City Cast Madison

Multiple stories involving Madison’s unhoused population have made headlines in recent weeks — from money questions about the upcoming permanent men’s shelter, to disturbances at the Social Justice Center, to whether or not funding will continue for the first city-sanctioned encampment at Dairy Drive. There’s a lot to take in. To dig into these stories and the complex causes and solutions surrounding them, we spoke with Brenda Konkel, longtime advocate and executive director of Madison Street Medicine.  👋 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.  🏠 Get more from City Cast Madison when you become a City Cast Madison Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events, and more. Join the City Cast Madison Neighbors program! Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 8th episode: Huel - Save 15% with code MADISON Wisco Home Goods Cardinal Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric

We’re coming to you this week with a theme for the Friday news roundup: infrastructure! The mayor put forth her 2026 Capital Budget and Capital Improvement Plan. Madison has an abundance of empty office buildings. And Willy Street is testing a change to rush hour lanes. Host Bianca Martin, executive producer Hayley Sperling, and newsletter editor Rob Thomas round up this week’s news. Mentioned on the show: What it takes to run an IRONMAN [City Cast Madison]Road closure for IRONMAN [City of Madison ] UW-Madison opens Morgbridge Hall for computer science studies [Wisconsin State Journal] 👋 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.  🏠 Get more from City Cast Madison when you become a City Cast Madison Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events, and more. Join the City Cast Madison Neighbors program! Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads.  Learn more about the sponsors of this September 5th episode: Dane County Humane Society RayGun Water Lantern Festival

Sure, the coffee at JavaAbilities is great (it’s Madison-based Rusty Dog) but it’s the people behind the counter who truly make the space special. Part of the mission of the new coffee shop on Monona Drive, which opened in July, is to employ and celebrate adults with disabilities. The business is co-owned by Mary Kay Clark and Tim McDonald, who admit they don’t have much cafe experience but are both fully committed to uplifting people with disabilities. Today, host Bianca Martin talks to Tim about his journey to opening the cafe and the personal connections that inspired him along the way.  🥕 Join 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!  📧 You can get more Madison news delivered right to your inbox by subscribing to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter.  🏠 Get more from City Cast Madison when you become a City Cast Madison Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events, and more. Join the City Cast Madison Neighbors program! Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 4th episode: Dane County Humane Society RayGun Water Lantern Festival

How do you build the mental fortitude to complete a triathlon? Hundreds will see if they have what it takes this weekend when the annual IRONMAN Wisconsin comes to Madison. Participants will swim, bike, and run just over 140 miles in and around Madison. To learn what it takes mentally finish the race, host Bianca Martin talks with Larry Shapiro, recently retired UW-Madison philosophy professor, IRONMAN Wisconsin finisher, and author of Zen and the Art of Running. 👋 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.  🏠 Get more from City Cast Madison when you become a City Cast Madison Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events, and more. Join the City Cast Madison Neighbors program! Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 3rd episode: Dane County Humane Society RayGun Water Lantern Festival

Crisp air, Badgers games, and fall vibes have reached Madison, which can only mean one thing: September is here! As we transition from summer into fall, host Bianca Martin, producer Jade Iseri-Ramos, and newsletter editor Rob Thomas are bringing you our top picks for the month. We’re hopping on our bikes, catching some classic cinema, and celebrating Oktoberfest this September. Plus, now’s the perfect time to dive into fiber arts. Check out Bianca’s conversation with Gael Boyd to learn more.  For even more tips on how to make the most of September in Madison, check out Madison Minutes’ take on what to do this month.  If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Madison community.  🌡️ City Cast Madison’s guide to September is made possible by our awesome sponsor, Cardinal Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric. 👋 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.  🏠 Get more from City Cast Madison when you become a City Cast Madison Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events, and more. Join the City Cast Madison Neighbors program! Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads.  Learn more about the sponsors of this September 2nd episode: Dane County Humane Society RayGun Water Lantern Festival Cardinal Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric

This week, the City Cast Madison team is talking about Madison’s ties to the Minneapolis school shooting, updates to the Dane County Humane Society’s stray animal contract, and the removal of a downtown homeless encampment. Host Bianca Martin talks with producer Jade Iseri-Ramos and newsletter editor Rob Thomas about these heavy news topics, plus the hiring of Madison's new police chief. Wrapping things up on a brighter note, Rob tries to stump the team with a quiz about UW-Madison slang. Mentioned on the show: The Clock Is Ticking For the Dane County Humane Society [City Cast Madison]What we know about the shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school [Associated Press] 👋 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.  🏠 Get more from City Cast Madison when you become a City Cast Madison Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events, and more. Join the City Cast Madison Neighbors program! Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads.  Learn more about the sponsors of this August 29th episode: Bike the Barns Dane County Humane Society Overlook Maps

Summer days are slipping away, but that doesn’t mean Madisonians can’t make the most out of the remaining warm weekends. Taste of Madison is this weekend, so is Orton Park Festival. And the Willy Street Fair and Monroe Street Festival won’t be far behind. On today’s show, executive producer Hayley Sperling talks with Cap Times food and culture editor Lindsay Christians to get her tips for what to eat — and what to skip — at these upcoming events.  🥕 Join 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!  📧 You can get more Madison news delivered right to your inbox by subscribing to the Madison Minutes morning newsletter.  🏠 Get more from City Cast Madison when you become a City Cast Madison Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events, and more. Join the City Cast Madison Neighbors program! Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this August 28th episode: Bike the Barns Dane County Humane Society Overlook Maps RayGun

The low-power radio station broadcasting out of Monona’s City Hall turns 10 years old this month! WVMO 98.7 FM has been dubbed one of the “coolest radio stations in the nation” and for good reason. City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin chats with Stacy Harbaugh aka DJ Shotski, host of Polka Time, to dig into the station’s decade on air and how it’s built a tight-knit community of volunteers and listeners in Madison’s backyard. We also hear a little from Bianca’s first conversation about WVMO with station founder and Wisconsin Broadcast Hall of Famer Lindsay Wood Davis.  The WVMO Anniversary show featuring the Tim O’Brien Band is happening Aug. 28 at The Atwood Music Hall 👋 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.  🏠 Get more from City Cast Madison when you become a City Cast Madison Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events, and more. Join the City Cast Madison Neighbors program! Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this August 27th episode: Bike the Barns Dane County Humane Society Overlook Maps RayGun

Madison’s Department of Civil Rights is facing a litany of problems. The department’s director is currently under investigation for allegedly violating city and federal employment laws. Meanwhile, another longtime leader in the department was recently allowed to retire following an internal probe into whether he also violated numerous city administrative policies. Employees in the department are concerned for their rights and what this all says about the culture within a key city office. With us to break the saga down is Cap Times local government reporter Enjoyiana Nururdin, who has been on the story from the start.  👋 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.  🏠 Get more from City Cast Madison when you become a City Cast Madison Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events, and more. Join the City Cast Madison Neighbors program! Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this August 26th episode: Bike the Barns Dane County Humane Society Overlook Maps RayGun

On Aug. 24, 1970, four men bombed UW-Madison’s Sterling Hall in protest of the ongoing Vietnam war. The blast resulted in millions of dollars in damage, multiple injuries, and the death of a physics researcher. For some, the legacy of the Sterling Hall bombing still looms large. For others, this critical part of our city’s history is almost entirely unknown. In honor of the anniversary of the bombing, we spoke to UW oral historian Troy Reeves about the event and its lasting impact on the Madison community.  Learn more about the bombing through UW Archives’ 40th anniversary project.  👋 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.  🏠 Get more from City Cast Madison when you become a City Cast Madison Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events, and more. Join the City Cast Madison Neighbors program! Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this August 25th episode: Bike the Barns Dane County Humane Society Overlook Maps RayGun