City Cast Madison

The City Cast Madison team is here to round up the news of the week. Host Bianca Martin and Madison Minutes newsletter editor Hayley Sperling discuss the latest in the Wisconsin fake electors case, after the electors settle in court and admit that Joe Biden won the 2020 election. Plus, Madison raises some of its off-street parking rates and a cadre of inflatable Santa Clauses pop up on Monroe Street lawns. Mentioned on the show: Wisconsin false electors admit their actions were used in effort to 'improperly overturn' the 2020 election [WPR] City of Madison parking rate increases [City of Madison] Why giant inflatable Santas have overtaken Monroe St [Madison Minutes] Winter parking guide [City Cast Madison] How to contest a Madison parking ticket [City Cast Madison] 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.

'Tis the season to be baking and cooking so maybe it’s time to crack open that cookbook you’ve been neglecting all year. If you’re looking for culinary inspiration or the perfect gift for a home chef in your life, Cap Times food editor Lindsay Christians is here with a bounty of cookbook recommendations, local and beyond. Christians joins host Bianca Martin and executive producer Molly Stentz to round up the best cookbooks for the season. 👩🏾‍🍳 Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers. Cookbooks mentioned in the episode: Local favorites — “Dane County Farmers Market Cookbook” by Terese Allen — “Wisconsin Field to Fork” by Lori Fredrich — “Osteria Papavero Cookbook” by Francesco Mangano and Lindsay Christians A Midwestern perspective — “Company” by Amy Thielen — “Pulp” by Abra Berens — “Home is Where the Eggs Are" by Molly Yeh “My new year’s resolution is to cook more” — “Small Victories” by Julia Turshen — “The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook” by Deb Perelman — “Dinner” by Melissa Clark — “Milk Street Tuesday Nights” by Christopher Kimball — “The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook” by Ina Garten Let’s bake! — “Sweet Enough” by Alison Roman — “Dessert Person” by Claire Saffitz — “Baking with Dorie” by Dorie Greenspan Wanna talk vegetarian? — “Super Natural” by Heidi Swanson — “East” by Meera Sodha — “Fast Fresh & Green” by Susie Middleton — “Love Soup” by Anna Thomas The ones Lindsay is MOST excited about right now — “Start Here” by Sohla El-Waylly — “Signature Cocktails” by Amanda Schuster — “More is More” by Molly Baz — “Cured” by Paula Forbes and Steve McHugh 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.

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 host Bianca Martin 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. 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.

Mama Digdown’s Brass Band is perhaps the longest gigging band in Madison. For 30 years, the eight-piece brass band has been bringing the sound of New Orleans to Wisconsin. Ahead of their 30th birthday celebration, saxophone player Christopher 'Roc' Ohly and sousaphone player Erik Jacobson sit down with City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin to talk jazz, how the music scene has changed over the decades, and share stories from 30 years of traveling with the band. More details about the 30th birthday celebration shows at the Burr Oak: https://mamadigdown.com/ 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.

Have you noticed the ketamine clinics popping up around the city? While ketamine has been used as an anesthetic in the medical field for decades, its use as a treatment for depression, PTSD, and chronic pain has been gaining popularity in recent years. So what exactly is a trip like to one of Madison’s clinics? Host Bianca Martin is joined by Brian Czapko, co-founder of Forward Ketamine, to chat about how ketamine therapy works and what the future of this industry and treatment could look like. 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. Bianca Martin, Hayley Sperling and Molly Stentz discuss where the UW System might be headed, after the president mentioned cutting back liberal arts programs on some campuses in an email. Plus, state lawmakers are calling for libraries to contact parents about the books kids borrow, and an elk visits McFarland in search of… love? Mentioned on the show: 🎓 Exclusive: Facing budget shortfalls, UW System president privately suggested chancellors ‘shift away’ from liberal arts programs at low-income campuses [Daily Cardinal] 💬 Rothman’s response to the above Daily Cardinal article [X, formerly Twitter] 📚 GOP bills would make librarians tell parents everything kids check out [Cap Times] 🦌 Looking for love, lost elk causes a stir in southern Wisconsin [Wisconsin State Journal] 🍻 And… does Mickey’s Tavern count as a dive bar or not? Let us know your dive bar hot takes (and be sure to listen to our episode on dive bars if you missed it on Thursday!) 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 Madison Minutes. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads.

In light of the news about the historic Silver Dollar Tavern closing soon, the City Cast Madison team is rounding up the best dive bars in Madison. Executive producer Molly Stentz, producer Dylan Brogan, and newsletter editor Hayley Sperling talk about what exactly makes a dive bar a dive bar, the future of dive bars in Madison, and of course, dish on their favorite spots. 🍺 Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers. Dive bars (and other spots) mentioned in this episode: Silver Dollar Tavern The Plaza Tavern Woody & Anne’s The Caribou Tavern Le Tigre Lounge Slices Bar & Grill Wando’s Dive Inn Jade Monkey Chiefs Tavern Buck’s Pizza North of the Bayou Landmark Bar and Grill The Paradise Lounge 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 Madison Minutes. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Madison is BUSY this December. From holiday markets to The Nutcracker, the City Cast Madison team has you covered with events you can’t miss this month. Our picks: 🎁 Find local gifts New Glarus Christkindli Market - December 1 - 3 Eastside Winter Market - December 9 - 10 🍸 Relax downtown Miracle on King Street - Through December 30 The Nutcracker at The Madison Ballet - December 15 - 24 🧠 Feed your head “Shaping Minds, Unveiling Truths” with Dr. Jason Stanley - December 14th 🌲 Get outdoors! Winter Recreation at Devil’s Lake State Park 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.

Kwik Trip recently confirmed it experienced a cybersecurity incident that impacted its internal communication, production facilities, and customer loyalty program. And it’s not the only business in town that’s been hit in the last couple months. So what can businesses do to guard against ransomware and other types of cybersecurity breaches? And how do these attacks affect customers? Producer Dylan Brogan chats with Dave Schroeder, director of research at the Wisconsin Security Research Consortium, about the recent uptick in local attacks. 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.

Now that the holiday season is in full swing, maybe you’re looking for festive things to do with the kiddos in your life? Local dad Aaron Seligman with his website, Macaroni KID Madison, has you covered. From the best ice skating in town to giving the gift of experiences, host Bianca Martin rounds up the options with Aaron. Aaron’s full experience gift guide here for MacaroniKID! A list of local nonprofits and causes you could support for Giving Tuesday. More info on the Re-Entry Service Fair on Nov. 28. 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.

We’re in a brave new world of college sports. One of the biggest revolutions in college sports came when the NCAA allowed college student athletes to get paid. Where previously some athletes might have received scholarships to play, now they can also get branding deals worth millions. Some UW students have reportedly signed contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. But how does it all work? What does it mean for the students, the teams and the university? How is it changing UW sports? Here to answer these questions and more is Jim Polzin, sports columnist at the Wisconsin State Journal. Producer Dylan Brogan caught up with him in November. 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.

Madison is a good place to be a wild turkey. But while there’s no shortage of turkeys strutting the streets of Madison these days, this wasn’t always the case. Wild turkeys were nearly hunted to extinction in Wisconsin in the late 19th century. In the 1970s, a concerted effort by conservationists brought them back. Bianca Martin asks UW-Madison Wildlife Ecology Professor David Drake why turkeys are thriving in Madison today. 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.

Facing threats from election deniers, potential Russian operatives and flooding, Dane County officials are looking to beef up local election safeguards. They’re buying the former Ale Asylum brewery by the airport and retrofitting it to house the county’s election infrastructure. Producer Dylan Brogan sat down with Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell to learn what keeps him up at night. 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. Bianca Martin, Hayley Sperling and Molly Stentz talk about why Starbucks went on strike this week, the fight between wedding barns and the state’s liquor lobby, and the push to expand the UW-Madison Engineering School. Mentioned on the show: 🚩 Madison Starbucks workers plan to walk out for company’s Red Cup Day [Isthmus] ☕ Looking for local coffee? Try these Madison Minutes picks. [Madison Minutes] 💍 Wisconsin Legislature passes liquor law overhauls opposed by private wedding venues [AP] ⚙️ Wisconsin businesses need more engineers. GOP is holding up UW-Madison project that would help address shortage [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] 🎧 We’re Hiring! Help us produce this podcast. Learn more. 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.

Thanksgiving means food. It’s typically the busiest holiday of the year for grocery stores. But if you aren’t cooking a big meal this holiday, or you need a little extra help, you have options. Several Madison restaurants are offering take-out meals and several are open on Thanksgiving. Cap Times Food Editor Lindsay Christians joins Bianca Martin with some ideas for you. 🦃 Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers. Read more: 13 Madison restaurants who will cook for you on Thanksgiving [Cap Times] Also mentioned on the show: 🧀 The Dane County Farmers Market moves indoors at the Monona Terrace this Saturday. 🎧 We’re Hiring! Help us produce this podcast. Learn more. 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.

Wisconsin’s next official state symbol could be something you can’t even see without a microscope. Sure the microbe Lactococcus lactis may be tiny in size, but its contributions to our state’s dairy industry are huge. So say two UW-Madison graduate students campaigning for it to become Wisconsin’s state microbe. Producer Molly Stentz speaks with Natalia Rosario-Melendez and Austin Hall with the Catalysts for Science Policy group to learn why. 🔬 Also mentioned on the show: 📚 Madison Reading Project is collecting books for kids ahead of the holidays. 🍪 The Friends of Waunakee Public Library Holiday Market and Bake Sale is Saturday, Nov 18. 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.

Winter’s coming. As of tomorrow, parking in Madison gets a little more complicated. Alternate side parking starts November 15th, meaning you have to park your car on the correct side of the road each day to avoid getting a ticket. If you live in the central city, this applies to you whenever there’s significant snowfall and the city declares a snow emergency. City officials say that while enforcement has been down the past few winters, that could change this year. Producer Dylan Brogan spoke with Madison Streets Superintendent Charlie Romines about what you need to know to help the streets get plowed and avoid a ticket. Get text alerts about snow emergencies and where to park. [City of Madison] Read all about Alternate Side Parking [City of Madison] Also mentioned on the show: Lake Monona and Starkweather Creek called ‘impaired waterways’ [WI DNR] City Council seeks modest final changes to mayor's proposed budget [Wisconsin State Journal] 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.

Dane County is Wisconsin’s largest local government outside of Milwaukee. Home to Madison, it’s one of the fastest growing parts of the state. The county has thousands of employees and a nearly billion dollar budget. It runs our local zoo, airport, jail, landfill, foster care system, and 911 emergency center, just to name a few things. It also manages our lakes, operates parks, issues marriage licenses and building permits, and maintains and plows roads. And Joe Parisi has run it for more than the past decade as County Executive. He’s retiring in May, so producer Dylan Brogan caught up with him to ask what’s next for the county. ✨ We're hiring! Come work with us. ✨ 🎧 City Cast Madison Producer 💵 City Cast Madison Senior Account Executive 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 Madison team is here to round up the news of the week. Dylan Brogan and Molly Stentz recap the latest findings from the Marquette Law School Poll on how Wisconsin voters are feeling. Plus, local mayors agree: the Madison area needs more housing and fast. Some argue that we need to loosen zoning rules to encourage more development. What do YOU think? Mentioned on the show: Latest Marquette Poll [Marquette University] Milwaukee’s Proposed Zoning Changes [PlaceMakers and DPZ] Mayors say housing issues are hurting business recruitment in South Central Wisconsin [Wisconsin State Journal] Strictly Discs' original owners announce they're selling the store after 35 years [Wisconsin State Journal] We’re Hiring! Check out our jobs: 🎧 City Cast Madison Producer 💵 City Cast Madison Senior Account Executive Have thoughts? 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.

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 partner Bazile Booth, they cook up high-quality soups from scratch, using fresh local ingredients. They do home delivery in Madison and sell at Festival Foods and Woodman’s. And now, they’ve opened a bakery in Spring Green called Sky Blue Pink. Dylan Brogan caught up with D.B. to learn more. 🥣 Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers. Also, we're hiring! Come work with us. 🎧 City Cast Madison Producer 💵 City Cast Madison Senior Account Executive 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.

Dog parks are plentiful in Madison and generally popular. A lot of us have small yards and our doggoes want space to run. But some dog trainers say dog parks actually aren’t all that great. Some dogs get overwhelmed and just don’t vibe with others, leading them to lash out or shut down. Producer Molly Stentz caught up with Allison Stoffel of Copper Ridge Dog Training in Madison to learn why and what you can do about it. 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.

It’s not hard to find a store selling Delta-8 products in Madison. We recently spoke to Alan Robinson of Herbal Aspect, who argues that this cannabis product is safe and legal. But Dr. Ana Pearson says there’s reason for caution. She says that the lack of regulation means it’s buyer beware. Production processes can be uneven, so dosing information can be unreliable. There’s the possibility of ingesting heavy metals as a byproduct of the manufacturing process. She also stresses moderation is key. Start with low doses and avoid using every single day. Don’t use if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding and keep your edibles and vapes out of kids’ reach. She spoke to producer Molly Stentz about things you should know about Delta-8. Dr. Pearson spoke with us on her own behalf, and not officially on behalf of UW-Madison. Listen to our podcast episode about Delta-8: Madison’s Guide to Legal Weed [City Cast Madison] Read more the health concerns about Delta-8: Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol: a scoping review and commentary [Addiction] Delta-8-THC craze concerns chemists [Chemical & Engineering News] 5 Things to Know about Delta-8 Tetrahydrocannabinol – Delta-8 THC [FDA] Read more about the legality of Delta-8: Delta-8 THC Issue Brief [Wisconsin Legislative Council] Also mentioned on the show: Tyson Chicken Nugget Recall info UW $32 Million Workforce Proposal 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.

You may not think of deep-blue Dane County, home to liberal Madison, as important to Republicans. But Dane County is one of the top three sources of Republican votes in statewide elections. Republicans hope to shore up their chances of winning Wisconsin in next year’s Presidential election by making inroads in Democratic areas. Dylan Brogan sits down with the new 23 year-old leader of the Republican Party of Dane County, Brandon Maly, to learn how. 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.

City Cast Madison’s Dylan Brogan and Hayley Sperling round up the news this week. Madison Metro officials say they’ve treated and quarantined two buses after findings bed bugs on board. A bipartisan bill would require disclosure of AI-generated content in campaign ads. And listeners give us their picks for their favorite Madison buildings. Read more: Metro Transit confirms reports of bed bugs on buses but says it's a limited problem [Wisconsin State Journal] AI-generated campaign ads would receive a content label in Wisconsin under bipartisan proposal [WPR] Madison Buildings: the Good, the Weird, and the Ugly [City Cast Madison] 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.

Sam Thayer says you can eat local all year round in Wisconsin, despite our frosty weather. He’s best known for writing guide books on edible native plants in Wisconsin, like The Forager’s Harvest. He’s speaking about local nuts, roots, fruits and more at the Madison Herb Fair at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison this Saturday, November 4th. Molly Stentz sits down with him to learn what’s cookin’. 🐿️ 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 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.

Madison’s going through a building boom. The city’s growing up, literally. So we’re taking a moment to reflect on the architecture all around us in the Capital City. City Cast Madison’s Dylan Brogan, Hayley Sperling and Molly Stentz are up to the challenge. Here are our picks for Madison’s best buildings, plus the quirkiest and downright ugliest, too. Read more: The Kastenmeier Courthouse is Madison’s blocky blue Modernist marvel [Tone Madison] Is the Humanities building ‘riot proof?’ [The Daily Cardinal] Towards an appreciation of Brutalism: Or, the Humanities Building is very good [Tone Madison] Have thoughts? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We might read or play your comment on the show. We’re also on Instagram, if you want to tag us there. 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.

UW Madison has started tracking students who rank at the bottom of their classes. Starting this year, a select number of undergraduates have their academic progress tracked by administrators. They’re flagged if they rank in the bottom fourth of their class for two or more classes. They’re also flagged if they have assignments more than five days late. The idea is to find the students who need extra help and get it to them, while there’s still time for them to turn it around. But some faculty worry that matters are being taken out of their hands. Some students are concerned that taking away responsibility for their own success could be counterproductive. Cormac LaLiberté, college news editor for The Daily Cardinal, looked into the program. Mentioned on the show: “UW-Madison students enrolled in data monitoring experiment without ability to opt out” [The Daily Cardinal] 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.

Madison and Dane County are investing in a new way to offer emergency shelter for people facing homelessness. A new, purpose-built men’s shelter on Madison’s east side is in the works and expected to open in 2025. Madison’s Community Development Director Jim O’Keefe tells host Dylan Brogan how the new shelter represents a fundamental shift, years in the making, in how local government supports residents in need of shelter. He also outlines the ongoing challenges Madison faces as it continues to make housing affordable in our community. 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, Molly Stentz and Hayley Sperling discuss the plan to turn the old Ale Asylum brewery into a new elections center. Plus, we’ve got a few ideas for Madison-themed Halloween costumes. And Slate’s Political Gabfest was in town to for a live podcast taping with Governor Evers. Mentioned on the show: Dane County wants Ale Asylum building for new elections center [Wisconsin State Journal] How to Have a Madison Halloween [Madison Minutes] Political Gabfest [Slate] 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.

Supper clubs are a Wisconsin staple. Whether it’s the overflowing relish tray at Tornado Steakhouse or the American cheese-laden hash browns at Toby’s, supper clubs have always brought cozy vibes and enormous portions to the Madison culinary scene. But what makes a place a true supper club? And who gets to claim the title of best supper club in Madison? Molly Stentz speaks with Cap Times food editor Lindsay Christians about the best of this distinctively Wisconsin dining tradition. 🍽️ Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers. Read more: 11 Supper Clubs to Try [The 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? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads.

Congress ain’t working so well right now. The House of Representatives is without a speaker for the longest time in U.S. history. We’re weeks away from the government shutting down. All while the U.S. is playing a major role in the war in Gaza. And there’s still a war in Ukraine. Mark Pocan is the Madison area’s representative in Congress. Dylan Brogan caught up with him from his office in D.C. to learn what all these crises mean for us. 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 Madison area has seen strong economic growth this year. Construction cranes abound. Housing prices have soared. Unemployment is low. We’re the fastest growing part of the state. You might think we’d be sitting pretty when it comes to city services. But according to Madison Finance Director Dave Schmiedicke, things are tighter than you’d think. City expenses are going up faster than the city’s ability to raise money. The last of the federal COVID aid is helping plug some budget holes for 2024, but after that, the city’s got big decisions to make. A big property tax hike? A citywide sales tax? They’re all on the table. Dylan Brogan gets the details. 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.

Madison has its fair share of poltergeists, lingering spirits, and maybe even a few lake monsters. You just need to know where to look. Bianca Martin learns more about Madison’s scary side with Lisa Van Buskirk and Mike Huberty from Madison Ghost Walks. Mentioned on the show: 🎃 Downtown Madison Family Halloween — Wednesday, Oct. 25 👻 Warner Park Community Recreation Center Family Fun Night — Friday, Oct. 27

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Dylan Brogan, Molly Stentz and Hayley Sperling recap how the Madison Public Market may get built after all. We also discuss how raises for thousands of university employees are the latest cudgel in the fight between the state legislature and UW. Plus, sometimes you just need to cry in public. And if you’ve got a Madison-themed Halloween costume in the works, we need to hear about it! Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email [email protected]. We’re also on Instagram. Mentioned on the show: Budget boost will allow Madison Public Market to break ground this year [Isthmus] What’s Happening With the Madison Public Market? [City Cast Madison] Republican lawmakers exclude UW staff from state worker pay raise in fight over diversity funding [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] Best Places to Cry in Madison [Madison Minutes] 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.

According to UW-Madison professor Jennifer Gaddis, most kids don’t eat school lunch in Madison. She studies school lunch programs across the country, including ours. It’s a problem because kids need healthy food to grow and learn. But Madison schools don’t have the kitchens, staff or money to make fresh meals from scratch every day. And last year, complaints piled in about the food. How did school lunches get so bad? How do we make them better? Dylan Brogan sits down with Jennifer to learn what can be done. 🧃 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 show: Check out our episode: What’s Happening With the Public Market? 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 first school choice program in Wisconsin was created more than thirty years ago - and it’s been fought over ever since. If you’d rather send your kid to a private school than your local public school, and you have a low income, the state will pay for it. It started out as an experimental pilot program and now pays for more than 50,000 private school students. A new lawsuit by Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad claims it’s unconstitutional because it’s depriving public schools of public money. Molly Stentz speaks with Brian Potts, partner at Perkins Coie, about what the lawsuit seeks to do. 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.

Madison journalist Bill Lueders learned first-hand what happens to dogs who attack. His dog Stella was attacked by a neighborhood pit bull left to roam. What followed was an investigation by the public health department that, months later, is still open. What Bill learned is that public health will investigate, but there are no easy answers. Meanwhile, the dog can attack again. Dylan Brogan gets the story from Bill Lueders. 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.

Madison started the CARES, or Community Alternative Response Emergency Services, program in 2021 after a wave of protests and a series of deaths. Paramedics and crisis workers now respond to non-violent 911 calls in Madison, rather than police officers. Two years and thousands of calls later, the program seems to be working. But it’s not staffed on nights and weekends and it’s only available within city limits. It could become 24/7 and serve the Madison suburbs under proposals before the Madison City Council and the Dane County Board. Host Bianca Martin caught up with Madison Assistant Fire Chief Ché Stedman to learn how it all works. 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, Molly Stentz and Hayley Sperling talk about Madison schools gaining more kids this year, the UW system’s sudden rebrand, and how Madison residents are dealing with the war in the Middle East after a week of escalating conflict. Mentioned on the show: 🎒 Madison schools see surprise enrollment increase [Cap Times] 🏫 The University of Wisconsin System rebrands as the 'Universities of Wisconsin' [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] 💔 Read UW Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin’s statement on the war in the Middle East [UW Madison] 🎙️ Hear Nina Kravinsky’s NPR reports from the war in the Middle East [NPR] ⛅ Where to get eclipse glasses and watch the solar eclipse on Saturday [Madison Public Library] 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.

Seven Acre Dairy is many things - a cafe, a restaurant, a hotel, a butter plant. But if you talk to founder Nic Mink, it’s also a place for restoration. He renovated a shuttered old butter plant in Paoli, Wisconsin, a small community about twenty minutes from downtown Madison. It’s drawing neighbors near and far to enjoy locally-made butter, soft serve ice cream and a farm-to-table restaurant. It sits along the banks of the Sugar River, nestled among a savanna with oak trees older than the state of Wisconsin. Learn why Nic’s trying to preserve a little slice of Wisconsin’s dairy heritage in rapidly changing industry. 🧈 Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers. This conversation originally aired February 23, 2023. 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.

More than 60 authors, from the nationally famous to the locally beloved (and sometimes both!), are speaking in Madison next week. It’s Madison’s largest celebration of books, and it’s free. This year, most events are in person and take place at the Madison Public Library, at UW Madison and at venues across the city. We speak with Jane Rotonda, the new book fest director, about why you should be there. 📚 The Wisconsin Book Festival runs from October 19 - 22. Get details about all events. See the whole schedule at a glance. 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.

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. If you caught Greg’s performance last Friday, you’ll want to learn more about why he’s so moved by organ music. Learn about the rest of this season’s organ concerts. Thanks to listener Dee for suggesting this episode. This episode originally aired on August 1, 2023. 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.

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. And this week’s theme is executive power. Dylan Brogan and Molly Stentz reflect on Dane County Executive Joe Parisi’s legacy. After more than a dozen years at the helm of Wisconsin’s second largest county, he’s announced he’ll retire in May. And we examine the attempt to impeach the head of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, Meagan Wolfe. Read more: 🗳️ Dane County Executive Joe Parisi to retire next year, setting up a special election [Wisconsin State Journal] 🏛️ Impeach Wisconsin's top election official, top Senate Republican tells Robin Vos [Wisconsin State Journal] 🤔 PolitiFact: Impeachment articles against Meagan Wolfe riddled with false and misleading claims [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] ⚕️ Tone Madison and Madison Minutes win a LION Local Journalism Award for Dobbs series [Tone Madison] 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.

Nature’s Bakery, an iconic Madison institution, has closed. The ovens went quiet, the brick building on Willy Street has been sold, the workers who owned the business have left. First opened in 1970, the bakery was known for its whole grain breads, handmade granola, natural ingredients and co-operative business model. The business weathered a half-century of change in Madison, but quietly shuttered in September. Tessa Echeverria was a worker-owner of the business for eight years and is now on its Board of Directors. Tessa came back to help lay the company to rest and tells us what happened. 🍞 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 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.

We’ve narrowly avoided a shutdown of the federal government, after Congress passed new funding through mid-November. Meanwhile, the legislating goes on. In DC, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin has been focused on health care. She’s been trying to fund the new national suicide hotline, attempting to get the federal government to collect data on sexual orientation, and pushing for help for childcare providers. We caught up with Senator Baldwin in late September. Read more: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline [SAMHSA] Most States Have Yet to Permanently Fund 988. Call Centers Want Certainty. [KFF Health News] LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act [Senator Baldwin] Childcare Stabilization Act [Senator Baldwin] Also mentioned on the show: See if you’re registered to vote [WI Elections Commission] What City Trees Do and Who Cares For Them [City Cast Madison] 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.

Librarians are worried. The American Library Association has been compiling data about censorship in libraries for the past 20 years and says attempts to ban books are at an all time high. Dane County Library Service director Tracy Herold has seen it happen here. Today’s challenges look less like a demand for an outright ban from a single group, and more like anonymous social media chatter stirring up controversy about a library, its staff and its books. So this week, Dane County libraries are holding Banned Book Con, a series of events honoring the right to read and celebrating the free exchange of ideas. You can meet one of the country’s most banned authors in Madison this Thursday. 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.

Illinois, Michigan, and recently Minnesota have all legalized recreational cannabis. Efforts to do so in Wisconsin have gone nowhere in the state Legislature. Even so, Madison is seeing an increasing number of stores selling CBD, Delta-8 THC, and other legal cannabinoids — some of which produce the same euphoric high as the recreational weed that’s illegal in our state. We spoke with Alan Robinson, cannabis activist and co-founder of Herbal Aspects, to help us understand this confusing state of affairs. Also mentioned on the show: 🪴 2nd Annual Plants as Psychoactives and Medicines workshop on Oct. 4. 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.

City Cast Madison’s Dylan Brogan and Bianca Martin round up the news this week. UW-Madison says it’s continuing diversity, equity, inclusion initiatives but is letting a student group do the talking. And Madison names a new accessible playground after the late activist Jeff Erlanger. Also mentioned on the show: 📚 Panel Discussion: Intellectual Freedom in the Face of Censorship 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.

In the final installment of how to make the most of fall in southern Wisconsin, Cap Times Food Editor Lindsay Christians shares her reporting on local apple orchards. She provides her picks for where to get apples for pies, where to pick-your-own, and which varieties you gotta try. Who knew you could pickle apples?! Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers. Apple orchards mentioned on the show: 🍏 Alpine Ridge Orchard 5610 Alpine Road, Brooklyn 🍏 Appleberry Farm 8079 Maurer Road, Cross Plains 🍏 Door Creek Orchard 3252 Vilas Road, Cottage Grove 🍏 Eplegaarden 2227 Fitchburg Road, Fitchburg 🍏 Munchkey Apples 175 Drammen Valley Road, Mount Horeb 🍏 Lapacek’s Orchard N1959 Kroncke Road, Poynette 🍏 Ski-Hi Fruit Farm E11219A Ski Hi Road, Baraboo Also: 🧀 Cheese Fair Off the Square is Sept. 30, 8 am - 1:45 pm, at East Washington Avenue and South Pinckney Street.

It’s day two of our three-part series on how to make the most of fall in southern Wisconsin. On Tuesday’s episode, we gave you recommendations for majestic fall drives. On Thursday, we’ll give you the scoop on local apple orchards you can visit around Madison. But today, we’re getting lost. We’re catching up with Angie Treinen, co-owner and maze designer of Treinen Farm. The Treinen Farm Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch is a 200-acre farm in Lodi, Wisconsin. It’s a third-generation farm famous for its intricate corn mazes. They’ve also got pumpkins, goats, horses, and walking trails to enjoy at the farm. Mentioned on the show: ☕️ Natural Infusions: Herbal Tea Blend Workshop with Qwantese Winters 💉 Participant in UW Health's Lyme disease vaccine trial by emailing [email protected]. 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.