The Great Salt Lake water has shrunk again. Will water get more expensive!? Executive producer Emily Means and host Ali Vallarta discuss the state’s next steps. Plus, the housing-to-food crisis, a hot new maestro, and your birthday party invite.  Resources and references: Great Salt Lake drops back down to 2021 levels [FOX 13] Utah’s food banks still see high demand. Housing costs are a contributing factor [KUER] Donate to the Utah Food Bank. Volunteer with Meals on Wheels. Fill a Salt...

Introducing So, Are We Buying Guns Now? from Hysteria. Follow the show: Hysteria While Trump is busy casting his cabinet and staff picks with former reality stars, Fox News hosts, sex pests, and even some of America’s Worst Women, Alyssa and Erin are here to keep you posted. They discuss the rights and wrongs of the women Trump picked and question who will even make it to the inauguration. Then they ponder the question on a lot of our minds right now: is it time to buy a gun? Finally, they...

Gov. Spencer Cox has asked Utahns to “Disagree Better” in an effort to cool down our politics. But what if conflict is actually the good stuff? Host Ali Vallarta asks Utah Valley University professor and conflict specialist Dr. Maria Blevins what the Governor’s campaign gets right and what it’s missing. Plus, tips for when Salt Lakers are feeling feisty — whether with a state legislator or a friend. This episode originally aired on April 22, 2024.  Resources and references: Gov. Cox’s...

Introducing Stop dementia before it starts from ZOE Science & Nutrition. Follow the show: ZOE Science & Nutrition How early should you start taking dementia seriously? Here’s 5 things you can do now to reduce dementia risk today. Professor Claire Steves and Jonathan Wolf explore the multifaceted world of dementia. They delve into the significance of dental health, genetics, diet, and physical activity — plus, they unpack the latest research — to give you practical strategies...

What worked well for local Democrats who pulled off slim victories in red Utah? Natalie Pinkney, incoming at-large Salt Lake County Council member, joins host Ali Vallarta to share lessons from her Democratic campaign and what she thinks voters really want. Become 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 Hey Salt Lake, our daily morning...

Introducing What to eat to avoid osteoporosis from ZOE Science & Nutrition. Follow the show: ZOE Science & Nutrition 🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST Every 12 years, our skeletons undergo a complete transformation. Prof. Tim Spector and Prof. Cyrus Cooper discuss how to avoid Osteoporosis, a condition where bones become fragile, significantly increases the risk of fractures from minor incidents, often without any noticeable...

Attorney General Sean Reyes’ calendar was finally released, revealing how he’s spent his time these last five years. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means talk about what the documents reveal. Plus Midvale’s mayor affair and an out-of-the-box gift idea.  Resources and references: Utah A.G. Sean Reyes fought to keep his calendar private. Here’s what it shows. [Salt Lake Tribune] Wife cites ‘substantial evidence’ of former Utah mayor’s alleged affair [Salt Lake...

Introducing Conquer IBS: 3 steps to healthier digestion from ZOE Science & Nutrition. Follow the show: ZOE Science & Nutrition Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a lot more common than you might think. In fact, it affects 1 in 10 people globally. Yet there are still a lot of questions about why it occurs and how best to treat it.  Could new research connecting gut health to mental health help us unravel its mysteries? In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition,...

Salt Lake City is on the verge of some enormous construction projects: a downtown sports and entertainment district, a new hospital, and a potential MLB stadium. But why haven’t unions been at the table for these city-negotiated projects? Brandon Dew, president of the Central Utah Federation of Labor, joins host Ali Vallarta to break down how labor organizing could affect local development and benefit the broader community. Become a member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to...

Introducing Trump's YOLO Cabinet from Pod Save America. Follow the show: Pod Save America Donald Trump goes all in on naming his biggest political boosters to Cabinet posts, whether they're qualified or not (they're not!). Trump wants alleged sex offender Matt Gaetz for Attorney General, vaccine skeptic RFK Jr. for HHS Secretary, dictator sympathizer Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence, Fox News host Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense, and Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy for...

KSL laid off reporters and other staff this week. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means talk about what we know so far and what to make of this moment. Plus, Mayor Erin Mendenhall really doesn’t like the Utah Transit Authority’s downtown hub design, Crumbl cereal in stores, and local recs for ice skating rinks.   Become 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...

Introducing 8 foods that soothe anxiety | Dr. Uma Naidoo from ZOE Science & Nutrition. Follow the show: ZOE Science & Nutrition 1 in 3 people have anxiety. It’s the most common mental health disorder in the world. And many of us know what anxiety feels like: palms sweating before a job interview, losing your appetite before a looming deadline, a pit in your stomach when you get bad news. It’s not just in your head, it’s in your gut. Today, we’ll learn how food could help us...

Utah’s massive earthquake, aka “the Big One,” could happen any day now, but the legislature dissolved the state’s earthquake preparedness commission earlier this year. Keith Koper, director of the seismological observatory at the University of Utah, joins host Ali Vallarta to discuss how prepared Salt Lake is and what could help mitigate the impacts.  Resource and references: Apply to Salt Lake City’s Fix the Bricks program. How to Prepare for “The Big One” [Hey Salt Lake] Become a member...

Introducing Ezra Klein on Where Democrats Go From Here from Pod Save America. Follow the show: Pod Save America Jon and New York Times columnist Ezra Klein, host of The Ezra Klein Show, talk through what we know about how Democrats started to lose working-class and lower-information voters—even before 2024—how social media and interest groups drive those divides, why blue states and cities shifted right, and what progressives can do to tackle the affordability crisis. DISCLAIMER: Please...

What does another Trump term mean for a still-red Utah? Host Ali Vallarta asks Utah Policy editor Holly Richardson what to expect locally and statewide, from air quality to immigration and more.  Become 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 Hey Salt Lake, our daily morning newsletter. You can also find us on Instagram...

Introducing First Look At Trump's Second Term from Pod Save America. Follow the show: Pod Save America Trump begins staffing top roles in his second administration with loyalists and sycophants—and demands that the senators running for majority leader agree to embrace a process that would allow him to appoint whoever he wants without Senate confirmation. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy discuss whether Trump's opening moves are as chilling as we thought they'd be, what we do and don't know about his...

Temps are dropping while residents just north of Salt Lake push back against a state-mandated warming shelter. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means discuss the latest drama in Davis County amid their effort to house unsheltered neighbors. Plus, the likelihood of a weekend train to Vegas, a fantasy-themed tavern, and songs of the SLC Airport. Resources and references: Fruit Heights church pulls offer to host homeless shelter on cold nights after backlash [KSL.com] What...

Introducing Will fermented foods improve my gut health? from ZOE Science & Nutrition. Follow the show: ZOE Science & Nutrition Fermentation is a hot craze in fancy restaurants around the world. And fermented foods, like kombucha and kimchi, are even sold in corner stores.  Listeners of this show will have heard that fermented foods might benefit our gut health. But these foods make us uneasy. The idea of letting food rot, then eating it goes against everything our parents...

Ski season has officially begun, and with the trek to the mountains comes the dreaded “red snake” of canyon traffic. Salt Lake Tribune outdoors reporter Julie Jag tells host Ali Vallarta what transportation solutions we can expect and when, from the Little Cottonwood Canyon gondola to the ski bus. Sign up for the Cottonwood Canyons sticker program. Become 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...

Introducing Where We Go From Here from Offline with Jon Favreau. Follow the show: Offline with Jon Favreau Yeah, rough week. Jon and Max reckon with Tuesday’s result and break down how Donald Trump — once again — was able to grow his coalition. They dissect how Trump won despite his very online campaign, not because of it — and why that may be cause for hope. Then they share their own experience knocking doors in swing states, talk about the role misinformation and foreign interference played...

Election results are still rolling in and we’ve got some good news. Executive producer Emily Means and host Ali Vallarta discuss wins in Salt Lake County and where the future of the Democratic party is headed. Plus, a Native-majority school board, a pizza pop up, and legislative surprises.  Become 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...

Introducing Making Sense of Trump's Win from Pod Save America. Follow the show: Pod Save America After a night of resounding losses and a nationwide lurch to the right, Jon, Lovett, Tommy, and Dan begin to sift through the pieces—what we know, and we don't, about the race Democrats ran, what voters are looking for, and how to endure the turmoil of a second Trump term.   For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email...

Election Day is over, and all eyes are now on the political power players who will shape our lives. Today, we’re looking at local “nepo babies” — shorthand for the children of famous or well-connected people who have benefited from nepotism — whose family business is politics. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means explore the family trees of four Salt Lake-area politicians and the parents or spouses who helped pave their way. This episode originally aired on Nov. 21,...

Introducing What’s It Going To Take To Win The 2024 Presidential Election? With Senator Elizabeth Warren from Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness. Follow the show: Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness It’s a very special day on the pod, we have a returning guest and U.S. Senator from Massachusetts- Senator Elizabeth Warren! She’s joining us fresh from a tour around the midwest talking to folks on the ground about the issues that matter to them this election cycle. We’re in the...