City Cast DC

Local reporter Martin Austermuhle dives into the financial turmoil facing Washington, D.C., as Mayor Muriel Bowser's government faces serious budget cuts due to congressional gridlock. He unveils a loophole that may allow minor spending increases, despite the looming $1.1 billion deficit. Austermuhle highlights the potential impacts on essential public services and how city officials are navigating this complex fiscal landscape. The discussion also touches on the unusual political unity among local leaders as they confront these pressing challenges.

With the weather improving, it’s a great time to explore DC’s many great parks to entertain little ones! City Cast DC contributor and dad, Jacob Fenston, is on a quest to visit all 697 parks in the District and he’s here to tell us the best ones to take your kids to.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 April 15th episode:Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% offCozy Earth - Use code COZYDC for 40% off best-selling sheets, towels, pajamas, and more.Alliance FrancaiseInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There hasn’t even been a vote on a new Washington commanders stadium in DC, but a lot of folks already talk about it as a done deal. JC Bradbury is an expert on the economics of stadiums, and he thinks they’re almost never worth it. Bradbury is here to walk us through his research and what he thinks it ought to mean for DC’s looming decisions about RFK.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 April 14th episode:Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% offAlliance FrancaiseInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s our Friday News Roundup! We’re talking about Trump’s birthday military parade, Congress targeting a couple of DC laws where they might actually have some local allies, and an epic scavenger hunt. Plus in our member’s-only fourth topic, we’ll talk through the way the new war on globalism is affecting DC’s local culture.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 April 11th episode:PaintCareThe Pew Charitable TrustsNace Law GroupInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Smithsonian is front and center in one of Donald Trump’s most controversial executive orders. But what does his campaign against “inappropriate ideology” mean on a day to day basis for the museums — and for the city where they’re a big part of the cultural mix? Manuel Roig-Franzia from the Washington Post is here to give us the lay of the land.If you’ve been personally affected by Trumps tariffs, we want to hear from you! Email us at dc@citycast.fm or leave a message at 202-642-2654.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 April 10th episode:PaintCareThe Pew Charitable TrustsNace Law GroupInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spring has sprung, which means streateries are back! But do people really use them and like them? Senior producer Julia Karron talked to business owners and food journalists to get to the bottom of it.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 April 9th episode:PaintCareThe Pew Charitable TrustsNace Law GroupInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration is pressuring public schools to abandon any programming related to what they call DEI, or else those schools will lose federal funding. And earlier this month, there was ICE activity at HD Cooke Elementary School in Adams Morgan. Scott Goldstein, the Executive Director of EmpowerEd, is here to share how schools are handling these threats and what it all means for local students.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 April 8th episode:PaintCareThe Pew Charitable TrustsNace Law GroupInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Hawkins, a transportation expert at The Verge, joins the discussion on the implications of driverless taxis in Washington, D.C. He shares insights on Waymo's plans to expand into the capital and explores safety concerns related to urban mobility. The conversation highlights the unique challenges posed by D.C.'s infrastructure and road quirks, including navigating tourist hotspots. Hawkins also raises ethical questions about public safety and regulatory frameworks necessary for a safe integration of autonomous vehicles in the city.

The DC Council passed a new law to keep more meetings secret, and Mark Zuckerberg joined a whole bunch of oligarchs buying houses in D.C. Plus: the best April Fools articles in D.C. this year. And for members, a special bonus topic: Trayon White, the expelled member of the DC Council, is running to win back his old seat. Can they re-expel him? NBC4’s Mark Segraves joins the team to discuss.Want the full episode? Become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $8 a month. And make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC for more news from around the city.Learn more about the sponsors of this April 4th episode:District BridgesAwesome ConMosaic TheaterInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are the coolest buildings in DC? Chances are your list doesn’t include the Lincoln Pyramid, the Washington Pedestal, or something called Dolphin America — precisely because they never got built. We sat down with architectural historian Martin Moeller last year to discuss the big ideas that, sometimes luckily, shaped our city by never getting off the drawing board. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. Learn more about the sponsors of this April 3rd episode:District BridgesAwesome ConMosaic TheaterInterested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices