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City Cast DC: Daily Summaries Delivered
by City Cast
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.
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The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Today29 min
‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Philly Is Reducing Violence With Parks — Presented By City Cast DC
Would DC be better with fewer vacant, blighted lots? In Philly, the answer is overwhelmingly yes, with significant drops in crime and depression recorded near newly transformed, “greened” neighborhood lots. But how did they do it? David talks with City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri and special guest Matt Rader, president of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, about how Philly prioritized revitalizing its abandoned outdoor space, the ways that having a nonprofit partner has made all the difference, and what still needs to be done. Mentioned on the show: Study showing 29% decrease in gun violence near transformed lots: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1718503115 Study showing 41% decrease in reported depression: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2688343 Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now! We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter Looking to advertise on Your City Could Be Better? Check out our options.
- 2 days ago30 min
Trayon White’s Alleged Brother-In-Law, D.C. Council Heads Back To Work, And Ovi Campaigns For… Putin?
We’ve got the latest on Councilmember Trayon White’s bribery trial. Also, D.C. City Council is back in session — we’ll take a look at what’s on their plate, and whether they can afford to pay for the meal at all. And what, exactly, is Washington Caps star and captain Alexander Ovechkin doing in a political ad for Russian President Vladimir Putin?Plus, in a members-only fourth segment, the Kennedy Center has voted — again — to close down for two years. If Trump can’t get his name on the building after all, could he be considering tearing it down? We’re joined by my City Cast colleague Ben Brasch, as well as The Washington Post’s Paul Schwartzman. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter City Cast 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 more about the sponsors of this September 18th episode: Washington National Opera The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University Theatre Washington Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.
- 3 days ago49 min
The D.C. Postal Workers Still Affected by the Anthrax Attacks, 25 Years Later
Weeks after 9/11, in Senator Tom Daschle’s office on Capitol Hill, an aide opened an envelope addressed to the Senator and released anthrax into the air – microscopic, deadly spores that can be deadly if inhaled or absorbed through the skin in even the smallest amounts.As the FBI began investigating the letters, the workers at D.C.’s Brentwood mail facility continued to sort mail – while federal agents patrolled around them wearing protective gear from head to toe. Two D.C. postal workers died from anthrax exposure.Today, we’ll speak with Dan Krauss, the director of “The Anthrax Attacks: In The Shadow of 9/11" and Dena Briscoe, one of the Brentwood D.C. postal employees who worked through the attacks and now runs an advocacy group for the postal workers affected by them. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter City Cast 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 more about the sponsors of this September 17th episode: Washington National Opera The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University Theatre Washington Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.
- 4 days ago29 min
Fall DMV Escapes For Under $150
It’s finally getting cool enough to wear a sweatshirt in the morning – which means D.C. fall is here. With Congress back in session and the city in full swing, we’re looking for cheap weekend getaways. City Cast contributor Tim Ebner has some ideas for your next local vacation. So while you dig out those fall sweaters, we’ve got your itinerary covered. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter City Cast 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 more about the sponsors of this September 16th episode: Washington National Opera The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University Signature Theatre Theatre Washington Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.
- 5 days ago43 min
"The Inn At Little Washington" Chef Dishes All
Patrick O’Connell is the most famous and powerful man in Washington – Little Washington, that is. In the tiny Virginia hamlet, O’Connell’s restaurant is a global culinary destination. From his perch about an hour west of D.C., O’Connell has achieved a gravitational influence over the District’s culinary scene.Today he’s out with a sometimes searing memoir, “Main, Middle and Gay: A Chef Finds His Place in the World Against All Odds.” In it, O’Connell charts his course from a tough Prince George’s County childhood, through the counterculture, and into fame and fortune. Chef O’Connell is here to tell us about it. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter City Cast 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 more about the sponsors of this September 15th episode: Washington National Opera The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University Signature Theatre Theatre Washington Mosaic Theater Company Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.
- 6 days ago35 min
Park Police Officers Have Doubled In D.C. – Why?
The Trump administration wants the US Park Police to be D.C.’s "premier law enforcement agency." In just a year, they’ve doubled its size, from 300 to around 600 here in D.C. And because they answer to the White House, and don’t have to play by the same rules as local cops, it makes a lot of Washingtonians nervous. City Cast D.C.’s Emma Uber and Alyssa Fowers are out with a big report on just what the agency is up to -- they’re here to explain. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter City Cast 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 more about the sponsors of this September 14th episode: Washington National Opera The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University Signature Theatre Theatre Washington Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.
- 1 weeks ago27 min
‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Las Vegas Is Handling Record-Breaking Heat — Presented By City Cast DC
It may not feel like it right now, but extreme heat is coming for DC, and Las Vegas might have the answers you need. An already sizzling city, Vegas has continued to experience record-breaking heat in recent years, essentially forcing it to lead the charge in protecting residents from increasingly rising temperatures. City Cast Las Vegas host Jesse Merrick talks with David about the bold moves of Nevada’s lawmakers, like mandating heat mitigation and giving away trees, and how some time-tested strategies still need to be tweaked as rising global temperatures present new problems every day. Mentioned on the show: Europe’s 10,000 recorded deaths during June 2026 heatwave Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now! We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter Looking to advertise on Your City Could Be Better? Check out our options.
- 1 weeks ago35 min
Lonnie Bunch’s Retirement, Trayon White’s Jury, And 25 Years Since 9/11
This week marks 25 years since the September 11th terrorist attacks: We talk about how that day changed the District. We also talk about Lonnie Bunch’s retirement, what Trump’s war on the Smithsonian means for D.C., and we preview Councilmember Trayon White’s bribery trial as jury selection kicks off today.Plus, in a members-only fourth segment, we take a look at D.C.’s ongoing efforts to fight the rat problem, from special trash cans to birth control and poison. We’re joined by our City Cast D.C. colleagues Marc Fisher and Emma Uber. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter City Cast 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 more about the sponsors of this September 11th episode: District Bridges DC Department of Behavioral Health Mosaic Theater Company Washington National Opera The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University Signature Theatre Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.
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About 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.
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