City Cast Madison

With still months to go before the February primary, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway has announced that she’s ending her bid for a third term. Executive producer Hayley Sperling digs into this news with contributor and former mayoral candidate Scott Resnick. Plus, owners of Dapper Cadaver BJ and Eileen Winslow join the conversation to talk about their most recent and terrifying creations that yo...

How prepared is Madison to deal with the effects of climate change? In a recent report, Chicago was ranked as the most climate resilient city in the world — the only U.S. city to make it into the top 10. What’s Chicago doing right? City Cast Chicago host Jacoby Cochran is joining David this week to talk about how the city is adapting to face climate risks, its work in renewable energy, and other p...

This week, by a vote of 14-6, the Madison City Council terminated the contract of Interim Independent Police Monitor Aeiramique Glass. During the 12-hour meeting, the council heard from more than 100 community members who overwhelmingly opposed the termination. City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin talks with creative producers Rob Thomas and Jade Iseri-Ramos about the vote and what comes next...

An Asian bistro on the Square, a hibachi and ramen spot on the east side, and a rooftop restaurant at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art are just some of the new additions to Madison’s always changing restaurant scene. Today, host Bianca Martin gets the scoop with Cap Times Food and Culture Editor Lindsay Christians on what else we can expect to see opening around town this year and who we’re...

Our dear city of Madison just made National Geographic’s list of “The Best Places in the World to Travel to in 2027.” The list highlights the Dane County Farmers’ Market, the lakes, and our "bohemian" spirit. City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin chats with Executive Producer Hayley Sperling and vintage clothing seller and owner of Good Style Shop Peter Benck about the spotlight. Plus, Pete tells t...

Madison’s Overture Hall is home to a 30-ton pipe organ that’s so massive that it moves on giant tracks. City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin talks with Madison Symphony Orchestra Principal Organist Greg Zelek about how he performs complex organ programs from memory while managing thousands of sound changes. Bianca also talks with City Cast Madison Creative Producer Jade Iseri-Ramos about what’s in...

Black infants in Wisconsin are nearly three times more likely than white babies to die before their first birthdays. Cap Times health and policy reporter Erin McGroarty is investigating this disparity and the lived experiences of Black Wisconsin mothers. Erin joins City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin to discuss how systemic racism, chronic stress, and epigenetics are driving preterm birth and low...

How much ownership or responsibility do you feel as a resident of Madison? In Salt Lake City, people are being asked to “adopt a storm drain” to help keep city streets free of floods and trash — and to possibly slow the drying and pollution of the Great Salt Lake. City Cast Salt Lake host Ali Vallarta says it’s worth a shot. This week, she joins David to discuss how quick, periodic cleaning of a n...

The Madison Common Council is set to vote on whether to terminate the interim independent police monitor on Tuesday, Oct. 20. Whether or not they have legal standing to do so is up for debate. Madison365 Executive Editor Rob Chappell joins City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin and Creative Producer Rob Thomas to break down the story. Then, Rob Thomas lays out two contentious items in Dane County Ex...

Did you know the iconic 1976 film “Car Wash” has a Madison connection? The film’s director, Michael Schultz, studied at UW-Madison where he quickly changed his aspirations from being an astronaut to being a filmmaker. He chats with City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin about his long career as a trailblazing director, the lack of Black film representation during his early years, and the lasting rel...

For the second year in a row, UW-Madison students who live on campus will be charged $100 to host one guest over Halloween weekend. The university says this will help pay for additional security and cleaning costs. But will it keep things tame during “Halloweekend?” City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin talks with contributor, writer, and comedian Emily Winter about Madison’s Halloween party histor...

The Wisconsin Book Festival Fall Celebration kicks off this Thursday. The yearly tradition brings more than 80 authors to Madison for book readings and author talks around town. City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin talks with festival Director Jane Rotunda about the event line up. Writer Jeff Oloizia also joins the show to discuss the new season of his podcast “Writing Forward.” Plus the three set...

Another Madison school year has begun — how are cell phones being handled? In Minnesota, one high school is demonstrating that a strict no-phone school day can work, and they’ve got the (mostly) positive feedback to show for it. City Cast Twin Cities host Sean McPherson joins David to talk about how St. Paul Central High School is succeeding at enforcing a phone-free school environment, the surpri...

This week, a Madison Alder made a motion for the Common Council to consider terminating the city’s contract with Interim Independent Police Monitor Aeiramique Glass. Executive Producer Hayley Sperling and Creative Producer Rob Thomas break down that news and dive into the turbulent history behind the office. Then Rob explains why more Madison students are rejecting Chromebooks this year. And Keega...

Today is Latina Equal Pay Day, which marks, on average, when in the year a working Latina woman has earned as much as a white, non-Hispanic man. Araceli Esparza, founder and executive director of Midwest Mujeres joins City Cast Madison executive producer Hayley Sperling and creative producer Jade Iseri-Ramos to discuss the necessity to discuss wages and the Midwest Mujeres’ upcoming storytelling e...

More than 7,000 disabled Wisconsinites are waiting for help navigating the state’s employment development program due to funding cuts. City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin talks with Cap Times Opinion Editor Natalie Eilbert about the program meant to help people with disabilities access employment support, but that is now facing a waitlist of more than 7,600 people. They discuss how a $7 million s...

Why were a dozen Madison city council members in a Signal group chat? Madison 365’s Rob Chappell broke the story last week, and on today’s episode, he joins City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin and Executive Producer Hayley Sperling to break down the story. Plus Young Blood Beer Company is closing its Northstreet location at the end of the month, and the Brewers are one win away from the National...

The Yahara Flyer is a new single-sheet monthly publication in Madison from the co-founder of the now-defunct news website Tone Madison. Scott Gordon joins City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin and Executive Producer Hayley Sperling to explain why he started the Flyer, and the challenges of the flyer format. They also discuss police body-worn cameras, which Scott wrote about in the first two issues...

When Madison looks for inspiration for the future, does it look to the Netherlands? That’s what designers and officials in New York City did in order to integrate flood mitigation into public housing. Inspired by places like Rotterdam, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) collaborated with other groups to give Queens a state-of-the-art, climate-resilient amenity — in this case, a basketball...

What will happen when the city’s one-year moratorium on new data centers expires in January? City officials released a draft framework this week that would limit the size and scale of new data centers, banning any new development over 100,000 sq. ft. City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin breaks down the story with Executive Producer Hayley Sperling and Creative Producer Rob Thomas. They also d...

A new cafe is set to open this month on Monroe Street. Waltzing Matilda’s is the newest venture from the team behind Bloom Bake Shop and Lallande. On today’s episode, City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin talks with owner Annemarie Maitri about the cafe's name, her personal approach to the menu, and the team behind the existing businesses.  Then Bianca is joined by Zia Brucaya from Greater Mad...

Boo! The City Cast Madison team is here with your October guide. Host Bianca Martin, Creative Producer Jade Iseri-Ramos and local comedian Emily Winter break down their top picks for things for the month. From the 46-mile Mammoth Hike Challenge to the Wisconsin Art Destination T-shirt challenge. Plus, the theme pick this month is “cheap thrills.” 👻 Join us for a free haunted tour with Madison Gho...

The UW Badgers face off against Michigan State in the 2026 homecoming game on Saturday, Oct. 3. City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin and Executive Producer Hayley Sperling break down all the homecoming events happening this year. Plus, local DJ Nick Nice explains how tailgating is for everyone, from Badger superfans to football newbies.  Nick turns up the beats for home games at Fabiola’s tai...

How much money do you make? Is it enough for you to thrive in Madison? Cap Times reporter Ashley Rodriguez asked Madisonians to be transparent about their wages and experiences. She found that while the average salary here is higher than the state average, most respondents feel like they are just scraping by. Ashley joins City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin to talk about the financial reality of...

What’s a seemingly small project in Madison that’s made a big difference? In the Oregon suburb of Tualatin, a drinking water pipe has just been fitted with a seamless electrical turbine, so that an existing utility can now have a dual purpose. David is joined by Nic Westendorf, Tualatin’s deputy public works director, to talk about the power of thinking local, using existing tools, and looking ahe...