City Cast Austin

We’re full of positive news this week on the Friday News Roundup — and there’s truly something for us all to celebrate. After years of rising overdose deaths, the Travis County Medical Examiner announced that accidental overdose deaths and fentanyl deaths both declined in Austin in 2024. Is the $6 million-plus we’ve spent on programs actually working? Plus, the Texas Legislature might actually finally legalize fentanyl testing strips. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Hey Austin newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec to discuss that, plus why Austin celebrates a depressed donkey’s birthday, and the exceptional Austin high school senior who’s going to save us all. Oh, and we toss in some weekend picks. 

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

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Follow us @citycastaustin

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Introducing Origins of Belief from How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality.

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We often think of belief as a religious or cultural idea that is a hallmark of modern humans. But what if the early sparks of belief burned in our ancestors’ minds long before modern humans walked the earth? What if beliefs about some of the biggest questions out there, like what happens after death, weren’t just pondered by Homo sapiens?

On this episode, evolutionary anthropologist Agustín Fuentes takes us on a journey spanning millions of years, from our primate relatives in the deep past to the complex spiritual and cultural traditions we know today. Along the way, we’ll learn how the capacity for belief has helped shape our species and why it remains a powerful force in our lives today.

Agustín Fuentes is a Professor of Anthropology at Princeton University and the author of the books Why We Believe: Evolution and the Human Way of Being and The Creative Spark: How Imagination Made Humans Exceptional. Learn more about his work on his website, and be sure to check out his forthcoming book Sex is a Spectrum: The Biological Limits of the Binary, due out in May 2025. 

DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

The Domain tends to invoke a strong feeling in Austinites: We either love it or hate it. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Hey Austin newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec to unpack our thoughts on the sprawling mixed-use mall north of town, which we grouped into a few buckets: The good, the bad, and the cringe. But hey, we want to hear your thoughts on The Domain, too!! Text us. 

Learn more about the sponsors of this April 24th episode:

Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter. 

Follow us @citycastaustin

You can also text us or leave a voicemail. 

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

Introducing Kate Cohen + Jesse Cohen-Greenberg from SongWriter.

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Author Kate Cohen reads a piece she wrote for SongWriter about how – despite her firm atheism – the Jewish religious ritual that she grudgingly allowed in her wedding is what she remembers and treasures most from that day. Scientist and author Dr. Arielle Levites explains how religious ritual can act as a pathway for connection or alienation, and discusses her research. And Kate’s son Jesse Cohen-Greenberg performs a brand-new song written about his parents’ wedding day.

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Season six is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation

DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

Believe it or not, it’s someone’s full-time job to promote Austin as the “Live Music Capital of the World” that we proclaim to be. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Omar Lozano, the Director of Live Music Marketing for Visit Austin, to find out exactly what being the hype man for Austin’s music scene entails. Plus, he shares musicians’ favorite local venues, and the local musicians he’s got his eyes on these days. 

Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter. 

Follow us @citycastaustin

You can also text us or leave a voicemail. 

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

Introducing Voting for Grown-Ups from Grown-Up Stuff: How to Adult.

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Voting is an incredibly important part of being an American — not just every four years, and not just for the sticker! In this episode of Grown-Up Stuff, hosts Lea Palmieri and Matt Stillo speak with Joshua A. Douglas, a professor of law at the University of Kentucky, as well as an author and podcaster, who explains the way voting works in the US, from the polling booth to the country’s capitol, and what we can do as citizens to ensure we’re getting involved and staying involved in democracy for all.

To learn more about Josh, visit https://joshuaadouglas.com/

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DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

Why did the City of Austin almost spend millions of dollars to bring out-of-state artists’ work to the airport? And what’s with the awkward wrangling over the public art Austin already paid for that was set to be demolished in the Austin Convention Center? Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined today by Heidi Schmalbach, a member of the Austin Arts Commission, to tell us the story behind the headlines about Austin’s Art in Public Places program, share why the city’s policy on public art is being revamped, and more. 

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

Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter. 

Follow us @citycastaustin

You can also text us or leave a voicemail. 

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

Introducing Episode 1 - Sitting Ducks from My Friend Daisy.

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In February 2021, 19-year-old Daisy De La O had a lot to be excited about: She’d recently started a new job, she’d saved up enough money to buy a car, and was on the verge of earning her associate’s degree. She dreamed of opening a makeup and tattoo business someday. But those dreams were shattered when she got a text message while watching T.V. with her family one night. She told them she’d be right back and stepped outside. It was the last time her family saw her alive.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

We don’t want to shame anyone this Earth Day, but Austinites, are you throwing things away correctly? The city has an ambitious goal to drastically reduce the amount of trash we send to landfills by 2040, and we’ve sadly plateaued. The good news? We now have recycling and composting options for the entire city — and drop-off and pick-up options for folks who aren’t Austin Resource Recovery customers. Host Nikki DaVaughn welcomes ARR’s Paul Bestgen back on City Cast Austin to check in on why numbers aren’t improving and how we can all do trash better. 

Learn more about the sponsors of this April 22nd episode:

Want some more Austin news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Austin newsletter. 

Follow us @citycastaustin

You can also text us or leave a voicemail. 

Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE 

Introducing Origins of Belief from How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality.

Follow the show: How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality

We often think of belief as a religious or cultural idea that is a hallmark of modern humans. But what if the early sparks of belief burned in our ancestors’ minds long before modern humans walked the earth? What if beliefs about some of the biggest questions out there, like what happens after death, weren’t just pondered by Homo sapiens?

On this episode, evolutionary anthropologist Agustín Fuentes takes us on a journey spanning millions of years, from our primate relatives in the deep past to the complex spiritual and cultural traditions we know today. Along the way, we’ll learn how the capacity for belief has helped shape our species and why it remains a powerful force in our lives today.

Agustín Fuentes is a Professor of Anthropology at Princeton University and the author of the books Why We Believe: Evolution and the Human Way of Being and The Creative Spark: How Imagination Made Humans Exceptional. Learn more about his work on his website, and be sure to check out his forthcoming book Sex is a Spectrum: The Biological Limits of the Binary, due out in May 2025. 

DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].