City Cast Boise
City Cast Boise is the daily news podcast that connects us to the city we love. With a companion newsletter, it’s the place where curiosity and passion for Boise meet.
Every weekday morning, our hosts will introduce you to your neighbors — from newcomers to born-and-raised Boiseans. It’s like eavesdropping on a great conversation overheard at your favorite downtown coffee shop, except in this case you’re invited to join in. We’ll engage with you online and on the podcast, with stories that spark passion and delight — but sometimes also frustration and anger. With a clear-eyed vision of the challenges and triumphs of our rapidly changing Boise, the podcast will make you feel more connected to this city we share.
476
It’s Time You Met Boise’s River Robin Hood
Rocky Detwiler has made it his business to find items claimed by the snags and twists of the Boise River, and does his best to return them to their owners using Facebook.
19 min
477
How Protected Are the Sawtooths?
We learn how the Sawtooth National Recreation Area came to be 50 years ago.
15 min
478
Fry Sauce Wars: Boise vs. SLC
Fry sauce is a mayo and ketchup based sauce that comes in a variety of flavors. But where did fry sauce originate and why are we so obsessed with it?
18 min
479
Will the New Vall-eBikes Stick Around?
Boise has a new pedal assisted bike share program.
16 min
480
Try the Best Vegan Food in Boise
In a town that loves meat and potatoes, we know finding plant-based options can be tough.
14 min
481
Is Our Housing Market Finally Cooling?
Boise’s home prices have been called the most expensive, fastest growing, and most overvalued, but that's starting to shift.
11 min
482
Boise’s Soul Food Festival Comes Home
A beloved festival celebrating Black culture and Black-owned businesses in Boise returns to Julia Davis Park.
17 min
483
How To Avoid Burnout and Care for Your Community
We talk with a local activist about how to stay focused and not burnout when the world's on fire.
24 min
484
Painting an Inclusive Boise
Unique and colorful murals help create a sense of place, turning everyday buildings into eye-catching attractions. And we can’t get enough – we want more!
19 min
485
Abortion Bans Have Their Day in Court
Idaho’s abortion bans are having their day in court, with Planned Parenthood challenging two laws — a trigger ban passed in 2020, and a Texas-style ban passed in 2022.
15 min
486
Made in the Shade: 100K More Trees in Boise?
We know Boise is nicknamed the City of Trees. But how deep do those roots go? Today we learn about the city’s goal to get 100,000 urban trees planted by 2030. It’s part of their overall climate plan.
21 min
487
Heat, Homelessness, and Climate Change
Most of us can retreat to our air conditioned homes and shady backyards to cool down. But for our unhoused neighbors, escaping the heat is a daily struggle that can have deadly outcomes.
18 min
488
Our Fave Boise River Floating Hacks
One of the things on everyone’s summer bucket list is floating the Boise River, so how do you float a wild river with city style?
20 min
489
The Gun Control Elephant in the Room
For the first time in almost 30 years, Congress has done something to try to address gun violence and mass shootings. But our guest today has a wake-up call when it comes to the legislation that passed earlier this summer.
23 min
490
5 Festivals to Finish Out Your Summer
We’re starting to turn the corner to the second half of summer (wild!) but there’s still so much more on our community events calendar. When it comes to festivals, Marissa Lovell with the From Boise newsletter has the download on what to check out before the season wraps up.
19 min
491
How Do We Fix Our Affordable Housing Shortage?
For folks with low incomes, Boise’s housing shortage is especially challenging. So what’s Boise doing to solve this problem?
18 min
492
How to Beat the Boise Heat
From a popular-yet-divisive pond to bars that know how to keep things frosty, we have insider tips to share on how to stay cool while also enjoying the sunny days ahead.
10 min
493
What Happens to Farmworkers When the Heat Comes?
Last year, two farmworkers died from extreme heat — one in Oregon, and one in Washington. The tragedies prompted organizers with the non-profit Idaho Immigrant Resource Alliance to spotlight unsafe conditions Idaho farmworkers deal with regularly.
14 min
494
The Top 3 Boise Foods Trends
National chains and local pushback, food trucks, The Warehouse, and celebrating Caldwell's Amano.
20 min
495
Abortion Access and Advocacy In a Post-Roe Idaho
We don’t know the fate of our trigger law or our 6-week abortion ban. Both are being challenged in state court. What we do know is that the fight for reproductive rights is very active, and there’s lots of info to share about accessing abortion care now, and if the bans go into effect in the future.
31 min
496
Why Drag Matters, with Boise’s Frida Nightz
Technically, Boise Pride is in September this year, but we’re holding space for conversations about Boise’s queer and trans communities this month too. Today we talk with Frida Nightz who recently won Boise’s Next Drag Superstar competition about their journey into drag, the competition, and what inspires them.
18 min
497
Hate Groups Still Love North Idaho
It’s been more than a week since 31 men from the white supremacist group Patriot Front were arrested and charged with conspiring to riot at a Pride event in Coeur d’Alene. To try and understand why this happened — and why it could happen again — we talk with journalist and contributor Heath Druzin.
15 min
498
Why Boise Is Awesome (And Awful) For Biking
Summer and bicycling in Boise go together like peanut butter and jelly. But so many of us still use our cars as our primary way of getting around, which is a problem if we ever want to meet our city’s climate change goals. What gives?
14 min
499
Post-Primary Politics Palooza
Idaho is pretty used to getting embarrassed in national media for cranking out far-right extremist figures. But in last month’s Republican primary, extremists who were hoping to win statewide elections lost big-time — for the most part.
19 min
500
What To Do (And What To Skip) This Summer
City Cast Boise audio producer Evelyn Avitia and newsletter writer Blake Hunter share their hard-won local tips and secret spots to help us make the most of the season.
24 min