'Your City Could Be Better': How Las Vegas Saves More Water Than Any Other City — Presented By City Cast Madison

Extreme Heat Hits Madison, Knowles-Nelson Gets Axed, and Farmers Market Bliss

Madison is under an extreme heat warning [https://www.wpr.org/news/most-of-wisconsin-faces-extreme-heat-warning-as-heat-index-to-top-100] this week, with temperatures in the 90s and heat index values exceeding 100 degrees. City Cast Madison executive producer Haley Sperling and Newsletter Editor Rob Thomas share safety reminders and cooling tips, from staying hydrated and limiting outdoor activity to reversing ceiling fans, covering windows, and using air-conditioned public spaces like libraries, malls, community centers, and movie theaters.Then we break down the end of Wisconsin’s Knowles-Nelson Conservation Program [https://captimes.com/news/government/without-knowles-nelson-what-happens-to-wisconsin-conservation/article_49f34192-e41c-45ed-b368-cd6aa8954523.html], which the state legislature failed to fund after 37 years of land stewardship. Plus, is visiting the Dane County Farmers’ Market after noon actually a hack?  👋 Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 [tel:608-318-3367] or email madison@citycast.fm [madison@citycast.fm]. We’re also on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/citycastmadison/]!  📧 You can get more Madison news delivered right to your inbox by subscribing to the City Cast Madison morning newsletter [https://madison.citycast.fm/newsletter].  🏠 Get more from City Cast Madison when you become a City Cast Madison Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events, and more. Join the City Cast Madison Neighbors program! [https://membership.citycast.fm/madison] Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads [https://madison.citycast.fm/advertise].

Canoes Connect Madison’s Indigenous History To the Present

Last week, the Ho-Chunk Nation gifted Dane County Parks a hand-carved dugout canoe [https://www.instagram.com/p/DaBdN61H2M2/?img_index=7]. Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Bill Quackenbush crafted the vessel himself from a cottonwood tree that was removed from McDaniel Park for construction of the Lower Yahara River Trail. On today’s show, producer Jade Iseri-Ramos talks about the significance of this gift with host Bianca Martin, who also details her adventures at this year’s Harry Whitehorse International Wood Sculpture Festival [https://www.harrywhitehorse.com/festival/]. And later in the show, we revisit Bianca’s interview with Wisconsin maritime archeologist Tamara Thomsen, who was part of the team that discovered more than a dozen ancient dugout canoes in the depths of Lake Mendota.  🗳️Have you voted for us in the 2026 Best of Madison awards yet? [https://madisonmagazine.secondstreetapp.com/Best-of-Madison-2026/] City Cast Madison is in the running for best local podcast AND best local news website. Polls are open through June 30. Vote today! [https://madisonmagazine.secondstreetapp.com/Best-of-Madison-2026/]👋 Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 [tel:608-318-3367] or email madison@citycast.fm [madison@citycast.fm]. We’re also on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/citycastmadison/]!  📧 You can get more Madison news delivered right to your inbox by subscribing to the City Cast Madison morning newsletter [https://madison.citycast.fm/newsletter].  🏠 Get more from City Cast Madison when you become a City Cast Madison Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events, and more. Join the City Cast Madison Neighbors program! [https://membership.citycast.fm/madison] Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads [https://madison.citycast.fm/advertise].

'Your City Could Be Better': How Denver Is Fixing Its Sidewalks — Presented By City Cast Madison

Just how good are the sidewalks in Madison? The state of a city’s sidewalks can be a good indicator of how healthy that city is — and pedestrian safety is just the beginning. In Denver, voters approved a new fee a few years ago to fund much-needed sidewalk repairs, and after a lot of back-and-forth, those repairs are finally underway. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Denver [https://denver.citycast.fm/] podcast host Bree Davies about what drove this initiative, how it’s going, and who’s paying for it. And speaking of sidewalks, do bikes, scooters, and people playing music belong on public sidewalks? 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].

No Phones in School, Lake Monona Stinks, and Food Delivery Bots Roll Away

This week, the Madison School Board approved [https://captimes.com/news/education/madison-schools-approve-cellphone-ban-tighten-limits-on-high-schools/article_41d66a79-7689-4fbe-8e6c-8d62bd28a2a4.html] a district-wide cell phone policy. Under the new rules, phones are banned all day for grades K–8 and only allowed at lunch for high schoolers. Host Bianca Martin breaks down that news with executive producer Hayley Sperling and producer Jade Iseri-Ramos. Plus, allergy season is bad [https://captimes.com/news/health/yes-allergy-seasons-are-getting-worse-madison-doctor-says/article_6f99ad58-bded-47a7-8df5-cf88b1b69495.html], blue-green algae is blooming [https://www.wmtv15news.com/2026/06/24/algae-concerns-people-living-near-lake-monona-say-blue-green-algae-is-showing-up-more-often/?outputType=amp], and women athletes are making Madison proud [https://www.wkow.com/news/top-stories/wisconsin-badgers-make-history-with-5-first-round-picks-in-2026-pwhl-draft/article_aa069996-5bba-4c70-8783-29181b3146d0.html]. For our neighbors-only segment, newsletter editor Rob Thomas jumps on the mic to react to the end of  food delivery robots on UW-Madison’s campus. Mentioned on the show: Rob Thomas’s story on Starship food-delivery robots [https://captimes.com/entertainment/dining/i-ll-be-back-with-lunch-rolling-robots-terminate-hunger-pangs/article_63689b97-3e8c-5560-b5c7-1e18bc8a8f3c.html] [Cap Times] 👋 Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 [tel:608-318-3367] or email madison@citycast.fm [madison@citycast.fm]. We’re also on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/citycastmadison/]!  📧 You can get more Madison news delivered right to your inbox by subscribing to the City Cast Madison morning newsletter [https://madison.citycast.fm/newsletter].  🏠 Get more from City Cast Madison when you become a City Cast Madison Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events, and more. Join the City Cast Madison Neighbors program! [https://membership.citycast.fm/madison] Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads [https://madison.citycast.fm/advertise]. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 26th episode: * Society of St. Vincent de Paul [https://svdpmadison.org/raffle/] * Oak Bank [https://www.oak.bank/?utm_source=CityCast&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=2026&utm_content=BankingOutsideTheBox] - Do you have questions for Oak Bank? Submit them HERE [https://airtable.com/app7ni84ypo5bRfEK/shrDdP0QYCiPT2GkL].

Pour One Out for Schlitz and a Weekend Events Roundup

Earlier this year, Pabst Brewing Company announced [https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/schlitz-beer-pours-last-glass-rcna346065] an indefinite hiatus of Schlitz beer. However, Verona-based Wisconsin Brewing Company brewed a limited quantity of the beer [https://www.milwaukeemag.com/schlitz-is-gone/] that made Milwaukee famous and is throwing a party [https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ-L-7QgPPD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==] on Saturday, June 27 to celebrate. City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin sits down with Wisconsin Brewing Company brewmaster Kirby Nelson to talk about the special brew and what Schlitz means to Wisconsin. Then executive producer Hayley Sperling and producer Jade Iseri-Ramos jump on the mic to give you a rundown of events happening this weekend. Mentioned on the show: Rob Thomas’s article on Bleak Week [https://notthatrobthomas.substack.com/p/have-yourself-a-bummer-summer-with] [Not that Rob Thomas] Linen revival movement [https://madison.citycast.fm/podcasts/can-madison-ditch-fast-fashion] [🎧 City Cast Madison] 👋 Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 [tel:608-318-3367] or email madison@citycast.fm [madison@citycast.fm]. We’re also on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/citycastmadison/]!  📧 You can get more Madison news delivered right to your inbox by subscribing to the City Cast Madison morning newsletter [https://madison.citycast.fm/newsletter].  🏠 Get more from City Cast Madison when you become a City Cast Madison Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events, and more. Join the City Cast Madison Neighbors program! [https://membership.citycast.fm/madison] Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads [https://madison.citycast.fm/advertise]. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 25th episode: * Society of St. Vincent de Paul [https://svdpmadison.org/raffle/]