City Cast Austin

There are nearly 300,000 immigrants in Austin, and these days, many are understandably filled with fear. But things are fairly normal as far as deportations right now, according to our guest, Austin City Council Member José “Chito” Vela, an immigration and criminal defense attorney who won his seat in a special election in 2022 and is now serving a second term. He joins host Nikki DaVaughn to dispel some immigration myths, explain his push for more “missing middle” housing, and share his favorite spots for barbacoa, coffee, and drinks in District 4. Learn more about the sponsors of this April 7th episode: ZACH Theatre Austin Community Foundation Wild West Brew Fest Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter. Follow us @citycastaustinYou can also text us or leave a voicemail. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

It’s the Friday News Roundup, and we’ve GOT to talk about this University of Texas Women’s Basketball team. They’re playing in the Final Four of the NCAA Championship tonight, and there are tons of places in town to sport your favorite burnt orange gear and watch the game. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Hey Austin newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec to talk about the ‘Horns, along with the very visible beginning of our oak pollen season and how to survive it, the story of a remarkable Austin woman, and our weekend picks. Learn more about the  sponsors of this April 4th episode: Visit Port Aransas Austin Community Foundation Wild West Brew Fest Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter. Follow us @citycastaustinYou can also text us or leave a voicemail. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

It’s now been 30 years since the death of the “Queen of Tejano Music,” Selena Quintanilla-Perez, but her influence on the genre is still enormous. A new documentary about Selena premiered at SXSW, and all episodes have now been released in Texas Monthly’s new podcast, Viva Tejano, which captures the nostalgia and experience of Tejano music. Its host, J.B. Sauceda, tells host Nikki DaVaughn in today’s episode that it’s all evidence that Tejano music is making a comeback.Learn more about the sponsors of this April 3rd episode: Visit Port Aransas Austin Community Foundation Wild West Brew Fest Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter. Follow us @citycastaustinYou can also text us or leave a voicemail. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Austin is no stranger to autonomous vehicles — a decade ago, this is where the first fully autonomous car ride took place, and then-Mayor Steve Adler declared Austin the “Kitty Hawk of driverless cars.” Late last year, Waymo rolled out service for Austinites on an insider waiting list, and our guest, Dan Weinstock, got approved to ride. Since then, he’s racked up 60 rides in the self-driving cars, and has the stories to prove it. Recently, the company partnered with Uber, and Uber customers can now opt-in to get picked up by a robot car. Would you take one? Host Nikki DaVaughn isn’t so sure.  Learn more about the sponsors of this April 2nd episode: Visit Port Aransas Austin Community Foundation Wild West Brew Fest Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter. Follow us @citycastaustinYou can also text us or leave a voicemail. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

Spring is fully in the air, along with the pollen, and we are going outside. Happy April, y’all! In this episode, Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Spectrum News Anchor Nicole Clark and City Cast Austin Executive Producer Eva Ruth Moravec to share some great tips on how to spend your month. We’re talking about which festivals you should go to (don’t make us pick between Eeyore’s 60th Birthday Party, the Moontower Comedy Festival, and Austin Blues Fest!), what you should eat, and other ways to have fun in Austin as the city puts her best face forward. Learn more about the sponsors of this April 1st episode: Visit Port Aransas Austin Community Foundation Wild West Brew Fest For even more tips on how to make the most of April in Austin, check out Hey Austin’s take on what to do this month. Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter. Follow us @citycastaustinYou can also text us or leave a voicemail. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

Once again, Democrats are outnumbered in the Texas Senate, leaving them little to do to fight Republican priorities. It’s a winner-take-all session, according to our guest, Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, and things are looking “pretty nasty, brutish, and short.” So, where does she get her encouragement? And, where does she think Democrats can effect change? Eckhardt joins host Nikki DaVaughn to discuss it all, plus how she’s seeing Trumpism play out in Austin. Learn more about the sponsors of this March 31st episode: Visit Port Aransas Austin Community Foundation Wild West Brew Fest Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter. Follow us @citycastaustinYou can also text us or leave a voicemail. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

The Texas Legislature is still in town, and while one lawmaker tried to get the state to take control over the city’s government, there was unanimous opposition. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Hey Austin newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec to dig into the “District of Austin” proposal on this week’s Friday News Roundup. Plus, we discuss an iconic Austin festival’s move out of town, a new affordable housing concept underway at an East Austin historic church, and our weekend picks. Finally, we remember Texans Carlton Carl and former Austin mayor Carole Keeton, both of whom died this week.  Learn more about the sponsors of this March 28th episode: Tecovas Visit Port Aransas Zach Theatre Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter. Follow us @citycastaustinYou can also text us or leave a voicemail. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

For one Austinite, this city was crucial to the fight for Women’s Rights in the 1960s. So decades after her activism helped desegregate dorms at The University of Texas at Austin and secure women’s reproductive rights, it’s been difficult for her to watch abortion access disappear. So what gives author Alice Embree hope, and how is she working on making things better for women and other Texans years later? Embree joins host Nikki DaVaughn to share her experiences and advice for today’s campus activists in this special episode for Women’s History Month. Learn more about the  sponsors of this March 27th episode: Tecovas Visit Port Aransas Zach Theatre Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter. Follow us @citycastaustinYou can also text us or leave a voicemail. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Travis County District Attorney José Garza is in hot water after his office was found to have missed a 90-day deadline to indict suspects on felony charges in several cases. Reporter Tony Plohetski first brought the issues to light when he reported on two suspected murderers who were released on low bonds from jail — but as Plohetski tells host Nikki DaVaughn, the problems didn’t stop there. Elsewhere in Texas, prosecutors told Plohetski Garza’s issues were “the stuff of nightmares.” We dig into the concerns of mismanagement at the office, whether they indicate that Garza is, indeed, “soft on crime,” and what could come next. Learn more about the sponsors of this March 26th episode: Tecovas Visit Port Aransas Zach Theatre Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter. Follow us @citycastaustinYou can also text us or leave a voicemail. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

How well do you know Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez? As the top cop in charge of the county jail, Hernandez has improved the sheriff’s office’s response to mental health issues and is getting a national lifetime achievement award in May honoring her career in law enforcement. Hernandez invited host Nikki DaVaughn to her office for an interview about the sheriff’s office’s biggest challenges, plus, sidebar for a bit on the sheriff’s unexpected hobby. Learn more about the sponsors of this March 25th episode: Tecovas Visit Port Aransas Zach Theatre Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter. Follow us @citycastaustinYou can also text us or leave a voicemail. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE