City Cast Portland

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? Today on City Cast Portland, we’re bringing in local tour guide and founder of Throw Snakes Tours, Dresden De Vera. He’s a self-described friend-for-hire and has some great t...

Today we’re talking about the Portland City Council potentially rewriting the daytime camping ban to get it through the courts, and the cost breakdown of the tiny homes built for Safe Rest Villages. Also, we dive into our mailbag to find some new contenders for Oregon’s “official” state sandwich, and to consider one of the biggest reasons local restaurants are struggling. Joining host Claudia Meza...

Last month, it was reported that the FBI may have quietly re-opened one of the greatest unsolved PNW mysteries of all time: the case of D.B. Cooper, the infamous hijacker who parachuted out of a plane and disappeared somewhere over SW Washington in 1971 with $200,000 in ransom money. Today we’re listening back to our conversation with filmmaker T.J. Regan about his documentary, “I am D.B. Cooper,”...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about the state of our restaurant industry, Gov. Tina Kotek’s $376 million housing package that lawmakers approved, and how much housing prices in Portland have jumped in the last four years. Joining host Claudia Meza on this week’s Friday news roundup are Portland Business Journal reporter Malia Spencer and our very own executive producer, John Notariann...

Portland’s food and drink scene is constantly changing, with new spots opening and closing seemingly every month. But there are several old standbys that have survived for decades — some for well over a century. What’s the secret behind their longevity? And are they still worth your patronage? Today on City Cast Portland, we're talking with Oregonian restaurant reporter and critic Michael Russell....

Under Mayor Ted Wheeler’s watch, Portlanders have lived through the pandemic, the George Floyd uprising, unprecedented housing and fentanyl crises, and the complete overhaul of our city’s government. Maybe it’s no wonder then that Wheeler is one of our most criticized local politicians. Now he has just nine months left, since he’s not seeking reelection. Today on City Cast Portland, we’re asking M...

Today we’re talking about Portland Commissioner Rene Gonzalez letting go of his control of Portland Street Response and continuing the mailbag-saga of your comments on the Oregon Bottle Bill and St. Johns bottle drop stories.  Stories discussed on today’s episode: Commissioner Rene Gonzalez Looks to Dump Portland Street Response From His City Hall Portfolio [Oregonian 🔒] DA Mike Schmidt’s Change...

Happy March! Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about our top picks for the month. Do you want to know where you can catch some free live jazz in a cozy setting, eat the best soup dumplings in Beaverton, or maybe just learn some basic woodworking? We’ve got you covered. Joining host Claudia Meza on the show are Portland event expert Michele Venlee and our very own producer, Giulia Fiaoni....

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re trying to make sense of why Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt is supporting a proposal to make possession of hard drugs a crime again, ultimately rolling back a key part of Measure 110, which Schmidt supported in his run for office. We’re also talking about how Portland’s police union is trying to weaken a civilian-run police oversight board that st...

In recent months, Portland City Commissioner Carmen Rubio has made headlines for offering a lifeline to several ailing city bureaus thanks to a new revenue source, the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF). But critics say it’s not honoring the intended spirit of the program. So today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with mayoral hopeful Commissioner Carmen Rubio about her seemingly endless bag of...

Today on City Cast Portland, Oregon historian Doug Kenck-Crispin is quizzing host Claudia Meza and producer Giulia Fiaoni on Portland’s history. Play along and see how many you get right! Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at portland@citycast.fm, or leave us a voicemail at 503-208-5448. Want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter,...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about the latest plans to re-criminalize drug possession during this short legislative session. We’re also sharing some listener comments on the Oregon Bottle Bill and our coverage of local politicians. Joining host Claudia Meza on this midweek round-up is our very own executive producer, John Notarianni. Stories Discussed on Today’s Episode: Oregon Democ...

Planning a birthday celebration can feel like a lot of work: There’s pressure to make sure everyone’s accommodated and budgets to consider; it can be hard to pin down a “what” and “where.” Today on City Cast Portland, we’re bringing in our resident fun expert (and “The Portland Book of Dates” author / "We Can't Print This” podcast co-host) Eden Dawn. She’s laying out incredible birthday options fo...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson’s stern warning to our underperforming ambulance service provider, Portland Public Schools’ agreement to sell its headquarters to the Albina Vision Trust, and former mayor Sam Adams’ attempt to make yet another political comeback. Joining host Claudia Meza on this week’s Friday news roundup are KBOO news...

Have you heard of the Lovejoy Columns? They’re public drawings that are considered to be the very first instance of street art in Portland. Hand-drawn by a Greek immigrant working in the train yards back in the late 1940s, a new project in the Central Eastside is hoping to carry on their legacy. So today on City Cast Portland, Tiffany Conklin of the Portland Street Art Alliance is walking us throu...

Our city isn’t meeting Gov. Tina Kotek’s ambitious housing goals. And some city leaders and developers blame strict building codes for the delay in new housing construction. But aren’t building codes there to keep us safe? So today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with Portland Mercury reporter Taylor Griggs about what this push to build more and faster means for the long-term safety and futur...

Ever wondered about who sits in those little operating booths all day lifting our bridges up and down? Or have you ever been stuck in traffic because of a bridge lift, and there wasn’t even a boat passing through? Last year Multnomah County bridge operator Tod Richards answered our questions. So today on City Cast Portland, we’re bringing back a listener favorite.  This episode first aired on Janu...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about the Portland Bureau of Transportation plan to boost parking and registration enforcement. Plus, there’s a controversy over a hip-hop showcase severing ties with its longtime home, and Portland Public Schools is gearing up for $30 million in budget cuts. Joining host Claudia Meza on this week’s Friday news roundup are Willamette Week’s “Potlander” co...

It can be hard to keep up with all the new places to eat and drink in Portland; even food writers have a tough time keeping tabs. Today on Cast Portland, we’re talking with Oregonian restaurant reporter and critic Michael Russell about the most exciting new bars and restaurants that opened up in the last year, from the widely-acclaimed to the overlooked. For instance: Did you know that Portland ha...

Tattoos are an omnipresent Portland cliché. But it’s also true that many of us have them, and our city does have the fifth-highest number of tattoo shops per capita in the country. Tattoo shops are their own weird subculture, with unwritten rules. Today we’re talking with Toby Linwood, owner of Tattoo 34, on Southeast Hawthorne (and fun fact: host Claudia Meza’s tattoo artist!). If you’re thinking...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about how some city leaders are saying Oregon’s bottle bill is fueling our fentanyl crisis and whether or not Commissioner Rene Gonzalez cried wolf. Plus, one-star reviews of the city’s most popular romantic destinations. City Cast Portland executive producer John Notarianni and host Claudia Meza round up the midweek news. Stories Discussed in Today’s Epi...

The age-old gripes about time change are back in the headlines, thanks to a new proposal by State Sen. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer. It’s part of a multi-state effort to shift away from Daylight Saving Time and instead make Standard Time permanent: Our long summer evenings would turn into earlier summer mornings. So today on the show, we’re revisiting a conversation with science journalist Erin Ross abo...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about a new public park that’s causing some heated debates, Commissioner Carmen Rubio’s bottomless bag of money potentially saving the Portland Street Response, and some skeptical county commissioners criticizing the governor’s 90-day emergency fentanyl declaration. Joining host Claudia Meza on this Friday’s news roundup are Portland Mercury news reporter...

Last year Portland saw the highest number of traffic fatalities since 1986, despite efforts from both the city and the state to make the streets more accessible and less dangerous. Today we’re talking with The Street Trust executive director Sarah Iannarone about what needs to happen to get the city on a safer path, including the tough choices to pay for it all. Events from today’s episode: Portla...

State leaders are struggling to fix the dysfunctional way Oregon handles unemployment benefits: Navigating the system is a nightmare, there are huge delays in payouts, and they’re even asking some people to return the money they’ve already received. Today we’re talking with Oregonian reporter Mike Rogoway about how the state got here, what they’re doing to fix the problem, and how someone can make...