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
December 9, 2025 • 30 mins
We already know Mayor Bowser isn’t running for another term, but both Councilmember Anita Bonds and MPD Chief Pamela Smith also just announced their retirements, meaning a real shakeup is coming for the DC government. WAMU's Alex Koma is here to explain what all of these resignations mean for the city and why the 2026 field is looking so crowded.
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December 8, 2025 • 23 mins
Traffic Circles are the secret to getting around DC — navigating them is a right of passage that separates the locals from the newbies. City planner Dan Reed is here to talk about how we wound up with all these circles on the map, and what’s going to become of them in the years ahead.
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 ca...
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December 5, 2025 • 36 mins
We’re talking about the entry of a bona fide progressive into the DC mayor’s race, Donald Trump’s plans for Dulles Airport, and the return of stars to the Washington Post’s restaurant reviews. In a members only 4th segment, what’s going on with ranked choice voting in DC?
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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December 4, 2025 • 21 mins
For a lot of people in DC, the name “Saint Elizabeth’s” still conjures the likes of John Hinckley. But the sprawling campus that housed what used to be known as an insane asylum has transformed over the past two decades, with the hospital’s footprint shrinking and a lot of new stuff coming in: A cabinet department, a basketball arena, some pretty-looking housing. And according to the Washington Business Journal’s Michael Neibauer, ...
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December 3, 2025 • 46 mins
Join City Cast DC co-host Bridget Todd alongside fellow hosts from Austin, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Madison, Nashville, Philly, Pittsburgh, Portland, Salt Lake, Seattle, and the Twin Cities for a special episode that’ll help you knock out your holiday shopping early and support small businesses around the country. From a handlebar mount (and app!) that’ll turn your phone into a bike cam, to a mustard-of-the-month subscription bo...
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December 2, 2025 • 30 mins
After the tragic attack on two National Guard members that left one of them dead and the other fighting for his life in the hospital, the Trump administration quickly announced plans to put 500 additional National Guard troops on DC’s streets, this time with DC police accompanying them for protection. All of this while there are still many unanswered questions about what exactly happened in this attack. The Washington Post’s Olivia...
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December 1, 2025 • 35 mins
Whether you’re a holiday grump or can't get enough of all things merry and bright, we’ve got your guide to what to eat, drink, see, and do this December in DC, from Guinness World Record kissing to DC’s best gifts.
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 November in DC, check out Hey ...
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November 25, 2025 • 43 mins
Muriel Bowser has announced that she’s going to hang it up after 12 years in office. What happens now? And what should we make of the decade-plus that Herronner has spent dominating DC politics? City Cast’s Michael Schaffer, Bridget Todd and WAMU’s Alex Koma explain every juicy detail.
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. Yo...
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November 25, 2025 • 26 mins
Thanksgiving is here! And we’re thankful, seriously and unseriously, about a whole bunch of things. The CCDC gang chat about what this Thanksgiving means for them and all the things we’re thanking DC 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.
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November 24, 2025 • 20 mins
Aging isn’t something most of us like to think about, but it’s something all of us will experience. And in D.C., older residents are more likely to face memory challenges like dementia, which occurs here at higher rates than in much of the country. But a new approach to elder care might offer a better path forward for how the city supports its aging population. Washington Post reporter Michael Brice-Saddler explores what aging in D...
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November 21, 2025 • 34 mins
We’re talking about the latest scoop on DC’s looming mayoral election, the latest spillover effect from the city’s youth-crime problem — it’s going to affect your ebike rental — and the fate of the federal building DC loves to hate. Plus, Thanksgiving tips! And in a member’s-only fourth segment, we’ll talk through the latest Congressional bills that would rewrite DC laws. Our representatives don’t get a vote, but we do have thought...
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November 20, 2025 • 23 mins
You’ve probably never heard of the Wilbur J. Cohen federal building. It’s a government office building just off the Mall houses a collection of masterpieces of American art. Some of them are literally part of the building, murals by the legendary 1930s artist Ben Shahn. For decades, they’ve been open to the public, not that most people knew about them. Now, they might be destroyed: The Cohen building is one of the structures that t...
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November 19, 2025 • 21 mins
That taut, pulled look, full lips, jawlines that suddenly seem… suspiciously sharp. It’s what some are calling “Mar-a-Lago Face,” a plastic-surgery trend that’s gaining popularity here in DC. So who’s getting the work done? And what exactly are they asking for? We’re revisiting our conversation with journalist POLITICO’s Joanna Weiss about what DC really thinks of plastic surgery, why certain faces rise and fall with each administr...
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November 18, 2025 • 37 mins
DC is in the middle of two youth crises: One involves school truancy; the other involves high-profile teen mayhem, like the skirmish on Halloween between young people and law enforcement at Navy Yard. Are the two related? Washington Post reporters Lauren Lumpkin and Robert Samuels wrote a blockbuster report on the city’s failures to combat truancy. They walk us through the shocking details.
Want some more DC news? Then make sur...
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November 17, 2025 • 41 mins
What really went on between Muriel Bowser and Donald Trump during the DC police takeover? The Washington Post’s Jonathan O’Connell has reported out an epic look at the relationship between the blue mayor and the people that make up the MAGA administration, full of jaw-dropping details. Come for the cocktail party with Russ Vought, stick around for the Marshawn Lynch meme.
Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for ou...
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November 14, 2025 • 34 mins
We’re talking about the future of streateries, the end of the federal shutdown, and a new Washington Post food critic. Plus, in a member’s-only fourth segment, we’ll talk about the trend of senior Trump officials living in military bases — and what that means for DC.
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 ...
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November 13, 2025 • 41 mins
On Monday, the Washington Post announced that Elazar Sontag would be its new food critic. Which means that Tom Sietsema, who held the job for 26 years, is finally free to dish about what life was really like as the most powerful man in DC’s restaurant scene. We talked to Tom about the way the dining world has evolved, the way the critic’s job has changed, and whether he’d actually make me pay if we go out to dinner together. He als...
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November 12, 2025 • 26 mins
Here’s a hot take: food halls are stressful. Too many options, not enough standout bites. So when we heard that DC was getting another one in the form of a chain called Wonder, we had to know why. Anna Spiegel joins us to dish on DC’s newest food hall chain and whether they’re actually worth the hype.
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: (2...
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November 11, 2025 • 27 mins
A blockbuster New York Times report last week announced that Mayor Bowser is under federal investigation over a foreign trip she took. But within hours, other news organizations reported that the investigation isn’t targeting the mayor, and may not be much of an investigation after all. Nonetheless, it lands at a terrible time for Muriel Bowser as she weighs a reelection run. And it highlights once again the bizarre dance between D...
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November 10, 2025 • 16 mins
DC is on the cusp of passing a law whose proponents say it could massively reduce child poverty. But the catch is that the bill would take away a lot of the local tax benefits that at least some folks would get as a result of the One Big Beautiful Bill passed by Congress. Jenny Gathright from the Washington Post has been covering the debate and is here to explain.
Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our mornin...
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