City Cast DC

One of D.C.’s top restaurants abruptly shut down Monday under mysterious circumstances. It turns out its an issue that has to do with unions, money, and culture, and Washington Post food reporter Tim Carman walks us through it. Plus, City Cast DC contributor Dan Reed and Mike talk about D.C.’s embrace of ranked choice voting, and the scary specter of extremists on D.C.’s police force. Check out al...

Mike and Bridget sit down with “Big Tony” Fisher, from the seminal D.C. go-go band Trouble Funk. He talked about growing up in D.C., getting his start in the heyday of go-go, and what life was like for a musician back when go-go was treated with suspicion instead of being celebrated as D.C.’s official music.  Plus, come to our live taping on Saturday, June 3! It’s at Right Proper’s Brookland locat...

From 1971 to 1972, a serial killer who called himself the Freeway Phantom killed at least six Black girls in D.C. and terrorized their families and communities. He was never caught, but veteran journalist Celeste Headlee thinks someone out there knows something, and she’s trying to get justice. Listen to Celeste’s podcast The Freeway Phantom for a deeper dive into this story. Episodes drop every W...

Look out for all those tourists, because in a recent poll, D.C. was ranked the third best destination in the US for tourism this summer. But giving and taking tours in the District isn’t so cut and dry. Kaitlin Calogera and Rebecca Grawl, who founded A Tour of Her Own, explain what makes tours in D.C. tick, and which ones you should try, even if you’re a local. Want some more DC news? Then make su...

D.C. ranks in the top 10 cities for lead pipes. As environmental reporter Kayla Benjamin will tell you, that’s not an honor. But it’s also an expensive thing to fix — expensive enough that the mayor has cut it out of her current budget proposal. Kayla’s here to lay out where things stand and what needs to happen next. Check out our episode about Chief Contee leaving the force and what it means for...

DC’s mayor made a trip to Congress this week and it maybe wasn’t as bad as it could have been? City Cast’s Priyanka Tilve and Julia Karron join Mike Schaffer to chat about that. Plus, they’re also talking about the latest twist in the push to reinvent Union Station. And the Washington Mystics season is just kicking off — we’ll discuss how to be the best possible fan.  Check out all the local cover...

DC Council passed a first vote on the 2024 budget, and there were a lot of sticking points. Like, should transportation be free? Should there be police officers in school? Should the city be doing more to support low-income residents? Michael Brice-Saddler from the Washington Post is here to tell us what made it into the budget, what was cut, and who won which battles. Want some more DC news? Then...

Area 2 Farms in Arlington is not what you imagine when you think of a farm. It's indoors and has bizarre plants that taste like roasted garlic, cheese, or oysters. And for the cherry (tomato) on top, this vertical farm is fighting climate change with all kinds of sustainable techniques. We road-tripped out there last fall to learn about it all from founder and chief science officer Tyler Baras. Wa...

The D.C. police have been trying to fire an officer named Michael Thomas, but he’s managed to appeal and arbitrate his way out of it for 13 years. And he's not the only one. It’s a tale of public safety, organized labor, and how the city government works (or doesn’t) and Alex Koma from City Paper has reported out the whole crazy story. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morn...

D.C.’s mayor is due on the Hill this week for a hearing where she’s almost certain to sit there as a line of Congressional Republicans lambaste her city, and probably inaccurately. NBC Reporter Mark Segraves is here to explain why we should keep our eyes on the train wreck anyway. Watch the hearing tomorrow (if you dare) here. Also, if you’re excited about the new Kraken Kourts and Skates that jus...

Maryland has suddenly got a hot, open senate seat race and it’s likely to feature at least three DMV icons, with major implications about race, ideology, and public safety. Plus, the Washington Post’s Editorial Board issued a mea culpa about a key race in D.C.’s last election, and the team reflects on lessons from Spy Week to defend their personal spy spot suggestions. As always, check out the loc...

Why do restaurants play such a big role in spy stories? And which DC eateries should you hit if you want to dine where the secret agents met their sources? Andrew Hammond from the International Spy Museum fills us in. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’re also on Twitter! Follow us at @citycast_dc. And we’d love to feature you on the show! Share your D...

It’s the 10th anniversary of the hit FX show The Americans, which is all about the spies living among us in D.C. But despite being set in D.C., the show was actually filmed in Brooklyn. Its creators Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields tell us how they painstakingly recreated '80s era D.C. digitally. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. Interested in adverti...

It is Day Two of our Spy Week, presented by the International Spy Museum! Today, former CIA agent Lindsay Moran tells us how to spot a spy in DC, whether it’s your neighbor, best friend, or that guy hitting on you at the bar. Because if you’re in D.C., where there are an estimated 10,000 spies, there’s a non-zero chance that you’re being tailed.  Check out Lindsay’s book, "Blowing My Cover," for m...

It is City Cast’s SPY WEEK, presented by the International Spy Museum. Which means we’re doing a week’s worth of episodes about secret agents and covert goings-on right here in D.C. We’ll kick it today with a battlefield tour of sorts — the best spy stories in the District’s long secret history.  And at the end of the episode, a short bonus interview that has nothing to do with espionage — there’s...

DC Council and Mayor Muriel Bowser are engaged in a battle over the free Metrobus plan versus the redesign of K Street downtown. Plus, there are a bunch of exciting new restaurant openings and DC News Now Sports Journalist Brandy Flores joins the team to chat about the one, surprising DC team that seems to be excelling right now. Check out all the amazing local coverage that powers our roundups: T...

D.C.’s Avalon Theatre was founded in 1923, back when neighborhood movie houses were everywhere. And as movies moved to suburban multiplexes, the Avalon stayed put. Locals were so upset by the idea of it going away that they kicked in to turn the place into a nonprofit. What’s their secret?  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. Interested in advertisi...

Downtown D.C. is known as a place to work, not live or hang out. In a new ranking of downtown vitality scores, D.C. ranks almost last. But the city is trying to change that. Tristan Navera from the Washington Biz Journal explains how. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE. We’re also on Twi...

It’s official: the city is moving ahead with changing the name of Good Hope Road in Southeast to Marion Barry Avenue SE, to honor D.C.’s Mayor for Life. But is this a good idea? Performative nonsense? Both? Cohosts Bridget Todd and Michael Schaffer spent some time breaking it down.  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’re also on Twitter! Follow us at @c...

City officials are considering redrawing school boundaries for the first time in a decade, and it’s a big deal, even if you’re not a DCPS parent, because it could significantly improve the city’s equity.  Abigail Higgins has written a ton about why the current system is so unequal (racism, real shocker) and how redistricting could change that. Definitely sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC f...

D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee “shocked” many with the surprise announcement of his retirement on Wednesday. We’re talking about that, plus Metro head Randy Clarke’s push to crackdown on fare evasion on Metro, and Arlington’s battle over “missing middle” housing. As always, we’re grateful to our local news colleagues across the city for helping bolster this episode. Check out:  DCist’s look at Co...

Pat Collins was a staple of local TV news at a time when local TV reporters were celebrities. But after decades over covering snow days and street crime, he retired a few months ago. We sat down with him to talk about his rollicking on-camera past and local TV news’ uncertain future.  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’re also on Twitter! Follow us at...

Like most things in the District, D.C.'s criminal justice system is all tied up in the federal government. That means D.C. residents convicted of committing local crimes can end up all over the country. We sat down with Rob Barton, a Washingtonian behind bars who's been campaigning for a D.C. prison, and a local researcher who's been looking into why it's so hard to make that happen.

From arcade bars, to kickball leagues and adult mini golf, D.C. has a lot of pastimes geared toward our inner child. But does that make D.C. a city for adult kids? Mike Schaffer and Bridget Todd discuss why D.C. sometimes feels like a playground for big kids.  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more in...

On Saturday, the Anacostia Community Museum opened a new Center for Environmental Justice. It draws on the neighborhood’s long legacy of fighting for change along the Anacostia River, sets up impressive programming for both kids and adults, and spotlights marginalized voices who are often left out of conversations about the environment.  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our mo...