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City Cast Portland: Daily Summaries Delivered
by City Cast
City Cast Portland captures the one-of-a-kind creative spirit of this place and tackles who we are and where we’re going — from big deals, like equity and livability, to tiny delights, like the city's most wonderful doughnut. Host Claudia Meza is so over the notion that ‘Portland is over.’ On the show, she’ll revive your civic pride and stir you to help create local change — through conversations with neighbors, newsmakers, artists and entrepreneurs about our ever-changing city.
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- Today29 min
‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Philly Is Reducing Violence With Parks — Presented By City Cast Portland
Would Portland 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. Mentioned on the show: Study showing 29% decrease in gun violence near transformed lots: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1718503115 Study showing 41% decrease in reported depression: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2688343 Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now! We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter Looking to advertise on Your City Could Be Better? Check out our options.
- 2 days ago31 min
A Fentanyl Vaccine, City Council Implodes Over Zenith, and the Portland Book Festival Is Almost Here
We're talking about how Northwest researchers are developing vaccines that could prevent opioid overdose deaths, and how things are shaking out at City Hall concerning the sale of the largest oil terminal in the state — located right on the Willamette River. Plus, we’re previewing some of the best books to read this fall season and sharing a little preview of the upcoming Portland Book Festival. Joining host Claudia Meza are Willamette Week City Hall reporter Sophie Peel and senior artistic director of Literary Arts, Amanda Bullock. Discussed in today's episode: Northwest researchers develop vaccines to prevent opioid overdose and support addiction recovery [OPB] City Council Explores How It Might Impose New Conditions on a Firm Seeking to Buy Zenith Terminal [Willamette Week] Portland Book Festival Become a member of City Cast Portland today! Get all the details and sign up here. Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at portland@citycast.fm, or leave us a voicemail at 503-208-5448. Want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter and be sure to follow us on Instagram. Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 18th episode: Veganizer - Use code CITYCAST for $10 off festival tickets Oregon Ballet Theater D'Amore Law Grand Central Bakery
- 3 days ago29 min
Washington County’s Viral Middle Finger, Portland Schools' Messy Laid-Off Teacher Recalls, and Councilor Green's Spicy Police Rants Resurface
A Washington County board meeting turned into a viral moment when County Chair Kathryn Harrington silently flipped off Commissioner Nafisa Fai — the board's sole Black and Muslim member. Host Claudia Meza, KBOO news director Althea Billings, and Willamette Week reporter and author Brianna Wheeler also dig into the Portland Public Schools recall chaos, where 43 laid-off educators are being asked back on a five-day deadline mid-school year. Plus. they unpack the resurfacing of District 4 Councilor Mitch Green's fiery 2020 tweets just as election season heats up. Discussed in today's episode: Trail Vigilantes Clear Paths When the Government Won’t [Willamette Week] Washington County chair flips off fellow board member in public meeting [Oregonian] Portland Public Schools recalls half of laid off teachers. A handful of classrooms remain in limbo [Oregonian] Resurfaced tweets show Portland councilor’s ‘pure hatred for the Portland police’ [Oregonian] Become a member of City Cast Portland today! Get all the details and sign up here. Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at portland@citycast.fm, or leave us a voicemail at 503-208-5448. Want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter and be sure to follow us on Instagram. Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 17th episode: Veganizer - Use code CITYCAST for $10 off festival tickets Oregon Ballet Theater D'Amore Law Grand Central Bakery
- 4 days ago33 min
What City Councilors Spent Their Office Budgets On, More River Pig Saloon Drama, and Portland’s Pettiest Gripes
We're talking about the $2.2 million city councilors spent on pet projects — as well as how a Pearl District bar owner who once complained about crime is now being looked into for committing fraud. Plus, we have a new installment of Portland’s pettiest gripes. Joining host Claudia Meza is Bryan M. Vance — founder of Stumptown Savings, your local food economy newsletter — and our very own senior producer Giulia Fiaoni. Discussed in today's episode: Portland councilors directed funds to favored groups and projects, even as budget woes deepened [Oregonian] River Pig Saloon owner fraudulently obtained COVID-era business relief funds, federal lawsuit alleges [KGW8] A Secretive Push To Privatize Oregon Liquor, City Council Candidate’s Embarrassing Website Mix-up, and Portland’s Pettiest Gripes [City Cast Portland] Become a member of City Cast Portland today! Get all the details and sign up here. Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at portland@citycast.fm, or leave us a voicemail at 503-208-5448. Want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter and be sure to follow us on Instagram. Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 16th episode: Veganizer - Use code CITYCAST for $10 off festival tickets Oregon Ballet Theater D'Amore Law Grand Central Bakery
- 5 days ago37 min
Round 2: Why These 3 Portlanders Want To Represent District 4
Today we have our second interview of the city's fall election with the second panel of candidates for Portland City Council District 4. Joining host Claudia Meza are current Portland City Commissioners Mitch Green and Eric Zimmerman as well as Jamey Evenstar, a former policy adviser to then city commissioner Chloe Eudaley and former chief of staff to current City Councilor Candace Avalos Discussed in today's episode: Jamey Evenstar Mitch Green Eric Zimmerman Learn more about the sponsors of this September 15th episode: Veganizer - Use code CITYCAST for $10 off festival tickets Oregon Ballet Theater D'Amore Law Grand Central Bakery
- 6 days ago33 min
Round 1: Why These 3 Portlanders Want To Represent District 4
Today we're kicking off our interviews for the city's fall election with the first panel of candidates for Portland City Council District 4. Joining host Claudia Meza are current Portland City Council Vice President & District 4 Councilor Olivia Clark, Central Bike Squad supervisor & PPB Neighborhood Response Team officer Eli Arnold, and Portland State University capital projects and construction manager Jeremy Beausoleil Smith. Discussed in today's episode: Olivia Clark Eli Arnold Jeremy Beausoleil Smith Become a member of City Cast Portland today! Get all the details and sign up here. Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at portland@citycast.fm, or leave us a voicemail at 503-208-5448. Want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter and be sure to follow us on Instagram. Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 14th episode: Veganizer - Use code CITYCAST for $10 off festival tickets Oregon Ballet Theater D'Amore Law
- 1 weeks ago27 min
‘Your City Could Be Better’: How Las Vegas Is Handling Record-Breaking Heat — Presented By City Cast Portland
It may not feel like it right now, but extreme heat is coming for Portland, 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. Mentioned on the show: Europe’s 10,000 recorded deaths during June 2026 heatwave Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now! We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter Looking to advertise on Your City Could Be Better? Check out our options.
- 1 weeks ago33 min
Why the County Chair Race Needs Your Attention. Plus, I-5 Carmageddon Starts Tonight, and Electricians Are Leaving Oregon
With a two-mile stretch of southbound I-5 shutting down tonight, a county chair race that could reshape Portland's entire social safety net, and union electricians quietly packing up for Idaho, a lot is happening in the city right now that deserves your attention. Host Claudia Meza digs into all of it with Oregonian City Hall reporter Shane Dixon Kavanaugh and Willamette Week reporter Garrett Andrews. Discussed in today's episode: Authorities try to avoid ‘carmageddon’ during 5-week closure of I-5 southbound [OPB] Endorsement battle takes shape in race for Multnomah County chair [Oregonian] Portland’s Union Electricians Are Moving to Idaho at an Alarming Rate [Willamette Week] Get There Oregon [ODOT] I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project Website [ODOT] Become a member of City Cast Portland today! Get all the details and sign up here. Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at portland@citycast.fm, or leave us a voicemail at 503-208-5448. Want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter and be sure to follow us on Instagram. Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 11th episode: Portland Bureau of Transportation Grand Central Bakery
About City Cast Portland
City Cast Portland captures the one-of-a-kind creative spirit of this place and tackles who we are and where we’re going — from big deals, like equity and livability, to tiny delights, like the city's most wonderful doughnut. Host Claudia Meza is so over the notion that ‘Portland is over.’ On the show, she’ll revive your civic pride and stir you to help create local change — through conversations with neighbors, newsmakers, artists and entrepreneurs about our ever-changing city.
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