CitizenCast

What does Pat Croce--Zen guru, Philly cheerleader, rabid pirate enthusiast and former Sixers owner--do when diagnosed with terminal cancer? Climb the world's most famous mountain in order to conquer his mind and spirit.

A Northern Liberties-based refillery and a city-wide door-to-door composting service are teaming up to bring Philly one step close to sustainability

On this episode of Guest Commentary, an advocate for people with disabilities sees Pennsylvanians losing their independence because of PA's gaunt reimbursement rates

This year we heralded city workers in fields ranging from sanitation to violence prevention. Hundreds of attendees left the night's celebration feeling inspired and empowered to uplift our beloved Philadelphia. Hear it for yourself. You can read up on all these award-winning public servants here.

Ali Velshi is taking over The 11th Hour on MS Now. After six years on Velshi, he gives a final word on the vitally important role of journalists bearing witness to the people.

For a decade, political leaders and media elites haven't known how to respond to Trumpism. Last week in a South Philly patriotic tent show revival, Bruce Springsteen provided a script.

Instead of taking the ordinary route, declare independence from the crowds and check out these six Revolutionary sites instead. For more information on these sites and events, visit this story on the web.

Milwaukee, WI Mayor Cavalier Johnson won reelection in 2024 with 80 percent of the vote. "Those are Vladimir Putin levels," joked Larry Platt. "The difference is, Putin's still looking for the other 20 percent!" said Michael Nutter. Asked why he decided to devote his life to public service, Johnson said, "I fell in love with helping people in my community. I mean, the key word in 'progressive' is progress. And mayors get stuff done. It's truly where the rubber meets the road in cities." From youth workforce development programs ("Ten-year-olds were being recruited to steal cars, here") to rejecting partisanship for the good of the city ("Bringing the RNC to Milwaukee in 2024 was a purely business decision") to his efforts to grow the population of Milwaukee to a million people, Johnson is out earning that 80 percent each day. "We have an awful lot of people who listen to this podcast that we hope will one day run for office," said Kasim Reed. "Right, I think it's important for the people to see their reflection in this office," said Johnson. "It's a powerful thing. It's all about service." As cities go, so goes the nation!

On this episode of Citizen WURDs with Dr. James Peterson, Kerry Woodward joins the show to chat with Peterson about the new law that mandates every PA student take personal financial courses in high school. 

On this episode of Guest Commentary, City Council has one chance to get rideshare taxation right, says an urbanist and strategist. His solution combines the ideas of Parker, Uber and economics 101.

Utilities are outpacing inflation. Governor Josh Shapiro has launched a new watchdog in PA to scrutinize the spiraling prices. Ali Velshi explains.

When two Bucks County teenagers leaped to their deaths from a quarry cliff in 1983, they left a quiet suburban community in shock. "That kind of thing doesn't happen here," people thought. Then it happened again. On a special episode, we talk with the author of the original 1984 Philadelphia magazine article Over the Edge. We talk about the details of this forty-year-old story, about mental health issues and how journalists can write about the topic responsibly.

On this episode of Integrity Icon, Faith Harris is the Director of Social Service and Operations at the City's Division of Criminal Justice. She advocates for young people to get the justice and care they need. Come celebrate her and her fellow Integrity Icon winners on June 3. RSVP here.

Missing firearms, a no-bid contract, stalled reforms: Why are Rochelle Bilal's fellow pols still standing by her?

Partisan tension, pandemic learning loss, cell phones everywhere, and the AI takeover of everything. On this special episode we dive into the modern challenges of teaching in Philadelphia in this award-nominated story by Ben Seal.

This bill in Hawaii (which embraces a strategy known as "Corporate Power Reset") is meant to sidestep Citizens United and the dark money it injected into our democracy. Other states are taking notice. Ali Velshi explains.

Is the now inevitable election of Democratic Socialist Chris Rabb to Congress part of a trend that should have us asking: Where have all the serious people gone?

An argument for why this chapter of our city's story might be our best since 1776

Nashville, TN Mayor Freddie O'Connell was compelled to run for office on a simple principle. For too long, transit and infrastructure had been neglected by city officials. "I don't know of a greater transit evangelist among the mayor fraternity than Mayor O'Connell," said Larry Platt on this week's episode of How To Really Run A City. "My mom remembers a Nashville that still had streetcar lines," O'Connell told our podcast hosts, former Mayors Kasim Reed of Atlanta and Michael Nutter of Philly. "And then we ripped that all out. If you look at our old streetcar maps, we had a good transit system." Join us for a discussion during this year's Infrastructure Week centered on a blue city in a red state pulling every lever to reestablish customer-focused government and proper  infrastructure investment. But Mayor O'Connell isn't all work and no play down there in Nashville. He also moonlights as DJ Stay (he chose this nom de vinyl because "I want you to stay" in Nashville). "Our man says he's on the ones and twos," laughed Nutter, who knows a few things himself about spinning records. "I didn't have this on the bingo card for today," Reed said with a grin.  As cities go, so goes the nation!

On this episode of Citizen of the Week, we highlight the work of Karen Sandone whose husband was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer's. This Doylestown woman chose to speak out and create a national community of support.

He's a 25-year-old councilmember, she's a 66-year-old (vocal) critic in this odd story of insults, conspiracies and illegal record disclosures.

Republicans may be winning the redistricting fight, but they may be overlooking a few important factors. Ali Velshi explains.

On Tuesday, voters can approve or reject two ballot measures in the primary election. We break them both down.

Staff writer Malcolm Burnley recently visited City Cast Philly to chat with host Trenae Nuri about his recent story Fix the Sidewalks! Listen in on the conversation and then check out City Cast Philly for yourself. 

On this episode of Ideas We Should Steal, Vienna and Maryland have invested in innovative, income diverse public housing to much acclaim. Could they work in Philly too?

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has changed dramatically since 2024, not just detaining and holding more people, but also making it harder for them to get help. Here, a Temple law professor lays out what you can do about it. Visit this story on the web for helpful links.

"This is the most urgent problem facing every one of us today, no matter where in the country we live." Ali Velshi explains.

Local debates around Gaza, school closings, and ICE all raise the same question: Does anyone care about actual governing, or has Philly fully entered the age of the political grandstand?

When Republican Stephen Goldsmith was Mayor of Indianapolis, IN, he ran his city by "devolving" decisions down to the grassroots level. He created partnerships with the movers and shakers of local areas – community-based organizations, small businesses, faith leaders — to decide together how best to spend money in their neighborhoods. "Government had neglected those neighborhoods," he told our podcast hosts, former Mayors Kasim Reed of Atlanta and Michael Nutter of Philly. "And no amount of expenditures would have been sufficient if we couldn't lift up the civic infrastructure of the neighborhoods themselves." This, said Goldsmith, who was a deputy mayor under Mike Bloomberg in New York and is now a professor of urban policy at Harvard University's Kennedy School, is the true power of mayors: the ability to convene and inspire a city to greatness. Despite the circus coming from Washington, D.C., Goldsmith told our hosts that he has great hope for cities. "This is the time to be mayor, because if you want to lead, you can really make a difference." Goldsmith also garnered some unexpected praise from our hosts. "I was struck by your book, Putting Faith in Neighborhoods: Making Cities Work through Grassroots Citizenship," Citizen Co-Founder Larry Platt told him. "I remember thinking it was a model for cities to follow." "This is exciting," Goldsmith replied, "You're one of five people who read that book. What sort of life do you live?" "We're working on it, Mayor Goldsmith," laughed Nutter and Reed. "We're trying to help him!" As cities go, so goes the nation!

There are only two options for generating more money to fund schools and city services, writes former City Councilmember Allan Domb. One way is clearly better than the other.

When the world is a lonely mess around you, sometimes you need to step out and build bridges. If you have a question for Kimberly, fill out this form and we'll do our best to feature it in an upcoming episode.

Spain's capital may be centuries older than Philadelphia, but the vibrant city offers a forward-thinking, growth mindset idea that our comparatively smaller (and younger) hometown should steal

In the wake of another scene of politically-motivated gun violence, the Trump administration points the finger unequivocally at the opposition party. Ali Velshi clarifies who is actually responsible for overt calls to violence.

On this episode of Big Rube's Philly, Reuben Harley takes deputy editor Lauren McCutcheon on a Gordon Parks-style journey through the streets of Philadelphia using his most iconic photographs of neighborhood life. To see the photographs behind the conversation, visit this story on the web. 

In the fourth installment of the Ultimate Job Interview, three candidates vying to represent the 3rd Congressional District (Center City, North and South Philly and a large area of West Philly) sit with 6abc's Matt O'Donnell and a panel of interviewers to answer some of the most pressing questions of the race as the May 19 primary draws closer. In order of appearance: (2:30) Dr. Ala Stanford (23:30) State Representative Chris Rabb (43:30) State Senator Sharif Street 

This Mother's Day, one West Philly woman wants to help the suffering of mothers and children through "grief weaving."

During this semiquincentennial season, Dr. James Peterson looks at the story of a woman enslaved at Stenton in 1776, which brings up more questions than answers. And that is as it should be.

Come November, the House and Senate may flip. Increasingly, the Supreme Court is being viewed as the last bastion of power. Ali Velshi explains.

Amid the ongoing conversation about free speech, democracy-loving Americans should be paying attention to — and exercising — their First Amendment right to … show up, together

When it feels like the world is without hope, how do we move forward each day? Kimberly McGlonn has some advice for you.  Do you have a question for Kimberly? Follow the link below to submit a question and we'll do our best to feature it in an upcoming episode. Fill out the form here

On this episode of Ideas We Should Steal, Denver just became the latest major city to launch a comprehensive plan for repairing and expanding its sidewalk networks. What is Philly waiting for?

Inspired by his own medical crisis, Al Dashiell is bringing registered nurses into his Center City barber shop to administer health care to his clients while they're in a familiar place. Chopped P.H.D. will hold its next screening this week, on Thursday, April 23rd, from noon until about 2 p.m. For more information, visit this story on the web.

Ronnie Polaneczky is a senior editor at Philadelphia magazine who recently wrote the article "Why Philly Needs an Ona Judge Day." She joins Dr. James Peterson on Evening WURDS, accompanied by Carl Singley who co-founded the Ona Judge Coalition, to talk about a major push to commemorate Judge with her own day.

... there's hope for other democracies that are backsliding into illiberalism. Ali Velshi explains.

In this episode of Philadelphia Promise, Christine Speer Lejeune, editor-in-chief of Philadelphia magazine, sits down with author, political thinker and all-around Renaissance man Richard Vague. In his new book, The Banker Who Made America, Vague shines a spotlight on Thomas Willing, a highly influential Philadelphian who leveraged the power of American banking to help the country win its independence. Join us for a fascinating conversation about a nearly forgotten but extremely important Founding Father. 

What if your primary care physician gave you a script for more time outdoors? Prescribe Outside, a program from CHOP, is doing just that. Writer Courtney DuChene visited just such a nature gathering with doctors, patients and a whole lot of kids.

On this episode of Gardening For Good, The Woodlands runs a volunteer-staffed program to restore flowers to cradle graves and build community in the process. For more information on volunteering, visit this story on the web.

On this episode, Dr. James Peterson argues that at the root of the shootings and violence and poverty cycles that plague our society sits literacy--quietly creating an architecture of inequality  

... starts with dehumanizing your enemies. Ali Velshi makes the case that Donald Trump's threats to destroy an entire country are much more than bluster.

In the final episode of this award-nominated essay, Tom McGrath asks what it would take to set Philly on the right path and protect the city from the whims of Washington D.C.

People aren't leaving cities. They're pulling into their own remote work spaces and eschewing the civic reasons they chose urban living in the first place.