Did you resolve that 2024 would be the year you took better care of yourself? Are you hoping to eat better and cook more homemade meals? Maybe you’re in a cooking rut and want to learn something new, from making your own pasta or soup broth to using more herbs. Cap Times Food Editor Lindsay Christians is here to help. Bianca Martin and Lindsay discuss the dizzying array of options in Madison. Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs an...
Jan 25, 2024•23 min
Like many local teens, Estella Hasrick attends Middleton High School and likes to ski. But unlike just about anyone, Estella is currently in South Korea competing in the Winter Youth Olympics . She’s one of only four teens competing for Team USA in the ski jump competition. Bianca Martin caught up with Estella to learn what it takes to fly through the air. 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 Ma...
Jan 24, 2024•17 min
When Dee Star’s not creating his own podcast, he’s teaching teens locked up at the Dane County Juvenile Detention Center how to do the same. Dee’s own podcast, OuttaDeeBox, helps inmates and their families find jobs, housing, counseling and inspiration to change their lives. Bianca Martin catches up with Dee to learn what drives him. Learn more: Read about Dee Star’s podcasting class through the Madison Public Library. Listen to Dee on the OuttaDeeBox podcast . Learn more about the Big Brothers ...
Jan 23, 2024•20 min
Madison is one step closer to the long-awaited Amtrak train that would connect the city to Milwaukee and Minneapolis. The city’s transportation department has decided on eight potential sites where a new Madison Amtrak station could be located. Host Bianca Martin sits down with transportation planner Liz Callin to get an update on the efforts and how Madisonians can give feedback on the proposed train station sites. The city is holding two upcoming public feedback meetings for the passenger rail...
Jan 22, 2024•24 min
The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin, Hayley Sperling and Molly Stentz recap Wisconsin’s quest for new political voting maps and the huge new grant UW-Madison landed to study Alzheimer’s. Plus, we skid across town looking at Madison roads after the big storms and ask why the U.S. DOT is banning our sassy roadsigns. Mentioned on the show: 🏛️ Maps submitted to Wisconsin Supreme Court would chip away at Republican legislative advantages [Milwaukee Journal Sent...
Jan 19, 2024•25 min
Fabiola’s Spaghetti House and Deli is now open for dinner in Madison’s Greenbush neighborhood. The former Rocky Rococo pizzeria on Regent Street has been transformed into a restaurant serving both Italian classics like spaghetti and meatballs, and Jewish deli staples like bialys and latkes. Owner Sam Brown is no stranger to the neighborhood, having worked at that Rocky’s as a teenager. Bianca Martin catches up with Sam about his vision for Fabiola’s and how he’s honoring the roots of the Greenbu...
Jan 18, 2024•19 min
More than 24,000 lives have been lost in Gaza since the war began more than a hundred days ago. That’s more than the entire population of Middleton, Wisconsin. Here in Madison, protestors have staged rallies at the State Capitol and on the UW campus, while activist groups urge lawmakers to demand a ceasefire. One of those groups is the Madison Rafah Sister City Project . For decades, they’ve worked to provide humanitarian assistance to people in Rafah and the rest of Gaza. Host Bianca Martin spe...
Jan 17, 2024•24 min
The state legislature is tackling two big questions this week: Who gets to power our state’s electric grid into the future and who’s allowed to own and operate electric vehicle charging stations? The two energy infrastructure bills have been moving steadily through the state house and are scheduled for a vote this week in the senate. Host Bianca Martin is joined by Tom Content, the executive director of the Citizen Utility Board, to chat about what’s in these bills and how it could impact the wa...
Jan 16, 2024•20 min
The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin, Hayley Sperling and Molly Stentz recap the first winter snowstorm of the year and the city’s efforts to make our streets safer, plus the new medical marijuana bill introduced at the State Capitol this week. And, Madison has a new task force to identify and prevent hate crimes in the city. We'll be celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday. See ya back here on Tuesday! Mentioned on the show: 🚗 Vision Zero, Explai...
Jan 12, 2024•28 min
Trying dry - or even damp - January this year? For those looking to cut back on alcohol this year, there are more options than ever. From mocktails to CBD seltzers, there’s an array of choices beyond yesterday’s non-alcoholic beers. Bianca Martin catches up with Tyler Maas, organizer of Madison’s N/A Day at the Bur Oak, to get some inspiration. Here's a sampling of Wisconsin companies making non-alcoholic (NA) beverages: HoneyBee Cannabis Mad Maiden Shrub Untitled Art System Seltzers Lakefront B...
Jan 11, 2024•21 min
With Martin Luther King Jr. Day right around the corner, Madison has a host of events lined up to commemorate the civil rights activist, including a special keynote address from one of the Little Rock Nine — Terrence Roberts. Roberts helped integrate public schools in the U.S. by volunteering to be one of the first Black high school students to attend an all-white school in 1957, following the U.S. Supreme Court decision outlawing segregation. Host Bianca Martin speaks with Ed Lee and Dr. Gloria...
Jan 10, 2024•19 min
Wisconsin’s political maps have been called some of the most extreme partisan gerrymanders in the country. Just before Christmas, the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down the Republican-drawn maps as unconstitutional - but they didn’t talk about the partisan advantage. They said the maps need to be compact and contiguous, instead of having Swiss cheese-like holes cut out of districts. So now what? How will the court decide upon new maps? And what does it mean for our fall elections? Bianca Martin...
Jan 09, 2024•17 min
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway was in Dubai in December to attend the world’s largest climate conference. For the first time, mayors around the world were formally invited to the United Nations Climate Change Conference , the COP28, to share ideas for tackling climate change locally. It’s a shift toward recognizing that while nations argue over global climate agreements, many cities are quietly leading the way in finding ways to cool the planet. Bianca Martin catches up with the Mayor to lear...
Jan 08, 2024•28 min
The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin, Molly Stentz and Hayley Sperling recap the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s move to toss out our voting maps, new attention on the former UW-La Crosse Chancellor’s porn hobby, and Madison East High School’s plan to phase out letter grades. Plus, driving tests are back! Mentioned on the show: Here's what to know about the Wisconsin Supreme Court's gerrymandering ruling [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] Former UW-La Crosse Chancellor ...
Jan 05, 2024•28 min
Madison’s northside is buzzing. And one new lounge is breathing fire into the normal January doldrums. Lola’s Hi/Lo Lounge on Sherman Avenue features comfort food from around the world. It’s a tavern, a jazz cafe and cocktail lounge all in one. Their motto? “A hi-fi love letter to the low brow.“ Bianca Martin speaks with Lola’s co-owners Matt Gerding and Evan Dannells. And if those names sound familiar, it’s because they’re some of the folks behind the Majestic Theatre and Cadre Restaurant. Wann...
Jan 04, 2024•22 min
Could psychedelics help veterans suffering from PTSD? UW scientists want to know. UW-Madison’s Transdisciplinary Center for Research in Psychoactive Substances wants to explore the medicinal uses of psychedelics like psilocybin (magic mushrooms) and MDMA (ecstasy) for those dealing with trauma. They’re seeking state approval to create a pilot program to study it. Bianca Martin speaks with the center’s director Paul Hutson as well as psychologist and neuroscientist Christopher Nicholas about the ...
Jan 03, 2024•21 min
Welcome to 2024! And if your new year’s resolution is to get out more, the Madison team has got you covered. Host Bianca Martin and Madison Minutes newsletter editor Hayley Sperling round up the events in the area they’re most excited about in January. Escape the cold: The Bolz conservatory The Wisconsin Drag Awards 2024 - Jan. 14 You can reach Bianca Lynn Breeze Productions at blbproductions2022@gmail.com. Flix Brewhouse Madison’s Space Month Move to the music: Wisconsin Bluegrass Fest with Hor...
Jan 02, 2024•23 min
As we head into the new year, we’re wrapping up our series of some of our favorite shows from 2023 with an absolute gem. If you’ve hopped on a bus in Madison in the past twenty years, you’ve heard his voice. Next stop… Pinckney at Mifflin. Next stop… It’s his voice that announces every stop on every Madison Metro bus. He’s always there, guiding us around the city. But you’ve never heard his name… until now. Meet Ward Paxton, the voice of Madison Metro. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us...
Dec 29, 2023•16 min
As we head into the new year, we wanted to celebrate the vibrant cheese scene in the Madison area, and not many have done it better than Landmark Creamery of Paoli. They make some of the best cheeses in the world. You don’t have to take our word for it - that’s according to judges at the American Cheese Society , the Good Food Awards , and the World Championship Cheese Contest . They make various tasty handmade sheep-milk cheeses. And they are even making artisan butter down the street at Seven ...
Dec 28, 2023•21 min
As the year comes to a close, we’re revisiting some of our favorite shows from 2023. Ones that helped us feel more connected to our community and reminded us of the wealth of resources we have available right in our backyard sometimes. Like the Madison Public Library ! Did you know your little orange card can do a lot more than just check out books? It 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 digi...
Dec 27, 2023•18 min
For this final week of the year we’re taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of our best shows from 2023. Back in August, we sat down with Wisconsin Broadcast Hall of Famer Lindsay Wood Davis and the founder of 98.7 FM WVMO The Voice of Monona radio station. It has been dubbed "The Coolest Little Station In the Nation" and in 2022 won the Best Radio Station in the state. Host Bianca Martin is joined by Lindsay Wood Davis and 13-year-old radio host Beatrix Pauli, host of Bea’s Buzz . ...
Dec 26, 2023•23 min
With the year coming to a close, what are your hopes and dreams for the city of Madison in 2024?Maybe it’s more late night food options? Less traffic? More bike lanes? Here at City Cast Madison, we definitely have some thoughts on the matter. Host Bianca Martin is joined by Madison Minutes newsletter editor Hayley Sperling to reflect on the year and chat through some of their 2024 resolutions for Madison. Mentioned on the show: You can listen to our resolutions episode from 2023. And check your ...
Dec 22, 2023•24 min
Nothing says holidays like family and food, and Ahan, a local Laotian spot, has both. We sat down with the restaurant’s co-owner and chef, James Beard Semifinalist Jamie Brown-Soukaseume, to ask about her expansion to Williamson’s Street, which of her mother’s recipes made it to the menu, and even the secret ingredient behind the Laotian cuisine. 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...
Dec 21, 2023•21 min
Calling all bird watchers! Get ready because some of the local birds you see around Madison are about to get new names. The rebrand is part of a larger shift from the American Ornithological Society which is planning to rename 70-80 English-named birds in North America to address past wrongs and make the names more scientifically accurate. We get the bird word with Dexter Patterson, the WiscoBirder and co-founder of the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin , on why birds’ names matters, the controver...
Dec 20, 2023•24 min
The UW System Board of Regents flip-flopped on a major state deal that would require the UW to cut down on diversity-related positions in exchange for around $800 million for staff raises and building projects. Three regents changed their tune on the controversial proposal just days after voting no on the exact same offer. So what changed? Kelly Meyerhofer higher education reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel joins host Bianca Martin to share the story. Wanna talk to us about an episode? ...
Dec 19, 2023•18 min
A proposed contract between Dane County Regional Airport and the Air National Guard would exempt the military from liability for toxic PFAS chemical pollution at the airport. This has Dane County supervisor Yogesh Chawla’s eyebrows going up. He and his colleagues at the Dane County Board of Supervisors want changes to the contract to ensure the safety of Dane County’s drinking water. Bianca Martin speaks with Chawla about what those are and why he’s losing sleep over PFAS. Wanna talk to us about...
Dec 18, 2023•21 min
The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin and Hayley Sperling discuss the potential for new Amtrak train routes across Wisconsin, including service from Madison to Milwaukee. Also, it’s been a week of surprising votes from the UW Board of Regents, as they nix an deal with the legislature over diversity programs and funding for the state university system... and then abruptly reverse course. Mentioned on the show: UW Regents approve deal on funding, engineering bu...
Dec 15, 2023•27 min
It’s absolutely the season to curl up in a cozy coffee shop with a hot cup of joe. And Madison is rife with options. But which ones go above and beyond when it comes to quality coffee and top notch atmosphere? Bianca Martin speaks with Ashley Rodriguez, writer of the Boss Barista newsletter. 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 madiso...
Dec 14, 2023•22 min
You can already hear the twinkling of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, can’t you? The Nutcracker opens at the Overture Center this Friday, December 15th and runs through Christmas Eve. Bianca Martin speaks with the new Madison Ballet Artistic Director , Ja’ Malik, about what’s in store. 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 Mi...
Dec 13, 2023•22 min
Waxxy Poodle is believed to be the first vinyl record pressing plant in Wisconsin in nearly a hundred years. And it was born out of a serious need. Owner Dave Eck, who’s spent his career mastering audio, saw that the handful of pressing plants in the U.S. couldn’t keep up with the demand of the vinyl resurgence boom. So he took matters into his own hands. Eck and his wife Jennifer Jurgensen now own and operate their very own plant, serving artists in Madison and beyond. Bianca Martin speaks with...
Dec 12, 2023•12 min
