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City Cast Philly

City Cast Philly staff

✏️ Find past crossword puzzles below:

This mini-crossword is filled with clues on Philly history and headlines. 

Can You Solve This Philly-Themed Crossword?

Play Our Philly Crossword Puzzle

What Philadelphians have been wondering. We break down why things in Philadelphia are the way they are and how they work.

Philly, Explained

Lizzie Goldsmith

Today is International Literacy Day! First, the good news: Philadelphia ranks 

 across the country in average learning rates, beating all 24 other big-city school systems it was evaluated against. However, just 33% of students in the city's school district are at or above grade level in reading, and over half of Philly adults under the age of 64 read at a fifth-grade level or below. While 3,000 people benefited from the city's adult education programs last year, 

. Here are some of the local organizations and programs working to promote literacy among children and adults.

State Sen. Vincent Hughes started Read to Succeed in 2012 as a resource for low-income families. R2S's focus was originally on children’s summer programming, but has since expanded to include additional offerings throughout the year, including a 

 (now enrolling for this school year), and parenting workshops.

In 2021, two long-time literacy programs merged to create Beyond Literacy, which serves 

 each year. BeLit offers hybrid and in-person classes, as well as a mobile learning lab, and 

 to step in as tutors, class aides, and more.

The Free Library's Culinary Literacy Center is taking English language instruction out of the classroom and into the kitchen! Designed for nonnative English speakers, Edible Alphabet gives adult students the opportunity to practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English while cooking a new recipe each week. You can sign up for an upcoming program 

To disrupt Philly’s low-literacy cycle, Achieve Now works with schoolchildren to provide high-quality tutoring and a research-based curriculum. And it’s working: Students experience a 70% average gain in foundational reading skills. In addition to its 

The foundational goal of Read by 4th is to ensure that every child in Philly can read at grade level by the time they enter fourth grade. This citywide coalition of family, community, and system leaders leads multiple initiatives, including 

. You can sign up for their monthly newsletter 

This nonprofit focuses on empowering teachers by providing instructional materials, professional coaching, advocacy, and other resources to help them help children achieve reading proficiency at or above grade level. Children’s Literacy Initiative started in Philly in 1988, and now partners with 250 schools in six states.

This AmeriCorps program employs full-time tutors for kindergarten through third-grade students. Using a research-based, teacher-endorsed curriculum, each tutor works with the same 20 students at the same school for the full academic year. Close to 1,000 children are supported by this program each year.

More than 95% of Philadelphia public schools lack a functioning library. The West Philadelphia Alliance for Children is changing that, however, by reopening and operating public school libraries and providing thousands of books. In addition to 

Learn more about the organizations in Philly that work to improve literacy among children and adults, and how you can get involved.

Literacy Organizations in Philly That You Should Know About

How To Help Promote Literacy in Philly

Are you ready for this week's news quiz? Test yourself on how well you've been paying attention to the news — and the newsletter — this week!

 I Know The Answer!

🌀 Looking for a previous Hey Philly quiz? Find it here:

Sept. 27, 2024: Cheesesteak Trivia Edition

If you like what you see, subscribe to the 

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How well do you know Philly's latest headlines and historical facts? Try your hand at this quiz to find out!

Philadelphia News Quiz & Trivia: September 04, 2026

Prove Your Weekly Philly Knowledge

Siani Colón

Walking around Independence National Historical Park, you may run into a man who looks like he just stepped out of the 18th century. Dressed in a dark jacket and white cravat, you’ll often find him greeting passersby or walking with his Bible. You likely just encountered 

, who founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Or at least, the man who’s portraying him.

Robert Branch, a first-person historical interpreter, has been playing Allen for about seven years. He previously depicted 

, a 19th-century educator and civil rights activist. He’s one of several costumed History Makers at 

 who bring the city’s history to life through interactive storytelling. Here’s a glimpse into that experience.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

“The first-person interpreter researches the historical figure and then brings that figure to life from their perspective.

“Historic Philadelphia has a principle that when you share history, it has to number one, be real. It has to be factual. But more importantly, it has to be relevant to today … I try not to deal with triviality.

“I do focus on more what it was like to be an African American in the time frame of the [American] Revolution and Constitution, basically covering the years from 1760 until about 1830 … and the reality was most African Americans were enslaved and, by one way or another, managed to get freedom. But the thing I'm trying to communicate is that freedom is just the first step. Now, you want equality. It's not enough to be free. You want to be recognized as an equal human being.”

Where can we find you, and how long does each session last?

“On an ongoing basis, Tuesday through Saturday, I’m in one of three places: I’m in the Visitor Center; I’m behind Independence Hall; or I’m at Carpenter’s Hall.

“Sometimes you'll speak to people, and they're very curious about you, and you give them a couple minutes, two minutes, five minutes … sometimes people really want to stay for 16, 20 minutes.”

What helps you stay in character to embody these figures?

“I’m interpreting history, but the basis of it is my personal experience.

“[My father] would always share with me the struggles that he had to demonstrate his equality ... even when I was in college, in so many situations, I had the challenge of demonstrating equality.

“When I look at the history of this country, this is an aspect that should be acknowledged. It's not just independence from England. It's a layer of people who were African or darkskinned that also struggled to get equality, just as the colonists wanted equality with England. African Americans wanted equality and independence from the colonists.”

Before you portrayed Richard Allen, you portrayed Octavius Catto. How did that come to be?

“I [was a storyteller] for about a year or so, and one of the stories that I told was Octavius Catto’s. Right around that time, coincidentally, the city of Philadelphia was preparing to erect a memorial to Octavius Catto on the southern side of City Hall.

“And the city, Mayor [Michael] Nutter, asked Historic Philadelphia, ‘Hey, we need a first-person interpreter.’ And since I have been telling the story … they approached me to do that.

Octavius Catto at Mayor Nutter's press conference

 when he announced that the city was giving $500,000 to the memorial that is now at City Hall. And so I did that for a number of years.

“However, as time goes on, I'm not getting any younger … so it became obvious that I couldn't continue to do Octavius's character because I was too old. And so that's when Historic Philadelphia approached me and said, ‘Hey, Bishop Richard Allen lived until he was about 71 years old.’ And that’s roughly my age now, so that was a better fit for me.”

 regarding what history is being told and how?

“How I navigate it is just simply to share the truth.

Share the facts. It doesn't do any good to make up things or embellish things and make all kinds of wild speculations. No, I simply share what the experience was.

“I haven't had people confront me and tell me to shut up …

Those are not the people that will stop and talk to me. Those are the people that will pretend they don't even see me.”

Who would you like to see join the lineup of History Makers?

, immediately. That's somebody, really, that is underrepresented in historic interpretation … You know Harriet Tubman and people like that, but this guy was considered to be the father of the Underground Railroad.”

Learn about Philly history through Historic Philadelphia’s

. To become a storyteller and first-person historical interpreter, keep an eye on 

. Ready to explore history? Here are some places to 

Walk around Independence Mall and learn colonial history from figures such as Bishop Richard Allen.

What It’s Like To Be One of Philly’s History Keepers

What Does It Take To Tell Philadelphia’s Story?

The biggest global sporting event is finally about to start, and Philadelphia is going to be a big part of it. The FIFA World Cup, which occurs every four years, will feature 48 teams competing in June and July. This year’s U.S. men’s national team has 

five players from Pennsylvania and New Jersey

, and Philadelphia is among 16 host cities across three countries. With the whole world watching Philadelphia, here’s how you can jump on the bandwagon.

 (which do not include the U.S.), and a Round of 16 match on Independence Day (which 

 include the U.S.). Tickets are still available through 

. You can also try your luck on third-party reseller sites like 

If you’re watching the games from home, English broadcasts of the matches will be on 

. You can also stream all matches on the FOX One app and 

. The Spanish broadcast will be split between 

 and Universo, with all matches streamed on 

If you have access to none of those or want to watch with others, watch parties will be taking over bars across the city. We’ll continue to share more as the Cup approaches, but here are a few on our radar:

 will air matches throughout the entire tournament, opening the bar an hour before kickoff and staying open until 2 a.m. If that isn’t enough, the 700 block of South Street will be closed for five days for outdoor viewing parties.

. The Chinatown bar lists watch parties by country if you’re looking for a particular country to root for.

 promises “nonstop action,” with the Irish pub airing the tournament throughout June and July.

 will be streaming some matches in its 200+ seat theater, with dates and times to come on its website and social media.

, the restaurant and mini-golf course will provide guests with a passport book to track which matches they watched. Updated menus and hours are to come.

While tailgating at the Linc (I’m sorry, I mean “Philadelphia Stadium”) is reserved only for fans with tournament tickets, the lots won’t be the only places to party. For 39 days, Fairmount Park’s Lemon Hill will be the 

Philly is the only host city operating the fan festival for the entire duration of the World Cup. Catch live broadcasts on game days, along with concerts, local vendors, and other family-friendly activities.

Entry is free but tickets are required. Fans can 

If you can’t wait until game day, get a taste of the World Cup excitement at a 

 on May 29. Help paint a new mural commemorating the big event.

 during the tournament and free rides back home from the stadium. 

 will offer direct service to the fan festival on its Downtown Loop. Passengers can get off at Stop 9, at Pennsylvania and Fairmount Avenues. The fare is free for SEPTA pass holders, seniors, and children under four years old. Other riders can pay $5 to ride all day.

🎧 Learn more about how Philly’s preparing for the big event, and whether the city’s actually ready for it, on 

Philadelphia is gearing up for the big sporting event this June. Here’s how you can be a part of it.

Your Guide to the 2026 World Cup in Philly

What To Know About the FIFA World Cup in Philly

Philadelphia is responsible for maintaining over 

 and highways, helping get commuters to their next destination by foot or vehicle. While many of these roadways are bordered by sidewalks, some streets lack them entirely, leaving pedestrians stranded or 

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission’s 

 tracks walkability in the Philadelphia area. Residents can plan trips by using its tools, such as 

 of the region’s sidewalks. The commission estimates 

230 miles of Philly streets have no sidewalks

The map uses a key to identify gaps in sidewalk coverage. Red indicates streets missing sidewalks on either side. Yellow indicates streets that are missing sidewalks on one side. Green indicates streets that have sidewalks on both sides.

Compared to surrounding counties, Philadelphia is fairly covered with sidewalks (their conditions, however, are another conversation). Most of Philly’s streets have sidewalks on both sides. 

Neighborhoods at the edges of the city appear to have fewer sidewalks, such as in Southwest, Northwest, and Northeast Philly. Streets lacking sidewalks are either located in industrial areas, adjacent to parkland, have expanded yard space, once had sidewalks that deteriorated over time, or were never designed with sidewalks in mind.

intersection of Bryn Mawr Avenue and Parkside Avenue North

, one side of Parkside has sidewalks while the other side, connected to Fairmount Park, remains grassy. On Bryn Mawr Avenue both sides of the street have sidewalks until one side becomes grass-covered past the bridge.

With facility improvements over the years, some infrastructure changes may not yet be reflected on the map. You can 

 to help keep the sidewalk inventory up to date.

 of City Cast Philly to learn how Philly can improve its sidewalks.

Neighborhood Sidewalks

How are the sidewalks in your neighborhood? 

A tool from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission can help you track gaps in the Philly area’s sidewalk network. 

Philly Sidewalks Are in Poor Condition. Some Streets Don’t Even Have One.

Which Philly Neighborhoods Suffer From a Sidewalk Gap?

Last Thursday the Philadelphia Board of Education, in a 6-3 vote, passed a controversial facilities master plan that will close 17 district schools. The meeting was disrupted by several City Council members, 

 before resuming virtually. As emotions still run high days after the vote, Board of Education President Reginald Streater joined City Cast Philly to explain why he made the tough call. Below are excerpts from that conversation.

“ What this plan is really trying to do is address the inadequate opportunities that our children have in the School District of Philadelphia. When we look at our resources, we're unable to provide extended pre-K access … in order to get an AP course, some children have to go halfway across the city or go to certain criteria-based schools.

"Children should have algebra in early grades so that they have the opportunity to not only go to college, but also to be able to qualify for some of our amazing criteria-based schools. So the facilities plan is to try to solve that problem.”

What does closing schools, though, have to do with making these educational improvements?

”For schools that have less than 100 students in them, on average it's about $50,000-per-pupil for that school.

“When you have a district where you have schools with 200, 250, 100, or 80 students in it, it's hard to have the equitable distribution of resources to support student learning. ... It’s very cost-prohibitive to do that. Some of our schools have nine students in a grade. Some have 10. It's just not sustainable.

“ We could continue the status quo and have chronic underachievement in the School District of Philadelphia and scrape by to get by while honoring the legacy of facilities….[But] I believe we can provide them a better educational experience. I believe that we cannot do that how we're built, and that's the tough decisions the board has to make. I’m a father, I have kids in the district right now, and I’m willing to make that sacrifice. Not accept it, but understand that I think what we're trying to do is just.”

For a president, it cannot be easy to get yelled at in a public way by elected officials, and face upset parents, and see students crying who are seeing their school closed. How have you been dealing with that?

“Therapy. I’m gonna keep it real, especially as a Black man, one of the things that I was able to hold onto closely during the pandemic was therapy. And I think therapy works. Having a strong village at home works. And I think for me, being a father, understanding that some decisions have to be made that hurt – but if intended to benefit those who need benefiting, it matters.

“ As the board president, and I'm a volunteer, if I lose my cool, if I don't stay focused on the mission, which is to educate children — our 

 … it's gonna impact the rest of the board. It's gonna impact [Superintendent Tony Watlington Sr.]. It's gonna impact students. Because my job is to keep the agenda moving forward.

“ Therapy probably is the main piece that keeps me sane, and then waking up and seeing my children every morning.”

Reginald Streater described the situation as ‘disheartening’ and said the board tried everything in its power before it reached such a point. 


Philadelphia Board of Education President Responds to Public Dismay Over School Closures

Philadelphia School Board President on Closures: ‘This Decision Wasn’t Taken Lightly’

The sale of a neglected lot, long cared for but not owned by stewards in a neighborhood, can be devastating.

Dominique Johnson, a North Philly resident and member of the newly formed 

, tended a vacant lot next to his family’s home for two decades. He even attempted to purchase it from the 

, which acquires vacant and tax-delinquent properties for redevelopment, without success.

“Every once in a while, I will go in and just kill the weeds, try and cut down some of the trees,” Johnson said. “I had a weed whacker, and I would try and keep it tidy, get rid of the trash.”

Last summer, Johnson said the city removed a gate that had been there, and since then, it has become a regular hangout for smoking and other late-night activities. “Since we don't have a gate, a lot of people walk in and out,” Johnson said. “Sometimes they don't have the best intentions.”

Johnson understood something like this could happen, as neither he nor his neighbor officially owned the land despite being the main caretakers. That’s why, on his mother’s behalf, in 2018 he reached out to the Philadelphia Land Bank to express interest in the property.

“But I didn't get any type of confirmation email,” he said. “So I just waited and waited and never heard back.”

He made another attempt the following year, once again expressing his interest but unaware that these attempts were not formal applications. This time he received an email response saying he’d hear back in 30 days. But he never did.

Then last month Johnson found a flyer on his door informing him that 

“I got frustrated really quick because I've been trying to get this space for some time now. My neighbor was also trying to get the space.” Johnson said. “My main worry is if there's going to be damage done to my home and my neighbor's home [due to development]. That's one of the primary reasons that I was trying to see if I could still acquire it.”

Johnson contacted Ryan Gittler-Muñiz, organizer for the Philadelphia Land Stewards Union. An 

 to request that the Land Bank’s board stop the sale. But at the Land Bank's meeting, it became clear to Johnson that development of the property was long in motion.

The sale could not be prevented, but it wasn’t a total loss for Johnson. “If anything positive came out of the board meeting, it was that a lot of people showed up to support me,” Johnson said. “I really, really appreciate that, and I will somehow return the favor.”

Johnson shared his story at the Philadelphia Land Stewards Union’s first meeting last weekend. Its membership has grown to about 100 members.

“I can be connected to individuals who have either experienced something similar to what I'm going through, who might be going through it now, and that I can really help them in some type of way,” Johnson said.

“I'm hurt, a little upset, definitely frustrated, but I'm still going to fight. I still want to try and do something to keep pushing forward,” Johnson said. “If I can help somebody somehow who's going through what I'm going through, I’ll show up for them when they have to go to their board meeting.”

A representative from the Land Bank did not return requests for comment.

🎧 Gittler-Muñiz spoke with City Cast Philly about why community members are using a union model to have a say in what development happens in their neighborhoods. 

Listen to our full conversation about the Philadelphia Land Stewards Union.

The union is giving residents a collective voice when advocating for their communities and demystifying the Land Bank’s process. 

Land Stewards Union Says It’s All About Empowering Residents

At a city budget hearing on April 1, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation informed City Council that it has a 

backlog of close to 30,000 trees to address

. With so many hazardous trees in need of pruning and removal, that list may never reach zero.

The loss of trees throws a wrench in the 

 to increase the tree canopy and protect existing coverage.

Philadelphians can help with this by growing Philly’s urban forest in their immediate communities. Here’s how.

Tree Tenders are groups of volunteers trained to plant trees and maintain them in their communities. The initiative is a collaboration with the 

 and community partners like nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and watershed groups.

Throughout the year, PHS hosts training in-person and 

. After completing the basic level, you can become a certified Tree Tender and join your local group. At the higher levels, you can get certified to take on leadership roles and more complicated maintenance tasks.

Basic training includes lessons on tree biology, identification, care, and safety. A full course is available at a sliding scale cost, with a suggested donation of $40. Some Tree Tender groups may waive the fee.

. Tree Tender groups exist in many Philadelphia neighborhoods and the surrounding suburbs.

After becoming certified, you can help neighbors register to receive a tree during the next planting cycle, assist with pruning, and answer questions about tree care.

Can I Plant Trees Without Becoming a Tree Tender?

Opportunities arise every spring and fall to plant trees throughout the city. These are the best times of year to plant and do necessary maintenance because you avoid extreme weather conditions and interfering with budding trees.

No experience is needed to participate in a planting, as training is done on-site. If you’re a certified Tree Tender who has participated in a planting before, your expertise can help guide first-timers in a successful planting.

, a celebration of Philly’s parks, also has tree care opportunities.

If you want a tree for your private property, you can 

through your neighborhood Tree Tender group to have one planted by volunteers in the next planting cycle. Another option is Tree Philly, which hosts 

 and will provide delivery and planting assistance to residents with limited mobility.

Philadelphia’s trees are in major need of maintenance. Tree Tenders can help their neighborhood’s tree canopy thrive. 

Philly, Explained

Play Our Philly Crossword Puzzle

How To Help Promote Literacy in Philly

Prove Your Weekly Philly Knowledge

Latest articles

What Does It Take To Tell Philadelphia’s Story?

What To Know About the FIFA World Cup in Philly

Which Philly Neighborhoods Suffer From a Sidewalk Gap?

Philadelphia School Board President on Closures: ‘This Decision Wasn’t Taken Lightly’

Land Stewards Union Says It’s All About Empowering Residents

Here’s How You Can Help Grow Philly’s Tree Canopy

What To Know About Philly’s Superfund Sites