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PODCAST

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

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All Episodes

29:16

The Antidote to Your Humdrum Metro Rides

City Cast DC ·

2026/07/08

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 backdrop of everyday life in the DMV, but as a time machine, ferrying wealthy tourists to the Old West for bachelorette parties, Prohibition-era speakeasies, and other moments in history. Today, Jessica is here to talk about turning one of D.C.'s most recognizable landmarks into the centerpiece of a sci-fi adventure—and what

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37:23

Trump’s Fourth of July, Reflecting Pool Charges, and...

City Cast DC ·

2026/07/07

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 Capitol Skyline Hotel. In a members-only segment, we're talking about teen gun violence in D.C. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter City Cast DC. You can text us or leave a voicemail at: (202) 642-2654. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a

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25:36

The National Mall’s Wild Food Truck Mafia

City Cast DC ·

2026/07/06

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 Mall are a front for what cops call organized crime — not to mention violence, illegal parking, and some truly gnarly food-safety violations. Jess is here to tell the whole sordid story. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter City Cast DC. You can text us or leave a voicemail at:

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25:01

'Your City Could Be Better': The Ultimate USA Trivia...

City Cast DC ·

2026/07/03

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 Alexandra Petri to see who knows more about U.S. history, geography, and celebrities ahead of the country’s semiquincentennial. Sean McPherson, trivia wiz and City Cast Twin Cities host, leads four riveting rounds of questions covering everything from The Declaration of Independence to the hottest college rivalries, and all 13

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21:55

How D.C. Got Its Iconic Flag

City Cast DC ·

2026/07/02

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 talk about why the D.C. flag became so ubiquitous and why it works. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to⁠ sign up⁠ for our morning newsletter . You can⁠ also become a member⁠, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 2nd episode: ⁠DC Department of Behavioral

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29:44

Your Guide to July 2026 in D.C.

City Cast DC ·

2026/07/01

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 — especially the part after Independence Day. For even more tips on how to make the most of July in D.C., check out City Cast D.C.’s take on what to do this month. Learn more about the sponsors of this July 1st episode: DC Department of Behavioral Health Spur Local Library of Congress Interested in advertising with

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27:45

The Kennedy Center's Existential Crisis

City Cast DC ·

2026/06/30

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 classical music lover as well as a staff writer at Washingtonian, Sylvie has spent months reporting on the endangered state of the Kennedy Center and knows that the name on the outside is a lot less important than the endangered programming within. She’s here to explain where things stand. Want some more DC news? Then make

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28:50

We're Betting Big on D.C. News, the Underwhelming...

City Cast DC ·

2026/06/29

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 and Alyssa Fowers join to talk about the Great American State Fair and Alyssa’s deep dive into mayoral campaign numbers. Plus, in a members-only fourth segment, Ben’s going to walk us through his reporting on the ongoing fallout over the campaign-finance charges against Janeese Lewis George that dropped right before election

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27:14

'Your City Could Be Better': How Denver Is Fixing Its...

City Cast DC ·

2026/06/28

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 Denver, voters approved a new fee a few years ago to fund much-needed sidewalk repairs, and after a lot of back-and-forth, those repairs are finally underway. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Denver podcast host Bree Davies about what drove this initiative, how it’s going, and who’s paying for it. And speaking of

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36:39

The Most Restricted Fourth Ever, Two New Museums...

City Cast DC ·

2026/06/26

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 her look through election day? Want some more D.C. news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter City Cast DC. You can text us or leave a voicemail at: (202) 642-2654. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 26th

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19:12

D.C.'s Primary Just Opened up — Here's What That...

City Cast DC ·

2026/06/25

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 mayor. But wait, you say: Didn’t you already vote for this? Yes, you. D.C. voters approved the change by referendum two years ago, but the Council refused to fund it, so it wasn’t in effect for last week’s primary. City Cast DC reporter Emma Uber has been covering this issue and explains what changed Want some more DC news

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30:28

D.C.’s Reflecting Pool is Now the Nation’s Petri Dish

City Cast DC ·

2026/06/24

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 Atlantic’s Matt Viser is taking us back to biology class to explain why we’re hearing about algae, sealant, and the uptick in law enforcement at the reflecting pool. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter City Cast DC. You can text us or leave a voicemail at: (202) 642-2654. You can also

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29:32

Why is D.C. Giving The City's Worst Landlords a Tax...

City Cast DC ·

2026/06/23

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 what? Zara Norman of NOTUS has been covering the saga of the Gale Eckington and she’s here to explain. Want some more D.C. news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter City Cast DC. You can text us or leave a voicemail at: (202) 642-2654. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as

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33:26

Unpacking DC’s Progressive Surge Election with DC...

City Cast DC ·

2026/06/22

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 Councilmember Christina Henderson. She’s worked closely with Janeese Lewis George in her time on the Council — but she’s also pushed for a somewhat different set of priorities than the likely next mayor. I talked with her about what the progressive surge may mean for the Council, and the city, going forward. Want some more

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28:03

DC's Earthquake Election, the James Beard Awards, and...

City Cast DC ·

2026/06/18

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 about the idea of a socialist winning. And we’re talking about the best of Pride, whose parade is this morning. Plus, in a members only fourth segment, between the algae in the Reflecting Pool and the many many closures ahead at DCA, it’s a weird time on and above the National Mall. We’ll get into what it all means. Want

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34:48

DC’s Left Scores Big in Primaries

City Cast DC ·

2026/06/17

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 Democratic mayoral election. Her fellow democratic socialists are leading a couple of DC Council races, and a top progressive is way ahead in another. And progressive Robert White appears to have run away with the race for DC Delegate to Congress. It is 4:30AM the morning after election day. Michael Schaffer, Emma Uber and

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15:45

What You Need to Know About Ranked Choice Voting...

City Cast DC ·

2026/06/16

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 days before they announce results. We're talking with Lisa Rice, one of the people behind the referendum that okayed RCV a few years ago, about what to expect at the polls, when we might know a winner, and whether we’re right to feel irritated about potential delays.Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for

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15:26

Why Plummeting Rents Could Kill DC’s Housing

City Cast DC ·

2026/06/15

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 subsidized “affordable” housing because epidemic rent nonpayment makes builders think they’ll never break even. In a city where housing is still super expensive, this adds up to a big problem. Emilia Calma is the author of a new report on this for the Brookings DMV Monitor and she’s here to explain. Want some more DC

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32:56

'Your City Could Be Better': Why Every Region Needs A...

City Cast DC ·

2026/06/14

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 catalog them all. Over the course of two years, she visited all 511 parks in the county, seeking to record their amenities (e.g., bathrooms, playgrounds), write helpful summaries, and track down the people in charge. The resulting map has already become a valuable tool for locals, who now not only know who to call when trash cans

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37:44

Council Raids Reserves to Avoid Cuts, Logan Circle...

City Cast DC ·

2026/06/12

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 about where DC candidates are planning their election night parties. Plus, in a members-only fourth segment, we’ll get into the proposal to bring a giant homeless shelter to the HUD building. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter City Cast DC. You can text us or leave a voicemail

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