City Cast Madison logo
May 8, 2026

Center for Black Excellence and Culture Opens, Plus Park Street & Gov's Race Updates

City Cast Madison

Center for Black Excellence and Culture Opens, Plus Park Street & Gov's Race Updates

00:00:00
View all City Cast Madison episodes

On Wednesday, the long-awaited Center for Black Excellence and Culture opened to the public. The 37,000-square-foot building on West Badger Road is designed to be a multipurpose space that will host live events, youth and elder programming, health programming, and more. Host Bianca Martin was there, and she tells executive producer Hayley Sperling and newsletter editor Rob Thomas all about it. Plus, we react to the news of brewery owner Kirk Bangstad joining the governor’s race, and the latest in addressing safety on Park Street. And exclusively for our Neighbors, we give our takes on a proposed downtown curfew for youth.

Mentioned on the show:

FBI interviews Kirk Bangstad [WPR]
Hundreds of drivers cited on Park Street [CapTimes]

Sneak Peak in the Center for Black Excellence and Culture [CapTimes]

👋 Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Instagram

📧 You can get more Madison news delivered right to your inbox by subscribing to the City Cast Madison morning 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!

Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads. Learn more about the sponsors of this May 8th episode:

  • Oak Bank - Do you have questions for Oak Bank? Submit them HERE.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Hey Madison

Sign up for your free daily toolkit to get the most of the city you love.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

Latest Episodes

See all
June 18

The Ultimate Madison Ice Cream Showdown

There are so many great local spots in town to get ice cream. From Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream to Babcock Dairy Store, Madison is rich wit...

City Cast Madison podcast episode art
June 17

Police Monitor Blames MPD for Man’s Death, Plus Ridglan Farms To Close

Richard Lee Johnson died on Dec. 31, 2024, after being arrested the previous night. A new ⁠report ⁠by the Office of the Independent Polic...

City Cast Madison podcast episode art
June 16

Regent Street Redesign, Tourism Boom, and Juneteenth Events in Madison

After months of public input, Regent Street is getting a major redesign which will include wider sidewalks, fewer driving lanes, added pa...

City Cast Madison podcast episode art
June 15

Why Madison Needs The Center for Black Excellence and Culture

The new Center for Black Excellence and Culture has officially opened! City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin sits down with founder Rev. D...

City Cast Madison podcast episode art
June 14

'Your City Could Be Better': Why Every Region Needs A Park Map Tool Like Salt Lake’s — Presented By City Cast Madison

Do you know how many parks Madison has? Residents of Salt Lake County have wondered about their parks for years — that is, until City Cas...

City Cast Madison podcast episode art
June 12

City Anticipates Budget Cuts, Madison’s Election Trust Crisis, and Free Meals for Local Kids

This week, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway told city agencies to be prepared to cut 2% from their budgets amid inflation and higher fue...

City Cast Madison podcast episode art
June 11

Spicy Takes From Madison’s Chef of the Year. Plus, WTF Is Cookie Salad?!?

Chef Patrick O’Halloran has been cooking for Madison for decades, and his latest business, The Deliciouser, blends spices, classes, and g...

City Cast Madison podcast episode art
June 10

Hot Takes on Madison’s Queer Scene

It’s Pride Month! Gov. Tony Evers was the first Wisconsin governor to raise the pride flag over the State Capitol, and he did so again fo...

City Cast Madison podcast episode art
June 9

Honoring Michael Johnson, Public Art Woes, and Pop-Ups at Madison Public Market

We start today’s show remembering and mourning community leader Michael Johnson. Host Bianca Martin reflects with executive producer Hayl...

City Cast Madison podcast episode art
June 8

Police Monitor Answers Her Critics

Madison’s Police Civilian Oversight Board and Office of the Independent Police Monitor are once again under scrutiny as the city consider...

City Cast Madison podcast episode art