City Cast DC

City Cast DC

City Cast DC is the daily, local audio companion you knew DC needed.. Washingtonians are deeply passionate about our city, whose story is still being written, and City Cast DC is here to tell it. Every weekday morning, our hosts Michael Schaffer and Bridget Todd will engage people from all over the eight wards in conversation about DC’s crises and its beauty, both literal and figurative. It’ll have the feel of eavesdropping on an energetic and informative coffee shop chat, except that with City Cast DC, consider this your official invitation to listen in. Learn more and subscribe to our daily newsletter at dc.citycast.fm.

Episodes

Hacks To Get Your Kids Into The Best DC Summer Camps

January 17, 2026 • 26 mins
We know what you're thinking - why would City Cast be talking about summer camps in January? If you're a parent asking yourself that question, you need to get your head in the game. Finding summer camps in D.C. can be cutthroat, and the deadlines are just around the corner. City Cast DC contributor Austin Graff is here to help you get prepared. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. Yo...
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Major Kennedy Center Loss, FBI Raids Reporter's Home, Cellphone Heist in Congress

January 16, 2026 • 31 mins
We’re talking about the Washington Opera’s departure from the Kennedy Center, the FBI searching a Washington Post reporter’s house, and more furor over DC police working with ICE. Plus, in a members only fourth segment — and a dose of fun in a tough week – we’ll talk about the great Congressional Cellphone Caper, in which a staffer stole 240 smartphones from Congress. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morni...
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Inside the DMV’s AI Data Centers Driving Up Your Electric Bill

January 15, 2026 • 27 mins
With the explosion of AI, data centers have proliferated. And the DC metro area is the focal point of it all, with Northern Virginia leading the way. Prince George’s County lawmakers are debating whether to build a data center amid rising water use and electricity costs.  Jenny Abamu from WAMU joins us to explain how these centers became so popular, and what it means for the locals who live near them. Want some more DC news? Then ...
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Has Trump Permanently Tanked DC's Economy?

January 14, 2026 • 21 mins
Tracey Hadden Loh runs a program at Brookings that compiles economic data about the DC area — which means she tends to be a step ahead when it comes to noticing, like, blinking danger signs about how our region is doing. As you can imagine, her phone’s been ringing off the hook in this year of DOGE and dislocation. Luckily for us, she answered when we called, and is here today to share some new data about a weird plunge in DMV cons...
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DC’s Food In’s and Outs For 2026

January 13, 2026 • 23 mins
Remember when cupcakes were all the rage in DC? Or espresso martinis? DC loves a food trend, but what will be THE THINGS in drink, dining and DC’s food scene in 2026? Washingtonian’s food editor, Jessica Sidman, is here to walk us through what's in and out in DC dining in 2026.   Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little ...
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Trump Has a New Obsession In His DC Takeover

January 12, 2026 • 22 mins
What does Donald Trump want with DC’s public golf links? The question is suddenly on a lot of people’s minds because the administration has suddenly injected itself into the obscure question of who runs facilities that for years have been used for recreation by middle-class Washingtonians.  The Washington Post’s Rick Maese has been covering the golf-course takeover and is here to tell us what he knows.   Want some more DC news? Th...
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Is DC Getting Rid of Traffic Cameras? Plus, Arc de Trump, and Compass Coffee's Downfall

January 9, 2026 • 35 mins
We’re talking about the Transportation Department’s proposal to get rid of all traffic cameras in DC, the plan to build a giant Arc de Trump along the Potomac, and the latest chapter in the saga of DC’s Compass Coffee — that chapter, alas, is Chapter 11. Plus, in a members-only fourth segment, we’ll talk about the anniversary of January 6 and how the day lives on (or doesn’t) in the city where it went down. Want some more DC news?...
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Underrated Indoor Activities in DC

January 8, 2026 • 15 mins
You might be experiencing a bit of the January Blues. On cold days like these, you don’t have to just stay in your apartment. But you also might want to do something more creative than visit a museum! Strap on your coat, because we are revisiting this conversation with Clockout DC’s Jade Womack about the most underrated indoor activities in DC. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to⁠ sign up⁠ for our morning newsletter Hey DC. ...
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DC Stories You Need To Watch in 2026

January 7, 2026 • 32 mins
What are your bets for the biggest story of 2026? We sat down with NBC4’s Mark Segraves to debate our choices, from DC politics, to the regional economy, to Trump’s plans for a huge 4th of July.  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can text us or leave a voicemail at: (202) 642-2654. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month. Interested...
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How to Escape DC for Under $150 This Winter

January 6, 2026 • 24 mins
If you’re back in the office after a long holiday and already planning that next vacation, we’ve got you covered. We all know that winter trips can be spendy, so City Cast contributor Tim Ebner has your guide to the best cold weather getaway trips from DC for under $150. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can text us or leave a voicemail at: (202) 642-2654. You can also become ...
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What U.S. Cities Will Be Talking About in 2026 (Including DC)

January 5, 2026 • 56 mins
Nobody understands a city’s pulse quite like a City Cast host — and that makes them the best predictors for 2026’s biggest local stories. City Cast D.C. host Mike Schaffer joins CEO David Plotz and the other 12 hosts from across the network to talk about the big changes coming to our cities, from political shifts to data centers. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to⁠ sign up⁠ for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can⁠ also ...
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Your Guide to January 2026 in DC

January 2, 2026 • 31 mins
If your New Year’s resolution was to kick more ass in 2026, we’ve got you covered — from hot tub hangs to G-league basketball. It’s our guide to having your best possible January.  If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast community. For even more tips on how to make the most of January in DC, check out Hey DC’s take on what to do this month....
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Political Scandals that Changed DC

December 30, 2025 • 29 mins
With Council member Trayon White’s bribery trial set to begin in 2026, this next year is fixed to become a hall of famer for D.C. political scandals. But how does it rank against the District’s other legendary scandals, and what other hall of fame political transgressions should every Washingtonian know? We’re revisiting Michael Schaffer’s conversation with NBC4’s Mark Segraves to find out. Learn more about the sponsors of this De...
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H Street Isn’t The Ghost Town You Think It Is

December 29, 2025 • 27 mins
It is almost 2026, and if you are like us here at City Cast D.C., one of your new years resolutions is to learn more about this city that we love. H Street got some bad press this year, and if you believed that alone you might think every business is failing. But that's just not true, H Street may be a historic neighborhood, but it is vibrant and alive with new businesses and incredible experiences – you just have to know where to ...
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A Rare Piece of DC History Might Be Living in Your House

December 23, 2025 • 28 mins
If you’ve got a Swedish ivy plant in your home and you’re not quite sure where it came from, there’s a non-zero chance it once lived in the White House. Cuttings from a Swedish ivy plant that lived for decades on the mantle of the oval office have quietly made their way all over D.C. — part of a little-known local tradition that’s been spreading for decades. City Cast’s Annie Rees has a cutting and has been getting to the root of i...
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Everything We Know About The New East Wing Construction

December 22, 2025 • 21 mins
Shalom Baranes is one of Washington’s most prolific architects and the designer behind a lot of the most prominent modern buildings of the past few decades. So how did he wind up as the new architect of Donald Trump’s White House ballroom? After all, Trump has promised classical beauty and old-school design. Douglas Fruehling from the Washington Business Journal has covered Baranes for years and explains what this all means — about...
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New Chief of Police, an AirBNB Gone Wrong, and Middle School Drops Novels

December 19, 2025 • 41 mins
We’re talking about the state of DC’s police — the old chief is out, and her replacement is going to have to deal with an investigation into alleged manipulation of crime stats, among other challenges. Plus, DC’s top public middle school has stopped teaching novels. A nightmare story about an Airbnb tenant who wouldn’t leave, and what DC’s laws did and didn’t allow the frustrated owner to do.  Want some more DC news? Then make sur...
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How Trump Is Tanking DC’s Dining Scene

December 18, 2025 • 28 mins
Between mass layoffs that hit people’s wallets, the federal takeover, and an ongoing ICE crackdown, DC’s restaurants are facing a lot of headwinds resulting from the Trump administration’s choices. Jessica Sidman from Washingtonian is DC’s top reporter on the industry and she’s here to share some of her reporting.  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can text us or leave a voice...
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Where Are DC’s Deadliest Roads and How Is The City Fixing Them?

December 17, 2025 • 36 mins
What are the deadliest roads in the DC area? The city has actually made a lot of improvements, especially compared with other places in the country, but given America’s grim stats, that’s not good enough. The Washington Post’s Rachel Weiner and Ian Duncan have worked on a major investigative project about the issue and are here to share some of their reporting.  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning new...
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DC's Best Cozy Coffee Shops

December 16, 2025 • 21 mins
We’re officially in winter weather season, and staying holed up at home sounds pretty tempting. But Dominique Bazil is here with a guide to the cozy cafés that are absolutely worth bundling up for. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can text us or leave a voicemail at: (202) 642-2654. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month. Learn mo...
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