
City Cast Philly
Can we regulate those rogue electric scooters?
August 13, 2026 · — Francisco Kilgore
Hey Philly! It's Francisco from City Cast here. Philly is really rolling out the red carpet for LeBron James with murals and street art all over — does everyone get such a warm welcome?

First Up

Mural Arts Philadelphia announced Emily Mello as its new executive director, taking over for Jane Golden who has led the organization since its founding in 1986.
- What is Mural Arts Philadelphia? The organization began in the 1980s as part of the city's Anti-Graffiti Network to encourage graffiti artists to paint murals instead of tags.
- Who Used to Lead It? Jane Golden, an artist, convinced leaders of the network to accept giving Philly's once notorious graffiti artists a chance to showcase their mural-painting abilities. "It has been the greatest privilege of my life to help build an organization that believes in the transformative power of public art," said Golden about her retirement.
- What has Mural Arts accomplished? Since its founding, it has created more than 4,000 works of art around Philadelphia, employing 250 artists and producing 80 public projects annually. Mural Arts encourages dialogue between citizens to boost Philly's standing as a center of public art — some might say the "Mural Capital of the World," as we talked about in our exit interview with Golden marking her departure.
- Who is taking over? Emily Mello will be the new executive director and has held a number of leadership roles at museums around the country, including at New York's New Museum of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Her career has mainly focused on community and education in the art world.

What's CITY Talking About

Italian Market Tours Tell Local History
You know the South 9th Street Curb Market as the Italian Market, with its hoagies, cheap produce, and cannolis, but a new initiative is trying to expand how we think of this iconic Philly landmark. “Our Market Project” turns stories and art into guided tours and installations highlighting Ninth Street's immigrant communities and local history. This month, the project inaugurated an exhibit focusing on the workers behind the market, "whose dedication gives the place this heartbeat," said founder and organizer Michelle Angela Ortiz. [WHYY]
Philly Resident Detained by ICE at PHL is Released
One month after she was detained by ICE at Philadelphia International Airport, Argentinian Iliana Lick was released from a detention center in New Mexico. The attorney for the South Philly nanny said she had been waiting for an asylum interview when she was arrested in July en route to see a World Cup match in Kansas City. [NBC 10]
Pennsylvania A.G. Sues TikTok
State Attorney General Dave Sunday said that the suit was about "protecting children," citing the app’s addictive design and mature content. Other states are suing the tech giant over safety concerns as a Pew Research poll shows that more than 60% of American teenagers use TikTok. [WHYY]
Democrats Lead In New Voter Registration Count
Democrats are winning the voter-registration game, and now have 200,000 more than Republicans in our swing state. The number of independent voters is also growing, with non-party affiliated voters now making up 20% of the state's electorate. [Politics PA]
Abandoned Cars, E-Scooters & LeBron's Big Debut
Today on the pod, host Trenae Nuri is joined by executive producer Matt Katz and contributor Nic Esposito to break down why Philly has an abandoned car problem, what we can do about those e-scooters and e-bikes that we’ve heard your complaints about, and when to expect LeBron James’ big debut.

Neighborhood Shoutouts

📣 City Cast Philly Neighbor Jena O. loves Good Buy Supply. “You can get all kinds of eco-friendly products and refill your own containers with soaps, lotions, cleaning products. They also collect glass bottles for Bottle Underground. The owners are very helpful and super-nice!”
Thanks, Jena! Here are other tips for living plastic-free in Philly.

What To Do
Thursday, Aug. 13
- 🎵 The Listening Room, CHPT III at Gas Lamp Hotel (Old City)
- 🥂 Networking Happy Hour at Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue (Wynnefield Heights)
- 🎨 New Now IX Opening Reception at InLiquid Gallery (Olde Kensington)
- ✍️ Intro to Scriptwriting at Scribe Video Center (West Powelton)
- 🧠 City Counsel Session at uCity Square (University City)
- 🎬 Final Girls Berlin Film Fest at PhilaMOCA (Callowhill)
- 🥾 Guided Hike + Drinks at Belmont Plateau (West Fairmount Park)
- 🎨 Painting with Kyuramen Philly at Painting with a Twist (Queen Village)
- 🎭 1776: The Musical through Aug. 15 at CAPA (Avenue of the Arts)
- 💃 Sip & Salsa at Mamajuana Cafe (Fishtown)
Friday, Aug. 14
- 🎬 Screening: “Hired Man” at Philadelphia Sketch Club (Gayborhood)
- 🎤 Jon Lovitz at Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia (South Philly)
- 🎬 Screening: “Elio” at The Lawn at UCity Square (University City)
- 🎤 Careoke Club at Asian Arts Initiative (Chinatown North)
- 📚 Olivie Blake Celebrates “Dreamland” at Barnes & Noble Center City (Rittenhouse)
- 📚 After Hours Book Fair at The Proscenium Theater @ the Drake (Center City)
- 🎬 Dominican Arts & Film Series at Esperanza Arts Center (Hunting Park)
- 🎷 Neighborhood Jawnts: Jazz in North Philly meeting at Independence Visitor Center (Old City)
- 💘 Comedy Crush: A Singles Event at Two Locals Brewing (University City)
And good news, public transportation fans — SEPTA now goes directly to the Navy Yard!
Free · Daily
