City Cast Austin

Summertime in Austin usually means hot, dry days that leave our greenbelts and beautiful green spaces at high risk of wildfires. But this year, with all the rain we’ve had? Not so much. Even so, things could dry up in a flash. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Deputy Chief Carrie Stewart of the Austin Fire Department to talk about how you should best prepare for a fire, and what the city is doing to mitigate risks. We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear in town, for being our exclusive launch sponsor. 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 today’s episode, host Nikki DaVaughn sits down with Livestrong Foundation President and CEO Suzanne Stone to mark the 20th birthday of the cancer-fighting organization’s iconic yellow wristbands. And what will the next 20 years of treating cancer in Austin hold? The yellow band still costs $1 but changes are afoot, with survivability up, rising rates among young people, a new cancer hospital coming soon, and a renewed focus on fertility. We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear in town, for being our exclusive launch sponsor. 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

Today on City Cast Austin, Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Hey Austin Newsletter Editor Kelsey Bradshaw and Eva Ruth Moravec for the Friday News Roundup. We’re talking about President Joe Biden’s upcoming visit to town, a $47.9 million grant coming Austin’s way from the Environmental Protection Agency, and where to find the majestic purple martins. We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear in town, for being our exclusive launch sponsor. 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 city of Austin has been searching for a new police chief for a year, and it’s now down to two finalists. But does either one truly have what it takes to run the police department, which has gone through four others in just 17 years? Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Austin City Councilmember Mackenzie Kelly, a staunch public safety advocate who isn’t so sure we’ve found our next chief just yet. We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear in town, for being our exclusive launch sponsor. 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 

Happy National Tequila Day! In today’s episode, host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by mixologist Sushmita Malakar to talk about how to best celebrate this amazing holiday. The two discuss how to mark National Tequila Day at home, with DIY infused tequilas, and Malakar’s invention, the “Austin Summer” cocktail; which local tequila brands you should try, and where to find Austin’s best margaritas. We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear in town, for being our exclusive launch sponsor. 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 

Elon Musk recently announced that he’s moving the headquarters for X, formerly known as Twitter, to Austin, joining other Musk enterprises already here. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Asher Price of Axios to discuss — is Austin becoming "Musklandia?" Why is this city so attractive to the world’s richest person, and how does he fit in with Austin’s culture? We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear in town, for being our exclusive launch sponsor. 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

In today’s episode, host Nikki DaVaughn sits down with Danny Davis, who reports on the Texas Longhorns for the Austin American-Statesman, to talk about University of Texas sports. Recently, the university held a massive party to celebrate joining the Southeastern Conference, in which UT will compete with powerhouse football teams and deep-seeded rivalries. We dig into what the change really means, talk about women’s basketball and the baseball team’s drama, give a shout-out to Longhorns heading to the Paris Olympics, and get real about UT’s Minister of Culture, Matthew McConaughey. We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear in town, for being our exclusive launch sponsor. 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! Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by producer Elissa Rozentuller and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec to bring y’all the headlines for the week. On today’s episode, the City Cast Austin team discusses Austin’s enormous housing inventory, the forthcoming Michelin Texas Guide, and the two finalists vying to become Austin’s next police chief. Also, how will Elon Musk’s plans to move X’s headquarters to Austin change our fair, weird city? We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear in town, for being our exclusive launch sponsor. 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 cicadas are buzzing, the fireflies are alit, and summer is in the air. Also in the air: cockroaches, mosquitos, cicada-killer wasps, scorpions, and so much more. Entomologist Wizzie Brown with Texas A&M’s ArgiLife Extension Service joins host Nikki DaVaughn to break down the good, the bad, the ugly, and the summer stunners of our local insect world in today’s episode, and attempts to change Nikki’s disgust in cockroaches. We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear in town, for being our exclusive launch sponsor. 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’s brand-new city manager just kicked-off this year’s budget debates by presenting his first draft of this year’s budget. And while there are millions of dollars at play, the city’s somewhat limited in how it spends those dollars. Will the Austin Animal Shelter get the funding it needs to keep the doors open? And why are we so behind on park maintenance? Host Nikki DaVaughn digs into all of it with Amy Stansbury, editor in chief of the Austin Common.  We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear in town, for being our exclusive launch sponsor. 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