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 Cast DC, consider this your official invitation to listen in. Learn more and subscribe to o...
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Sep 29, 2026 · 34:50
The bribery trial of Ward 8 Councilman Trayon White ended yesterday with a hung jury and a mistrial. This will have repercussions in city politics, not to mention in the lives of…
Sep 28, 2026 · 26:46
If you’re scared of rats, then I’ve got bad news – D.C. is one of the most rat-infested cities in America, at least as far as complaints go. But there’s an organization at the…
Sep 27, 2026 · 20:21
What’s a seemingly small project in D.C. that’s made a big difference? In the Oregon suburb of Tualatin, a drinking water pipe has just been fitted with a seamless electrical…
Sep 25, 2026 · 39:28
Two years on, the District is still reeling from devastating DOGE job cuts, according to two new reports. We also take a look at why the D.C. Council is considering restrictions…
Sep 24, 2026 · 34:37
Metro is redoing its station signage to make it easier for the public to navigate — but some riders are not happy. What are they changing, and why are folks so up in arms?…
Sep 23, 2026 · 32:30
Thousands of ordinary Washingtonians showed up Friday night for a protest at the Kennedy Center — the biggest one to date. They were motivated by a new fear that President Donald…
Sep 22, 2026 · 25:36
Opening a menu to find a burger costs $25 is all too familiar in D.C. As everyone looks to stretch their dollars a little further, Washingtonian’s got you covered with its annual…
Sep 21, 2026 · 24:51
Walking around downtown D.C., you may notice a lot of vacant storefronts. In fact, City Cast reporter Jaclyn Peiser found that last year, one out of every four storefronts in…
Sep 20, 2026 · 29:12
Would DC be better with fewer vacant, blighted lots? In Philly, the answer is overwhelmingly yes, with significant drops in crime and depression recorded near newly transformed,…
Sep 18, 2026 · 31:13
We’ve got the latest on Councilmember Trayon White’s bribery trial. Also, D.C. City Council is back in session — we’ll take a look at what’s on their plate, and whether they can…
Sep 17, 2026 · 49:18
Weeks after 9/11, in Senator Tom Daschle’s office on Capitol Hill, an aide opened an envelope addressed to the Senator and released anthrax into the air – microscopic, deadly…
Sep 16, 2026 · 29:39
It’s finally getting cool enough to wear a sweatshirt in the morning – which means D.C. fall is here. With Congress back in session and the city in full swing, we’re looking for…
Sep 15, 2026 · 43:16
Patrick O’Connell is the most famous and powerful man in Washington – Little Washington, that is. In the tiny Virginia hamlet, O’Connell’s restaurant is a global culinary…
Sep 14, 2026 · 35:24
The Trump administration wants the US Park Police to be D.C.’s "premier law enforcement agency." In just a year, they’ve doubled its size, from 300 to around 600 here in D.C. And…
Sep 13, 2026 · 27:01
It may not feel like it right now, but extreme heat is coming for DC, and Las Vegas might have the answers you need. An already sizzling city, Vegas has continued to experience…
Sep 11, 2026 · 35:17
This week marks 25 years since the September 11th terrorist attacks: We talk about how that day changed the District. We also talk about Lonnie Bunch’s retirement, what Trump’s…
Sep 10, 2026 · 27:28
The DMV is the capital of Ethiopian America, and for 50 years eating Ethiopian food has been a Washington tradition. Over the years, the scene has become richer, more diverse,…
Sep 9, 2026 · 30:21
The Washington Commanders season opens on Sunday. But a lot of fans are busy talking about 2020, when the team changed its name from an ugly racial slur. Now some observers think…
Sep 8, 2026 · 21:19
What does it look like when local artists try to capture living through this particular moment in Washington? That’s the idea behind “Tomorrow The Sun Will Rise,” a new…
Sep 6, 2026 · 23:06
Do you know what kind of surveillance technology is being used in DC? In Nashville, the city government has blocked numerous measures to install and use it. From license plate…
Sep 4, 2026 · 33:57
This week we’re taking a look at likely mayor Janeese Lewis George’s all-ward listening tour. We’ll be talking about why current Mayor Muriel Bowser is fighting against a roof…
Sep 3, 2026 · 16:27
City Cast’s Alyssa Fowers has done some important reporting about problems at D.C.’s 988 suicide-prevention call line. In the spring, nearly half the calls went unanswered.…
Sep 2, 2026 · 22:49
Last week, The Washington Post’s Perry Stein broke news that US Attorney Jeanine Pirro has convened a special grand jury in what looks like a probe of how the District does or…
Sep 1, 2026 · 31:07
This September – we’ve got D.C.’s middle-school-girl-pop concert lineup, another chance to eat fruit in Malcolm X Park, and the best way to see (and taste) the District by bike.…
Aug 31, 2026 · 24:08
You may know Sara Polon as the woman behind Soupergirl, the D.C. company whose soups are now in hundreds of supermarkets. But before that, she was a comedian. And after launching…
Aug 30, 2026 · 28:47
The D.C. airports definitely have a lot going for them, but they don’t have their own electrical grids, like Pittsburgh’s airport does. For the past few years, Pittsburgh…
Aug 28, 2026 · 37:56
This week, we’re talking about a Sunoco station on U Street and what it says about actually getting things built in D.C. We also look at the fate of a park that was supposed to…
Aug 27, 2026 · 35:21
Police say license plate reader cameras like Flock are an important tool for solving crimes. But a new Washington Post investigation found dozens of cases where officers have…
Aug 26, 2026 · 26:55
A new organization plans to fight for D.C.’s rights — by going into Congressional districts to unseat Republicans. Defend D.C. was announced this week by Robert White, D.C.’s…
Aug 25, 2026 · 29:42
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 pre-K; about 80…
Aug 24, 2026 · 23:40
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 in D.C., where some…
Aug 23, 2026 · 26:08
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 a particularly bad…
Aug 21, 2026 · 37:00
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 the latest on the…
Aug 20, 2026 · 31:55
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 Josh Gerstein, it’s…
Aug 19, 2026 · 21:54
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 road closings, we…
Aug 18, 2026 · 28:14
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 crediting Trump for…
Aug 17, 2026 · 26:06
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 Jones reporter…
Aug 16, 2026 · 24:40
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 county landfill, slated…
Aug 14, 2026 · 32:35
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 requirement. Plus,…
Aug 13, 2026 · 37:23
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 homeland after centuries…
Aug 12, 2026 · 21:37
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 some more DC news?…
Aug 11, 2026 · 30:08
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 dramatically expanding the…
Aug 10, 2026 · 30:58
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 trip you’ve been…
Aug 7, 2026 · 29:26
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 quandaries. On our first…
Aug 6, 2026 · 27:51
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 passenger train,…
Aug 5, 2026 · 17:20
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 have been a bunch…
Aug 4, 2026 · 28:44
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 history of our…
Aug 3, 2026 · 30:46
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 streateries has…
Aug 2, 2026 · 27:14
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 build tall buildings…
Jul 31, 2026 · 38:32
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 segment, a blistering…
Jul 30, 2026 · 33:48
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. For even more tips…
Jul 29, 2026 · 20:07
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 Cast’s Alyssa Fowers and…
Jul 28, 2026 · 19:04
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. Auditor Kathy…
Jul 27, 2026 · 34:43
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 of others. As she…
Jul 26, 2026 · 26:15
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 how functional…
Jul 24, 2026 · 31:13
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, the latest on…
Jul 23, 2026 · 20:06
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 Vice President JD…
Jul 22, 2026 · 15:20
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 — and when they…
Jul 21, 2026 · 32:28
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 of a Judas Priest…
Jul 20, 2026 · 20:34
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 with a colleague to…
Jul 19, 2026 · 27:14
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 don’t have, they…
Jul 17, 2026 · 37:18
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 members-only fourth…
Jul 16, 2026 · 25:05
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 cities! Whether…
Jul 15, 2026 · 32:52
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 safety driver behind…
Jul 14, 2026 · 35:51
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 ousted, and the fallout…
Jul 13, 2026 · 27:29
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 history museum, a lot…
Jul 12, 2026 · 33:10
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, accessible, and affordable…
Jul 10, 2026 · 32:01
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 gets a controversial…
Jul 9, 2026 · 32:40
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 Policy Director at…
Jul 8, 2026 · 29:16
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 not as the boring…
Jul 7, 2026 · 37:23
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 fate of the old…
Jul 6, 2026 · 25:36
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 tourists down by the…
Jul 3, 2026 · 25:01
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 journalist and historian…
Jul 2, 2026 · 21:55
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 flag experts — to…
Jul 1, 2026 · 29:44
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 exploring D.C. in July —…
Jun 30, 2026 · 27:45
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 everyone else. A…
Jun 29, 2026 · 28:50
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 reporters Ben Brasch…
Jun 28, 2026 · 27:14
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 beginning. In…
Jun 26, 2026 · 36:39
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 next mayor maintain…
Jun 25, 2026 · 19:12
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 essentially picks the…
Jun 24, 2026 · 30:28
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 get here? The…
Jun 23, 2026 · 29:32
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 tax break. Say…
Jun 22, 2026 · 33:26
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 outsource that job to DC…
Jun 18, 2026 · 28:03
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, which was petrified…
Jun 17, 2026 · 34:48
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 votes for the…
Jun 16, 2026 · 15:45
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 says it may be 10…
Jun 15, 2026 · 15:26
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 no one is building…
Jun 14, 2026 · 32:56
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 Vallarta set out to…
Jun 12, 2026 · 37:44
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 read the tea leaves…
Jun 11, 2026 · 21:56
We’re talking about St. Elizabeths. As a lot of folks know, the campus of D.C.’s psychiatric hospital has transformed over the past 15 years. There’s still a hospital, but a huge…
Jun 10, 2026 · 32:40
We’re talking about the state of the mayoral race with a week to go. We’re also talking about whether it really is just a week to go, since DC voters just got some pretty…
Jun 9, 2026 · 22:43
New York City might be known for its iconic bodega staple, the bacon egg and cheese, but DC also does breakfast sandwiches pretty well, too. In a quest to find the best one in…
Jun 8, 2026 · 30:04
A new think tank study has some fascinating findings about Donald Trump’s national guard deployment in DC: The dramatic surge reduced property crimes by almost a quarter — but…
Jun 7, 2026 · 30:30
Washington, DC, recycles some of its water, but not as much as Las Vegas, where the water there stays in the city. How else could a desert city possibly have enough water for its…
Jun 6, 2026 · 6:35
D.C.'s June Primary is June 16th and this year, voting works differently. For the first time, D.C. is using Ranked Choice Voting, which means you can rank up to five candidates…
Jun 5, 2026 · 39:04
We’re going to get into the mayoral race as it heads into its final week, we’re going to talk about why you should pay attention to what’s happening at the Rock Creek Tennis…
Jun 4, 2026 · 21:07
For more than 50 years, the Combined Federal Campaign has been a part of DC life. It’s the world’s biggest workplace charity, letting government employees steer money straight…
Jun 3, 2026 · 29:16
We’re talking about the latest twist in the battle of The Star versus The Washington Star, we’re talking about the odds that Donald Trump’s name will actually come off the…
Jun 2, 2026 · 34:17
The two best-known candidates in the race for DC’s Congressional Delegate are sitting members of the DC Council. We’re talking today with a different candidate who has a somewhat…
Jun 1, 2026 · 45:28
What are you gonna do this month? We’ve got answers: Pride programming. America 250 programming. America 250 counter programming. And lots of barbecue. For even more tips on…
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