City Cast Salt Lake

It seems like every day in Salt Lake, one restaurant opens and another closes — or transforms from a dive bar into a cocktail lounge overnight (looking at you, Junior’s). So, what does it take to survive in Salt Lake’s food scene? Maxwell Christen, owner of Big Mouth Marketing, joins host Ali Vallarta to explore how important identity and adaptability are in a restaurant’s longevity. Resources and...

The Billboard Industry reigns supreme in Utah, with signs for Minky Couture and colorful scriptures blocking our scenic mountain views. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means break down how cities accommodate billboards and question if they’re really so bad. Plus, is Salt Lake suddenly getting its NHL team? And, tips to clean out your closet for earnings.   Resources and references:...

Tired of eating at the same Cafe Rio every week? Salt Lake has a ton of delicious places to try besides your usual haunts. Kendall Rodriguez, TikTok’s Queen of SLC, joins host Ali Vallarta to share five restaurants worth trying this spring, as well as what to order and a little trend forecasting. Resources and references: Ogden may have the best “Main Street” in the Country [KSL]  Two Salt Lake La...

The federal government recently awarded Salt Lake City a $39 million loan to replace our lead service lines, which has us wondering: Is there lead in our drinking water? Laura Briefer, Salt Lake City Public Utilities director, joins executive producer Emily Means to alleviate our fears and separate fact from fiction when it comes to what’s coming out of the tap. Resources and references: Salt Lake...

Members of the International Olympic Committee are visiting Salt Lake this week before almost certainly awarding us the 2034 Winter Games. City and state leaders — and most Utahns! — are super hyped on the prospect of bringing another Olympics to our state. But not all SLC residents are convinced we need a do-over of the ‘02 games — including host Ali Vallarta. Catherine Raney-Norman, a four-time...

Everywhere you turn in SLC an apartment complex is sprouting from the ground, with “for-rent” banners begging you to sign a lease. But where the heck are all the for-own condos? Dejan Eskic, senior research fellow at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, joins host Ali Vallarta to break down what barriers are standing in the way of our condominium daydreams and where they fit into our affordable ho...

After the illegal demolition of the Fifth Ward Meetinghouse on Easter Sunday comes a juicy plot twist we didn’t see coming. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means share the latest update and ask: Can we trust developers? Plus, winners and losers from the Salt Lake County Democratic Convention and a hot job for City Cast listeners. Correction: Rep. Brett Garner, D-West Valley, did pur...

What would happen if women left the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? This weekend is General Conference for the Salt Lake City-based, global religion, and a recent Instagram post elicited thousands of comments by frustrated women members. Cynthia Winward, co-host of the At Last She Said It Podcast, joins host Ali Vallarta to give an on-the-ground analysis of how women in the church are...

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox wants kids to spend less time on social media, and the state has enacted laws to restrict access for minors. But out of all the issues impacting Utah children — homelessness, food insecurity, environmental crises — why focus on how much time teens spend on their phones? Aimee Winder Newton, director of Utah’s Office of Families, joins host Ali Vallarta to explain why this is...

Juicy text messages reveal Salt Lake City Council members’ knee-jerk reactions to a bill paving the way for Major League Baseball and a stadium entertainment district on the Westside. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means share key takeaways from the digital skirmish. Plus, a historic building took a hit on Easter Sunday, and Ali and Emily share local shoutouts. Correction: The Fair...

We all know that April showers bring May flowers, but what else is April bringing? Deseret News columnist Meg Walter joins host Ali Vallarta to celebrate the return of outdoor dining, share tips for deer-proofing your garden and allergy-proofing your house, and highlight cool local events. Resources and references: Utah Baseball v. UVU, Monday, April 1 at Smith’s Ballpark Salt Lake County’s list o...

Salt Lake City’s skyline is reaching new heights, but down below our sidewalks are disappearing. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means go on a tour-de-construction around the city and dig into who’s responsible when the sidewalk ends. Plus, Utahns’ top priorities as perceived by lawmakers, and picks of the week for cooking, dancing, and stretching. Resources and references:  Downtow...

Could protecting one little bird save Great Salt Lake? Maybe! That’s what environmental advocates are betting on with a petition to list the Wilson’s phalarope under the Endangered Species Act. Deeda Seed, senior campaigner for the Center for Biological Diversity, joins host Ali Vallarta to explain how federal regulations around the species could get more water into the lake. Resources and referen...

Complaints from Utah Royals opponents have America First Credit Union playing defense. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means break down the controversy and a rattling history. Plus, will more funding to enforce canyon traction laws lead to better outcomes, or more hype for the proposed gondola up Little Cottonwood Canyon? This and more in a midweek news roundup chock-full of local s...

It’s time to start planting your garden, Salt Lake. No green thumb? No problem! Experimental gardener Madison Boerner joins host Ali Vallarta to share tips for renters, basement dwellers, and plant killers on how we can all grow something beautiful — even in the sidewalk cracks. This episode originally aired May 10, 2023. Resources and references: The Gallivan Center’s Garden Party, Saturday, Marc...

Two new sports arenas could dramatically change Salt Lake City: an MLB stadium on the Westside and a combined NHL/NBA arena in Downtown. But who benefits most from these proposals? Salt Lakers or the billionaires making the pitch? Salt Lake Tribune Jazz reporter Andy Larsen joins host Ali Vallarta to break down how this “investment” in Salt Lake City could pan out and what taxpayers should be aski...

A seat is very likely opening up on the Salt Lake City Council for the 2025 election. Could you be District 5’s new representative? Current Council Member Darin Mano joins host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means to dish on why he won’t run again — with one caveat — and why he wants you to. Plus, are there aliens in Utah? Also, Emily, Ali, and Council Member Mano share their picks of t...

Salt Lake City is rapidly changing, but the plans that guide our growth haven’t kept up; some haven’t been updated for decades. Now, the city has newly defined “general plan” in its code. Salt Lake City planning director Nick Norris joins host Ali Vallarta to explain the do’s and don’ts of general plans and how neighborhoods can work together toward a common vision for our city.  Resources and ref...

Utahns could save more water by eating less cheese and beef — but will we? Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means break down the story and response by Gov. Spencer Cox. Plus, Ali quizzes Emily on how Utah ranks in women’s equality, and there’s one less queer bar in Salt Lake.   Resources and references: A simple change could save the West from drought. You probably won’t like it. [Sa...

If Utahns thought they’d seen the last of Academy Award winner Gwyneth Paltrow after her 2023 ski trial in Park City, they were wrong … kinda. “Gwyn” is back and center stage at Park City’s Egyptian Theatre for the U.S. premiere of “Gwyneth Goes Skiing,” a satirical play based on Paltrow’s ski-slope collision with retired optometrist Terry Sanderson and the courtroom showdown that followed. Joseph...

More than 25% of Utah adults have a disability. So why didn’t the Legislature pass two bills that could have made life better for them? Advocate and former journalist Shelby Hintze joins host Ali Vallarta to explain how Utah’s cultural approach to disability limits our local economies. Resources and references: Why Utah’s Discrimination Against Disabled People Matters for Everyone [Prism] Getting...

The Utah Legislature set aside $25 million for a new, 600+ bed shelter. The big question is: Where will it go? Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means talk about the future of the state’s homeless shelter system. Plus, the Utah Transit Authority TRAX system is getting an upgrade, and Ali and Emily share their picks of the week. Resources and references: What's next for Utah's evolving...

As Salt Lake City School District considers a hypothetical $600 million bond to rebuild Highland and West High Schools, the Glendale and Poplar Grove neighborhoods would like SLC taxpayers to consider making it a $900 million bond. Host Ali Vallarta asks longtime Glendale advocate and former SLC School District employee Jenny Mayer-Glenn why Glendale needs a high school and what lengths parents wi...

Data show Utah’s housing crisis is — wait for it — still bad, especially for millennials. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means dig into the numbers and explore a new tool for renters and what Salt Lake City is doing about Airbnbs. Plus, in honor of the new state flag going up, featuring Utah’s ubiquitous beehive, Ali quizzes Emily on other state symbols. Resources and references: T...

The crescent moon was spotted on Sunday night, and thousands of Muslims across Salt Lake are now celebrating the holy month of Ramadan, which includes fasting from dawn to dusk. Nora Abu-Dan of the Emerald Project joins host Ali Vallarta to create a guide to being a good neighbor, manager, or co-worker over the next 28 days.  This episode first aired on April 4, 2022. Resources and references: Tic...