Shows / City Cast DC
City Cast DC
City Cast DC is the daily, local audio companion you knew DC needed.. Washingtonians are deeply passionate about our city, whose story is still being written, and City Cast DC is here to tell it. Every weekday morning, our hosts Michael Schaffer and Bridget Todd will engage people from all over the eight wards in conversation about DC’s crises and its beauty, both literal and figurative. It’ll have the feel of eavesdropping on an energetic and informative coffee shop chat, except that with City…
Episodes
- City Cast DC
How Is D.C. The Nation’s Leader In Pre-K?
D.C. Public Schools is the national leader — by a lot — in at least one category: enrollment in pre-kindergarten programs. Almost every D.C. 4-year-old goes to…
- City Cast DC
Trayon White's Corruption Trial Is Going to Be a Doozy
In a few weeks, D.C.'s Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White will stand trial for allegations of corruption. This is embarrassing for any city, but especially so…
- City Cast DC
‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Portland Made Its River Cool — Presented By City Cast DC
How often are you out in nature in DC? It’s not always easy to know which natural resources are clean and safe to use in an urban setting, and city rivers get…
- City Cast DC
D.C. Goes Back To School, MPD Overtime Fraud, And The NSO Hits the Road
D.C. public schools open on Monday — we'll get into the politics of it all. Plus, six DC police employees have been charged for $440K in overtime fraud. And…
- City Cast DC
Pirro Doubles Down On Vandalism To Keep An Angry Trump At Bay
Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for D.C., really wants to throw the book at the woman accused of vandalizing the World War II Memorial. According to Politico’s…
- City Cast DC
Breaking Down D.C.'s Upcoming Grand Prix
We’re a few days out from the IndyCar race that will be taking over the National Mall this weekend. And while D.C. types are mostly talking about the massive…
- City Cast DC
Is It Time To Close The Kennedy Center?
Last week, the Kennedy Center’s board voted to uphold its previous decision to close for two years of renovations, while also approving a new inscription…
- City Cast DC
Trump's Plans for an East Potomac Golf Course Are Sinking — Literally
President Donald Trump wants to renovate the East Potomac Park golf course, but there’s one big problem: the park — and the island it’s on — is sinking. Mother…
- City Cast DC
‘Your City Could Be Better’: A Madison Landfill That’s A Smart Business Move — Presented By City Cast DC
What will DC do when it runs out of space for trash? Madison, WI, has a plan, and it’s one that other cities could follow. What could’ve just been another…
- City Cast DC
Bus Drivers Fight Against Fare Quotes, Condo Sales are Down, and Congress Takes Up Motorcycle Helmets
We're talking about the metro union's fight back against bus fare quotes, D.C.’s slump in condo sales, and Republicans’ efforts to repeal the motorcycle helmet…
- City Cast DC
How the Pamunkey Tribe Bought Back Their Virginia Homeland
Many people don't realize that the D.C. region sits on Indigenous land. But recently, one local tribe made history by reclaiming a piece of its ancestral…
- City Cast DC
D.C.’s Best Ice Cream For These Humid Days
Ice cream is the best antidote to D.C's hot, muggy August days. Washingtonian’s Jessica Sidman serves up the scoop on the city's best ice-cold treats. Want…
- City Cast DC
D.C.'s Federal Takeover, One Year In
It’s been one year since President Donald Trump launched what he called a federal takeover of D.C., sending National Guard troops into the city and…
- City Cast DC
Best Places to Camp Before Summer Ends
Now that August is here, you might be feeling the stress of trying to wrap up that summer bucket list. Today we’re helping you check off that weekend camping…
- City Cast DC
'Your City Could Be Better': Bridget Todd Debates Naked Neighbors, Unwelcome Pets, and Other City Life Dilemmas
As much as you love DC, city living inherently means sharing space and resources with your neighbors, and y’all certainly have complaints, questions, and…
- City Cast DC
Inside Trump’s $22.5 Billion Plan To Remake Dulles
President Donald Trump has unveiled a $22.5 billion vision to remake Dulles International Airport, with plans to replace its iconic people movers, build a new…
- City Cast DC
D.C.'s Next Mayor Wants To Make Buses Free For SNAP Recipients
The very likely next mayor of DC wants to make buses free for public-assistance recipients. If that sounds familiar, it should: over the last few years, there…
- City Cast DC
One of D.C.'s Greatest Novelists Just Dropped a New Book
George Pelecanos is maybe the greatest Washington novelist — and he never writes about the Senate. Over the years, his crime stories have doubled as a kind of…
- City Cast DC
D.C.’s Streateries Are Closing, But Are They Gone For Good?
Have you walked by Wonderland Ballroom in Columbia Heights recently? The familiar picnic table streatery is gone! A string of high-profile closures of DC’s…
- City Cast DC
‘Your City Could Be Better’: How One City Beat Restrictive Zoning — Presented By City Cast DC
Do you know how zoning laws affect DC’s housing costs? New Haven, CT, has been governed for years by restrictive zoning that made it physically impossible to…
- City Cast DC
Luxury Digs for the National Guard, Bowser Ditches the Budget, and Wild New Plans for Dulles
We’re talking about the National Guard in D.C., how Muriel Bowser isn’t signing the DC budget, and the goofy plans for Dulles. Plus in a members-only fourth…
- City Cast DC
Your Guide to August 2026 in D.C.
Whether it’s chomping on an apple with strangers in Malcolm X Park or vibing to local music at a summer concert series, our August Guide has got you covered…
- City Cast DC
No Roommates, In-Unit Laundry – A Look At The National Guard’s Expensive New D.C. Digs
The National Guard is sticking around — and, like a lot of people who decide to stay in D.C., they’re about to pay through the nose for real estate. City…
- City Cast DC
D.C. Workers' Ample Leave Is Costing You Millions
D.C. taxpayers — you — spent $220 million last year on overtime for public-safety agencies in D.C. How did this happen? According to a new report from D.C…
- City Cast DC
The People Who Date AI
Our co-host Bridget has just published an audiobook that starts with her own journey into an AI relationship — and then examines the phenomenon through a range…
- City Cast DC
‘Your City Could Be Better’: The Trick to Getting People To Volunteer — Presented By City Cast DC
It’s not a given that every Washingtonian will chip in to help their community. In this episode, City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with writer Taylor Lahey about…
- City Cast DC
D.C. Boycotts DoorDash, Why the Forrestal Building Must Die, and D.C.'s Best Screens for The Odyssey
We’re talking about D.C. versus DoorDash, the D.C. building everyone wants to demolish, and the best way to see The Odyssey. Plus, in a members-only segment…
- City Cast DC
The Country Town for D.C.'s Horsey Set (and JD Vance)
Virginia Horse Country looms large in the DC imagination — a preppy land beyond the suburbs you may hear about from time to time. Especially lately, because…
- City Cast DC
The D.C. Housing Authority Cyberattack That Went Under the Radar
To get public housing in DC, you need to cough up a lot of data about yourself. Which makes it a particular problem when the public housing authority is hacked…
- City Cast DC
Forty Years of Heavy Metal Parking Lot
The movie Heavy Metal Parking Lot turns 40 this year — and feels weirdly contemporary. The basic setup is this: A couple of guys showed up at the parking lot…
- City Cast DC
These Guys Fixed the 311 App. D.C. Told Them To Stop
D.C. has an app that lets citizens request services and report problems around town. And this spring, it just stopped working. Our guest Josh Jacobson worked…
- City Cast DC
‘Your City Could Be Better’: Why Are Chattanoogans ‘Doing It Their Damn Selves’? — Presented By City Cast DC
Sometimes it can feel like DC is two (or more) steps behind the needs of its neighborhoods. Enter the residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee. What Chattanoogans…
- City Cast DC
Historic Artifacts in Danger, Reckoning with the Viral Metro Photo, and Best World Cup Final Parties
We’re talking about the problems at the Lincoln Memorial undercroft, that viral July 4 photo of a woman on the Metro, and World Cup specials. Plus, in a…
- City Cast DC
D.C. Dates Under $15
Dating in D.C. can get expensive fast. But romance doesn't have to come with a $300 price tag, which yes that is how much some people are paying for dates in…
- City Cast DC
D.C. Fights Over Whether to Allow Waymo
Waymos—the autonomous, self-driving ride-hailing vehicles—are already cruising around D.C. with one big catch: under current D.C. law, there's still a human…
- City Cast DC
Inside the Controversy Tearing Apart A Prestigious D.C. Theater
Arena Stage is one of D.C.’s most prestigious theaters, but this month its biggest drama happened offstage: The theater’s artistic director was abruptly…
- City Cast DC
Lonnie Bunch and the Smithsonian Take On Trump
A new Trump administration report says the Smithsonian institution is run by radicals who aren’t trustworthy. And while the report focused on the American…
- City Cast DC
'Your City Could Be Better': Does DC Have a 'Perfect' Airport? — Presented by City Cast DC
There’s lots to love about DC, but being able to get in and out of it easily and cheaply can be an underrated metric of its livability. Accommodating…
- City Cast DC
DC's Coming Wealth Tax Debate, a Controversial Makeover for Rock Creek Tennis, and Waymo's Shady Robo-Caller
We’re talking about new taxes for D.C. residents, the politics of our fountains, and whether Rock Creek Tennis Center is going to be the next local park that…
- City Cast DC
What Does It Take To Make Our City Safer?
What does it take to make a dangerous street safer? That's what we're talking about today with Dan Reed. Dan is a transportation planner and the Maryland…
- City Cast DC
The Antidote to Your Humdrum Metro Rides
Have you ever sat on the Metro and wished it could transport you anywhere you dreamed? In her new novel Retro, D.C. author Jessica Goldstein imagines the Metro…
- City Cast DC
Trump’s Fourth of July, Reflecting Pool Charges, and an Historic Hotel Demolished
City Cast’s Emma Uber and contributor Marc Fisher are here to talk about the Fourth of July weekend in retrospect, the latest on the Reflecting Pool and the…
- City Cast DC
The National Mall’s Wild Food Truck Mafia
Washingtonian’s Jessica Sidman, who just published a wild investigation about D.C. food trucks, is here. It seems those rickety trucks that sell hot dogs to…
- City Cast DC
'Your City Could Be Better': The Ultimate USA Trivia Battle. How Much Do You Know? — Presented By City Cast DC
See if your DC knowledge serves you well! In the first-ever Your City Could Be Better trivia episode, City Cast CEO David Plotz goes head to head with…
- City Cast DC
How D.C. Got Its Iconic Flag
D.C. may not be a state, but we can all agree that it has an awesome flag. A couple years ago, we sat with a couple of the world’s top vexillologists — that’s…
- City Cast DC
Your Guide to July 2026 in D.C.
Happy July! What are you going to do this month? Mike Schaffer, Bridget Todd, and Kaela Cote-Stemmermann to talk about the best of eating, drinking, and…
- City Cast DC
The Kennedy Center's Existential Crisis
Sylvie McNamara was in the crowd the night Donald Trump’s name was supposed to come off the Kennedy Center. But she didn’t feel quite the same exultation as…
- City Cast DC
We're Betting Big on D.C. News, the Underwhelming Great American State Fair, and JLG's Finance Charges Keep Spreading
We’re chatting with City Cast CEO David Plotz and Executive Producer Annie Rees about the news organization we’re building within City Cast. Then, City Cast…
- City Cast DC
'Your City Could Be Better': How Denver Is Fixing Its Sidewalks — Presented By City Cast DC
Just how good are the sidewalks in DC? The state of a city’s sidewalks can be a good indicator of how healthy that city is — and pedestrian safety is just the…
- City Cast DC
The Most Restricted Fourth Ever, Two New Museums Worth Visiting, and the Election Night Glam That Broke Instagram
We’re talking about the 4th of July in D.C., the city budget, and two new D.C. museums. Plus, in a members-only fourth segment: Makeup! How did D.C.’s likely…
- City Cast DC
D.C.'s Primary Just Opened up — Here's What That Actually Means For You
The D.C. Council this week voted to allow independents to vote in D.C. primary elections — a potentially huge change in a city where the Democratic Primary…
- City Cast DC
D.C.’s Reflecting Pool is Now the Nation’s Petri Dish
D.C.’s reflecting pool is … not so reflective. It’s been all over the social media feeds for the last few days, and probably yours too – so how the heck did we…
- City Cast DC
Why is D.C. Giving The City's Worst Landlords a Tax Break?
There’s a big apartment complex in Northeast D.C. where the landlords have let conditions get so bad that the local D.C. Councilmember wants to give them….. A…
- City Cast DC
Unpacking DC’s Progressive Surge Election with DC Councilmember Christina Henderson
The dust is settling on DC’s mayoral election, and plenty of people are trying to interpret just what message the electorate was sending. I decided to…
- City Cast DC
DC's Earthquake Election, the James Beard Awards, and What the Heck Is Up With the Reflecting Pool
We’re talking about the fallout, so far, a day after DC’s earthquake of a mayoral election. We’re talking about the reaction from DC’s business community…
- City Cast DC
DC’s Left Scores Big in Primaries
It was a very big night for DC’s left. With a little under two-thirds of the vote counted, Janeese Lewis George is up big over Kenyan McDuffie in first-choice…
- City Cast DC
What You Need to Know About Ranked Choice Voting Election Delays
Today is the first DC election under ranked-choice voting. And anyone who thought “instant runoff” meant immediate results is in for a nasty surprise: The city…
- City Cast DC
Why Plummeting Rents Could Kill DC’s Housing
DC is facing a double-barreled housing crisis where nothing is getting built. No one is building regular houses apartments because of the grim DMV economy. And…
- City Cast DC
'Your City Could Be Better': Why Every Region Needs A Park Map Tool Like Salt Lake’s — Presented By City Cast DC
Do you know how many parks DC has? Residents of Salt Lake County have wondered about their parks for years — that is, until City Cast Salt Lake host Ali…
- City Cast DC
Council Raids Reserves to Avoid Cuts, Logan Circle Gets No Bathrooms, and McDuffie's Boozy Brunch Victory Spot
We’re talking about whether DC is in for a tax hike, we’re talking about what’s missing in some of the Trump administration’s park makeovers, and we’ll try to…