City Cast Austin

For today’s episode, host Nikki DaVaughn sits down with Livestrong Foundation President and CEO Suzanne Stone to mark the 20th birthday of the cancer-fighting organization’s iconic yellow wristbands. And what will the next 20 years of treating cancer in Austin hold? The yellow band still costs $1 but changes are afoot, with survivability up, rising rates among young people, a new cancer hospital c...

Today on City Cast Austin, Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Hey Austin Newsletter Editor Kelsey Bradshaw and Eva Ruth Moravec for the Friday News Roundup. We’re talking about President Joe Biden’s upcoming visit to town, a $47.9 million grant coming Austin’s way from the Environmental Protection Agency, and where to find the majestic purple martins. We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favori...

The city of Austin has been searching for a new police chief for a year, and it’s now down to two finalists. But does either one truly have what it takes to run the police department, which has gone through four others in just 17 years? Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Austin City Councilmember Mackenzie Kelly, a staunch public safety advocate who isn’t so sure we’ve found our next chief just yet....

Happy National Tequila Day! In today’s episode, host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by mixologist Sushmita Malakar to talk about how to best celebrate this amazing holiday. The two discuss how to mark National Tequila Day at home, with DIY infused tequilas, and Malakar’s invention, the “Austin Summer” cocktail; which local tequila brands you should try, and where to find Austin’s best margaritas.  We’d...

Elon Musk recently announced that he’s moving the headquarters for X, formerly known as Twitter, to Austin, joining other Musk enterprises already here. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Asher Price of Axios to discuss — is Austin becoming "Musklandia?" Why is this city so attractive to the world’s richest person, and how does he fit in with Austin’s culture?  We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes...

In today’s episode, host Nikki DaVaughn sits down with Danny Davis, who reports on the Texas Longhorns for the Austin American-Statesman, to talk about University of Texas sports. Recently, the university held a massive party to celebrate joining the Southeastern Conference, in which UT will compete with powerhouse football teams and deep-seeded rivalries. We dig into what the change really means,...

It’s the Friday News Roundup! Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by producer Elissa Rozentuller and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec to bring y’all the headlines for the week. On today’s episode, the City Cast Austin team discusses Austin’s enormous housing inventory, the forthcoming Michelin Texas Guide, and the two finalists vying to become Austin’s next police chief. Also, how will Elon Musk’s pl...

The cicadas are buzzing, the fireflies are alit, and summer is in the air. Also in the air: cockroaches, mosquitos, cicada-killer wasps, scorpions, and so much more. Entomologist Wizzie Brown with Texas A&M’s ArgiLife Extension Service joins host Nikki DaVaughn to break down the good, the bad, the ugly, and the summer stunners of our local insect world in today’s episode, and attempts to change Ni...

Austin’s brand-new city manager just kicked-off this year’s budget debates by presenting his first draft of this year’s budget. And while there are millions of dollars at play, the city’s somewhat limited in how it spends those dollars. Will the Austin Animal Shelter get the funding it needs to keep the doors open? And why are we so behind on park maintenance? Host Nikki DaVaughn digs into all of...

A recent opinion from the Supreme Court of the United States came down in favor of an Austin man who’s been fighting for years to protect your right to have a bump stock. Today, host Nikki DaVaughn sits down with Michael Cargill, who owns Central Texas Gun Works and sued the Trump Administration over its ban on bump stocks, to find out what the fight meant to him, and why he stuck it out for so lo...

After President Joe Biden postponed his trip in the aftermath of an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, host Nikki DaVaughn hopped on a phone call to find out how the change affects the political tide in Austin. Listen in as she digs into the implications of the canceled trip, the shooting, and Texans’ role in it all with Scott Braddock of the Quorum Report and executive produc...

For this week’s Friday News Roundup, host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by producer Elissa Rozentuller and Hey Austin newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw to talk about the story on everyone’s mind in Texas this week: Hurricane Beryl. Also, Austin City Council is back from their summer break, and they’ve got a lot of work to do. Finally, we discuss: Did USA Today miss the mark on their recent ranking of t...

Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by longtime Austinite JB Hager, whose voice graced Austin’s morning radio airwaves for more than 20 years, to talk about the iconic Frank Erwin Center. While the building affectionately known as “The Drum” has been mostly demolished, it still holds a special place for many Austinites as the site of arena-worthy memorable concerts, the Harlem Globetrotters, many perfor...

Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Jane Ko, known to her hundreds of thousands of social media followers as Koko. The self-described “O.G.” food blogger in Austin, Ko has been posting about the Austin restaurant scene since 2010. Tune in for a conversation about the quintessential taste of Austin, tipping, and the role of influencers in the local economy.  We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our f...

Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by local comedian Ivy Le to discuss the items that City Cast Austin audience members said they MUST do by the end of this summer. It’s our Summer Bucket List, y’all! We’re talking performances, movies, paddleboarding, and where to find Austin’s best snow cones. We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear in town, for being our exclusive launch spon...

Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Jae Graham-Anciso, the co-founder and CEO of Mary Jae, an Austin cannabis dispensary, as the smoke clouds become thicker and thicker over Austin this summer. As visitors flock to town from all over, including from places where recreational marijuana usage is allowed, we discuss: What are the laws and regulations for cannabis products here in Austin?   We’d like to...

City Cast CEO David Plotz sits down with hosts from all 13 City Cast daily local podcast hubs to talk about what stories they’re watching in their hometowns that are likely to impact yours too. Listen in for how Nikki DaVaughn’s story stacks up against the rest. We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear in town, for being our exclusive launch sponsor.  Want even more Austin n...

Follow us down a little hypothetical rabbit hole. Let’s say that an Austin sculptor is tasked with carving a local version of Mount Rushmore — we’ll call this Mount Waterloo, after the original name of our fair town. Who should be on it? Host Nikki DaVaughn, along with City Cast Austin producer Elissa Rozentuller and Hey Austin editor Kelsey Bradshaw, share which Austin icons they’d like to see pe...

What is going on at the University of Texas at Austin? Host Nikki DaVaughn talks to KUT’s Audrey McGlinchy to find out. It’s been a tumultuous year on the 40 Acres, with the campus dealing with DEI layoffs, pro-Palestinian protests, and disciplinary actions that followed. Plus, why are students living in windowless bedrooms? We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear in town,...

We’re officially in summer — and if this is your first one here, you’ve probably already realized just how powerful that hot Texas sun can be. The days are long and that evening cool-down that might happen in other places just does not happen here. Have no fear, host Nikki DaVaughn and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec are here with Austin Monthly Editor Madeline Hollern to give you some insider...

It’s the Friday News Roundup! Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined this week by Hey Austin newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec to round up the news. We’ll bring you the latest on Austin Bergstrom International Airport’s record-breaking passenger count and some drama on the baseball diamond at the University of Texas. We also bid farewell (for now) to Pride Month, as...

Host Nikki DaVaughn chats with Emily Hill, who posts about all the best Austin-area grocery goodies and shopping tips. She’s got the latest on all the hybrid summer fruits, specialty sodas, and knows which experimental chip flavor is worthy of a smash — or a pass. We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear in town, for being our exclusive launch sponsor.  Want some more Austin...

As the temperatures warm up and the AC thermostat is nudged down, host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Mose Buchele, KUT’s energy reporter, to talk about the vulnerability of the Texas power grid. We’ve all still got post-Winter Storm Uri grid anxiety, but how much should we actually be concerned about the power going out this summer? We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear in...

It’s hot out, and the construction at Austin's infamous spring-fed swimming hole, Barton Springs Pool, makes getting there a bit of a hassle. Leave Barton to the tourists and join host Nikki DaVaughn, City Cast Austin producer Elissa Rozentuller, and Hey Austin editor Kelsey Bradshaw as they break down Austin's other swimming options. We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear...

Brigitte Bandit, an Austinite and drag performer, joins host Nikki DaVaughn to talk about celebrating Pride in Austin. Aside from doing drag full-time and hosting a monthly open mic drag show, Bandit has become known for her LGBTQ-plus advocacy work, and has addressed lawmakers at the Texas Capitol and policymakers at Austin City Hall. We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wea...