

City Cast Salt Lake
City Cast
City Cast Salt Lake is Salt Lake City’s daily news podcast. Host Ali Vallarta and a bevy of smart and entertaining locals will bring you conversations about the issues that matter most to SLC. Some days City Cast will make you proud; other days it’ll make you angry. It will celebrate Salt Lake’s triumphs, (try to) solve its mysteries, and explore its history. City Cast will help you feel more connected to the Wasatch Front – whether you’ve lived here for 6 months or 6 generations.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 22, 2023 • 20min
The Rallying Cry for Utah Gay Rodeo
It’s been 19 years since riders and wranglers came to town to compete in Utah’s gay rodeo. But this summer, the Utah Gay Rodeo Association plans to break that spell by hosting the Crossroads of the West Regional Rodeo. UGRA trustee Kevin Hillman joins host Ali Vallarta to explore a resurgence in cowboy culture and explain where gay rodeo fits in the “Yeehaw Agenda.”Participate in the mini, indoor gay rodeo at Club Verse this Sunday, March 26, beginning at 3 p.m. (21+)Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC.

Mar 21, 2023 • 20min
The New Normal for All-Ages Drag Shows
There is no Salt Lake as we know it without a vibrant LGBTQ+ community, and our drag scene reflects that. But like other places around the country, drag shows are under attack by lawmakers and right-wing extremists who say they aren’t appropriate for children. Salt Lake’s all-ages Bes-Teas show recently returned, after armed Proud Boys protested the event earlier this year. Now, Bes-Teas creator Tara Lipsyncki joins host Ali Vallarta to explain what’s at stake.Salt Lake’s 2022 municipal equality index scorecard from the Human Rights Campaign.Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC.

Mar 20, 2023 • 21min
Why the Royals’ Return Is Big for Utah Women
From the triumphant return of the Utah Royals soccer club to the University of Utah Women’s basketball team taking home the PAC-12 championship, our women athletes in Salt Lake are absolutely crushing it. Women’s sports super fan Sarah Reale joins host Ali Vallarta to explain why this is more than just a moment — it’s an evolution in our local industry.Read the 2021 Deloitte TMT Predictions report on the monetization of women’s sports.Get tickets to the Utah Wild.Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC.Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads.

Mar 17, 2023 • 27min
The Swarm, a Win for the Great Salt Lake, and Weekend Maybes
It seems like there’s always new news from Salt Lake City’s Ballpark neighborhood. This week, “The Swarm” proposal is the buzz about town. Plus, we have good and bad news for our shrinking Great Salt Lake. Lead producer Emily Means joins host Ali Vallarta to make sense of the week’s news. Plus, Hey Salt Lake newsletter editor Terina Ria recommends a weekend of “maybe” events.See renderings of "The Swarm" proposal for Ballpark.Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC.Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads.

Mar 16, 2023 • 22min
How Does Salt Lake City Criminalize Homelessness?
We recently asked Mayor Erin Mendenhall if Salt Lake City would consider rescinding its “no camping” ordinance, and she said no. That raised some questions for us, like how often are Salt Lakers going to court for camping? Taylor Hastings, an attorney with the Salt Lake Legal Defender Association, talks with lead producer Emily Means about what other measures could keep folks out of the criminal justice system while trying to survive on the city's streets. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC.Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads.

Mar 15, 2023 • 17min
Pocket Parks To Discover in SLC
We love our big parks here in Salt Lake: Liberty, Jordan and Sugar House Parks — all have a lot to offer.But this show isn’t about them. Today, we’re highlighting those tiny pocket parks you might never know about if you don’t know where to look. They’re scattered throughout neighborhoods and cover about two acres or less. Lead producer Emily Means talks with pocket park enthusiast Bryant Heath about his favorites. Plus, we hear from listeners on the ones they think are worth checking out.This episode first aired Sept. 7, 2022.Salt Lake City’s Ballpark design competition closes Friday, March 17.Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC.Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads.

Mar 14, 2023 • 21min
Is Utah’s New Flag Tattoo-Worthy?
Utah’s got a fever, and the only prescription is new flags. Salt Lake City’s redesigned banner has received glowing reviews from flag experts. And after a multi-year process and thousands of submissions, the Legislature approved a simpler design to rep the Beehive State — though some voters think there’s no school like the old school. Host Ali Vallarta talks with Ted Kaye of the North American Vexillological Association about what makes for a good flag and why it’s important to have one.Podcaster Roman Mars’ Ted Talk that launched an obsession with flags. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC.Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads.

Mar 13, 2023 • 20min
Getting Arrested for More Accessible Transit
One of the reasons we live in a city is the promise of accessibility, right? Disability advocate Shelby Hintze explains how the legacy of the late Barbara Toomer can be felt in how she gets around Salt Lake in a wheelchair. Plus, she shares the infrastructure improvements as well as day-to-day courtesies on her wishlist.Listen to our chaotic Women’s History Month playlist on Spotify.More info on Disability Activist Barbara G. ToomerSubscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC.Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads.

Mar 10, 2023 • 29min
Main Street 2.0, Ranked-Choice Mayors, and Brighter Days
Let’s get municipal. The Salt Lake City Council was busy this week, taking hours of public comment on oodles of issues. Lead producer Emily Means joins host Ali Vallarta to break down the week’s news, including permanently closing SLC’s Main Street to cars and ranked choice voting in this year’s municipal election.Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC.Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads.

Mar 9, 2023 • 23min
Coming Soon? Weekend Train to Boise
Salt Lakers love a good commuter rail ride as much as the next transit nerd (see you on FrontRunner!). But our neighbors in Boise are frickin’ stoked about the idea of a possible Amtrak route from the Big Potato to the Big Salty. City Cast Boise lead producer Frankie Barnhill and host Emma Arnold join Salt Lake host Ali Vallarta to talk about why Boiseans are so pumped to ride the rails to SLC — and whether Salt Lakers return the feeling.Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC.Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads.