City Cast Portland

North Portland used to have a thriving jazz scene before a freeway was built through the predominantly Black neighborhood in the ‘60s. But earlier this year, DownBeat Magazine named The 1905 in North Portland one of the best jazz clubs in the world. Today we're checking in with Alex Newman, host of ’New Jazz For Lunch’ on KMHD, about the city’s jazz scene and all the best places to catch a live sh...

With both Nike and Adidas headquartered in the Portland metro area, our city is kind of a mecca for sneakerheads. So when the new movie “Air” came out about Nike’s iconic Air Jordan sneaker, we knew we wanted to hear from those in the local footwear scene. Today we’re talking with Herbert Beauclere, co-founder of Sneaker Week PDX. We’ll hear his take on whether the movie is worth the ticket price....

We’re talking about the return of armed Portland State University officers, a proposed defunding of promises made by the city back in 2020, and how to make best friends with crows. Joining host Claudia Meza for our weekly news roundup are our very own producers, John Notarianni and Giulia Fiaoni. Stories discussed on today’s show: https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2023/04/portland-state-rearms-camp...

When the pandemic hit, many food writers stopped sharing their negative takes and focused on what could be celebrated at local restaurants. But late last year, Willamette Week published a controversial critique of a new restaurant that captured the food scene’s attention. Is the Portland food scene ready for critical or bad reviews? We ask two top critics: Michael Russell from the Oregonian and Br...

Did you know that the OLCC requires all businesses that serve alcohol to also sell food? And not just snacks, like full-on hot meals. The Portland dive bar scene is just built differently. Today host Claudia Meza is joined by producers John Notarianni and Giulia Fiaoni for a Portland dive bar roundup. You might just find a new favorite spot. This episode originally aired on January 10th, 2023. Div...

After a major decrease during the pandemic, we’re seeing evictions in Multnomah County rise even higher than before COVID. Today on City Cast Portland we’re talking with Alli Sayre, Organizing Coordinator for Portland Tenants United. She’ll be walking us through how bad it is, what the state may do to help, and answer the question: is there such a thing as a good landlord? Resources for people fac...

We often think of Oregon as a verdant wonderland, which is why it’s surprising that Portland has some of the worst air quality in the nation – and it’s getting worse. So why is it so bad? And what can we do about it? Today we’re talking with Mary Peveto, Executive Director of Neighbors for Clean Air, who says most people still don’t know how many pollutants we’re breathing here in Portland.  Who w...

Today we’re talking about restaurant break-ins, the legislative fight over rent control, and oyster-stealing green crabs. Host Claudia Meza is joined by two colleagues from the Portland Business Journal: managing editor Andy Giegerich and reporter Malia Spencer. 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. Sti...

A lot of us have the pandemic in our rearview mirrors, but many businesses are still reeling from its impact. Not only are restaurants still recovering – many are also reckoning with whether their entire business model is sustainable.  The pandemic was tough; the aftermath was even harder. Today we’re talking with Katy Millard, chef and co-owner of the acclaimed neighborhood restaurant Coquine. Sh...

Every few years rumors start up that the Lloyd Center is shutting down. But sometime last year, a new buzz began growing around the space...and people started affectionately referring to it as the “Punk Rock Mall.” Local vendors started opening smaller, more eclectic pop-up shops, from homemade clothing stores to record shops and communal gaming spaces. Local bands began playing, parties were gett...

Portland and bicycling are synonymous. We’re known for our strong biking culture and are repeatedly crowned the most bike-friendly city in the United States. So it’s disorienting to hear the Portland Bureau of Transportation report that bike ridership declined by almost 35% between 2019 and 2022.  Some think the drop in cycling is due to the pandemic or safety concerns. But Jonathan Maus, the edit...

It’s that time of year again when the city sends out semi-threatening letters reminding you to pay your $35 arts tax. If you forgot, back in 2012, we voted overwhelmingly in favor of this tax, which supplements art education in public schools and funds art programming in our city. But the moment it passed, it seemed most of us regretted our decision. Even larger arts organizations that petitioned...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking downtown fentanyl markets, Oregon’s roadkill laws, upcoming summer music festivals, and more! Host Claudia Meza is joined by Meerah Powell, the higher education reporter for Oregon Public Broadcasting, and Bryan M. Vance, the director of newsletters for City Cast.  Stories discussed in today’s episode: Willamette Week’s Series on the Washington Center’s D...

Not too long ago, Mexican food in Portland was all cheddar cheese, bland sauces, and sour cream. But a new explosion of chefs is bringing more accurate and creative takes on Mexican food to our city, creating national buzz along the way.  Notably, a restaurant group, República & Co., has been opening a dizzying number of new restaurants and cafes. One of these newly opened spots, Lilia Comedor, re...

Clinton Street Theater in Southeast Portland has been around for over 100 years, making it one of the oldest continuously operating movie houses in the United States. A year ago it was bought by seven film fanatics, a group that included former employees and volunteers. Today we’re talking with two of the new proprietors — Susan Tomorrow and Aaron Colter — to check how it’s going as they come up o...

Walter Cole, aka Darcelle XV, died last week at age 92. We’re remembering how Darcelle XV became a Portland legend – and the oldest working drag queen in the world. And if you have no idea who that is, buckle up, host Claudia Meza is taking you back to the gritty ‘60s in Old Town Portland. Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at portland@citycast.fm, or leave us a vo...

Even before its recent legalization through Measure 109, Portland has had a long history of under-the-table psychedelic therapy. Gabe K-S is the founder of the Rhizome, a communal space in Portland where he facilitates people having their own psychedelic experiences.  Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with him about how he’s seeing the psychedelic community change as legalization comes in...

Today on the show we’re talking about ghost kitchens, the decrease in commuter bicycling, and the Portland Art Museum’s recent PR disaster. Host Claudia Meza is joined by Crystal Ligori, a host of Oregon Public Broadcasting’s All Things Considered, as well as our very own lead producer John Notarianni. Stories discussed in today’s episode: Reef Kitchen calls it quits: https://www.wweek.com/news/ci...

The Oregonian's longtime restaurant reporter and food critic Michael Russell recently published his picks for the best sushi Portland has to offer. But what you won’t find in that article are some of his VERY strong opinions about Portland’s sushi scene. Get ready for some hot takes on cold fish. Restaurants discussed in today's episode: Nodoguro: https://www.instagram.com/thenodoguro Nimblefish:...

Earlier this month, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler unveiled the operator of the city’s first major tent site for unhoused Portlanders: San Francisco-based nonprofit Urban Alchemy. Today on the show, Street Roots’ Piper McDaniel breaks down what we know about the tent site plan and the wider implications for the city's policy on homelessness. Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us a...

Like it or not, tolling is coming to Portland freeways. But there’s a lot of tension about how those dollars will be spent, and the effects they’ll have on communities near our freeways. Today we’re talking with state Rep. Khanh Pham (D-Portland). She’s a leading voice in Salem on how we should rethink transportation spending. Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at...

Old Town’s Shanghai Tunnels are believed to be the remnants of Portland’s seedy past. Stories of human trafficking, opium dens, and gangster hideouts fuel their hype as a modern tourist destination. But Doug Kenck-Crispin of ORhistory.com says maybe that’s not the whole story. Check out Doug’s Podcast, Kick Ass Oregon History Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at p...

Today on the show, we’re rounding up some headlines that caught our attention this week. Everything from bridges catching fire to the police not fully investigating DUIs. This week, host Claudia Meza is joined by Willamette Week’s City Hall reporter Sophie Peel and our lead producer John Notarianni.  Stories discussed this week: A Homeless Person Almost Died in a Fire in a Cinder Block Chamber Ben...

There’s a new crop of restaurants that are challenging the boring old red-sauce-and-meatballs cliché of Italian food in Portland. It’s seasonal, it’s fresh, it’s fun, and it’s even kind of weird. On Thursdays we talk about food on City Cast Portland, and today lead producer John Notarianni is talking with Brooke Jackson-Glidden, editor of Eater Portland, about the explosion in creativity we’ve see...

Everyone in Portland knows that Oregon is facing a giant affordable housing crisis. Local officials talk about it a lot, and the new governor has made it a priority. But can the federal government help us out here? Today on the show, lead producer John Notarianni talks with our senior U.S. Senator, Ron Wyden, about his ambitious plan to house everyone experiencing homelessness across the country w...