Two Alexandria City Council members are taking to the airwaves with a new podcast aimed at keeping residents informed about local government activities.
Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley and Councilman R. Kirk McPike have launched “Council Connection,” a monthly podcast focused on the activities of the Alexandria City Council.
McPike announced the podcast’s debut on his Facebook page on Tuesday, March 4, describing it as “our way of keeping Alexandrians informed about what Council has been doing every month.”
“Big news for folks who like long conversations about public policy: Sarah Bagley and I are launching a podcast tomorrow!” McPike wrote in his social media announcement.
The podcast is available on multiple platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, PocketCasts, and Overcast, with plans to expand to additional services soon.
According to McPike, the first episode will focus on the February council meeting, with plans already in development for future content and guests.
The podcast’s name has a connection to Alexandria’s political history. McPike acknowledged former Mayor Justin Wilson in his announcement, thanking him “for letting us steal his newsletter’s name!”
Wilson responded to the launch with his own social media post, comparing the podcast’s name reuse to a restaurant comeback.
“You know how your favorite restaurant goes under and then someone buys the name and brings it back? My former colleagues Sarah Bagley for Alexandria & Council Member R. Kirk McPike have brought the ‘Council Connection’ back as a podcast!” Wilson wrote.
The former mayor humorously added, “Think of it as the ‘Chi-Chi’s’ of public policy communications!” referencing the once-popular restaurant chain.
On Apple Podcasts, the show is officially described as “A podcast about everything going on with the City Council of Alexandria, Virginia, hosted by Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley & Councilman R. Kirk McPike.”
A trailer for the podcast indicates that new episodes will be published monthly, giving residents regular updates on council activities and discussions.
