City Cast Salt Lake

Starter homes, sticking it to the feds, snowplow headlights; time for a breakdown of the bills host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means are watching this week. Plus, remember the passenger rail proposal to Boise? We’ve got some gossip on what happened to it as well as our picks of the week. Bills mentioned: HB 306 Residential Housing Amendments SB 57 Utah Constitutional Sovereignty Act...

Salt Lake City’s east-west divide often makes headlines, from disparities in air quality to getting stuck behind trains to displacement due to gentrification. But what does the Westside really need? District 1 Council Member Victoria Petro and District 2 Council Member Ale Puy join host Ali Vallarta in their new leadership roles to talk about how they’ll advocate for Westside residents. Consider b...

It’s been a year since NBA All-Star Weekend descended upon Salt Lake City. What impact did it have? Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means look at the numbers and muse on a vision for activating downtown around big sporting events. And have you ever wondered what the heck is City Cast? Gather ‘round for our origin story, plus some local shoutouts. The Salt Lake Winter Roundup is Satu...

What will 2024 bring to Utah’s food scene? Gastronomic SLC founder Stuart Melling and host Ali Vallarta preview a new year of bars, local and chain food trends, and James Beard Awards. Plus, the spiciest soups for your head cold. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the det...

On Jan. 30, newly re-elected Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall will give her annual State of the City address. The mayor is expected to lay a vision for our city in her second term. She joins host Ali Vallarta to talk through some of the city’s biggest projects — both the challenges and the opportunities. Watch the State of the City address Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. Learn more about the Perpet...

Another week of the Utah Legislature in the books. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means talk about the bills that caught their eyes, including on beekeeping, judges, and renters' rights. Plus, Salt Lake City residents ask Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall to prioritize publicly funded housing, and Ali and Emily share their picks of the week. Bills discussed: HB 257 Sex-based Des...

The Stanley Adventure Quencher is hotter than ever and the internet’s latest obsession. Headlines and think pieces abound about why people are waiting in long lines for the colorful, 40 oz. tumbler. But in Utah, we’ve been ahead of the curve for two years now — and we may have even created this monster. Deseret News columnist Meg Walter joins host Ali Vallarta to explain the phenomenon. This episo...

The Sundance Film Festival is in full swing, and host Ali Vallarta has been on the ground in Park City festin’ it up. Ali and executive producer Emily Means chat about the future of the festival and celebrity sightings. Plus, could Salt Lake get a Major League Baseball team sooner than we thought?  Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our w...

Utah’s Great Salt Lake commissioner recently released the first ever strategic plan for tackling the crisis at the lake. What’s in it, and will it move the needle on one of Salt Lake’s greatest existential threats? Chandler Rosenberg, co-founder of Save Our Great Salt Lake and deputy director at the Great Basin Water Network, joins host Ali Vallarta to give her take. Consider becoming a founding m...

This weekend, volunteers across Salt Lake County will participate in the Point-in-Time Count, an annual census of unsheltered Utahns. So, what can this data tell us about who is experiencing homelessness in Salt Lake County? Rob Wesemann, Salt Lake County’s Point-in-Time Count lead, joins host Ali Vallarta to bust some common myths about unsheltered Salt Lakers.  Sign up to volunteer for Salt Lake...

The Utah Legislature is coming in hot in the first week of the general session. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means talk about the bills that caught their eye, including ones that impact the Great Salt Lake, bar licenses, and elections. Plus, two cozy picks for the week. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and hel...

From sketchy financial spending to DUIs, Utahns are used to headlines about our electeds making questionable choices. So why the heck does this keep happening? Salt Lake Tribune columnist Robert Gehrke joins host Ali Vallarta to talk about how our perception of bad behavior has changed and what consequences exist to hold people accountable.  Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt La...

Sugar House Coffee is taking a stand against a proposed high rise on 2100 S. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means talk about the future of Salt Lake City’s new downtown. Plus, you don’t need to wait in line for an hour to eat at a chain restaurant — Ali and Emily share some local alternatives for your dining pleasure. Also, we’ve got an update on the Utah State Board of Education’s...

Happy first day of the Utah Legislature’s general session to all who celebrate. Over the next 45 days, lawmakers will pass hundreds of bills that impact our lives in so many ways. Utah News Dispatch senior reporter Katie McKellar joins host Ali Vallarta to give us a preview of what to expect this session — from the lottery to the Great Salt Lake. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Sa...

The Salt Lake City School Board has voted to permanently close four elementary schools. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means discuss the ripple effects of this decision. Plus, they share a Schoolhouse Rock-style presentation ahead of the legislative session and picks of the week, from shoveling protocol to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” Consider becomin...

Salt Lake City received nearly $1 million to teach people how to recycle better. Do you have the new-year itch to declutter your house? Same, but the question is: Is any of this junk recyclable? McKenna Tupa’i, sustainability coordinator for Wasatch Front Waste and Recycling District, talks with host Ali Vallarta about what you can and can’t throw in your blue bin in Salt Lake. This episode origin...

The Sundance Film Festival can feel like it’s for everyone but locals. But with the right tools, Salt Lakers can experience the magic of the fest, too. Former staffer Daniela Weinreich and host — and Sundance alum — Ali Vallarta share their do’s and don’ts, top movie picks, and predictions for the festival. Get tickets to the festival. Films mentioned: “Agent of Happiness” “Eternal You” “Realm of...

Yesterday was the deadline to file as a candidate for the 2024 election. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means discuss who else has jumped into the races we’re watching. Plus, the Utah State Board of Education eyes repealing its own rule about equity in education. Also, Ali and Emily infuse some positivity into the week’s news with some shoutouts. Volunteer for Code Blue operations...

For nearly 40 years, a Republican governor has led Utah. In recent elections, GOP candidates have walloped Democrats by at least 30 points. So why does Democrat Brian King think his bid for the state’s highest office will be any different? King, who represents Salt Lake City in the Utah House, joins host Ali Vallarta to make his case and explain what he hopes to accomplish — even if he doesn’t win...

Last year’s election winners have barely been sworn into office, but it’s off to the races for the 2024 election. Who’s thrown their hat in the ring? Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means chat about the candidates to watch. Plus, they predict what this year holds for politics, booze, and beyond and share picks of the week. Could the Utah Jazz leave downtown SLC? Consider becoming a...

New year, same us — but better than ever. Producer Ivana Martinez joins host Ali Vallarta to round up their best bets for the month of January, from quiet celebrations to learning new skills. Plus, we’re making the most of Salt Lake County’s treasures without spending too much money. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help ma...

Salt Lake City’s Avenues neighborhood is home to some of the best trails in town. But did you know it’s a popular spot to hunt wild game, too? Perry Hall, chair of the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Utah Chapter, joins host Ali Vallarta to explain how hunters and hikers (and their dogs) can safely coexist in the foothills. Learn more about the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources’ hunting mentorsh...

New Year’s resolutions are only hard to keep if they’re boring! Host Ali Vallarta, newsletter editor Terina Ria, producer Ivana Martinez, and executive producer Emily Means lay down resolutions for themselves and for Salt Lake City in 2024. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get...

Salt Lake City recently resurrected a long-forgotten relic of the 2002 Winter Olympics: the Hoberman Arch. The 30,000-pound art installation has a new home near Salt Lake City International Airport — but it’s lived rent-free in host Ali Vallarta’s mind for years. Now that SLC has officially been named the preferred host for the 2034 Games, Ali tells producer Emily Means the story of the Hoberman A...

What are the essential rules for surviving Salt Lake? From how to not overthink what you’re wearing to drink-order protocol, host Ali Vallarta is joined by producer Ivana Martinez to lay down our unofficial guide to thriving in Small Lake City. This episode originally aired on May 8, 2023. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and h...