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Local Schools Are Reinstating Their Racist Names Feb 09, 2026

Show notes

After 2020, there was a huge trend towards changing out schools named for confederates and slave owners. But what happens when the general public opts to restore them? That’s what’s been happening in some Virginia counties just beyond the DC area — and the fight is creating some case law that could ultimately affect those of us who live here, in a place where folks absolutely aren’t trying to restore those kinds of names on local schools. Karina Elwood, who covered some of the legal battles when she was a reporter for the Washington Post, is here to explain.

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 February 9th episode:

Library of Congress

Nace Law Group

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore Museum of Art

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

City Cast Expanding After WaPo Layoffs, City Spending Scandal, Baby Elephant Naming Feb 06, 2026

Show notes

We’re talking about the jaw-dropping cuts at the Post and the future of DC local news — including some exciting stuff cooking at City Cast. Plus: A shocking investigation into outlandish spending on so-called violence interrupter programs in DC, a baby elephant ISO a name, and in a member’s only fourth segment, what you need to know about the latest Congressional vote that could blow a hole in our city’s government.

Learn more about the sponsors of this February 6th episode:

Library of Congress

South by Southwest - use code "citycast10" for a 10% discount on your Innovation Badge

Nace Law Group

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Jeff Bezos Gutted the Washington Post. What Happens Now? Feb 05, 2026

Show notes

Yesterday was an incredibly grim day for the Washington Post — and for our city, too. The Post, owned by Jeff Bezos, laid off up to a third of its staff. The sports section is being shuttered, the Metro section cut by three-quarters, and many of the critics who followed local culture sent packing. My friend Jack Shafer has been covering the Post for 40 years, since he was editor of Washington City Paper in the 80s and 90s — this is the guy I call when I want to talk shop about the media. We talked yesterday as the cuts were going down to reflect on what the change means.

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

Library of Congress

South by Southwest - use code "citycast10" for a 10% discount on your Innovation Badge

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

DC’s Best Historical Collections Aren’t In the Smithsonian Feb 04, 2026

Show notes

DC offers so many ways to celebrate Black heritage and history. Case in point: the MLK Library. Because the MLK Library is so much more than just books. It's also the People's Archive, a living, breathing collection honoring D.C.'s vibrant Black cultural, social, and political history. We’re revisiting a conversation with Maya Thompson and Derek Gray, who both work there and agree that at a time when our history is under attack, preserving and celebrating Black history is more important than ever.

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

Library of Congress

South by Southwest - use code "citycast10" for a 10% discount on your Innovation Badge

Don’t forget to sign up for our morning newsletter Hey DC.

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

And we’d love to feature you on the show! Share your DC-related thoughts, hopes, and frustrations with us in a voicemail by calling 202-642-2654

Trump Closing Kennedy Center, National Guard's Price Tag, Snow May Decide Next Mayor Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

WAMU’s Alex Koma joins the team to talk Trump shutting down the Kennedy Center for two years, snow removal’s effect on the mayoral race, and D.C’s bill from the National Guard.

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

Library of Congress

South by Southwest

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Your Guide to February 2026 in DC Feb 02, 2026

Show notes

We’re here to warm you up with ideas about how to have the absolute best February possible in DC, from new restaurants, to museum openings, to line dancing.

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 January in DC, check out Hey DC’s take on what to do this month.

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

Library of Congress

South by Southwest

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

Reach us at DC@citycast.fm.

Where Are the Plows?! Gutting WashPo Layoffs, Appalling Apartment Nightmare Jan 30, 2026

Show notes

We’re talking about plowmaggedon, the city up in arms about icy streets and blocked-off alleys. We’re talking about the looming cuts at the Washington Post and what they mean for hometown DC. And we’re talking about an appalling apartment building in Chinatown — and what it says about DC’s ability to enforce its own rules. Plus, in a member’s only fourth segment, the comeback campaigns of two very longtime local politicians.

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 January 30th episode:

Library of Congress
Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

Eleanor Holmes Norton’s Son Wishes She Retired Earlier Jan 29, 2026

Show notes

D.C.’s Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton announced this week that she’s not going to run again. This ended a horrible series of news cycles for the Civil Rights icon, who at 88 was a much-diminished presence on behalf of the city, and whose determination to stay in office enraged some locals and dismayed a lot more. Today we’re hearing from someone who had a unique perspective on her thinking: John Norton, the Delegate’s son, who was also hoping his mom would step aside — and having just as little luck as the rest of the political world. John talked with us about what it's like to be a family member of a politician who stays too long — an increasingly common phenomenon nationally, and an excruciating one over the last year for the District.

Learn more about the sponsors of this January 29th episode:

Library of Congress

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

DC Just Hit a 8 Year Low in Homicides. But It Should Be Doing More Jan 28, 2026

Show notes

DC saw an eight year low in homicides in 2025, following a national drop. But our neighbors in Baltimore have an even more impressive story: their homicide rate plummeted to a nearly 50-year low. So what's behind these numbers? Today we're talking with Dr. Joseph Richardson, MPower Professor at UMD and co-chair of DC's Homicide Review Committee, about what's actually working to reduce gun violence.

Correction: The original version of this episode stated that there was a 30-year low in homicides, rather than a 30-year low in violent crime. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

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.

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

Holmes Norton Drops Out, Sewage in the Potomac, Snow Updates Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

We’re rounding up some of DC’s biggest stories today. After months of speculation, the campaign of 88-year-old Eleanor Holmes Norton filed to “terminate” her re-election efforts. And for the last week, 40 million gallons of raw sewage a day has spilled into the Potomac – gross. Finally — we’re sharing our best snow stories from DC’s very snowy, sleety, icy storm.

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

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