City Cast Austin

Why should we care that a tire company decided to honor 45 Austin (and Lockhart) restaurants in the new Michelin Guide of Texas? Host Nikki DaVaughn wasn’t so sure she did — until she heard all about it from Eater Austin’s editor, Nadia Chaudhury. Which seven restaurants received one of the coveted Michelin Stars? What exactly does Bib Gourmand mean, anyway? And how is all of this recognition going to affect the local dining scene? They get into all of it. 

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Learn more about the sponsor of this November 20th episode: Tecovas

We’ve talked before about just how much Austinites throw away, but did you know that the city, as a whole, has a goal to get to zero waste by 2040? With holidays around the corner, there’s no time like the present to make a plan to reduce your household waste through the parties, feasts, and onslaught of packages. Austin Resource Recovery’s Paul Bestgen joins host Nikki DaVaughn to discuss it all, along with news on how the city is handling bulk trash pick-up starting next year.  

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Learn more about the sponsor of this November 19th episode: Tecovas

Maryam Ahmed, a sophomore at The University of Texas at Austin, wasn’t planning on spending her time at college covering protests. Still, she’s owned the beat, reporting for The Daily Texan on the dozens of students who were arrested protesting the war in Israel and Gaza, and the fallout in court challenges and by university administration. Ahmed joins host Nikki DaVaughn to discuss how the goings-on at the 40 Acres have affected UT’s historic protest culture.

Learn more about the sponsor of this November 19th episode:

Tecovas

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On today’s Friday News Roundup, the City Cast Austin team discusses several headlines that caught our eye: What the Texas Democratic Party chairman said that led to him stepping down, Austin City Council finally wrote a check to the Red River Cultural District, and — no joke — The Onion has purchased local conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ Infowars. Plus, host Nikki DaVaughn, Hey Austin newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw, and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec share what they’re getting into this weekend. And, stick around after the roundup for our Don’t Go Gently tip for this weekend, sponsored by Tecovas. 

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The presidential election was touted as “high stakes,” but voter turnout in Texas, and Austin, was relatively low. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Blaise Gainey, KUT’s Texas Capitol reporter, to discuss how Donald Trump’s next presidential term could affect life and people in Austin, and what the election data says about Texas voters. Plus, how big of a boost did Trump get from celebrity Austinites Joe Rogan and Elon Musk, who has now been tapped to lead the Department of Government Efficiency? 

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Can you critique a city that you truly love? Author Alex Hannaford, who moved to Austin after falling in love with it — and then left after growing dismayed 20 years later — says actually, it’s necessary. Hannaford doesn’t hold back in “Lost in Austin,” which takes a close look at the tug-of-war between the economic booms that have made Austin businesses thrive and the downturns that allow creatives to stay in town and in business. Hannaford joins executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec, who isn’t defensive about Austin at all.  

Plus, stay tuned after Alex’s interview for a special segment: A mile in their boots, where we feature the unsung heroes of Austin. Today, we’ll hear from Hannah Gabel, literary director for the Texas Book Festival, which takes place downtown this weekend. 

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Texas executes more people than any other state, but recently, state lawmakers were able to halt one at the last minute, saving Robert Roberson’s life, at least for now. Michelle Lyons, a former public information officer for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice who witnessed hundreds of executions and wrote a memoir about it, joins host Nikki DaVaughn to break down Roberson’s case, what life has been like for him on death row these past 20 years, and what might happen next. And just a note: As you might have already guessed, this interview touches on some difficult topics, so please listen with care. 

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We at City Cast Austin wanted to know how well Austinites know their city, so we put on our Tecovas, made for walkin’, and took to the streets to find out. Join host Nikki DaVaughn as she and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec quiz folks on five local trivia questions. We’d like to thank Tecovas, who makes our favorite Western wear in town, for sponsoring this episode.  

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On today’s Friday News Roundup, host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Jasper Scherer, politics reporter with the Texas Tribune, and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec, to dig into how Austin voted. Did you know that Donald Trump has actually gained more ground here since 2020? Plus, we get into several local races, like the still-undecided race for Austin’s mayor and one of the five city council seats that were on the ballot, a big upset on council, local tax increase propositions, and more. Finally, our team of optimists can’t help but talk about our good news from the week. 

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Learn more about the sponsor of this November 8th episode:

Tecovas

BetterWay Blood Testing - Get 20% off your first order with code CITY at BetterWay.com

Fall is in the air, and for some in Central Texas, the itch to spend more time outside must be scratched. Host Nikki DaVaughn likes nature from afar, and is joined by Pam LeBlanc, adventurer extraordinaire, to share all of her top tips for where to pitch a tent this fall, how to prepare for a successful outing, and why the best views in nature are actually found on the loo. Among her tips: Reserve state campsites in advance, check out the LCRA’s glamping options, borrow gear, and sign up for a guided camping trip if you’re just getting started. 

This episode originally aired on September 9. 

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Learn more about the sponsor of this November 7th episode:

Tecovas

BetterWay Blood Testing - Get 20% off your first order with code CITY at BetterWay.com