City Cast Portland

This month on City Cast Portland, we’re interviewing candidates running to be the next mayor of our city. And today on the show, we’re talking to our fifth candidate, Commissioner Mingus Mapps. Since joining the Portland City Council in 2020, he’s overseen the Portland Bureau of Transportation, the Portland Water Bureau, and the Bureau of Environmental Services. We’re talking to him about why he t...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re continuing our neighborhood guide series where we talk with Portlanders about the good, bad, and ugly of where they live. This time we’re talking about Concordia with the author of “The Portland Book of Dates,” co-host of the “We Can’t Print This” podcast, and our show’s resident fun expert, Eden Dawn. Dawn has lived in Concordia for over a decade and is sharing...

This month on City Cast Portland, we’re interviewing candidates running to be the next mayor of our city. And today on the show, we’re talking to our fourth candidate, Carmen Rubio. She’s a current Portland city commissioner who has been overseeing the housing, development services, and planning and sustainability bureaus. Today on the show, we’re talking to her about why she thinks she’s fit for...

From food cart drama to the best Italian food, to how to nail a depression meal, to where to eat in Beaverton — Brooke Jackson-Glidden has brought us the best of our city’s food scene since the very beginning. But after six years as editor of Eater Portland, she’s off to lead Portland Monthly as its new editor-in-chief. So today on City Cast Portland, we’re conducting an exit interview of sorts to...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about the spike in utility shutoffs, the state’s treasure trove of unclaimed stuff, and the proposal to give every Oregonian 750 bucks. Joining executive producer John Notarianni on this week’s Friday news roundup are Willamette Week City Hall reporter Sophie Peel and our very own producer, Giulia Fiaoni. Discussed in Today’s Episode: Oregon Utility Cutof...

This month on City Cast Portland, we’re interviewing candidates running to be the next mayor of our city. And today on the show, we’re talking to our third candidate, Commissioner Rene Gonzalez. Since joining the Portland City Council in 2023, he’s been a vocal advocate for public safety and has attracted support from the law enforcement and business communities. He’s also generated controversy wi...

This month on City Cast Portland, we’re interviewing candidates running to be the next mayor of our city. And today we’re talking to our second candidate, Liv Osthus. Many people know her by the stage name Viva Las Vegas: She’s a well-known Portland stripper, artist, and sex workers’ advocate. We’re asking Osthus about why she thinks she’s fit for the job. Check out Hey Portland’s events calendar...

In a place full of introverts that rains eight months out of the year, it can be challenging to meet new people as an adult. What if you don’t like drinking or hiking? How do you spark meaningful conversations with strangers? Now that the weather's heating up and people are getting outside, it’s time to do something about it. Today on City Cast Portland, we’re revisiting a conversation from earlie...

Content warning: Today’s episode discusses the sexual abuse of a child.  Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about the death of a disgraced Oregon politician, the capture and arrest of the accused traffic enforcement camera shooter, and the new recycling service hitting the curbside of some Portland area residents. Joining me on this week’s Friday news roundup are the managing editor for th...

This month on City Cast Portland, we’re interviewing candidates running to be the next mayor of our city. And today we’re talking to our first candidate, Keith Wilson. He’s the president and CEO of a regional transportation company that includes an all-electric truck fleet. He’s also the founder of Shelter Portland, a nonprofit that addresses unsheltered homelessness in our city. We’re asking Wils...

Whether you’re trying to limit your impact on the environment or are just into scoring deals, our city has an overwhelming amount of good thrift and vintage stores for you. So many in fact, that it can feel overwhelming just knowing where to start. Jay Flewelling, a self-proclaimed “thrift store junky” and a local comedian, is sharing all his best thrifting tips on where to go, for whatever you’re...

Many developers are sweating as Portland office buildings and apartments fall in value. (That’s even as Portland homes remain too expensive for many.) So today we’re talking with one of the city’s most creative and prolific developers, Kevin Cavenaugh of Guerilla Development. He’s giving us an update on why he and other Portland developers are losing their buildings to the bank but why he’s still...

Did you know more than 15 varieties of strawberries were invented in Oregon? From May through September, we actually become the #4 growing region for strawberries in the country. Today on City Cast Portland, host Claudia Meza is joined by OPB “All Things Considered” host and “Superabundant” producer Crystal Ligori and our very own executive producer, John Notarianni, to find out what makes the Ore...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about Portland Public Schools’ new superintendent pick, the city’s foreclosing on abandoned buildings, and the demise of two local media empires. Joining host Claudia Meza on this week’s Friday roundup are Willamette Week reporter and author Brianna Wheeler and our very own executive producer, John Notarianni. Discussed on Today’s Episode: Portland Public...

Portland’s relationship with the Willamette River has taken on many forms throughout history, from aiding the industrial boom to functioning as a literal sewer. And while many people see it every day, few realize just how much it’s shaped modern-day Portland. As the end cap of our river week series, we’re talking with our resident Oregon historian, Doug Kenck-Crispin, about the Willamette River’s...

Blooms of harmful algae are common in the Willamette River during the summer months. They can be toxic to humans and pets, shutting down swimming for weeks at a time. But where does all of this harmful algae come from? And why can’t we find ways to prevent it from happening? Today we’re talking with Willie Levenson of the river advocacy group Human Access Project about the plan to fight a major so...

Today on City Cast Portland, we have a special river-themed midweek roundup for you. We’re talking about the troubled history of our container shipping terminal, a nearly 100-year-old fish that may or may not exist, and a new game called four hot takes in four minutes! Joining host Claudia Meza on the show is our very own executive producer, John Notarianni.   Discussed on Today’s Episode: Herman...

Now that summer's nearly here, it's river week on City Cast Portland: We're looking at everything that’s special about living next to the Willamette! We’re kicking it all off by revisiting a conversation we had last summer with Noa Rubin, a community organizer for the paddle boarding group, SUP PDX. Noa has been kayaking and paddling vessels on the Willamette for more than 13 years. She’s sharing...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about all the weird things washing up on our nearby coastal shores, a local outbreak of shellfish poisoning, and winemakers taking aim at PacifiCorp for their ruined harvest during the 2020 wildfires. Joining host Claudia Meza on this week’s Friday news roundup is Geoff Norcross, co-host of OPB’s All Things Considered (and previously, for 15 years, the ho...

If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Portland community.  From checking out a mariscos pop-up at one of the city’s buzziest bars to doing some self-care with the year’s weirdest Sasquatch movie, there’s no shortage of things to do this month in Portland. So the City Cast Portland team is here to narrow do...

This morning, Portland City Hall is issuing a proclamation for a Vanport Day of Remembrance as part of the Vanport Mosaic Festival. Situated between Portland and Vancouver, Vanport was the largest federal housing project and the second-largest city in Oregon during World War II. It was also home to a thriving multiracial community. But 76 years ago, Vanport was destroyed in a catastrophic flood, a...

The amount of illegal graffiti on Portland’s streets has exploded in recent years, but the city is trying to do its part. The Portland Police Bureau has several officers who spend part of their time investigating our city’s most prolific taggers, studying hundreds of tags and graffiti styles to bring down some of the more damaging crews. Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with Officer Nate...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking through our local primary election results and the latest report on Portland Police Bureau traffic stops. Joining host Claudia Meza on this Friday news roundup are KBOO news director Althea Billings and our very own executive producer, John Notarianni. Discussed on Today’s Episode: Oregon Primary Election Results 2024 [OPB]  Map Shows Where DA Candidates...

It’s officially bicycle-riding season in Portland, but buying a new one can lead to a ton of questions: There are so many types of bikes now. How do you choose? How much should you be prepared to spend? And how the heck do you find one that fits? Today on City Cast Portland we’re talking with cycling expert Leah Benson. As the former owner of the dearly-missed Gladys Bikes on Alberta Street, she’s...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re continuing our neighborhood guide series where we talk with Portlanders about the good, bad, and ugly of where they live. This time we’re talking about Montavilla with Bryan M. Vance, City Cast’s director of digital strategy. He’s lived in Montavilla for about three years, and he’s not only sharing his neighborhood's secret borders; he’s also prepared some fighti...