City Cast DC with Michael Schaffer
What DC book club is right for you?
September 18, 2023
Hey, D.C. We’re making a list of D.C.’s most influential people in 2023 called the "City Cast 6," and we want your advice. Of our six categories, food and drink is up first. Who is changing D.C.’s culinary game? Who’s behind the most interesting dish you had this year or the most unique cocktail? Nominate your choice now.
What's CITY Talking About?
Metro Automatic Trains Delayed
Metro is delaying its plans to roll out automatic operation for all trains because of safety concerns. WMATA originally planned to make the switch this fall. Now, it’ll start with only automatic door operation this fall and completely shift away from manual next year. The automatic system is said to save time, money, and energy, provide a smoother ride, and improve safety. [Washington Post 🔒]
School Nurses Spread Thin
D.C. public school nurses are upset over a new system that puts one nurse in charge of four schools, saying it’s stressful and ineffective. There are lower-level health technicians in every school, but the nurses say they have limited ability to care for the students without a registered nurse in the building. [NBC4]
MoCo Tipped Minimum Wage
A new bill in Montgomery County would raise the minimum wage for tipped workers. Currently, employers only need to pay MoCo tipped workers $4/hour before tips. If passed it would increase to $6 in July 2024, then $8 in July 2025, and so on until it reaches the same value as the standard minimum wage. [MoCo360]
- Related: D.C. residents voted last year to phase out the tipped minimum wage, but the rollout has been chaotic and confusing. [City Cast DC 🎧]
Sponsored Content
Learn about inclusive, skills-based hiring practices
Join the DC Workforce Investment Council and District Bridges for the Skills DC Business Summit on September 14. This free event will publicly launch a suite of tools that can support businesses in adopting inclusive hiring practices to build a stronger, more resilient workforce ecosystem. Register here.
Where Is It?
This is the “Signs of Regret” fence, an art installation overlooking the Glenwood Cemetery in Stronghold Alley. It was installed in 2016 by Bronnie Ware, an Australian nurse who worked in palliative care, caring for patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives. The signs are based on their wisdom and final reflections.
Nice detective work, Jennifer L., Kelsey M., and Lauren K. for being the first three to guess correctly!
Next up! Can you tell me what neighborhood this famous, colorful house is in? Bonus points if you can tell me the street name or house’s nickname! Tricky tricky.
What To Do
🚲 A Tale of Two Canals | Monday | 12 p.m.
Ride your bike along the path of the 19th-century Washington City Canal and learn its connection to the C&O Canal with a National Park tour guide. [Free, Navy Yard]
📕 No Meat Required | Monday | 7 p.m.
Chat with cookbook author Alicia Kennedy & Oyster Oyster's Rob Rubba about the culinary and cultural history of plant-based eating in the U.S. [$10, Mount Pleasant]
🎺 Toast To the End of Summer | Wednesday | 5:30 - 8 p.m.
Head to Hillwood Estate to celebrate the end of summer under the stars sky with memorable and classic jazz standards. [$25, Van Ness]
👩🍳 Handmade Empanadas | Thursday | 6 p.m.
Learn to prepare your own empanadas from scratch — one with a delicious, sweet guava filling, and the other a savory pizza creation. [$59, Union Market]
Sponsored Content
A SPELLBINDING DRAMA PENNED FOR TODAY’S REALITY
In Bathing in Moonlight, faith and desire collide when a Catholic priest and an enchanting pianist from his parish fall in love. Will they eat from the forbidden fruit?
A spellbinding drama by Pulitzer Prize winner Nilo Cruz that explores passion, moral conflict & sacrifice.
September 7 – Oct 1 | In Spanish with English subtitles
Today on City Cast
What Should Brookland Metro Station Look Like?
Metro wants to redevelop the Brookland Metro stop, but what should the new version look like? This project touches on Metro, housing, parking, and retail, so it's no surprise that the public hearing on it last week was SPICY. Washington Business Journal's Tristan Navera goes over the drama and what WMATA is planning to do about it.
Heads up!
D.C. is starting to enforce bus-only lanes today for real. The warning period is over. Now, if you are caught driving in a bus lane, you will be fined $100 to $200. Buses all have dash cams now to record license plates, so don’t try and be sneaky.
Today’s newsletter was edited by Priyanka Tilve. News was written by Susannah Broun.
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