City Cast Austin

Austin drivers have lots of reasons to despise our local toll road authority, TxTag, and the investigative team at KXAN knows all about it. Recently, reporters revealed that even after the dysfunctional authority admitted how bad it was and transferred authority to another agency, the problems continued. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by reporter Matt Grant, who found that more than half of TxTag’s accounts were not transferred to the new authority. Grant also shares the potential changes that state lawmakers could make while in session, plus, hear how host Nikki DaVaughn would charge for driving on toll roads if she ran a tolling authority.  

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Introducing The Bro Culture Reset: Why Corporate Masculinity is Back in Business from The Lonely Office.

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From CEOs embracing "masculine energy" to workers claiming they can't "be themselves" anymore, something's triggering a masculinity crisis at work. This week, we explore what happens when men feel their identity is challenged in the modern workplace.

Hosts:

Matt Sunbulli

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbulli/

https://www.threads.net/@mattsunbulli

https://www.firstdraft.vc

Aaron Calafato

Listen to Aaron's 7 Minute Stories

Leah Ova

Follow Leah on TikTok

Editorial:

Matt Sunbulli

Brooks Borden

Conor Bezane

Aaron Calafato

Senior Audio Engineer:

Ken Wendt

Research:

Zaid Safe

Matt Sunbulli

Aaron Calafato

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].

An estimated one in seven of Austin’s short-term rentals is illegally operating, and City Council members are trying to change that. But those efforts have been underway for years, and have been largely unsuccessful, resulting in unfriendly legal rulings and bills filed at the Texas Capitol. Recently, council changed three regulations aimed to wrangle short-term rentals, but postponed enforcing two of the three changes until after the Texas Legislature leaves town. Sara Willa Ernst joins host Nikki DaVaughn in breaking down the changes, explaining how we got here, and digging into the actual problems. 

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Introducing WTF's Up at the White House, Vatican in Crisis, & Satellites Uncover Animal Poaching from NEWSGIRLS.

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In this episode, the Newsgirls ask WTF is going on with the Trump administration?! From immigration gold cards to 150 year-olds getting Social Security payments to shutting down Pride clubs at schools, is it all rage bait or serious policy? 

Then, Wren & Mabel take you behind the scenes of the Vatican as the pope fights for his life. They speak to an expert about Pope Francis’s legacy, top candidates for his replacement and the crisis at the top of the Catholic Church. 

Finally, the Newsgirls get an inside look at the Smithsonian’s satellite tracking projects and how they’ve saved countless endangered animals, including elephants from a poaching ring in Myanmar. 

SOURCES:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wqpxdf-cKIJDBGjOizJIbWcd_sGjTDr-mlQAAZYhjJo/edit?tab=t.0

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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].

The Texas Legislature is moving bills along, our state agencies are changing under the Trump administration, and there’s a ton going on in town this weekend. TGIF, y’all, it’s time for the Friday News Round Up. Host Nikki DaVaughn, executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec, and Hey Austin newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw are getting into some of the biggest news in town this week. We discuss how Gov. Greg Abbott is “Trumpifying” Texas, by requiring state employees — of which there are nearly 70,000 in Austin — to return to the office, and fired an employee who refused to remove pronouns from his email signature. We also get into an update on some bills that are stuck, progressing, and upcoming at the Texas Legislature. Plus, how are you celebrating International Women’s Day? We’ve got some ideas. 

If you enjoyed the interview with Austin Bergstrom's International Airport Public Information Office Division Manager, Kimmie Hey, learn more here!

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Introducing Flight of the Monarchs: Jaime Rojo on Beauty and Conservation from Know What You See with Brian Lowery.

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National Geographic photographer and conservationist Jaime Rojo has spent decades capturing the beauty and fragility of the monarch butterfly. Their epic migration is one of nature’s most breathtaking spectacles, but their survival is under threat. In this episode, Jaime shares how his passion for photography and conservation led him to document the monarchs’ journey. He and host Brian Lowery discuss the deeper story behind his award-winning images, one about resilience, connection, and the urgent need to protect our natural world.
See Jaime's story on the monarch butterflies at his website: rojovisuals.com, and follow Brian Lowery at 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].

Perhaps the most mysterious part of South by Southwest to many folks is the film and television portion — which gets underway this weekend. Did you know that local Austinites qualify for special discounts? Join host Nikki DaVaughn as she uncovers the mysteries of the SXSW Film and TV Festival with Eric Webb, a festival programming associate and film aficionado. With more than a decade of festivals under his belt, Webb shares all about Austinites-only discounts, the best way to get into screenings, and dishes on the celebrities that you can expect to see on the red carpet this year. 

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Introducing How Rwanda Reinvented Itself from Peak Travel.

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Many westerners associate Rwanda with the brutal genocide that overtook the country 30 years ago. But since then, Rwanda has made a huge investment in tourism — building new infrastructure, museums, music venues, and more. Now, it’s one of the most popular destinations in Africa. In this episode: Rwanda’s rebirth, how tourism has changed the country, and why this compelling narrative is more complicated than it appears.

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].

Philanthropic giving in Austin has been flat for the past few years on Amplify Austin, a 24-hour period of giving that this year features 750 local nonprofits. But what donors do this year will be a bellwether, according to today’s guest, Piper Stege Nelson, executive director of I Live Here, I Give Here, which puts on Amplify Austin. Nelson joins host Nikki DaVaughn to discuss why giving is seemingly stagnant in Austin, how Austinites could do better, and the new category of organizations in need of amplification this year. 

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

Port Aransas

Rodeo Austin

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Introducing Alaska’s Risky Bet on Cruises from Peak Travel.

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Cruises are coming to dominate the tourism industry, offering accessible and affordable vacations. And many local economies rely heavily on them to stay afloat. But activists, scientists, and residents worry about their impact on the community and the environment. Alaska has seen a boom in the cruise industry, and many of the communities affected are Indigenous. We visit two Alaskan towns to see who’s really on board.  

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].