City Cast Austin

We all know Austin’s official Pride celebration takes place in August — but there’s one event that you shouldn’t miss in June: The Majestic Ball, this Saturday, June 21. House of Lepore Founder and Mother, Icon Natalie Lepore, joins host Nikki DaVaughn to talk about ballroom in Austin, how ballroom picks up where biological families fail LGBTQ-plus relatives, and why Lepore is now giving up on Austin and advising her trans children to do the same.  Learn more about the sponsors of this June 18th episode: Tecovas Visit Port Aransas Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Zach Theatre 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 

Rainey Street has had a multitude of lives — from working-class Chicano neighborhood frequently overlooked and underserved; to Craftsman-style homes transformed into bars and restaurants bustling with bodies, especially for Sunday brunch; to unforgettable SXSW experiences; and now the high rise-lined wind tunnel where the sun never shines with one extremely worthwhile and Austin-ey cocktail bar. So what even is Rainey Street today? Is it still cool? Could it ever be again? Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Hey Austin newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw, and Nikki’s friend, local musician Doug Leveton, to discuss.  Learn more about the sponsors of this June 17th episode: Tecovas Cozy Earth - use code COZYAUSTIN for 40% off best-selling temperature-regulating sheets, apparel, and more. Visit Port Aransas Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Zach Theatre 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 

Every session of the Texas Legislature, Republicans file bills that affect Texans’ access to reproductive health, in particular, limiting abortions. In a state that has outlawed most abortions already (even though most Texans support at least some access to abortion), lawmakers found some room for improvement at the local level and banned city and county programs like Austin’s fund for abortion travel for residents. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Lucie Arvallo, the executive director of Jane’s Due Process, to talk about which abortion-related bills passed and which ones failed at the Texas Legislature this year.  Learn more about the sponsors of this June 16th episode: Tecovas Visit Port Aransas Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Zach Theatre 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

Governor Greg Abott has ⁠called in⁠ the Texas National Guard after ⁠13 were arrested⁠ at Monday's anti-ICE protest in Austin and a clown-themed ⁠"No Kings"⁠ protest gets planned for Saturday. On today’s Friday News Roundup, host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Hey Austin newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec to unpack it all. Plus, we talk about the latest ⁠staffing issues⁠ at the Austin airport, a Taylor Pride ⁠update⁠, and where Governor Abbott sits on the ⁠THC ban⁠.  Learn more about the sponsors of this June 13th episode: ⁠Tecovas⁠ ⁠XOXO Downtown Austin⁠ 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 

Summertime in Austin means the return of our frenemy, the heat dome, but we’re hoping this year’s is friendly enough to let in some rainfall here and there. To prepare us for the sweltering heat, host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by CBS Austin meteorologist Avery Tomasco. Join us in praying for a nice, gentle tropical storm in the gulf, and in letting your lawn brown. It’d be a lot cooler if you did.  Learn more about the sponsors of this June 12th episode: Tecovas XOXO Downtown Austin 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 

Let’s face it, Austin, it’s just too hot to cook inside. Enter: Grilling season. To get you grillmaster-ready, we’re revisiting a conversation host Nikki DaVaughn had last year with Cairo-born and Texas-trained pitmaster Kareem El-Ghayesh, of KG BBQ. The award-winning, self-proclaimed “Lambassador of Texas” shares his best tips and tricks for cooking meat like a pro, his favorite place to buy meat, and where he had the first taste of barbecue that forever changed his life.  This episode originally aired on August 29, 2024.  Learn more about the sponsors of this June 11th episode: Tecovas XOXO Downtown Austin 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

Keri Heath, an education reporter for the Austin American-Statesman, joins to delve into the state of public schools in Austin. They explore the ongoing budget crisis facing the Austin Independent School District, where underperforming middle schools are in the spotlight. The conversation highlights the $8.5 billion funding boost from Texas lawmakers and its potential impacts on teacher salaries and school performance. Additionally, they discuss disparities between East and West Austin schools and the future of educational reform in the community.

Texas lawmakers wasted no time this legislative session setting up a school voucher program, and eventually passed an $8.5 billion public school funding bill. And, lawmakers found new ways to impact the lives of LGBTQ-plus Texans. But some items are yet to be decided. Will Gov. Greg Abbott veto a bill banning virtually all consumable hemp in Texas? And will voters approve increases to homestead exemptions on property taxes and changes to the bail system? Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by KUT’s Blaise Gainey to get into it all.  Learn more about the sponsors of this June 9th episode: Tecovas XOXO Downtown Austin 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 Texas Legislature is finally out of our hair, the city of Austin is ending its use of automatic license plate readers (at least for now), and there’s some tragic news on the heels of the King of the Hill reboot announcement. On today’s Friday News Roundup, host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Hey Austin newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec to discuss it all. Plus, we discuss why the mayor of Taylor is refusing to sign a proclamation for this year’s Taylor Pride event, and where you can celebrate Pride Month in Austin. And hey, please do send us a voicemail or email and let us know what you think about Rainey Street! We want to hear all the opinions.  Learn more about the sponsors of this June 6th 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 

What kind of people can you meet by spending 24 hours in one spot in Austin? KUT’s podcast, “24 Hours in Austin,” dispatched a team of producers to find that out. From Sixth Street to coffee shops to a call center for mental health emergencies, characters abound on Austin's streets. KUT’s projects editor and podcast producer, Matt Largey, joins host Nikki DaVaughn to discuss what happens when you slow down, start a conversation, and connect with the strangers in your city.  This episode originally aired December 5, 2024 Learn more about the sponsors of this June 5th 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