City Cast Madison

Dozens of Madison area leaders are pressuring North Side Ald. Charles Myadze to resign after allegations that he abused women in his life. Myadze has largely denied the claims and called them politically motivated. Host Bianca Martin sits down with Madison Alder Sabrina Madison, one of the voices calling for his resignation, to ask why she and other leaders are standing with the victims.This episode gets into issues of domestic and physical abuse. If you or anyone you know is struggling or in a crisis, you can always call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or visit their website for details on how to live chat or text. And Madison’s Domestic Violence Intervention Services help line is 608-251-4445 with more information here.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.

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin and Hayley Sperling recap the police raid on the UW-Madison encampment, which was set up in protest of the war in Gaza. The team also discusses the recent tragic news about a school shooting in Mt. Horeb. And finally, we will round out today’s show on a positive note as we announce the winner of Fat Bird Week. Mentioned on the show:Police descend on Gaza war protesters at UW-Madison, begin arrests [The Cap Times]UW Professor Sami Schalk made an Instagram post after her arrest.Professor Samer Alatout gave an interview to Tone Madison after his arrest.Police kill 14-year-old school shooting suspect in Mt. Horeb [Madison365]Fat Bird Week [Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin]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.

Mint Mark is moving! The cozy, beloved restaurant on Winnebago St. on Madison’s east side is closing May 4. They plan to re-open in a new, larger space in The Standard building on East Washington Ave. and First Street in mid-June. Bianca Martin catches up with co-owner and chef Sean Pharr for a sneak peek of what to expect at their new space. Spoiler alert: Patio! Brunch! More room!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! 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.

If you’re new around here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Madison community. May means the return of plants, the start of the gardening season in Madison and farmers’ markets popping up all over town. We’re ready to smell the lilacs in bloom, celebrate the mothers in our lives and see thousands of students graduate. For even more tips on how to make the most of May in Madison, check out our full list in Madison Minutes. 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.

Tana Elias, the new library director for Madison Public Library, discusses her plans to increase library card holders and improve literacy. She sheds light on the diverse programs offered by the library, emphasizing inclusivity and community engagement.

It’s no secret that Americans are becoming less religious. Reverend Mark Elsdon, executive director of the Pres House Presbyterian campus ministry, predicts that the Madison area could lose a third of all churches in the area. Many congregations are shrinking and re-evaluating whether they need their large buildings anymore. Madison’s pressed for housing, and more churches are considering selling or moving to make way. Reverend Elsdon says this could mean a real loss of “third spaces” in Madison, free gathering places you can go outside of home and work. Bianca Martin catches up with the Reverend to talk about what this coming wave means for our city. Reverend Elsdon’s book is Gone for Good: Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transition.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.

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin, Hayley Sperling and Molly Stentz recap the mysterious hold-up of state money for drug treatment and prevention programs. Plus, we discuss the creative proposal to build new affordable housing on East Wash in exchange for student housing on campus. And part of State Street’s going pedestrian-only starting May 8th. That’s why the flamingoes are everywhere. 🦩Mentioned on the show:💊Opioid treatment money stalled by anonymous Wisconsin legislator [Cap Times]🏗️Porchlight, developer partner to build student and homeless housing [Wisconsin State Journal] 🦩Hundreds help paint State Street; Pedestrian Mall Experiment to launch May 8 [City of 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. 

If you had to make a list of Madison’s essential restaurants, what would be on it? Which restaurants feel most iconic to the city? Which do you find yourself most recommending to visitors? Cap Times Food Editor Lindsay Christians joins Molly Stentz to wax poetic about Madison’s classics. And check out Kyle Nabilcy’s list in Eater Chicago. Do you agree?  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! 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.

Kosa Spa in the Garver Feed Mill on Madison’s east side, offers meditation, massage, hot stone saunas, an aromatherapy steam room, nourishing meals and more. Owner Shilpa Sankaran says they’re the only Ayurvedic spa in the country. Bianca Martin talks to Shilpa about ways you can take care of yourself this spring in the Ayurvedic tradition.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.

You may have heard the phrase, “Not In My Backyard,” or NIMBY. It’s often used – negatively – to describe neighbors who don’t want development in their neighborhood, whether it’s a new apartment building or affordable housing. Meaning that many of us support changes in principle, until it potentially affects our own neighborhood. Some Madisonians are worried that Madison is growing and changing too fast, and their neighborhoods will become too crowded or full of traffic. But Will Ochowicz says that more Madisonians should say YIMBY, or “Yes In My Backyard” in order to help ease the city’s housing crisis. As in: Yes, we want more development. Yes, we want more housing to be built. He’s started a grassroots group called Madison is for People to rally for changes to Madison’s zoning laws.Dylan Brogan sat down with Will to learn what’s motivating him.Editor’s Note: After we recorded this interview, the Madison City Council voted to change its zoning code to allow for more housing density. You can now build an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) on lots with small apartment buildings, and not just single-family homes. This can mean creating additional living space within an existing building – like a garage, attic, or basement – or building a separate structure on the same lot. ADUs are limited to 900 square feet and no more than two bedrooms.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.