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City Cast DC

Kaela Cote-Stemmermann

How’s your D.C. food trivia game? Two of the city’s premier food journalists are here to match wits about the past and present of Washington culinary life. It’s Jessica Sidman versus Ann Limpert in a D.C. food trivia showdown.Jess mentioned that she doesn’t think D.C. is in the South, but we’re not sure it’s so simple. <a href="https://dc.citycast.fm/podcasts/is-dc-part-of-the-south">Check out the episode where we tried to figure it out</a>.Want some more DC news? Then make sure to<a href="https://dc.citycast.fm/newsletter"> sign up</a> for our morning newsletter Hey DC.Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info<a href="https://citycast.fm/advertise/"> HERE</a>And we’d love to feature you on the show! Share your DC-related thoughts, hopes, and frustrations with us in a voicemail by calling <a href="tel:2026422654">202-642-2654</a>. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

D.C. Food Trivia Smackdown

How well do you know D.C.’s food scene? We 

chatted with two of the city’s premier food journalists

 – Jessica Sidman and Ann Limpert – to test them on the past and present of Washington culinary life. How do you 

Ben Brasch

It’s a battle of spin and sludge. And are you going to believe the Interior Department or your interior judgement?

According to Donald Trump’s government, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is a “crystal clear” basin of water. “The nanobubbler technology and vacuuming have been incredibly effective, making the water crystal clear with the American Flag Blue coating shining brightly on the bottom of the pool,” the Department 

But on Thursday afternoon, a week into the ruckus over an algae bloom that began choking the pool soon after its renovation, the water was lagoon-green. Crews in waders used pool nets to scoop muck out of the two-tone pool, parts of which had become less green after workers poured bleach into the pool. Loud, whirring motors pumped the sickening-looking water into the storm drains.

And now, in addition to algae, sheets and ribbons of blue paint floated in the water or could be seen sloughing off as crews cleaned. Some pieces were left in the grass.

As Trump predicted, the renovation has brought crowds to the National Mall. But maybe not the ones he hoped.

Trump foes were out in force, drawn by massive media coverage of the renovation, which was completed after the administration awarded a 

The naysayers on hand included Rob Dale, a tourist from Colorado, who called the scene “a huge waste of resources.”

“Your tax dollars are literally going down the drain,” he said, motioning to the hose belching green water into the storm drain. He added: “I want my money back.”

The Interior Department’s press office 

 that “the Reflecting Pool is now so ‘blue’ that the Fake News Media, which has been staked out at the Reflecting Pool for weeks, has fled!”

But on Thursday, Dale said he was interviewed by Reuters. There were plenty of other media filing reports from the pool throughout the day, including reporters from 

. As Dale spoke, a cameraman with a CNN badge shot video. The fate of a D.C. monument had turned into a national symbol.

The renovation finished just over a week ago. Experts have said that it is common for algal blooms to strike after this kind of work, especially with the 

Yet even with all the remediation work, the water remained more chartreuse than “crystal clear.” And the only reflection occurring at the pool Thursday afternoon was from onlookers wondering how they would caption their blurry photos with metaphors about how this scene represents the state of the nation.

None of this stopped others from presenting a different reality. In another post, the Interior Department 

 that the “water is crystal clear, and our National Park Service team is now vacuuming up the bottom of some parts of the Reflecting Pool—just like the destroyed Iranian Navy resting on the bottom of the Persian Gulf.”

 early Thursday that “the advanced nanobubbler technology very effectively killed the algae that has plagued every Lincoln Reflecting Pool reopening.” City Cast DC saw isolated pools of bubbling in the Reflecting Pool occurring but can not confirm if they were, indeed, nanobubbles.

The Reflecting Pool Is Drawing Crowds of Gawkers

Local News

Get the story that everyone in Washington is talking about.

D.C. Local News

Do you feel that feral energy in the air? That’s the 

The Capital Pride Alliance may have pushed this year’s Pride celebrations back because of the UFC fight, but the city shows no signs of slowing down. If anything, D.C. institutions are taking the opportunity to party even harder.

, will kick off official Pride celebrations on June 20 and preside over the weekend's biggest events, including the 

But if you’re looking for something off the beaten path, we rounded up a list of the best 

 Pride events for every type of Washingtonian — from carabiner-clutching sapphics to Speedo-clad ravers.

Bring a water bottle. There are designated water stations along 14th St. and at the 17th St. Block Party where you can top up.

Stand on the west side of 14th St. for more shade. Get there early if you want a good spot.

Plan on picking up food. Nearby restaurants and bars will have hours-long waits. Slice & Pie, South Block and Shake Shack on 14th St. NW are great grab and go options.

Sunblock, sunblock, sunblock! I see you in those mesh tanks and nip covers. Trust me, those 

With all that drinking (water, obviously 👀) it’s essential to plan out some pit stops before you get desperate. Here are a few spots on or close to the route you can go. The pros know to bring your own tissues, as bathroom situations can be … less than ideal.

Cafés on route: Starbucks, Compass Coffee, Aslin, Coffee Bar, Bluestone Coffee

Celebrate Pride with music spanning EDM, French jazz and everything in between.

This three-stage outdoor music festival at Berhta boasts names like D.C.-born Rico Nasty, Yaeji, The Dare, and DOSS. The festival bills itself as a place to "come be loved, come be hot, come be weird."

Fête de la Musique at the Embassy of France

The French embassy is opening its doors for this special Pride Month edition of the Fête de la Musique — a music festival with professional and emerging artists, students from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, DJs, jazz musicians, pop performers and more.

Close out Pride at D.C.’s favorite DIY venue with queer NYC art-and-music collective Papi Juice. The party runs until 3 a.m. “Go ahead and request Monday off,” says the invite.

The New Orleans-based rapper, singer and bounce icon is bringing her “Big Freedom” show to D.C. for one of the month's biggest queer music events.

Block parties, balls and hangouts that have something for everyone.

Now in its second year, this afternoon block party is co-hosted by NoMa BID, Red Bear Brewing Co., and REI. Expect family-friendly activities, local vendors, community organizations and lowkey outdoor activities.

Old Town North Pride Party at St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub

This 21+ dance party features DJ Thunderbunny on the decks alongside a chill-out lounge offering glitter roots, temporary tattoos and coloring from the Queer Crayon Club. Tickets include two drinks and benefit Safe Space NOVA.

A staple of D.C.'s queer dance scene since 2008, MIXTAPE returns with DJs Shea van Horn and Matt Bailer. Expect a high-energy blend of pop, electronic and dance.

The night opens with featured artists AYA Collective and Justyce Pyer Moss before transitioning to the ball, where stars of the D.C. kiki scene take the floor. Competitors will vie for titles and cash prizes across categories such as Runway, Best Dressed and Shake That A**.

Catch some of D.C.’s most iconic drag kings and queens at these performances.

GLAMfest Drag Show and Pop Party at metrobar

Join this glitter-soaked Pride night at metrobar with drag performances from Brooke N Hymen, Hennessey, Venus Valhalla, and Ruth Allen Ginsburg, alongside pop sets from Shelby Morgan and Bryce Bowyn.

Pride Between the Pages: A Literary Drag King Show at Solid State Books

This 8-act show will feature drag kings from Pretty Boi Drag bringing their literary alter egos off the page and onto the stage.

Part of Kiki's full slate of Pride-themed programming, this drag show pays tribute to the beloved D.C.-born “RuPaul's Drag Race” alum Tatianna.

Pride doesn’t have to be a sausage fest. These are for the girly-pops.

A no-phone, no-photo, no-video lesbian Pride party featuring Mooncrumb, Lauren Jay, Kristy la rAt, and DJ Dee Clark. What happens on H Street stays on H Street.

SUNSHINE: A Sapphic Pride Day Party at Spark Social

This daytime outdoor celebration will spotlight sapphic DJs from across D.C. in a lower-key post-Pride-weekend wind-down.

Round out Pride weekend with five hours of nonstop music from local sapphic DJs, food trucks, drink specials and Pride-themed surprises.

🧑‍🎨 For the Grown-Up Tumblr Art Hoes

Queer exhibits, film fests and fashion that will have you reliving your queer teen angst.

DIY Your Pride - Art Supply Swap at Brookland Arts Walk

Bring unwanted art supplies and artwork to swap and trade. Attendees can also make upcycled crafts and decor on the spot using their swap haul.

Washington D.C.’s best 2026 Pride events, from fashion shows and film fests to block parties and raves.

2026 D.C. Pride For Every Type of Washingtonian

D.C. Pride For Every Type of Washingtonian

Tips and tricks for living your best DC life, by locals, for locals.

DC Life Hacks

Emma Uber

Michael Schaffer

Kenyan McDuffie has conceded the mayoral election to Janeese Lewis George, making her the Democratic nominee and – barring an unprecedented political earthquake – the overwhelmingly Democratic city’s next mayor.

In a statement Thursday morning, McDuffie said he called Lewis George to congratulate her on the victory. At the time of his concession, Lewis George held 52.9% of the first-rank vote with nearly three-quarters of ballots counted, according to the 

“While the final certification process will continue, it is clear that the voters have chosen a different path,” McDuffie said in a statement. “I want to thank every voter who participated in this election, the tens of thousands of Washingtonians who placed their faith in our campaign, and all of our volunteers, supporters, staff, family members, community leaders, and neighbors who believed in our vision for the future of our city. The campaign may be over, but the work of building a safer, more affordable, more prosperous city continues.”

The concession, on the heels of Tuesday's surprisingly strong showing by the democratic socialist, marks a dramatic reversal of fortunes for McDuffie, a longtime D.C. Councilmember who before the campaign had good relations with D.C. progressives as well as its center-left.

When Mayor Muriel Bowser announced last year that she wouldn't seek a fourth term, McDuffie surprised few people when he jumped into the race.

And yet the politics of 2026 D.C. seemed to move beyond McDuffie, as Lewis George's call for more active government — and more vocal pushback against President Donald Trump — resonated in a register that the mild-mannered McDuffie couldn't seem to access.

Lewis George’s victory was accompanied by strong showings by fellow democratic socialists and progressives in D.C. Council races that could change the balance of the council, even as the ascent of a democratic socialist mayor will end the decade-long dynamic where a pro-business mayor effectively put a break on progressive lawmakers.

In a speech at her election night party Tuesday, she said her campaign has seen success "because we gave voice to one simple truth: the status quo is unsustainable for working people in D.C."

Lewis George, 38, currently represents Ward 4 on the D.C. Council. She has hinged her campaign on affordability, making big promises on child care and affordable housing. Her unapologetically left-wing posture has energized supporters tired of the status quo, but worried business leaders. And her opposition to policing measures like teen curfews have drawn the ire of law-enforcement advocates.

Last week, President Donald Trump threatened to take over the District if she was elected. Although the president doesn’t have the power to unilaterally do that, the win will likely raise tensions with a White House that retains a lot of power over the Capital City.

In D.C.’s first ranked-choice voting election, neither of the big ticket races will rely on voters' second or third choice votes. D.C. Council member Robert White 

 colleague Brooke Pinto on Tuesday night to win the Democratic nomination for D.C. delegate.

Democratic socialist JLG is all but guaranteed to be the next D.C. mayor.

McDuffie Concedes in Mayor's Race

Politics

DC Politics

It turns out, D.C. is only big enough for one 

The political news site NOTUS has amicably resolved its legal dispute with the owners of 

 trademark, bringing to a close one of the weirder copyright battles in recent media history — and putting an end to a pricey and aborted relaunch. As part of the settlement, NOTUS has abandoned its plan to rebrand as

The legal battle began late last month, as NOTUS prepared a much-hyped relaunch as 

a general-interest Washington publication. The site’s owner, Robert Allbritton, is the son of a former owner of 

, which went out of business in 1981. Unfortunately for Allbritton, the old paper’s trademark is owned by someone else. And that owner 

 for trademark infringement, asking a judge to order NOTUS to stop using the name and pay damages. According to court filings, 

– led by Dovid Efune, the publisher of 

 – had been planning its own re-launch and two D.C. publications with Star in the name is bad for business.

“Both parties have amicably resolved the matter,” a NOTUS spokesperson said in a statement. “We continue to work toward a new name."

 NOTUS from rebranding on the eve of its multi-million dollar launch. The temporary restraining order forbade NOTUS from unveiling a new website and advertising as 

 until the judge ruled on a preliminary injunction at a July 22 hearing.

But the media companies decided to forgo the wait and take matters into their own hands. 

 did not immediately respond to request for comment. The NOTUS spokesperson declined to answer whether money had been exchanged as part of the settlement

and if the publication has honed in on any potential new names.

NOTUS Scraps ‘The Star’ Rebrand, Ends Trademark Dispute 

Marc Fisher

After all that, now we wait? For a week? Ten days? Janeese Lewis George has evidently won the D.C. mayoral primary election, convincingly. But no victory is convincing enough for the District’s new ranked-choice voting system, which, according to the city’s politicians, bureaucrats, and activists, requires that we be patient. 

The final results of the election – both in Lewis George’s apparent majority win and in a couple of closer Council races – will be revealed when the elections board is good and ready. Learn a little civic patience, we’re told: Trust us. Trust the system.

Um, have they read the room? There’s plenty of suspicion in the air these days. We’re gorging on frustration. But trust? Precious little of that, especially around here.

This regression to a vote-counting pace that seems like something out of the 18th century is not the result of incompetence or conspiracy. It stems, rather, from a peculiar kind of corruption – a moral rot, fueled by righteousness, and a disturbing fear of being found to be less than ideologically pure.

Even though D.C.’s elections board was for decades perfectly capable of delivering election results in just a few hours, Washington voters Tuesday night got only partial numbers and now will need to wait, for two reasons:

First, it takes longer to count ranked-choice ballots because you are potentially conducting several elections in succession — and that can’t be done until every ballot arrives. Elections workers will have to process tens of thousands of ballots that were mailed-in or dropped in collection boxes. In races where no candidate has won an outright majority, such as the at-large Council election in which Oye Owolewa leads and the Ward 1 race, officials will have to conduct additional rounds of counting to add voters’ second and subsequent choices to the mix. All that just can’t physically be done in one evening, the city’s elections director, Monica Evans, said last week. The final count might take 10 days, which is longer than even California takes. “It just comes down to patience,” Elections Board chairman Gary 

Advocates for the city’s new ranked-choice voting system won over voters in the 2024 ballot initiative by arguing that this confusing method of ranking candidates would deliver a pure shot of democratic adrenaline. In fact, though, 

ranked-choice distorts the voting power of a relative handful

 of citizens – it unfairly empowers supporters of the least-popular (and sometimes most radical) candidates. (If no candidate wins a majority in the raw vote, it’s the supporters of the last-place finisher – by definition, the least appealing and most out of the mainstream candidate – whose second choices get elevated first.) It’s a system that few people understand and one that’s been extraordinarily poorly explained.

The second reason for the Great Wait is a pervasive and sad epidemic of fear that has infected the Democratic party and its various strands of liberals and lefties – a fear that if they dare to speak up for election integrity and efficient vote-counting, they will somehow be tagged as members of a MAGA mob hungry to undermine democracy.

Why would the Dems – both those who control the city government and those who want to get back in national power -- permit the idea of enhancing election security to be entirely hijacked by the venal operatives of The Trump Show? I enjoy the smalltown convenience and the trust implied by being able to vote in D.C. simply by stating my name at the registration table. But let’s be rational: In a society where you (bizarrely) can’t be seen by a doctor or gain entry to many office buildings without showing ID, there’s nothing oppressive or unfair about having to prove who you are to vote.

Similarly, imposing an earlier deadline for mail-in ballots so that they can all be tallied by Election Night would be perfectly reasonable. No one complains that the start date for early voting is chosen arbitrarily, and no one should whine if the deadline is a bit earlier than Election Day. I believe in voting in-person on Election Day, if only because stuff happens in the final days of campaigns and I want to be able to factor that into my choice of candidates. (Try it sometime: It’s one of our country’s most stirring rituals of community-building.) Those who want to vote early should pay a small price for that luxury: You need to vote a little sooner than your neighbors do, for the sake of building both efficiency and trust.

One of the many reasons D.C. voters approved ranked-choice was the failure of the No campaign in 2024 to show how the system has disappointed voters in other places that adopted it. In Maine, according to 

 Cynthia McClintock of George Washington University and Joseph Cerrone of Haverford College, voters “were very dissatisfied with a come-from-behind victory under ranked-choice voting.” That is, when a candidate who came in second in the regular voting was then elevated to the winner’s circle in the later rounds of the ranked-choice process, voters realized that the new system breaks a cardinal rule of fairness: It automatically turns winners into losers. (Runoff elections, in contrast, don’t leave that sour taste in voters’ mouths, the study found; they’re a fair and reasonable way to make sure a winner has majority support.) “To our surprise,” the study’s authors concluded, “voters were not troubled by the election of a winner without majority support under [the] plurality” voting system that most American elections use.

Other studies similarly have found that the ranked-choice system 

The fault lies not only with advocates of ranked-choice voting, though they do deserve blame for trying to fix a non-existent problem, at least in mayoral races: 

 did the winner of D.C.’s Democratic primary for mayor win less than 49 percent of the vote (Muriel Bowser in 2014, when she first won with 43 percent support in the primary.)

The city government bears some responsibility here too. Most places that use ranked-choice manage to get all the counting 

. The District this year moved aggressively to encourage mail voting, sending a ballot to every voter’s home. Now, every one of those envelopes has to be manually opened, examined and tallied.

It’s too late to fix the system for this cycle, but all is not lost. Ranked-choice voting, instituted in about 60 communities across the country, has already been repealed in places such as Burlington, Vermont (after ranked-choice voting resulted in the election of a mayor who had 

 in the first round of counting.) Seven states have voted against switching to ranked-choice and another 19 states have banned the system. After this wait is over, let’s rebuild trust. Let’s call the person who collects the most votes the winner.

Marc Fisher is a contributing columnist at City Cast. He has covered Washington for 40 years, most of them at The Washington Post, where he spent a decade as the local columnist. He was sacked from his position as op-ed columnist at The Post in 2025, when the paper's owner ordered an ideological pivot.

Column: D.C.’s Disastrous Election Wait 

Janeese Lewis George appears on the cusp of becoming D.C.’s next mayor, holding a majority of 52% of the first-rank vote in Tuesday’s Democratic mayoral primary with nearly two-thirds of ballots counted. Even if that number falls as the rest of the votes come in, she looks very likely to cross the 50% threshold once ranked-choice votes are tabulated.

The results represent a sweeping triumph for Lewis George, who led by smaller margins in pre-election polls.

As of early Wednesday morning, she led her main rival, Kenyan McDuffie, in seven of the District’s eight wards, trailing only in wealthy Ward 3. Though her strongest support came from younger, newer Washingtonians, Lewis George also led McDuffie in historically Black Wards 7 and 8, as well as in McDuffie’s own Ward 5. She has not declared victory, but the math is strongly in her favor.

A win would make the 38-year-old democratic socialist the Democratic nominee in a city that has never elected a non-Democratic mayor, and where the November general election is usually a coronation for whoever the party nominates.

It would also mark an emphatic end to the decades-long run of centrist mayors who presided as Washington became a richer, more dynamic, and much more unequal city.

Even as Lewis George ran up surprisingly strong numbers, fellow left-wing candidates took strong leads in several D.C. Council races: democratic socialist Oye Owolewa for an open at-large seat, democratic socialist Aparna Raj for a Ward 1 seat, and former Councilmember Elissa Silverman, the onetime anchor of the council’s progressive bloc, in a special election for McDuffie’s former at-large seat. (Owolewa and Raj were both below 50 percent, so ranked-choice voting will determine whether they win.)

"Tonight belongs to the postal worker on the early route, the nurse coming home from a double, the teacher who buys supplies out of her pocket, the childcare worker who loves on our babies all day but still can’t make ends meet,” Lewis George, clad in her signature lilac purple, said from the stage at her watch party at the Howard Theater. “This moment is for those who refuse to surrender their hope.”

In fact, Lewis George’s apparent victory is a final product of the very same business-friendly political era she may bring to a close — in some obvious ways, and some ironic ones.

As a candidate, the two-term D.C. councilmember channeled the frustrations of residents who felt priced out of an increasingly unaffordable Washington, frustrations she credited for her strong showing in a post-election conversation with reporters. She ran on an agenda that promised to use city government to do things like build housing and subsidize childcare. It’s a strikingly ambitious stance in a city where recent mayors have focused more closely on bond ratings than redistributing wealth.

”Let's show them what government can do,” Lewis George said in her speech.

But pre-election polls and election day returns suggest Lewis George benefitted from another trend of the past few decades: massive population growth that transformed “Chocolate City.”

Though she herself grew up in pre-gentrification D.C. and sang campaign-trail hosannas to organized labor, her strongest support came from the newcomers — disproportionately college-educated, white and privileged — who drove the demographic change that has roiled old Washington. Her strongest showing in the early returns came from Ward 1, an epicenter of D.C.’s transformation.

The contrast between the election-night parties of the two leading candidates reflected that. At McDuffie’s party at the swank Park on 14th restaurant, the crowd was older and predominantly Black, filled with veterans of city politics. At Lewis George’s much larger event, the crowd was much whiter and hipper, even as the candidate took to the stage surrounded by family members and labor-movement allies.

In addition to taking over a city reeling from federal job cuts that have spiked unemployment and sent the regional economy into the doldrums, Lewis George will also be dealing with a White House led by Donald Trump. The president has a history of singling out Black women — and has already threatened to take control of D.C. if the socialist candidate won.

Late on election night, as political supporters including Councilmembers Charles Allen and Zachary Parker began to trickle out of the party just before midnight, Lewis George sat down with a group of reporters. Asked about Trump’s comments, she said she thought they helped her on election day. “It motivated people to get to the polls,” she said. “Some people who weren’t paying attention to this race, when they heard Trump’s comments, they were like, ‘I need to pay attention.’”

In her remarks, Lewis George promised to stand up to Trump. And while the president doesn’t actually have the power to take over D.C. without an act of Congress, he has many other forms of leverage over whoever is mayor.

It may well be that Trump wants Lewis George as a foil. Already, national conservative media have begun to seize on Lewis George as a bogeyman, with the Murdoch-owned 

 to her million-dollar home and the radical online presence of a key supporter.

Councilmember Christina Henderson, who showed up at Lewis George’s party to congratulate her colleague, also credited the election results to Trump — but suggested his impact began well before his comments of last Thursday. “I think tonight's results sort of reflect the sentiment of a lot of D.C. residents who are very angered by everything that has been for the last few years,” she said. “I do think that the Trump effect definitely played out in these elections.”

Other candidates collectively held 11 percent of the vote, with no candidate having garnered more than 3%. In the event Lewis George doesn’t clear 50%, those ballots will now be reallocated under D.C.’s new ranked-choice voting system.

Of course, the very fact that Lewis George is so controversial, and not just among MAGA devotees, may make the next few months more interesting than the typical D.C. general election season.

When Marion Barry won the Democratic nomination in 1994 after serving a prison sentence, he was toxic to enough D.C. voters that the November election became a real fight, with more than 40% of votes going to Republican Carol Schwartz. And in 2014, independent David Catania looked like a real threat if scandal-damaged mayor Vince Gray had been renominated (Catania wound up getting 34% against Bowser).

So far, no D.C. notables have announced plans to make an independent run in November — and her surprisingly strong citywide showing makes it a daunting prospect. The deadline to register is August 5.

Henderson also predicted that some of the fears about Lewis George may prove overwrought.

“People campaign one way, and they have to govern in a different way,” she said. “You have the reality when you look under the rug and see where all the bodies are buried. The same administration has been running this government for 12 years. So there's a lot of things that even us on the council aren't necessarily privy to. When you step into that role… You may not be able to deliver on all the things that you campaign on. And so, I think that is going to be an interesting conversation. “

Lewis George, for her part, devoted a large chunk of her election-night speech to promising to be a mayor for all, including people who voted against her — and those who ran against her.

She said her campaign plans to wait for more of the votes to come in to declare victory, but said she wasn't sure exactly what percent of votes she’d like to see counted before declaring.

Although there won't be a traditional concession phone call between candidates tonight, she said she hoped to speak with McDuffie. She said voters approached her at the polls to tell her, “after this we want to be one D.C.”

“And that starts with me and Kenyan,” she said.

As of early Wednesday morning, she led her main rival, Kenyan McDuffie, in seven of the District’s eight wards, trailing only in wealthy Ward 3. 

Janeese Lewis George Looks Very Likely to Win D.C. Mayoral Primary

City Cast DC staff

Ben Brasch, a reporter who worked at The Washington Post for more than three years, is joining City Cast DC as its new politics and government reporter, where he will author a newsletter and break the latest news in this consequential year for DMV politics.

Before his time at the Post, Ben covered Fulton County government for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. During his seven years in Atlanta, he uncovered the 

obsessed with Fulton’s elections process

interviewed celebrities about their Waffle House orders

“Ben wowed us with his curiosity about D.C. — and his thoughtfulness about how to master a new beat,” said City Cast Executive Editor Michael Schaffer. “He has a record of breaking news that doesn’t want to be broken, and making sources in all sorts of unexpected places. Plus, he’s a lot of fun. We’re out to recapture the joys of old-fashioned, swaggering big-city reporting and columnizing, and Ben is going to be a big part of that.”

"Ben brings so much heart to City Cast DC. He has a real commitment to putting people at the center of his reporting and understanding what actually matters to D.C. residents,” said Yu Vongkiatkajorn, managing editor at City Cast. “And wherever he's worked, he's had a knack for finding unique, unexpected stories. I can't wait for him to hit the ground running."

Ben previously chronicled chaos and calm in his home state of Florida — including at the Miami Herald, The Ledger in Lakeland and The News-Press in Fort Myers. He is a graduate of the University of Florida, where he earned a degree in Journalism and a minor in Business Administration.

He lives in Alexandria with his wife Hannah. When he isn't looking for news, he can be found cooking or practicing martial arts.

Jaclyn Peiser Joins City Cast DC as Business, Development and Transit Reporter

Jaclyn Peiser, a retail reporter who worked at The Washington Post for nearly six years, is joining City Cast DC as its new business, development and transit reporter, where she will author a newsletter on the business and people shaping D.C. real estate, commerce, streets and skyline.

Jackie most recently covered the grocery, apparel, food and consumer goods sectors. Her work ranged from economic stories on the growing 

bifurcation among low- and high-income consumers

, and localizing them to illustrate how they’re playing out in different 

. She finds fresh ways to cover stories, such as her recent feature on how GLP-1 drugs could 

“Local business in Washington gets so little attention amid the city’s focus on government,” said Michael Schaffer, City Cast’s executive editor. “Jackie is going to chronicle the mastodons of real estate and retail who shape the way our city looks, the places our residents live, and the way we get around. And she’s going to do it in a way that makes her essential to anyone in the business — as well as anyone who just wants to know what’s going on in their neighborhood.”

City Cast DC is undergoing an unprecedented expansion of its local newsroom, hiring a team of journalists to create original reporting about the D.C. area. 

Ben Brasch Joins City Cast DC as Politics Reporter

How well do you know D.C.’s food scene?

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The Ultimate DC Food Trivia

Kaela Cote-Stemmermann

City Cast

D.C. Food Trivia Smackdown

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