

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

Mar 8, 2023 • 25min
A Walking Tour of D.C. Women’s History
Today is International Women’s Day and D.C. is full of stories of female empowerment and impact that might not always get the recognition they deserve. Kaitlin Calogera organizes tours of D.C. women’s history to change that, and she’s here today with some tips for how we can all embark on that journey.Plus, check out our episode about how the D.C. nightlife task force affects youWant 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 HERE. We’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

Mar 7, 2023 • 20min
This Rising D.C. Band Started As Buskers At Dupont Circle
The band Dupont Brass started unexpectedly as a side gig for a group of Howard University students, and now they’re about to go on tour, starting April 12. As they prepare to share their music up and down the East Coast, two of the band’s original members are here to tell us about Dupont Brass’s evolution and sound.Buy tickets here for Dupont Brass’s upcoming tour. And if you want to ride around D.C. via water taxi, check out their schedule here.Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. We’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

Mar 6, 2023 • 20min
This New Southeast Park Wants To Build Community, Not Displace It
The 11th Street Bridge connects Anacostia to Navy Yard. And a project to create a park there for everyone to share, while also not leaving out longtime residents of Anacostia, has been years in the making. The project’s start date was recently pushed back to the end of this year. 11th Street Bridge Park Director Scott Kratz and Ronald Moten of Don’t Mute DC say community buy in has been a big part of getting project off the ground. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. 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

Mar 3, 2023 • 30min
Voting Out Dan Snyder, Cherry Blossoms, and No More Free Metrobus?
We’re back with another live taping at Politics and Prose Union Market! This time, City Cast DC Contributor Dan Reed and the Washington Post’s Lori Aratani join us to talk about why NFL owners are threatening (again) to vote Dan Snyder out, how D.C. is potentially backtracking on its plan to make Metrobuses free this summer, and how to take advantage of the very very early Cherry Blossom season this year. Plus, City Cast CEO David Plotz sits down with Politics & Prose's Chief Adult Book Buyer Anton Bogomazov to talk about some new books you should consider checking out this Spring, almost all by women (Happy Women's History Month)!As always, our Friday roundups wouldn’t be possible without some great local journalism:
From the Washington Post: Daniel Snyder’s demands anger NFL owners, renew talk of voting him out
From DCist’s Jordan Pascale: Fare-Free Buses In Jeopardy As D.C. Revenue Projections Drop
NPS announces peak bloom!
Definitely check out our newsletter Hey DC as well. It’s the same mix of newsy and fun, with some great events options for you every day. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.We’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

Mar 2, 2023 • 17min
Where Is the FBI Moving?
The FBI Headquarters at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue NW is a famously ugly blot on an otherwise beautiful D.C. street. But maybe not for long (we can hope)? There’s a renewed push for the FBI to move to the suburbs, and we’re dreaming up alternate uses for that plot of land with WBJ Reporter Tristan Navera, who has been covering the FBI’s winding relocation process.For more D.C. news, sign up for our morning newsletter, and follow us at @citycast_dc.Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.And we want to hear from you too! Leave us a voicemail about your neighborhood hopes and frustrations by calling 202 642 2654. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 1, 2023 • 21min
Meet D.C.’s Death Doula
There's just no way around it — all of us are going to die. Sadly, in D.C., a lot of folks are dying alone. Laura Lyster-Mensh, Congressional Cemetery's Death Doula in Residence, is trying to change that by encouraging death positivity in the District.Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’re also on Twitter! Follow us at @citycast_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

Feb 28, 2023 • 20min
A Peek Inside Navy Yard's Newest Bar
Trouble Bird Bar is opening tonight in Navy Yard, in the space that used to be Maxwell Park Wine Bar. But it's got a very different vibe. Think pajamas AND glitter. Confused? We talked to the founders for some answers.Plus, here’s that Ballpark Access Pass from our D.C. life hack of the day. And, more info on our live taping at the Politics & Prose Union Market, TOMORROW, at 6:30 pm. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’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

Feb 27, 2023 • 19min
Should D.C. Public Schools Have Cops?
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser says she’s redoubling her efforts to reverse the council’s move to pull police who have been serving as school resource officers out of D.C. public schools. The Metropolitan Police Department’s School Safety Division was once staffed by 100 school resource officers; it’s now down to 40, with the division set to disappear altogether by July 2025. WAMU’s Martin Austermuhle spoke to students, parents, and school resource officers to find out how folks are feeling about the effort to get police out of D.C. schools. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’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

Feb 24, 2023 • 19min
A New Museum, Housing Segregation, and Weekend Events
We’ve got a new museum that will open under the Lincoln Memorial! And the D.C. metro area is banding together to form a new fair housing plan. Mike Schaffer is joined by Julia Karron and Kaela Cote-Stemmerman to talk about that, plus fun events taking place this weekend.As always, our roundups wouldn’t be complete without the great local reporting in the city:
Andrew Beaujon from Washingtonian has the new potential Lincoln Memorial museum plans on lock.
Dan Brendel of Washington Business Journal explains the new regional fair housing plan.
Check out our Hey DC newsletter for events happening this weekend!
Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’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 2026422654. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 23, 2023 • 21min
What Makes D.C.'s Roller Skating Culture Unique
Roller skating became all the rage during the pandemic, but for D.C., this wasn’t really a new thing. Just ask D.C. skate enthusiast, Saletta Coleman. She tells us why the District has always had a special connection to skating. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’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