

City Cast DC
City Cast
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 our daily newsletter at dc.citycast.fm.
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 our daily newsletter at dc.citycast.fm.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 7, 2025 • 24min
Why Hasn’t DC Stopped Collaborating With ICE?
 Teo Armus, a reporter for The Washington Post, dives into the troubling ongoing collaboration between the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and ICE in D.C. He shares startling evidence of eyewitness accounts and video showing continued enforcement despite prior claims of a halt. Teo discusses the surge in arrests and the shifting tactics being employed, alongside the challenges of tracking ICE detentions. He also notes the political and legal tensions these practices create and speculates on the future of MPD-ICE relations in the city. 

Oct 6, 2025 • 29min
How Bleak is DC's Unemployment Crisis?
 It’s the question everyone’s been asking since DOGE first showed up: How screwed is DC? A new program at the Brookings Institution called DMV Monitor pulls together a ton of data to help answer the question. And their most recent report is kind of a jaw-dropper. The region’s unemployment has shot up nine times faster than the rest of the country, with more to come. Brookings Fellow Tracy Hadden Loh is here to break it all down.
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 $10 a month. 
Learn more about the sponsors of this October 6th episode:
Wise
Folger Shakespeare Library
Nace Law Group
The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University
Public Welfare Foundation
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE. 

Oct 3, 2025 • 40min
Will The Shutdown Tank DC's Economy? Plus, Rideshare Drama, and Your New Favorite Venue
 We’re talking about the government shutting down — and what the city is going to do about it. We’re talking about a ride-share service being shut down — and why they’re mad at the city about it. Plus, a new music venue and in a fourth segment, we’ll talk about great DC challenges (and we don’t mean, like, balancing the budget). 
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 $10 a month. 
Learn more about the sponsors of this October 3rd episode:
Wise
Library of Congress
Folger Shakespeare Library
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

Oct 2, 2025 • 32min
How the Shutdown Screws DC
 The government shutdown affects the whole country, but it’s an especially big deal in DC. Our city is already reeling, and now we’re facing an event that threatens to scare off tourists and possibly lead to mass layoffs. How is the local government reacting? And what does the shutdown mean for your day-to-day even if you’re still employed? NBC4’s Mark Segraves is here to brief us.
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 $10 a month. 
Learn more about the sponsors of this October 2nd episode:
Wise
Library of Congress
Folger Shakespeare Library
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE. 

Oct 1, 2025 • 32min
Your Guide to October 2025 in DC
 October in DC is just lovely. The weather is good. The leaves are turning. And even though the city is still reeling from the federal takeover, we are still finding joy and ways to connect with this city we call home. So from fast cars to throwing back a few drinks with a former US president, we give you OUR top picks for what to do in DC this October .
If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast community.
For even more tips on how to make the most of September in DC, check out Hey DC’s take on what to do this month. 
Learn more about the sponsors of this October 1st episode:
Wise
Library of Congress
Folger Shakespeare Library
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.
Reach us at DC@citycast.fm 

Sep 30, 2025 • 23min
Unearthing the Truth in a Local Secret Cemetery
 Imagine walking through the woods and stumbling across a few tombstones. That’s what happened outside the old House of Reformation, where more than 230 bodies of young black boys are buried. But you wouldn’t know it given the condition of the area. Michael Brice-Saddler from the Washington Post is here to dig up the secrets that lie beneath that ground and tells us a story that has largely been overlooked until now. 
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 $10 a month.
Learn more about the sponsors of this September 30th episode:
Wise
Library of Congress
Folger Shakespeare Library
Food & Friends - Move For Meals
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE. 

Sep 29, 2025 • 26min
DC's Only Ice Rink Is Cursed. Will It Open?
 The Fort Dupont Ice Rink has been in shambles for years. But it has a storied history: it’s home to one of the oldest black hockey clubs in the states. The rink needed a little TLC but never got it, until now. But there’s another delay for when it’ll open again, and Martin Austermuhle from the 51st is here to tell us why it’s taken so long to get this historic rink back on its feet.
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 $10 a month. 
Learn more about the sponsors of this September 29th episode:
Wise
Library of Congress
Folger Shakespeare Library
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE. 

Sep 26, 2025 • 40min
DC Fumbling RFK Neighborhood Already, the End of the Streatery, and DC's Best Movies
 Welp, that was fast — the new stadium just got approved and already there are delays in the new neighborhood DC was supposed to get as a result. We’re going to talk about why, and what it means for DC even as the Trump administration threatens new mass firings if there’s a government shutdown. Plus, we’re going to talk about the end of the streatery program. And there’s a new list circulating of the best DC movies, books, and songs. It’s meant to start an argument, and we’ve taken the bait. 
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 $10 a month. 
If you enjoyed today's interview with Food & Friends' Director of Volunteer Services, Katrina Mathis, learn more here.
Learn more about the sponsors of this September 26th episode:
Food & Friends - Move For Meals
Library of Congress
The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University
Folger Shakespeare Library
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

Sep 25, 2025 • 25min
DC Can Predict Bad Drivers. Why Can't It Stop Them?
 The city government actually has a way to predict, pretty accurately, just who is going to get into an accident. And DC’s AG Brian Schwalb has recently launched even more lawsuits to curb this behavior. But can they get them off the road? That’s the tricky part. Washington Post transportation reporter Rachel Weiner is here to explain a fascinating recent DC experiment in automotive behavior. 
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 $10 a month.
Learn more about the sponsors of this September 25th episode:
Food & Friends - Move For Meals
Library of Congress
The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University
Folger Shakespeare Library
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE. 

Sep 24, 2025 • 30min
Trump Has Put Childcare Workers in Crisis
 Federal immigration crackdowns are adding even more strain to DC’s already fragile and not to mention costly child care system. Now, many child care workers are worried they could be targeted. Reporter Chabeli Carrazana from The 19th breaks down what this all means for families and providers in the city.
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 $10 a month. 
Learn more about the sponsors of this September 24th episode:
Food & Friends - Move For Meals
Library of Congress
The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University
Folger Shakespeare Library
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE. 


