There’s a giant among us and it lives at the Overture Center for the Arts. It’s a 30-ton pipe organ. It cost more than two million dollars, contains more than 4,000 pipes and is used in performances ranging from Latin Jazz to Bach to collaborations with the UW-Madison Wind Ensemble. The man who knows it best is Greg Zelek , the principal organist for the Madison Symphony Orchestra. He’s the curator of the Overture Concert Organ, and he oversees all of the orchestra’s organ programming. Host Bian...
Aug 01, 2023•22 min
It’s been more than eight years since Tony Robinson died. The teenager was shot dead by a Madison police officer who responded to a 911 call to Tony’s apartment on Willy Street. The police department cleared the officer of any wrongdoing. The district attorney declined to prosecute. Tony’s mother, Andrea Irwin, settled a civil lawsuit against the city in 2017. Her attorneys called it the biggest settlement in Wisconsin history for a police shooting. But Tony's grandmother, Sharon Irwin-Henry, st...
Jul 31, 2023•21 min
Bianca Martin, Dylan Brogan and Molly Stentz are here to roundup the news of the week… including the state of Madison’s housing crisis and how our newish program to answer mental health crisis calls is working. Maybe that’s why everyone’s been at the movies with Barbie . Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email us at madison@citycast.fm . We’re also on (the former) Twitter and Instagram ! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for th...
Jul 28, 2023•23 min
There’s a new restaurant open on Monroe Street, in the former Brasserie V space. It’s called One and Only , and they’re sporting seafood, seasonal salads, house-made ravioli, and of course, the legendary frites. Co-owner Stephani Dalbesio gives us the scoop. 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 right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsle...
Jul 27, 2023•21 min
While we don’t have hurricanes or a sinking oceanfront, Madison is not immune to our changing climate. It feels like when we’re not flooding, there’s a drought or a heatwave or smoky bad air from Canadian wildfires. Or all of the above. Is this the new normal? We turned to our new state climatologist , Steve Vavrus , for an explanation. Also on the show: Check your air quality Tips for spotting heat stroke and heat exhaustion Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-336...
Jul 26, 2023•24 min
Madison is said to have more bikes than cars. And with 200 miles of bike trails in the area, there’s a lot to explore. So we turned to biking aficionado Grant Foster of Madison Bikes for his favorite trips. He’s got tips for everyone from newbies to those ready to make a weekend out of it. Plus, basic bike maintenance. Grant’s recommendations: If you’ve got 30 minutes or less: Downtown Loop along State Street and Capitol (2 miles) Lake Mendota shorefront to Picnic Point (3 miles) Wingra Lake Loo...
Jul 25, 2023•24 min
If you’ve been to a Wisconsin bar, you’ve likely seen a pull-tab machine. Pop in a buck and out comes a rectangle cardboard card that may get you a cash prize of up to $250. Tea Krulos got the bizarre backstory of this unofficial — yet legal — lottery. He joins City Cast Madison to explain how Wisconsin Souvenir Milkcaps (as they're officially known) became a thing. For more on Wisconsin Souvenir Milkcaps, read Krulos' article " The Unlikely Story Behind Pull-Tabs in Wisconsin " published by Mil...
Jul 24, 2023•20 min
Dylan Brogan, Bianca Martin and Molly Stentz are here to roundup the week’s news. Factory farms sue over pollution permits, west side neighbors rally to save a pet pig , and musicians get paid after local journalism intervenes. 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 right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on C...
Jul 21, 2023•20 min
Move over brewers, Madison distilleries are having a moment. And they’re making more than just brandy for your Old Fashioned. Fifteen years ago, Madison had exactly one distillery, and it was pretty new. Now, there’s at least ten in the area, if you count companies producing spirits for their own cocktails. Our pal Lindsay Christians, food editor at The Cap Times, is here with the latest on local spirits. 🍸 Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers...
Jul 20, 2023•22 min
Looking for a good place to swim in the Madison area? Worried about blue-green algae in the lakes? Wondering what pools and beaches are open these days? Maybe you want some personal recs on the best spots to take the little ones. Alisa Sleep, one of the founders of the Madison Mom parenting site, joins us to share her faves. Here’s the Madison Mom guide to local pools, splash pads and beaches . Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm ....
Jul 19, 2023•17 min
Madison’s professional men’s soccer team, officially called Madison Forward Football Club, is on a winning streak. They’re currently ranked second in their league, USL League One. What’s behind the flamingoes’ rally? We catch up with captain Mitch Osmond about what’s going right this season. 🦩 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 right to your inbox? Sign up f...
Jul 18, 2023•21 min
Next time you’re at Olin Turville Park, say hello to new park staffers Donna, Nancy, Emma, Janelle, Midnight and Dorito. Don’t be mad if they don’t talk back, though. They’re goats. These goats are on assignment cleaning up brush and invasive species in many Madison parks. They belong to Greg Haak and Brooke Hushagen of HaakHagen Goat Grazing , who set the herd up inside a portable electric fence and let them graze. Goats are natural browsers, and the idea is that they’ll naturally eat their way...
Jul 17, 2023•21 min
The City Cast team rounds up the week’s news, including the Madison City Council paving the way for more high-end apartments downtown, the ongoing renovations at Woodman’s on Milwaukee Street and Top Chef coming to Madison. Bianca Martin and Molly Stentz share your thoughts on our Tourist Trap week. And we announce some big media news with a special guest, our CEO David Plotz. Did you miss our Tourist Trap Week? Check out our takes on Madison-area tourist attractions: Taliesin 🎧 The House on th...
Jul 14, 2023•28 min
In the heart of downtown Middleton lies the National Mustard Museum . They claim the world’s largest collection, with more than 6,000 bottles on display. The free museum is in the basement and the main floor is a gift shop with all kinds of mustard imaginable. There’s even a tasting bar. Of course, the entire City Cast Team - Bianca Martin, Dylan Brogan and Molly Stentz - had to check it out on our most excellent summer road trip of local tourist attractions. Did we cut the mustard? What did we ...
Jul 13, 2023•24 min
It’s Day Three of our whirlwind adventure visiting some of Wisconsin’s most famous tourist attractions. Today, we head to Cave of the Mounds near Blue Mounds, Wisconsin. It’s a privately owned cave that’s listed as a National Natural Landmark due to its educational and scientific value. For a fee, you can take a self-guided tour of the quarter-mile long limestone cave and see stalactites, stalagmites and fossils. Did you go on a field trip here as a kid? Have another fun memory? Leave us a voice...
Jul 12, 2023•22 min
Your City Cast Madison team - Bianca Martin, Dylan Brogan and Molly Stentz - is on the road this week, taking in the Madison area’s most famous attractions. We’re asking the question… as a local, are these stops worth the hype? It’s Day Two, and we’re headed to The House on the Rock in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Built by architect Alex Jordan to be a weekend retreat, it has since become one of the most hyped local attractions. The house itself still stands, but is surrounded by an entire complex, ...
Jul 11, 2023•23 min
City Cast Madison is on a full-on summer roadtrip this week. We’re visiting some of the biggest tourist attractions that the Madison area has to offer…. and asking the question: As a local, should you go? Is it worth the hype? The entire City Cast team - Bianca Martin, Dylan Brogan, and Molly Stentz - is here to give you the low-down. First stop… Taliesin in Spring Green. It was famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s Wisconsin home. It's now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wanna talk to us about an ...
Jul 10, 2023•23 min
The City Cast team rounds up the week’s news, including the Gov. Evers budget veto that could last four hundred years and the drought hitting Dane County hard. Plus, the bird’s the word… the Cardinal Bar is back. 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 right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madiso...
Jul 07, 2023•20 min
Willy Street, meet Sultan. Madison’s newest - and perhaps only - Pakistani restaurant is now open. It’s on the corner of Willy and Ingersoll, in the old Roman Candle Pizza spot. Sultan serves tapas-style small plates, with South Asian flavors. Classic curries and biryanis, chais and naan, but with a modern twist. Oh, and they don’t do tipping. They pay their staff a living wage. We talk to owner and chef Sultan Ahmed about his vision for the restaurant. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave u...
Jul 06, 2023•22 min
Public Health Madison & Dane County has reported two overdose spikes in recent months. Paramedics responded to nine overdoses at the end of May . Two people died. Paramedics also confirmed at least six overdoses in 24 hours in mid June . Another two people died. What’s going on? We talk to Julia Olsen of Public Health Madison & Dane County about what’s happening. Mentioned on the episode: Where to get free Narcan, fentanyl test strips and syringes Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave...
Jul 05, 2023•22 min
Electric fire trucks are popping up across the country. Portland, Oregon just got one . Boulder, Colorado is buying one . St. Paul’s got one on order . And of course, Los Angeles got in early . But Madison was first, baby. Madison was the first city in the nation to put an electric fire truck in service . The truck - which was designed in Wisconsin - saved 60,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in its first year of operation. And Madison firefighters are helping design the next gene...
Jul 03, 2023•16 min
The City Cast team rounds up the week’s news, including the unhealthy air from Canadian wildfire and the fight over Wisconsin’s top election official (again) — will lawmakers oust her ahead of the 2024 presidential election? Plus, the discovery that Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes has applied to be the top cop in Chicago . Mentioned on the episode: Where to find a free N95 mask UW Madison responds to the Supreme Court decision striking down affirmative action TODAY is the day! Procrastinators, ...
Jun 30, 2023•19 min
There’s a new cookbook out that showcases the ingredients and flavors of Madison. And we’re gonna stop ya right there, it is WAY more than brats and cheese curds. It features recipes from the farmers, chefs and shoppers who frequent the Dane County Farmers’ Market, one of the oldest and largest in the country. With recipes for curtido to panzanella to ratatouille, and gorgeous photos of the food and the people behind them, it’s a celebration of all who call Madison home. We speak to author Teres...
Jun 29, 2023•25 min
You’ve surely seen his work. The photo of President Obama in the White House situation room. The iconic moment when a five-year-old child reached up and touched Obama’s hair, after asking if it was like his own. These photos are by White House photographer Pete Souza . Souza has since moved to Madison, where he freelances and occasionally pops off about current events online, when he’s not taking beautiful images of our fair city. We caught up with him to learn what it was like to be a witness t...
Jun 28, 2023•22 min
Madison trivia is back, baby. We’ve brought Smarter Than You trivia guru Paul Guse back to test our knowledge of all things Mad city. Buckle up and play along… Dylan Brogan and Bianca go head to head in this episode. Catch Paul at the Harmony Bar every first and third Wednesday of the month. He’ll be there next week, July 5th. And hey, we’re in the running for Best Local Podcast in the Madison Magazine Best of Madison contest! Do we have your vote? Here’s the link: https://www.channel3000.com/ma...
Jun 27, 2023•27 min
Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Homes Jr. famously said, “Taxes are what we pay for civilized society.” But who pays and how much has been debated ever thus. When you buy anything from a cup of coffee to a car in Madison, you’re paying sales tax. That money is collected by local shops and sent to the state of Wisconsin. Every two years, the state decides how much of that money to share with the communities where it was collected. Same goes for the income tax you pay every year. But cities s...
Jun 26, 2023•21 min
The whole City Cast Madison team is back in the saddle today. Bianca Martin, Dylan Brogan and Molly Stentz round up this week’s news, including a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling on weed at traffic stops , the fight over paying for childcare , and Madison’s aim to be a sanctuary city for transgender and non-binary residents. And it’s been a year since the Dobbs Supreme Court decision, which led to the criminalization of abortion in Wisconsin. There’s dueling abortion-related events at the State Ca...
Jun 23, 2023•21 min
The James Beard Awards are often called the Oscars of food. They’re a prestigious national recognition for restaurants that offer high quality food. If you think you have to travel to the coasts to try some of the nation’s best restaurants, you would be wrong. Here in Madison, we’ve got award-winners in our backyard. Itaru Nagano and Andrew Kroeger, chefs and co-owners of Fairchild in Madison, have been named the best chefs in the midwest by the James Beard Foundation. Cap Times Food Editor Lind...
Jun 22, 2023•21 min
We’re on a quest to help you make the most of your summer in Madison. Brandon Rounds is the mastermind behind Live on Queen , a free outdoor drag show and dance party happening this Friday, June 23, in downtown Madison. It’s the latest installment of the Live on King street series of free concerts that take place on the 100 block of King Street in front of the Majestic Theatre. Catch Brandon performing as Bianca Lynn Breeze , Madison’s hardest working drag queen. Dylan Brogan gets the dish on Ma...
Jun 21, 2023•22 min
The Madison school district initially offered teachers a 3.5 percent pay bump but is now committed to doubling it to the highest raise allowed by state law. Teachers are applauding the move and say investing in educators is long overdue. However, what this means for the district’s financial health is far from clear because of a looming budget deficit. Nichelle Nichols, president of the Madison school board, talks with Dylan Brogan about why the board is prioritizing teacher pay this year and the...
Jun 20, 2023•22 min
