City Cast DC

In today's roundup, friend of City Cast Hannah Denham, from the Washington Business Journal, is here to talk about everyone’s favorite subject: How screwed is Metro? Their funding is running out, and they know it. How do they fix it? Plus we talk about how many cops D.C. needs, and a summer of bountiful music festivals.  Our Friday roundups wouldn’t be possible without all the great local reportin...

The D.C. rats are already scurrying around this spring, and it’s only going to get worse as this warm year gets warmer. We sat down with Gerard Brown, who runs D.C. Health’s Rodent Control Department, and Bomani Mtume, whose dog hunts rats in Adams Morgan, about how to stop the rats before they get out of control. For more information on getting rid of rats in your neighborhood, check out DC Healt...

Today, we’ve got another classic co-host debate: Which season is best in D.C.? Spring’s got deadly allergies. Summer, its mugginess. Fall, shortening days, and winter, dreariness. Mike and Bridget make the case that their favorites’ pros outweigh the cons. What season do you love - or hate - in DC? Let us know after you listen by leaving us a voicemail at 202-642-2654.  For more fun debates like t...

It’s the week of 4/20 and days before the National Cannabis Festival, and we’re talking with its founder about the city’s ever-shifting, complicated relationship with pot. There’s been stigma, criminalization, standoffs with Congress, and now, the D.C. government just changed the rules again around how residents can buy and sell cannabis.  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our...

If you drive in D.C., you probably know all about the city’s red light cameras. But did you know D.C. will soon use cameras to ticket drivers who cruise in bus lanes? This is just one piece of Mayor Bowser’s Transportation Safety and Mobility budget. But is this plan really about improving safety or more about generating revenue from ticket fines, which, let’s face it, nobody likes to pay. Jordan...

After months of hand wringing, Dan Snyder has picked a buyer for the Washington Commanders! Audio Producer Julia Karron is here to celebrate but also caution us all against getting TOO excited yet. Then, we’ve got City Cast contributor Dan Reed and WAMU reporter Martin Austermuhle here to talk new Metro bus routes, legal cannabis rules in Maryland, and a very strange dispute over Transformer statu...

D.C.’s mosquitos are about to be back. And, after a warm winter, this year could be especially bad. Reporter Jacob Fenston, who covers the environment for WAMU, is here to talk about these confounding Washington swamp creatures — and share some secrets on how to beat them.  Got questions about Mayor Bowser's hearing on the hill? Email us. And sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC to follow alo...

D.C. lost an icon this year. Born in 1937, artist Lou Stovall studied printmaking at Howard and his posters and prints are a reminder of the spirit and struggles of the Civil Rights Movement, and D.C.’s fight for Home Rule. He died at the age of 86 in March. Before his death, we joined Lou and his son Will at his collection at the Phillips Collection to find out more about his arts legacy and what...

On March 18th, Park Police shot and killed 17 year old Dalaneo Martin as they tried to apprehend him in a car they say was stolen. And last week, the FBI and federal prosecutors opened a civil rights investigation into what happened. Mitch Ryals, Managing Editor for the Washington City Paper, has been following the story and what it means for D.C. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up...

The city’s bike lane plan for Connecticut Avenue NW is so controversial that there are petitions floating around with thousands of signatures, and the city has delayed finalizing the design concept yet again. So we’ve brought in two community members who STRONGLY disagree on the bike lanes to lay out their cases. Plus, watch DDOT Director Everett Lott testify on the project in front of DC Council...

The Yellow Line is coming back! But its route is not quite the same. Plus, D.C.’s proposed budget sets aside a small fortune for building out new pickleball courts, and there’s good news for fans of the old 9:30 Club.  As always, our news roundup couldn’t happen without the great local reporting in the area: Greater Greater Washington helps us rationalize the Yellow Line changes The Washington Pos...

Austin Graff has made a living off of exploring D.C., and with a kid in tow, no less. He’s here to share why D.C. is uniquely suited for cultivating kids’ curiosity, and also some tips about how to do it. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE. We’re also on Twitter! Follow us at @citycast_dc. And...

D.C. burned for days in April 1968, after Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination, and Ben’s Chili Bowl on U Street was one of the only places in town whose doors were kept open by the city. Bridget Todd and Michael Schaffer visited Founder Virginia Ali at her restaurant to reflect on what D.C., and Ben’s, were like during that time. Check out part one of our series about 1968 — our interview with...

More than 900 D.C. businesses were damaged, and nearly 700 homes destroyed during the unrest in April 1968 after Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed. But what’s even more striking is to hear about that part of D.C.’s history through the words of its residents: how they processed the grief and anger for a fallen icon. Vann Newkirk, the host of the Atlantic’s podcast Holy Week, spoke to several Washi...

We’ve all heard the misconception about young people being apathetic when it comes to government and politics. But here in D.C., at just 18 years old, Quentin Colon Roosevelt is the youngest ANC rep in city history, a position he holds while also attending high school. Quentin tells us how he juggles being a full-time student and an elected official. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign...

The House Oversight Committee voted Wednesday to block D.C.'s police discipline and accountability bill. It was part of a larger hearing they SAY was all about stopping crime in D.C. But… it didn’t quite feel that way. Audio Producer Julia Karron and City Cast DC Contributor Dan Reed join Bridget Todd to chat about that, plus the recent boom in traffic congestion and why D.C. smelled like smoke ea...

The Walmart on H Street Corridor closes for good tomorrow, and it’s pissed off city officials more than you’d expect. Many felt like D.C. made a deal with the devil by allowing Walmart into the city in the first place ten years ago, and now the retail giant is leaving H Street NE in a lurch. Washington Post columnist Petula Dvorak is here to explain the whole sordid story.  Check out Petula’s spic...

LGBTQ spaces are under attack nationally, and that means D.C.’s queer bars and clubs have even more importance. D.C. actually has a rich history of gay bars but not necessarily when it comes to clubs. Ed Bailey, the founder of D.C.’s iconic gay nightclub Town, explains why and what clubs mean for D.C.’s LGBTQ culture  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey...

There are so many pieces of media that take place in D.C. - some good, some bad, and some totally cringey. So in this new series, City Cast D.C. cohosts Mike Schaffer and Bridget Todd are looking back at some famous portrayals of D.C. in media to break down how they depict our city. Starting with the iconic ‘80s Mr. T classic D.C. Cab, where a group of rag tag DC cab drivers try to keep their stru...

Union Station is about to undergo a massive renovation. In this interview originally aired last summer, WAMU’s Jordan Pascale walks us through what the transit hub will look like inside and out, and how it's going to impact the neighborhood around it. Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC. We’re also on Twitter! Follow us at @citycast_dc. Interested in...

There’s never been a D.C. mayoral aide quite so powerful as John Falcicchio. And all of a sudden, he’s gone — departed amid scandal. Alex Koma, Loose Lips columnist from Washington City Paper, is here to walk us through what it means. Also, we’ll be talking about the wonky nature of the new city budget, and Lead Producer Priyanka Tilve explains the future of ebikes in the District. We couldn’t do...

For decades, geopolitics has shaped Washington’s restaurant scene. And one of the latest trends is the boom in Uyghur restaurants, often run by folks fleeing oppression back home. Today, we’re talking with a Uyghur advocate based in the DMV about the food and the new Washingtonians who are cooking it.  Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter. We’re also on Twit...

It’s official: DC’s flag is awesome. And Maryland’s isn’t too shabby, either. Virginia’s? Well… Today we’re talking with two leading vexillologists — that’s flag experts — who will walk us through how the DC flag became so ubiquitous, and why it works. 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....

Pretty much everyone in D.C. is obsessed with finding a good place to live. Jamie Manning started the popular Instagram and newsletter Exposed Brick after she got obsessed with finding good deals on rentals on Craigslist. She shares her tips and tricks to navigating D.C.’s rental market.  Also, that promo code we mentioned at the end of the podcast is: ‘TRYCABIEBIKE.’ Enter it in the rewards secti...

Staffers at Union Kitchen, a food business accelerator, are suing their employee for wage theft. It’s the issue that initially sparked their interest in forming a union last year, and the lawsuit is now raising tensions with management. The DCist’s Amanda Gomez is following the case.  Make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC for more local news and hot tips.  Interested in advertisin...