City Cast DC

What’s the best burger in DC? Some folks at Washingtonian have tried almost all of them and Jessica Sidman is here to give us some highlights from their list of DC’s best.  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 as $10 a month. If you enjoyed today's interview with District Bridges' Di...

It’s been 30 days since President Trump announced a federal takeover of DC’s MPD. That's technically expiring today, but the federal surge continues. It’s raised plenty of issues, including ones that aren't even related to what Trump is doing to the city. And there are some big implications. NBC4's Mark Segraves has been covering all of it. He's talking through what we know, what we don’t, and wha...

The Commanders kicked off their season over the weekend with a big win over the New York Giants. It’s setting the stage for an interesting council vote in the next month over funding a new stadium at the RFK site. The fight now isn’t over whether there should be a stadium, but in how much more DC can extract on things like affordable housing. It got us wondering: did DC get a good deal out of this...

Everyone knows about DC’s push for statehood, but the current crisis got us thinking about a question we asked a few months ago: Should DC rejoin Maryland? It’s called Retrocession, the once-taboo idea that instead of becoming the 51st state, Washington should simply join Maryland. For years, David Krucoff has been the lonely champion of this cause. He joined City Cast earlier this year to explain...

We’re talking about Mayor Bowser and indefinite National Guard presence — and Congress’ coming attempts to write a bunch of laws to change the District. We’re talking about gun prosecutions in DC. And we’re talking about a bar that will lock up your phone. Plus, in a members-only fourth segment, we’ll listen to Neil Young’s new DC-takeover protest song and a few others from the city’s past.  Want...

You might not think of D.C. as a city with a thriving literary scene, but it is. Not only is the world-renowned National Book Festival happening here this Saturday, September 6th, but according to writer Hannah Greico, D.C. also has a robust literary community. She’s here to give her best book and poetry recommendations from local authors. If you enjoyed today's interview with Backroom's Founder,...

The fate of the Smithsonian is one of the biggest DC storylines of the year. A lot has happened since the last time reporter Manuel Roig-Franzia joined us to talk about it. Today he’s getting into President Trump’s latest demands on Washington’s most prominent museums and when we’re likely to see what happens in response.  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newslette...

There’s been a lot going on in the city lately, but we aren’t letting that keep us from enjoying this city we love. So from new restaurants with bugs to checking out subversive art while it’s still legal, here are our top picks for what to do in DC this September. 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 comm...

WAMU’s Alex Koma is here to talk about Trump, Bowser and the death penalty in DC, the federal government’s Union Station takeover, and the strange death of food halls. Plus, in a members-only fourth topic, we’re learning about the weird new AI private school in Virginia.  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...

To mark the start of Jazz Fest, we’re re-airing a conversation our co-hosts Michael Schaffer and Bridget Todd had about earlier this summer, where they get into the history and present of jazz in DC and the best ways to experience it. Learn more about the sponsors of this August 28th episode: Overlook Maps DC Sustainable Energy Utility Wise  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for ou...

Earlier this week, President Trump signed new executive orders aimed at eliminating cashless bail in D.C. and requesting that officers bring people arrested in D.C. into federal custody. But what is cashless bail? And can he actually do this? WAMU’s Alex Koma is here to dig into it. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can also become a member, w...

President Trump is clearing homeless encampments as part of his plan to make DC "more beautiful”. But he’s not alone – Mayor Muriel Bowser has also cleared encampments in DC, most notably a big spate in March of this year. But what are the numbers, where are folks going, and are there enough shelters for them to go to? We talked with the Washington Post’s Marissa Lang to get the details. Want some...

It is the first day of school for DCPS and also the start of a new bell-to-bell cell phone ban in schools — part of a trend around the country and around the city. One early adopter of the no-phones policy was Georgetown Day School in Tenleytown. Back in June we talked to their head of school, Russell Shaw, about why and what results they’ve seen because of it. Want some more DC news? Then make su...

The Washington Post’s Perry Stein joins us to talk about local D.C.’s response to the Trump law enforcement surge, the coming debate over crime stats, and we’re going to hear some of your love letters to DC. Plus, in a member’s-only fourth segment: What about that new Metro design? Want some more DC news? Then make sure to⁠ sign up⁠ for our morning newsletter Hey DC. You can⁠ also become a member⁠...

Jamie Raskin is a Congressman from Maryland — but he’s also a DC Native and one of the District’s champions on the Hill. This month, he’s the author of a bill to terminate Donald Trump’s takeover of the police department. In a GOP Congress, passing it may be a stretch, but Raskin stopped by for an interesting talk about just how political figures like him can oppose the administration’s unpreceden...

For the past week, we’ve seen videos take off online of ICE agents arresting people, dragging them into cars, and driving off. The Washington Post’s Teo Armus has been tracking those incidents and answers every question you might have about what we know about ICE in D.C., their involvement with MPD, and what’s ahead. Learn more about the sponsors of this August 20th episode: Overlook Maps Nace Law...

It’s been one intense week since Trump seized control of DC’s police force and sent in the National Guard. In the days since, the city has seen arrests, protests, and growing fear. WAMU's Alex Koma has been on the ground covering and he’s here to break down what’s happened so far and what’s next for DC. We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took t...

On Friday, the D.C. government claimed a small victory after a hearing over the latest twist in Donald Trump’s efforts to take over Washington’s police. But the details aren’t quite so clear-cut: Yes, D.C.’s police chief is still in charge, but it looks like the feds may still be able to order local cops to violate D.C. laws. There’s another hearing this week. National Security Attorney Brad Moss...

The Washington Post’s Olivia George joins the show to chat about the federal takeover of DC law enforcement: on the streets, in politics — where city officials from the mayor on down are sticking with a muted response — and online, where locals have been reacting in a wild variety of ways. And in a member’s only segment, we’ll get into the Trump administration’s latest edict on the Smithsonian, an...

Youth crime in D.C. is front and center in Donald Trump’s claims that the city is a dangerous hellscape. He’s not the first politician to raise the issue: Mayor Muriel Bowser has also pushed for curfews to counter the alleged spike. But is it true? And if so, what kind of policies are the best way to keep kids out of trouble and residents out of danger? We talked to Georgetown University crime exp...

In the two days since Trump announced his takeover of DC’s police, we’ve been struck by how the city is responding. Yes, there’s anger and sadness and fear, but also…action. Free DC is a longtime advocacy group that’s been behind a lot of the fervor this week. While many people were shocked by the announcement, Free DC has been preparing for this exact moment. We called up a Free DC organizer - wh...

We answer all of your questions about Trump's rambling and shocking press conference announcing that he's deploying the National Guard to D.C. and taking over the Metropolitan Police Department. NBC 4’s Mark Segraves — who has been covering Trump’s threats to take over DC since his first administration — joins us to break down where D.C. goes from here. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to si...

Everything is expensive! And D.C.'s economy is suffering. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still find love and plan some great dates on the cheap. The great Jade Womack, also known as Clockout DC, has D.C.’s best date spots for around $15 or less. 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...

Washingtonian’s Andrew Beaujon is here to chat about Trump's continued culture war on D.C. and his latest threats to take over the District, dolphins in the Potomac, and a segment sponsored by District Bridges about this August’s best party. In our members-only fourth segment, we’re talking about a new D.C. auditor’s report regarding housing and getting folks back on their feet. Want some more DC...

Donald Trump this week threatened to take over D.C. — again — which could mean getting rid of home rule. Which got us thinking: Do a lot of people, including Trump, even know what home rule is? And, how easy is it to overturn? We talked to Howard University’s Robinson Woodward-Burns and asked all the questions you might have. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsle...