City Cast Madison

Winter… it divides us into lovers and haters. Whether you’re Team Snow-filled Wonderland or Team Bitter Chill, living in the Midwest, there’s a whole bunch of things you need to know to survive. Come for the biggest alternate side parking hack we know, stay for the great salt debate. We talk to former Cap Times reporter Abby Becker, who wrote a guide on How to survive and thrive in a Madison winter for Madison Minutes.Want to learn more about alternate side parking? Find out more and sign up for daily reminder texts here.Sign up for Metro Transit text updates here.Find out more about the new salt use ordinance here.Looking for more winter resources from the city? Here’s a great place to start. Want some more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter.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! 

The Madison School Board has voted: High school students can continue to take dedicated honors classes for core courses like English, math and science. But the district will also expand a program called Earned Honors, where students in regular classes can opt for more rigorous work and get honors credit.But some teachers are frustrated by the current system of sorting kids by achievements, pointing out that it’s become racially segregated. Deidre Jarecki teaches tenth grade English at LaFollette High School in Madison and she’s irked by the slow progress toward helping all students succeed.Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm.Want some more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! 

Happy New Year! And that means it’s resolution season. We asked you for what you wanted to see in Madison in 2023, and you delivered. Plus, the team— Bianca, Molly, and Dylan— share their hopes for the city.Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm.Want some more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! 

It’s cozy season and we’ve invited one of our favorite bartenders to show us some fancy winter cocktails we can make at home. They’re perfect for whipping up at your holiday gathering or enjoying cozied up in front of the fireplace. Jeremy Bazely, bartender at the Muskellounge, shares his recipes for Mulled Cider, A Very Blitzened Bianca and Cranberry Ginger Soda. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm.Want some more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices.

The holidays can be stressful and overwhelming enough, without adding in memory loss and other joys of getting older. We may notice our parents and grandparents aging, and wonder how to talk with them about it. Mary Wyman, a clinical psychologist at the Madison VA Hospital, has ideas for how to start those difficult conversations with family who may be showing signs of dementia. And we get tips for making the holidays more enjoyable for everyone.Mary’s resources: AARP: Is It Time for Your Loved One to Retire From Driving?National Institute on Aging: Driving Safety and Alzheimer's DiseaseWisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research CenterWanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm.Want some more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices.

For many of us, the holidays mean family gatherings... and movies. Yet with two more movie theaters closing in Madison this year, it feels like there are fewer options than ever. Will streaming pick up the slack? We ask Rob Thomas, the Cap Times Features Editor, for his picks of what to watch. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm.Want some more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices.

The Madison School District wants to cut high schools honors courses over concerns they've become segregated. The district fails students of color at an alarming rate. Honors classes are disproportionately white. They’re rolling out a plan to drop standalone honors courses, in favor of “Earned Honors”, where all students take the same classes, but can opt for additional work and gain an honors credit on their transcript. Some students and staff say that the current Earned Honors program isn’t rigorous enough. Some parents fear their kids will miss out if honors classes go away. Will parents of high-achievers yank their kids from the district and send them to nearby suburban schools instead, destabilizing Madison schools? That’s the fear. But is the status quo working?  The Madison School Board is set to vote on the plan on December 19th. We speak to School Board President Ali Muldrow about her concerns and how the Board might vote on this big policy shift. Want some more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter.We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! 

The Wisconsin Supreme Court is officially nonpartisan, but it has increasingly been at the center of political battles from abortion to voting rights. Liberals have their first shot at taking back control of the court in nearly 15 years. With political control of our swing state at stake, we look at why this race is heating up. Jeff Mayers, president of WisPolitics, brings us the latest.The primary election is February 21st. Currently running are Waukesha County Judge Jennifer Dorow, former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly, Dane County Judge Everett Mitchell and Milwaukee County Judge Janet Protasiewicz.Want some more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter.We’re also on Twitter and Instagram! 

When Governor Evers won re-election, he declared, “We’re going to polka tonight and work tomorrow.” It is our official state dance, after all. Stacy Harbaugh, aka DJ Shotski, agrees wholeheartedly. We talk to Madison’s polka DJ about the state of polka in the capital city. Also in the show: Learn more about the Adult Swim Holiday Craftacular. And the City of Madison’s meeting about Amtrak. Want some more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter.We’re also on Twitter and Instagram!

It’s election season… again?! If you want to run for local office in Madison, the clock’s ticking. You’ve got this month to apply. We talk to Madison’s newest alder to learn what it takes to be part of City Hall. Sabrina Madison represents the far east side of Madison and was appointed in October. Want some more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter.We’re also on Twitter and Instagram!