City Cast Madison

Sam Thayer says you can eat local all year round in Wisconsin, despite our frosty weather. He’s best known for writing guide books on edible native plants in Wisconsin, like The Forager’s Harvest. He’s speaking about local nuts, roots, fruits and more at the Madison Herb Fair at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison this Saturday, November 4th. Molly Stentz sits down with him to learn what’s cookin’.🐿️ 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.

Madison’s going through a building boom. The city’s growing up, literally. So we’re taking a moment to reflect on the architecture all around us in the Capital City. City Cast Madison’s Dylan Brogan, Hayley Sperling and Molly Stentz are up to the challenge. Here are our picks for Madison’s best buildings, plus the quirkiest and downright ugliest, too.Read more: The Kastenmeier Courthouse is Madison’s blocky blue Modernist marvel [Tone Madison]Is the Humanities building ‘riot proof?’ [The Daily Cardinal]Towards an appreciation of Brutalism: Or, the Humanities Building is very good [Tone Madison]Have thoughts? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We might read or play your comment on the show. We’re also on Instagram, if you want to tag us there.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.

UW Madison has started tracking students who rank at the bottom of their classes. Starting this year, a select number of undergraduates have their academic progress tracked by administrators. They’re flagged if they rank in the bottom fourth of their class for two or more classes. They’re also flagged if they have assignments more than five days late. The idea is to find the students who need extra help and get it to them, while there’s still time for them to turn it around. But some faculty worry that matters are being taken out of their hands. Some students are concerned that taking away responsibility for their own success could be counterproductive. Cormac LaLiberté, college news editor for The Daily Cardinal, looked into the program. Mentioned on the show:“UW-Madison students enrolled in data monitoring experiment without ability to opt out” [The Daily Cardinal]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 and Dane County are investing in a new way to offer emergency shelter for people facing homelessness. A new, purpose-built men’s shelter on Madison’s east side is in the works and expected to open in 2025. Madison’s Community Development Director Jim O’Keefe tells host Dylan Brogan how the new shelter represents a fundamental shift, years in the making, in how local government supports residents in need of shelter. He also outlines the ongoing challenges Madison faces as it continues to make housing affordable in our community. 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. Dylan Brogan, Molly Stentz and Hayley Sperling discuss the plan to turn the old Ale Asylum brewery into a new elections center. Plus, we’ve got a few ideas for Madison-themed Halloween costumes. And Slate’s Political Gabfest was in town to for a live podcast taping with Governor Evers. Mentioned on the show:Dane County wants Ale Asylum building for new elections center [Wisconsin State Journal]How to Have a Madison Halloween [Madison Minutes]Political Gabfest [Slate]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.

Supper clubs are a Wisconsin staple. Whether it’s the overflowing relish tray at Tornado Steakhouse or the American cheese-laden hash browns at Toby’s, supper clubs have always brought cozy vibes and enormous portions to the Madison culinary scene. But what makes a place a true supper club? And who gets to claim the title of best supper club in Madison? Molly Stentz speaks with Cap Times food editor Lindsay Christians about the best of this distinctively Wisconsin dining tradition.🍽️ Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers.Read more: 11 Supper Clubs to Try [The 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.

Congress ain’t working so well right now. The House of Representatives is without a speaker for the longest time in U.S. history. We’re weeks away from the government shutting down. All while the U.S. is playing a major role in the war in Gaza. And there’s still a war in Ukraine.Mark Pocan is the Madison area’s representative in Congress. Dylan Brogan caught up with him from his office in D.C. to learn what all these crises mean for us.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 Madison area has seen strong economic growth this year. Construction cranes abound. Housing prices have soared. Unemployment is low. We’re the fastest growing part of the state. You might think we’d be sitting pretty when it comes to city services. But according to Madison Finance Director Dave Schmiedicke, things are tighter than you’d think. City expenses are going up faster than the city’s ability to raise money. The last of the federal COVID aid is helping plug some budget holes for 2024, but after that, the city’s got big decisions to make. A big property tax hike? A citywide sales tax? They’re all on the table. Dylan Brogan gets the details. 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 has its fair share of poltergeists, lingering spirits, and maybe even a few lake monsters. You just need to know where to look. Bianca Martin learns more about Madison’s scary side with Lisa Van Buskirk and Mike Huberty from Madison Ghost Walks.Mentioned on the show:🎃 Downtown Madison Family Halloween — Wednesday, Oct. 25👻 Warner Park Community Recreation Center Family Fun Night — Friday, Oct. 27

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Dylan Brogan, Molly Stentz and Hayley Sperling recap how the Madison Public Market may get built after all. We also discuss how raises for thousands of university employees are the latest cudgel in the fight between the state legislature and UW. Plus, sometimes you just need to cry in public. And if you’ve got a Madison-themed Halloween costume in the works, we need to hear about it! Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Instagram.Mentioned on the show:Budget boost will allow Madison Public Market to break ground this year [Isthmus]What’s Happening With the Madison Public Market? [City Cast Madison]Republican lawmakers exclude UW staff from state worker pay raise in fight over diversity funding [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]Best Places to Cry in Madison [Madison Minutes]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.