City Cast Madison

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 speaks with Barb Olson, the project’s coordinator, to hear about her organization’s efforts and how concerned Madisonians can help. 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 Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads.

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 way you get your energy. 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 Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads.

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, Explained [Madison Minutes]🌿 Assembly GOP proposes medical marijuana bill that would create state-run dispensaries [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]😮‍💨 These 7 details in GOP medical marijuana bill in Wisconsin could be key to debate [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]🚨 Madison police create Hate Crimes Task Force [City of Madison]🆘 Madison hate crimes on the rise, so police set up task force [Cap Times]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? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

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 ShrubUntitled ArtSystem SeltzersLakefront BreweryThird Space BrewingKul Mocks🍹 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 madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Instagram! Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

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 Hawkins, co-chairs of the King Coalition, about the organization’s event on Monday and the legacies of Dr. King and Roberts. Event Links: All King Coalition Events 39th Annual Madison-Dane County MLK Day Observance Youth Day of Service 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 Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads.

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 catches up with Wisconsin Public Radio’s Capitol Reporter Anya van Wagtendonk for an update.Read more: Wisconsin Supreme Court overturns Republican-drawn legislative maps [WPR]Lawsuit targets Wisconsin legislative districts resembling Swiss cheese [AP]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 Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads.

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 learn why she went, what came out of it, and what Madisonians can do about our changing climate. Ways you can help: 🌞 Go solar with MadiSUN🏡 Save money when you make your home more energy efficient or buy an electric vehicle🛠️ Tell your landlord about money to help make your apartment more energy efficientWanna 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 Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads.

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 Joe Gow shares more about his secret life with wife Carmen Wilson, and their backstory [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]Madison School District is phasing out letter grades at some East High classes in pilot program [Wisconsin State Journal]End of road test waiver program means it's back to DMV for teen drivers [WISC TV]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? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.

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. 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 Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads.

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 new frontiers in mental health treatment.More about the research:MDMA-assisted therapy for severe PTSD [Nature Medicine]Current psychedelic trials at UW-Madison [UW-Madison]About the proposed medicinal psilocybin legislation [Sen. Diane Hesselbein]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 Minutes morning newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads.