City Cast DC

Latest Episodes:

DC Police Bombshell, Fairfax Murder-Suicide, and Get Your Money Back From Ticketmaster! Apr 21, 2026

Show notes

We’re talking about the bombshell report on DC police and the case of Republican Congressman Cory Mills; we’re talking about the troubling conversation after the murder-suicide of former Virginia Lt Gov Justin Fairfax; and, how to get your money back as part of DC’s Ticketmaster settlement. Plus, in a members-only fourth segment: Amazon is way behind on all those jobs it promised would come to its Arlington HQ2.

Want some more DC news? Then make sure to⁠ sign up⁠ for our morning newsletter Hey 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 April 21st episode:

⁠Window Nation⁠

⁠National Museum of the American Indian⁠

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info⁠ HERE⁠

Why Can't DC Solve Its 'Teen Takeover' Problem? Apr 20, 2026

Show notes

Teen Takeovers — and what to do about them — has become one of the most divisive issues in local Washington. The mayor announced a new curfew; rivals like mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George oppose them. Georgetown University juvenile-justice scholar Eduardo Ferrer is not one of the folks who’s on the fence about the issue: He thinks curfews are a rotten idea. We talked about how to reach kids, how to avert antisocial behavior, and what Washington should expect as a long hot summer looms.

Want some more DC news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey 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 April 20th episode:

Window Nation

National Museum of the American Indian

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

'Your City Could Be Better': Why Seattle Gives Every Voter $100 — Presented By City Cast D.C. Apr 19, 2026

Show notes

Could public financing get D.C. more involved in local elections? For the last decade, the City of Seattle has issued $100 in vouchers to every voter to donate to the candidate of their choice in municipal elections. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Seattle podcast host Jane C. Hu about how these Democracy Vouchers work, how many people are participating, and what the impact on local elections has been. Plus, is the “Seattle Freeze” a real thing?

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.

Pinto's 67-Page Hit Job, MAHA on the Mall, and Why DCPS Enrollment Tanked Apr 17, 2026

Show notes

We’re talking about OPPO-GATE, the baffling turn in the D.C. Congressional Delegate race, where candidate Brooke Pinto has inexplicably posted an entire dossier of dirt about her principal rival…. We’re looking at the plummeting numbers of new students entering DC Public Schools, and what that might say about where the city is headed… Also: There’s a state-fair-themed fair coming to the Mall as part of the America 250 celebrations. And in a member’s only fourth segment, some possibly hot takes about the state of our city. We’ll leave it to you to assess the hotness.

Learn more about the sponsors of this April 17th episode:

Alliance Française Washington DC

Window Nation

St. Ann's Center for Children, Youth & Families

KATSUMI

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Every Failure Leading Up to the Potomac Sewage Nightmare Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

January’s massive Potomac sewage spill has led to it becoming the most endangered river in the nation. But that failure didn’t come out of nowhere. Washington Post investigative journalist Aaron Davis uncovered the red tape that stopped needed repairs for years. Davis chatted with us about what he found and who’s to blame.

Learn more about the sponsors of this April 16th episode:

Alliance Française Washington DC

Window Nation

St. Ann's Center for Children, Youth & Families

KATSUMI

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

The Map Killing Housing In DC Apr 15, 2026

Show notes

DC is a big city, but did you know that it’s actually illegal to build anything other than a suburban-style house in most of it? According to today's guest David Alpert, that’s one reason housing is so expensive in Washington. Alpert has spent years advocating for rewriting the rules, and this month, he’s among the folks who are bitterly disappointed that the Bowser administration’s land-use map for the next couple decades is basically the same as the one we’ve had since the 20th century. He’s here to explain what happened and where things go from here.

Learn more about the sponsors of this April 15th episode:

Alliance Française Washington DC

Window Nation

St. Ann's Center for Children, Youth & Families

KATSUMI

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

Painful Cuts, Bright Spots, Shit Sandwich? The New DC Budget Apr 14, 2026

Show notes

The mayor has just rolled out her final budget and it’s pretty painful. Jenny Reed walked us through the administration’s theory of the case — why they think it’s a good idea to make cuts TO day care and medical leave, and why it beats the alternative of raising more money through taxes.

Learn more about the sponsors of this April 14th episode:

Alliance Française Washington DC

Window Nation

St. Ann's Center for Children, Youth & Families

KATSUMI

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

Why the Holocaust Museum Censored Itself Before Trump Even Asked Apr 13, 2026

Show notes

We’re talking about another Trump-era controversy at a DC cultural institution — in this case, the Holocaust Museum, which last year yanked down content talking about the fragility of democracy and the ties between German Naziism and American Jim Crow. Unlike the blowups at the Kennedy Center, this happened quietly. And according to reporting from Irie Sentner at Politico, that’s because the museum didn’t even wait for the administration to ask — they just pulled down stuff that they thought might upset the president’s team. What happened? And what does this mean for other museums in our city? Irie is here to explain.

Learn more about the sponsors of this April 13th episode:

Alliance Française Washington DC

Window Nation

St. Ann's Center for Children, Youth & Families

KATSUMI

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

'Your City Could Be Better': Why Portland’s Considering Hiring a Night Mayor — Presented By City Cast DC Apr 12, 2026

Show notes

Washingtonians, what do you do when your night life starts to dwindle? Nightlife is a huge economic driver for cities, but city offices are often closed when those businesses need help. That’s why Portland is considering hiring a Night Mayor. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Portland podcast host Claudia Meza about what this new position would do, and if it is the answer to the pandemic’s enduring negative impact on walkability, small businesses, and nightlife in cities everywhere. Plus, should your city be weirder?

Mentioned on the show:

"Can a Night Mayor Revive Downtown Portland?" (City Cast Portland)

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.

Dirt Bike Debate, Penn Ave Redo, Goodbye (Maybe?!) to Ovi Apr 10, 2026

Show notes

DC is starting to feel like an old Dennis the Menace cartoon. Last week, the city was up in arms about teens running wild at Navy Yard. This week, there’s agita about dirt bike riders. We’ll get into it. Also: A big Pennsylvania Avenue re-do may be in the works, and the neighbor at number 1600 gets a big say in it. And we’ll talk about the end of the Ovi era in DC. Plus: City Cast members can listen in on a special members-only conversation about a rare new political poll of DC, just a couple months before the election.

Learn more about the sponsors of this April 10th episode:

⁠Alliance Française Washington DC⁠

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info⁠ HERE⁠