City Cast Portland

Oregon lawmakers are working on a $200 million dollar plan to boost semiconductor manufacturing in the state. But part of that plan would give Gov. Tina Kotek unprecedented power to make decisions about where new factories could go – including some of the Portland metro area’s most desirable farmland. Today on the show, lead producer John Notarianni talks with Aaron Nichols, co-owner of Stoneboat...

If you feel like it’s getting harder and harder to find a parking space in Portland, you’re not crazy: at the beginning of the year, Oregon adopted new laws that have reduced the number of parking spaces some new developments need to build. And the city could do away with ALL requirements that new buildings provide parking later this year. But with new buildings popping up all over the city, what...

Oregon just passed a big deadline in this year’s legislative session in Salem. Basically, all the bills they’ll be considering are finally in, and with over 2,700 on the docket, there’s so much to discuss. On today’s show, lead producer John Notarianni hosts Portland’s weekly news roundtable, joined by Julia Shumway, a senior reporter for the Oregon Capital Chronicle, and our very own Hey Portland...

Natural wine’s popularity has exploded in recent years, especially here in Oregon. But does it deserve all the hype, or is it just another trend? On Thursdays, we chat about food and drink on City Cast Portland, and today our host Claudia Meza is talking with Brent Braun, the sommelier at OK Omens – the self-proclaimed “wine-focused restaurant” and one of this year’s national James Beard Award sem...

In 2015, Portland began Vision Zero, a 10-year plan to eliminate all traffic-related deaths, but despite the program’s efforts, traffic deaths in the city have continued to increase. Mingus Mapps, the City Commissioner who oversees the Portland Bureau of Transportation, thinks he might have the missing component for its success: increased traffic enforcement. Will it work? Who would you like to he...

Multnomah County Animal Services is facing mounting criticism that they’re not doing enough to reunite lost pets with their owners or even taking proper care of the animals in their custody. Today we’re talking with OPB Weekend News Editor April Ehrlich. She wrote a two-part series about the troublesome accusations facing these tax-funded shelters.  Listener Note: This episode talks about animal c...

Local comedian Ndem Nkem moved to town three years ago to escape Fresno, Calif. One big reason? Our fantastic vegan food scene. It also didn’t hurt that our comedy scene is on an upward trajectory. Today we’re talking with this rising comedy star about improv and eating plant-based in our city.  Catch Ndem live at Secret Aardvark at Kickstand Comedy and Talk of the Town at Curious Comedy Links: Ve...

The Doug Fir is moving, the arts scene blossoms, and self-serve gasoline could come to Portland: Host Claudia Meza is rounding up the city’s arts and culture news and events with Portland Mercury arts & culture editor Suzette Smith and lead producer John Notarianni. Stories Discussed: https://www.portlandmercury.com/spring-arts-preview-2023/2023/02/27/46371293/portland-mercurys-spring-arts-preview...

The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission is under a lot of scrutiny after some of its officials were caught hoarding rare bottles of liquor for themselves. Some are even calling for the complete dissolution of the organization — Oregon is one of only 17 states in the country where alcohol is controlled by the state government. Today, we’re talking with bartender Mike Norwood of The Garrison, who...

The Portland Thorns soccer team had a rough time last year. Not in terms of performance – they won the National Women’s League Championship, after all – but in terms of controversies involving their front office and general club management. Today we’re speaking with Gabby Rosas, president of the 107 Independent Supporters Trust, a nonprofit organization supporting both the Rose City Riveters and t...

Dr. Bronner’s is legendary for their soap, with bottles covered in eccentric messages promoting peace, love, and unity. But the company has also donated more than $23 million to drug advocacy and research organizations. In Oregon alone, they spent close to $3 million on initiatives like Measure 109, which legalized psilocybin therapy in the state. With psilocybin treatment centers in the process o...

Filmmaker T.J. Regan says he might have solved one of the greatest PNW mysteries of all time. He thinks he found the legendary hijacker D.B. Cooper, alive and well living in Washington state. How sure is he? He made a movie about it.  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. Still want more Portland news?...

Today on City Cast, Portland we’re rounding up some headlines that caught our attention this week with Willamette Week’s Sophie Peel and City Cast Portland lead producer John Notarianni. We’ll be looking into the new plan to consistently fund city parks, the gaining momentum of the ‘Greater Idaho’ movement, and the nearly one million dollars of federal funding going to support Albina Vision Trust....

Did you know Oregon has roughly 37,000 operating farms, and that most farms are operating ALL YEAR LONG? On Thursdays, we chat about food on City Cast Portland, and today we’re talking winter farming with Mary Colombo, co-owner of Wild Roots Farm in Troutdale. How can a non-chef on a budget partake of our winter bounty? How are these year-round farms surviving our severe weather changes? And how d...

Today we’re talking with Oregonian reporter Lizzy Acker about her recent article, “Apparently, Portland is the best place in America to live if you’re Gen Z; but what about Millennials?” That story, coupled with a recent Willamette Week piece reporting that middle-aged folks are fleeing Portland, has us wondering: Is there something deeper here? We also asked an actual Gen Z’er to help us get to t...

Some last-minute maneuvers at the NBA trade deadline earlier this month have shaken up the Portland Trail Blazers and their fans. Today we’re talking with Dia Miller, a sports photojournalist and the co-host of the Shooting Hoops podcast, about the surprising changes to the team’s lineup. Even if you’re not a basketball fan, we have some good sports gossip coming your way. Who do you want to hear...

All week we’ve been looking at ways to manage seasonal depression during Oregon winters, but what if you’re still feeling a little ‘blah’? Maybe you just need to leave town for a little bit and get some sun on your face? (No one is going to fault you.) Today we’re talking with Portland Monthly travel writer Sam Stites about the sun-soaked places you can reach via a direct flight out of PDX. He rec...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about “depression dining”: how to cook nourishing food when you don't have the energy or bandwidth to do much of anything.  Eater Portland editor Brooke Jackson-Glidden joins us to share some of her best strategies and recipes for those short on time or will. It’s part of our weeklong focus on seasonal depression, where we talk with experts about how to g...

Portland-raised sound artist and musician Kyle Bates records under the name Drowse. Pitchfork said Kyle’s most recent album joined a “grand tradition of Pacific Northwestern gloom.” It’s interesting that there’s so much gloomy music coming from our region. How are artists like Kyle staying productive through this dark time of the year? And how do our moody winters affect their art? We’re continuin...

Winter weather in Oregon can make it hard for anyone to leave their home, especially for those who might not have a ton of outdoor experience. But we all know being outside is good for you; it can help you feel happier and less stressed. So today we’re talking with outdoor guide Norther Emily of Wild Solitude Guiding. She’s sharing some nearby places you can drive to for a quick break from the gra...

It’s that time of year when Portland’s gray weather can make even the most cheerful feel down. Seasonal depression is a very real thing, and for those already struggling, it can be incapacitating. So, we’re spending this entire week talking with experts about a whole range of ways to protect our mental health. After her husband’s suicide, Sheila Hamilton dedicated her life to demystifying and norm...

We’re rounding up some of the week’s big housing stories that directly affect our city’s unhoused community. Joining us is the Oregonian's Nicole Hayden, who reports on homelessness, and City Cast Portland lead producer John Notarianni. Stories discussed: A look inside: Large California tent camp could foretell Portland’s future [Oregonian] Operator announced for Portland’s 3rd safe rest village [...

Personal finance website WalletHub ranked Portland 30th for the country’s most sinful cities, although Portland scored higher — 11th — for lust. We do have a lot of strip clubs. Why is that? Today, we talk to Liv Osthus, otherwise known as Viva Las Vegas, who has been stripping in Portland for 26 years. She’s a writer, a musician, and a public speaker on the importance of sex work. She’ll help us...

Portlander Les Knight has made a lot of people on the internet angry when the New York Times published a profile on him and his Voluntary Human Extinction Movement. Knight has led a decades-long effort to convince humans to stop breeding in order to save life on this planet. What exactly does his movement entail? And is human existence really hurtling our planet to another age of mass extinction?...

Utility bills have skyrocketed this winter. Even natural gas, which at one point was considered the cheapest energy source, has more than doubled in price. Today on the show, we’re going to be talking to Charlotte Shuff, the outreach manager at the Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board. They’ll fill us in on some proposed legislation in Salem that could lead to significant energy savings for Portland hou...