

City Cast DC
City Cast
City Cast is the daily, local audio companion you knew DC needed. Washingtonians are gritty, proud, and resilient — necessary qualities for a community facing issues that range from an affordability crisis to the fight for statehood to the movement for racial justice… and useful qualities for a region full of whip-smart people, dynamic culture, and constant change. 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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 10, 2025 • 26min
Is the City Lying to Us About Bike Lanes?
Bike lanes are weirdly one of the most emotional subjects in DC, and Washington Post columnist Marc Fischer stirred up a lot of that emotion with a recent column that was sharply critical of them, or at least sharply critical of how the city has sold them. He shares what he learned while reporting the column, and the wild reaction it got. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $8 a month.Learn more about the sponsors of this February 10th episode:National Landing BIDGala TheatreThe Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins UniversityInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Feb 7, 2025 • 28min
Judge Pauses Trump's 'Buyouts,' Messy Union Fight, and Super Bowl Deals
There's a new Congressional bill to repeal DC’s home rule, which hits just as the region is obsessing about what the campaign against federal workers will do to the economy. Plus, we’re talking about the union push in a bunch of high end DC restaurants. And for something fun, what to bring to your Super Bowl party.Check out our guide to the best Super Bowl takeout.Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $8 a month. Learn more about the sponsors of this February 7th episode:District BridgesInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Feb 6, 2025 • 25min
DOGE's Takeover of DC
It has been a crazy few weeks for Washington, particularly when it comes to Donald Trump and Elon Musk's war on the federal government in the District. So today, we’re explaining how Trump and Musk are directly affecting our neighbors and community, from the resignation decrees to what it means for DC’s economy.Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $8 a month.Learn more about the sponsors of this February 6th episode:District BridgesInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Feb 5, 2025 • 21min
DC Council Expels Trayon White. Here's What's Next.
DC Council has officially expelled Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White for violating the body’s ethics rules. The entire Council excluding Trayon White voted in favor of the expulsion, but this might not be the last we see of White yet. NBC’s Mark Segraves was at the hearing, and he’s here to share what it was like and what’s next.Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $8 a month. Learn more about the sponsors of this February 5th episode:District BridgesInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Feb 4, 2025 • 24min
Your Guide to February 2025 in DC
If you’re feeling like the last few weeks in DC have been A LOT, you are not alone. If you’re looking for community and things to distract from everything, you’re in the right spot. From coping strategies to fun stuff to look forward to, we’ve got your guide for making the most of February in DC. If you still haven’t gotten your REAL ID here’s our guide to get you started. Also! Check out our daily newsletter Hey DC’s take on what to do this month. And if you're finding our recs helpful, please consider becoming a member to help us stick around long-term.If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a whole guide for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to our City Cast DC community.We’re doing a survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey—it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card–and City Cast City swag.Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $8 a month. If you enjoyed today's interview with District Bridges' Main St. Manager, Chellee Walker, learn more here. Learn more about the sponsors of this February 4th episode:District BridgesInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Feb 3, 2025 • 19min
Is DCA’s Airspace Too Dangerous?
As of Sunday, 55 bodies from last week’s air catastrophe over the Potomac had been recovered. The investigation is ongoing. But a lot of the conversation is already focusing on just how crowded the space is around National Airport, and whether that makes it inherently dangerous. Aviation expert Ian Petchnick, who runs the Avtalk podcast, is here with us to explain DCA’s complicated geography and politics. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $8 a month.Learn more about the sponsors of this February 3rd episode:District BridgesInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Jan 31, 2025 • 24min
DCA Tower Understaffed During Crash, Trump Backlash, and DCPS Phone Ban
We have more on the deadly air accident in the Potomac River, the latest on Donald Trump’s battle against his own workforce, and – should DC schools ban cell phones?We’re doing a survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey—it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card–and City Cast City swag.Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $8 a month.Learn more about the sponsors of this January 31st episode:District BridgesAlliance FrancaiseRestaurant Association Metropolitan WashingtonInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Jan 30, 2025 • 21min
The Panic Over Trump’s ‘Buyouts’ for Federal Employees
Is DC … going to become Detroit? That’s the fear as President Trump moves to slash the workforce. We’re talking to two people about what the big national news of the week means for our city. Emilia Calma from the DC policy center studies the local economy and is here to talk about the impact of possible federal cuts on the health of the region. And the Washington Post’s Aaron Wiener has spent the week talking to federal employees and is here to talk about how they’re feeling about the president’s efforts to buy them out. We’re doing a survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey—it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card–and City Cast City swag.Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $8 a month.Learn more about the sponsors of this January 30th episode:District BridgesAlliance FrancaiseRestaurant Association Metropolitan WashingtonInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Jan 30, 2025 • 13min
What We Know About The Potomac Plane Crash
A devastating crash between a passenger plane and a blackhawk helicopter has everyone’s eyes on the Potomac River. The planes went down at 9 pm last night. Rescue efforts are underway, and it’s unclear how many passengers, if any, survived. As of 5 am this morning, here is everything we know about the crash.Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $8 a month. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Jan 29, 2025 • 20min
Trayon White Fights to Keep DC Council Seat
Facing expulsion over federal bribery charges, Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White finally gave a defense for why he should stay on the DC Council yesterday. It’s clear he’s not going down without a fight. The tense hearing will ultimately determine the Council’s decision on whether White stays or goes. NBC’s Mark Segraves was there, and he’s here to tell us what happened and what’s next in this spicy political saga.We’re doing a survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey—it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card–and City Cast City swag.Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $8 a month.Learn more about the sponsors of this January 29th episode:District BridgesAlliance FrancaiseInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.