City Cast Salt Lake (City Cast)

Reflecting on this year’s snow and ski season with the man behind @wasatchsnow, meteorologist and skier Evan Thayer. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

April and May are the best months to visit Utah’s five national parks, but the firing crisis might get in the way of a good time. Host Ali Vallarta and outdoor enthusiast Shireen Ghorbani create lookalike itineraries for each of the Mighty Five, promising a stress-free time with similar views. Become a member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we are around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to Hey Salt Lake, our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:  The Shop Salt Lake Brewing Harmons Treefort Music Fest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Western states like Utah, Idaho and Arizona face looming abortion bans that might have their cities turning to Nevada, where abortion rights are far more protected — they've been codified in state law since 1990. Ali gathers with City Cast hosts from Boise and Las Vegas, Frankie Barnhill and Dayvid Figler, to discuss what this means across state lines, and for the upcoming elections. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Angela Dunn, the Executive Director of the Salt Lake County Health Department, answers questions about Covid-19 submitted by 6th grade students at Meadowlark Elementary. See the Utah Tech rebrand here. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads atcitycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Harrowing footage of commercial planes nearly colliding or landing belly up have made flying even more anxiety-inducing. Director of airport operations Treber Andersen, tells host Ali Vallarta about SLC International’s emergency plan and the Swiss cheese analogy of safety. Related listening: What would it take to make SLC International a world-class airport?  Become a member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we are around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to Hey Salt Lake, our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:  The Shop Salt Lake Brewing Harmons Treefort Music Fest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The DABC (Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control) wrote a strategic plan! Fox 13 Reporter Ben Winslow joins Ali to break it down. Read Ben’s pipeline reporting here. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meg Walter, editor-in-chief of The Beehive, breaks down Utah’s MomTok scandal. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ali donates blood. And it was easy! And it didn't hurt! Blood donations are down across our state, especially this time of year. Ali chats with Mike Findlay of ARUP Laboratories about the current blood shortage. Later, she connects with Ahmer Afroz, executive director of the Utah Aids Foundation, to discuss why gay and bi men still can't donate. City Cast Salt Lake is more than a podcast. We have a daily newsletter, too. Sign up for it here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alex Veilleux, policy associate with the Healthy Environmental Alliance of Utah (HEAL) breaks down the roses and thorns of the Governor’s new ‘Energy Plan’ and what it forecasts for climate action in our state. Find HEAL Utah’s community advocacy circle here. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads atcitycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Multi-stall, all-gender public restrooms are the future. Salt Lake Community College students have been protesting in an effort to get one on campus. And the University of Utah is about to unveil one. Law professor emeritus Terry Kogan is the co-founder of Stalled!, a design project to make going to the bathroom safer and more inclusive in public spaces. Later, Ali mentions this pet safety event. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At 9pm Monday night, Politico reported that the Supreme Court has taken a preliminary vote to overturn the right to an abortion. Community health advocate Shireen Ghorbani and VP for External Affairs at Planned Parenthood of Utah, Annabel Sheinberg join to process what this means for Utahns. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eva Lopez, LGBTQ liaison for the SLC Mayor’s Office, joins Ali to talk about the evolution of Salt Lake pride. Later, Ali mentions this reporting. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s summer movie season! Ashley Cleveland, who heads up Salt Lake’s Outdoor Afro chapter, and Russell Roots, Community Outreach Manager at the Utah Film Center join Ali to talk about the Wild and Scenic Fest at Liberty Park, and anti-racism in outdoor spaces. Email Ali your debate questions at ali.vallarta@citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads atcitycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This weekend is the Living Traditions Festival! Haviar Tuitama Hafoka, creative director of Malialole Cultural Ensemble, joins Ali to talk about the importance of storytelling through Polynesian song and dance. Find all Living Traditions Festival info here. Later, Ali mentions this Building Salt Lake reporting. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads atcitycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is ‘fry sauce’ our one true love? And who invented it? The Beehive Editor-In-Chief, Meg Walter, is on the case.Later, Ali mentions this court case. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads atcitycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ali visits with one of Utah’s few abortion providers, obstetrician/gynecologist Dr. David Turok, about the Supreme Court memo foreshadowing the overturn of Roe v. Wade and the likely enactment of Utah’s dormant abortion ban. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week Utah got news it will receive a half a billion dollars from the federal government to generate hydrogen in the west desert and pump it into underground salt caverns. To which we said…’what?’ Brian Maffly, Salt Lake Tribune environmental reporter, is here to explain why it’s exciting. Later, Ali mentions Restoring Ancestral Winds. Looking for more City Cast Salt Lake? Sign up for our daily newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you scored tickets to the Kilby Block Party this weekend, congratulations. They sold like hot cakes! The Block Party won’t actually be at Kilby Court, but the iconic Salt Lake venue is where it all began. Let’s get nostalgic together. You, me, and KRCL’s own Eugenie Hero Jaffe. Apply for the Sweet Streets board here. And while you're at it, subscribe to our daily newsletter. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The lost history of the Saltair! Ian Christensen is writing a book about the lost history of the Saltair Bathing Palace, where Salt Lakers used to cool off in the summer. Now, we jump the fence at our friends’ gated pool. Later, Ali mentions this reporting. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads atcitycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lead Producer Nick Steffens and Producer Diane Maggipinto have been reporting on mass shootings in this country for a decade. When will it lead to action? Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Local news enthusiast Shireen Ghorbani joins Ali to talk about this week’s various housing and development proposals. Later, Ali talks with Elizabeth Totterer who wrote this letter in the Salt Lake Tribune. Call or text the City Cast Salt Lake hotline any time at (801) 203-0137. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here.  Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads atcitycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ali is joined by Amie Schaeffer, a recent Salt Lake Community College grad, and Kurt McLaughlin, Judge Memorial High School’s salutatorian. Congratulations graduates! Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Call or text the City Cast Salt Lake hotline any time at (801) 203-0137. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ruff Haven is a local organization that takes care of people’s pets while they are experiencing crisis. This could mean housing insecurity, rehab or hospitalization, or seeking temporary refuge in a place where you can’t take them with you. The goal is to ensure that on the other side of crisis, people can be reunited with their dog, cat, or other support creature. City Cast is sponsoring a punk rock show to support this fine organization. Today, Ali connects with Dr. Rennie Putnam, one of Ruff Haven’s veterinarians, to talk about our loneliness epidemic and the role of crisis companions. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here.  Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Palak Jayswal, Culture Reporter for the Salt Lake Tribune, joins Ali to round out the week’s news. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Call or text the City Cast Salt Lake hotline any time at (801) 203-0137. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Open Streets is officially Friday, Saturday, and Sunday this year! Ali asks Urban Affairs Director Jessica Thesing what it would take to make Main St. pedestrian-only forever. Later, we get takes from Main St. locals on the program. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Local news enthusiast Shireen Ghorbani joins Ali to round-up the news you might have missed this week. Call or text the City Cast hotline anytime at (801) 203-0137. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here.  Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former journalist and disability advocate Shelby Hintze joins Ali to round-up the news you might have missed this week. Call or text the City Cast hotline anytime at (801) 203-0137. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here.  Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which dust is in the air this spring? Is it the toxic dust from the Great Salt Lake yet? How will we know? Ali asks Logan Mitchell, a climate scientist who is very good at explaining things. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Diné advocate and southern Utah candidate, Davina Smith, joins Ali to talk about a historic water rights settlement between the state of Utah, the federal government, and the Navajo Nation. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dominique Wilson, founder and owner of Pie’s the Limit, is just keeping up with demand. He and Ali talk about the success of his microbakery, Salt Lake’s sweet tooth, and how to achieve flaky crust. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Utah’s tech sector is booming, and it’s bringing conversations about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) right to Salt Lake’s doorstop. We’ve all heard the rumors that tech is riddled with misogyny, but just how bad is it? Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we revisit an important City Cast Salt Lake conversation. Ali visits with one of Utah’s few abortion providers, obstetrician/gynecologist Dr. David Turok, about the Supreme Court memo foreshadowing the overturn of Roe v. Wade and the likely enactment of Utah’s dormant abortion ban. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Utah’s abortion laws are in flux right now. Former County Councilmember and Community Health Director Shireen Ghorbani is here to help make sense of it all. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are brine shrimp important to Salt Lakers, and why is Great Salt Lake Institute co-founder Jaimi Butler so optimistic right now? Adopt a storm drain here. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Friday morning, the 1,200 foot pedestrian bridge connecting 200 S and North Temple over the Jordan River will be dedicated and renamed: The Archie and Lois Archuleta Bridge. Ali visits the bridge with community activist Billy Palmer to learn more about the late, great Archie and his wife Lois. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first segment from last Wednesday’s Democratic primary debate for Utah Senate District 9, between Dr. Jennifer Plumb and Sen. Derek Kitchen. Later, Ali mentions Senate District 13 Democratic primary candidates Nate Blouin and Sen. Gene Davis. Reach our County Clerk with any primary election questions at (385) 468-7400. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Walnut trees are being struck down by a weird disease called ‘thousand cankers disease.’ Nate Orbock of the SLC Division of Forestry does not want to inspire panic, but he joins Ali to count Salt Lake’s walnuts and explain the phenomenon. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Short: Princess Kennedy is getting out of Salt Lake’s bar scene. Long: Ali visited with Salt Lake icon Princess Kennedy to chat about why she is getting out of Salt Lake’s bar scene, after hosting the largest Pride party in our city for ten years. PK thinks she owes Salt Lake an apology, and is ready to move on.  Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you shop local for clothes? Seems hard. The founder of Salt Lake Fashion Collective, Kalei Hinano, joins Ali to share ideas for shopping local for clothes in SLC — and answers the question, how do you spot a Salt Laker? Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads atcitycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, our guest Ashley Finley talks about the abortion that saved her life. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads atcitycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are there letters in our hills? And who put them there? Evelyn Corning knows! She’s the author of “Hillside Letters A-Z – A Guide to Hometown Landmarks.” Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Monday, Utah will observe Juneteenth with a holiday for the first official time ever, thanks to a bill passed by Rep. Sandra Hollins. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Community activist and birth-worker Ashley Finley joins Ali to round-up the news you might have missed this week.  Call or text the City Cast hotline anytime at (801) 203-0137. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here.  Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads atcitycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Salt Lake Tribune Jazz Beat Writer Andy Larsen joins Ali to round-up the sports news of the week in Salt Lake.  Call or text the City Cast hotline anytime at (801) 203-0137. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter here.  Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Salt Lake art critic, curator, and lawyer Scotti Hill joins to discuss the bizarre beauty of Gilgal Sculpture Garden.  Looking for more of Salt Lake's lesser known gems? Subscribe to our daily newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Great Salt Lake is at historically low levels, and that’s a problem for our city’s air quality, economy and ecology. City Cast Salt Lake host Ali Vallarta catches up with Chandler Rosenburg, co-founder of Save our Great Salt Lake, a coalition organizing for statewide action to preserve our city’s namesake.  Rosenburg is helping organize a virtual rally Saturday, January 15 aimed to encourage the legislature to take action when it meets next week. Stay afloat on news from around the city, salty or otherwise. Sign up for our morning newsletter.  We’re also on Twitter! Follow us at @CityCastSLC  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

City Cast Salt Lake Newsletter writer Madeline McGill connects with Moudi Hob, a writer, lover, and community organizer. They discuss the power of community in being vulnerable as a writer. Speaking of writers, sign up for our daily newsletter, written by Madeline! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Salt Lake City’s Avenues neighborhood is home to some of the best trails in town. But did you know it’s a popular spot to hunt wild game, too? Perry Hall, chair of the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Utah Chapter, joins host Ali Vallarta to explain how hunters and hikers (and their dogs) can safely coexist in the foothills. Learn more about the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources’ hunting mentorship program. Learn more about the BHA Hunting for Sustainability course. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: The Goat Head startup restaurant Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last year’s election winners have barely been sworn into office, but it’s off to the races for the 2024 election. Who’s thrown their hat in the ring? Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means chat about the candidates to watch. Plus, they predict what this year holds for politics, booze, and beyond and share picks of the week. Could the Utah Jazz leave downtown SLC? Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: The Goat Head startup restaurant Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rebecca Chavez-Houck and Shireen Ghorbani join Ali to make sense of the Secure Vote Utah ballot initiative – a frightening new cause that would erase vote-by-mail in Utah. Want to stay a vocal local? Sign up for our daily newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New year, same us — but better than ever. Producer Ivana Martinez joins host Ali Vallarta to round up their best bets for the month of January, from quiet celebrations to learning new skills. Plus, we’re making the most of Salt Lake County’s treasures without spending too much money. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Here are some of the events and places discussed: Paint night at The Leonardo Cross-country skiing at the Sundance Nordic Center Salt Lake City School District community education classes Shows at the Clark Planetarium Sauna at the Cottonwood Heights Rec Center A yoga option for locals  Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: The Goat Head startup restaurant  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For nearly 40 years, a Republican governor has led Utah. In recent elections, GOP candidates have walloped Democrats by at least 30 points. So why does Democrat Brian King think his bid for the state’s highest office will be any different? King, who represents Salt Lake City in the Utah House, joins host Ali Vallarta to make his case and explain what he hopes to accomplish — even if he doesn’t win. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. The deadline to change your party affiliation in Utah is Tuesday, Jan. 9. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Mattress Warehouse Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This weekend, volunteers across Salt Lake County will participate in the Point-in-Time Count, an annual census of unsheltered Utahns. So, what can this data tell us about who is experiencing homelessness in Salt Lake County? Rob Wesemann, Salt Lake County’s Point-in-Time Count lead, joins host Ali Vallarta to bust some common myths about unsheltered Salt Lakers.  Sign up to volunteer for Salt Lake County’s Point-in-Time count, Jan. 25-27. Live outside of Salt Lake? Find contacts for the count in other counties. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Treefort Music Fest The Shop SLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Jan. 30, newly re-elected Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall will give her annual State of the City address. The mayor is expected to lay a vision for our city in her second term. She joins host Ali Vallarta to talk through some of the city’s biggest projects — both the challenges and the opportunities. Watch the State of the City address Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. Learn more about the Perpetual Housing Fund. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Women’s Work Utah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What will 2024 bring to Utah’s food scene? Gastronomic SLC founder Stuart Melling and host Ali Vallarta preview a new year of bars, local and chain food trends, and James Beard Awards. Plus, the spiciest soups for your head cold. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Women’s Work Utah: Attend Neighborhood Caucus Night on Tuesday, March 5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Utah’s Great Salt Lake commissioner recently released the first ever strategic plan for tackling the crisis at the lake. What’s in it, and will it move the needle on one of Salt Lake’s greatest existential threats? Chandler Rosenberg, co-founder of Save Our Great Salt Lake and deputy director at the Great Basin Water Network, joins host Ali Vallarta to give her take. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy first day of the Utah Legislature’s general session to all who celebrate. Over the next 45 days, lawmakers will pass hundreds of bills that impact our lives in so many ways. Utah News Dispatch senior reporter Katie McKellar joins host Ali Vallarta to give us a preview of what to expect this session — from the lottery to the Great Salt Lake. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Treefort Music Fest The Shop SLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday was the deadline to file as a candidate for the 2024 election. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means discuss who else has jumped into the races we’re watching. Plus, the Utah State Board of Education eyes repealing its own rule about equity in education. Also, Ali and Emily infuse some positivity into the week’s news with some shoutouts. Volunteer for Code Blue operations with 2nd and 2nd Coalition or Salt Lake County. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Mattress Warehouse Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Sundance Film Festival can feel like it’s for everyone but locals. But with the right tools, Salt Lakers can experience the magic of the fest, too. Former staffer Daniela Weinreich and host — and Sundance alum — Ali Vallarta share their do’s and don’ts, top movie picks, and predictions for the festival. Get tickets to the festival. Films mentioned: “Agent of Happiness” “Eternal You” “Realm of Satan” “Love Me” “Layla” “Krazy House: Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Mattress Warehouse Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sugar House Coffee is taking a stand against a proposed high rise on 2100 S. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means talk about the future of Salt Lake City’s new downtown. Plus, you don’t need to wait in line for an hour to eat at a chain restaurant — Ali and Emily share some local alternatives for your dining pleasure. Also, we’ve got an update on the Utah State Board of Education’s equity rule. More on the Utah State School Board’s equity rule. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Treefort Music Fest The Shop SLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Sundance Film Festival is in full swing, and host Ali Vallarta has been on the ground in Park City festin’ it up. Ali and executive producer Emily Means chat about the future of the festival and celebrity sightings. Plus, could Salt Lake get a Major League Baseball team sooner than we thought?  Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been a year since NBA All-Star Weekend descended upon Salt Lake City. What impact did it have? Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means look at the numbers and muse on a vision for activating downtown around big sporting events. And have you ever wondered what the heck is City Cast? Gather ‘round for our origin story, plus some local shoutouts. The Salt Lake Winter Roundup is Saturday, Feb. 10 in front of Abravanel Hall. Check out the new UFA Legacy Health Clinic.   Do you have friends in Nashville, Austin, Madison or Houston? City Cast is hiring! Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Women’s Work Utah: Attend Neighborhood Caucus Night on Tuesday, March 5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Stanley Adventure Quencher is hotter than ever and the internet’s latest obsession. Headlines and think pieces abound about why people are waiting in long lines for the colorful, 40 oz. tumbler. But in Utah, we’ve been ahead of the curve for two years now — and we may have even created this monster. Deseret News columnist Meg Walter joins host Ali Vallarta to explain the phenomenon. This episode first aired on July 19, 2022. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From sketchy financial spending to DUIs, Utahns are used to headlines about our electeds making questionable choices. So why the heck does this keep happening? Salt Lake Tribune columnist Robert Gehrke joins host Ali Vallarta to talk about how our perception of bad behavior has changed and what consequences exist to hold people accountable.  Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Treefort Music Fest The Shop SLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Salt Lake City received nearly $1 million to teach people how to recycle better. Do you have the new-year itch to declutter your house? Same, but the question is: Is any of this junk recyclable? McKenna Tupa’i, sustainability coordinator for Wasatch Front Waste and Recycling District, talks with host Ali Vallarta about what you can and can’t throw in your blue bin in Salt Lake. This episode originally aired July 6, 2023. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Mattress Warehouse Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Salt Lake City School Board has voted to permanently close four elementary schools. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means discuss the ripple effects of this decision. Plus, they share a Schoolhouse Rock-style presentation ahead of the legislative session and picks of the week, from shoveling protocol to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. At the end of the episode, we have a short conversation with Mick Gee, head of school for Rowland Hall, about the Salt Lake City-based school’s approach to education for preschool through 12th grade students. Learn more at an admission tour.  Learn more about the other sponsor of this episode: Mattress Warehouse Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the end of Free Fare February, but it doesn’t have to be the end of your frontrunner weekends. Ali talks about lessons learned with Connor Dunstan and Alex Fielder, students at the U who host The Red Line Transit Podcast. All Aboard! Sign up for our daily newsletter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Utah Legislature is coming in hot in the first week of the general session. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means talk about the bills that caught their eye, including ones that impact the Great Salt Lake, bar licenses, and elections. Plus, two cozy picks for the week. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Bills discussed: H.B. 298 Homelessness Service Amendments H.B. 249 Legal Personhood Amendments Liquor Omnibus Bill H.B. 214 Election Modifications H.B. 257 Sex-Based Designations for Privacy, Anti-Bullying, and Women’s Opportunities Listen to why Utahns are so obsessed with bathrooms. See American Fiction at The Broadway. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Treefort Music Fest The Shop SLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another week of the Utah Legislature in the books. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means talk about the bills that caught their eyes, including on beekeeping, judges, and renters' rights. Plus, Salt Lake City residents ask Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall to prioritize publicly funded housing, and Ali and Emily share their picks of the week. Bills discussed: HB 257 Sex-based Designations for Privacy, Anti-bullying, and Women’s Opportunities HB 297 Utah Bee Inspection Act Amendments Public-Private Child Care Development Pilot Program HJR 14 Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution - Statewide Initiatives HJR 8 Joint Resolution Amending Rules of Civil Procedure on Disqualification of a Judge HB 355 Residential Rental Modifications Learn more about Utah’s childcare crisis. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Salt Lake City’s east-west divide often makes headlines, from disparities in air quality to getting stuck behind trains to displacement due to gentrification. But what does the Westside really need? District 1 Council Member Victoria Petro and District 2 Council Member Ale Puy join host Ali Vallarta in their new leadership roles to talk about how they’ll advocate for Westside residents. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Starter homes, sticking it to the feds, snowplow headlights; time for a breakdown of the bills host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means are watching this week. Plus, remember the passenger rail proposal to Boise? We’ve got some gossip on what happened to it as well as our picks of the week. Bills mentioned: HB 306 Residential Housing Amendments SB 57 Utah Constitutional Sovereignty Act HB 292 Snowplow Amendments HB 119 School Employee Firearm Possession Amendments Other references: Gov. Cox’s mixed messaging on DEI. How Utah’s new transgender bathroom ban will be enforced.  What’s Missing Middle Housing? Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Women’s Work Utah: Attend Neighborhood Caucus Night on Tuesday, March 5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the “glass-halfway” point of the Legislature’s general session, and host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means sum up the labor and environmental bills they’re watching. Plus, they highlight our neighbors in Millcreek and a cute reason to donate blood with their picks of the week. Bills mentioned: HB 285 Labor Union Amendments HB 368 Apprenticeship on Public Works Requirements SB 172 Protection Areas Revisions HB 202 Student Athlete Amendments HB 11 Water Efficient Landscaping Requirements Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Treefort Music Fest: March 20-24 in downtown Boise, ID Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From potty training to liquor laws, what’s the Utah Legislature been up to? Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means break down the bills that caught their attention. Plus, we’ve got an update on the response to Utah State Board of Education member Natalie Cline’s bullying of a high school athlete, and Ali and Emily share their picks of the week. Bills discussed: HCR 18 House Concurrent Resolution Condemning and Censuring State School Board Member Natalie Cline SB 211 Generational Water Infrastructure Amendments HB 548 Alcohol Amendments HB 331 School and Classroom Amendments Get tested for chlamydia at the Salt Lake County STD Clinic. Free services to know about in Salt Lake. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Mattress Warehouse Utah Women’s Work Utah: Attend Neighborhood Caucus Night on Tuesday, March 5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Salt Lake County lawmaker wants more transit in the south valley — so do we! — but what’s the tradeoff in her current proposal? Plus, the Larry H. Miller Company and legislators’ plans for an MLB stadium in Fairpark are starting to feel Inland Port-esque. Will Westside electeds regret calling it a home run? Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means discuss two very wonky proposals and share picks of the week from two local beacons. Bills mentioned: HB 430 Local Government Transportation Services Amendments HB 562 Utah Fairpark Area Investment and Restoration District SB 272 Capital City Reinvestment Zone Amendments Our take on the MLB stadium proposal. See “You Will Get Sick” at Salt Lake Acting Company through March 3. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Salt Lake City police are asking for an extra $1.8 million from the City Council to keep cracking down on illegal camps. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that since October, officers have made 60 arrests and written up 152 citations. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will soon decide whether cities can punish people for sleeping outside when there’s no shelter available. But when folks have nowhere to go, what are their options? Taylor Hastings, an attorney with the Salt Lake Legal Defender Association, joins executive producer Emily Means to explain how the city criminalizes homelessness and what measures could keep folks out of the criminal justice system while trying to survive on the streets.  This show originally aired March 16, 2023  Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Women’s Work: neighborhood caucus night on March 5, 2024. Utah Museum of Fine Arts: “Pictures of Belonging: Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi, and Miné Okubo” exhibition open now to June 30, 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Holladay to downtown Salt Lake City, we’re getting used to seeing our favorite haunts toppled by a wrecking ball, listed for sale, or mysteriously shuttered. Which is why the entire City Cast Salt Lake team — newsletter editor Terina Ria, host Ali Vallarta, producer Ivana Martinez, and executive producer Emily Means — have gathered in a conference room to eulogize the iconic institutions left behind in the construction dust. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: The Shop Workspace Lux Floral: terrarium and planter classes in March Mattress Warehouse Utah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So, you’re thinking about signing up for the Salt Lake City Marathon. Or maybe just the half marathon. OK, maybe the 5K is all you’ve got in you. No problem! Seasoned runners Shireen Ghorbani and Bryant Heath join host and newbie runner Ali Vallarta to share great local routes, plus some tips and tricks for hitting the pavement. Sign up for the SLC marathon, half marathon, 5K, or 10K. Deseret News columnist Meg Walter on running the St. George Marathon. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Mattress Warehouse Utah Women’s Work Utah: Attend Neighborhood Caucus Night on Tuesday, March 5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Raise your hand if you’ve been the victim of a truly awkward date. As Valentine’s Day approaches, we stand in solidarity with our Salt Lake neighbors who have survived family reunions, monster hunters, and people who look nothing like their dating app profile. Doug Fabrizio, host of KUER’s RadioWest, joins host Ali Vallarta to relive the cringe of your most memorably strange dates. This episode originally aired Feb. 14, 2023. Sick of dating apps? University of Utah gender researcher Lisa Diamond shares her tips for making a connection. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Treefort Music Fest: March 20-24 in downtown Boise, ID Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Salt Lake City released new crime data and a corresponding dashboard. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means break down the trends. Plus, some Avenues residents are up in arms about density, and Ali and Emily share some shoutouts. This episode mentions rape and other violent crimes. Take care while listening. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Treefort Music Fest: March 20-24 in downtown Boise, ID Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grand plans for Salt Lake City’s downtown could bring big changes, from the skyline to the way we access city streets. What does the neighborhood’s new representative make of it all? District 4 Council Member Eva López Chávez joins host Ali Vallarta to talk about housing, safety, and what she believes is downtown’s biggest opportunity. “Engage with Eva” to talk about District 4 on Feb. 22.   Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Treefort Music Fest: March 20-24 in downtown Boise, ID Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

February is one of the shortest months of the year, but we’re making the most of it! Host Ali Vallarta and producer Ivana Martinez make the ultimate local’s guide to celebrate your Valentines and Galentines, plus what to do on Leap Day, and more to try in February. Here are some of the events and places discussed: Take a Heels Class with Caroline Kane  Rent a free pasta making kit from the SLCo Library Local Galentine’s Cake-making party Sips Under the Sea at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium   “Swan Lake” at Ballet West “Don Juan” at Utah Symphony “Love & Basketball” at the Salt Lake Film Society Valentine’s Day Portraits at The Leonardo  Book a walking tour with Rachel’s SLC History Rent an e-bike from Salt Lake E-bikes Visit Lovebound Library, “bring a bestie and get 10% off your purchase”  Utah Jazz v. Los Angeles Lakers KUAA 99.9 Valentine’s Day Party at Sayonara, 21+ Cumbia Night at Drift Lounge  Disney on Ice: Encanto and Frozen Pre-order a Mardi Gras King Cake by Feb. 9 at Gourmandise or Vosen’s Visit Crystal Hot Springs in Honeyville, UT Stay in this house on Bear Lake for President’s Day Weekend Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Treefort Music Fest: March 20-24 in downtown Boise, ID Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who funds SLC International Airport? How will the new central tunnel work? And what would it take to make it a world-class airport? We’ve got questions, and Bill Wyatt, executive director of Salt Lake City’s Department of Airports, joins host Ali Vallarta to answer them. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Women’s Work Utah: Attend Neighborhood Caucus Night on Tuesday, March 5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Utah has a shiny, new strategic plan for outdoor recreation; the first of its kind. What does it mean for the places visitors and residents “love to death”? Draper Republican Rep. Jeff Stenquist, the chair of Utah’s Outdoor Adventure Commission, joins host Ali Vallarta to break down the strategy for delivering on “the nation’s most well-funded and well-managed outdoor recreation system in the country.” Apply for a Utah Search and Rescue Assistance Card. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: The Shop Workspace Women’s Work: neighborhood caucus night on March 5, 2024. Utah Museum of Fine Arts: “Pictures of Belonging: Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi, and Miné Okubo” exhibition open now to June 30, 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

State Street in Salt Lake City is getting an extreme makeover. Picture high-density housing where strip malls and motels have stood for decades and an urban hospital to anchor it all. But what do we gain and lose in the facelift? Building Salt Lake editor Taylor Anderson joins host Ali Vallarta to talk about the future of life on State Street. Related: What’s Your Vision For State Street? [City Cast Salt Lake] As Sears Comes Down, We Flirt With State Street’s Past [City Cast Salt Lake] Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Women’s Work: neighborhood caucus night on March 5, 2024. Utah Museum of Fine Arts: “Pictures of Belonging: Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi, and Miné Okubo” exhibition open now to June 30, 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Salt Lake City brings the hammer down on a longstanding yard party in the 15th and 15th neighborhood, after a neighbor complained about noise and traffic. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means muse on what the story says about the need for more community connection in Salt Lake. Plus, funding is available for neighborhood projects, and Ali and Emily share local shoutouts. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Resources mentioned: Learn more about the Love Your Block program at SLC’s Sip ‘N Share event. Download Utah WBB head coach Lynn Roberts’ excuse note for Thursday, Feb. 29. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Women’s Work: neighborhood caucus night on March 5, 2024. Utah Museum of Fine Arts: “Pictures of Belonging: Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi, and Miné Okubo” exhibition open now to June 30, 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The $3.5 billion vision for reinventing Salt Lake City’s Westside neighborhoods into a mixed-use Major League Baseball district is eye-popping. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means take a look at the details and how much public financing Utah leaders could be willing to invest in the project. Plus, a story about coincidental (read: suspicious) donations has us cocking our eyebrows, and “Gwyneth Paltrow” is back in Park City.  Listen to our conversation with City Cast Las Vegas about public/private sports models. The Secret Sauce [The Utah Investigative Journalism Project and City Weekly]. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy New Year! Let’s set some goals — but the cool, fun kind. Lead producer Emily Means and host Ali Vallarta share their plans for SLC 2023, along with some very resolute callers. Take Care Utah can help you enroll in a healthcare plan, online or in-person, before January 15, 2023. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve spent a winter in Salt Lake, you’ve probably found yourself staring at the brown film on the horizon while wondering if you should pack it all up and leave for fresher air. It’s a fair question — and besides air quality, there are lots of reasons people leave the Wasatch Front. But really, we hope you’ll stay. Community organizers Ashley Finley and Chandler Rosenberg join host Ali Vallarta to make the case for why Salt Lake needs you and is worth fighting for. Add the Save Our Great Salt Lake rally to your calendar! Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When civil engineer Christian Lenhart and designer Cameron Blakely teamed up to create the Rio Grande Plan, they never dreamed it would garner so much traction and public support — but here we are! City officials are entertaining a citizen-led design project to return the historic Rio Grande Station to its glory days as a bustling transit hub. Host Ali Vallarta asks Cameron Blakely how feasible this idea really is? “Bury the Rails” is on Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. at the Salt Lake City Library and free to attend. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Utah leaders often tout us as a family-friendly state. But with declining fertility and marriage rates, it seems Utahns are more hesitant than ever to start their own families. Salt Lake City-based birthworker Ashley Finley joins host Ali Vallarta for a candid conversation about what goes into deciding for ourselves whether to have kids in Salt Lake. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: The Shop Workspace Lux Floral: terrarium and planter classes in March Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New year, new news. Welcome to 2023! Lead producer Emily Means joins host Ali Vallarta to talk about the top stories of the week, including mysterious devices in Salt Lake’s foothills, girding our loins for the Legislature’s General Session, and what to do about 2100 South. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All snow is good snow when you’re in a megadrought, but how it layers up can have big implications for backcountry recreators. Craig Gordon, a forecaster with the Utah Avalanche Center (and absolute legend) talks with host Ali Vallarta about why not all snow is made equal, what has him worried, and why his job might be getting harder every year. The Outdoor Retailer Snow Show is Jan. 10-12 at the Salt Palace Convention Center.   Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If local billionaires get their way, Utah could soon become home to even more professional sports teams. Ryan Smith is bidding for a National Hockey League team, and Gail Miller is trying to recruit Major League Baseball — including the Oakland Athletics, while they wait for their Las Vegas stadium to open. Host Ali Vallarta asks City Cast Las Vegas host Dayvid Figler how becoming a sports city has and hasn’t penciled out for the community.  Salt Lake Tribune reporter Andy Larsen on public financing of stadiums. Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Women’s Work Utah: Attend Neighborhood Caucus Night on Tuesday, March 5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Utah Legislature’s annual general session can be tough for anyone who is nervous about what our state lawmakers can do in the span of 45 days. But you’re in good company, because freshman Sen. Nate Blouin, D-Salt Lake City, is right there with you. The newly elected senator joins host Ali Vallarta to talk about managing his first-day jitters, what’s on his agenda, and how he plans to follow through. Listen to our episode “How Any of Us Could Reverse An Overdose” and learn how to administer life-saving Naloxone. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you truly live car-free in Salt Lake? That’s the question host Ali Vallarta is trying to answer after her beloved old clunker took its last breaths. Now, she has a choice to make — buy a new car or find other ways to move about town. Lead Producer Emily Means joins her to weigh the pros and cons of going car-free. Learn more about Hive Pass for SLC residents. Get NBA Celebrity All-Star Game tickets. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Locals love to roll their eyes at the Sundance Film Festival, but host Ali Vallarta and former staffer Daniela Weinreich beg to differ. It’s possible to have a fun, affordable, stress-free festival experience — and this is your guide. The two alums make a list of do’s and don’ts, Daniela shares her top five movie picks, and Ali explains how to see the award-winning movies for free. Register for the free Best of Fest screenings for locals. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Utah State Board of Education member Natalie Cline bullied a student on social media, and the backlash has been swift. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means explore what could happen to Cline and who is to blame for this mess. Plus, a Salt Lake coffee shop eliminated tipping, and Ali and Emily share shoutouts.  Consider becoming a member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Women’s Work Utah: Attend Neighborhood Caucus Night on Tuesday, March 5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Friday! Host Ali Vallarta and lead producer Emily Means round up the headlines you might have missed this week — from the end of a COVID-19 State of Emergency to Salt Lake’s “Vision Zero” plan, and the swearing-in of 36-year old Navajo Nation President Dr. Buu Nygren. Watch Rian Johnson bristle at Knives Out Utah. Attend the Save Our Great Salt Lake rally. Drop off new socks, pads, and tampons at All Together Skate Park. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Utah Legislature’s 45-day general session ends today, and all we got was a Futurama rendering of a proposed sports complex in downtown Salt Lake City. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means unpack billionaire Ryan Smith’s vision for a brand new NHL/NBA arena. Plus, who was in the right during the altercation between a gun-toting Brighton resident and backcountry snowboarder? Consider becoming a founding member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we’re around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at membership.citycast.fm. Reporting and resources mentioned: Ryan Smith’s vision for SLC’s downtown sports district. Watch the video of a gun altercation at Brighton. GOP lawmakers used misinformation about trans Utahns to rally support for bathroom ban [Salt Lake Tribune] Sign up for the Great Salt Lake License Plate. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Women’s Work: neighborhood caucus night on March 5, 2024. Utah Museum of Fine Arts: “Pictures of Belonging: Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi, and Miné Okubo” exhibition open now to June 30, 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Utah lawmakers from across the state are making their way downtown and walking fast through the halls of the Capitol, ready to pass hundreds of bills that might change our lives. KUER politics reporter Saige Miller joins host Ali Vallarta to tease what to expect during the 45-day General Session. Plus, Saige (a former debate coach) shares some advice for legislators when debating their bills. Bookmark Sue Robbins’ educational resources for understanding gender-affirming health care.   Check out State Street, KUER’s politics podcast. Subscribe to our daily morning newsletter. You can find us on Instagram @CityCastSLC and Twitter @CityCastSLC. Looking to advertise on City Cast Salt Lake? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices