City Cast Portland

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with WeShine, a neighbor-organized nonprofit that builds and runs micro-villages in our city. Executive Director Jan McManus and facility coordinator Hunter Burkett are sharing how their micro-villages address the ongoing housing crisis and how their model fits in with the city and county’s larger efforts to address homelessness. Volunteer at WeShine: htt...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about how Pho Gabo owner Eddie Dong is preparing to sue the city after an odor ordinance forced him to close his restaurant. Plus, we play our new one-star review game, where we read some hilariously brutal one-star reviews of very popular outdoor spaces and attempt to name the establishments. Joining host Claudia Meza on the midweek roundup is our very o...

Some Portlanders seem to have a bit of a superiority complex regarding our suburbs, but over the past decade or so, areas like Beaverton and Hillsboro have become serious foodie destinations. Today on City Cast Portland, Eater Portland editor Brooke Jackson-Glidden is sharing her picks for the best places to eat west of the city. Restaurants discussed in this episode: Coredam Always Spring Restaur...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about the costly outcome of Mayor Ted Wheeler’s missing text messages, Lake Oswego’s battle to keep the public out of their lake, and the dramatic cost increase in rebuilding Jefferson High School. Joining host Claudia Meza on our Friday news roundup are our very own producer Giulia Fiaoni and Althea Billings, KBOO news director and host of the weekly tal...

In 2020, Oregon was the first state in the U.S. to pass a law legalizing psilocybin use at treatment centers. And now there are nearly 300 licensed facilitators across the state and by last year, more than 700 people had already gone through treatment. But what does therapy look like? How much does it cost, and is it really worth it? Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with Courtney Campbel...

Scientists say we’re long overdue for a devastatingly large earthquake. They predict it could be big enough to bring down most of Portland’s bridges and cut off electricity and water for weeks. And after recent high-profile quakes in Taiwan and New Jersey, experts are reminding anyone who will listen that Portland is not ready for The Big One. Today science journalist Erin Ross is updating us on e...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about Mayor Ted Wheeler’s new proposed camping ban ordinance and the $1.3 billion Powerball winner in Northeast Portland. Plus we’re reading from our listener mailbag about your ideas for the very real 503 Day. Joining host Claudia Meza on the midweek roundup is our very own executive producer, John Notarianni. Discussed in Today's Episode: Oregon Powerba...

The Multnomah County Library is one of the busiest library systems in the country based on circulation. With a $387 million dollar construction boom underway, as well as ongoing concerns about safety, there’s a lot more going on than just quiet reading these days. Today on City Cast Portland, executive producer John Notarianni talks with the library’s director Vailey Oehlke about the massive chang...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about the Portland Police Bureau’s handling of a decades-old rape case linked to a man convicted of killing a well-known Portland activist. We’re also discussing the need for additional mental health and drug treatment staff for beds funded in this year’s legislative session and the Moda Center court’s irregular 3-point lines discovered by a fan at this y...

The Portland area’s rainy weather and rich soil give us exceptional local produce, but some crops that can only be found here are at risk of disappearing. Today we’re talking with food historian (and City Cast Las Vegas co-host) Sarah Lohman. She investigated the country’s nearly-forgotten foods in her recent book “Endangered Eating: America’s Vanishing Foods,” and is joining us to talk about some...

With a $2.1 billion dollar renovation underway at Portland International Airport, we had questions for the airport experts. Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with the guy in charge of this massive renovation project: Christopher Neal, director of PDX Next Operations for the Port of Portland. He’s letting us know what to expect from this expansion, whether flying has become more dangerous,...

Today on City Cast Portland we’ll look at how Oregon’s new “right to repair” law could help customers across the country get cell phones fixed, hear about the latest local battle over pickleball noise complaints, and dive into our mailbag to discuss city smells and spring bicycling tips. Discussed in Today’s Episode: With Kotek’s Signature, Oregon Now Has One of the Nation’s Strongest ‘Right to Re...

Happy April! Today on City Cast Portland we have our top picks for the month in food, entertainment, and everything in between. Joining host Claudia Meza on the show are our very own producers, John Notarianni and Giulia Fiaoni. Our Picks for April: Dog Mountain Oregon Park Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden Portland Japanese Garden Portland Trail Blazers Hollywood Farmers Market The One Moto Sho...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about how some are saying an Oregon law is robbing murder victims and their families of justice, why the City Auditor’s office is calling out fossil fuel company Zenith Energy for violating city code, and how a new scam allows fraudulent deeds and house transaction sales to go through our County Assessor’s office. Joining host Claudia Meza on our Friday n...

Live Nation Entertainment recently obtained an exclusive contract to host live performances at Providence Park, and is now in talks with a local developer for a massive music venue on the Willamette’s east bank, with capacity for 3,000 people. Though a waterfront music venue might sound amazing, local music advocates, including venue owners, are worried. Today we’re talking with MusicPortland boar...

When Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt was voted into office back in 2020, he won in a landslide. He campaigned on a progressive platform, including calling for police accountability and support for Measure 110. But now, running for reelection, he has walked back his advocacy for key parts of drug decriminalization. So today on City Cast Portland, DA Mike Schmidt is joining us for an...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about Commissioner Rubio walking back her proposal to allocate some of the interest from the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) to the Portland Street Response and Governor Tina Kotek creating an office for her spouse within her administration. We’re also diving into our mailbag for more cocktail bar recommendations and friend-making tips from our listener...

Early last month, local Vietnamese restaurant chain Pho Gabo closed its Northeast location for good after a neighbor repeatedly complained to the city about food odor. How could this happen? Today on City Cast Portland, we're talking with Willamette Week arts and culture reporter Rachel Saslow, who broke the story. Saslow lays out what happened and updates us on where things landed. Mentioned in t...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about the possible changes to the Portland Clean Energy Fund tax (PCEF), the new City Council-approved crowd control unit in the Portland Police Bureau, and the opening of the Soho House — a new luxury social club that’s been called “the Multnomah Athletic Club for hipsters.” Joining host Claudia Meza on this week’s Friday news roundup are Willamette Week...

These past few days of fake spring had a lot of us daydreaming about warmer weather and drinks on sunny patios. That’s why today on City Cast Portland, we’re bringing back a conversation about the best cocktail bars in town. Which are our all-around favorites? Which are the best date spots? Who has the most adventurous menu? And can you still get a decent drink for cheap in Portland? Host Claudia...

Hiking to see majestic waterfalls is one of the perks of living in the Northwest. But with certain areas recovering from wildfires, not all are as safe to visit as you might expect. And yet some things that sound risky — like bushwhacking to find secret falls — are actually more doable than you might think. Today on City Cast Portland, Norther Emily of Wild Solitude Guiding is here to talk about a...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about the city’s mismanagement of the Historic Kenton Firehouse, the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s campaign against potholes, and an update on the PGE rate hikes. Plus, we dig into our mailbag and discuss the real meaning of NIMBY. Joining host Claudia Meza on this midweek roundup is our very own executive producer, John Notarianni. Correction: The...

North Portland’s Albina neighborhood used to be home to a thriving music scene, where Black musicians would perform nightly in nightclubs and community spaces. Urban renewal bulldozed many of those neighborhoods in the ’60s and ’70s, but thanks to the Albina Music Trust, we’re now all able to dig into the past through a new digital community archive. Today we’re talking with the project’s lead arc...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about the city and county’s joint plan to halve homelessness by 2025, never-ending utility rate hikes, and Portland Public Schools’ decision on how to make up for lost class time after the teachers strike and severe winter weather. Joining host Claudia Meza on our Friday news round-up are Willamette Week’s "Potlander" column author Brianna Wheeler and our...

Oregon’s elected leaders just spent 35 days racing to pass major laws on everything from the re-criminalization of drugs, to spending hundreds of millions on housing, to trying to finally fix Daylight Saving Time in Oregon (that one failed). Today on City Cast Portland, executive producer John Notarianni talks with Oregon Capital Chronicle deputy editor Julia Shumway about a surprisingly productiv...