City Cast Portland

The Portland City Archives are home to a paper trail capturing every major and minor moment of our city’s history, from mayoral memos to hand-drawn maps. The archivists like to say they have the receipts for everything the city has ever done, in public or private. Today we're revisiting a conversation with City Archivist Madeline Moya about what’s inside this archive — and how it helps hold local...

Homelessness is one of the major issues that cities like Portland are trying to solve. The state of Utah is planning to build a 16-acre homeless campus on the outskirts of Salt Lake City, where unhoused people with mental illnesses or addiction issues could be sheltered and in some cases involuntarily committed. This controversial idea is the brainchild of conservative think tanks, and it’s one th...

Today, we’re looking into the wild drama surrounding the only Oregonian in President Trump's Cabinet, the legal fights and political fallout over the gas tax bill, and a neighborhood clinic that's closing after being bought by a healthcare mega-corporation. Joining executive producer John Notarianni on this week’s Friday news roundup are Willamette Week City Hall reporter Sophie Peel and our very...

Portland Public Schools was already staring down a $50 million budget deficit for the next school year. Then, last week, the district announced it will be $10 million short this year, too. Today on City Cast Portland, Oregonian education reporter Julia Silverman is here to check in on the district's current financial straits, what it will take to cover the costs, and why there are still reasons fo...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking about the city official vowing to keep Portland's ICE facility open, PacifiCorp's liability in a class action lawsuit over the 2020 wildfires topping $1 billion, the recycling company that dumped 17 tons of plastic in a local landfill, and so much more. Plus, we've got event picks to help you make the most of the first week of March. Joining executive pro...

Today on City Cast Portland, we’re looking into the city’s new pilot program hoping to make us all landlords and how Portland might become a haven for polyamorous families. Plus, we’re diving into our mailbag and hearing from you, our listeners, on a few more gluten-free food picks. Joining host Claudia Meza are KBOO news director Althea Billings and City Cast Portland senior producer Giulia Fiaon...

Whether you’re settling in for a tasting menu at one of our city's best restaurants during Portland Dining Month or listening to a string ensemble performing candlelit renditions of your favorite '90s hip-hop hits, this is the month when Portland begins to shake off the winter doldrums and come alive. City Cast Portland has picked the month’s top food, entertainment, and community happenings to he...

A lot of cities, including Portland, are trying to figure out how best to revitalize downtown. It's an issue that's especially top of mind for Pittsburgh, who is hosting the NFL Draft in April. To solve the problem of vacant properties and empty storefronts, the city is trying out a new rent abatement program. So, City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Pittsburgh podcast host Megan Harris...

Today on City Cast Portland we’re looking into a troubling 911 call from an ICE officer, Gov Kotek’s confusing stance on data centers, and a group that hosts real life seasons of “Survivor” right here in Portland. Joining host Claudia Meza on this week’s Friday news roundup are Stumptown Savings founder, Bryan M. Vance and our very own executive producer, John Notarianni. Discussed in today's epis...

Today we’re talking with Portland Monthly Managing Editor Margaret Seiler, about her car-free, off-season guide to Hood River and the surrounding area. Even at its quietest, Margaret thinks Hood River has plenty going on for a weekend trip. She’s got a list of places we should check out, including a place that boasts art so bad they don’t allow you to take pictures inside. Become a member of City...

Today on the midweek news roundup, we’re talking about our 12-member City Council finding ways to cut down on meetings, a measles outbreak in our state, a city leader walking back a proposal for allowing open carry in City Hall, and why our coastal Dungeness crabbers united against a petition aimed at preventing whale entanglements. Plus, we dive into our mailbag and hear from you, our listeners....

With the price of everything skyrocketing and many of us still wanting to pop out of town for a quick winter getaway, we're revisiting a conversation with our resident fun expert Eden Dawn, co-author of The Portland Book of Dates. She's sharing some ideas for luxurious, budget-friendly staycations, from a night away at a local winery's villa to a bike ride along a beautiful waterfront. This episod...

As Portlanders, we can't help but be nostalgic for the past. So when it comes to our restaurant scene, it can be hard to accept how often we have to say goodbye to our most beloved spots. Today Portland Monthly's associate editor of food and drink Alex Frane is joining host Claudia Meza and producer Giulia Fiaoni to remember some of our city's most missed restaurants, along with picks from you, ou...

Everyone’s talking about AI these days, including Portlanders. And now, more data centers are popping up across the country, thanks in part to the AI revolution. But some cities are stemming the tide, including Madison, Wisconsin, who recently passed a one-year moratorium on new data center construction. City Cast CEO David Plotz feels strongly that this was the wrong choice! He’s sitting down wit...

Today, we're talking about how Portland’s housing authority, Home Forward, is taking ages to fill vacant apartments, why the Trump administration is once again investigating Portland Public Schools, and updates on local leaders' attempts to combat federal overreach. Joining host Claudia Meza on today’s Friday news roundup are Stumptown Savings founder Bryan M. Vance and our very own producer Giuli...

Our city gets a lot of national attention for being the best at certain things. We have the best airport, pizza, vegan food, and protests, according to some publications. And today on City Cast Portland, we have another one to add to that list. According to travel writer Matt Hansen, we have the best gluten-free food in the entire world. And he’s brought the receipts to prove it, along with an exp...

Earlier this week, we discussed ideas for bringing people back to our city center — including promoting Portland's nightlife. Many cities across the U.S. have hired night-time economy directors, or “night mayors,” to manage and boost late-night scenes, and it’s paying off. Today, we're revisiting a conversation host Claudia Meza had with Philadelphia's Night Time Economy Director, Raheem Manning,...

Despite countless efforts by city and state leaders, downtown foot traffic is nowhere near pre-pandemic levels. Today, we’re talking with two local leaders who represent our central city: District 4 Councilor Olivia Clark and District 3 Councilor Steve Novick. We’re talking through the mayor’s ambitious new plans for downtown, what’s already in the works, some crazy ideas that just might work, and...

All eyes have been on the Twin Cities lately, including Portlanders’. Operation Metro Surge is reportedly ending in Minnesota, with the withdrawal of immigration agents expected over the next week. Over the last two months, though, residents of the Twin Cities have organized a range of local collective action efforts including protests, mutual aid, and monitoring ICE — and they’ve done it quickly....

Today, we’re looking into far-right activist Ammon Bundy's stance against ICE agents, the millions of unspent housing dollars the city uncovered, and big changes coming to 82nd Avenue. Joining host Claudia Meza on this week’s Friday news roundup are Oregonian City Hall reporter Shane Dixon Kavanaugh and our very own executive producer, John Notarianni. Discussed in Today's Episode: Ammon Bundy Is...

With Valentine’s Day just days away, it's a good time to remember just how complicated dating can feel in Portland. Today, comedian Jay Flewelling joins us to talk about the state of love in Portland: what’s broken, what’s funny, and what might actually work. He’s also bringing dating horror stories from Mack Lee and Aleah Liebenau, co-hosts of Heart Throb, a comedy show that turns Portland dating...

Today, we have updates on major local stories, including the millions more in unspent dollars found in our city’s Housing Bureau, the return of the Gresham family taken by federal agents to a Texas ICE facility, and the uncertain future of the Trail Blazers and the Moda Center. Joining host Claudia Meza on this midweek roundup is our very own executive producer, John Notarianni. Discussed in Today...

Portland has no shortage of award-winning cocktail lounges and dive bars, but there's still something extra special about a neighborhood bar. They're your community hub, therapist office, and place to make friends: they're an essential piece of our city's cultural fabric. So today, producers John Notarianni and Giulia Fiaoni are joining host Claudia Meza to discuss our favorite neighborhood bars,...

According to data recently published by the Portland Business Journal, the most popular shopping district in our city is located in Southeast Portland's Richmond neighborhood. In the last three months of 2025, Hawthorne Blvd. saw 1.6 million visitors, more than any other business strip in our city. So today, we're revisiting our neighborhood guide where executive producer John Notarianni spoke to...

Today we’re talking about a drug market that moved into a local affordable housing complex, as well as yet another surplus of unspent funds found in the city Housing Bureau’s budget. Plus, a local psychiatrist’s connection to the Epstein files, the Lake Oswego marquee that upset Amazon, and so much more. Joining host Claudia Meza on this week’s Friday news roundup are Willamette Week reporter and...