City Cast Madison cover image

City Cast Madison

Latest episodes

undefined
Dec 20, 2023 • 24min

Why Local Birds Need New Names

Calling all bird watchers! Get ready because some of the local birds you see around Madison are about to get new names. The rebrand is part of a larger shift from the American Ornithological Society which is planning to rename 70-80 English-named birds in North America to address past wrongs and make the names more scientifically accurate. We get the bird word with Dexter Patterson, the WiscoBirder and co-founder of the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, on why birds’ names matters, the controversy around this plan, and even get some suggestions for new names for some local birds.If you’d like to learn more about the airport’s negotiation with the military over PFAS chemicals, listen to Monday’s episode with Dane County Supervisor Yogesh Chawla:Who Pays for Cleaning Up Toxic PFAS Chemicals at Madison’s Airport? 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
undefined
Dec 19, 2023 • 18min

Inside the DEI Battle Between UW and State Lawmakers

The UW System Board of Regents flip-flopped on a major state deal that would require the UW to cut down on diversity-related positions in exchange for around $800 million for staff raises and building projects. Three regents changed their tune on the controversial proposal just days after voting no on the exact same offer. So what changed? Kelly Meyerhofer higher education reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel joins host Bianca Martin to share the story.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
undefined
Dec 18, 2023 • 21min

Who Pays for Cleaning Up Toxic PFAS Chemicals at Madison’s Airport?

A proposed contract between Dane County Regional Airport and the Air National Guard would exempt the military from liability for toxic PFAS chemical pollution at the airport. This has Dane County supervisor Yogesh Chawla’s eyebrows going up. He and his colleagues at the Dane County Board of Supervisors want changes to the contract to ensure the safety of Dane County’s drinking water. Bianca Martin speaks with Chawla about what those are and why he’s losing sleep over PFAS. 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
undefined
Dec 15, 2023 • 27min

4 Train Routes Funded, 3 Regents Flipping, 2 Journalists… and a Poor Elk Meets an Untimely End

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin and Hayley Sperling discuss the potential for new Amtrak train routes across Wisconsin, including service from Madison to Milwaukee. Also, it’s been a week of surprising votes from the UW Board of Regents, as they nix an deal with the legislature over diversity programs and funding for the state university system... and then abruptly reverse course.Mentioned on the show: UW Regents approve deal on funding, engineering building with controversial re-vote [Wisconsin State Journal] ‘A huge win’: Madison Amtrak plan gets big lift with federal money [Cap Times] Derailed podcast [Wisconsin Public Radio] Bull elk spotted throughout Wisconsin killed by semi in Illinois [WKOW] 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? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
undefined
Dec 14, 2023 • 22min

Get Cozy at Madison’s Best Coffee Shops

Ashley Rodriguez, writer of the Boss Barista newsletter, joins Bianca Martin to discuss Madison's best coffee shops. They explore the importance of neighborhood coffee shops and measuring coffee quality. They also delve into the taste and characteristics of coffee, as well as their favorite coffee shops in Madison, including hidden gems on the east side.
undefined
Dec 13, 2023 • 22min

The Bold Inclusive Vision of Madison Ballet's Nutcracker

You can already hear the twinkling of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, can’t you? The Nutcracker opens at the Overture Center this Friday, December 15th and runs through Christmas Eve. Bianca Martin speaks with the new Madison Ballet Artistic Director, Ja’ Malik, about what’s in store.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.Music credit: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies by Kevin MacLeod http://incompetech.com Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/dance-of-the-sugar-plu... Music promoted by Audio Library  • Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy – Kevin… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
undefined
Dec 12, 2023 • 12min

The Vinyl Boom Has Brought Record Pressing Back to Wisconsin

Waxxy Poodle is believed to be the first vinyl record pressing plant in Wisconsin in nearly a hundred years. And it was born out of a serious need. Owner Dave Eck, who’s spent his career mastering audio, saw that the handful of pressing plants in the U.S. couldn’t keep up with the demand of the vinyl resurgence boom. So he took matters into his own hands. Eck and his wife Jennifer Jurgensen now own and operate their very own plant, serving artists in Madison and beyond. Bianca Martin speaks with Eck about the current state of the vinyl industry and new innovations in an old business.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
undefined
Dec 11, 2023 • 13min

Inside the New Push to Repeal Act 10

For the past decade, Wisconsin teachers and most other public employees have only been able to bargain with their employers over inflationary raises. That’s due to Act 10, a controversial Wisconsin law passed back in 2011, which curtailed their rights. The law has been challenged numerous times over the years, but now several unions have filed a new lawsuit seeking to toss the law as unconstitutional. Bianca Martin asks Peggy Wirtz-Olsen, president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council, what happens now. 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
undefined
Dec 8, 2023 • 25min

Fake Electors Settle, Parking Rates Rise, and A Santa Surprise

The City Cast Madison team is here to round up the news of the week. Host Bianca Martin and Madison Minutes newsletter editor Hayley Sperling discuss the latest in the Wisconsin fake electors case, after the electors settle in court and admit that Joe Biden won the 2020 election. Plus, Madison raises some of its off-street parking rates and a cadre of inflatable Santa Clauses pop up on Monroe Street lawns.Mentioned on the show:Wisconsin false electors admit their actions were used in effort to 'improperly overturn' the 2020 election [WPR]City of Madison parking rate increases [City of Madison]Why giant inflatable Santas have overtaken Monroe St [Madison Minutes]Winter parking guide [City Cast Madison]How to contest a Madison parking ticket [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? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
undefined
Dec 7, 2023 • 22min

The Best Cookbooks To Give for the Holidays

'Tis the season to be baking and cooking so maybe it’s time to crack open that cookbook you’ve been neglecting all year. If you’re looking for culinary inspiration or the perfect gift for a home chef in your life, Cap Times food editor Lindsay Christians is here with a bounty of cookbook recommendations, local and beyond. Christians joins host Bianca Martin and executive producer Molly Stentz to round up the best cookbooks for the season.👩🏾‍🍳 Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers.Cookbooks mentioned in the episode: Local favorites— “Dane County Farmers Market Cookbook” by Terese Allen— “Wisconsin Field to Fork” by Lori Fredrich— “Osteria Papavero Cookbook” by Francesco Mangano and Lindsay ChristiansA Midwestern perspective— “Company” by Amy Thielen— “Pulp” by Abra Berens— “Home is Where the Eggs Are" by Molly Yeh“My new year’s resolution is to cook more”— “Small Victories” by Julia Turshen— “The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook” by Deb Perelman— “Dinner” by Melissa Clark— “Milk Street Tuesday Nights” by Christopher Kimball— “The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook” by Ina GartenLet’s bake! — “Sweet Enough” by Alison Roman— “Dessert Person” by Claire Saffitz— “Baking with Dorie” by Dorie GreenspanWanna talk vegetarian?— “Super Natural” by Heidi Swanson— “East” by Meera Sodha— “Fast Fresh & Green” by Susie Middleton— “Love Soup” by Anna ThomasThe ones Lindsay is MOST excited about right now— “Start Here” by Sohla El-Waylly— “Signature Cocktails” by Amanda Schuster— “More is More” by Molly Baz — “Cured” by Paula Forbes and Steve McHughWanna 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? Sign up for 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

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!
App store bannerPlay store banner
Get the app