City Cast Salt Lake

It’s week three of the legislative session, and lawmakers aren’t stopping anytime soon. Host Ali Vallarta, executive producer Emily Means, and Save Our Canyons executive director Jack Stauss discuss the bills they’re watching. Plus, the "Champagne of Pain" just landed in Utah liquor stores and picks of the week.  Resources and references: Scoop tickets to Meanwhile Park. Help us make a list of the...

Utah’s having a scarily warm winter this year. Executive producer Emily Means asks Hayden Mahan, a National Weather Service meteorologist for Salt Lake City, how concerned we should be, the long-term effects of a bad winter, and if the season could turn around.  Get more from City Cast Salt Lake when you become a City Cast Salt Lake Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations...

Are you shopping for a different political party? The state of Utah has a brand new one: the People’s Freedom Party. Host Ali Vallarta talks with spokesperson Denise Weaver about their platform and what they hope to accomplish as a third party. Get more from City Cast Salt Lake when you become a City Cast Salt Lake Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only ev...

The planned megashelter on Salt Lake City's westside meets opposition from a national coalition. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means talk about who's involved and how the annual homeless count went last weekend. Plus, food Oscars and local shoutouts.  Resources and references: Utah Legislature passes bill to expand Utah Supreme Court, add 5 more lower court judges” [Utah News Disp...

Fall back in love with Salt Lake City in February! Host Ali Vallarta, producer Ivana Martinez, and newsletter editor Terina Ria made you a guide to making the most of this month, whether you want to feed your sweetheart to a local hawk (no, seriously) or eat your heart out for the Lunar New Year. And, if you want to spice things up even more, check out our guide to romanticizing your Salt Lake lif...

Utah is about to buy one of our biggest polluters, US Magnesium. Host Ali Vallarta, executive producer Emily Means, and City Cast Salt Lake contributor Chandler Rosenberg discuss what this means for the Great Salt Lake. Plus, bills we’re watching  and joyful picks of the week.  Resources and references: Utah set to buy one of the state’s major polluters in $30M ‘commitment’ to Great Salt Lake [Sal...

Tourists are swarming Park City for Sundance’s last dance. But do they know the real mountain town? Executive producer Emily Means talks with Michael O'Malley, author of "Attitude at Altitude: The People's Guide to Park City and Summit County," about his best local tips and tricks.  This episode first aired on Oct. 16, 2025.  Get more from City Cast Salt Lake when you become a City Cast Salt Lake...

Is Salt Lake City's downtown gonna pop off in 2026? Host Ali Vallarta asks Blake Thomas, downtown advisor to Mayor Erin Mendenhall, what's on tap for the neighborhood this year. Get more from City Cast Salt Lake when you become a City Cast Salt Lake Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm.  Subscribe to He...

Salt Lake City took to the streets this weekend to protest ICE after the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Host Ali Vallarta, executive producer Emily Means, and newsletter editor Terina Ria talk about how local leaders responded. Plus, news from the first weekend of Sundance and local shoutouts. Resources and references: Utah officials react after federal agents kill second U.S. citizen in M...

Now that host Ali Vallarta is learning to ski, she asks More Perfect Union reporter Jordan Zakarin why Vail and Alterra had to ruin all the fun. And, if city-owned ski resorts are the future? Listen more on how we could save Park City.  Get more from City Cast Salt Lake when you become a City Cast Salt Lake Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and...

Four days of the Utah legislative session under our belts — just 41 more to go, but who's counting? Host Ali Vallarta, executive producer Emily Means, and City Cast Salt Lake contributor Cassie Bingham talk about the highs and lows from the first week. Plus, joyful picks for your weekend.  Resources and references: Anti-transgender bill among ‘most harmful and outrageous’ Utah LGBTQ+ advocates hav...

Our Rocky Mountain Power electric bills went up last year, and they could go up again this year! But some cities are actually powering their own electricity. Host Ali Vallarta asks Mike Squires of Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems if it's cheaper and what it would take for Salt Lake City to make the switch.  Get more from City Cast Salt Lake when you become a City Cast Salt Lake Neighbor. Yo...

The feds are allegedly looking to build an ICE detention center on Salt Lake City’s west side. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means break down the response from local electeds. Plus, a fun surprise to celebrate our 1,000th episode and shoutouts! Mentioned on today's episode: Help us make a list of the 1,000 things we love about Salt Lake. Cabaret for public media Become a member of...

Utah’s legislative session kicks off today! Senators and reps from around the state could pass more than 500 new laws over the next 45 days. Host Ali Vallarta asks Rep. Calvin Roberts, R-Draper, and Rep. Tyler Clancy, R-Provo, which ones will tackle the cost of living in Utah. Get more from City Cast Salt Lake when you become a City Cast Salt Lake Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listenin...

What can Salt Lake City government do about ICE? Host Ali Vallarta, executive producer Emily Means, and City Cast Salt Lake contributor Kate Groetzinger discuss the city's response to our very pointed question. Plus, how to escape the inversion and picks of the week. Some ICE-related resources: Sign up for the business canvass this Saturday. FICE is selling shirts to benefit La Red de Solidaridad....

As gross air encircles the city, anxiety is high about the shrinking Great Salt Lake and its toxic dust. Host Ali Vallarta asks Save Our Great Salt Lake co-founder Chandler Rosenberg what phase of saving the Great Salt Lake (and ourselves) we are in right now, from upcoming legislation to a new report on water use. Read the Great Salt Lake Strike Team’s 2026 report.  Get more from City Cast Salt L...

The Kem C. Gardner Institute published research claiming that “nearly half of Utah’s current young children do not read at grade level.” Host Ali Vallarta asks Salt Lake City School Board member Ashley Anderson about this shocking new data.  Get more from City Cast Salt Lake when you become a City Cast Salt Lake Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only event...

Tickets go on sale tomorrow morning for Utah’s last-ever Sundance Film Festival! Host Ali Vallarta and Hey Salt Lake newsletter editor Terina Ria have tips for making the most of it as a local. Plus, we give our own ‘Best of Sundance Awards’ and shout out great places.  You might also like ‘Sundance Tips From Former Staffers’ [City Cast Salt Lake]  Become a member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’...

Everyone's favorite medical drama, "The Pitt," is back for season 2 tonight! Each season is an intense depiction of one 15-hour shift in a downtown emergency room. Salt Lake emergency medicine Dr. Aly Smith tells host Ali Vallarta how the cases and the institutional issues compare to a real local ER. This episode first aired April 30, 2025.  Get more from City Cast Salt Lake when you become a City...

Flights From Home is sponsoring this episode, and they gave host Ali Vallarta her dream assignment: Plan four vacations for executive producer Emily Means using real Flights From Home deals out of the SLC airport. Here’s what to eat and see abroad on a shoestring budget in 2026 — take notes! Explore this week’s free travel deals with Flights From Home, the sponsor of this episode. Get more from Ci...

Could Salt Lake County's 15% property tax increase be overturned? Host Ali Vallarta, executive producer Emily Means, and City Cast Salt Lake contributor Andy Larsen talk about the citizen-led effort to put it to voters. Plus, the Poplar Grove "BioTower" and joyful picks of the week.  Resources and references: Resident-led referendum on Salt Lake County tax increase qualifies for signature process...

Two people are dead and several are injured after a shooting outside an LDS church in Salt Lake City Wednesday evening. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means share what we know so far.  Get more from City Cast Salt Lake when you become a City Cast Salt Lake Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.cityca...

SLC bartenders listen to everyone’s problems, even on holidays. But who is taking care of their mental health? Host Ali Vallarta asks One Small Miracle founder Matt Pfohl about a new program to help solve that problem in Utah. Text Matt about One Small Miracle at 801- 419-7165.  Get more from City Cast Salt Lake when you become a City Cast Salt Lake Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listen...

Twenty-five new laws went into effect in Utah on Jan. 1. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means break down the biggest (and strangest) ones, so you stay out of trouble. Plus, our local predictions for 2026, heated Olympians, and the 9th annual Cage Week! Here are 25 new Utah laws that went into effect on Jan. 1 [KSL] Become a member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to...

Nobody understands a city’s pulse quite like a City Cast host — and that makes them the best predictors for 2026’s biggest local stories. City Cast Salt Lake host Ali Vallarta joins CEO David Plotz and the other 12 hosts from across the network to talk about the big changes coming to our cities, from political shifts to data centers. Become a member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way...