City Cast Portland

Environmental researchers say that gardens full of native plants can help combat climate change by supporting pollinators and protecting wildlife, while conserving natural resources like water and green space. Today on City Cast Portland we’re talking with Peter Condra, a certified Oregon master naturalist who works for the Columbia Land Trust. He’s here to help us use garden spaces more effective...

We’re getting to that point of the year where Portlanders start to batten down the hatches for the seemingly never ending gray. For those struggling with seasonal depression, it's time to strategize for maintaining well-being. Former KATU anchor Sheila Hamilton left her job to work on the stigma and taboos related to mental health following her husband's suicide. She founded BeyondWell, a company...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about police drones in the sky, the proposed Willamette River ferry hitting a snag, and one of the city’s biggest sports team’s breakup with an airline. For this week’s news roundup, lead producer John Notarianni joins host Claudia Meza and Willamette Week “Dr. Know” columnist Marty Smith. Sources Mentioned in Today’s Episode: 75-Year-Old Portland Diner A...

During the rainy months, karaoke is a favorite pastime for many Portlanders. There are at least 15 bars dedicated to karaoke in our city, and dozens more that host very popular karaoke nights. Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with Yoni Wilson, a karaoke jockey — or KJ — at Portland karaoke mecca The Alibi. He’s got tips to help you put on your best show and a few unspoken rules for a fun...

The upcoming documentary film “The True Quest for Fabled Treasure on the Oregon Coast” tells the fascinating history of the Oregon coast shipwreck that inspired the iconic ’80s film “The Goonies.” Today on City Cast Portland, we’re asking the film’s director, Tony Altamirano, the big questions: Was there really hidden treasure? Is there actually a curse? Is it really our time down here?  The Portl...

Now that the rain has come, it’s prime mushroom hunting season in Oregon. But serious foragers are super-secretive about their best spots. So today on City Cast Portland, lead producer John Notarianni talks with Rachel Zoller, a mushroom educator and founder of Yellow Elanor. We’ll see if she spills a few of her secrets. More on Mushroom Identification and Anatomy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about Kaiser Permanente workers’ historic strike, Providence Park's transformation back into the largest music venue in town, and the messy breakup between the Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard. Joining host Claudia Meza on the week’s news roundup is the lead producer for City Cast Madison, Molly Stentz, and our very own lead producer, John Notarianni. Sto...

Back in 1963, five Portland teenagers recorded one of the most important songs in all of rock and roll history. The Kingsmen’s version of Richard Berry’s “Louie Louie” is the most-covered rock song of all time, but it was considered so wild in its time that the FBI investigated the band. Today on City Cast Portland we have Dick Peterson, the last remaining original member of the Kingsmen, and Luke...

We’re smack dab in the middle of the best season for hiking in Oregon. Forget peak summer. Right now, there are fewer crowds, richer colors, and way fewer mosquitoes. Today in the final installment of our Fall Getaways Guide, we’re talking with Norther Emily of Wild Solitude Guiding on the best hikes to take on a crisp fall day.  Destinations Mentioned in the Episode: Norther’s Fall Ritual Spots:...

Now that we’re into October, it’s the season of ghosts, apparitions, and all things haunted. Today in the second installment of our Fall Getaways series, we’re talking with Doug Kenck-Crispin of the Kick Ass Oregon History podcast about supernatural phenomena and ghostly sightings in the Portland area. Plus, we have a few picks for the best Halloween-themed attractions in the region. October Attra...

In case you somehow missed last week’s rains, fall is officially here! For the next three days, we're here with some autumnal ideas to help fill your next two months with all the best fall leaf viewing, roaring outdoor fires, apple picking, hiking trails, and — yes — haunted places. So today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with Eden Dawn, author of “The Portland Book of Dates” and co-host of...

Today on City Cast Portland we’re talking about the proposed $32 million budget cut for our city’s transit system, the neighborhood associations’ issue with the new charter reform, the Broadway bike lane scandal, and what the Lloyd Center is actually doing with its massive square footage. Joining host Claudia Meza on this week’s Friday news roundup are KBOO’s news director, Althea Billings, and ou...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with someone who is working to fix Oregon’s massive housing shortfall. Andrea Bell is the executive director of Oregon Housing and Community Services, the state agency in charge of funding affordable housing projects for Oregon. She’s going to tell us how the Legislature’s $200 million housing package actually turns into homes, and if we’re actually on tr...

After nearly 20 years of shows on East Burnside, the iconic music venue the Doug Fir Lounge will be shutting down at the end of this week. It will be reopening early next year in the space once occupied by the now-shuttered late-night restaurant Le Bistro Montage, but it’s still the end of an era. So today on City Cast Portland we’re talking with Annie Ostrowski, director of marketing for the Doug...

It can be tempting to conflate the opioid epidemic and Portland’s homelessness crisis, but researchers say homelessness has a lot more to do with housing costs than addiction. Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with Morgan Godvin, who spent several years incarcerated because of her own struggles with heroin. A lifelong Portlander, Morgan is now a post-graduate fellow at Northeastern Univer...

A trial is underway challenging Measure 114, a recent Oregon state law that set some of the toughest gun restrictions in the nation. While we await its fate, we wanted to revisit a conversation we had with the leader of a local organization that’s fighting gun violence. Lionel Irving, who leads the nonprofit Love Is Stronger, explains why organizations like his will need continual investment from...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about why you might have seen picket lines in front of Mike Bennett’s Wonderwood Springs Cafe, the Portland Public School District’s new anti-drug bags, and Mayor Ted Wheeler’s proposal to take over every city bureau. Joining host Claudia Meza for this Friday’s news roundup are City Cast’s director of newsletters, Bryan M. Vance, and our very own audio pr...

Portland is home to one of the largest comic book and graphic novel communities in the nation. We’re not just talking about fans but about writers, artists, and publishers. So with the city’s biggest comics convention underway this weekend, today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with Lauren Dabb of Leftfield Media, which produces the Rose City Comic Con, and Eisner-award-winning Portland comic...

You might have noticed, in the past few years, a number of large buildings have been left standing empty or even abandoned across our city. And with the ongoing housing crisis, it’s a wonder why some of these spaces haven’t been converted into affordable housing. So today on City Cast Portland, we’re digging into the status of a few of these vacant buildings with Willamette Week reporter Anthony E...

A few years back, Texas Monthly proclaimed Portland had the best Texas-style barbecue scene outside of Texas, which is pretty high praise. Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with Oregonian restaurant critic Michael Russell to assess whether Portland really does have the best barbecue scene on the West Coast. Barbecue joints discussed in this episode: Grasslands Barbecue Matt’s BBQ Matt’s B...

Many people think vegetable planting season comes once a year, in spring and early summer. But that’s not true! The fall is one of the best times to plant seeds and starts in the Pacific Northwest. Today on City Cast Portland we’re talking with Gabi Villaseñor from the local nonprofit Growing Gardens about which crops you should get in the ground right now. If you have questions for Gabi, email he...

Today on City Cast Portland we’re talking about the very possible Portland Public Schools teacher strike, the first Portland detox center funded by Measure 110, and our city’s wild short-term rental market. Joining host Claudia Meza on this week’s news roundup are Willamette Week’s “Dive” podcast host and "Potlander" column writer Brianna Wheeler and our very own lead producer, John Notarianni. St...

One type of food we do exceptionally well — but doesn’t get enough love — is the dumpling. Last month, Guy Fieri was seen eating some at a Himalayan restaurant in Sisters, Oregon; no shade to Sisters, but Portland has some pretty amazing spots as well. With the weather turning cozier soon, we’re talking with Eater Portland editor Brooke Jackson-Glidden about the best dumplings to try across the ci...

We’ve had a lot of conversations on the show involving hikes and out-of-town trips in the past. But pretty much all of them have depended on a car for transportation. So today on City Cast Portland, we’re challenging ourselves alongside Norther Emily, the founder of Wild Solitude Guiding, to focus on using car-free modes of transportation for some outdoor adventures outside of the city.  Trip Plan...

Kids across the Portland area have returned to school. Though remote learning, social distancing, and mask mandates may be in the past, the longer impacts of the pandemic are still lingering in Oregon schools. There are a lot of concerns on the minds of local parents and teachers, from worries about safety to entire school relocations and possible teacher strikes. Today on City Cast Portland, OPB...