City Cast DC

D.C. has it own sound that sticks with you. And nobody knows that more than D.C. rap legend Kokayi. He joins us today to talk about his new book, You Are Ketchup and how D.C. influenced everything in his life, from the music he makes to where he sends his kids to school.You can check out Kokayi's book here.Want some more DC news? Then 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

It’s a big week of changes for Metro — more service and shorter waits on trains, free rides on D.C. buses. But there will also be some fare hikes and other wrinkles. WAMU transportation reporter Jordan Pascale is here to walk us through it all. We're going to continue covering this story on the pod, as well as on our sister newsletter, so make sure to subscribe. 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

Bottoms up! But hold the hangover? Booze free bars are becoming a new trendy thing with one called Binge Bar opening right here in D.C. in January. We’re joined by Jessica Sidman from Washingtonian to get the mix on what’s behind this thirst for mocktails in the district. Need more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter.And give us a follow on Twitter at @citycast_dc.Wanna hear yourself 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

For this week's roundup, we’re talking about some pretty notable D.C. renovations — one for an outdoor music venue and the other that’s at the heart of the U Street Corridor. Plus we’re going to get hype about some women’s soccer news.Check out more about these stories, from our colleagues around town:https://dcist.com/story/22/12/02/carter-barron-amphitheatre-rock-creek-park-renovation-alliance/https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2022/12/02/muriel-bowser-dc-reissue-reeves-center-rfp.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/12/05/spirit-audi-field-2023-home-games/And our morning newsletter has even more big news for you (like this week, we've been covering the shooting at Metro Center station), so be sure to subscribe. You can also follow along on Twitter! We're 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

There’s a plan to rename Good Hope Road after Marion Barry. Is this a good idea? Performative nonsense? Both? Cohosts Bridget Todd and Michael Schaffer spent some time breaking it down. Subscribe to our morning newsletter for more news and events (like the public hearing about Marion Barry Ave., happening on Tuesday). Those who wish to testify must register at http://www.ChairmanMendelson.com/testify by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 9, 2022.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

DC Council is closer than ever to decriminalizing unlicensed street vending, but … as the year end nears, sellers pushing for the change may be running out of time. DCist’s Hector Arzate has been talking to vendors about why these changes matter, and how they would affect street vendor corridors like the one in Columbia Heights.Sign up for our morning newsletter for more news about the city (and the 'burbs!). And follow us on Twitter for the same. We're 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

The holidays are here! Which means it’s time to entertain yourself and your visiting family. City Cast DC contributor Cornelia Poku is here to tell us how to hit up the local Christmas markets, ice rinks, and of course, which bar and restaurant pop-ups are worth your money.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 D.C.-related thoughts, hopes, and frustrations with us in a voicemail by calling 2026422654. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On November 18, a mass shooting DIDN’T take place at D.C.’s Jackson-Reed High School. But the day was still traumatic. After reports of gunshots, the school went into lockdown. Kids huddled in rooms, some sent goodbye texts to families; others sat in classrooms where the teachers kept on teaching. We talked to the school newspaper’s Co-Editor-In-Chief Benjamin Chait about what happened, and the aftermath.Check out The Beacon, Jackson-Reed High School’s paper, where they’re covering this story in-depth.For more DC news, sign up for our morning newsletter. We’re also on Twitter! Follow us at @citycast_dc.And we know stories like today’s affect the whole community. If you were there, or impacted in any way, we want to hear your story. Leave us a voicemail by calling 2026422654 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s our first ever live taping! We’re at Politics and Prose Union Market, but we’re still talking about the news in D.C. — like the far too many judicial vacancies, some National Zoo news, and holiday book suggestions. City Cast CEO David Plotz and Anton Bogomazov, who is the Chief Adult Book Buyer at Politics and Prose, join host Michael Schaffer to chat about it all.Here are some of the other episodes we called back to in this one: -Our team breaks down D.C.'s new criminal code-Jamie Kirchick tells us about the secret history of gay Washington-Shahan Mufti tells us about the biggest hostage crisis on U.S. soil, and why no one remembers itAs always, our Friday roundup is powered by some great local journalism:-Check out The Washington Post’s coverage of the judicial vacancies.-DCist was all over the new Andean bear cubs that arrived at the zoo.-And buy local this holiday season! Politics and Prose released their holiday newsletter with their picks this season.And if you hadn’t heard about the bears at all yet, you should sign up for our sister newsletter Hey DC. Our editor Kaela got to that news fast. Subscribe here. We’re also on Twitter! Follow us at @citycast_dc.And we’d love to feature you on the show! We’re collecting New Year’s Resolutions for D.C. Share yours with us in a voicemail by calling 2026422654. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s been a push to require that all D.C. childcare workers have college degrees, and the first set of new regulations go into effect today. But, people who disagree with the law say it’s putting a lot of qualified people out of work. Today we're hearing from Robert McNamara from the Institute For Justice and Councilmember Christina Henderson as they try to make their case.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