many people are actually going to benefit from this program? In this episode, City Cast Philly host Tre...

Indie films, guided meditations in nature, and a cooking show opera set during the pandemic are some of the offerings at the 2022 Philadelphia Fringe Festival. This nearly-month long festival celebrates independent artists’ innovative and daring performances, and has been doing so for more than 25 years. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri sits down with artist and podcaster Charles Tyson, Jr. about...

Terrill Haigler, also known as Ya Fav Trashman, makes street cleaning look fun to his more than 31,000 Instagram followers. As a former sanitation worker, he’s worked to get those in the industry the proper protective equipment needed during the pandemic, and frequently organizes community cleanups around the city. But on Saturday, he announced his next big chapter: a run for City Council. City Ca...

For folks in South Philly, the FDR Park Meadows is a respite from city life. People run along its pathways, walk their dogs, or enjoy the green space and wildlife. But in late August, construction began on a massive $250 million redesign project of this former golf course that would add a welcome center, new soccer fields, playgrounds, and more wetlands. But some residents have taken issue with th...

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. City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri sits down with Dr. Taylor Jones, a linguist who focuses on regional accents in African American English,...