Unless you live in a very dark and cool cave, you already know we just survived our first heat wave of 2025. A little early in the season, no? On this week’s Friday News Roundup, host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec to talk about the heat wave that broke records and made national news. Plus, we discuss how a new court ruling could impact Austin’s marijuana ordinance, the latest on state lawmakers’ effort to ban consumable hemp (and how much said ban could cost the state), the grocery store that truly does more and is now hosting a live music series, and our weekend plans, including attending the Affordable Art Fair. Finally, don’t forget to vote for all your faves in the Austin Chronicle’s Best of Austin 2025! 

Learn more about the sponsors of this May 16th 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

Austin has long had a reputation for being bicycle-friendly — maybe it’s the Lance Armstrong factor, or the extensive hike-and-bike trail system, or the veloway, or the multi-million dollar bike infrastructure projects. But what’s it really like to commute daily on Austin’s streets, solely on two wheels? Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by Abi Robins, who ditched their truck a year ago and has pedaled all over town since. Robins shares their favorite off-road trails, best and worst bike lanes, how cycling helps them better connect with the city, and the volunteers who cycle around downtown, handing out food, drinks and necessities to folks in need. Plus, how you can be like Abi at least for a day — tomorrow’s Bike to Work Day! 

Learn more about the sponsors of this May 15th 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

Local arts organizations are hurting, especially after the recent announcement of federal funding cuts coming at the end of the month. But it's not just artists who are facing financial uncertainty. Who can afford to buy art right now? Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by local artist and the director of the Affordable Art Fair Cori Teague to talk about the how, the why, and the where of buying art in Austin. Plus, she dishes on her favorite local artists, the state of the local arts community in 2025, and how social media has changed the way we discover and connect with art — including that viral banana artwork. Don't miss Teague’s Affordable Art Fair May 15-18! And for more on Nikki’s midweek mood boost, read this. 

Learn more about the sponsors of this May 14th 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

Grab your partner, leave your drinks on the table, and hit the dance floor, Austin! Summertime is prime time for two-stepping with your sweetie — there’s just something about twirling around, sweaty but satisfied, in a pair of boots that just feels right. Don’t know how? Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by the perfect guide, Keighley Voorheis, who documents the dancing scene on her social media. We’re talking about what makes Austin’s two-stepping style unique, and giving y’all a guide to the local dance floor circuit and two-stepping field trips.  

This episode originally aired on October 10, 2024. 

Learn more about the sponsors of this May 14th 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 Face Value from Revisionist History.

Follow the show: Revisionist History

Malcolm and Lucie discover that they experience something very differently.

If you suspect you might have a problem recognizing faces and you want to get involved in the research they’re doing at Dr. Joe DeGutis’s lab, go to: www.faceblind.org

And if you’re curious about your own facial recognition abilities, these online tests are a good place to start: 

https://www.troublewithfaces.org/test-yourself-1 https://www.bbk.ac.uk/psychology/psychologyexperiments/experiments/facememorytest/startup.php

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].

According to recent reports, Austin’s tree canopy is something to be proud of — but only if you don’t zoom in. Locally, there’s a big difference between the concentration of lush shade trees on the West Side of town and those in East Austin, and some in town are trying to change that. Host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by TreeFolks’ Executive Director Andrew W. Smiley to talk about Austin’s latest Tree Canopy Report, how our canopy compares to those in other cities across the country, and why it matters. Plus, they discuss the Ashe Juniper and why one state lawmaker is trying to make it easier to cut them down, and why now’s the time to nominate your favorite tree in town for the Tree of the Year awards.  

Learn more about the sponsors of this May 12th 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 Establishing Clear Expectations and Consequences for Proactive Parenting - with Gary J. Edelstein from Divorce Dialogues.

Follow the show: Divorce Dialogues

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].

To kick off Mother’s Day weekend, City Cast Austin’s got a great story about a special pair of Concordia University graduates to share on this week’s Friday News Roundup. Plus, the ACL Festival lineup is officially here, and host Nikki DaVaughn has some thoughts — as do newsletter editor Kelsey Bradshaw and executive producer Eva Ruth Moravec. Love it or hate it, though, you can’t deny the festival’s enormous impact. Also on the agenda: What the City of Austin removed from an East Side park encampment, which was prioritized to be cleared in preparation for flash flooding season; and our weekend picks.    

Learn more about the sponsors of this May 9th 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 Bobby Bones: “Tenacity is a talent.” from Math & Magic: Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing with Bob Pittman.

Follow the show: Math & Magic: Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing with Bob Pittman

Bobby Bones has been called “the most powerful man in country music.” Host of the nationally syndicated country music radio program, The Bobby Bones Show, and the podcast, Bobbycast, millions of Americans consider him a friend. Audio is his bread and butter, but he’s also made a name for himself on TV, as a mentor on American Idol, the host of Breaking Bobby Bones on the National Geographic Channel, and as a winner of Dancing With the Stars. He’s from a small town in Arkansas where his youth was largely defined by poverty and instability. Today, he considers the perspective it gave him one of his biggest strengths. Bobby joins Bob to share insights about ambition and tenacity, the power of country music, and how emotional intelligence is the strongest skill an interviewer can have.

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].

East Side favorite Nickel City recently landed a spot on North America's Best Bars list, proving that the Austin bar scene can hold its own on the national stage. But as beloved staples like Skylark Lounge and Outer Heaven shut their doors, a wave of new bars are reshaping the city's drinking landscape. Beer, food and drink writer Ruvani de Silva sits down with host Nikki to unpack the shifting bar scene–which new spots are worth the hype, which ones to skip, and what these changes say about Austin right now. 

Learn more about the sponsors of this May 7th 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