Homicides hit historic lows

Homicide Rate at 59-Year Low

For our last Friday News Roundup of the year, City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri and executive producer Matt Katz look back on 2025, with positive news about Philly’s plunging homicide rate and a recap of the biggest (and funniest) stories of the year. [🎧 City Cast Philly]

Is Philly Getting a Data Center or Not?

As state lawmakers begin to devise plans to regulate data centers, residents have been pressing Bellwether District developer HRP Group on whether a data center (with its environmental implications) will be built at the site of the former Hilco Refinery. The site has the appropriate zoning and the developer is not ruling out the possibility. [CBS Philly, Technical.ly]

• Related: Confused about our zoning laws? Here’s how zoning works in Philly. [📝 City Cast Philly]

Most of PHA’s Uninhabitable Homes Are in North and West Philly

How to address Philadelphia’s housing crisis has been a source of contention among leaders inside City Hall, but the need for new, affordable housing is dire. The Philadelphia Housing Authority has about 40,000 people on its waitlist and 300 of its homes are considered uninhabitable or have substantial damage. [🎧 City Cast Philly, NBC10]

Philly Writer Signs Another Page-To-Screen Deal

Temple Professor Liz Moore’s hit book “Long, Bright River," which takes place in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood, was adapted as a Peacock series earlier this year. Now her most recent novel, “The God of the Woods,” is being turned into a new series for Netflix. The book was among the top fiction books borrowed from the Free Library this year. [Philly Voice, 🔒 The Inquirer]

This week on City Cast Philly we listened to the ultimate Philly soul playlist and learned about Philly’s contributions to American music. Now let’s see how well versed you are in Philly’s music scene.

Put on your headphones and go back in time as you play along!