City Cast Nashville

Election Day is tomorrow, Nov. 3, and poll observers will be stationed at all 178 Nashville polling precincts. Host Rachel Iacovone is joined by Selah Torralba, advocacy manager for the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition, to explain how poll observers can help, what to do if you run into a problem or feel intimidated, and how to make sure you’re headed to the right polling place. We al...

When you think of Waymo, you might not yet think of Nashville. But you should definitely be thinking of Austin, Texas. State law governing autonomous vehicles (AVs) supersedes city authority and prevents local governments from regulating AVs, creating areas that have become increasingly attractive to AV companies. City Cast Austin host Miles Bloxson joins Your City Could Better to talk about if th...

Crank up the Mariah Carey — it’s the month when Nashville blows straight past Thanksgiving and careens towards Christmas. Of course, host Rachel Iacovone, audience development manager Emma White, and creative producer Marie Cecile Anderson are still sharing their Turkey Day food suggestions, along with everything else they’re excited to eat, hear, and do this November.  Learn more about the s...

Harley Whitehouse, a.k.a. @harlzcookz, isn’t a trained chef — but his love of Nashville restaurants inspired him to learn how to cook their dishes at home. Now, he shares his dupe recipes on social media with the goal of helping other people get inspired in the kitchen, too. He joins host Rachel Iacovone to share his essential Nashville dishes and give us even more reasons to get out and support o...

Did y’all know the Mother Church is haunted? We’re revisiting our conversation with tour guide Ken Wood, who takes creative producer Marie Cecile Anderson inside the Ryman Haunted History Tour to share all the unexplained phenomena lurking in those famous pews. And this year, you can go get ghosted in person on Halloween night, Oct. 31! **This episode originally aired Sept. 25, 2025. Learn more ab...

Early voting ends this Thursday at 7 p.m., so get out and vote! Host Rachel Iacovone joins creative producers Marie Cecile Anderson and Margaret Kingsberry to talk about voter turnout, then ask whether Nashville is safe for tourists after a distracted driver rear-ended a pedal tavern on Demonbreun Street, and a tourist died after a fight outside a Second Avenue bar. Then we discuss what Oracle act...

Councilmember Sandra Sepulveda spent the past several months trying to push legislation to ban right turns on red through Metro Council — only to withdraw her bill at last week’s meeting after a pledge from the Nashville Department of Transportation that they would start implementing the ban on their own. CM Sepulveda joins host Rachel Iacovone to explain her process, how fear of the state continu...

How prepared is Nashville to deal with the effects of climate change? In a recent report, Chicago was ranked as the most climate resilient city in the world — the only U.S. city to make it into the top 10. What’s Chicago doing right? City Cast Chicago host Jacoby Cochran is joining David this week to talk about how the city is adapting to face climate risks, its work in renewable energy, and other...

The ultra-rich are moving to Middle Tennessee, but what does that mean for the rest of us? Host Rachel Iacovone joins executive producer Whitney Pastorek and creative producer Marie Cecile Anderson to discuss why multimillionaires are flocking to Franklin, the new report warning Nashville that Elon Musk’s Music City Loop could cause sinkholes, and ICE accessing license plate reader data from Flock...

It’s time for our annual tradition of waging war on pumpkin spice! City Cast Nashville contributor and Nashville Scene food and travel correspondent Margaret Littman joins host Rachel Iacovone to, once again, divulge her alternative fall favorites. This year, that includes seasonal specials — from squash-free candle scents to a new ice cream made from suburban rodents’ favorite snack. Learn more a...

Woof, things are expensive these days, so we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes: How far can $50 get you in Nashville? Creative producer Marie Cecile Anderson, Daniel Sumstine, producer of sponsored content Anthony Luciani, and executive producer Whitney Pastorek each planned the perfect day in a different Nashville neighborhood while spending $50 or less. They’ve got cheap eats, free acti...

The petition to drop auto racing as a required use at the Nashville Fairgrounds is officially certified, but the fight is far from over. Host Rachel Iacovone joins executive producer Whitney Pastorek and creative producer Marie Cecile Anderson to discuss whether all the drama is worth it. Plus, we dig into how 12 South changed so much, so fast, and why longtime businesses like Epice are leaving. W...

Did you know sex work was once legal in Nashville? Last month, local historian Betsy Phillips introduced us to Rebecca Higgins, Nashville’s “Queen of the Demimonde,” in her cover story for the Nashville Scene. Today, Betsy joins creative producer (and lover of the history of the world’s oldest profession) Marie Cecile Anderson to uncover the fascinating and often overlooked history of sex work in...

How much ownership or responsibility do you feel as a resident of Nashville? In Salt Lake City, people are being asked to “adopt a storm drain” to help keep city streets free of floods and trash — and to possibly slow the drying and pollution of the Great Salt Lake. City Cast Salt Lake host Ali Vallarta says it’s worth a shot. This week, she joins David to discuss how quick, periodic cleaning of a...

Early voting is underway in Nashville! Host Rachel Iacovone is joined by creative producer Marie Cecile Anderson and local on-air personality and Tennessee Trends founder Tala Shatara to dig into Nashvillians’ concerns about heading to the polls. Then they debate whether downtown tourism tax dollars should bail out Broadway bar owners, talk about the lawsuit from Crieve Hall and Oak Hill neighbors...

Spooky season has reached its peak, but where should kiddos get their costumes? What’s the best neighborhood for trick or treating? Is Boo at the Zoo actually worth it? Creative producer Margaret Kingsbury and contributor Amelia Edelman are back with their expert parenting advice to make the most of October. From pumpkin patches to haunted houses, they’ve got your guide to everything kids wanna do...

This Friday through Sunday, the 45th annual Tennessee Indian Education Pow Wow takes place at Long Hunter State Park. Host Rachel Iacovone talks with Andrea Walsh, vice president of the Native American Association of Tennessee, about what visitors can expect this year, from traditional food and music to vibrant regalia and dancing. Andrea also explains how to take part respectfully, how Native peo...

Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election starts tomorrow. Host Rachel Iacovone, executive producer Whitney Pastorek, and creative producer Marie Cecile Anderson break down the key races, new district boundaries, and the three constitutional amendments on the ballot. Davidson County voters can find their sample ballot and early voting information here. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you...

Another Nashville school year has begun — how are cell phones being handled? In Minnesota, one high school is demonstrating that a strict no-phone school day can work, and they’ve got the (mostly) positive feedback to show for it. City Cast Twin Cities host Sean McPherson joins David to talk about how St. Paul Central High School is succeeding at enforcing a phone-free school environment, the surp...

City Cast Nashville is the best podcast in Nashville for the second year in a row, according to the Nashville Scene’s readers’ poll. Host Rachel Iacovone joins executive producer Whitney Pastorek and creative producer Marie Cecile Anderson to celebrate, and dish on Metro Council’s decision to delay the No Right on Red vote again, Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall’s retirement announcement after 2...

Can you see stars in Nashville? Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory resident astronomer Dr. Billy Teets and director Jessica Ingram join creative producer Marie Cecile Anderson to share where to stargaze around town. They also discuss how the observatory’s recent renovation is creating a more welcoming space for astronomy programming and concerts under the stars, and preview its upcoming telescope night o...

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, and local nonprofit Learning Matters is hard at work supporting and empowering K-12 students impacted by a diverse learning style. Host Rachel Iacovone is joined by Nashville SC founding player Taylor Washington, a Learning Matters ambassador, to talk about his own journey with dyslexia, on and off the field — and of course, he’s sharing his analysis of NS...

Frank Strada resigned as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Correction following the state’s failed attempt to execute Christa Pike this week. Hosts Rachel Iacovone, executive producer Whitney Pastorek, and creative producer Marie Cecile Anderson discuss what comes next for capital punishment in Tennessee. Plus, Nashville is setting aside $30 million a year to pursue tourism “mega events....

The ICE detainment and likely deportation of two Nashville chefs has rocked the Middle Eastern community surrounding Deir, the Palestinian coffeehouse and restaurant where they worked. Host Rachel Iacovone is joined by Deir’s owner, Yousef Gumiza, to talk about the newfound immigration fears he and his staff are feeling, what it was like growing up in Nashville and in Palestine, and the Kurdish ea...

When Nashville looks for inspiration for the future, does it look to the Netherlands? That’s what designers and officials in New York City did in order to integrate flood mitigation into public housing. Inspired by places like Rotterdam, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) collaborated with other groups to give Queens a state-of-the-art, climate-resilient amenity — in this case, a basketba...