City Cast Portland

Before Bill Oakley became Portland’s resident fast food expert, he was best known for his work as a showrunner for “The Simpsons”; he’s probably written some of your favorite lines from the show. Today Oakley is here to give us his honest takes on Portland’s fast food scene, from vegan junk food to the best burgers, as well as his expert opinion on where Homer Simpson would dine in town.  Restaura...

Portland has one of the best communities of comic book artists and writers in the world, so today we’ve got picks for the locally made comics and graphic novels you should check out this fall: from non-superhero titles to DC and Marvel’s most interesting offerings to fun books for kids. We’re talking with Katie Pryde, owner of the southeast Portland comic book shop Books With Pictures—which was na...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about how the bar exam is no longer the only way to become a lawyer in Oregon, the latest on the Portland Public Schools teachers’ strike, and City Council filing down the teeth of the new police oversight board. Joining host Claudia Meza on this week’s news roundup are KBOO news director, Althea Billings, and City Cast’s director of newsletters, Bryan M....

Holiday cooking is right around the corner, so today we’re talking with farm-to-market expert (and sibling to our executive producer) Molly Notarianni about what’s new in fruits and veggies this season. As the former executive director of Oregon's Farmers Market Fund, she’s tapped into all the new hybrids Oregon State University has been working on. She’ll introduce us to new offerings that you mi...

The Portland Bureau of Transportation recently made the news for its plans to alter — and in some cases even remove — some major city bike lanes. Commissioner Mingus Mapps, who oversees the bureau, offered multiple explanations, none of them adding up. Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with the editor of BikePortland, Jonathan Maus. He’s not only been following the story since its incepti...

Portland has plenty of incredible bars, but it’s sometimes hard to come up with fresh and fun ideas for sober outings. Today on City Cast Portland, Portland Monthly food editor Katherine Chew Hamilton is here to help acquaint us with a slew of alternatives. She’s sharing her picks of the best Portland bars where you can find excellent non-alcoholic drinks or where drinking isn’t the main focus. Ba...

Portland-based NuScale Power has been leading the way for a new generation of nuclear power plants, called small modular nuclear reactors. Last week, the company was in the headlines because it called off plans to build those reactors in Idaho. But what exactly does NuScale intend to do? And why was this news such a big deal? We’re listening back to a conversation between executive producer John N...

Today on City Cast Portland we’re talking about dubious crime rate data, the Portland Police Bureau’s new independent monitor, and Portland General Electric’s rate hike (yet again). Joining host Claudia Meza on this week’s news roundup are Portland Business Journal reporter Malia Spencer and our very own executive producer, John Notarianni. Stories Discussed in Today’s Episode: ‘It’s Gotten Worse:...

Since our lives basically run on computers, regional data centers handling internet traffic are a huge business: Companies are investing billions of dollars across Oregon to build and staff them. Today on City Cast Portland, executive producer John Notarianni talks with Oregonian business of technology reporter Mike Rogoway about what goes on in these warehouses full of computers, and the question...

A new drug detox center opened in Portland this fall, and it’s notable for two reasons: It’s the first in the metro area to focus on fentanyl addiction and the first funded by Measure 110. That's the drug decriminalization law that voters approved a few years ago and has been a source of controversy for its slow rollout of funding, on the one hand, and the epidemic of fentanyl that's followed, on...

Today on City Cast Portland, host Claudia Meza and producers John Notarianni and Giulia Fiaoni are picking 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?  Cocktail bars discussed in this episode: The Shaku Bar Rum Club The Garrison Sousòl The Emerald Ro...

Cities across the country are investing in a different kind of public restroom. They’re sleek, accessible, and have our city’s name pasted on the side. If that doesn’t sound familiar, maybe you should get to know the Portland Loo. Today on City Cast Portland, audio producer Giulia Fiaoni talks with our lead producer John Notarianni on the history of the Portland Loo. He’s excited to share what he’...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about why Portland Public Schools teachers are now on strike for the first time ever, how the city will start enforcing the camping ban, and why you won’t be buying liquor at the grocery store anytime soon. Joining lead producer John Notarianni on this week’s news roundup are Willamette Week’s “Dive” podcast host and "Potlander" column writer Brianna Whee...

Hiking during the rainy season can be a tough sell because let’s be real: No one likes getting soaked outdoors. But once you know how to do it, going for a hike in the rain comes with some perks you won’t get at any other time of year. Today on City Cast Portland, host Claudia Meza is talking with Norther Emily of Wild Solitude Guiding. She has some picks for where you should visit when the rain f...

Did you know that one of the world’s most photographed trees is in Portland? The famous Japanese maple is a featured attraction at the Portland Japanese Garden, where the fall colors are currently reaching their peak. Today on City Cast Portland, host Claudia Meza is talking with Megumi Kato and Will Lerner of the Portland Japanese Garden about how this tree got its reputation, the garden’s histor...

Tater tots are ubiquitous in Portland. You can get them specially seasoned and served with creative dipping sauces — or even as “totchos,” aka tater tot nachos. But did you know a big reason for that is because Oregon invented the tater tot?! Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with food writer and OPB’s Superabundant newsletter producer Heather Arndt Anderson about Oregon’s starchy history...

Clocks fall back an hour this Sunday, marking the end of Daylight Saving Time. State lawmakers passed a law years ago making Daylight Saving Time permanent, so why are we still doing this? The answer is: It’s complicated. Today, we’re talking with science journalist Erin Ross about what’s going on with this frustrating annual tradition, as well as the history of how DST came to be in the first pla...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about the climbing costs of the city’s government overhaul, the off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot who tried to take down a plane over Oregon, and the Washington state senator who passed through PDX with a gun in his carry-on. Joining host Claudia Meza on the week’s news roundup are Oregonian City Hall reporter Shane Dixon-Kavanaugh and our very own lead prod...

We’re more than a year out from our next City Council election, but we already have upwards of 25 candidates who’ve declared their intentions to run. It will be the first time that we’re electing a whopping 12 candidates across four districts, so there will be a lot of people to keep track of. Today, Willamette Week City Hall reporter Sophie Peel is here to help us make sense of it all and to high...

A recent nationwide survey ranked Oregon as the second worst state in the country at addressing residents’ mental health needs. Today on the show, we’re talking with Oregonian reporter Nicole Hayden, who recently published an in-depth examination of our state’s mental health system and its failures. She’s walking us through what she’s learned so far. Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portlan...

Portland’s beer scene frequently gets credit for being one of the biggest and best in the country: Oregon breweries won 23 medals at this year’s Great American Beer Festival. But in an era of corporate acquisitions and growing popularity of hard seltzer, Portland’s small breweries and beer bars have plenty of challenges. Today, we’re talking with Brian Koch, owner of the Lombard House, a cozy beer...

This year, Portland dropped its pursuit of controversial gunshot detection technology and embraced data-driven, culturally-specific community outreach programs that focus on violence intervention. And so far it appears they made the right choice because even though we’ve had an uptick of shooting deaths since the beginning of the month, overall, our homicide rate for 2023 has dropped from last yea...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about the impending Portland Public Schools teachers’ strike, Nike losing their prominence with everyday runners, and Oregon’s new Medicaid voucher program that helps pay for housing. Joining host Claudia Meza on this week’s news roundup are Portland Mercury news reporter Taylor Griggs and our very own lead producer, John Notarianni. Stories Discussed in...

Now that fall is here, experts expect that cases of COVID-19, RSV, and flu will rise. How worried should we be about this year’s bugs? And what’s going on with the latest vaccines? Science journalist Erin Ross is here to answer all our questions about viruses, vaccines, and whether we should still be masking up. Correction: Our guest misstated when babies are eligible for RSV immunization. The RSV...

Today we’re talking with Eater Portland editor Brooke Jackson-Glidden about the best nachos in Portland. Which restaurants have the craziest combos? Which ones do you need to try today? Get ready to get hungry, because we’re climbing a mountain of nachos. Nachos discussed in today’s episode: The Fixin’ To Expatriate The Low Tide Lounge GrindWitTryz Tight Tacos Kay’s Bar Who would you like to hear...