Cities are great. But they could be better! That’s why City Cast CEO David Plotz is sitting down weekly with local insiders from across the City Cast podcast network, to talk through what their cities are doing right and sometimes wrong, the weird things they’re trying, and the surprising successes — so that we can all learn how to make our cities a little bit better. Watch on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
A St. Paul Cell Phone Ban Teens Might Actually Like. Plus, Kids’ Weird Google Docs Hack
Another school year has begun — how are cell phones being handled in your city? In Minnesota, one high school is demonstrating that a strict no-phone school day can work, and they’ve got the (mostly) positive feedback to show for it. City Cast Twin Cities host Sean McPherson joins David to talk about how St. Paul Central High School is succeeding at enforcing a phone-free school environment, the surprising ways that some students approach it, and how these kinds of bans can even affect adults like Sean.
Listeners, it’s that time again! Send us the dilemmas you’re facing living in a city, and we might debate them on our upcoming call-in show. Email us or submit using this Google Form.
Mentioned on the show:
Kids using public radio comment sections as ad hoc communication
Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now!
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2 Oct 2026
This Basketball Court Is Saving Residents From Floods. Plus, New Yorkers’ Hot Takes
When your city looks for inspiration for the future, does it look to the Netherlands? That’s what designers and officials in New York City did in order to integrate flood mitigation into public housing. Inspired by places like Rotterdam, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) collaborated with other groups to give Queens a state-of-the-art, climate-resilient amenity — in this case, a basketball court. David talks with Katy Burgio from NYCHA and Runit Chhaya of Grain Collective, one of the involved design firms, about the larger infrastructure the court is a part of and how it’s setting up NYC for climate resilience.
Mentioned on the show:
Water Square and its creative facilitators: https://www.dezeen.com/2025/11/25/grain-collective-basketball-courts-flood-prevention/
Rotterdam’s own “water square”: https://landezine.com/water-square-benthemplein-by-de-urbanisten/
Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now!
We’re also on Instagram: @yourcitycouldbebetter
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25 Sept 2026
How One Oregon City is Lowering Energy Costs. Plus, How Do You Say ‘Oregon’?
What’s a seemingly small project in your city that’s made a big difference? In the Oregon suburb of Tualatin, a drinking water pipe has just been fitted with a seamless electrical turbine, so that an existing utility can now have a dual purpose. David is joined by Nic Westendorf, Tualatin’s deputy public works director, to talk about the power of thinking local, using existing tools, and looking ahead to a sustainable future to inform what we do today.
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.
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