City Cast Madison

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...

Abortion has proven to be a leading issue in the 2024 elections. It’s easy to find people fiercely debating the need for anti-abortion or abortion-rights outcomes for their communities. But does Wisconsin have any bipartisan solutions on abortion?      A national nonpartisan initiative called Citizen Solutions organized an experiment with 14 Wisconsinites – six from Madison — who hold widely diffe...

Did you know the Madison Children Museum is often cited as one of the best of its kind in the country? For over 10 years, the museum’s director Deb Gilpin has helped inspire a sense of wonder and curiosity for children and adults alike. Host Bianca Martin sat down with Gilpin to reflect on her more than decade of service and what’s next for this cherished institution. Wanna talk to us about an epi...

Hey there! We are excited to share the trailer for a new special limited series from our friends and colleagues at City Cast Denver. If you’re a fan of what we do at City Cast, you’ll want to check it out: You’ve probably heard a story about Congresswoman Lauren Boebert. Like, how she got kicked out of a production of “Beetlejuice” for vaping and groping her date. Or, that time she heckled Preside...

UW-Madison leaders say ending the pro-Palestian protest encampments is a top priority for them. But their talks with organizers are now dragging into a full second week sans resolution. Host Bianca Martin and newsletter editor Hayley Sperling break it down. Plus, GOP state lawmakers vote to audit state government DEI initiatives and the city announces proposed changes to the highly-disputed West A...

If you’ve ever been grocery shopping and wondered where the eggs or produce come from, we want to tell you about a grocery that delivers the ultimate local food shopping experience. It’s at Vitruvian Farms who now offers an on-site grocery store located right on their McFarland farm run by Tommy Stauffer and Shawn Kuhn. Host Bianca Martin sat down with Stauffer to learn about their new retail vent...

Madison is a proudly gay-friendly city. Yet, we don’t have any lesbian specific bars, despite having an active and vibrant lesbian scene. One event that serves Madison’s lesbian community is a monthly pop-up called Dyke Dive that’s been around for nearly a decade. Host Bianca Martin sits down with DJ and Dyke Dive co-organizer Sarah Akawa to learn more about the event and what’s on their roster fo...

The dating scene can be brutal. However, even a bad date might produce a good story, or in Ann Garvin's case, a viral one. The local author recently wrote a personal essay for Madison Magazine about a night gone terribly wrong when her date made a boldly ageist comment.  Host Bianca Martin spoke with Garvin about her story’s viral success and why she thinks her words struck such a chord. Wanna tal...

Dozens of Madison area leaders are pressuring North Side Ald. Charles Myadze to resign after allegations that he abused women in his life. Myadze has largely denied the claims and called them politically motivated. Host Bianca Martin sits down with Madison Alder Sabrina Madison, one of the voices calling for his resignation, to ask why she and other leaders are standing with the victims. This epis...

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin and Hayley Sperling recap the police raid on the UW-Madison encampment, which was set up in protest of the war in Gaza. The team also discusses the recent tragic news about a school shooting in Mt. Horeb.  And finally, we will round out today’s show on a positive note as we announce the winner of Fat Bird Week.  Mentioned o...

Mint Mark is moving! The cozy, beloved restaurant on Winnebago St. on Madison’s east side is closing May 4. They plan to re-open in a new, larger space in The Standard building on East Washington Ave. and First Street in mid-June.  Bianca Martin catches up with co-owner and chef Sean Pharr for a sneak peek of what to expect at their new space. Spoiler alert: Patio! Brunch! More room! Join us every...

If you’re new around here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Madison community.  May means the return of plants, the start of the gardening season in Madison and farmers’ markets popping up all over town. We’re ready to smell the lilacs in bloom, celebrate the mothers in our lives and see thousands of students graduate. ...

Tana Elias has worked in almost every single branch of the Madison Public Library system. And after 30 years, she’s made it to the top. She’s set to take the helm as the new library director in just a few weeks. Among her goals? Get the other 58% of Madisonians a library card and help more kids learn to read.  Bianca Martin catches up with Tana to learn about her big plans for the future.  And did...

It’s no secret that Americans are becoming less religious. Reverend Mark Elsdon, executive director of the Pres House Presbyterian campus ministry, predicts that the Madison area could lose a third of all churches in the area. Many congregations are shrinking and re-evaluating whether they need their large buildings anymore. Madison’s pressed for housing, and more churches are considering selling...

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin, Hayley Sperling and Molly Stentz recap the mysterious hold-up of state money for drug treatment and prevention programs. Plus, we discuss the creative proposal to build new affordable housing on East Wash in exchange for student housing on campus. And part of State Street’s going pedestrian-only starting May 8th. That’s wh...

If you had to make a list of Madison’s essential restaurants, what would be on it? Which restaurants feel most iconic to the city? Which do you find yourself most recommending to visitors?  Cap Times Food Editor Lindsay Christians joins Molly Stentz to wax poetic about Madison’s classics. And check out Kyle Nabilcy’s list in Eater Chicago. Do you agree?    Join us every Thursday as we explore Madi...

Kosa Spa in the Garver Feed Mill on Madison’s east side, offers meditation, massage, hot stone saunas, an aromatherapy steam room, nourishing meals and more. Owner Shilpa Sankaran says they’re the only Ayurvedic spa in the country.  Bianca Martin talks to Shilpa about ways you can take care of yourself this spring in the Ayurvedic tradition. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail...

You may have heard the phrase, “Not In My Backyard,” or NIMBY. It’s often used – negatively – to describe neighbors who don’t want development in their neighborhood, whether it’s a new apartment building or affordable housing. Meaning that many of us support changes in principle, until it potentially affects our own neighborhood. Some Madisonians are worried that Madison is growing and changing to...

Madison City Attorney Michael Haas is no stranger to elections. He used to be the administrator for the Wisconsin Elections Commission, the state agency that administers Wisconsin’s election laws.  And he’s sounding the alarm about two new Constitutional amendments that Wisconsin voters approved this April. He says the amendments were written so vaguely that it’s unclear how local clerks, who run...

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin and Molly Stentz recap the latest in the ongoing quest to build a grocery store on South Park street to replace the Pick ‘n Save. Should the city spend another million? Plus, more Madison Police officers will now wear body cameras. And Marshfield Clinic wants your ticks. Seriously. Mentioned on the show: 🥫Additional $1 mil...

Have you ever been curious about the Jewish tradition of seders, ceremonial dinners held on the first nights of Passover? Maybe you’ve been invited to one and don’t know what to bring! Perhaps you’re away from home and looking for a celebration to join here in Madison? We’ve got you! Bianca Martin talks to Rabbi Laurie Zimmerman of Shaarei Shamayim about the most important food holiday in the Jewi...

Poet, essayist, educator and playwright Charles Payne has a lot of feelings about the American public school system. His new play called When the Classroom Ain’t Enuf opens at Broom Street Theater this Friday, April 19th, and draws on his own experience as a math and science teacher. The play is a series of vignettes about the Black and Brown experience in American public schools, performed by a l...

We’ve all been watching the new Bus Rapid Transit stations getting built along East Washington Ave and Mineral Point Road in Madison. And we’ve been wondering: how are these new buses and routes gonna work?  We asked what’s on YOUR mind about the biggest upgrade to Madison’s public transit system in decades. And then we put it to the man who knows.  Dylan Brogan gets your questions answered by Mic...

Jury duty. America’s founders loved it. Many Americans try to avoid it.  But what’s it really like to serve on a jury? Do people actually get a jury “of their peers” here in Dane County? And if juries are so important, why do we have so few of them? Bianca Martin speaks with Dane County Judge Nicholas McNamara about what really goes on during jury duty. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us...

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Dylan Brogan, Hayley Sperling and Molly Stentz recap President Joe Biden’s plan to cancel student loan debt for millions and loan interest for millions more. Plus, everyone wants toxic PFAS chemicals cleaned up, so why isn’t it happening? And it’s Terrace time! The iconic Memorial Union chairs will be outside beginning April 17. Mentione...