Spring in Madison is a great time to find delicious food right in your backyard. And foraging for delectable local morsels means hunting much more than mushrooms. There’s ramps, watercress, dozens of edible weeds… all around you. But how do you know where to look? And what’s edible… and tasty? Dylan Brogan sits down with Andy Gricevich, owner of What Got Gathered , for some local foraging pro tips. You can find Andy at the Westside Community Market , Monona Farmers Market and the Madison Eastsid...
May 04, 2023•25 min
Phosphorous runoff has been plaguing Madison's lakes and streams for years. This fertilizer causes algae to bloom, making our beloved waterways stinky and hazardous. Now facing tougher state and federal regulations, the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District has to clean up more phosphorous than ever. And just how they propose to do that is up for debate. The sewer district says filtering out more phosphorous would be costly, and wouldn’t address other pollutants like mercury, chloride and PFAS....
May 03, 2023•25 min
Meteorologist Bob Lindmeier has been a household name in the Madison area for decades. Most people know him as the WKOW weatherman . And after 43 years, he’s seen a lot of weather. He’s also seen how it’s changed in the Madison area over the years. More extreme rainfall. Catastrophic flooding. But despite witnessing our changing climate firsthand, he hasn’t given up hope. Dylan Brogan caught up with Bob to learn why. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or emai...
May 02, 2023•21 min
Like many things, too much of a good thing can be very, very bad for you. And the case of Madison-area lakes and rivers, too much phosphorous fertilizer has been a very bad thing: it causes stinky and hazardous algal blooms and fish kills. It’s one reason why many of our beaches get so stinky that public health has to post advisories not to swim in them. The Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District must decide how to clean up phosphorous in its waste water. Prompted by state and federal regs, they...
May 01, 2023•22 min
What a week it was in Madison. The Northern Lights were visible on Sunday night. The Madison City Council lifts a ban on nunchucks. Politicos debate taxes at the State Capitol while Madisonians get miffed about this year’s property assessments. Senator Ron Johnson looks for the silver lining in the grim news of climate change. And a local political controversy stirs about whether State Assembly members can hold other full-time jobs. Plus, Dylan goes to the mat for parking ramps. Dylan Brogan and...
Apr 28, 2023•25 min
Summer is so short in Wisconsin, when it’s finally nice enough to casually lounge outdoors again, we burst onto the scene with a fury. And that time is coming, friends. Cap Times photographer Ruthie Hauge started cataloging all of Madison’s great outdoor gathering spaces during the pandemic. And she never stopped. Now the Cap Times guide’s got more than 350 patios for dining, drinking, bringing your dog, taking in the views, paddling to, or just gathering with friends. Lindsay Christians , food ...
Apr 27, 2023•24 min
The Madison Public Library has a wealth of resources beyond books. Your little orange card can help you grow a garden or get across town. You can digitize those old family photos or make cheap photocopies. Tana Elias, the library’s digital services and marketing, lets us in on a few things you probably didn’t know your little card can do. Also mentioned on the show: 🌳 Free State Park Day Passes (in Cambridge, DeForest, Stoughton and Verona libraries) 📣 RCC Sexual Violence Resource Center 50th ...
Apr 26, 2023•19 min
Artist Erika Koivunen is no stranger to tragedy. Just eighteen months after losing her husband, Aaron Howard, a massive fire torched her entire S. Park Street workshop. Acme Ironworks , the shop that she and her husband shared as metalworkers, burned to the ground after a thunderstorm. The fire caused millions in damages and destroyed several businesses on the block. You’ve probably seen Erika’s work all over Madison: the thirty-foot tall metal tree that greets you on Willy Street, the metal flo...
Apr 25, 2023•21 min
“History is written by the victors .” That’s often attributed to Winston Churchill. But what about the other sides of the story? The stories we don’t learn about in school: how some students and staff were denied housing due to their race and why some UW leaders held dangerous, racist ideas about genetic superiority. And what about the stories of students who fought to make campus more accessible and better for all? The UW Public History Project is here to tell them. Kacie Lucchini Butcher is th...
Apr 24, 2023•25 min
Happy Earth Week, everyone. Dane County is now the first county in the state to have government facilities 100% powered by renewable energy . The airport, the courthouse, the Alliant Energy Center… their energy use is now completely offset by local renewable energy production. The Yahara Solar farm is online. In other news, the State Assembly would like to ban anyone from banning gasoline engines . Not that anyone was doing that. But, you know, California . And Madison teachers are fighting for ...
Apr 21, 2023•18 min
When Pick ‘n Save announced they’d be closing their store on S. Park Street, neighbors were worried. The nearest full-service grocery was miles away. The block seemed headed for another hospital expansion. Few grocers seemed interested in running a store in south Madison. The Pick n’ Save store was too old and not large enough for many grocery chains to take over. The area is considered low-income. The city struggled to find someone with a business plan to make it work. But now, a locally-owned ...
Apr 20, 2023•25 min
Madison was the first city in the nation to offer curbside recycling service. But fifty-five years of celebrating recycling’s virtues has driven us to optimism. We wishfully toss things in the cart and hope for the best. Friends, we are here to tell you that is NOT how this works. In fact, your good deeds are messing things up - gumming up machines and putting workers in harm’s way. Can you recycle plastic bags? Nope. Those little tabs from your bread bags? Nope. Bottle caps? Nope. And please, f...
Apr 19, 2023•22 min
The Dane County Board is poised to vote this Thursday on whether to spend an additional $13 million on renovating the oldest part of Dane County Jail. The latest vote comes after the Board has already earmarked $166 million for the project so far - and after the Board already approved a plan for a smaller, cheaper facility. County Executive Joe Parisi vetoed that plan, and is pushing for a larger version of the plan that Sheriff Kalvin Barrett favors. But Dane County Supervisor Dana Pellebon say...
Apr 18, 2023•22 min
There’s been a flurry of court action regarding abortion. What exactly is legal in Wisconsin is confusing — and up for debate. While Wisconsin’s 1849 law banning abortions is in effect, some people are mail-ordering mifepristone and misoprostol through online pharmacies to end their pregnancies. But new dueling court decisions raise questions about access to medical abortion. Medical abortions involve taking a two-drug combination rather than surgery. It’s the most common kind of abortion. Meanw...
Apr 17, 2023•21 min
On the roundup this week, we dig into the surprising election results of a coy UW-Madison conservative . Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul is making moves in lawsuits over abortion access. And what should Wisconsin do about wolves making a comeback in the state? The whole City Cast pack's here scavenging for the news. Bianca Martin, Dylan Brogan and Molly Stentz talk about things big and small. Like why Dylan hates soccer. Also on this episode: 🧬 UW-Madison's Science Expeditions Campus Open ...
Apr 14, 2023•22 min
There’s a new french bakery in Madison, tucked away in the old New Orleans Take-out spot on Fordem Ave by the railroad tracks. It’s a non-descript spot on Madison’s northside. A small sandwich board stands outside. The old jazz mural is still there. But inside, the flavors explode. Handmade asparagus quiche with buttery, flaky dough. Kouign-amann, the cake that seems to be half butter by weight. Fresh baked croissants. Savory tarts. Spice buns. It’s called Far Breton Bakery. And their grand open...
Apr 13, 2023•20 min
Tax time is coming. Looking for a little extra cash? What if I told you there was a magic website where you could search for free money? No wait, don’t hang up. We promise this is legit. The Wisconsin Department of Revenue runs a website where you can search for lost money. It’s called the Unclaimed Property list. And it’s actually YOUR money. If you’ve ever forgotten to cash a check, chances are that money is NOT long gone. It was turned over to the state, where they are keeping it safe, waitin...
Apr 12, 2023•21 min
The sun is finally shining, the birds are singing… spring is here and the WiscoBirder is on the lookout! The Great Wisconsin Birdathon is around the corner. Beginning April 15th, teams from around the state compete to spot as many bird species as possible within a 24-hour period. Dexter Patterson teaches photography at UW Madison, but he’s perhaps better known as the WiscoBirder and co-founder of the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin . Get ready to meet one of Madison’s biggest bird nerds. 📸 See ...
Apr 11, 2023•26 min
Parking tickets. We’ve all been there… rushing to back to the meter, just a few minutes too late. Having to move your car every two hours. Forgetting which day the street sweepers come. And don’t get us started on snow days. One man holds the power to take the sting out of those tickets. And he’s actually more reasonable than you might think. He’s been on a mission to make local court more accessible to the public. Meet Madison Municipal Court Judge Dan Koval . *And yes, he is related to former ...
Apr 10, 2023•22 min
Dylan Brogan, Bianca Martin, and Molly Stentz round up the news this week, which means we’re unpacking election day results. What could Judge Janet’s win mean for 2024 and the next presidential race? Why did Wisconsin vote for the liberal-backed judge while also supporting tougher bail measures and work requirements for welfare? Are the purple state eulogies a bit premature? And what will happen in the Madison race that came down to two votes? We don’t know the answers, but that doesn’t stop us ...
Apr 07, 2023•22 min
Stella’s Hot & Spicy Cheese Bread has long been a staple of the Dane County Farmers’ Market. The huge loaves are stuffed with gooey hot cheese, flecked with red pepper and are best eaten by tearing off a huge hunk as you stroll the market contemplating eating more vegetables. Now, Brian Winzenried of the famed Stella’s family is taking the cheese bread to Panama. What began as a pandemic trip has blossomed into a new business venture, opening this spring. Not only can you enjoy a taste of ho...
Apr 06, 2023•21 min
$45 million dollars and nearly two million votes later, the election result is in: Milwaukee Judge Janet Protasiewicz will be the next Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice. Liberal-backed justices will soon have four seats on the state’s high court and a slim majority. All eyes are now on Attorney General Josh Kaul’s lawsuit seeking to overturn the state’s 1849 abortion ban. Bianca Martin and Dylan Brogan break down the big results from the election day. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a ...
Apr 05, 2023•17 min
Every year, the Madison City Council adds new city ordinances to the books. More rules, more things made illegal. There are 45 chapters of them , regulating everything from liquor licenses to signs. But every so often, someone comes along with an eye toward clean up. Someone who looks through the pages and pages of city laws… and finds the outdated, ridiculous or potentially discriminatory ones that need to go. Meet Grant Foster , a city alder representing Madison’s near east side. Aka, the Mari...
Apr 04, 2023•21 min
The City of Madison knows that no one likes evictions. They’re painful, messy and costly. So they’re funding a program to provide free lawyers to tenants facing eviction. They mediate conflicts - or miscommunication - between tenants and landlords, and work out solutions. And it’s been shockingly effective. Carousel Bayrd of Community Justice, Inc is one of these lawyers. 🏠 If you need help, contact the Tenant Resource Center’s Eviction Prevention Clinic Also on the show: 🤣 Who Will Be Madison...
Apr 03, 2023•23 min
It’s the Friday news roundup and the whole City Cast Madison team is here to rein in the wayward news of the week. Dylan Brogan, Bianca Martin and Molly Stentz discuss the big money in our Wisconsin Supreme Court race, the little-known question on your ballot in Madison, why the Madison School District spokesperson is suing to prevent your access to records… and of course, crime-fighting burritos. Read the stories: Big $ (AP) What’s on Your Ballot (My Vote WI) Madison School Lawsuit (NBC 15) Cri...
Mar 31, 2023•22 min
Who doesn’t love a good food cart?! From the massive fresh spring rolls on library mall to the crispy arepas on the capitol square, there are dozens of food carts throughout the city ready to provide a nice hot lunch or tasty snack. But Madison’s food cart scene doesn’t just happen. There’s a bunch of work behind the scenes to pave the way. Did you know that Madison has an official group of food cart taste testers?! Meghan Blake-Horst, Madison’s Street Vending Coordinator, explains it all. 🍲 Jo...
Mar 30, 2023•21 min
There are many trivia nights in Madison… but only one where the host writes all the questions from scratch, serenades you with a musical round on his guitar, and generally makes up the rules on the fly. Paul Guse is the mastermind behind Smarter Than You trivia. He hosts free trivia games at the Harmony Bar on Atwood Avenue every first and third Wednesday night. And he’s challenging us to a round. Dear listeners, play along with us. Test your knowledge of Madison and beyond. No cheating! Also on...
Mar 29, 2023•23 min
F-35 military fighter jets are expected to arrive in Madison as early as April. Madison is the second Air National Guard in the nation to receive the military’s newest jets. They’ll be stationed at Truax field, next to the airport and Madison College. The Wisconsin Air National Guard calls them a “ game changer .” The federal F-35 program - the most expensive weapon in US history - was designed to give the military a “Swiss Army knife” jet capable of handling a multitude of missions. Many others...
Mar 28, 2023•21 min
It’s been called the “ most important election in the country .” And yes, it’s right in our backyard. On April 4th, voters will decide who gets a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. This seat will determine the ideological balance of the court, and thus how it could rule on a number of high-stakes issues from abortion to voting rights. Wisconsin continues to be a swingy swing state without outsize importance on national politics. So all eyes are on us. ⚖️ We catch up with WisPolitics President ...
Mar 27, 2023•21 min
It’s the Friday news roundup and the whole City Cast Madison team is here. Bianca Martin, Dylan Brogan and Molly Stentz discuss the latest on big spending in our local Madison elections, ponder a deadly monkey virus that scientists say has the potential to spread to humans, and we deliver a eulogy for Burrito Drive . 🌯 Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm . We’re also on Twitter and Instagram ! Want more Madison news delivered righ...
Mar 24, 2023•21 min
