City Cast Madison

We’re coming to you this week with a theme for the Friday news roundup: infrastructure! The mayor put forth her 2026 Capital Budget and Capital Improvement Plan. Madison has an abundance of empty office buildings. And Willy Street is testing a change to rush hour lanes. Host Bianca Martin, executive producer Hayley Sperling, and newsletter editor Rob Thomas round up this week’s news. Mentioned on...

Sure, the coffee at JavaAbilities is great (it’s Madison-based Rusty Dog) but it’s the people behind the counter who truly make the space special. Part of the mission of the new coffee shop on Monona Drive, which opened in July, is to employ and celebrate adults with disabilities. The business is co-owned by Mary Kay Clark and Tim McDonald, who admit they don’t have much cafe experience but are bo...

How do you build the mental fortitude to complete a triathlon? Hundreds will see if they have what it takes this weekend when the annual IRONMAN Wisconsin comes to Madison. Participants will swim, bike, and run just over 140 miles in and around Madison. To learn what it takes mentally finish the race, host Bianca Martin talks with Larry Shapiro, recently retired UW-Madison philosophy professor, IR...

Crisp air, Badgers games, and fall vibes have reached Madison, which can only mean one thing: September is here! As we transition from summer into fall, host Bianca Martin, producer Jade Iseri-Ramos, and newsletter editor Rob Thomas are bringing you our top picks for the month. We’re hopping on our bikes, catching some classic cinema, and celebrating Oktoberfest this September. Plus, now’s the per...

This week, the City Cast Madison team is talking about Madison’s ties to the Minneapolis school shooting, updates to the Dane County Humane Society’s stray animal contract, and the removal of a downtown homeless encampment. Host Bianca Martin talks with producer Jade Iseri-Ramos and newsletter editor Rob Thomas about these heavy news topics, plus the hiring of Madison's new police chief. Wrapping...

Summer days are slipping away, but that doesn’t mean Madisonians can’t make the most out of the remaining warm weekends. Taste of Madison is this weekend, so is Orton Park Festival. And the Willy Street Fair and Monroe Street Festival won’t be far behind. On today’s show, executive producer Hayley Sperling talks with Cap Times food and culture editor Lindsay Christians to get her tips for what to...

The low-power radio station broadcasting out of Monona’s City Hall turns 10 years old this month! WVMO 98.7 FM has been dubbed one of the “coolest radio stations in the nation” and for good reason. City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin chats with Stacy Harbaugh aka DJ Shotski, host of Polka Time, to dig into the station’s decade on air and how it’s built a tight-knit community of volunteers and lis...

Madison’s Department of Civil Rights is facing a litany of problems. The department’s director is currently under investigation for allegedly violating city and federal employment laws. Meanwhile, another longtime leader in the department was recently allowed to retire following an internal probe into whether he also violated numerous city administrative policies. Employees in the department are c...

On Aug. 24, 1970, four men bombed UW-Madison’s Sterling Hall in protest of the ongoing Vietnam war. The blast resulted in millions of dollars in damage, multiple injuries, and the death of a physics researcher. For some, the legacy of the Sterling Hall bombing still looms large. For others, this critical part of our city’s history is almost entirely unknown. In honor of the anniversary of the bomb...

Happy Fri-yay! The City Cast team is rounding up this week’s top stories. Host Bianca Martin talks with executive producer Hayley Sperling and producer Jade Iseri-Ramos about UW women’s basketball players suing their former coach, the airport putting F-35 sound mitigation on hold, and a favorite Willy Street restaurant closing. Plus, Bianca took a turn in the guest seat this week on the radio talk...

Restaurants and bars come and go in Madison all the time, it’s the nature of the industry. But some spots leave a lasting impression on our community long after they’ve closed. Today, the City Cast Madison team takes a trip down memory lane with the help of our listeners and readers to reminisce on some of Madison’s favorite bygone bars, restaurants, and community haunts. Ready to taste a little n...

Whether you’ve lived here for two years or 20, there’s always something new to learn about living in Madison. From getting the right winter gear to joining a CSA to finding a clean bathroom downtown, we’ve got some serious insider tips for making the most of Madison. Host Bianca Martin sits down with City Cast Madison producer Jade Iseri-Ramos and Madison Minutes newsletter editor Rob Thomas to sh...

It’s no secret that Madison is a sporty town. From the Badgers at Camp Randall and the Kohl Center to the Night Mares and Mallards at Warner Park, there are plenty of hometown heroes to root for. But the sport that Madisonians can’t get enough of is ultimate frisbee. The Madison Ultimate Frisbee Association boasts thousands of members who play all year round. And the semi-pro Madison Radicals draw...

On Aug. 11, Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency in response to heavy rainfall and flooding across southern Wisconsin. In Madison, wet weather led to flooded streets and forced the cancellation of local events. But in the Milwaukee area, the damage was much more severe. To explain the cause and impact of this weather, we spoke with director of the Wisconsin State Climatology Office, Steve...

TGIF! The City Cast Madison team is here to round up the news of the week. Host Bianca Martin, executive producer Hayley Sperling, and newsletter editor Rob Thomas discuss the flooding from last weekend, median rent stats and a major step forward for the Triangle redevelopment, and news in the restaurant scene. Plus, it’s Hippie Christmas! Is that a good thing or a bad thing?  Mentioned on the sho...

Some of Madison's tastiest restaurants are hidden in strip malls throughout the city. The best spots depend on who you ask. We spoke with our friend Cap Times food and culture editor Lindsay Christians, to talk about listener suggestions and dive deeper into which stops are a must-visit.  Can’t get enough food news? Sign up for the Cap Times’ Corner Table newsletter ‼️We’re doing our annual survey...

Some say there are only two seasons in Madison: winter and moving season. Starting in late July and stretching into August, downtown streets are flooded with piles of trash from folks participating in the annual housing shuffle. And keeping the city clean during this time is no easy feat, especially when would-be treasure hunters dig through the heaps looking to strike gold. To get the scoop on ho...

When state lawmakers passed their biennial budget in July, they approved a $256 million increase to the University of Wisconsin system budget — but that money came with a lot of strings attached. Professors across the UW system are expected to carry heavier teaching loads, which has raised concerns about the potential impact on research and overall academic quality. To unpack these concerns and ot...

It’s been years in the making and after multiple funding concerns and construction delays, it almost felt like the Madison Public Market would remain a dream forever. But the money has come through and construction is nearly finished, and the Madison Public Market is officially on its way to an early 2026 opening. So what can you expect from this long-awaited public good? Madison Public Market Fou...

Happy Friday, Madison! Executive producer Hayley Sperling is joined by producer Jade Iseri-Ramos and Madison Minutes newsletter editor Rob Thomas to round up the news of the week. Today we’re digging into the rift between the Dane County Sheriff and ICE, how funding troubles might impact Madison’s new permanent men’s shelter, and the details on this weekend’s packed schedule around town. Plus, wan...

Madison Black Restaurant Week is celebrating 10 years! The event highlights local Black-owned businesses through a series of events, including a farm-to-table soul food brunch, dessert competition, and a food taste jamboree at Warner Park. To learn more about the event, its impact, and history, we spoke with Camille Carter, president and CEO of theMadison Black Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors...

Late last month, the Dane County Humane Society published a letter addressed to the city and county expressing a dire need for funding. Why? DCHS contracts with Public Health Madison and Dane County to provide state-mandated services like caring for stray and impounded animals. The county budgeted $390,000 for these services for all of 2025, but DCHS says that money will be gone by the end of this...

Cease and desist letters, minor theft, and a whole bunch of fun went into planning the fifth annual Strip Mall Carnival. This year, Lola’s Hi/Lo Lounge is taking the reins over from Muskellounge and Sporting Club to host the event, which is a fundraiser for the Clean Lakes Alliance. To get the scoop on the event and a behind-the-scenes look at the online shenanigans brewing between the two establi...

For nearly three decades, Betty Lou Cruises has ventured across Lake Mendota serving food and drinks and creating countless memories along the way. But back in 2024, the owners of Betty Lou Cruises, who also run the popular Mariners Inn restaurant, announced their impending retirement in August 2025. The time is nearing for Betty Lou’s final voyage, and to honor their impact on the community, we’r...

Happy August, Madison! We’re kicking off the new month with a Friday news roundup to catch you up on what’s happening. City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin is joined by Madison Minutes newsletter editor Rob Thomas and producer Jade Iseri-Ramos to talk about the race for Wisconsin governor, the closure and then re-opening of Madison bar Churchkey, and championship dreams for the Mallards, Night Mar...