Long before it became one of our city’s favorite Halloween destinations, the Old Idaho Penitentiary was a place of punishment, rebellion, and resilience. Now its crumbling cells and quiet corridors tell both ghost stories and hard truths about Boise’s history. Host Lindsay Van Allen is learning more from the Old Idaho Penitentiary's Samuel Anderson and Anthony Parry with the Idaho Historical Society.

For more stories about the Old Pen, check out Samuel and Anthony’s “Behind Gray Walls” podcast.

Want some more Boise news? Head over to our Hey Boise newsletter where you’ll get a cheatsheet to the city every weekday morning.

Learn more about the sponsor of this October 15th episode:

Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST

And when you join our City Cast Boise Neighbors program, you’ll get great perks like ad-free listening, access to members-only events, and much more. Become a member for just $10/month here. 

Interested in advertising with City Cast Boise? Find more info HERE.

Reach us at [email protected].

Boise has passed two previous open space levies, totaling $20 million in the last 25 years. So, why does the city want another $11 million, and how would the extra tax revenue be used? Host Lindsay Van Allen is joined by Conservation Voters for Idaho Executive Director Alexis Pickering to break down the levy on the ballot, what the money would go toward, and how voters are responding.

For info on early voting, how to register, and how to check your ballot ahead of Nov. 4, click here. 

Want some more Boise news? Head over to our Hey Boise newsletter where you’ll get a cheatsheet to the city every weekday morning.

Learn more about the sponsor of this October 14th episode: 

Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST

And when you join our City Cast Boise Neighbors program, you’ll get great perks like ad-free listening, access to members-only events, and much more. Become a member for just $10/month here. 

Interested in advertising with City Cast Boise? Find more info HERE.

Reach us at [email protected].

Today on the show, host Lindsay Van Allen and our ⁠Hey Boise newsletter⁠ editor, Blake Hunter, are going deeper on the headlines of the week. After 20 years with the same mayor, Garden City is ⁠finally getting a leadership shakeup⁠. Who will be their next mayor? Meanwhile, Boise State’s hunt for a new president ⁠still hasn’t produced a full slate of finalists⁠. And there’s a perfectly unserious ⁠.5K race this weekend ⁠with donuts at the halfway mark, plus we’re counting down the days for a ⁠new bakery to open⁠. 

Want some more Boise news? Head over to our ⁠Hey Boise newsletter⁠, where you’ll get a cheatsheet to the city every weekday morning.

Learn more about the sponsor of this October 10th episode: 

⁠Summit Innovations⁠

⁠Black Rock Resort⁠ - Use promo code CITYCAST for 20% off, a $50 resort credit, and 2pm late checkout.

And when you join our ⁠City Cast Boise Neighbors program⁠, you’ll get great perks like ad-free listening, access to members-only events, and much more. Become a member for just $10/month ⁠here. ⁠

Interested in advertising with City Cast Boise? Find more info ⁠HERE⁠.

Reach us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Fall might be showing off right now, but we’re not convinced it’s the city’s best time of year! So, the City Cast Boise team and friend of the show Matthew Melton are diving into a seasonal showdown. They’re debating our city’s year-round offerings, from hot springs to snowy escapes to Treefort and river floats, to see which of Boise’s four seasons stands above the rest.  

Want some more Boise news? Head over to our Hey Boise newsletter where you’ll get a cheatsheet to the city every weekday morning.

Learn more about the sponsor of this October 9th episode:

Summit Innovations

Black Rock Resort - Use promo code CITYCAST for 20% off, a $50 resort credit, and 2pm late checkout.

And when you join our City Cast Boise Neighbors program, you’ll get great perks like ad-free listening, access to members-only events, and much more. Become a member for just $10/month here. 

Interested in advertising with City Cast Boise? Find more info HERE.

Reach us at [email protected].

With food costs up and tariffs starting to bite, we thought it was the perfect time to revisit our favorite money-saving conversation with Boisean Heather Wheeler, who turned her coupon skills into a thriving business. The Krazy Coupon Lady is sharing her tips for spending smarter and keeping your budget strong enough to survive the next squeeze.

Want some more Boise news? Head over to our Hey Boise newsletter where you’ll get a cheatsheet to the city every weekday morning.

Learn more about the sponsor of this October 8th episode:

Summit Innovations

Black Rock Resort - Use promo code CITYCAST for 20% off, a $50 resort credit, and 2pm late checkout.

Interested in advertising with City Cast Boise? Find more info HERE.

Reach us at [email protected].

Garden City neighbors are saying a proposed apartment complex is a "monstrosity" in the middle of their quiet streets, while developers argue that it is exactly what the area needs. Host Lindsay Van Allen is joined by Idaho Statesman reporter Carolyn Komatsoulis to examine the backlash, and look at whether this battle is about the design of this particular development — or the deeper transformation of Garden City itself.

Want some more Boise news? Head over to our Hey Boise newsletter where you’ll get a cheatsheet to the city every weekday morning.

Learn more about the sponsor of this October 7th episode: 

Summit Innovations

Black Rock Resort - Use promo code CITYCAST for 20% off, a $50 resort credit, and 2pm late checkout.

And when you join our City Cast Boise Neighbors program, you’ll get great perks like ad-free listening, access to members-only events, and much more. Become a member for just $10/month here. 

Interested in advertising with City Cast Boise? Find more info HERE.

Reach us at [email protected].

Between federal cuts to Planned Parenthood, shrinking Medicaid reimbursements, and Idaho’s looming budget shortfall, our state’s health system safety net is looking shaky. Host Lindsay Van Allen and States Newsroom reporter Kelcie Moseley-Morris are examining how these shifts could reshape our healthcare and what choices people still have.

Want some more Boise news? Head over to our Hey Boise newsletter where you’ll get a cheatsheet to the city every weekday morning.

Learn more about the sponsor of this October 6th episode: 

Summit Innovations

Black Rock Resort - Use promo code CITYCAST for 20% off, a $50 resort credit, and 2pm late checkout.

And when you join our City Cast Boise Neighbors program, you’ll get great perks like ad-free listening, access to members-only events, and much more. Become a member for just $10/month here. 

Interested in advertising with City Cast Boise? Find more info HERE.

Reach us at [email protected].

Host Lindsay Van Allen and friend of the show Ashley Townend are diving into the week’s biggest stories. Idaho’s Medicaid expansion is once again in the crosshairs, as the legislative DOGE task force scrambles to deal with our budget shortfall. At the same time, our state has earned an unsettling distinction of having one of the highest rates of uninsured children in the country. 

And if you’re looking for a break, we’re looking forward to a local cider festival and a new BCT play featuring another friend of the show.  

Want some more Boise news? Head over to our Hey Boise newsletter where you’ll get a cheatsheet to the city every weekday morning.

And when you join our City Cast Boise Neighbors program, you’ll get great perks like ad-free listening, access to members-only events, and much more. Become a member for just $10/month here. 

Interested in advertising with City Cast Boise? Find more info HERE.

Reach us at [email protected].

We heard rumors about Hemlock’s alleged $80 baked potato — and we had to know more. Our Hey Boise’s newsletter editor Blake Hunter and host Lindsay Van Allen are just a couple of Idaho kids who grew up on russets, so they made reservations to see what kind of culinary magic or madness would make a tater cost that much. The local restaurant, which opened in the spring on the ground floor of the Inn at 500, made quite the impression with their fine dining style spud. 

Want some more Boise food news? Head over to our Hey Boise newsletter where you’ll get a cheatsheet to the city every weekday morning.

And when you join our City Cast Boise Neighbors program, you’ll get great perks like ad-free listening, access to members-only events, and much more. Become a member for just $10/month here. 

Interested in advertising with City Cast Boise? Find more info HERE.

Reach us at [email protected].

With the leaves turning and the evenings getting darker, the fall season has officially cast its spell over the Treasure Valley. Host Lindsay Van Allen, producer Evelyn Avitia, and From Boise’s Marissa Lovell gathered the can’t-miss events and treats to make your October magical. From pumpkin patch activities at Jordan’s Garden Center, to Fright Nights at the Idaho Penitentiary, and tasty seasonal treats at Lowe Family Farmstead— you’ll have a packed calendar this month.

If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Boise community. 

For even more tips on how to make the most of October in Boise, check out Hey Boise’s take on what to do this month. 

And when you join our City Cast Boise Neighbors program, you’ll get great perks like ad-free listening, access to members-only events, and much more. Become a member for just $10/month here. 

Interested in advertising with City Cast Boise? Find more info HERE.

Reach us at [email protected].