City Cast DC with Michael Schaffer
❄️ Where are the plows?!
January 30, 2026 · 💌 Kaela
Morning, neighbor, Welcome to day five of D.C. being completely inept at clearing its roads and sidewalks after last weekend's storm 🎉
Meanwhile, Randy Clarke is out here casting Level 3 spells fighting ice with “fire snakes,” to make sure the Metro runs on time 🐍
What's CITY Talking About
Dems and Trump Strike Funding Deal
Less than 30 hours before spending is set to lapse, President Trump and Senate Democrats said Thursday that they'd struck an agreement to fund most of the federal government. A short lapse is still likely, since changes will need to be approved by the House, scheduled to be out of town until Monday. [Washington Post 🔒]
‘Snowcrete’ Calls For Heavy Equipment
D.C. is busting out heavy equipment to deal with the “snowcrete” caking city streets, which the majority of D.C.’s plows can’t handle. And unfortunately, the large plows that do work are unable to go on small streets. [City Cast DC 🎧/@cmcharlesallen]
Government To Sell Old Post Office
The Trump Administration wants to sell the Old Post Office building, once home to the Trump hotel, as part of its effort to reduce the federal government’s footprint. The iconic building is home to the Waldorf Astoria hotel and a 315-foot public observation tower. [Washington Post 🔒]
Overcrowding Conditions at Baltimore ICE Facility
A video shared on a Spanish-language Facebook page has gone viral for showing overcrowding in holding cells at a center where lawyers and Democrats have previously voiced concerns about inhumane conditions. The video shows people being held in unsanitary conditions, detainees pleading for help, people sleeping on mylar blankets, and more. [Washington Post 🔒]
Melania Trump Doc Premieres Amid Backlash
“Melania” — a behind-the-scenes documentary about the First Lady's return to the White House — premiered at the Kennedy Center yesterday. Critics are questioning the Amazon-backed film's $75 million rollout while Amazon and the Washington Post slash jobs nationwide. Trump posted that it's "Selling Out, FAST" — meanwhile Axios reviewed local ticket availability, and let's just say we see a lotta empty seats. [Axios]
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Weekly DC News Quiz
How closely did you pay attention to local news this week? Take our news quiz to find out! Oh, and no Googling!
🤫 Pssst! Everything you need to know to ace the quiz has been covered in Hey DC! If you get 5/5 send me a screenshot and I’ll send you a tiny surprise for being such a tuned-in reader!
What To Do
Friday, Jan. 30
- 🎞️ Film Screening: “The Great Yawn of History” at the Asian Art Museum (National Mall)
- 🎸 Local Tunes: Kids Table (Indie-Rock) at DC9 (Shaw)
- 💀 Chamber of Comedy at the DC Arts Center (Adams Morgan)
- 🎛️ Taiki Nulight: Cheeky Bugger Tour (UK House) at Culture (Ivy City)
- 🇺🇿 Evening at the Embassy of Uzbekistan (Dupont)
- 🎵 Local Tunes: Gifts Ungiven (Virginia Post Hardcore) at Rhizome (Takoma)
Saturday, Jan. 31
- 🏒 Heated Rivalry Dance Party at DC9 (Shaw)
- 🧩 Puzzle Swap at Labyrinth Games (Eastern Market)
- 🎤 The Music and Lives of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen at Sixth & I (Chinatown)
- 💃 Dayshift: 30+ Daytime Party at Howard Theatre (Shaw)
- 🥤 Kombucha 101 by Brindle Boxer Kombucha at The Square (Downtown)
- 🎶 Sangjaru (Korean Folk) at the Asian Art Museum (National Mall)
- 🥟 Chinese Dumpling Making with Little Tiger Dumplings at UPSIDE on Moore (Rosslyn)
Sunday, Feb. 1
- 🎵 Tunes: Fox Stevenson at Black Cat (14th St. NW)
- 📚 Book Brunch: Jewish Stories in Our Own Words at Edlavitch DCJCC (16th St. NW)
- 🎤 BHM Book Talk: “Bibb Country” at MLK Library (Downtown)
- 🪘Local Tunes: Prabir Mehta/Naoco Wowsugi/Maya Glicksman at Rhizome (Takoma)
- 🧶 Yarn Swap at Merry Pin (Takoma)
Today is a day that some businesses around D.C. are planning to close, in solidarity with the nationwide general strike. If you're planning to protest, stay safe — especially from the slick snowcrete mounds around. No unintentional snow faceplants 🙃
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