City Cast Madison

Madison is a city full of creatives and bustling with ideas. But sometimes it can be hard to find spaces that truly let words flow and bring ideas to life. To get some input on where to find Madison’s best places for reading, writing, and thinking, host Bianca Martin caught up with Diya Dwahal, a Middleton high schooler and the winner of Madison Public Library’s 2023 We Read youth writing contest. Executive producer Hayley Sperling also chimes in with her recommendations and writing process.Mentioned on the show:Madison Public Library locationsWisconsin Historical Society Library and ArchivesAnthology MadisonUW-Madison Biocore PrairieWanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this August 20th episode here:Madison365StartingBlock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From providing affordable housing for women and families in need to helping folks land jobs in tech, the YWCA Madison truly does it all. The organization is hosting its annual nationally-recognized Racial Justice Summit in September and registration closes Aug. 26. To get the inside scoop on what to expect from this three-day community coalition building gathering, host Bianca Martin spoke with the new YWCA Madison CEO Gery Paredes Vásquez. Mentioned on the showReal Talk About Race In Madison From Departing YWCA CEO [City Cast Madison]Register for the YWCA Racial Justice Summit 2024 Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Instagram! You can get more Madison news delivered right to your inbox by subscribing to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options.Learn more about the sponsors of this August 19th episode here:Madison365StartingBlock Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin and Hayley Sperling recap the August primary results and Wisconsin’s killer voter turnout numbers. Plus, this weekend is packed full of festivals including the Ju-Ju Annual Block Party, Eken Park Festival, OutReach Magic Pride Festival, and the Madison Black Restaurant Week Taste Jamboree. Also, do you have a thing for plants? The Wisconsin DNR is looking for volunteers to help monitor rare species. So listen up because we’ve got the stories that you can’t miss this week in Madison.Mentioned on the show:Who’s Running for Dane County Executive [City Cast Madison]Your Primary Ballot Explained [City Cast Madison]OutReach Magic Pride FestivalEken Park FestivalMadison Black Restaurant Week [Madison365]Ju-Ju Annual Block Party [Madison365]DNR seeking volunteers for Rare Plant Monitoring Program [WDNR]Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this August 16th episode here:Society of St. Vincent de Paul - St. Vinny's Thrift Stores Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Madison may be a growing urban city, but farming is still a way of life for many locals. You don’t have to go far in this town to find a neighbor tending chickens, planting a produce garden, or even building a greenhouse. To get the scoop on what it takes to successfully grow at home, host Bianca Martin caught up with urban farmer and owner of Voss Organics, Mark Voss.Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers.Mentioned on the showThe Legendary Chef Who Pioneered Madison’s Local Food Scene [City Cast Madison]Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads.Learn more about the sponsors of this August 15th episode here:Society of St. Vincent de Paul - St. Vinny's Thrift Stores Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get up, get down, get together. That’s the motto behind Dane Dances, the annual summertime party that happens every Friday in August on the Monona Terrace rooftop. This year’s season is extra special because Dane Dances is celebrating 25 years of music, dance, and community. Host Bianca Martin caught up with the president of the organization Al Cooper to get the scoop on this year’s lineup and what to expect from this season.Mentioned on the showThe Most Sampled Drummer Lived in Madison. Why Don’t You Know His Name? [City Cast Madison]Volunteer with Dane DancesWanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Instagram! You can get more Madison news delivered right to your inbox by subscribing to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options.Learn more about the sponsors of this August 14th episode here:Society of St. Vincent de Paul - St. Vinny's Thrift Stores Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s installment of Must See Madison, we take a step back and look at the city’s past while preparing for the future. Madison’s building boom continues. Construction cranes dot the skyline. Huge new apartment buildings are in progress on many of Madison’s largest thoroughfares. But downtown, making way for the new means out with the old, and that means demolition of old buildings. It left us asking: what’s worth saving and how do we decide? Host Bianca Martin sits down with Madison historian Stu Levitan, longtime former chair of the Madison Landmarks Commission, to examine why we save what we do.Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads.Learn more about the sponsors of this August 13th episode here:Society of St. Vincent de Paul - St. Vinny's Thrift Stores Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The August primary is nearly here! We’ve covered everything from how to vote on Election Day to the state legislative races and referendums on the ballot. Today, we’re diving into one of the most contested primaries, the race for Dane County Executive.To get the scoop on the four candidates vying for the seat, host Bianca Martin spoke with local government reporter at the Cap Times Allison Garfield, who’s been covering the race. Mentioned on the showEverything You Need To Vote in the Fall Primary [City Cast Madison 🎧]Your Primary Ballot Explained [City Cast Madison 🎧]Dane County executive candidates Q&A: Where they stand on issues [Cap Times]Read about the candidates for Dane County Executive [WORT] What the candidates running for Dane County executive have to say on key issues [Isthmus]Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Instagram! You can get more Madison news delivered right to your inbox by subscribing to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options.Learn more about the sponsors of this August 12th episode here:Society of St. Vincent de Paul - St. Vinny's Thrift Stores Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week, and it’s another big one. Executive producer Hayley Sperling digs into potential budget cuts that are becoming clearer for the city should it (or voters) decide not to move forward with a property tax referendum. That could mean fewer street repairs, shorter library hours, and the end of Goodman Pool?! Meanwhile, host Bianca Martin reminds us there are big street closures this weekend for Ride the Drive, and newsletter editor Ava Wojnowski helps us say goodbye to some local restaurants.Mentioned on the show:Public worries brewing over Madison's long-term budget crisis [Wisconsin State Journal]Ride the Drive Map [City of Madison]Winnequah Park remodel underway [Channel 3000]Daisy Cafe closing, Ready Set shutters, Kettle Black Kitchen sold [Cap Times]Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this August 9th episode here:Society of St. Vincent de Paul - St. Vinny's Thrift Stores Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wondering where you might grab your next bite to eat or drink? Why not try one of Madison’s newest bars, restaurants and cafes?Host Bianca Martin sits down with Cap Times food editor Lindsay Christians who’s out with a new piece on our growing, dynamic food scene.Mentioned in the show:El Rancho Mexican GrillMolten Monkey PizzaNorthside LoungePublic Parking BarMint MarkAncora cafe Atico Casa Zaragosa David’s Jamaican El Sabor del PueblaWater Street Social ClubDuck DonutsSandwich HubMEGA Egg Rolls at Garver Feed Mill Food Truck FridayReap Food Group food truckGloria’s Mexican food truckSunshine Salad Farm AmaLacy’s CafeAlimentari MekongBar ManzoCat’s BrewJoin us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers.Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After years of planning and community input, the future of the $18.6 million, 16,000-square-foot “Imagination Center” at Reindahl Park is in limbo. With the city facing a potential multimillion-dollar budget deficit, the project has received little attention — District 17 Ald. Sabrina Madison is trying to change that.Host Bianca Martin spoke with Madison about why the center is so desperately needed and what this process has shown about the city’s priorities.You can listen to City Cast Madison’s past conversations with Madison Common Council President Yannette Figueroa Cole and Madison’s Finance Director Dave Schmiedicke about the budget for more insight on the city’s budget woes.Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Instagram! You can get more Madison news delivered right to your inbox by subscribing to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options.Learn more about the sponsors of this August 7th episode here:Society of St. Vincent de Paul - St. Vinny's Thrift Stores Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices