
City Cast DC
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.
Latest episodes

Jun 17, 2024 • 22min
Why DC Kids Are Skipping School
Absentee rates at D.C. schools have gone absolutely off the charts. Everyone agrees it’s a problem, but there’s a lot of disagreement about how to fix it. Axios’ Cuneyt Dil has been covering kids playing hooky and grownups playing politics. If you enjoyed this interview with Alliance Française's Executive Director, Sara Dilligenti, learn more here.Learn more about the pther sponsors of this June 17th episode:PaintCarePaulson & NaceEagle BankSmithsonian Folklife FestivalWant 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 HEREAnd we’d love to feature you on the show! Share your DC-related thoughts, hopes, and frustrations with us in a voicemail by calling 202-642-2654. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 14, 2024 • 22min
WaPo’s Pivot, Parks Quest Continues, and DC Chefs Sweep Awards
The Washington Post is making news, we’ve got James Beard award winners in our own backyard, and we get an update on the ultimate park's quest. Ann Limpert from Washingtonian and Jacob Fenston are here to get into all of it.Learn more about the sponsors of this June 14th episode:Casey TreesAlliance FrançaiseEagle BankWant 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 HEREWe’re also on Twitter! Follow us at @citycast_dc And we’d love to feature you on the show! Share your DC-related thoughts, hopes, and frustrations with us in a voicemail by calling 202-642-2654. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 13, 2024 • 21min
What’s the Point of Pocket Parks?
It’s D.C. Parks Week sponsored by Casey Trees, a week of coverage celebrating D.C.’s green spaces.D.C. was recently named the country’s best big city park system by the Trust for Public Land for the fourth time in a row! We are a park city, and not all of our parks are big. Greater Greater Washington’s Dan Reed and Kelly Collins Choi of Casey Trees sound off on what makes DC’s pocket parks so special. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 13th episode:Casey TreesAlliance FrançaiseEagle BankWant 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 HEREAnd we’d love to feature you on the show! Share your DC-related thoughts, hopes, and frustrations with us in a voicemail by calling 202-642-2654. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 12, 2024 • 14min
How To Forage Your Next Meal in the DMV
It’s Parks Week sponsored by Casey Trees! A week of coverage celebrating DC’s green spaces.If you’re hearing more about foraging lately but don’t know where to start, you’re not alone. April Thompson, culinary chair of the Mycological Association of Washington D.C., explains what you need to know to safely and deliciously forage in the DMV.Learn more about the sponsors of this June 12th episode:Casey TreesAlliance FrançaiseEagle BankWant 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 HEREAnd we’d love to feature you on the show! Share your DC-related thoughts, hopes, and frustrations with us in a voicemail by calling 202-642-2654. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 11, 2024 • 23min
Is Congress Caving on Weed? Plus, Tornadoes and Reality TV
It’s Parks Week sponsored by Casey Trees! A week of coverage celebrating DC’s green spaces. In today’s roundup, we dig into a potential change in D.C.’s weed legalization, recent extreme weather in the area, and why the District is having a great reality TV season.Contact 311 or visit trees.dc.gov for more information on tree maintenance.Check out are episodes on DC's weird weed culture and grey market here.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 HEREWe’re also on Twitter! Follow us at @citycast_dcAnd we’d love to feature you on the show! Share your DC-related thoughts, hopes, and frustrations with us in a voicemail by calling 202-642-2654.Learn more about the sponsors of this June 11th episode:Casey TreesAlliance FrançaiseEagle Bank Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 10, 2024 • 23min
Could DC Lose Its Forests?
It’s Parks Week sponsored by Casey Trees! A week of coverage celebrating D.C.’s green spaces.A recent study says 9 of 11 forests in DC could face failure of regeneration. The National Park Service’s JP Schmit is here to explain what forest regeneration is and what we can do about 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.Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HEREAnd we’d love to feature you on the show! Share your DC-related thoughts, hopes, and frustrations with us in a voicemail by calling 202-642-2654. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 7, 2024 • 28min
Election Results, New Pet Rules, and Pride Parade Tips
We’re talking election results, pet policies and pride month with City Paper’s Alex Koma and Hey DC’s Kaela Cote-Stemmerman. 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 HEREWe’re also on Twitter! Follow us at @citycast_dcAnd we’d love to feature you on the show! Share your DC-related thoughts, hopes, and frustrations with us in a voicemail by calling 202-642-2654. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 6, 2024 • 20min
Are DC's Best Restaurants Plant-Based?
Are you vegan? Vegan-curious? Or just likely to go out to dinner with a vegan? Tom Sietsema from the Washington Post is here to talk through the best of DC’s burgeoning vegan and vegetarian dining options. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC.Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HEREAnd we’d love to feature you on the show! Share your DC-related thoughts, hopes, and frustrations with us in a voicemail by calling 202-642-2654. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 5, 2024 • 18min
The Best Thrift Spots in the DMV, Plus Election Results
There are so many thrift stores throughout the DMV area! So we connected with Sidney Hui, owner of Disco Loft, to lay out our guide for thrifting in DC. Plus, we have all the results from election day! We'll be back with a more in depth analysis on our Friday news roundup.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 HEREAnd we’d love to feature you on the show! Share your DC-related thoughts, hopes, and frustrations with us in a voicemail by calling 202-642-2654. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 4, 2024 • 19min
Gas Leaks Shut Down School, SunTrust Plaza, and Canceled Reservation Charges
Gas leaks at a D.C. elementary school, more news on the Adams Morgan SunTrust plaza development, and can you be charged for skipping your dinner reservations? Hill Rag’s Elizabeth O'Gorek and Axios DC’s Mimi Montgomery join to get into all 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.Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HEREWe’re also on Twitter! Follow us at @citycast_dcAnd we’d love to feature you on the show! Share your DC-related thoughts, hopes, and frustrations with us in a voicemail by calling 202-642-2654. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices