City Cast Portland

Did you know more than 15 varieties of strawberries were invented in Oregon? From May through September, we actually became 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 lead producer, John Notarianni, to find out what makes the Oregon s...

For the past 46 years, Willamette Week has published an anonymous survey where our state capitol’s lobbyists and staff members rank and comment on the lawmakers who were part of that year’s legislative session. They’re scored on everything from how smart they appeared to how well-liked they were.   So today on the show, host Claudia Meza is joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning political Willamette Wee...

When you think of a classic diner, what comes to mind: A counter? Cozy booths? Never-ending coffee refills? This month Eater Portland wrestled with this very concept of what even constitutes a Portland diner in a city that’s had more diner closures this past few years than ever before. So today on the show, host Claudia Meza talks with Brooke Jackson-Glidden, editor of Eater Portland (and recent J...

Part of the fun of going to a new city is experiencing it all for the first time and learning about the place you’re visiting. You might check out some things that wouldn’t interest you back home (and you might feel a little silly doing it). But what if you brought that same tourist energy to rediscover Portland?  Today on City Cast Portland, host Claudia Meza is joined by Eden Dawn, author of “Th...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about the last-minute billion-dollar amendment for the I-5 bridge expansion, the city testing artificial intelligence for non-emergency calls, and two major proposals from the committee working on Portland’s charter reform. Joining host Claudia Meza is Portland Mercury reporter Taylor Griggs and our very own lead producer, John Notarianni. Stories discuss...

Fentanyl has led to a record number of overdose deaths in Portland. But it’s not just the risk associated with using the drug that’s grown: it turns out it’s actually much harder to get off the drug too. And that’s become one of the many factors exacerbating our city’s homelessness crisis. Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with Emily Green of the Lund Report. She recently looked into the...

When we started this podcast last December, it felt like we were at the height of stereotypes and misconceptions about Portland all over social media. People wanted to know what the heck was going on over here. Even City Cast CEO (and Slate Political Gabfest co-host) David Plotz had questions.  Today we’re re-airing a conversation from February with David Plotz in the host seat, asking Claudia Mez...

For the next installment of our Summer Entertainment Guide, where we help you make the most of this short sweet season that’s upon us: It’s Pride Month! So much sweat and tears have gone into turning one brutal night in 1969 into an internationally celebrated month-long party. Today we’re talking with Pride Northwest executive director Debra Porta about the events she’s most looking forward to and...

Today we’re talking about our dismal ambulance response times, a controversial lawyer striking once again, and the newly-launched PPB drone program. Joining host Claudia Meza for this week’s news roundup is Willamette Week’s “Dive” podcast host and "Potlander" column author Brianna Wheeler and our very own lead producer, John Notarianni. Stories discussed in today's episode: Multnomah County strug...

Summer’s nearly here, and so too is the stress of trying to fit in every warm-weather activity you dreamed about all winter. Over the next few weeks, our Summer Entertainment Guide will bring you recommendations for how to spend these sunny days. Today we’re kicking it off with our city’s event guru, Portland actor, and creator Michele Venlee. She’s helping us comb through all the upcoming summer...

When the film “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature this year, it greatly validated Portland’s animation industry. Much of the work on the film was done not only at the Portland offices of animation studio ShadowMachine, but also in the backyards and homes of our local fabricators and animators. Now a new exhibit at the Portland Art Museum highlights the...

Today, we’re looking into the very real possibility of a public passenger ferry operating on the Willamette River. Susan Bladholm, founder and president of Friends of Frog Ferry, says most major river and coastal cities already have functioning ferry systems built into their public transportation. But how much is this going to cost? Where is the money coming from? And does Portland really need a f...

This year, Portland won more James Beard Awards than any other city. All in all, our food scene is killing it. To celebrate, we’re bringing back a conversation with Brent Braun, manager and sommelier at OK Omens, which was a 2023 James Beard semi-finalist for Outstanding Wine Program. Brent helped us figure out what the whole deal is with natural wine and how that seems to be all that anyone wants...

Today we’re talking about updates on the daytime camping ban now that it’s passed, the growing wait times at train crossings, and the sewage spill in Lake Oswego that ended up in the Willamette River. Joining host Claudia Meza for this week’s news roundup is Portland Mercury news editor Courtney Vaughn and City Cast’s director of newsletters, Bryan M. Vance. Stories discussed in today’s episode: C...

Frontier times were much more inclusive and interesting than many of our Western films have led us to believe. And Ivan McClellan, a Portland-based photojournalist, hopes to uncover and share a bit of that unseen history at his Eight Seconds Juneteenth Rodeo. Ivan is attempting something spectacular; not only will it be Portland’s first Black Rodeo, but it’s possibly the first rodeo ever hosted wi...

Portland loves brunch so much it has its own “Portlandia” skit. Our brunch scene was once mighty and line-worthy, but then the pandemic hit, and many of our favorite spots closed. Still, Oregonian food writer (and self-proclaimed king of brunch) Michael Russell says a brunching renaissance is afoot. He’s sharing some of his new (and old) favorite spots in town to inspire us all to get back out the...

Even after decades of work to make the Willamette River a safe place to swim, lots of Portlanders still refuse to go in it. So where does this toxic reputation stem from and how safe is it ACTUALLY today? We’re talking with Willie Levenson, the Ringleader of the river advocacy group Human Access Project, about the revitalization of the Willamette and his favorite spots on the river to swim this su...

Today, award-winning writer and reporter Casey Parks gives us her personal history of growing up as a young adult in Portland through the lens of four songs. It’s part of a new series we’re calling “Portland Mixtapes.”  Casey’s first book, “Diary of a Misfit”, was recently published to much critical acclaim – it even won an Oregon Book Award this year. She’s been jet-setting around the country for...

Today, we're talking about the momentum building for the city's proposed daytime camping ban, the filing of a legal notice involving Portland Street Response, and Republican legislators' continued refusal to do their job. Joining host Claudia Meza for this week’s news roundup are Willamette Week reporter Sophie Peel and our very own lead producer John Notarianni. Stories discussed in today’s episo...

Friday is National Doughnut Day! So today, we’ve got a few dozen of the freshest doughnuts from four different shops. Is Blue Star worth all the hype? Is anyone still eating Voodoo Doughnuts? Does Portland even have good doughnuts??? Helping host Claudia Meza compare and decide which are the best in town is lead producer John Notarianni and audio producer Giulia Fiaoni. Doughnuts devoured in this...

A couple of weeks ago, West Linn voted in their youngest elected mayor ever: 23-year-old Rory Bialostosky. As Gen Z begins to take office, older generations are taking notice. Today on City Cast Portland, we’re sharing a conversation we aired earlier this year between our own Gen Z audio producer, Giulia Fiaoni, and two elder millennials: our host Claudia Meza and Oregonian reporter Lizzy Acker. ...

We’re getting into summer, which historically is when gun violence picks up in our city. Last summer, Portland launched the Safe Summer PDX pilot intervention program that funded five community-based organizations, including Love is Stronger led by Lionel Irving. Across the board, the initiative was a success, but the city isn’t re-upping its investment. Today on City Cast Portland, Lionel explain...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about how a lawsuit against the city over tents blocking sidewalks has reached a tentative settlement. We’re also looking into the increase in TriMet’s fares and the possibility of the Lloyd Center becoming the location for a major league baseball stadium. Joining host Claudia Meza are KBOO’s news director, Althea Billings, and our very own audio producer...

Portland takes its women’s sports very seriously, so it’s surprising we still don’t have a WNBA team of our own – we definitely have the fanbase to support one. At least, that’s what Jenny Nguyen thinks. A year ago, she opened the Sports Bra, a bar dedicated to women’s sports. Today, we’re talking with Jenny about her business’s role in bringing college and professional Women’s basketball to our c...

Now that it’s finally stopped raining, it seems like everyone wants to visit us! Today, we’re talking about where you should take your first-time Portland visitors. Host Claudia Meza is joined by lead producer John Notarianni and audio producer Giulia Fiaoni to share the best places to take friends and family to give them that Portland experience. Claudia’s Picks: Mt. Tabor Park ArborLook Carts Cr...