City Cast Nashville

Mill Ridge Park is more than a massive playground and a giant teal slide. Host Rachel Iacovone talks with Friends of Mill Ridge Park Executive Director Darrell Hawks, Board Chair Bishoy Makael, and Metro Parks Assistant Director Tim Netsch about how the park was created, the partnerships that made it possible, and what Nashville can learn from the process. Plus, they discuss the park’s new $4 million expansion, The Farm at Mill Ridge Park, and the upcoming Pear Jam celebration. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 21st episode: Adventure Science Center Centennial Park Conservancy Hoffmann Brothers Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our City Cast Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Would Nashville be better with fewer vacant, blighted lots? In Philly, the answer is overwhelmingly yes, with significant drops in crime and depression recorded near newly transformed, “greened” neighborhood lots. But how did they do it? David talks with City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri and special guest Matt Rader, president of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, about how Philly prioritized revitalizing its abandoned outdoor space, the ways that having a nonprofit partner has made all the difference, and what still needs to be done. Mentioned on the show: Study showing 29% decrease in gun violence near transformed lots: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1718503115 Study showing 41% decrease in reported depression: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2688343  Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now!  We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter Looking to advertise on Your City Could Be Better? Check out our options.

Nashville’s 5th Congressional District race gets tangled up in a massage parlor bust. Host Rachel Iacovone joins executive producer Whitney Pastorek and creative producer Marie Cecile Anderson to break down the reported connections to candidates Chaz Molder and Charlie Hatcher, and what they could mean for the campaign. Plus, Gallatin Avenue is finally getting a safety makeover, Paramount is looking for 400,000 square feet of office space in Nashville, and we’ll discuss the city’s upcoming Dolly Day celebration. And don’t miss our members-only segment, Hell Naw, where this week we rant about Tennessee’s heat dome and AI-powered surveillance in YMCA pools. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 18th episode: Andrew Jackson's Hermitage Alabama Beaches Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our City Cast Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Nashville-born and nationally beloved artist morgxn joins host Rachel Iacovone to talk about Fruity Farm, the queer-owned farm he runs with his husband, Gabriel, in Sumner County. This Saturday, September 19, Fruity Farm will host the second annual Affirming Sumner Pride Festival. Morgxn shares how the festival came to be, why small-town Pride matters, and how the farm became a home for Pride after previous venues fell through. This year’s event is free, but an RSVP is required to receive the address. Space is still available! Learn more about the sponsors of this September 17th episode: Andrew Jackson's Hermitage Alabama Beaches Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our City Cast Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

It’s Nashville Scene’s Pizza Week, so we’re revisiting a conversation that sparked quite a bit of controversy: the great pizza debate. Who has the best pizza in town? Creative producer Marie Cecile Anderson, former producer Daniel Sumstine, and newsletter editor Margaret Kingsbury share their picks for the best slice, crust, late-night pizza, and stomach-tested gluten-free options. Did we forget your favorite? Email us at [email protected]. **This episode originally aired May 22, 2025. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 16th episode: Andrew Jackson's Hermitage Alabama Beaches Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our City Cast Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.