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The Group Chat Drama That Divided Petworth Mar 05, 2026

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The Petworth Peanuts group chat was a place for people to commiserate about parenting, get doctor recommendations and meet up for beer. Until a slew of posts about Gaza, immigration enforcement, and the federal takeover threw its 1000 plus members into intense disagreements. The Washington Post’s Maura Judkis was a member and has just published an essay chronicling the meltdown that followed — and asking whether even something so simple as a parenting group chat has to be so fraught in the DC of 2026.

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 March 5th episode:

National Museum of the American Indian

Awesome Con

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

Best Underrated $15 Dates in DC Mar 04, 2026

Show notes

Okay so you want to impress someone but your wallet is giving “balling on a budget.” We've all been there. Good news: Jade Womack, the genius behind Clockout DC, is here to prove that romance does not have to break the bank in this very expensive city. She shares DC’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 as $10 a month.

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

National Museum of the American Indian

Awesome Con

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

Waymo Lobbies DC, Potomac Sewage Cleanup, & Wild Bar Sabotage?! Mar 03, 2026

Show notes

We’re talking about the politics of Waymo in DC, the state of the Potomac after the spill, and allegations about workers getting stiffed at what was supposed to be a groundbreaking gay bar. Plus, in a members-only fourth segment, we’ll talk about George Washington University selling a Virginia campus — and what it might mean for downtown DC.

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

National Museum of the American Indian

Awesome Con

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Your Guide to March 2026 in DC Mar 02, 2026

Show notes

Happy March! The City Cast DC team is running through the best of food, culture, and fun in and around DC this month.

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 community.

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

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

National Museum of the American Indian

Awesome Con

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

'Your City Could Be Better': What DC Needs To Know About Pittsburgh's Plan To Fix Downtown Mar 01, 2026

Show notes

A lot of cities, including DC, are trying to figure out how best to revitalize downtown. It's an issue that's especially top of mind for Pittsburgh, who is hosting the NFL Draft in April. To solve the problem of vacant properties and empty storefronts, the city is trying out a new rent abatement program. So, City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Pittsburgh podcast host Megan Harris about why their downtown emptied out, whether this program will bring new businesses downtown for the long-term, and other revitalization plans that are in the works.

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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Where Are The Mayoral Candidates? Trumpington USA, and Things We Hated This Week Feb 27, 2026

Show notes

We’re talking about the very weird state of the DC mayor’s race, the Trumpian rebranding of DC’s landscape, and our favorite question: What are Washingtonians mad about this week? Plus, in a member’s only fourth segment, we’ll return to the ride-sharing app that DC can’t seem to force out of town.

Learn more about the sponsors of this February 27th episode:

Nace Law Group

Johns Hopkins University

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

The McMillan Development is Finally Here — Will It Be the Nightmare Neighbors Feared? Feb 26, 2026

Show notes

For more than a decade, the question of whether the city would redevelop the McMillan Sand Filtration site was perhaps DC’s ugliest political battle. And now, the redevelopment is kinda… here. There are million-dollar townhouses for sale and the first residents of the new neighborhood have moved in. So is it the nightmare that opponents predicted? Or the engine of urban amenities that proponents promised? Tristan Navera from realtor.com has been covering it for years and he’s here to give us his take.

Learn more about the sponsors of this February 26th episode:

Nace Law Group

Johns Hopkins University

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

The Best Diners in DC Feb 25, 2026

Show notes

There is nothing that hits quite like a good diner. Unlimited coffee, comforting, no-frills food that's just the right amount of greasy. But in a city like DC, where everything seems bespoke and overpriced, do we even have any good ones left? That's what writer Warren Rojas set out to answer and his list of DC's best diners in the Washington Post got people talking. He’s here to defend his picks.

Learn more about the sponsors of this February 25th episode:

Nace Law Group

Johns Hopkins University

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

The Downfall of Compass Coffee Feb 24, 2026

Show notes

Last week, a British coffee chain called Caffè Nero bought DC’s Compass Coffee at auction. It was an ignominious end for what was once one of the DMV’s hospitality high-flyers, a company founded by a pair of local guys, including one of DC’s most famous families. What went wrong? It’s a story that involves hubris, betrayal, bad decisions, and the economics of a work-from-home city. The Washington Post’s Tim Carman published a deep dive into the fall of the house of Compass, and he’s here to tell all.

Learn more about the sponsors of this February 23rd episode:

Nace Law Group

Johns Hopkins University

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

DC Pays Non-Profits Millions To Reduce Violence. Is It a Scam? Feb 23, 2026

Show notes

DC’s violence interruption program has become one of the most controversial subjects in local politics. One program, Life Deeds, finds itself front and center in the upcoming corruption trial of a DC councilmember. Jenny Gathright and Megan Flynn from the Washington Post recently published a deep-dive investigation of the group and they’re here to explain.

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