City Cast DC with Michael Schaffer
🥶 Extreme cold causes mayhem
February 3, 2026 · 💌 Kaela
Good morning! You may have noticed I arrived in your inbox today with a new name attached. It’s a change to reflect what this newsletter has always been — part of a team of journalists who create both this newsletter and the City Cast DC podcast.
What's CITY Talking About
Hot New Mayoral Platform: Snow Response
It’s been a little over a week since the storm, and D.C. is still a mess, with smaller roads, alleys, and sidewalks that are treacherous and unusable. The upshot: this slow snow response is already entering the mayor’s race. [Axios/City Cast DC 🎧]
Extreme Cold Temps Cause Chaos
The recent extreme cold caused the Dupont Metro tiles to come loose, resulting in five of 10 fare gates closing for repairs. Meanwhile, several DMV schools are struggling to keep students warm, with some classrooms dropping into the 40s. [ABC 7 / Washington Post 🔒 ]
Layoffs Cost Dept. Of Education $28M
A new report from the Government Accountability Office shows the Trump administration’s effort to fire Education Department staff cost over $28 million. The money was primarily used to pay 247 staff on administrative leave that weren't allowed to work because of department prohibitions. [WAMU]
GOP Search for Votes To Reopen Government
The House is looking for enough votes to reopen the government this week, which has been partially shut since Saturday. House Democrats do not plan to support the package due to the inclusion of ICE funding, meaning the GOP will need near-unanimity to pass it. [Washington Post 🔒]
Sponsored Content
Open doors to global connections
Georgetown’s MBA delivers access to top organizations, locally and internationally, through experiential learning and global business consulting. Plus, in 2025, the McDonough Career Center supported graduates with 6,000+ one-on-one coaching sessions and employer engagements—alongside 30,000 alumni who participated in the annual “Hire a Hoya” campaign. Explore the program.
What To Do
Tuesday, Feb. 3
- 🍻 Profs & Pints DC: Empathy 101 at Penn Social (Penn Quarter)
- 📚 Book Talk: One & Only, Maurene Goo at East City Bookshop (Capitol Hill)
- 🕵️ House Histories 101 at Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library (Cleveland Park)
- 📚 Book Talk: The End of Romance: A Novel at Poetry and Prose Bookstore (Chevy Chase)
- 🤘 Ritual Arcana w/ Borracho, Foehammer at Pie Shop (H Street Corridor)
- 💝 Resin Art Heart Dishes Craft Workshop at Locally Crafted Workshop (Gaithersburg)
Wednesday, Feb. 4
- 🍻 Profs & Pints DC: The Love Lecture at Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital (Capitol Hill)
- 🎺 David Foster & Katharine McPhee at The Music Center (North Bethesda)
- 🍫 Celebrate National Chocolate Month at Benning Neighborhood Library
- ✊ "Before We Were Enslaved" Lecture at MLK Jr. Library (Downtown)
- ⚖️ Free Walk-in Legal Clinic at Deanwood Neighborhood Library
- 🍷 Wine & War: How War Has Shaped French Wine at Josephine (Alexandria)
- 💸 Your Rich BFF’s Vivian Tu at Sixth & I (Chinatown)
Sponsored Content
Ready to Level Up?
Step into the future at SXSW Innovation this March 12–18 in Austin, Texas. Hear bold ideas, converse with global voices, and experience Keynote and Featured Sessions, the Innovation Clubhouse, mentorships, emerging tech, and unforgettable IRL moments. Secure your badge before prices increase February 5 - and beat the line with Reservations, opening soon.
Tweet Du Jour
📣 Plus, a big shoutout to Sydney L. for becoming a City Cast DC member! ICYMI our members get lots of cool perks, check it out!
Free · 5 days a week