City Cast DC

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Fall DMV Escapes For Under $150 Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

It’s finally getting cool enough to wear a sweatshirt in the morning – which means D.C. fall is here. With Congress back in session and the city in full swing, we’re looking for cheap weekend getaways. City Cast contributor Tim Ebner has some ideas for your next local vacation. So while you dig out those fall sweaters, we’ve got your itinerary covered.

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 September 16th episode:

Washington National Opera

The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University

Signature Theatre

Theatre Washington

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

"The Inn At Little Washington" Chef Dishes All Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

Patrick O’Connell is the most famous and powerful man in Washington – Little Washington, that is. In the tiny Virginia hamlet, O’Connell’s restaurant is a global culinary destination. From his perch about an hour west of D.C., O’Connell has achieved a gravitational influence over the District’s culinary scene.
Today he’s out with a sometimes searing memoir, “Main, Middle and Gay: A Chef Finds His Place in the World Against All Odds.” In it, O’Connell charts his course from a tough Prince George’s County childhood, through the counterculture, and into fame and fortune. Chef O’Connell is here to tell us about it.

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

Washington National Opera

The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University

Signature Theatre

Theatre Washington

Mosaic Theater Company

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

Park Police Officers Have Doubled In D.C. – Why? Sep 14, 2026

Show notes

The Trump administration wants the US Park Police to be D.C.’s "premier law enforcement agency." In just a year, they’ve doubled its size, from 300 to around 600 here in D.C. And because they answer to the White House, and don’t have to play by the same rules as local cops, it makes a lot of Washingtonians nervous. City Cast D.C.’s Emma Uber and Alyssa Fowers are out with a big report on just what the agency is up to -- they’re here to explain.

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

Washington National Opera

The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University

Signature Theatre

Theatre Washington

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

‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Las Vegas Is Handling Record-Breaking Heat — Presented By City Cast DC Sep 13, 2026

Show notes

It may not feel like it right now, but extreme heat is coming for DC, and Las Vegas might have the answers you need. An already sizzling city, Vegas has continued to experience record-breaking heat in recent years, essentially forcing it to lead the charge in protecting residents from increasingly rising temperatures. City Cast Las Vegas host Jesse Merrick talks with David about the bold moves of Nevada’s lawmakers, like mandating heat mitigation and giving away trees, and how some time-tested strategies still need to be tweaked as rising global temperatures present new problems every day.

Mentioned on the show:

Europe’s 10,000 recorded deaths during June 2026 heatwave

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.

Lonnie Bunch’s Retirement, Trayon White’s Jury, And 25 Years Since 9/11 Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

This week marks 25 years since the September 11th terrorist attacks: We talk about how that day changed the District. We also talk about Lonnie Bunch’s retirement, what Trump’s war on the Smithsonian means for D.C., and we preview Councilmember Trayon White’s bribery trial as jury selection kicks off today.
Plus, in a members-only fourth segment, we take a look at D.C.’s ongoing efforts to fight the rat problem, from special trash cans to birth control and poison. We’re joined by our City Cast D.C. colleagues Marc Fisher and Emma Uber.

Learn more about the sponsors of this September 11th episode:

⁠District Bridges⁠

⁠DC Department of Behavioral Health⁠

⁠Mosaic Theater Company⁠

⁠Washington National Opera⁠

⁠The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University⁠

⁠Signature Theatre⁠

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

The Best Ethiopian Spots In The DMV Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

The DMV is the capital of Ethiopian America, and for 50 years eating Ethiopian food has been a Washington tradition. Over the years, the scene has become richer, more diverse, and more innovative. Washingtonian’s Ike Allen is the author of a new guide to local Ethiopian dining and he’s here to give us some highlights.

Where to Eat Ethiopian Food Around the DC Area Right Now

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

District Bridges

DC Department of Behavioral Health

Mosaic Theater Company

Washington National Opera

The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University

Signature Theatre

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

Are The Commanders Tiptoeing Back To The Team’s Old Name? Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

The Washington Commanders season opens on Sunday. But a lot of fans are busy talking about 2020, when the team changed its name from an ugly racial slur. Now some observers think they’re tiptoeing towards changing it back.

D.C. sports podcaster Al Galdi is here to talk us through the politics of the name — and the bigger question of what it takes to re-ignite a city’s love affair with its once great franchise.

(Note: This story discusses the history of the Washington Commanders and the team’s former name, which some listeners may find offensive. The former name is repeated throughout the story as part of that discussion.)

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

District Bridges

DC Department of Behavioral Health

Mosaic Theater Company

Washington National Opera

The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University

Signature Theatre

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

Phillips Collection Highlights Local Artists In New Exhibition Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

What does it look like when local artists try to capture living through this particular moment in Washington? That’s the idea behind “Tomorrow The Sun Will Rise,” a new exhibition at the Phillips Collection featuring 56 works from 48 artists across the DMV.

The exhibition is open through September 20th. Today we’re speaking with Tie Jojima, the Phillips Collection’s curator of global contemporary art, and one of the people tasked with narrowing 1,500 submissions down to the works on the walls.

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

District Bridges

DC Department of Behavioral Health

Mosaic Theater Company

Washington National Opera

The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University

Signature Theatre

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

‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Nashville Is Beating Flock — Presented By City Cast DC Sep 06, 2026

Show notes

Do you know what kind of surveillance technology is being used in DC? In Nashville, the city government has blocked numerous measures to install and use it. From license plate readers to drone cameras, the technology is routinely rejected by the Metro Council and mayor, and locals are somewhat split on if that’s for the better. City Cast Nashville host Rachel Iacovone joins “Your City Could Be Better” to walk through all the measures that the Nashville government has reviewed and rejected, why people have reason to fear the tech, and what the city may lose by saying no to surveillance.

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.

Furries Banned At Ren Faire, Bowser Opposes a Roof For Audi Field, and JLG’s Here To Listen Sep 04, 2026

Show notes

This week we’re taking a look at likely mayor Janeese Lewis George’s all-ward listening tour. We’ll be talking about why current Mayor Muriel Bowser is fighting against a roof for Audi Field. And we dive into the Maryland Renaissance Festival’s ban on all things furries. Plus, in a members-only fourth segment, there’s been a lot of news this week on Trump’s efforts to change D.C.’s landscape – we’ll get into all of it with City Cast’s Kate Corliss and NOTUS reporter Martin Austermuhle.

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

Tasti

District Bridges

DC Department of Behavioral Health

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

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