City Cast Madison

PFAS chemicals show up in all kinds of things: non-stick cookware, stain-resistant clothing, microwave popcorn bags, firefighting foam. They’ve been dubbed “forever” chemicals because they don’t break down in the environment, making them very hard to get rid of. And they’re showing up in our water. Scientists are still discovering the health risks of PFAS, but research suggests that PFAS exposure increases the risk of kidney and testicular cancer. The CDC says most of us have been exposed to PFAS at some point. The Madison Water Utility plans to install a PFAS-removing filter at one well that they shut down due to contamination. It’ll cost $6 million dollars. Producer Dylan Brogan caught up with Joe Grande, Water Quality Manager with the Madison Water Utility, to learn how it’ll work. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

John Yost has taught survival skills to people of all ages for more than 30 years. He can build impromptu shelters in all weather, start a fire without matches, and generally hunt, fish, trap or forage his next meal. And yes, he’s auditioned for Survivor and Alone. And no, he’s not preparing for the zombie apocalypse. He’s a Wisconsin farm kid who grew up outdoors with a love of nature. Mentioned on the show: 🔥 Yost Survival Skills 🐾 Dane County Humane Society 🐈 Acro-cats 💊 Addiction-treating drug still seldom prescribed in ERs, study finds (Cap Times) Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

It wasn’t long ago that Wisconsin Supreme Court elections were snoozers with low voter turnout. After a raucous decade in Wisconsin politics, that era is over. Judge Janet Protasiewicz won the statewide office this spring in the most expensive judicial race in U.S. history. With lawsuits about ballot drop boxes, the state’s political maps and abortion already winding through the courts, big questions over political power, voting rights and liberty are at stake. Now that Judge Janet is on the bench, what can we expect from the new court? Dylan Brogan caught up with UW-Madison Political Science Professor Howard Schweber, who says that recent moves by the U.S. Supreme Court have made our state court even more important. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads.

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Dylan Brogan and Molly Stentz recap Wisconsin’s role in the latest Trump indictment and ask why Madison apartment building names are just so… interesting. Plus, there were Nazis in Watertown last weekend. What is happening? Mentioned on the show: 🏳️‍🌈 Unity Project of Watertown Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

D.B. Pedersen has been a chef in the Madison area for years. He’s worked at L’Etoile, Weary Traveler, the former Taqueria Gila Monster, and the Taliesin School of Architecture, to name a few. His latest venture? A soup delivery business called Soups! I Did It Again. Along with Bazile Booth, they cook up high-quality soups from scratch, using fresh local ingredients, from a kitchen in Spring Green. They deliver to Madison on Mondays. You can also find their soups at the Festival Foods on the isthmus and at Woodman’s West. Their plan is to supply local restaurants with fresh soup in a kaleidoscope of flavors. Dylan Brogan caught up with D.B. to learn what’s cooking. 🥣 Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers. Also on the show: 🚓 Madison approves body cams for police officers on the northside. Listen to our interview with Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Every Friday night in August, it feels like Madison throws a party for itself. The rooftop of the Monona Terrace becomes a dance floor, with live bands ranging from funk and soul to mambo and disco. There are also DJs and dance lessons… and you’ll find babies boogieing next to your neighbors. And it’s all free. You don’t need a ticket. Just show up. We speak with Al Cooper, president of Dane Dances, about this year’s lineup. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

There’s a giant among us and it lives at the Overture Center for the Arts. It’s a 30-ton pipe organ. It cost more than two million dollars, contains more than 4,000 pipes and is used in performances ranging from Latin Jazz to Bach to collaborations with the UW-Madison Wind Ensemble. The man who knows it best is Greg Zelek, the principal organist for the Madison Symphony Orchestra. He’s the curator of the Overture Concert Organ, and he oversees all of the orchestra’s organ programming. Host Bianca Martin sat down with Greg to learn all about why he’s so moved by organ music… and why he thinks you’ll be, too. Learn about the upcoming season of organ concerts. The next free farmers’ market concert is Saturday, August 19th. Thanks to listener Dee for suggesting this episode. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

It’s been more than eight years since Tony Robinson died. The teenager was shot dead by a Madison police officer who responded to a 911 call to Tony’s apartment on Willy Street. The police department cleared the officer of any wrongdoing. The district attorney declined to prosecute. Tony’s mother, Andrea Irwin, settled a civil lawsuit against the city in 2017. Her attorneys called it the biggest settlement in Wisconsin history for a police shooting. But Tony's grandmother, Sharon Irwin-Henry, still wants her day in court. We sit down with Sharon to learn what’s next. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Bianca Martin, Dylan Brogan and Molly Stentz are here to roundup the news of the week… including the state of Madison’s housing crisis and how our newish program to answer mental health crisis calls is working. Maybe that’s why everyone’s been at the movies with Barbie. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email us at [email protected]. We’re also on (the former) Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

There’s a new restaurant open on Monroe Street, in the former Brasserie V space. It’s called One and Only, and they’re sporting seafood, seasonal salads, house-made ravioli, and of course, the legendary frites. Co-owner Stephani Dalbesio gives us the scoop. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

While we don’t have hurricanes or a sinking oceanfront, Madison is not immune to our changing climate. It feels like when we’re not flooding, there’s a drought or a heatwave or smoky bad air from Canadian wildfires. Or all of the above. Is this the new normal? We turned to our new state climatologist, Steve Vavrus, for an explanation. Also on the show: Check your air quality Tips for spotting heat stroke and heat exhaustion Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email us at [email protected]. We’re also on Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Madison is said to have more bikes than cars. And with 200 miles of bike trails in the area, there’s a lot to explore. So we turned to biking aficionado Grant Foster of Madison Bikes for his favorite trips. He’s got tips for everyone from newbies to those ready to make a weekend out of it. Plus, basic bike maintenance. Grant’s recommendations: If you’ve got 30 minutes or less: Downtown Loop along State Street and Capitol (2 miles) Lake Mendota shorefront to Picnic Point (3 miles) Wingra Lake Loop through the UW Arboretum (6 miles) Lower Yahara River Trail (6 miles) If you’ve got an hour or two: Lake Monona Loop (12 miles) Cap City Loop: Lake Farm Park to Seminole Hwy, through the Arboretum and back to Lake Farm via Wingra and Cap City paths (16 miles) Day Trippin’ Badger State trail south to Paoli and back (17 miles round-trip) Bike Camping Military Ridge trail west to Blue Mounds State Park and back (46 miles round-trip) Lake Farm Park south to Lake Kegonsa State Park and back (20 miles round-trip) Lake Farm Park east to Sandhill Station State Campground and back (60 miles round-trip) Also mentioned on today's show: 🦋 Blooming Butterflies at Olbrich Botanical Gardens Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

If you’ve been to a Wisconsin bar, you’ve likely seen a pull-tab machine. Pop in a buck and out comes a rectangle cardboard card that may get you a cash prize of up to $250. Tea Krulos got the bizarre backstory of this unofficial — yet legal — lottery. He joins City Cast Madison to explain how Wisconsin Souvenir Milkcaps (as they're officially known) became a thing. For more on Wisconsin Souvenir Milkcaps, read Krulos' article "The Unlikely Story Behind Pull-Tabs in Wisconsin" published by Milwaukee Magazine. Also mentioned on the show: 🎂 UW Madison’s 175th Birthday Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Dylan Brogan, Bianca Martin and Molly Stentz are here to roundup the week’s news. Factory farms sue over pollution permits, west side neighbors rally to save a pet pig, and musicians get paid after local journalism intervenes. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Move over brewers, Madison distilleries are having a moment. And they’re making more than just brandy for your Old Fashioned. Fifteen years ago, Madison had exactly one distillery, and it was pretty new. Now, there’s at least ten in the area, if you count companies producing spirits for their own cocktails. Our pal Lindsay Christians, food editor at The Cap Times, is here with the latest on local spirits. 🍸 Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers. Distilleries and cocktail companies mentioned on today’s show: Imaginary Factory (Madison) Old Sugar Distillery (Madison) Plain Spoke Cocktail Company (Madison) State Line Distillery (Madison) Yahara Bay Distillers (Madison) Dancing Goat Distillery (Cambridge) Doundrins Distilling (Cottage Grove) J. Henry and Sons (Dane) Wollersheim (Prairie du Sac) Awildan Distilling (Sun Prairie) Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Looking for a good place to swim in the Madison area? Worried about blue-green algae in the lakes? Wondering what pools and beaches are open these days? Maybe you want some personal recs on the best spots to take the little ones. Alisa Sleep, one of the founders of the Madison Mom parenting site, joins us to share her faves. Here’s the Madison Mom guide to local pools, splash pads and beaches. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Madison’s professional men’s soccer team, officially called Madison Forward Football Club, is on a winning streak. They’re currently ranked second in their league, USL League One. What’s behind the flamingoes’ rally? We catch up with captain Mitch Osmond about what’s going right this season. 🦩 Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Next time you’re at Olin Turville Park, say hello to new park staffers Donna, Nancy, Emma, Janelle, Midnight and Dorito. Don’t be mad if they don’t talk back, though. They’re goats. These goats are on assignment cleaning up brush and invasive species in many Madison parks. They belong to Greg Haak and Brooke Hushagen of HaakHagen Goat Grazing, who set the herd up inside a portable electric fence and let them graze. Goats are natural browsers, and the idea is that they’ll naturally eat their way through the park, cleaning up unwanted vegetation and reducing the need for herbicides. Producer Molly Stentz tracked down the goat wranglers to learn how it’s working. Mentioned in the episode: 🐐 Want to volunteer as a goat checker? 🎢 The Dane County Fair is this weekend Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

The City Cast team rounds up the week’s news, including the Madison City Council paving the way for more high-end apartments downtown, the ongoing renovations at Woodman’s on Milwaukee Street and Top Chef coming to Madison. Bianca Martin and Molly Stentz share your thoughts on our Tourist Trap week. And we announce some big media news with a special guest, our CEO David Plotz. Did you miss our Tourist Trap Week? Check out our takes on Madison-area tourist attractions: Taliesin 🎧 The House on the Rock 🎧 Cave of the Mounds 🎧 National Mustard Museum 🎧 And enjoy La Fête de Marquette this weekend! 🎡 Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

In the heart of downtown Middleton lies the National Mustard Museum. They claim the world’s largest collection, with more than 6,000 bottles on display. The free museum is in the basement and the main floor is a gift shop with all kinds of mustard imaginable. There’s even a tasting bar. Of course, the entire City Cast Team - Bianca Martin, Dylan Brogan and Molly Stentz - had to check it out on our most excellent summer road trip of local tourist attractions. Did we cut the mustard? What did we miss? Let ‘er rip… Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. Check out photos and videos from our journey on Twitter and Instagram. Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

It’s Day Three of our whirlwind adventure visiting some of Wisconsin’s most famous tourist attractions. Today, we head to Cave of the Mounds near Blue Mounds, Wisconsin. It’s a privately owned cave that’s listed as a National Natural Landmark due to its educational and scientific value. For a fee, you can take a self-guided tour of the quarter-mile long limestone cave and see stalactites, stalagmites and fossils. Did you go on a field trip here as a kid? Have another fun memory? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected] and we might play it on the show. We’re also sharing our favorite photos and videos on Twitter and Instagram. Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Your City Cast Madison team - Bianca Martin, Dylan Brogan and Molly Stentz - is on the road this week, taking in the Madison area’s most famous attractions. We’re asking the question… as a local, are these stops worth the hype? It’s Day Two, and we’re headed to The House on the Rock in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Built by architect Alex Jordan to be a weekend retreat, it has since become one of the most hyped local attractions. The house itself still stands, but is surrounded by an entire complex, a museum of sorts, that you can explore on your own with the price of admission. It houses collections of self-playing musical instruments, a three-story whale and perhaps the largest carousel in the country. Do you have a fun memory from the House on a Rock? We bet you do. Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]… and we might play it on the show. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram. Also mentioned on the show: 🌌 Check on the Northern Lights on Thursday 🛠️ The Bodgery is accepting new members again Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

City Cast Madison is on a full-on summer roadtrip this week. We’re visiting some of the biggest tourist attractions that the Madison area has to offer…. and asking the question: As a local, should you go? Is it worth the hype? The entire City Cast team - Bianca Martin, Dylan Brogan, and Molly Stentz - is here to give you the low-down. First stop… Taliesin in Spring Green. It was famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s Wisconsin home. It's now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram!

The City Cast team rounds up the week’s news, including the Gov. Evers budget veto that could last four hundred years and the drought hitting Dane County hard. Plus, the bird’s the word… the Cardinal Bar is back. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Willy Street, meet Sultan. Madison’s newest - and perhaps only - Pakistani restaurant is now open. It’s on the corner of Willy and Ingersoll, in the old Roman Candle Pizza spot. Sultan serves tapas-style small plates, with South Asian flavors. Classic curries and biryanis, chais and naan, but with a modern twist. Oh, and they don’t do tipping. They pay their staff a living wage. We talk to owner and chef Sultan Ahmed about his vision for the restaurant. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Public Health Madison & Dane County has reported two overdose spikes in recent months. Paramedics responded to nine overdoses at the end of May. Two people died. Paramedics also confirmed at least six overdoses in 24 hours in mid June. Another two people died. What’s going on? We talk to Julia Olsen of Public Health Madison & Dane County about what’s happening. Mentioned on the episode: Where to get free Narcan, fentanyl test strips and syringes Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Electric fire trucks are popping up across the country. Portland, Oregon just got one. Boulder, Colorado is buying one. St. Paul’s got one on order. And of course, Los Angeles got in early. But Madison was first, baby. Madison was the first city in the nation to put an electric fire truck in service. The truck - which was designed in Wisconsin - saved 60,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in its first year of operation. And Madison firefighters are helping design the next generation of electric vehicles for the country, as cities look to transition their fleet away from diesel-guzzlers. We catch up with Scott Bavery, Dan Belovarac and Josh Balli from the Madison Fire Department to learn how they did it. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

The City Cast team rounds up the week’s news, including the unhealthy air from Canadian wildfire and the fight over Wisconsin’s top election official (again) — will lawmakers oust her ahead of the 2024 presidential election? Plus, the discovery that Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes has applied to be the top cop in Chicago. Mentioned on the episode: Where to find a free N95 mask UW Madison responds to the Supreme Court decision striking down affirmative action TODAY is the day! Procrastinators, your time is now. It’s the last day to vote for us as Best Local Podcast in the Best of Madison contest! You have until the end of Friday, June 30th. Click on Art and Entertainment, then Local Podcast. Here’s the link: tinyurl.com/BESTOFMADISON-CITYCASTMADISON. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

There’s a new cookbook out that showcases the ingredients and flavors of Madison. And we’re gonna stop ya right there, it is WAY more than brats and cheese curds. It features recipes from the farmers, chefs and shoppers who frequent the Dane County Farmers’ Market, one of the oldest and largest in the country. With recipes for curtido to panzanella to ratatouille, and gorgeous photos of the food and the people behind them, it’s a celebration of all who call Madison home. We speak to author Terese Allen about what’s inside The Dane County Farmers’ Market Cookbook: Local Foods, Global Flavors. You can catch Terese Allen and her cookbooks at the Dane County Farmers’ Market on Saturday, July 8th from 9 to 11am. Note: The market will be at Breese Stevens Field due to Art Fair on the Square. Also on the episode: 🎆 Where to watch the fireworks this weekend 🐕 Get dog training advice Tomorrow, June 30th, is the last day to vote for your favorite local podcast in the Best of Madison contest. We're in the running! Do we have your vote? Vote here: https://tinyurl.com/BESTOFMADISON-CITYCASTMADISON Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

You’ve surely seen his work. The photo of President Obama in the White House situation room. The iconic moment when a five-year-old child reached up and touched Obama’s hair, after asking if it was like his own. These photos are by White House photographer Pete Souza. Souza has since moved to Madison, where he freelances and occasionally pops off about current events online, when he’s not taking beautiful images of our fair city. We caught up with him to learn what it was like to be a witness to history during those years. And of course, how we can become better photographers. Pete Souza’s most recent book is called The West Wing and Beyond: What I Saw Inside the Presidency. Also on the show: Beginner’s Photography Class from the Madison Photography Group Mansion Hill West Historic Architecture Walking Tour from the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation And you have until Friday, June 30th to vote for your favorite local podcast in the Best of Madison contest. We're in the running! Vote here: https://www.channel3000.com/madison-magazine/best-of-madison/best-of-madison-2023-vote-now/article_81bb44d4-9dae-11ed-8778-831b6146a870.html Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Madison trivia is back, baby. We’ve brought Smarter Than You trivia guru Paul Guse back to test our knowledge of all things Mad city. Buckle up and play along… Dylan Brogan and Bianca go head to head in this episode. Catch Paul at the Harmony Bar every first and third Wednesday of the month. He’ll be there next week, July 5th. And hey, we’re in the running for Best Local Podcast in the Madison Magazine Best of Madison contest! Do we have your vote? Here’s the link: https://www.channel3000.com/madison-magazine/best-of-madison/best-of-madison-2023-vote-now/article_81bb44d4-9dae-11ed-8778-831b6146a870.html#// We’re under “Arts and Entertainment.” Producer Dylan Brogan is also in the running for Best Columnist. And our friends at Madison Minutes are in the running for Best Local News Website. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Homes Jr. famously said, “Taxes are what we pay for civilized society.” But who pays and how much has been debated ever thus. When you buy anything from a cup of coffee to a car in Madison, you’re paying sales tax. That money is collected by local shops and sent to the state of Wisconsin. Every two years, the state decides how much of that money to share with the communities where it was collected. Same goes for the income tax you pay every year. But cities say that state money is not keeping up with inflation. Costs are going up, but the money to pay for them isn’t. Madison’s got some unpopular choices: ask voters to pay higher property taxes or cut back city services. And when the state’s sitting on a surplus, it’s a hard pill to swallow. Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes Conway tells Dylan Brogan what’s ahead. Also on the episode: 🏠 The new westside ReStore opens on Odana Road on Friday! Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

The whole City Cast Madison team is back in the saddle today. Bianca Martin, Dylan Brogan and Molly Stentz round up this week’s news, including a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling on weed at traffic stops, the fight over paying for childcare, and Madison’s aim to be a sanctuary city for transgender and non-binary residents. And it’s been a year since the Dobbs Supreme Court decision, which led to the criminalization of abortion in Wisconsin. There’s dueling abortion-related events at the State Capitol this weekend. Mentioned on the episode: Our interview with Ruth Schmidt about Wisconsin’s childcare crisis The March for Life and a Pro-Choice Rally are both at the State Capitol on Saturday 💪🏾 Wanna flex your voting muscles? 🗳️ Vote for us as Best Local Podcast in the Best of Madison contest! 🦩 You have until Friday, June 30th. (Click on Art and Entertainment, then Local Podcast). Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

The James Beard Awards are often called the Oscars of food. They’re a prestigious national recognition for restaurants that offer high quality food. If you think you have to travel to the coasts to try some of the nation’s best restaurants, you would be wrong. Here in Madison, we’ve got award-winners in our backyard. Itaru Nagano and Andrew Kroeger, chefs and co-owners of Fairchild in Madison, have been named the best chefs in the midwest by the James Beard Foundation. Cap Times Food Editor Lindsay Christians joins us to talk about what this recognition means for our fair city. Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers. Also mentioned on the episode: 🎵 Free concert with Madison Symphony Orchestra and Mt. Zion Gospel Choir at Penn Park this Saturday 🎸 Dirt Camp music festival in Sauk City on Saturday Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

We’re on a quest to help you make the most of your summer in Madison. Brandon Rounds is the mastermind behind Live on Queen, a free outdoor drag show and dance party happening this Friday, June 23, in downtown Madison. It’s the latest installment of the Live on King street series of free concerts that take place on the 100 block of King Street in front of the Majestic Theatre. Catch Brandon performing as Bianca Lynn Breeze, Madison’s hardest working drag queen. Dylan Brogan gets the dish on Madison’s drag scene and why, despite what you hear from haters, drag is perhaps the opposite of stripping.

The Madison school district initially offered teachers a 3.5 percent pay bump but is now committed to doubling it to the highest raise allowed by state law. Teachers are applauding the move and say investing in educators is long overdue. However, what this means for the district’s financial health is far from clear because of a looming budget deficit. Nichelle Nichols, president of the Madison school board, talks with Dylan Brogan about why the board is prioritizing teacher pay this year and the difficult decisions coming due in future budgets. We also get an update on the superintendent search and the district’s embattled spokesperson Full list of Make Music Madison performances Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Bianca Martin and Dylan Brogan roundup the news this week with an update on Assembly Speaker Robin Vos’ pledge to cut funding to the University of Wisconsin system over diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The governor is threatening to the entire state budget over the move. The Legislature is also primed to overhaul how taverns, distributors, and breweries are regulated. We also take a teeny peak at a new art installation at Hilldale. More info! “Gov. Tony Evers says he would veto state budget if Republicans advance $32 million cut to UW System” from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Major overhaul for alcohol regulation in Wisconsin gets public hearing” from Wisconsin Public Radio. “Midwest's first mouse-sized art installation squeaks into Hilldale” from Channel 3000. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Summer is a great time to enjoy fresh herbs — whether in salads, drinks or just to freshen up your backyard, patio, or balcony. Jane Hawley Stevens, owner of Four Elements Organic Herbals, has been growing herbs for decades on her farm in the Baraboo hills. Her herbal products are sold locally and around the country. Lead producer Molly Stentz chats with Jane about this growing season and tips for how to grow your own herb garden. If you’d like to attend Four Elements’ open farm day on Saturday, June 17th, details are online and on Instagram. To learn more about that UW-Madison cheese tester gig, here’s the application. Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Happy Flag Day! The North American Vexillological Association studied 312 city flags and ranked Madison’s flag as one of the best in the nation. No wonder our city flag is increasing being flown all over town. Ted Kaye, the nation’s foremost authority on flag design and author of the NAVA booklet “‘Good’ Flag, ‘Bad’ Flag,” talks with host Bianca Martin about what makes a well-designed flag, why Madison’s flag is so strong but our state flag … not so much. Check out NAVA’s survey results to see which flags got an A grade, and which ones got an F. Here’s Roman Mars’ 2015 TED Talk about “why city flags may be the worst-designed thing you've never noticed.” And these apps will help you navigate the new Madison Metro bus network. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE

City Cast Madison continues our series on summer entertainment with The Pursuit of Happiness Sessions at McPike Park. The first round of The Sessions kicks off Friday night, June 16 and runs through Sunday, June 18. The festival features performers from around the globe and dozens of local acts, too. Veteran Madison festival Bob Queen previews some of big acts coming to town with City Cast’s Dylan Brogan. Songs featured in this episode: Memphis Rain by Aaron Lee Tasjan Manisero by Xiomara Laugart June 11th by Isaiah Collier & the Chosen Few Afterglow by Oshima Brothers Event links: Full lineup of The Sessions at McPike Park Vote for City Cast Madison for Best Local Podcast Juneteenth Opening Ceremony Juneteenth in the Park A conversation with saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin hosted by Bianca Martin Juneteenth Celebration of Black Music hosted by Rob Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

You’d think a record $7 billion surplus would ease the partisan tension between Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Republican lawmakers when crafting the next state budget. Nope! But Evers and the GOP-controlled Legislature have compromised on money for schools and local governments. However, funding for the University of Wisconsin system and who gets a tax cut might create another showdown between the governor and lawmakers. Dylan Brogan talks with WisPolitics Editor JR Ross about what deals have been hammered out with the state budget, what has yet to be worked out, and what this all means for Madison. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Madison public school teachers and staff will get an 8% pay raise next year after tough negotiations with the school district. Meanwhile, the city has to figure out what to do about two failing housing developments that serve the formerly homeless. And while you might’ve heard about dirt at the Supreme Court lately, we’re here to talk about actual dirt on our Dane County courthouse. Dylan Brogan and Molly Stentz round up this week’s news in Madison. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Don’t blink or you’ll miss them! Strawberry season lasts for about three weeks in Madison - and it’s here. We’re heading to one of the oldest strawberry u-pick farms in the Madison area… which opens next week. Dylan Brogan catches up Cory Secher, the second-generation owner and operator of Carandale Fruit Farm in Oregon, Wisconsin. For daily updates on strawberry picking, check the Carandale website or find them on Facebook. 🍓 Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

We wait patiently all year for summer in Madison — and when it comes, there’s an explosion of festivals, music, and art. We’re here to help you not miss a minute with our summer entertainment guides. Starting Thursday, June 8th, there will be ELEVEN days of jazz happening all over Madison. From free shows at clubs across town to big acts at the Union Theater, you can hear classical vocalists, lively saxophonists and trumpeters, latin jazz bands, and hip-hop inspired acts. Dylan Brogan catches up with Madison Jazz Festival organizers Elizabeth Snodgrass from the Wisconsin Union Theater and Jolynne Roorda from Arts and Literature Laboratory. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Madison’s eastside is known for many things: great food and restaurants, politically active neighborhoods, and lots of musicians. Each summer, these things combine to bring you five iconic free concerts in the parks and streets. The season kicks off this weekend with the Marquette Waterfront Festival. Local musician and festival volunteer Tony Castañeda gives us the insider’s take. This is the first in our series on how to make the most of your summer in Madison before it goes by too, too fast. Festivals mentioned: 🎸 Marquette Waterfront Festival: June 10 - 11 🇫🇷 Fete de Marquette: July 13 - 16 🍄 Atwood Fest: July 29 - 30 🌳 Orton Park Festival: August 25 - 27 🤹‍♂️ Willy Street Fair: September 16 - 17 Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

It’s been eight years since the death of local teen Tony Robinson sparked a wave of protests in Madison. There have been several high-profile - and fatal - police shootings of unarmed Madison residents since then. Citizens demanded change. Grieving family members brought federal civil rights lawsuits. The city hired a consultant to review the entire police department. A state law was changed to require outside investigations of police shootings. The latest move? Creating an independent city agency that can investigate complaints against the Madison Police Department. We speak to the city’s first independent police monitor, Robert Copley. Also on the show: 🫶🏽 The Best of Madison contests are ON. We’re in the running for Best Local Podcast. Vote for us here. We’re under Arts and Entertainment. 🗣️ We’re doing a survey to learn more about our listeners, so we can make City Cast Madison an even better, more useful podcast for you. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

It’s the Friday News Roundup and this week Molly Stentz and Dylan Brogan dig into problems behind the scenes at Madison schools after complaints come to light. Also, how Epic Systems' worker contracts affect our larger tech economy - and what the feds might do about it. And did you know we have our very own Australian Football League team right here in Madison? The Wisconsin Wombats are here and they’re playing in Reindahl Park this weekend. And unlike the Brewers, the Packers, and Forward Madison FC, they’re not looking for stadium upgrades. Just don’t ask us how to play this soccer-hockey-rugby-frisbee mashup. Also on the show: 🗣️ We’re doing a survey to learn more about our listeners, so we can make City Cast Madison an even better, more useful podcast for you. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Karben 4 Brewing, tucked away by the airport on Madison’s northside, is one of the largest craft brewers in the area. Earlier this spring, they began brewing Hopalicious, a beloved hoppy pale ale and summer staple in Madison, after Ale Asylum abruptly closed. Now, they’re bringing back other classics. Ryan Koga, one of the founders of Karben 4 Brewing, fills us in on their plans. 🍺 Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers. Also on the show: 🚴🏽‍♀️ Find Karben 4 at the Lower Yahara River Trail Trailhead this Saturday, June 3rd, at a benefit for Dane County Parks. 🗣️ We’re doing a survey to learn more about our listeners, so we can make City Cast Madison an even better, more useful podcast for you. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Something as small as a lost parking ticket can set off a chain reaction. If you don’t pay it, your license could get suspended. Get pulled over while driving on a suspended license? Now you’re in legal trouble. If you lose your car, how do you get to work? Without a job, how do you pay the rent? LIFT Wisconsin saw that Madisonians needed an easier way to deal with legal problems that were haunting them, keeping them in poverty. The non-profit legal organization built a website to help you identify any legal issues you might have and connect you with lawyers to sort them out. We speak with Erica Nelson, LIFT Wisconsin’s executive director, about why this is needed. Also on the show: ⛱️ Check for current beach closures around Madison. 🗣️ Take our survey! We’re doing a survey to learn more about our listeners, so we can make City Cast Madison an even better, more useful podcast for you. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

Sam Li’s photographs are your best chance of feeling like a bird in Madison. His videos swoop across the lakes, circle the capitol, race along the bike path and generally take you for a joyride. They’re full of exuberance and awe — and he started out doing them out of sheer love for our city. Now, he’s making an official video for Madison and he wants YOU to be in it. Bianca Martin catches up with Madison drone photographer and cinematographer Sam Li. Mentioned on the show: 🎥 See Sam’s work on Instagram and sign up to be in his next video about Madison 🇮🇹 Festa Italia is this weekend! Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.