City Cast Austin

As the days on the Texas Legislative calendar tick away, lawmakers’ pace of work is speeding up — and they’re still keeping at least one eye on Austin. While the bill to turn Austin into the “District of Austin” probably won’t go far, one that would ban all consumable hemp products in the state has already passed the Texas Senate. Other legislation targets Project Connect, short-term rentals, and strangely enough, “furries,” or dressing up like animals, in Texas schools. Host Nikki DaVaughn checks in with KUT’s Blaise Gainey for a legislative update. 

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Introducing Susan Orlean + Diana Gameros from SongWriter.

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At a live performance at KQED in San Francisco, bestselling author and New Yorker staff writer Susan Orlean tells a story about homing pigeons, and the heartbreaking implications of their extraordinary intelligence. Researcher Dr. Laura Simone Lewis shares her work with bonobos and chimpanzees, and the ways that their intelligence guides their understanding of home. And Mexican American activist and songwriter Diana Gameros performs a new song written in response.

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For the live performance, Ben wrote a song in response to Susan's story, "I Can Only (Come Home)," which is streaming on Apple Music, Spotify, etc.

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].

It’s been a week, but we’re still talking about the horrific crash on Interstate 35 that killed five and injured several others, and we’ve got an idea for getting tractor-trailers like the one that crashed off the highway-that-will-be-a-construction-zone for the next 10 years. Plus, you may have seen the news that South by Southwest is condensing its various festivals into one shorter, seven-day spree next year, cutting the music-only weekend. But did you see the rivaling hot takes in Texas Monthly and Rolling Stone? We talk about those big stories and our weekend picks on this week’s Friday News Roundup, recorded at Trick Hat Workway, with host Nikki DaVaughn, Hey Austin newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw, and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec. 

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Introducing Joyce Carol Oates + Ali Sethi from SongWriter.

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At a live performance at Queens College, legendary author Joyce Carol Oates reads a piece about her beloved late husband Charlie Gross, called “Hospice / Honeymoon.” Psychologist and author Dr. Allison Applebaum talks about caregiving, and shares insights from her recent book, Stand By Me. And global superstar Ali Sethi shares a brand-new song written in response.

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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].

Is it just us, or were the crowds at South by Southwest smaller this year? We spent days galavanting around town, and have some opinions. So, we’re bringing you our thoughts on the unexpected, the overrated, the beloved, and our big picture hot-takes from SXSW 2025, with host Nikki DaVaughn, Hey Austin newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw, and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec. And in case you missed any of our festival coverage, catch up on episodes with local takes on SXSW music, the film and television festival, and what it brings to the city’s tourism economy. Plus, read up on the plans for the new Austin Convention Center here. 

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Introducing Dr. Anna Corwin: Understanding Spiritual Intelligence Across Cultures from Stories of Impact.

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Today we wrap up an enlightening series of conversations on religious ritual as a pathway to human flourishing with Dr. Anna Corwin. When Dr. Corwin became connected to the Diverse Intelligences initiative and researchers who collaboratively examine the variety of intelligence on the planet or beyond, whether plant, animal, human, alien, or artificial, she was inspired to see new possibilities for her own unique research interest, and to embark on a scientific exploration into spiritual intelligence.

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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].

Some might say that our city’s slogan, “Keep Austin Weird,” is outdated. But for those who coordinate OUTsider Fest, weird — otherwise known as out of the mainstream — is the target participant. The festival’s artistic director, Laura Gutiérrez, joins host Nikki DaVaughn in talking about the role the festival plays in Austin’s LGBTQ-plus community, as well as the importance of her work as an associate professor and an associate dean at The University of Texas at Austin.  

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Introducing Salem and the Small-Town Tourism Trap from Peak Travel.

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Salem, Massachusetts is best known for the Witch Trials of 1692. That history turned the small town into a Halloween destination, with more than 1 million people flocking there in the month of October alone. It’s so crowded that residents can’t get down the street, walk into a shop, or sit down at a restaurant. How does a small town like Salem deal with a flood of visitors in just one month of the year? And is it really worth it for the people who live there?    

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].

New population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show that the Austin metro area is now the 25th most populated in the country. But that metro area stretches from Round Rock to San Marcos. So what’s happening within Austin’s city limits? Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by City Demographer Lila Valencia to dig into our local population changes and what they mean. 

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Introducing From Medieval Love Songs to Modern Hip-Hop: Marisa Galvez on the Power of Poetry from Know What You See with Brian Lowery.

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What do medieval troubadours and modern rappers have in common? More than you might think. In this episode, Stanford professor of French and Italian, Marisa Galvez joins Brian Lowery to explore how poetry—whether in 12th-century love songs or hip-hop lyrics—has long been a way to express love, power, or identity. Together they discuss how lyrical traditions from the past continue to shape music and culture today. 

For more on Brian and his guests, go to knowwhatyousee.com.

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].