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
January 27, 2026 • 33 mins
We’re rounding up some of DC’s biggest stories today. After months of speculation, the campaign of 88-year-old Eleanor Holmes Norton filed to “terminate” her re-election efforts. And for the last week, 40 million gallons of raw sewage a day has spilled into the Potomac – gross. Finally — we’re sharing our best snow stories from DC’s very snowy, sleety, icy storm.
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January 26, 2026 • 16 mins
The snow hit DC this weekend in a big way. It might be hard to get around, but the city’s got a lot of neighborhood bars, cafes and restaurants that are worth a trudge while the streets are still getting cleared. Plus, sometimes there's nothing cozier than hanging out at a place you have to schlep to. So we’re running back this City Cast team convo about DC’s coziest winter spots.
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January 23, 2026 • 35 mins
We’re joined by Alex Koma of WAMU and Jessica Sidman from Washingtonian to chat about our newest councilmember, the priciest traffic cameras in the area, and DC’s 100 very best restaurants! And, in a members only fourth segment, we’re gonna go deep on the Las Vegas style-sphere coming to National Harbor in Maryland.
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January 22, 2026 • 22 mins
Virginia made history this week, swearing in its first female governor. Democrats now hold the House, the Senate, and the governor’s office. A new legislative session is also getting underway, and from affordability issues to a major redistricting fight, there’s a lot on the agenda. Michael Pope of The Virginia Press Room Podcast and Virginia Public Radio joins us to explain this session.
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January 21, 2026 • 30 mins
The Washington National Opera announced this month that it was leaving the Kennedy Center. It’s the most shocking departure yet since Donald Trump’s takeover — and it could spell enormous changes for both the center and the opera, as well as Washington’s status as a high-culture city. The Washington Post’s Philip Kennicott has been covering the chaos and he’s here to explain.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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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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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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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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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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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.
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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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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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