City Cast Madison

An Asian bistro on the Square, a hibachi and ramen spot on the east side, and a rooftop restaurant at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art are just some of the new additions to Madison’s always changing restaurant scene. Today, host Bianca Martin gets the scoop with Cap Times Food and Culture Editor Lindsay Christians on what else we can expect to see opening around town this year and who we’re saying goodbye to.

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Our dear city of Madison just made National Geographic’s list of “The Best Places in the World to Travel to in 2027.” The list highlights the Dane County Farmers’ Market, the lakes, and our "bohemian" spirit. City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin chats with Executive Producer Hayley Sperling and vintage clothing seller and owner of Good Style Shop Peter Benck about the spotlight. Plus, Pete tells the team about what to expect at Midwest Vintage Flea Nov. 7-8.
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Madison’s Overture Hall is home to a 30-ton pipe organ that’s so massive that it moves on giant tracks. City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin talks with Madison Symphony Orchestra Principal Organist Greg Zelek about how he performs complex organ programs from memory while managing thousands of sound changes. Bianca also talks with City Cast Madison Creative Producer Jade Iseri-Ramos about what’s in store for the Madison Symphony Orchestra and the Overture concert organ for the remainder of 2026. That includes Laura Jackson’s first concerts as music director designee conducting Tchaikovsky and Zelek’s organ concert honoring C...

Black infants in Wisconsin are nearly three times more likely than white babies to die before their first birthdays. Cap Times health and policy reporter Erin McGroarty is investigating this disparity and the lived experiences of Black Wisconsin mothers. Erin joins City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin to discuss how systemic racism, chronic stress, and epigenetics are driving preterm birth and low birth weight, which are the leading causes of Black infant death. Erin also shares an intervention by The Foundation for Black Women's Wellness to connect pregnant people with doulas, and a Madison NICU collaboration to save extremely...

How much ownership or responsibility do you feel as a resident of Madison? In Salt Lake City, people are being asked to “adopt a storm drain” to help keep city streets free of floods and trash — and to possibly slow the drying and pollution of the Great Salt Lake. City Cast Salt Lake host Ali Vallarta says it’s worth a shot. This week, she joins David to discuss how quick, periodic cleaning of a neighborhood sewer grate can be part of a much bigger solution.

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The Madison Common Council is set to vote on whether to terminate the interim independent police monitor on Tuesday, Oct. 20. Whether or not they have legal standing to do so is up for debate. Madison365 Executive Editor Rob Chappell joins City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin and Creative Producer Rob Thomas to break down the story. Then, Rob Thomas lays out two contentious items in Dane County Executive Melissa Agard’s proposed 2027 budget: funding for sheriff body-worn cameras and a mental health contract dispute with Journey Mental Health. Plus, the team talks about the groundbreaking of the new YMCA fa...

Did you know the iconic 1976 film “Car Wash” has a Madison connection? The film’s director, Michael Schultz, studied at UW-Madison where he quickly changed his aspirations from being an astronaut to being a filmmaker. He chats with City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin about his long career as a trailblazing director, the lack of Black film representation during his early years, and the lasting relevance of his films.

This episode was originally published on Feb. 22, 2023.

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For the second year in a row, UW-Madison students who live on campus will be charged $100 to host one guest over Halloween weekend. The university says this will help pay for additional security and cleaning costs. But will it keep things tame during “Halloweekend?” City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin talks with contributor, writer, and comedian Emily Winter about Madison’s Halloween party history from State Street’s block-party in the 70s and 80s to the riot-era peak in the early aughts, all the way up to the now defunct city-run Freak Fest. 

Then Daniel Haschke, saxophonist and co-le...

The Wisconsin Book Festival Fall Celebration kicks off this Thursday. The yearly tradition brings more than 80 authors to Madison for book readings and author talks around town. City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin talks with festival Director Jane Rotunda about the event line up. Writer Jeff Oloizia also joins the show to discuss the new season of his podcast “Writing Forward.” Plus the three settle the age-old debate: is listening to an audiobook the same as reading a physical copy?   

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Another Madison school year has begun — how are cell phones being handled? In Minnesota, one high school is demonstrating that a strict no-phone school day can work, and they’ve got the (mostly) positive feedback to show for it. City Cast Twin Cities host Sean McPherson joins David to talk about how St. Paul Central High School is succeeding at enforcing a phone-free school environment, the surprising ways that some students approach it, and how these kinds of bans can even affect adults like Sean.

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This week, a Madison Alder made a motion for the Common Council to consider terminating the city’s contract with Interim Independent Police Monitor Aeiramique Glass. Executive Producer Hayley Sperling and Creative Producer Rob Thomas break down that news and dive into the turbulent history behind the office. Then Rob explains why more Madison students are rejecting Chromebooks this year. And Keegan Lynch joins the show to talk about his Corry Street Video, which is like a Little Free Library, but for movies!

For neighbors only, we ask an entomologist why the wasps are so out of co...

Today is Latina Equal Pay Day, which marks, on average, when in the year a working Latina woman has earned as much as a white, non-Hispanic man. Araceli Esparza, founder and executive director of Midwest Mujeres joins City Cast Madison executive producer Hayley Sperling and creative producer Jade Iseri-Ramos to discuss the necessity to discuss wages and the Midwest Mujeres’ upcoming storytelling event. Plus Hayley and Jade talk about shake-ups in Madison’s food scene, and the UW-Madison physics professor who was just awarded a Nobel Prize. 

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More than 7,000 disabled Wisconsinites are waiting for help navigating the state’s employment development program due to funding cuts. City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin talks with Cap Times Opinion Editor Natalie Eilbert about the program meant to help people with disabilities access employment support, but that is now facing a waitlist of more than 7,600 people. They discuss how a $7 million state funding shortfall has impacted Madisonians with disabilities and will have long-term consequences for the state's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.

Plus, do you know all the perks that come with a City Cast Madison membership? Creative Pr...

Why were a dozen Madison city council members in a Signal group chat? Madison 365’s Rob Chappell broke the story last week, and on today’s episode, he joins City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin and Executive Producer Hayley Sperling to break down the story. Plus Young Blood Beer Company is closing its Northstreet location at the end of the month, and the Brewers are one win away from the National League Championship Series!

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The Yahara Flyer is a new single-sheet monthly publication in Madison from the co-founder of the now-defunct news website Tone Madison. Scott Gordon joins City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin and Executive Producer Hayley Sperling to explain why he started the Flyer, and the challenges of the flyer format. They also discuss police body-worn cameras, which Scott wrote about in the first two issues of the Yahara Flyer.
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When Madison looks for inspiration for the future, does it look to the Netherlands? That’s what designers and officials in New York City did in order to integrate flood mitigation into public housing. Inspired by places like Rotterdam, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) collaborated with other groups to give Queens a state-of-the-art, climate-resilient amenity — in this case, a basketball court. David talks with Katy Burgio from NYCHA and Runit Chhaya of Grain Collective, one of the involved design firms, about the larger infrastructure the court is a part of and how it’s setting up NYC for cl...

What will happen when the city’s one-year moratorium on new data centers expires in January? City officials released a draft framework this week that would limit the size and scale of new data centers, banning any new development over 100,000 sq. ft. City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin breaks down the story with Executive Producer Hayley Sperling and Creative Producer Rob Thomas. They also discuss the investigation into alleged hazing at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house and the alleged sexual assaults of two UW-Madison students. Plus, eight candidates are now in the running for Madison mayor and the Cur...

A new cafe is set to open this month on Monroe Street. Waltzing Matilda’s is the newest venture from the team behind Bloom Bake Shop and Lallande. On today’s episode, City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin talks with owner Annemarie Maitri about the cafe's name, her personal approach to the menu, and the team behind the existing businesses. 

Then Bianca is joined by Zia Brucaya from Greater Madison MPO and AJ Liedl from Madison Metro to discuss “Week Without Driving,” a national initiative to raise awareness of experiences of non-drivers. They break down the upcoming events, h...

Boo! The City Cast Madison team is here with your October guide. Host Bianca Martin, Creative Producer Jade Iseri-Ramos and local comedian Emily Winter break down their top picks for things for the month. From the 46-mile Mammoth Hike Challenge to the Wisconsin Art Destination T-shirt challenge. Plus, the theme pick this month is “cheap thrills.”

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The UW Badgers face off against Michigan State in the 2026 homecoming game on Saturday, Oct. 3. City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin and Executive Producer Hayley Sperling break down all the homecoming events happening this year. Plus, local DJ Nick Nice explains how tailgating is for everyone, from Badger superfans to football newbies. 

Nick turns up the beats for home games at Fabiola’s tailgate party on Regent Street. 

The interview with DJ Nick Nice originally published on Sept. 10, 2024.
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How much money do you make? Is it enough for you to thrive in Madison? Cap Times reporter Ashley Rodriguez asked Madisonians to be transparent about their wages and experiences. She found that while the average salary here is higher than the state average, most respondents feel like they are just scraping by. Ashley joins City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin to talk about the financial reality of living and working in our city and the power of salary transparency. 
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What’s a seemingly small project in Madison that’s made a big difference? In the Oregon suburb of Tualatin, a drinking water pipe has just been fitted with a seamless electrical turbine, so that an existing utility can now have a dual purpose. David is joined by Nic Westendorf, Tualatin’s deputy public works director, to talk about the power of thinking local, using existing tools, and looking ahead to a sustainable future to inform what we do today.

Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now! 

We’re...

This week, Madison Police Chief John Patterson gave his quarterly report to the Madison Common Council and announced a new quality assurance department. Madison 365 Executive editor Rob Chappell joins City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin and Creative Producer Rob Thomas with the details. Plus, Chappell explains where the city stands on body cameras with the newly announced private funding from the Madison Community Foundation. 

The team also discusses the growing opposition to a proposed high-voltage transmission line across southern Wisconsin and celebrates Madison’s first new library in 26 years, Imagination Center at Reindahl Park. And in the Nei...

The restaurateur behind Sultan restaurant on Williamson Street has a new cookbook out. City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin talks with Sultan Ahmed about “Zameen: Pakistani Roots, Wisconsin Soil,” which adapts his restaurant recipes for home cooks, emphasizes robust South Asian spice cookery, and centers seasonal Wisconsin sourcing while challenging colonial notions of “authenticity.” 

Then, Bianca talks with Madison brothers Michael and Jonathan Weerts about their interactive phone booth art installation at 209 Corry Street. It is a public tribute to their late brother Nick that plays randomized audio memories and invites community submissions.

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This week, the Cap Times is hosting its first Photojournalism Summit as part of its 10th annual Idea Fest. City Cast Host Bianca Martin is talking with the minds behind it, Cap Times photo director Ruthie Hauge and reporter Enjoyiana Nururdin. They dig into   the state of photojournalism and the importance of empowering Black journalists. You can still buy tickets.

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With six weeks left until the November 3rd election, it’s time to get in the know about the constitutional amendments you will be asked to vote on. City Cast Madison Host Bianca Martin tags City Cast Madison Creative Producer Jade Iseri-Ramos and  Starting Block Madison founder Scott Resnick to unpack what the amendments actually mean and who supports them. Plus, how worried should we be about the economic impact of low turnout at Badger football games? And meet Madison’s fantastic (and plastic) new IT girl: American Girl’s Daisy Davenport.
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We might be months away from Thanksgiving, but Madison’s turkeys are gobbling all around town. They’re snacking on fallen acorns and unsuspecting bird feeders. Host Bianca Martin chats with UW-Madison Wildlife Ecology Professor David Drake about why turkeys thrive in Madison these days and why that wasn’t always the case. 

This episode originally published on Nov. 21, 2023

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Would Madison be better with fewer vacant, blighted lots? In Philly, the answer is overwhelmingly yes, with significant drops in crime and depression recorded near newly transformed, “greened” neighborhood lots. But how did they do it? David talks with City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri and special guest Matt Rader, president of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, about how Philly prioritized revitalizing its abandoned outdoor space, the ways that having a nonprofit partner has made all the difference, and what still needs to be done.

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Attorneys for the City of Madison are threatening to have the Social Justice Center declared a public nuisance in court. They say police have been called to the Willy Street location more than 300 times since January 2025. City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin talks with creative producers Rob Thomas and Jade Iseri-Ramos about the nuanced situation. The team also talks about a proposal to increase the juror day-rate in Dane County and two new businesses coming to Monroe Street and Willy Street. Plus, in our Neighbor-exclusive segment,we get heated about local ice cream news. 

Have you ever wondered about the history of sausage in Wisconsin? Jesse Brookstein has. In his new book, Best of the Wurst: Weird and Wonderful Stories of Wisconsin Sausage, Brookstein explores the expansive love for Wisconsin sausages, from tailgate brats to Oscar Mayer wieners. On today’s show, host Bianca Martin talks with Brookstein about the meat of his book. 

In the second half of the episode, Cap Times food and culture editor Lindsay Christians breaks down the must-knows of the upcoming Sugar River Fire & Smoke BBQ Festival. It’s a meaty episode!  

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The owners of Forward Football Club and Rally Madison are looking to make some big changes to Breese Stevens Field. Big Top Events also operates the city-owned venue which just celebrated its 100th birthday. Their proposed changes would make the venue more appealing to touring musicians and a future women’s professional soccer team. 

Host Bianca Martin talks with Rob Chappell, executive editor at Madison365 and host of the 608 Soccer Show, about these changes. Rob also gives us an update on the current Forward FC season. Spoiler alert: the Flamingos are good this year! Plu...

This October marks the 25th year of the YWCA Madison Racial Justice Summit. Ahead of the two-day conference, City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin talks with Libby Tucci, YWCA’s Learning and Movement Building Director, about making space for hard conversations and centering grief, joy and rest while dismantling systemic racism. Then, Bianca talks with keynote speaker Kazu Haga, trainer and practitioner of nonviolence and restorative justice. They discuss “fierce vulnerability”  and internal healing for sustainable movements.

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Wisconsin is set to receive at least $219 million from Meta as part of a multi-state settlement over allegations the social media company harmed kids. On today’s episode, host Bianca Martin interviews Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, who says at least half of the funds will go to support youth mental health and that Meta must also put in place safety features for minors on their apps. Kaul also discusses a $10 million PFAS settlement and explains the Department of Justice’s process for investigating fatal officer-involved shootings, like the Corey Ruiz case.

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It may not feel like it right now, but extreme heat is coming for Madison, and Las Vegas might have the answers you need. An already sizzling city, Vegas has continued to experience record-breaking heat in recent years, essentially forcing it to lead the charge in protecting residents from increasingly rising temperatures. City Cast Las Vegas host Jesse Merrick talks with David about the bold moves of Nevada’s lawmakers, like mandating heat mitigation and giving away trees, and how some time-tested strategies still need to be tweaked as rising global temperatures present new problems every day.

Me...

The controversy over an AI-driven sculpture coming to the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art continues: in an open letter with hundreds of signatures, artist Noah Peterson urges MMoCA to reconsider its display of  “Diffuse Control.” We heard from MMoCA director Paul Baker Prindle earlier this week, and today Peterson joins the show to explain his perspective and motivation for writing the letter. 

Later, executive producer Hayley Sperling, creative producer Rob Thomas, and contributor Emily Winter break down City Council’s rejection of a $100,000 relief fund for roughly 30 Willy Street-area businesses and a proposed capital budget t...

IRONMAN Wisconsin⁠ is coming to Madison this weekend. Expect closed streets and super fit Madison visitors! For those of us who aren’t triathletes, the feat might seem impossible. But maybe with the right mindset, we could all become IRONMAN finishers? Host Bianca Martin talks with Larry Shapiro, former UW-Madison philosophy professor, IRONMAN Wisconsin finisher, and author of Zen and the Art of Running about what it takes to finish the race.

This episode was originally published on Sept. 3, 2025.

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A new United Nations report says global warming has hit the point of no return and is set to consistently exceed the 1.5°C benchmark set with the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. On today’s episode, City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin talks with Wisconsin State Climatologist Steve Vavrus about 2026’s wild weather, upcoming El Niño impacts, and the likelihood of future severe storms. On the positive side, Vavrus highlights adaptation work through the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts and the state climatology office.

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An upcoming art installation at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art has sparked some controversy due to its use of AI. On today’s podcast episode, MMoCA Director Paul Baker Prindle joins host Bianca Martin to discuss the nature of the piece and the role of contemporary art museums in the present moment. Then, Bianca talks with Chazen Art Museum Chief Curator Katherine Alcauskas about newly-open exhibits at the Museum and what museum visitors can expect when the Chazen reopens its collection galleries later this fall.

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Do you know what kind of surveillance technology is being used in Madison? In Nashville, the city government has blocked numerous measures to install and use it. From license plate readers to drone cameras, the technology is routinely rejected by the Metro Council and mayor, and locals are somewhat split on if that’s for the better. City Cast Nashville host Rachel Iacovone joins “Your City Could Be Better” to walk through all the measures that the Nashville government has reviewed and rejected, why people have reason to fear the tech, and what the city may lose by saying no to...

This week, the Madison Finance Committee voted unanimously to deny additional funding for the Office of the Independent Police Monitor. The office sought $28,500 to pay for additional staffing and operational costs. At the same meeting, the committee approved giving $100,000 to the Williamson Street Business Stabilization Program. Meanwhile, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art is facing community pushback over a new exhibit that uses generative AI. Plus, good news for snow birds! The Dane County Regional Airport is bringing back seasonal flights to warm destinations for the fall and winter. 

City Cast Madison host Bianca M...