City Cast DC

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DC’s Best (and Most Underrated) Breakfast Sandwiches Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

New York City might be known for its iconic bodega staple, the bacon egg and cheese, but DC also does breakfast sandwiches pretty well, too. In a quest to find the best one in DC, Washington Post food reporter Tim Carman asked the internet for its best recs—and the replies came pouring in. Within days, he had a list of more than 60 to try. And after some seriously tasty fieldwork, he’s narrowed it down to the top 10 breakfast sandwiches in DC. Last year, we sat down with Tim to get a taste of his ranking of DC’s best breakfast sandwiches.

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.

Learn more about the sponsors of this June 9th episode:

Folger Shakespeare Library

Mugsy

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

A New Study Says DC’s National Guard Surge Did Not Reduce Violent Crime Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

A new think tank study has some fascinating findings about Donald Trump’s national guard deployment in DC: The dramatic surge reduced property crimes by almost a quarter — but did nothing about violence. Richard Hahn from the Niskanen Center is here to explain.

Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter City Cast DC. You can text us or leave a voicemail at: (202) 642-2654. You can also become a member, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month.

Learn more about the sponsors of this June 8th episode:

Folger Shakespeare Library

Mugsy

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

'Your City Could Be Better': How Las Vegas Saves More Water Than Any Other City — Presented By City Cast DC Jun 07, 2026

Show notes

Washington, DC, recycles some of its water, but not as much as Las Vegas, where the water there stays in the city. How else could a desert city possibly have enough water for its year-round tourists, a metro area population of over 2 million, and all those pools? The process just might be grosser than you think. With innovative recycling, strict lawn rules, and infrastructure to monitor it all, Vegas has become a global leader in water reuse. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Las Vegas podcast host Jesse Merrick to learn how the city makes do with what it has and how its practices could save other cities’ water supplies. Plus, are any Las Vegans actually going to the casinos?

Mentioned on the show:

"Reality Check - There are Big Fines If You Don’t Change Your Watering Clock" (Southern Nevada Water Authority)

"Federal Regulators Cut Lake Mead Water. Can Vegas Handle It?" (City Cast Las Vegas)

Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now!

We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter

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One Ballot, Five Choices: A Guide to DC's Ranked Choice Voting {Sponsored} Jun 06, 2026

Show notes

D.C.'s June Primary is June 16th and this year, voting works differently. For the first time, D.C. is using Ranked Choice Voting, which means you can rank up to five candidates in order of preference instead of picking just one. For this sponsored episode, Senior Executive Producer Annie Rees is chatting with Gary Thompson, Chair of D.C.'s Board of Elections, to explain exactly how it works, bust the myth that ranking more than one candidate splits your vote, and walk you through what your ballot will actually look like. In other words, everything you need to know before you head to the polls or fill out your mail-inballot. Learn more from the sponsor of this episode at dcboe.org/rcv.

Mayoral Race Showdown, What’s Happening at the Rock Creek Tennis Center, and Three Great New Bars Jun 05, 2026

Show notes

We’re going to get into the mayoral race as it heads into its final week, we’re going to talk about why you should pay attention to what’s happening at the Rock Creek Tennis Center, and we’re going to talk new bars. Plus, in a members-only fourth segment, the DC Council has done something weird to the city’s open-meetings law, and we want to look at the state of transparency in our city.

Learn more about the sponsors of this June 5th episode:

District Bridges

DC Department of Behavioral Health

DC Board of Elections

Mosaic Theater Company

Folger Shakespeare Library

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

This Federal Charity Funds Local Initiatives. It Could Disappear Jun 04, 2026

Show notes

For more than 50 years, the Combined Federal Campaign has been a part of DC life. It’s the world’s biggest workplace charity, letting government employees steer money straight from their own paychecks to their chosen charities. It’s especially important to charities here because so many feds live here. But the campaign is now on life support — threatened with termination by the Trump administration. Why target a beloved institution? Drew Friedman from Federal News Network has been covering the story, and according to her it’s more complicated than it looks.

Learn more about the sponsors of this June 4th episode:

District Bridges

DC Department of Behavioral Health

DC Board of Elections

Mosaic Theater Company

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

DC's Star Wars, What's Next For KenCen After Judge Orders Trump's Name Removed, and a DMV Sea Monkey Legacy Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

We’re talking about the latest twist in the battle of The Star versus The Washington Star, we’re talking about the odds that Donald Trump’s name will actually come off the Kennedy Center, and we’re going to get into the DC DOX documentary film festival that’s coming up. Plus, in a members only fourth segment, the politics of dissing Trayon White, the only DC Councilmember currently under indictment.

Want some more DC news? Then make sure to⁠ sign up⁠ for our morning newsletter City Cast DC. You can text us or leave a voicemail at: ⁠(202) 642-2654⁠. You can⁠ also become a member⁠, with ad-free listening, for as little as $10 a month.

Learn more about the sponsors of this June 3rd episode:

⁠District Bridges⁠

⁠DC Department of Behavioral Health⁠

⁠DC Board of Elections⁠

⁠Mosaic Theater Company⁠

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info⁠ HERE⁠.

Kinney Zalesne Makes her Case Over White and Pinto Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

The two best-known candidates in the race for DC’s Congressional Delegate are sitting members of the DC Council. We’re talking today with a different candidate who has a somewhat different resume. Kinney Zalesne has worked in national politics and held a major Washington job at Microsoft. She’s here to explain why that resume — along with her own set of values and priorities — is right for this very weird moment in our city’s history.

Learn more about the sponsors of this June 2nd episode:

District Bridges

DC Department of Behavioral Health

DC Board of Elections

Mosaic Theater Company

Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, DC

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Your Guide to June 2026 in DC Jun 01, 2026

Show notes

What are you gonna do this month? We’ve got answers: Pride programming. America 250 programming. America 250 counter programming. And lots of barbecue.

For ⁠even more tips⁠ on how to make the most of June in DC, check out City Cast DC’s take on what to do this month.

If you enjoyed today's interview with District Bridges' U Street Main Street Manager, Kelsye Adams, ⁠learn more here⁠.

Learn more about the sponsors of this June 1st episode:

⁠District Bridges⁠

⁠DC Department of Behavioral Health⁠

⁠DC Board of Elections⁠

⁠Mosaic Theater Company⁠

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info⁠ HERE⁠.

Reach us at ⁠DC@citycast.fm⁠.

'Your City Could Be Better': How Chicago's Libraries Meet Community Needs — Presented By City Cast DC May 31, 2026

Show notes

Where would DC be without its libraries? Chicago is opening its 82nd public library branch in June, and loaning out books is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what these institutions offer residents. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Chicago podcast host Jacoby Cochran about how Chicago’s libraries have evolved to meet community needs, from opening a food pantry inside a branch to turning student IDs into automatic library cards — and how they could be even better. Plus, are the Chicago Bears still the Chicago Bears if they move to Indiana?

Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now!

We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter

Looking to advertise on Your City Could Be Better? Check out our options.

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