

City Cast Madison
City Cast
Join the City Cast Madison team every weekday morning for can’t-miss conversations about what’s happening in Madison, with a dose of local news to keep you up to speed. On City Cast Madison, host Bianca Martin collects people wherever she goes, like an endless conga line. She peers into our city’s soul with a journalist’s skepticism and an optimist’s heart. Whether you’re an OG Madisonian or a newcomer, all neighbors are welcome here. Learn more and subscribe to our daily newsletter, Madison Minutes, at madison.citycast.fm.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 22, 2025 • 29min
F-35 Sound Plan on Pause, UW Basketball Lawsuit, and Madison’s Chef of the Year
Happy Fri-yay! The City Cast team is rounding up this week’s top stories. Host Bianca Martin talks with executive producer Hayley Sperling and producer Jade Iseri-Ramos about UW women’s basketball players suing their former coach, the airport putting F-35 sound mitigation on hold, and a favorite Willy Street restaurant closing. Plus, Bianca took a turn in the guest seat this week on the radio talk show A Public Affair on WORT 89.9 FM.
Mentioned on the show:
2025 Madison Magazine Chef of the Year Evan Dannells on City Cast Madison [City Cast Madison]U.S. Department of Defense denied funding to mitigate F-35 noise [WPR]
Tips For Boosting Your Mental Health with Myra Renne [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!
📧 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 22nd episode:
Gilda's Club
Bike the Barns
Dane County Humane Society
Overlook Maps

Aug 21, 2025 • 43min
The Best Madison Restaurants You’ll Never Go To
Restaurants and bars come and go in Madison all the time, it’s the nature of the industry. But some spots leave a lasting impression on our community long after they’ve closed. Today, the City Cast Madison team takes a trip down memory lane with the help of our listeners and readers to reminisce on some of Madison’s favorite bygone bars, restaurants, and community haunts. Ready to taste a little nostalgia?
🥕 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 21st episode:
Gilda's Club
Bike the Barns
Dane County Humane Society
Overlook Maps

Aug 20, 2025 • 25min
Tips For Living Your Best Madison Life
Whether you’ve lived here for two years or 20, there’s always something new to learn about living in Madison. From getting the right winter gear to joining a CSA to finding a clean bathroom downtown, we’ve got some serious insider tips for making the most of Madison. Host Bianca Martin sits down with City Cast Madison producer Jade Iseri-Ramos and Madison Minutes newsletter editor Rob Thomas to share their secrets.
👋 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 20th episode:
Gilda's Club
Bike the Barns
Dane County Humane Society
Overlook Maps

Aug 19, 2025 • 27min
Why Ultimate Frisbee Has a Chokehold on Madison
It’s no secret that Madison is a sporty town. From the Badgers at Camp Randall and the Kohl Center to the Night Mares and Mallards at Warner Park, there are plenty of hometown heroes to root for. But the sport that Madisonians can’t get enough of is ultimate frisbee. The Madison Ultimate Frisbee Association boasts thousands of members who play all year round. And the semi-pro Madison Radicals draws big crowds to Breese Stevens Field every season. This weekend the 2025 Ultimate Frisbee Association Championship will be held in Madison, so what is it about the sport that has our city spellbound? We caught up with MUFA Executive Director Pete Schramm to find out.
Mentioned on the show:
2025 UFA Championship Weekend
Madison Ultimate Frisbee Association
👋 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 19th episode:
Gilda's Club
Bike the Barns
Dane County Humane Society
Overlook Maps

Aug 18, 2025 • 24min
Will Extreme Weather be the New Normal For Wisconsin?
On Aug. 11, Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency in response to heavy rainfall and flooding across southern Wisconsin. In Madison, wet weather led to flooded streets and forced the cancellation of local events. But in the Milwaukee area, the damage was much more severe. To explain the cause and impact of this weather, we spoke with director of the Wisconsin State Climatology Office, Steve Vavrus.
👋 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 18th episode:
Gilda's Club
Bike the Barns
Dane County Humane Society
Overlook Maps

Aug 15, 2025 • 40min
Rain Emergencies, Rising Madison Rent, and Restaurant Updates
TGIF! The City Cast Madison team is here to round up the news of the week. Host Bianca Martin, executive producer Hayley Sperling, and newsletter editor Rob Thomas discuss the flooding from last weekend, median rent stats and a major step forward for the Triangle redevelopment, and news in the restaurant scene. Plus, it’s Hippie Christmas! Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Mentioned on the show:Madison Black Restaurant Week Jamboree [Madison Black Chamber of Commerce]
Is Hippie Christmas…Bad?! [City Cast Madison]
‼️We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey — it’s only 7 minutes long. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card and City Cast Madison swag!
👋 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 15th episode:
Gilda's Club
Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST
Wisco Home Goods
OutReach LGBT Community Center

Aug 14, 2025 • 34min
Madison's Strip Mall Restaurants Are a Vibe
Some of Madison's tastiest restaurants are hidden in strip malls throughout the city. The best spots depend on who you ask. We spoke with our friend Cap Times food and culture editor Lindsay Christians, to talk about listener suggestions and dive deeper into which stops are a must-visit.
Can’t get enough food news? Sign up for the Cap Times’ Corner Table newsletter
‼️We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey — it’s only 7 minutes long. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card and City Cast Madison swag!
🥕 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 14th episode:
Gilda's Club
Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST
Wisco Home Goods
OutReach LGBT Community Center

Aug 13, 2025 • 32min
Is Hippie Christmas…Bad?!
Some say there are only two seasons in Madison: winter and moving season. Starting in late July and stretching into August, downtown streets are flooded with piles of trash from folks participating in the annual housing shuffle. And keeping the city clean during this time is no easy feat, especially when would-be treasure hunters dig through the heaps looking to strike gold. To get the scoop on how the city keeps up with the mess, and get tips for what to do with your unwanted items, we caught up with Bryan Johnson, recycling coordinator and public information officer with the city’s Streets Division.
Find the map, large item disposal information, and collection details mentioned in today’s show here.
‼️We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey — it’s only 7 minutes long. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card and City Cast Madison swag!
👋 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 13th episode:
Gilda's Club
Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST
Wisco Home Goods
OutReach LGBT Community Center

Aug 12, 2025 • 35min
UW Professors Are ‘Mad as Hell’ About State-Mandated Teaching Requirement
When state lawmakers passed their biennial budget in July, they approved a $256 million increase to the University of Wisconsin system budget — but that money came with a lot of strings attached. Professors across the UW system are expected to carry heavier teaching loads, which has raised concerns about the potential impact on research and overall academic quality. To unpack these concerns and other potential consequences, host Bianca Martin speaks with Jon Shelton, a professor at UW-Green Bay and president of the American Federation of Teachers-Wisconsin, and Barret Elward, president of the United Faculty & Academic Staff union at UW-Madison.
‼️We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey — it’s only 7 minutes long. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card and City Cast Madison swag!
👋 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 12th episode:
Gilda's Club
Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST
Wisco Home Goods
OutReach LGBT Community Center

Aug 11, 2025 • 29min
Madison Public Market Says It’s Worth the Wait
It’s been years in the making and after multiple funding concerns and construction delays, it almost felt like the Madison Public Market would remain a dream forever. But the money has come through and construction is nearly finished, and the Madison Public Market is officially on its way to an early 2026 opening. So what can you expect from this long-awaited public good? Madison Public Market Foundation CEO Keisha Harrison gives us the scoop.
‼️We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey — it’s only 7 minutes long. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card and City Cast Madison swag!
👋 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 11th episode:
Gilda's Club
Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST
Wisco Home Goods
OutReach LGBT Community Center


