‘Your City Could Be Better’: Nashville’s Grassroots Ethos Is Alive and Well in Chattanooga

How Is Climate Change Impacting Nashville?

From increased flooding to ice storms, Nashville is already seeing the impacts of climate change. But who’s being impacted first? Stephanie Roach, director of collective action at Urban Green Lab [https://urbangreenlab.org/], joins Marie Cecile Anderson to talk about Voices of Resilience [https://urbangreenlab.org/voices-of-resilience/], an oral history archive using storytelling to answer that question — and help us find solutions. PS: VOR’s touring exhibit is on display at Vanderbilt’s Curb Center [https://www.vanderbilt.edu/curbcenter/voices-of-resilience/] through Aug. 4. Learn more about the sponsors of this July 20th episode: Hoffmann Brothers [https://www.hoffmannbrothers.com/] Greater Birmingham CVB [https://inbirmingham.com/] Early voting in the midterm state and federal primary election and the municipal general election is NOW OPEN through Aug. 1! Here’s everything you need to know to go vote [https://nashville.citycast.fm/explainers/aug-6-federal-state-primary-election-2026]. We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at https://citycast.fm/survey/citycast.fm/survey [http://citycast.fm/survey] — it’s only 7 minutes long. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card and City Cast City swag. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor [http://membership.citycast.fm/nashville]. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville [https://account.citycast.fm/become-a-neighbor/nashville?utm_source=show_notes&utm_medium=pod&utm_campaign=pod_promo] Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our City Cast Nashville newsletter.  [https://nashville.citycast.fm/subscribe-hey-nashville-newsletter-tennessee] Follow us @citycastnashville [https://www.instagram.com/citycastnashville/] You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392

‘Your City Could Be Better’: Nashville’s Grassroots Ethos Is Alive and Well in Chattanooga

Sometimes it can feel like the Nashville government is two (or more) steps behind the needs of its neighborhoods. Enter the residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee. What Chattanoogans don’t have, they make up for in advocacy, whether by showing up to city council and organizing for change or just doing things themselves. City Cast CEO David Plotz sits down with creator and city lover Hope Henchey about how she and her neighbors are sneakily and secretly fixing up their city. You’ve heard of the Nashville bench builders [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meet-nashvilles-rogue-bench-builders-plus-living-in/id1875358857?i=1000763382250] — now get ready for the Chattanooga pothole fillers, sidewalk layers, and (literal) trail blazers. Mentioned on the show: * Atlas Obscura feature on the community-built benches in Chattanooga [https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bench-avenue-chattanooga] * Efforts by Strong Chattanooga to make a path through the woods in a sidewalk-less neighborhood [https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ5C0BsAI5p/] * Review of Hoboken's streak of zero traffic fatalities [https://reasonstobecheerful.world/the-city-where-traffic-fatalities-vanished/]  Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now!  [yourcitycouldbebetter@citycast.fm] We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter [https://www.instagram.com/yourcitycouldbebetter] Looking to advertise on Your City Could Be Better? Check out our options [https://citycast.fm/advertise].

Does Tennessee Have the Worst Quality of Life? Plus, YASNI Winners and Early Voting Starts Today

The Nashville Scene’s YASNI winners [https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/coverstory/yasni-2026/article_e4b1a1f0-34b4-4b20-8dcc-3b87dbc650f0.html] were revealed yesterday, and here’s our belated submission: You are so Nashville if… you recognized Elliston Place Soda Shop as the place where Mayor Freddie O’Connell kicked off his reelection campaign [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DatCGPkTw5D/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==] by throwing more than a little shade at Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s recent fortune cookie debacle. On today’s Friday News Roundup, contributor Nicole Williams joins creative producer Marie Cecile Anderson and executive producer Whitney Pastorek to talk through Freddie’s reelection chances, Marsha’s just-revealed ethics investigation [https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/exclusive-marsha-blackburn-faced-senate-ethics-probe-over-use-of-tax-dollars-for-political-campaigns], and CNBC ranking Tennessee dead last in quality of life [https://www.wsmv.com/2026/07/13/tennessee-ranked-worst-state-live-cnbc-study-finds/]. Plus in our bonus segment for City Cast Nashville Neighbors, should daylight saving time be permanent [https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-news/how-permanent-daylight-saving-time-would-impact-tennessee/]? Early voting in the midterm state and federal primary election and the municipal general election is NOW OPEN through Aug. 1! Here’s everything you need to know to go vote [https://nashville.citycast.fm/explainers/aug-6-federal-state-primary-election-2026]. We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at https://citycast.fm/survey/citycast.fm/survey [http://citycast.fm/survey] — it’s only 7 minutes long. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card and City Cast City swag. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor [http://membership.citycast.fm/nashville]. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville [https://account.citycast.fm/become-a-neighbor/nashville?utm_source=show_notes&utm_medium=pod&utm_campaign=pod_promo] Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our City Cast Nashville newsletter.  [https://nashville.citycast.fm/subscribe-hey-nashville-newsletter-tennessee] Follow us @citycastnashville [https://www.instagram.com/citycastnashville/] You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE [https://citycast.fm/advertise/].

It’s Patio Season, Nashville. Check Out These Neighborhood Faves

If you’re in the market for a new patio hang this weekend, we’ve got you covered. Will Mondros, chef and co-owner of Turkey & the Wolf Ice House [https://www.turkeyandthewolficehouse.com/], is here to share his favorite al fresco spots with creative producer Marie Cecile Anderson, plus a peek inside his current menu. An heirloom tomato sandwich [https://www.instagram.com/p/DaS6O0Hugzv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==] with a passionfruit French 75, enjoyed under the shade of a big tree? We’ll be right over. We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at https://citycast.fm/survey/citycast.fm/survey [http://citycast.fm/survey] — it’s only 7 minutes long. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card and City Cast City swag. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor [http://membership.citycast.fm/nashville]. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville [https://account.citycast.fm/become-a-neighbor/nashville?utm_source=show_notes&utm_medium=pod&utm_campaign=pod_promo] Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our City Cast Nashville newsletter.  [https://nashville.citycast.fm/subscribe-hey-nashville-newsletter-tennessee] Follow us @citycastnashville [https://www.instagram.com/citycastnashville/] You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE [https://citycast.fm/advertise/].

Nashville’s Best Watering Holes for Summer Fun

Everybody needs a good watering hole to make it through the heat of Nashville in summer — and we don’t mean a bar. Creative producer Marie Cecile Anderson, newsletter editor Margaret Kingsbury, and executive producer Whitney Pastorek are chatting about their favorite creek stomping spots, lakeside hangs, floatable rivers, and nearby waterfalls.  We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at https://citycast.fm/survey/citycast.fm/survey [http://citycast.fm/survey] — it’s only 7 minutes long. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card and City Cast City swag. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor [http://membership.citycast.fm/nashville]. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville [http://membership.citycast.fm/nashville] Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our City Cast Nashville newsletter.  [https://nashville.citycast.fm/subscribe-hey-nashville-newsletter-tennessee] Follow us @citycastnashville [https://www.instagram.com/citycastnashville/] You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE [https://citycast.fm/advertise/].