City Cast Austin

The City of Austin is facing a $33 million budget deficit, even as it moves forward with multi-million and billion-dollar projects like the I-35's caps and stitches and the Austin airport expansion. If you're scratching your head wondering how that math adds up, you're not alone. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by City Budget Officer Kerri Lang to get an inside look on how the city's budget really comes together. They dig into where the money comes from, what city bonds actually do, and how Lang's team works overtime to build the budget that will go up for a vote in August. Plus, how you can weigh in on where those dollars go. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 2nd episode: Jones Dairy Farm Visit Port Aransas InKind - Get $25 off your next order of $50 or more! LBJ Presidential Library Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter.  Follow us @citycastaustin You can also text us or leave a voicemail.  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Summer storms slammed Austin this week, including one on Wednesday that left nearly 40,000 residents without power and one person dead. On this week’s Friday News Roundup, host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw to discuss the severe weather and how to be summer storm ready. Later, Leslie Rangel, senior editor of investigations for The Barbed Wire joins to talk about the Texas Legislature passing both a THC ban and a film incentives bill, and what these new state laws mean for Austinites. Plus, we discuss which Austin BBQ joints made Texas Monthly's Top 50 list and our weekend plans, including attending the ATX TV Festival, and a Juneteenth exhibition at the Bullock Texas State History Museum.  Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter.  Follow us @citycastaustin You can also text us or leave a voicemail.  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

The city is full of tourists, the kids are everywhere, and we’re praying for rain: Happy June, Austin! The entire world is celebrating Pride month, and while Austin’s festivities mostly take place in August (read this if you’re wondering why), host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec and local sex therapist Adam Maurer to share tips on commemorating Stonewall right here, from the Majestic Ball to QUEERBOMB and more. Plus, we discuss our favorite watering holes, chlorinated and not, and how we are all prepping for summer.  For even more tips on how to make the most of June 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 @citycastaustin You can also text us or leave a voicemail.  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

Last week, Austin City Council voted to designate $104 million to help fund the I-35 "caps and stitches" project. They also agreed to add solar panels to publicly-owed buildings in an effort to stay on track with the city's climate goals. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Amy Standbury, editor-in-chief of The Austin Common, to break down these latest council actions – plus why some housing advocates are urging the city to reconsider a redevelopment plan at Acacia Cliffs apartment complex, what's in the works for Austin's water, and why some vape shops might soon be banned. You can find the city survey Amy mentioned, here. And for more on Nikki’s midweek mood boost, read this.  Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter.  Follow us @citycastaustin You can also text us or leave a voicemail.  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is taking shape in the heart of downtown Austin right now: The redevelopment of Sixth Street. Unlike other redevelopment projects in town, a single entity — Stream Realty — owns most of the street, and is spending an undisclosed amount of money on making it look old again. Host Nikki DaVaughn, a Sixth Street aficionado herself, is joined by Sky Currie of Clayton Korte, the architecture firm turning Dirty Sixth back into Old Sixth, to discuss what Sixth Street will look and feel like in the not-too-distant future.  Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter.  Follow us @citycastaustin You can also text us or leave a voicemail.  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

If you're planning on traveling in or out of the Austin airport this Memorial Day Weekend, you might want to be prepared for a possible delay. On this week's Friday News Roundup, host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec to talk about the recent air traffic staffing shortages affecting Austin Bergstrom International Airport. We also discuss some good and bad news about higher education in Austin, The Infatuation's Summer Spots list, and our Memorial Day weekend picks including Hot Luck Live Food and Music Fest, the Jaws Movie Party at Alamo Drafthouse, and more.   Learn more about the sponsors of this May 23rd episode: Tecovas Williamstown Theatre Festival Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter.  Follow us @citycastaustin You can also text us or leave a voicemail.  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

The Paramount Summer Classic Film Series returns tonight for its 51st year of bringing iconic cinema to the heart of Austin. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by local journalist Eric Webb to unpack the criteria for what makes a movie "classic", this year's must-see picks, and how to soak up all the beauty this 110-year old building has to offer. Turns out, the silver screen isn't the only thing worth looking at! Learn more about the sponsors of this May 22nd episode: Tecovas Williamstown Theatre Festival Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter.  Follow us @citycastaustin You can also text us or leave a voicemail.  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

You might not be one of them — but the hundreds of Austinites who volunteer their time on boards, commissions, advisory groups, and more in town are imperative for Austin’s success. After living in Austin for several years, Dewi Smith decided she needed to get more involved, and since then, she’s created the perfect imbalance of work, life, service, and fun. Smith joins host Nikki DaVaughn to share how she does it all, and why she needs more than just brunch to feel connected.  Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter.  Follow us @citycastaustin You can also text us or leave a voicemail.  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

The Austin Gamblers are the reigning champions of the 2024 Professional Bull Riding Team Series, and their top cowboy just won the world championship. In other words — they’re really good, and their next season is about to kick off. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Michael “Gman” Gaffney, the Gamblers’ coach and a Professional Bull Riders champion himself, to get us up to speed.   Learn more about the sponsors of this May 21st episode: Tecovas Williamstown Theatre Festival This episode originally aired on August 20, 2024.  Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter.  Follow us @citycastaustin You can also text us or leave a voicemail.  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

Aaron Franklin is a barbecue icon, a household name among meat aficionados, and a guru to restaurateurs. At Franklin Barbecue and his second local spot, Uptown Sports Club, Franklin is constantly collaborating with and boosting other local chefs — and for this weekend’s Hot Luck, a food and music festival, he cast his net nation-wide. Aaron Franklin joins host Nikki DaVaughn to share how he personally selects the chefs featured at the festival, what he loves about East Austin, and the restaurants other than his own that he recommends to visitors.  Learn more about the sponsors of this May 20th episode: Tecovas Williamstown Theatre Festival Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter.  Follow us @citycastaustin You can also text us or leave a voicemail.  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE