City Cast Denver
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Join Host Bree Davies and the City Cast Denver crew every weekday morning as we celebrate, explore, and challenge an ever-changing Denver. It’s the daily news podcast for all Denverites — whether you’ve been here for six months or six generations. We’ll break down the news you need (and want) to know with journalists and culture makers; activists and artists; neighbors and ne’er-do-wells — and John Elway, if he ever returns our calls. Learn more and subscribe to our morning newsletter at citycast.fm/denver.
*Named Best Podcast in Denver of 2021 by Westword
Available episodes
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8 hours ago
303, 720, and Now, 983. What Does Your Area Code Say About You?
Starting on June 17, Denverites registering a phone number might get a new area code: 983. Yes, it can spell W-T-F, but that’s not what’s got people talking. Old Denver heads are proud of their 303 and, to a lesser extent, 720 area codes! So host Bree Davies (720), producer Paul Karolyi (614), and newsletter writer Peyton Garcia (720) are wading into the messy native/transplant conversation and uncovering some neighborhood history along the way.
In the newscast, we mentioned the latest developments in the creation of the Office of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives. Check out our episode with Raven Payment from last month for more of that backstory.
The Avs’ playoff run is getting ugly, but the worst of it is playing out off-ice. Paul has the latest on the racist threats made against Avs center Nazem Kadri in today’s newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
We're also on Twitter @citycastdenver!
Learn more about the sponsor of this episode: Denver Film presents Film on the Rocks
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1 day ago
Do ‘Gun-Free’ Zones Really Keep Denverites Safer?
Denver City Council voted last week to ban the concealed carry of guns in city buildings and parks, with the goal of making these areas “gun-free” zones, according to City Attorney Kristin Bronson. But Anubis Heru, co-founder of 1770 Armory and Gun Club in Five Points, doesn’t think that’s the answer to the problem of rising gun violence. Today on the show, he talks with Bree about racial profiling, the importance of gun training and education, and why he thinks concealed carry in parks especially actually keeps people safer.
Did this weekend’s snowstorm wreak havoc on any trees in your yard? If so, you’ll want to check out today’s newsletter, where Peyton has the details on getting those branches included in your trash pickup this week: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
What’s your take on the concealed carry ban? Let us know on Twitter: @citycastdenver
Learn more about the sponsor of today’s episode:
Optimum Joy
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4 days ago
Why Doesn’t Stan Kroenke Want Us to See the Avs, the Nuggs, OR the Mountains?
The Stan Kroenke-owned Colorado Avalanche are tearing up the NHL playoffs, but the billionaire tycoon still won’t make a deal with Comcast to allow most Denverites to watch. Now, Kroenke wants to tear up the parking lots around Ball Arena in favor of a brand-new 55-acre downtown neighborhood — which could mean some downtown Denverites would lose their views of the mountains. So today on the show, host Bree Davies, producer Paul Karolyi, and Westword editor Patty Calhoun are pulling back the curtain and talking about all the things Mr. Kroenke doesn’t want you to see.
We talked more about the new Pueblo-themed bar at the beginning of this episode, including John Rodriguez’s op-ed for Westword. Here’s a link to that piece: https://www.westword.com/restaurants/pueblo-appropriation-brand-fuel-iron-colorado-14042148
Wanna pack your weekend with fun stuff? Peyton’s got you covered in the City Cast Denver newsletter. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Tell us your hope and dreams for what the sea of parking lots around Ball Arena could be on Twitter: @citycastdenver
Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:
Denver Film presents Film on the Rocks
Optimum Joy
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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5 days ago
Is Denver Ready for a Pueblo-Themed Bar? We asked a Puebloan
When we heard about a new bar opening in downtown Denver themed after the city of Pueblo, we were skeptical, to say the least. Who would want to theme a bar after a Colorado town? Would this place make a mockery of our southern Colorado cousin? And really, how could you even capture the essence of such a misunderstood and overlooked place like Pueblo, anyway? Host Bree Davies wanted answers, and she knew just who to call: her best friend, David Casados, a born and raised Puebloan. Today on the show, Bree, David, and producer Paul Karolyi head down to Fuel & Iron in the heart of LoDo to sip on a fancy cocktail named after the Pueblo neighborhood of Aberdeen, dig into a version of Pueblo’s famous “slopper,” and try to figure out if this place is legitimately Pueblo.
At the top of the show, we mentioned John Rodriguez’s editorial in Westword about the bar: https://www.westword.com/restaurants/pueblo-appropriation-brand-fuel-iron-colorado-14042148
Fuel & Iron’s owners response to that editorial: https://www.westword.com/restaurants/pueblo-denver-fuel-future-investment-opinion-14087932
Check out our newsletter, where today, the City Cast Denver crew shares their hottest takes on Denver’s new area code. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Are you a Puebloan living in Denver? Tell us what you miss about your home city on Twitter: @citycastdenver
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6 days ago
This Queer Gym is Not Only Transforming Bodies, But Lives.
When Styler Rising opened Metamorphosis Fitness in 2015, they focused on creating a place that embraced exercise, strength, and transformation. But what Styler didn’t realize was that they were also providing something else — a safe, queer-affirming gym environment. So, the fitness business went through a transformation of its own, and things really took off after a TikTok about the gym went viral. Today on the show, Bree talks with Styler about all the work they have done to create a cool, welcoming place for all bodies who want to get fit.
Want to own 800 pounds of prime Denver history? Bree’s got an exclusive lead on a very interesting opportunity in our newsletter today: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
What do you love most about your gym? We’ll share all the local love on Twitter: @citycastdenver
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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May 17, 2022
Real Talk About the Fentanyl Bill Waiting for Polis' Signature
In the waning hours of their 2022 legislative session, the Colorado General Assembly finally reached a compromise on a bill meant to stop the spike in fentanyl-related deaths across Colorado. After months of debate, they agreed to toughen punishments for possession of smaller amounts of the synthetic opioid. Just like the lawmakers, we made this bill our top priority for the legislative session, so Bree and Paul are looking back at how it all went down, unpacking what made it into the bill, and what’s next.
To get a full picture of how this debate played out, here’s a rundown of our recent coverage:
“More Like Poisoning than an Overdose” with Attorney General Phil Weiser (February 22, 2022)
“Why the New Fentanyl Bill Has Harm Reductionists Concerned” with Harm Reduction Action Center executive director Lisa Raville (March 29, 2022)
“Inside the Fentanyl Fight at the Capitol” with State Representative Leslie Herod (May 2, 2022)
Here’s a few of our sources for this conversation:
For a breakdown of all the little things that were included in the final version of the fentanyl bill, check out this piece from Colorado Public Radio.
This Denver Post article has a good explanation of the closing minutes of the legislative session, when a flurry of compromises led up to the final vote.
Bree mentioned a new repatriation effort underway at the Denver Art Museum. For more on that fascinating story, Peyton’s going deep in today’s CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
How do you feel about the fentanyl bill our lawmakers delivered? Share your thoughts on Twitter and tag us @citycastdenver
Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:
How to Buy a Home Podcast
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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May 16, 2022
She’s a Globe-Trotting Climate Justice Warrior. And She’s Only 11.
Move over Greta Thunberg, Colorado’s got its own wunderkind climate champion. Her name is Madhvi Chittoor. She’s 11-years-old, and she lives with her parents in Arvada. But every chance she gets, Chittoor zips across the world speaking out against plastic pollution, leading climate rallies, and meeting with world leaders, like Vice President Kamala Harris. Today, Bree sits down with Chittoor to talk about her life in activism, her budding music career, and her latest legislative achievement, a bill that would ban the sale of PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” across Colorado.
Check out this profile of Chittoor from Conrad Swanson at the Denver Post for even more on her inspiring activism: https://www.denverpost.com/2022/04/26/colorado-pfas-madhvi-chittoor-environmental-activist/
For more, here’s the full Denver7 report on the PFAS bill that we excerpted in this episode and, per Chittoor’s recommendation, CNN’s documentary, “Midway, A Plastic Island.”
Chittoor’s album, “I am… Princess Genius,” is available through her website, and we found it on Spotify here.
After the Colorado state legislative session wrapped up last week, Governor Jared Polis has got to get out his signing pen. Peyton’s got a breakdown of all the important stuff that hit his desk in today’s newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
How was your Denver weekend? Hit us with a pic on Twitter: @citycastdenver
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
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May 14, 2022
BONUS: Living Unhoused Under the Camping Ban (via Elevated Denver)
It has been ten years since Denver enacted an urban camping ban, providing the legal basis for what many housing activists are now calling “Denver’s Decade of Doom.” So to mark the occasion, we are bringing you this bonus episode of the new Elevated Denver podcast. Their hope for the podcast is to build compassion for the experience of being unhoused, to see this as a system issue and not an individual issue, and to spark hope for solving homelessness.
You can learn more about their broader advocacy project, subscribe to the Elevated Denver podcast, and listen to the whole 10-episode series here: https://elevateddenver.co/podcast/
Here’s how they describe this episode: “Myra takes on her journey from being housed to being unhoused, and then searching out the resources she needed to get back into stable housing.
*Trigger warning: Myra's story may be triggering to some of you. Please take care.”
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May 13, 2022
The Unvarnished Truth Behind 10 Years of Sweeping Homelessness Under the Rug
Ten years ago this week, Denver leaders signed an urban camping ban into law. Since then, folks across the city have experienced displacement, skyrocketing housing costs, and fewer and fewer sheltering options for those living on the margins. Today on the show, Bree sits down with Denver Homeless Out Loud cofounder Benjamin Dunning and Westword reporter Conor McCormick-Cavanaugh for a wide-ranging conversation on how Denver got here and what the future looks like for a city that desperately needs more affordable housing options.
For a thorough breakdown of Denver’s recent history dealing with our housing crisis, do yourself a favor and spend some time with McCormick-Cavanagh’s terrific feature story from last December: https://www.westword.com/news/denver-homelessness-decades-hancock-hickenlooper-pena-12975252
Interested in the work advocates and the unhoused community are doing? Denver Homeless Out Loud offers resources and information, like this “Seven Myths of Homelessness” list. Also, events commemorating the “Decade of Doom” culminate this weekend. More info here.
Wanna have a kickass weekend? Peyton’s got a rundown of cool events and other stuff to do in today’s CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
If you were running for mayor in 2023, what would be your stance on the urban camping ban? Repeal it or extend it? Tell us why on Twitter @citycastdenver or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood and we might play it on the show: (720) 500-5418
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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May 12, 2022
A Shooting. A Neighborhood Divided. What's Next for La Alma-Lincoln Park?
On April 27, Gary Arellano was shot and killed in La Alma-Lincoln Park. The city’s response? Fence off the park to the community, something that Arellano’s family says is in direct opposition to what he would have wanted. And this wasn’t the first time the park has been closed to the public because of violence. So what’s to be done in this rapidly gentrifying neighborhood? Denver Post reporter Elizabeth Hernandez has been reporting on the situation at La Alma-Lincoln Park, and she’s on the show to explain what happened, why, and explore this moment’s connections with the historic displacement of Auraria, just on the other side of Colfax.
Gary Arellano’s family is hosting a benefit this Saturday, May 14, at The Denver Inner City Parish from 1-6 p.m. You can find details for that, a link to their GoFundMe, and their petition to “Save La Alma Park in Honor of Gary Arellano” here.
The Park Hill golf course drama continues and Peyton’s breaking it all down in the City Cast Denver newsletter. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Do you have a connection to La Alma-Lincoln Park? Tweet us: @citycastdenver. Or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
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May 11, 2022
He's a Beloved Northside Teacher. Why Did DPS Let Him Go?
Earlier this year, North High School teacher Tim Hernández came on the show to talk about his experience teaching in a pandemic. But he also spoke passionately about the cultural significance of the work he does as a Chicano teacher on the Northside, and the importance of teaching Chicano and Latino history to his mostly Latino classes. So last week when Tim posted online that he was being let go from his beloved Northside school, we knew there was more to the story. Today on the show, Bree talks with Tim about his impending departure from North High School, and why — in a city with a supposed teacher shortage — a devoted, community-centered educator like him would be let go.
On the show today, Bree also mentioned “Denver’s Decade of Doom,” a term some housing and unhoused community activists are using to mark the 10-year anniversary of Denver’s urban camping ban this week. See their event page for more details about the planned week of “grievance and action.”
Read and subscribe to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Say hi on Twitter: @citycastdenver
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May 10, 2022
What’s the Can’t-Miss Spot to See a Lion, Tiger or Bear in Colorado?
It’s our producer Xandra’s last hurrah in Denver before she heads off to Philadelphia. So we had to ask: What‘s on your bucket list before you leave Colorado? Her number one choice was a trip to the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keensburg, home to 38 tigers that once belonged to the man they call the Tiger King. So we sent her off to visit this past weekend. Bree sits down with Xandra to get the inside scoop on what the sanctuary is like, what kinds of animals you can find there, and why this space made just for lions, tigers, and (very big) bears feels so different from visiting a traditional zoo.
Plus: you, our dear listeners and readers, had some fantastic recommendations for Xandra’s bucket list and Peyton rounds them up in the City Cast Denver newsletter. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Chit-chat it up with us on Twitter: @citycastdenver
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May 9, 2022
Should Denverites Be Paying For Trash Pickup?
Denver is sooooo bad at recycling and composting. In fact, our diversion rate — the amount of waste we divert from landfills to recycling and composting — is a paltry 26%. So how did Denver get so far behind when it comes to trash? And what are we doing to catch up? Councilman Jolon Clark has been pushing for one surprising, seemingly counter-intuitive measure since he was elected to City Council in 2015, and it looks like he might finally have the support to make it happen this year. So Bree sat down with Councilman Clark to hear why he wants Denverites to start paying for our trash.
Councilman Clark mentioned an initiative that’s going to be on Denver’s ballot this fall to require all businesses, including apartment buildings, offer recycling and composting bins. Here’s a link to learn more about the Waste No More initiative.
The City of Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency recently adopted Clark’s new pay-for-trash proposal and incorpor…
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May 6, 2022
Denver’s Best Donut: Who Takes the Cake?
We’ve brought you a burger crawl, a breakfast burrito battle, and a fried chicken chowdown. Now, we’re tackling something sickly sweet and asking the big, round, frosted question: Who makes the best donuts in Denver? Peyton, Paul, Xandra, and Bree took on the task of taste-testing four of the top contenders in the Mile High City (and may have suffered a collective sugar overload in the process, so you don’t have to). Settle in as we debate who bakes, fries, (and in one case, blowtorches) the best dang donuts in Denver.
It’s Friday! Peyton’s rounded up all the cool stuff happening in and around the Mile High in the City Cast Denver newsletter. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Tweet at us: @citycastdenver
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
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May 5, 2022
Can Denver Throw a Booze-Free Party That's Actually Fun?
Jen Korte likes to throw big parties. She also doesn’t really drink that much. But as a musician, Korte has seen first-hand how much art and music are often intertwined with drinking culture — so, she set out to change that. The result is Clearheads: A Booze-Free Hang, Korte’s monthly party happening this Sunday, May 8, from 12pm to 4pm at Fort Greene bar in Globeville. The all-ages party de-centers alcohol, while refocusing on community, entertainment, and fun. Bree talks with her old friend Jen Korte about what makes Clearheads feel so fresh and what’s driving the increasing interest in sober bars and booze-free gatherings all across Denver.
For more information or tickets to Clearheads: A Booze-Free Hang, check out Eventbrite.
It’s Cinco de Mayo! Peyton has a hearty list of ways and places to celebrate today and throughout the weekend in the City Cast Denver newsletter. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Gotta a go-to bar or restaurant that se…
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May 4, 2022
Abortion is Still Legal in Colorado. But the Fight is on to Preserve it.
The U.S. Supreme Court is planning to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 50-year-old decision guaranteeing federal protection of Americans’ right to an abortion. That’s according to a leaked, draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito published by Politico earlier this week. What would that decision mean for Colorado, where our state just put a new law on the books defending abortion rights? Bree and Xandra are talking out the local implications of a decision that could affect every person in this country.
Our brilliant, thoughtful listeners sent us a couple of suggestions for how to contribute to the effort to protect abortion rights: Abortion Care Network and Colorado Doula Project.
Tell us what you think about the status of abortion rights in Colorado! Leave us a message or text us with your name and neighborhood and we might share your message on the show: 720-500-5418
For a deeper dive into the local policy implications of this threat to abortion access, Peyton has got you covered in…
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May 3, 2022
Renovated for Reading AND Play: Inside DPL’s New Children’s Library
Denver Public Library’s Central Branch is one of the city’s most beautiful, iconic structures, with a design by world-renowned architect Michael Graves. Graves’ addition to the original 1955 Burnham Hoyt designed structure came in 1995 — while still gorgeous, in the past few years, the library has really started showing its age. But thanks to Denver voters — who approved a bond package in 2017 — the library received the funds for a massive renovation. Last week the newly renovated children’s area opened to the public for the first time. Today, join Bree on a trip through DPL’s present and future with the central branch’s administrator Rachel Fewell.
Want more Denver news fresh in your inbox everyday? Subscribe to our newsletter! https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
If you visit the new children’s library, share photos with us on Twitter! @citycastdenver
Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:
How to Buy a Home podcast
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May 2, 2022
Inside the Fentanyl Fight at the Capitol
Everyone agrees that the synthetic opioid fentanyl has become a serious threat to the health and well-being of Coloradans — but the question of what to do about fentanyl has sparked one of the hottest debates of this year’s legislative session. Lawmakers are reaching across the aisle in both directions. Harm reduction advocates are rallying on the steps of the Capitol. Law enforcement officers are calling for stiffer penalties. Rep. Leslie Herod has been at the center of it all, and today on the show, she takes Bree inside the “political hell” around the fentanyl issue at the Capitol.
For more on the new e-bike and other green rebates offered by Denver’s new Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency Office, check out their website and see what you’d be eligible to save.
A shooting at La Alma Lincoln Park upset plans to celebrate Denver’s Chicano murals this week. Peyton’s got the story in today’s City Cast Denver newsletter, alongside all the other news you nee…
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Apr 29, 2022
This Week in Colorado Politics: DUIs, Tax Money, and, Ugh, Let’s Go Brandon
It’s Friday and we’re talking politics. Specifically, we’re talking politicians — this week, some Colorado legislators were up to no good. Paul is joined by Bree and Westword editor and founder Patty Calhoun to talk about Gov. Polis’s promise to “gift” taxpayers money (that’s already ours), Rep. Matt Gray’s DUI arrest, and Rep. Dave Williams’s court battle to get his bogus nickname on the ballot. Plus, Xandra is leaving us for Philly — but before she goes, Paul and Bree help narrow down her very Colorado bucket list.
Got suggestions for the best Colorado things Xandra should do before she jets off to the East Coast this summer? Call the “Xandra’s Big 303 Bucket List” hotline and leave her a message: 720-500-5418.
Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Check out Peyton Garcia’s picks in the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
If you heard yesterday’s episode about Beau Jo’s, we know you’ve probably got pipin…
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Apr 28, 2022
The Inconvenient Truth About 'Colorado-Style' Pizza
Two years ago, producer Paul Karolyi and his wife, Megan, reviewed local iconic pizza joint Beau Jo’s for their show, the Denver Pizza Podcast. (Spoiler alert: they weren’t impressed.) But the experience turned into an obsession for Paul who had to get to the bottom of why Beau Jo’s was considered the only “Colorado-style pizza” around. Now that Beau Jo’s is opening a new location in Lone Tree, Bree thought it would be a good time to ask Paul about his strong feelings about the institution, and discuss his in-depth pizza investigation into the phenomenon of putting honey on the crust and how Beau Jo’s trademarked the term “Colorado-style pizza.”
Paul and Megan’s full pizza investigation: Range & Slope: The Honey Trap
For more Denver food news, Peyton’s got you covered with today’s roundup! Check it out here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
What do you think of Beau Jo’s? Let us on know on Twitter @citycastdenver
Looking to advertise on City Cast D…
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Apr 27, 2022
Does the ‘Denver Accent’ Exist? CU Researchers are on the Case
As Denver continues to grow and change, there’s a constant conversation happening about our identity. Who are we as a city? What makes Denver, well, Denver? One characteristic often in question is the way we speak. Do we have an accent? Is there a way — or more than one way — Denverites talk? Turns out, there isn’t a lot of information out there on our particular speech patterns, but researchers at CU Boulder are on the case. Today on the show, Host Bree Davies talks with Jeremy Calder, an assistant professor in the linguistics department, and graduate student Andrew Ting about their “Voices of Colorado” project and what they’ve learned about how Denverites speak.
Think you have a Denver accent? Jeremy and Andy need your help! Check out their Voices of Colorado project on Facebook.
Have you ever eaten a hot dog from a stand outside Home Depot? Well, strap in, because those hot dog vendors have been in a years-long battle with the company, and all processed meat fans a…
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Apr 26, 2022
Denver Athletes Dominate a New Global Sport: Professional Tag
You know the movie “Dodgeball”? The one where Vince Vaughn saves his neighborhood gym by bringing together a team of misfits to win a quirky adult version of a kids' game? Over the past few years, the plot of “Dodgeball” has been playing out here in Denver, but centers on a parkour gym called APEX and a scrappy group of Coloradans who are now two-time national champions at World Chase Tag, a relatively new sport that exploded in popularity during the pandemic, with tournaments airing on NBC and ESPN. The APEX squad is now in training for the tag world championships in May. So earlier this week, Bree visited their backyard practice arena to meet some of the players and watch them in action.
The rules of chase tag are simple — "1 chaser, 1 evader, 20 seconds, don't get caught!" — but seeing the sport in action is something else entirely. Check out APEX’s latest national championship match from last June here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n29ni9Khe14
We asked for your…
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Apr 25, 2022
The Avalanche Are The Best Team In Hockey. So Is It 'Stanley Cup or Bust'?
With one week left in the NHL’s regular season, the Colorado Avalanche are sitting pretty at the top of the standings. Though widely considered favorites to win the Stanley Cup, the team is known to underperform in the post-season. So, is this the year? Can the Avs can get it done? Or could another early exit lead to big changes within the franchise? Producer Paul Karolyi sits down with City Cast Denver sports guy Jake Shapiro to preview the Avs’ playoff run.
Jake and Paul briefly discuss the Avs’ connection with the old Quebec Nordiques and their beautiful powder blue uniforms. For more, check out this episode from last year.
Take a look at today’s City Cast Denver newsletter, where Peyton Garcia breaks down this year’s wildfire forecast: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Shoot us your Avalanche hot takes on Twitter: @citycastdenver
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
Learn more ab…
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Apr 22, 2022
Beef Fat Jet Fuel, E-Bike Rebates, & Other Climate Wins and Fails for Earth Day
It’s the City Cast Denver green and mean Earth Day special! Producers Paul Karolyi, Xandra McMahon, and Lizzie Goldsmith are joined by newsletter editor Peyton Garcia to talk climate wins and fails. From Denver’s lag in recycling (and plans to rectify that) to beef fat being used to power airplanes, there’s been a lot of environmental news around Colorado lately. We also talk about the most endangered river in America (spoiler: It’s the Colorado River), rebates for e-bikes, DPS Students for Climate Action, and more.
For more on the Colorado River, check out the book The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko.
Have thoughts or tips on how to recycle or compost efficiently in the city? Give us a call and 720-500-5418 and let us know!
Looking for things to do this weekend? Peyton has you covered in the newsletter. Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Tell us how you recycle and compost in the city on Twitter: @citycastdenver
Today’s episode is brought to you by Cho…
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Apr 21, 2022
Willow Pill Talks 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' Coming Out as Trans, and Denver’s Weird Scene
She dazzled the judges all season with her Victorian baby doll style, and now Denver’s own Willow Pill has made it to the finale of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” If she wins, Willow would become the second Drag Superstar hailing from the Mile High City. Her mentor, friend, and fellow oddball Yvie Oddly won in 2019. But Willow has been dreaming of Drag Race success for longer than that, since she was a baby queen at Colorado State University. Bree sat down with Willow ahead of Friday night’s finale to talk about her experience on the show, how it’s helped her discover new things about her gender identity, and why Denver’s drag scene keeps producing these weirdo, eccentric queens.
Peyton has rounded up ways you can celebrate Earth Day in the newsletter. Find that edition and subscribe to get future ones here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Share your reactions to the “Drag Race” finale with us on Twitter: @citycastdenver
Today’s episode is brought to you in part…
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Apr 20, 2022
Happy 420! Now Let’s Smoke Some Pot in Public
Could you imagine a better way to spend 420 than a sweet hang at Denver’s first-ever, smoke-friendly public weed consumption site, Tetra Lounge? Join host Bree Davies and City Cast Denver weed contributor Ann Marie Awad as they talk through Denver’s up-and-down relationship with public weed consumption and chat with Tetra’s owner, Dewayne Benjamin.
There’s a ton of 420 stuff going on today, as usual, so Peyton rounded up your best bets in today’s edition of the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Get our tweets @citycastdenver
Today’s episode is brought to you by Choir League. Check out their concert, “Choral Bangerz,” at the Stanley Marketplace this Sunday at 5:30 p.m.
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
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Apr 19, 2022
Coloradans Are Freaking Out About the Rainbow Gathering. But is it Really that Scary?
When the news dropped a few weeks ago that 30,000 hippies are likely to descend on Colorado this summer for the 50th annual Rainbow Gathering of the Tribes, the backlash was swift and vocal. A Reddit post on how to take action against the Rainbow Gathering even garnered more than 600 comments in less than 24 hours. Wildfire risk and the environmental impact of this weeks-long shindig were some of the major concerns cited. But one thing the City Cast crew didn’t see in any of the coverage? Information from an actual attendee of the Rainbow Gathering. So we called one up. Tenali Hrenak has been going to Rainbow Gatherings all over the world for more than 20 years, and he chatted with City Cast Denver Host Bree Davies about what this event is really all about, what myths need to be dispelled, and if Coloradans have a reason to be concerned.
Hrenak has been collecting field recordings from Rainbow Gatherings for his own podcast. Learn more here: https://soundsfromtherainbow.org/
Catch…
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Apr 18, 2022
Denver’s Air Quality is in the News Again and It’s Not Good (Actually, it’s Terrible)
Denver’s brown cloud is in the news… again. And it doesn’t seem to be getting better. In fact, in a new move by the EPA, the Front Range’s air quality has gotten so bad, it’s been downgraded from a "serious" to "severe" violator of national ozone standards. But what does it actually mean for Denverites when it comes to quality of life? Are we looking ahead to another summer locked indoors because our air quality is so terrible? Today on the show, host Bree Davies talks with CPR climate reporter Sam Brasch about what, exactly, this new EPA categorization means, how it will impact our lives, and what — if anything — we can do about it.
Read Sam Brasch’s reporting for Colorado Public Radio: The EPA moves to declare the Front Range a ‘severe’ air quality violator. Here’s why that matters.
City Cast Denver’s Peyton Garcia has rounded up some of the most outrageous hot takes about Denver in today’s newsletter. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsl…
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Apr 15, 2022
Who Could Be Denver’s Next Mayor?
In less than a year, Denverites will start casting their votes for the next mayor of our city. It may seem early in the race, but the field is likely shaping up to be an already crowded one. From a former gang member-turned-community activist to several state legislators throwing their hats in the ring, there’s plenty of interesting potential mayors to talk about. And it’s not just the mayoral race that will be juicy — lots of city council seats are up for grabs, and those people can make a big difference in the trajectory of Denver, too. Producer Xandra McMahon is joined by host Bree Davies and Westword founder and editor Patty Calhoun to preview the 2023 city election and provide some hot insider campaign goss.
Looking for things to do in Denver this weekend? The City Cast Denver newsletter has you covered. Find today’s issue and subscribe to future ones here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
How are you feeling about the city election this far out? Tweet us @cityca…
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Apr 14, 2022
Thanks to TikTok, a Punk and Goth Boutique Serving Denver for 35 Years is Now World Famous
Since 1987, FashioNation has been outfitting Denver’s goths, punks, ravers, and fest-goers with wild streetwear and the latest in counterculture style. The little indie boutique sells everything from leather pants and platform boots for teens and adults to tutus and bowling shirts for rockabilly babies and toddlers. When Pam and Paul Italiano set out to share their love of clothes and music, they didn’t imagine they would one day be celebrating 35 years in Denver. The secret to their success? FashioNation is a true family business. Pam and Paul have dedicated their lives to the store, and now their daughters Mia and Sydney are helping out too.
But Mia and Sydney are more than just sales people — they’ve transformed FashioNation into a global attraction, all through the viral magic of TikTok. Today on the show, host Bree Davies and producer Xandra McMahon take a trip down to south, South Broadway to visit the Italianos and hear the story of how FashioNation has stayed weird a…
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Apr 13, 2022
The Idaho Stop Is About More Than Cyclist Safety. It’s About Racial Justice.
For Denver cyclist Marcus Robinson, biking equals freedom. It’s a chance to experience new things and reach places he’s never been able to reach before. It was this idea that was at the heart of his Ride for Racial Justice organization that started in 2020 amid the protests over the murder of George Floyd. He thought if he could get people talking to each other about race from the seat of a bicycle, folks might be more open to listen. Robinson has continued to push for racial equity from his bike, most recently by testifying in favor of the “safety stop” bill recently passed by the state legislature. The safety stop, or “Idaho stop”, would let cyclists roll through stop signs legally. It might seem like a small change, but producer Paul Karolyi chats with Robinson about how this is a big win in the fight for racial justice and safety.
We first heard about Robinson and Ride for Racial Justice from past City Cast Denver guest Nathaniel Minor. Check out his piece for Colorado…
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Apr 12, 2022
1800 S. Broadway: Talk Back
We got a crap-ton of super interesting voicemails about our story on 1800 S. Broadway, the once and future weed lounge. So producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon are taking your calls and talking it out.
And if you don't know what this is about, check out part one and part two of our story on real estate developer Josh Horwitz's effort to carry on his father's legacy by opening a weed lounge in a contentious spot on South Broadway.
Do you have something to say about 1800 S. Broadway or smoking weed in public? Leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood and we may play it on the show: (720) 500-5418
Xandra mentioned a story she reported a few years back about weed tourism. You can listen to that whole story here: https://www.cpr.org/show-segment/as-marijuana-mainstreams-bus-tours-view-themselves-as-industry-ambassadors/
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
Learn more about your ad choices.…
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Apr 12, 2022
Aurora Hired a New Police Chief to Reform the Department. Now She’s Fired.
Ever since the killing of Elijah McClain in 2019, the Aurora Police Department has been mired in turmoil. Now, the chief of police they hired to help reform the department has been fired. Former Chief Vanessa Wilson spoke publicly about her firing for the first time yesterday, and Colorado Sentinel managing editor Kara Mason is on the show today to explain how we got here and why it matters.
Want some of Bree’s insider tips on the best stuff in Denver? Check out today’s newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Chit-chat with us on Twitter @citycastdenver
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Apr 11, 2022
1800 S. Broadway: Part Two
If you haven’t heard part one of our look at 1800 S. Broadway and the dawn of public weed consumption in Denver, scroll back in your podcast feed to last Friday or click here.
When the city of Denver opened applications for marijuana hospitality businesses last year, the new program attracted a diverse mix of go-getters, from the owner of a private marijuana club who wanted to go public to a Cap Hill mansion whose owners thought weed would help attract more tourists. Among them was an enterprising young real estate tycoon, Josh Horwitz. He applied to open a weed lounge at 1800 S. Broadway, the exact spot where Habibi Hookah Cafe undermined the trust of the neighborhood with excessive late-night partying and violence. The neighbors are organizing to stop Horwitz and City Councilman Jolon Clark is opposed to his permit, but no one has heard his side of the story. Until now.
This isn’t the first time Denver has tried to set up a regulatory framework for marijuana hospitality busin…
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Apr 8, 2022
1800 S. Broadway: Part One
Ever since Coloradans started taking the prospect of legal weed seriously, stoners have wanted a place to partake in public. The city of Denver opened permits for public consumption businesses a few years ago, but the regulations were so restrictive that only one business was ever able to open. But after last year’s sweeping revamp of our weed laws, a wave of new ganjapreneurs have come forward with proposals for how they’d want a public weed lounge to look and feel — and, more importantly, where one could actually open. It’s a new era of legal weed, and it’s begging the age-old question: if not here, where? Producer Paul Karolyi stumbled upon a red-hot neighborhood battle over one proposed weed lounge a few weeks ago. Today on the show, he breaks it down with producer Xandra McMahon and host Bree Davies.
Stay tuned to the show next week for part two of our look at the fight over 1800 S. Broadway. In the meantime, we want to hear from you! Are you excited to smoke weed in…
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Apr 7, 2022
Early Birds and Night Owls Face Off Over Daylight Saving Time
Daylight Saving Time. Love it or hate it, it’s part of our lives… but if a new law passes in Colorado, it might change our concept of time forever. The bill already passed Colorado’s House of Representatives, and now the Senate is considering adopting DST year round, meaning we would never have to change our clocks again. But how would this impact our days? What does it mean for our sunrises and sunsets? And why do our ski resorts care so much about it? Today on the show, host Bree Davies took these questions to our resident weather expert, meteorologist Andy Stein, who researched everything we wanted to know about the fight over Daylight Saving Time.
A whole lot of news broke over the last few days, and City Cast Denver newsletter writer Peyton Garcia has a round-up— read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Give us your Daylight Saving Time hot takes via Twitter: @citycastdenver
We’re hiring a producer to help make City Cast Denver! If you love Denver…
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Apr 6, 2022
Janae Burris is 8.5-Months Pregnant. But Her Comedy Special is ‘Long Overdue’
Janae Burris used to fudge the numbers when people asked how long she’s been doing stand-up comedy. “I kind of stopped doing that, though,” she told the Denver Post earlier this week. “I’ve gotten to the point in my [career] that I can tell people the truth and still get jobs.” But now that the stand-up scene is finally creeping back after two years of terrible comedy over the internet, Burris is on the precipice of great change: She’s eight and a half months pregnant. To document this unique moment, she’s recording her first big comedy special in front of a live audience at the Aurora Fox Arts Center next week, and she’s on the show today to talk with host Bree Davies about being funny while pregnant.
Learn more about Burris’ special, “Long Overdue,” and get your tickets to the taping here: https://www.aurorafoxartscenter.org/janae-burris-is-long-overdue
Maybe you heard that election denier and My Pillow Guy, Mike Lindell, was on the steps of the Capitol yest…
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Apr 5, 2022
Is Colorado's Outdoors Overcrowded? Or Do We Just Need to Learn How to Camp Better?
It might be a false spring, but can you blame us for letting a little nice weather get us excited for camping season?! Some of us, at least. Host Bree Davies has never been super outdoorsy, and all the gatekeeping around the best spots and the reports of overcrowding at our state and national parks don’t make it seem that appealing. So we invited Blackpackers founder and outdoors educator Patricia Cameron to help make it all feel a little more approachable.
Check out this piece Cameron published in 2019 about her journey to the outdoors: https://www.elevationoutdoors.com/go-outside/feet-to-the-ground/
One of Denver’ biggest companies is going to court. Learn all about dialysis giant DaVita and the eccentric former CEO at the center of the case in today’s CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
What are your favorite hikes or campsites? Let’s swap notes on Twitter: @citycastdenver
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast an…
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Apr 4, 2022
How Can Colorado Tackle the Crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People?
“There is no accurate picture” of how many indigenous people have been murdered or gone missing in Colorado, according to our guest today, Raven Payment. Amid a growing, international movement to address the crisis of MMIR — Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives — she helped form a task force to take on the issue locally. Step one? Push for legislation to create a state office that can figure out exactly how big this problem even is. Today on the show, Host Bree Davies talks with Payment, who identifies as Kanien'kehá:ka and Anishinaabe, about her work on the task force and how the creation of this office could help Indigenous people all across Colorado.
Our guest Raven Payment mentions a couple of times how the Urban Indian Health Institute’s 2017 report on MMRI was a catalyst for organizing around this issue. If you’re interested, here’s a link to that report: https://www.uihi.org/resources/missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-girls/
30,000 hippies are descend…
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Apr 1, 2022
Rush Hour at Union Station
Union Station is a mess. At least that’s what news outlets keep saying about the transit hub and fancy downtown hangout. In the last six months, complaints of violence, open drug use, and people sleeping in the public space have become the narrative of Union Station, painting it as a scene of constant chaos. At the beginning of 2022, Mayor Hancock responded by swarming the place with police — as a result, he said that DPD had made 700 arrests since January.
The City Cast Denver crew hadn’t made a trek down to the shiny train station since before the pandemic, and knew it was time to see for themselves what was going on there. Host Bree Davies and producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon met up with Denverite reporter Kyle Harris — who has covered issues at Union Station extensively — for a walk around the downtown spot. They wanted to see for themselves what, exactly, was so concerning.
Read more of Kyle Harris’s original reporting on Union Station for Denverite:…
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Mar 31, 2022
The Underground Music Showcase is Fun. But Can It Be a Tool for Social Good?
News broke last week that local music non-profit Youth on Record was buying a stake in the Underground Music Showcase, one of Denver’s biggest annual music festivals. But this is far from any run-of-the-mill music biz deal: YOR’s Executive Director, Jami Duffy, sees the UMS as a platform to propel a “musicians’ middle class” in Denver and beyond. Today on the show, Duffy chats with host Bree Davies about her long-term plans to turn a staple Denver music fest into a pipeline for careers in the arts, while also cultivating a better experience for music fans.
Read and sign up for the City Cast Denver newsletter, where today, Peyton Garcia tells the story of how the modern day coffee break has its origins in a labor dispute that happened in CO: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Tell us your favorite UMS stories on Twitter: @citycastdenver
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
Learn more abou…
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Mar 30, 2022
‘I Walk In Everyday Expecting To Be Fired’: Inside The Starbucks Union Effort
The push to unionize Starbucks workers started in Buffalo, New York, with one small group of baristas stepping forward to call for better working conditions at their cafe. Then slowly, one by one, workers at more than 120 Starbucks locations across the country petitioned for union elections at their shops, including here in Denver, where three separate Starbucks are now in the middle of organizing campaigns. Host Bree Davies sits down with two baristas — Jack Janzen and Hannah Mehlman — to hear why they’re trying to unionize their Starbucks at Leetsdale and Holly, and how the coffee giant is pushing back.
WE’RE HIRING! We are looking for an audio producer who loves Denver as much as we do! We’re looking for someone who wants to help us continue to tell beautiful, complicated, compelling stories about the people and things that make this city what it is. Think you or someone you know fits the bill? Take a peek at the official job posting here.
In today’s newsletter, Peyt…
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Mar 29, 2022
Why The New Fentanyl Bill Has Harm Reductionists Concerned
With fentanyl-related deaths spiking across Colorado, our elected officials have been debating new measures to better protect people from the highly potent, synthetic opioid. Should they go after drug users who are at risk of unwittingly taking a lethal dose? Should they focus on dealers and manufacturers who lace their goods with fentanyl? And what are the roles of “overdose prevention sites” and harm reduction, a strategy borne from the failures of the war on drugs? Now that they’ve formally submitted their bill at the state legislature, it’s time to dig in. Host Bree Davies sits down with Harm Reduction Action Center’s executive director Lisa Raville to break down the policy and politics around the new Fentanyl Accountability and Prevention Act.
For additional perspectives on this new bill, Peyton has got a deep dive in our newsletter today. Read and subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
And if you’d like a more thorough breakdown of the fentanyl situa…
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Mar 28, 2022
After 156 Years, Denver Fire Finally Has its First Female Deputy Fire Chief
Too often there’s inherent bias at play when we think about who makes a good firefighter — strong, athletic… manly. “I think that we forget sometimes that the people we are serving like to see a familiar face when they're having their worst day,” says Kathleen Vredenburgh, who wants people to know that firefighting requires a lot more than just physical strength. She was named deputy chief of Denver Fire last month, making her the highest ranking woman in the fire department’s 156-year history. Today on the show, Host Bree Davies talks with Vredenburgh about her experience as a firefighter and her work getting other women to join the department.
In today’s newsletter, City Cast Denver’s Peyton Garcia breaks down the $14 million settlement protesters won in an excessive force case against DPD. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Catch us on Twitter: @citycastdenver
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and…
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Mar 25, 2022
The Union Station Snafu, Benny’s is Back, and a Pickleball Power Struggle in Central Park
It’s Friday and we’re chatting about stories big and small in Denver this week, starting with Union Station — which can’t seem to get a decent headline in its favor these days. Producer Paul Karolyi is joined by host Bree Davies and Patty Calhoun, founder and editor of Westword, to discuss perceptions of crime downtown and the re-opening of a beloved Denver Mexican restaurant. Plus, the pickleball player who’s landed himself in a real pickle with the police.
Read the latest from Westword on crime statistics at Union Station here: https://www.westword.com/denver/Print?oid=13699478
For more on the pickleball power struggle, Denverite’s Desiree Mathurin has been all over this story: Here’s the original piece and here’s the follow-up.
Get the whole backstory on the Outdoor Retailer trade show’s move back to Salt Lake City from past City Cast Denver guest and Colorado Sun reporter Jason Blevins: https://coloradosun.com/2022/03/23/outdoor-retailer-leaving-denver-salt-l…
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Mar 24, 2022
Artist Stevon Lucero’s Chicano Futurism Lives on Inside Meow Wolf
The painter Stevon Lucero was his own person through and through. He created his own style, which he called “metarealism,” and through painting he explored the outer bounds of consciousness, connecting dots no one else saw. When top Denver art galleries didn’t seem interested in him or other Chicano artists, they started up their own thing — Chicano Humanities and Arts Council, or CHAC — paving the way for a surge of interest in Chicano art today. Lucero passed away last year, but not before finishing a room at the hottest gallery in town, Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station, where “meta” is the name of the game. Host Bree Davies visited Convergence Station with Lucero’s wife and fellow artist Arlette Lucero to discuss her husband’s legacy and the special exhibition of his works opening there tomorrow.
Peyton’s got all the hot Denver food gossip in our newsletter today. Read and subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Do you have a favorite Stevon Luc…
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Mar 23, 2022
Lincoln Hills Has Offered Nature and Respite to Black Families for 100 Years
About an hour west of Denver is a place called Lincoln Hills, an outdoor recreation destination created especially for — and built by — Black people. For 100 years, it has offered a safe, welcoming space for Black folks from across the country to come enjoy all the natural beauty Colorado has to offer. Today on the show, host Bree Davies sits down with past City Cast Denver guest host donnie l. betts, whose Lincoln Hills documentary which screens at History Colorado next month, and retired judge Gary Jackson, whose great grandfather was one of the original builders of Lincoln Hills and whose family has owned a cabin there ever since.
History Colorado is celebrating Lincoln Hills’s 100th anniversary all year long. On April 15th, they’re hosting donnie l. betts for a screening of his documentary and a Q&A. Then, on June 3rd, they’re hosting Gary Jackson for a talk on his experience and research into the Lincoln Hills story.
There a restaurant in Denver that’s taking a s…
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Mar 22, 2022
The Magic That Keeps Denver's Longest Running Dance Party Alive
Lipgloss is one of the longest running indie club nights in the country — and it takes place every Friday evening, right here in Denver. Started by DJ Michael Trundle and a group of friends in 2001, Lipgloss is a music connoisseur’s dream: when you hit the dance floor, you’re apt to hear everything from The Killers to The Supremes to Fontaines D.C. Trundle has been the sole DJ behind the turntables for the last half-decade or so of Lipgloss, but he’s been at the heart of the dance night from the beginning. Today, he joins host Bree Davies to talk about how the little indie dance night that could has survived —and thrived — for more than two decades in Denver, and what’s next as it moves to its latest location, HQ, on South Broadway.
Looking to take in some live theater next month? Our producer Lizzie Goldsmith has got recommendations, plus a behind-the-scenes interview about Curious Theater Company’s latest production, “Refuge.” Find that and subscribe here: ht…
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Mar 21, 2022
Should Anorexia Patients Have a Right to Die Under Colorado Law?
Nearly 800 Coloradans have received aid-in-dying medication since voters approved a controversial law giving doctors that prescription option under certain circumstances in 2016. While the debate over the right to die has grown no less controversial in the past six years, one leading eating disorder doctor based in Denver wants to expand access to people with severe eating disorders, prompting alarm within the psychiatric field across the country. Today on the show, host Bree Davies talks with Colorado Sun reporter Jennifer Brown about this new turn in the death-with-dignity debate and what it could mean for people who suffer from life-threatening eating disorders all across the country.
Read Jennifer Brown’s report for the Colorado Sun here: https://coloradosun.com/2022/03/14/denver-doctor-gaudiani-aid-in-dying-aneroexia-patients/
There is a ton going on at Denver schools right now, so Peyton rounded up all the important stories for you in our newsletter today: https://denver.ci…
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Mar 18, 2022
How Two Years of Pandemic Have Changed Denver
It’s Friday! And we’re looking back at two years in Denver since lockdown. What’s changed about the city for the better? What structural, social, and political shifts do we want to keep with us from these pandemic times? How did we survive the two-hour prohibition of weed and alcohol sales that sent many Denverites running Black Friday-style to their nearest dispensary and liquor store? The whole team is here — Host Bree Davies, Producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon, and Newsletter Writer Peyton Garcia — and we’re trying to focus on the silver linings, like city council going online and the joys of car-free streets.
Want to snag a couple free tix to see Radiolab’s Jad Abumrad at the Paramount on April 17? We’re giving a set away, and all you have to do is write a nice review of City Cast Denver wherever you listen to podcasts and send a screenshot of that review to denver@citycast.fm by April 1. Because, come on, it’s Jad freakin’ Abumrad. One of the greats.…
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Mar 17, 2022
How CU Boulder Football's Sexual Assault Scandal Set a Precedent for #MeToo
Almost 20 years ago, Erika Krouse took a job as a private investigator. Her first big case? A massive sexual assault scandal that was exposing a toxic culture of abuse within CU Boulder’s prized football program. Krouse’s new book, “Tell Me Everything: The Story of A Private Investigation,” is part true crime thriller and part memoir, as she weaves together her recollections of the case with the story of her own experience with sexual assault. City Cast Denver newsletter writer Peyton Garcia sits down with Krouse to talk about what it was like going up against an institution as powerful as the University of Colorado, how she saw her own story in the stories of the victims, and the legacy of the case today.
Warning: While there are no graphic descriptions, this episode contains discussions about sexual assault.
If this is your first time hearing about the scandal at the heart of Krouse’s book, ESPN has a full timeline right here.
Catch all the latest Denver food news and…
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Mar 16, 2022
Wanna Open a Restaurant in Denver Right Now? Start with Four Wheels and a Dream
There was a time when food trucks were the hottest thing out there, and it seemed like every chef and restaurateur wanted to sell sushi burritos on a street corner for $15 a pop. But now that the novelty has worn off, where do food trucks fit in Denver’s dining scene? And what does it take to start one now? We’ve been looking at all aspects of Denver dining alongside Denver Restaurant Week this week, and today host Bree Davies speaks with Maria Rangel, a former EMT who left healthcare to start cooking and selling gorditas out of a truck in the middle of a global pandemic.
Find out where Rangel is going to be serving up gorditas and vegan green chile next at maizdenver.com.
Interested in learning more about the business course Rangel took at Mi Casa Resource Center? Check out micasaresourcecenter.org.
Did you know Bree has a tattoo dedicated to the old Colfax laundromat Smiley’s? Well she does. And now that the old Smiley’s building is being demolished, Bree shared some o…
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Mar 15, 2022
A Toast to Our First Anniversary and Mizuna’s Future with Chef Frank Bonanno
Denver Restaurant Week is the perfect occasion for a nice night out without breaking the bank. And that means Frank Bonanno’s restaurants have been packed. Along with his wife Jacqueline, he runs a growing empire of restaurants across the city, including the flagship fine dining spot Mizuna and the downtown food hall Denver Milk Market. Host Bree Davies interviewed Bonanno almost exactly one year ago when Mizuna was celebrating its 20-year anniversary under the shadow of a possible sale and demolition. So we invited him back ahead of our one-year anniversary for an update on Mizuna’s real estate situation, an explanation of some of the changes he’s made during the pandemic, and his thoughts on the future of Denver’s dining scene.
Do you want a chance to see Radiolab founder Jad Abumrad at the Paramount Theater on April 17? We’re giving away two free tickets, and all you have to do to enter is write a really nice review of City Cast Denver wherever you listen to podcasts, a…
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Mar 14, 2022
When the Pandemic Pushed Restaurant Workers to the Brink, CHOW was There
It’s Denver Restaurant Week and we’re exploring all aspects of the dining scene. Today, John Hinman is a pastry chef and the owner of Hinman Pie. But he’s also the founder of Culinary Hospitality Outreach and Wellness, or CHOW, a nonprofit offering support groups and mental health courses to restaurant workers that’s grown by leaps and bounds in the last two years. Host Bree Davies sits down with Hinman to talk about how his own mental health struggles led to CHOW, the specific challenges of working in Denver restaurants today, and what kinds of positive changes he’s seeing in the local food world.
If you’re interested in attending one of CHOW’s support group meetings, check out the Denver chapter’s in-person gatherings on Monday nights at 6 p.m. at 1633 Fillmore Street. Follow @CHOW_org on Instagram for up-to-date information on meetings and other resources.
In today’s City Cast Denver newsletter, local musician Arnie Swenson remembers his friend, collaborator, a…
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Mar 11, 2022
This Ain’t No Cowtown: Culinary Masters Shine During Denver Restaurant Week
Denver Restaurant Week kicks off today! We’re talking Mile High culinary history, the cowtown stereotype we can’t seem to shake (Rocky Mountain Oysters, anyone?), and more. Host Bree Davies is joined by newsletter writer and resident CCD foodie Peyton Garcia, along with regular Friday chat contributor, Westword’s Patty Calhoun, plus Denver restaurateur-turned-behind-the-scenes-culinary-expert John Imbergamo for a look at what Denver’s food world means to us — and the rest of the country.
In today’s City Cast Denver newsletter, Peyton rounds up the best escape rooms in the metro area. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
What’s your favorite restaurant in Denver? Tell us on Twitter: @citycastdenver
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Mar 10, 2022
Did Denver Police Use Excessive Force Against George Floyd Protesters?
The City of Denver has already paid out more than $3 million in settlements to people injured by the police while protesting the murder of George Floyd in the summer of 2020. But now, a group of 12 protesters has taken their case to court, marking the first federal trial in the country to challenge police violence against those racial justice protests. The ACLU’s Colorado office is representing most of the plaintiffs, and senior staff attorney Sara Neel joins host Bree Davies to take us inside their case and talk about the implications for future criminal justice reform.
Bree mentioned the Office of the Independent Monitor’s December 2020 report on the Denver Police Department’s response to the racial justice protests that summer. You can read the whole 94-page report documenting multiple examples of excessive force here: https://www.denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/Portals/374/documents/2020GFPReport_OIM.pdf
Plus, this episode includes another installment of Voice on the…
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Mar 9, 2022
Are $40,000 Loans The Key To Closing Denver's Racial Home Ownership Gap?
Until recently, Justin Murchison wasn’t really thinking about buying a home. He was more focused on paying down his credit card debt and taking care of his plants. Then he stumbled upon on opportunity that most young people in Denver only dream about: a path to buying their first home. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies chats with Justin about his journey to homeownership. Plus, we’ll hear from Santhosh Ramdoss, vice president of impact investing at Gary Community Ventures. He helped create The Dearfield Fund that made Justin’s home purchase possible and he says it could be the key to shrinking Denver’s racial home ownership gap.
Wanna know where Gary Community Ventures got that name for their fund — Dearfield? We talked about the historic Black homesteading community with Westword editor Patty Calhoun a few weeks ago, and you can learn even more courtesy of the Colorado Encyclopedia.
Do you want a chance to see Radiolab founder Jad Abumrad at the Paramount Theater on Ap…
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Mar 8, 2022
Can Louisville Afford to Build Back Greener After the Marshall Fire? Can It Afford Not To?
More than 1,000 homes were destroyed when the Marshall Fire ripped through Louisville, Superior and unincorporated Boulder County in late December, sending thousands of Coloradans headlong into an urgent search for an affordable place to live. Now that the dust has settled, all those families are thinking about rebuilding what was lost, and it’s going to be expensive — especially with the brand new climate-friendly building codes Louisville instituted last October. Denver Post reporter Noelle Phillips has been covering the story, and she joins host Bree Davies to talk about the fire’s impact on our housing market, the cost of a “green” rebuild, and how Louisville residents are feeling about those new building codes now that it’s wildfire survivors who’ll be footing the bill.
Subscribe to the CCD newsletter for more Denver news fresh in your inbox every weekday morning: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
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Mar 7, 2022
Tackling the Housing Crisis One Heated Ice Fishing Tent at a Time
In the summer of 2020, the mayor’s office joined forces with Colorado Village Collaborative to launch the Safe Outdoor Space program as an emergency measure to help address Denver’s crisis of homelessness. Safe Outdoor Spaces, or SOS sites, have since provided warmth, shelter, food, restrooms, trash service, and more to more than 240 unhoused Denverites. Still, many people were against the sanctioned campsites and fought hard to keep them out of their neighborhoods. Today on the show, Host Bree Davies talks with Cuica Montoya, SOS Program Director for the Colorado Village Collaborative, and Ian Stitt, an SOS Site Manager liaison for the St. Francis Center. They discuss how these spaces create community for our unhoused neighbors, how the SOS program convinced the haters, and how they attracted another $3.9 million in city funding this year.
Learn more and support the Colorado Village Collaborative’s Safe Outdoor Space program here.
Check out previous City Cast Denver episodes…
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Mar 4, 2022
So What Really Did Happen to That Denver-Boulder ‘Ghost Train?’
It’s the transportation quagmire of a generation: the RTD train to Boulder that never arrived. CPR transportation reporter Nathaniel Minor would even go so far as calling it a “Ghost Train.” For this week’s Friday chat, he joins City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi and host Bree Davies to discuss his podcast series Ghost Train and what he learned about Denver’s relationship to transit. Oh, and what really happened with that Denver to Boulder train.
Listen to all four parts of Ghost Train right here: https://www.cpr.org/podcast/ghost-train/
Nathaniel also wrote up a piece about some of his reporting for Denverite: https://denverite.com/2022/02/22/why-dont-rtds-trains-go-into-denvers-neighborhoods/
And here’s the Streetsblog piece by David Sachs that Paul mentions: https://denver.streetsblog.org/2022/01/31/commentary-in-streetsblog-denvers-absence-local-news-has-a-responsibility-to-get-out-from-behind-the-windshield/
Looking for things to do this weekend? The CCD news…
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Mar 3, 2022
How An Obscure Zoning Board Got Reformed (And Why It Matters)
Last May, we brought you the story of Shawn and Ben Johnson, a Sunnyside couple who wanted to build an ADU, or accessory dwelling unit, in their backyard so Shawn’s disabled mom could live close. The Johnsons were stymied by an obscure body called the Board of Adjustment for Zoning Appeals (BOA), which is in charge of approving any exceptions to the zoning code and which the Johnsons came to see as discriminatory. Now, after a year throwing themselves against the bureaucracy, the Johnsons have helped to make a change: Denver City Council recently voted to reform the BOA. So we called up Kathryn White, the Denver North Star reporter who alerted us to the Johnsons’ situation in the first place, to unpack the reform and its possible citywide impacts. Plus, we checked in with the Johnsons to hear if this means they can finally build their ADU.
For the full backstory, here’s a link to our first episode with the Johnsons (May 19, 2021): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-cant…
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Mar 2, 2022
Ski Traffic Sucks. But is Widening I-70 Really Going to Help?
You know that spot on I-70 on the way into the mountains? That spot where it goes from three lanes to two, and there’s always traffic? Well, it’s called Floyd Hill, and last week the Colorado Department of Transportation kicked off a new $700 million effort to fix it. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was even in town to celebrate the occasion! But is their plan really going to address the root of the problem? Host Bree Davies talks to Colorado Sun environment reporter Michael Booth about why our elected leaders are so eager to cheer on the project and how CDOT is planning to mitigate the climate impact.
For more on the Floyd Hill project, check out Michael Booth’s full report for the Colorado Sun, including the impact this project will have on the people who live in the area. Imaging getting on I-70 and sitting in an hour of traffic just to pick up groceries!
They’re finally demolishing the old Ramada Inn on East Colfax, so Bree is sharing stories and reminiscing in…
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Mar 1, 2022
Is the Acclaimed Cherry Creek School District Hiding a Toxic Workplace?
Search for the “best” schools in the Denver metro area, and you’re going to find your way to the Cherry Creek School District. They’ve got 67 schools in and around Greenwood Village, Glendale, and Cherry Hills Village that consistently rank among the best in the state, academically. But one former administrator and several current and former employees say that A+ reputation is obscuring a toxic culture of discrimination, racism, and sexual misconduct. Today on the show, host Bree Davies talks with Denver Gazette reporter David Migoya about his investigation into the school district’s alleged issues, including a look into a Title IX investigation launched last summer by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.
Read David Migoya’s full investigative reporting on the school district for the Denver Gazette here.
Newsletter writer Peyton Garcia has a round-up of all five film festivals happening across Colorado this week. Subscribe here: https://denver.ci…
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Feb 28, 2022
Colorado is Fitness-Obsessed. Is there Space For Bigger Bodies to Be Fit, Too?
Lots of people move to Colorado to enjoy our mountains and sunshine, and that means that Denverites tend to be outdoorsy and relatively fit. But for Andrea Parés — a self-proclaimed fat-positive yoga teacher — growing up here meant she never felt welcome in aerobics classes, Zumba sessions, or a simple yoga flow with friends. That all changed a few years ago when Parés found a yoga workshop for people with bigger bodies like hers. Today, Parés joins Host Bree Davies to talk about why it’s important for bigger bodies to have dedicated spaces for fitness, what it means to identify as “fat” in Colorado, and how she unlocked the pent-up demand for her new, monthly Yoga for Bigger Bodies class.
Follow Parés’ yoga pursuits and get updates on her latest yoga classes via @AndreaParesYoga on Instagram. You can also check out her class and other offerings at Courageous Yoga.
Today, City Cast Denver newsletter writer Peyton Garcia shares a “moment of joy” for your Monday.…
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Feb 26, 2022
BONUS: So You’re Getting a Buc-ees… (via City Cast Houston)
Earlier this month, Texan transplants in Colorado were hit with some life-changing news: We’re getting a Buc-ees. So what's the deal with this legendary convenience store? Why does it hold such a special place in Texans’ hearts? And should the rest of us be excited, too? When newsletter writer Peyton Garcia heard the news about a Buc-ees opening near Johnstown, she had questions about this cult-favorite convenience store with the allegedly award-winning bathrooms, so she checked in with our colleagues at City Cast Houston, where host Lisa Gray and producers Ferrill Gibbs and Dina Kesbeh were happy to oblige.
Please enjoy this bonus episode of City Cast Houston (Original airdate: 2/11/22) and tell your Texan friends to subscribe! They’ve got a podcast and Lisa writes their daily newsletter, too.
For more on what and where to expect the new Colorado-based Buc-ees, here’s a write-up from 303 Magazine: https://303magazine.com/2022/02/buc-ees-announces-first-colorado-location-…
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Feb 25, 2022
The “Sh*tstorm” Heading For Lauren Boebert, and Yet Another LGBTQ Discrimination Case
No, it’s not deja vu. The Supreme Court is going to hear yet another LGBTQ+ discrimination case out of Colorado. But aren’t we supposed to be on the vanguard of LGBTQ rights? Producer Xandra McMahon and host Bree Davies are joined by Westword editor Patty Calhoun to chat through this new case involving a wedding website maker’s Christian views, the legacy of the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, and the evolution of the LGBTQ community in Denver. Plus, nine Democrats are running to replace Lauren Boebert in Congress, and we’re talking about the “shitstorm” brewing on the Western Slope.
The Democrats running for Boebert’s district, CD-3, will be in conversation with each other for the first time on Saturday. You can watch the virtual forum starting at 4 p.m.
Local musician Sedrick Avenue is featured in today’s show. Check out his latest release, 39, on Bandcamp.
In the CCD newsletter today, producer Lizzie Goldsmith has got her monthly rundown of all the best live theate…
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Feb 24, 2022
EXTRA: Scenes From a Ukraine Solidarity Rally
Russia’s attack on Ukraine has been dominating the news over the last 48 hours, impacting Ukrainians at home and all over the world. Denver is no exception. The city’s Ukrainian community and allies gathered on the steps of the state capitol this afternoon and City Cast Denver producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon were there to document the scene.
UPDATE: Since this episode was originally published, we decided to remove a short excerpt from the very end. It featured clips from a brief exchange Paul had with a protester holding a sign featuring Russian president Putin with a mustache that looked like Hitler’s mustache. We removed the excerpt for a couple of reasons. One, the protester did not agree to our offer to explain the sign. Two, we neglected to add sufficient context to the exchange. So it was confusing and, we feel, not representative of the event we were intending to document.
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Feb 24, 2022
A Brewing Conflict: How Craft Brewers' Battle With Ball Corp. is Hurting Beer Lovers
A frothy mix of supply chain issues has set two longtime collaborators on a collision course: Westminster’s aluminum can giant, Ball Corporation, and the local brewers who like to sell their beer in cans. Ball’s always been good to small craft breweries, but the past two years have put the company in an impossible predicament. So what does this mean for your favorite neighborhood brewery? Will you still be able to buy their beer in a store? Will a 6-pack cost you an arm and a leg if you do? City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi sits down with Denver Business Journal beer reporter Ed Sealover to talk through the whole story.
For more of Sealover’s reporting on the Ball Corp./craft brewing situation, click here.
After the interview, we asked Sealover for a local beer rec, and he did not disappoint. You can read all about it in today’s newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
What do you think about those plastic wraps and stickers on craft beer cans? Let us know…
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Feb 23, 2022
How Denver's Tech Industry Put Roadblocks in Front of a "Modern Green Book”
When Parker McMullen Bushman and her business partner, Crystal Egli, founded Inclusive Journeys, they were on a mission to bring the idea of the Green Book into the 21st century. While they found enthusiastic support for their idea of an internet-based inclusive spaces travel guide, the financial backing other tech companies seemed to attract wasn’t as easy to come by. Today on the show, Host Bree Davies talks with McMullen Bushman about the struggles and triumphs Inclusive Journeys has experienced as a tech company founded and operated by Black women in Colorado.
Learn more about Inclusive Journeys and how to support the project on their GoFundMe page.
Sign up for our newsletter, where today producer Paul Karolyi unpacks Police Chief Paul Pazen’s response to our previous reporting on the recent spike in vehicle thefts across Colorado https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Hang out with us on Twitter @citycastdenver
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Feb 22, 2022
“More Like Poisoning Than An Overdose”: AG Phil Weiser on the Fentanyl Crisis
The overdose deaths of five people in Commerce City over the weekend were a harsh reminder that fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is wreaking havoc in our communities, and has been for some time. Fentanyl’s growing presence in Denver’s drug supply the last few years directly correlates to alarming spikes in overdoses. According to the Denver Post, “An average of two Coloradans died of fentanyl overdoses every day in the first nine months of 2021, state data shows.” Back in December, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said enough is enough and announced steps to tackle the crisis alongside state lawmakers. Today, he joins City Cast Denver host Bree Davies to talk through those plans and consider the question: Is this just an extension of the war on drugs? Or could it be a turning point for harm reduction and destigmatization?
In the interview, the attorney general mentioned a New York Times story about the opioid crisis. Here’s a link to that: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/…
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Feb 19, 2022
BONUS: Why Salt Lake Said Yes to the Olympics... and Denver Said No (via City Cast Salt Lake)
Denver has a unique relationship with the Olympics, that's for sure. But our friends on the other side of the Rockies have been grappling with the Games lately, too. Utahns are currently discussing a bid for the 2030 Olympics, so City Cast Salt Lake host Ali Vallarta invited CCD host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi to hash it out. We had a ton of fun recording this and there are a bunch of interesting parallels between Denver and Salt Lake when it comes to the Olympics, so we wanted to share the episode with you!
Please enjoy this bonus episode of City Cast Salt Lake (Original airdate: 2/17/22) and tell your friends in Utah to subscribe! They’ve got a daily newsletter, too.
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Feb 18, 2022
Battle of the Bird: City Cast Denver’s Fried Chicken Chowdown
It’s time for another City Cast Denver food fight! This time, the crew chows down on fried chicken, and tries to determine who does it best. Today on the show, producer Xandra McMahon is joined by host Bree Davies, newsletter writer Peyton Garcia, and special guest Keith Garcia, artistic director of the Sie FilmCenter, for an epic poultry battle. After narrowing it down to four top fried chicken spots in the city, the team mulls over flavor profiles, grease level, crispy-ness, seasoning ratio, and more — all in full ASMR-detail. Tune in to find out if your favorite bone-in, crispy fried chicken joints made the cut!
If this episode left you hungry to learn more about the Welton St. Cafe, here’s the episode we recorded with Chereka Dickerson there a few weeks ago: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3rdkWgdzdsL3FwtwM289Dc
Looking for cool stuff to do this weekend? Check out Peyton’s Friday event round-up in our newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Serve up your o…
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Feb 17, 2022
What Police Chief Pazen is Doing About Denver's "Dramatic Increase" in Crime
“As we are all keenly aware, our community is experiencing a disturbing rise in crime,” said Mayor Michael Hancock on February 3, as he stood alongside Police Chief Paul Pazen to unveil their new plan for public safety. Today on the show, City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sits down with Pazen to break down the plan. They discuss the role Pazen sees for harm reduction at Union Station, the logic behind DPD’s “hot spot” approach to stemming gun violence, and the human impact of the surprising recent spike in vehicle theft.
We did not walk into this interview with Pazen expecting to talk about vehicle thefts, but it’s clearly top of his mind. So in our newsletter today, Producer Paul Karolyi dug into the recent spike, including the one piece of legislation Pazen said is to blame: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
If you’re a Twitter person, follow us! We love to tweet @citycastdenver
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Feb 16, 2022
Is This a Moment for Optimism in Colorado’s Housing Crisis?
The pandemic has created a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to tackle Colorado’s housing crisis. At least, that’s according to our guest today, State Senator Julie Gonzales. She’s been leading a task force of state lawmakers to figure out how best to spend $550 million in federal pandemic relief to help get our housing market back under control. But this is a big, multi-faceted problem with tons of moving pieces and strong feelings. And isn’t housing normally a local issue? City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sat down with Gonzales to hear what her task force is recommending, why now is the time for a statewide approach to what has traditionally been a local issue, and how this unique moment has led to some surprising bipartisanship.
Find the Affordable Housing Transformational Task Force’s whole report of recommendations here: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/affordable_housing_report_final.pdf
Subscribe to the CCD newsletter for more Denver news f…
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Feb 15, 2022
From Comedy Works to America’s Got Talent: How Denver Made Josh Blue
Before comedian Josh Blue was headlining world tours and making Simon Cowell bust a gut on America’s Got Talent, he was living in Cap Hill spending every night at Denver’s legendary club — Comedy Works. It was there that he got to rub elbows with some of his heroes, and work on routines that would launch him into comedy stardom. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies chatted with Josh about his recent America’s Got Talent run, how his cerebral palsy has shaped his comedy, and why he thinks Denver is one of the best cities for this industry.
More Denver happenings are just a few clicks away. Subscribe to the CCD newsletter here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Follow us on Twitter! @citycastdenver
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Feb 14, 2022
Denver, Be Mine 💘
Whether you’re spending the day in love with love or grumpy with the greeting card companies, this Valentine’s Day special episode is for you. Because we asked you for your best Denver love stories — tales about that special someone, place, or pet — and we were bowled over by all the good Denver-y vibes you shared. So join Host Bree Davies as she listens and reacts to a few of your Denver love stories.
And don’t miss today’s CCD newsletter! We’ve got EVEN MORE of your Denver love stories there to share: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Which Denver love story was your favorite? We’ll tell you ours if you tell us yours on Twitter. We’re @citycastdenver.
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Feb 11, 2022
The 16th St. Mall Needs Revitalizing (Again). Could the Olympics Be the Answer?
Even with Omicron slowly waning, Denverites are still not going downtown at a rate anywhere close to pre-pandemic levels. The lack of hustle and bustle has led the City of Denver and the Downtown Denver Partnership to propose yet another plan to “reactivate” the 16th St. Mall: rent-free pop-up shops to fill all the empty storefronts. Host Bree Davies and Producer Paul Karolyi speculate on the future of downtown with Westword editor Patty Calhoun. Then, Colorado’s own skiing sensation Mikaela Shiffrin shocked the world this week at the Beijing Olympics, prompting another round of the age-old debate: Should Denver make a bid to host the Winter Games?
For more on Denver’s unique relationship with the Olympics, check out our two-parter from last summer:
The Case For A Denver Olympics (with Downtown Denver Partnership board chair Robert Cohen)
The Case Against A Denver Olympics (with former Colorado governor Dick Lamm)
Paul mentioned that even elephants are getting into yoga…
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Feb 10, 2022
Why Librarians, Nurses, and Adjunct Professors Want The Right to Collective Bargaining
The King Soopers strike last month showed Coloradans what organized labor can accomplish to improve working conditions… but what about public workers, who don’t currently have the right to collective bargaining under state law? That’s where the Communication Workers of America (CWA) 7799 comes in. They’re a coalition of workers at Denver Public Library, the University of Colorado, Denver Health and UC Health who are working with state lawmakers to beef up Colorado’s labor laws and, they say, strengthen our public institutions in the process. Adjunct professor Alex Wolf-Root and library worker Liana Kiddy-Gan join host Bree Davies to talk about why collective bargaining is so important for public workers like themselves.
To find out more about CWA 7799 and ways to get involved in the fight for collective bargaining rights, visit their website: www.cwa7799.org
Wolf-Root mentioned that collective bargaining tends to help close race and gender gaps in the workplace. A true ac…
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Feb 9, 2022
Did Denver Sweep Unhoused Folks All The Way To The Airport?
There are so many people experiencing homelessness in Denver. And in some ways, Colorado’s problem is bigger than any other state’s — according to a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development study, Colorado’s “chronically sheltered” population has grown more than 250% in the last 14 years. Recently, two 9News reporters discovered that this uptick in folks looking for shelter has led them to places they’ve not typically gone before — like the airport. Jeremy Jojola and Zack Newman are back on the show to discuss their latest investigation into why arrests have tripled at the airport in the last few years, and how it’s all connected to Denver’s greater housing crisis.
Definitely check out Jeremy and Zack’s original report: https://www.9news.com/article/news/investigations/homeless-crisis-denver-airport/73-096826a3-658f-4036-a3d3-83bba7fda134
And keep sending us your Denver love stories! Call us at 720-500-5418, or send us an email at denver@citycast.fm, a…
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Feb 8, 2022
Finding Inspiration in the Wild West Tale of “Rattlesnake Kate”
One day in 1925, Kate Slaughterback and her adopted son Ernie were riding horses near Hudson, Colorado, when they were beset by rattlesnakes. Being no ordinary frontierswoman, Kate shot and clubbed 140 of them to death, earning her the nickname Rattlesnake Kate. Nearly 100 years later, another extraordinary Colorado woman stumbled across a dress made entirely out of rattlesnake skins and found herself beset by inspiration. A former member of The Lumineers, Neyla Pekarek wrote and recorded her first solo album based on Kate’s story a few years ago, and now, with help from the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, she’s adapted it into a full-blown musical. Host Bree Davies sits down with Pekarek to talk about what she saw in the little-known story of Rattlesnake Kate and why she deserves her place in the history of the Old West.
“Rattlesnake Kate” is in previews this week ahead of the big opening this Friday. You can learn more about it and find tickets here: https://www.den…
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Feb 7, 2022
DougCo’s Conservative School Board Majority Went Rogue — Now the Superintendent is Fired
In a private (and allegedly illegal) meeting last week, two conservative members of the Douglas County School Board issued Superintendent Cory Wise an ultimatum: resign or be fired. It was the latest in months of drama between students, teachers, parents, administration, and the newly elected, now-majority conservative board. Colorado Newsline reporter Chase Woodruff was on the ground in Castle Rock when thousands of protesters were gathering outside district offices last week, and he joins host Bree Davies to explain what’s been happening in DougCo’s contentious school district and why it all went off the rails at Friday night’s impromptu board meeting.
You can read Woodruff’s latest piece on the situation in DougCo, which was published before Wise’s firing, here: https://coloradonewsline.com/2022/02/04/protest-douglas-county-school-board-oust-superintendent/
Check out our daily newsletter for an even deeper dive on the DougCo drama: https://denver.citycast.fm/newslette…
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Feb 4, 2022
Was Elway Hungover? Should the Broncos Pursue Aaron Rodgers?
The Denver Broncos — what a week. From news of the team officially being put up for sale to a lawsuit alleging John Elway was a hungover slob in a past head coach interview, we’re here to talk about this mess of a football team. Producer Paul Karolyi is joined by City Cast Denver contributor Jake Shapiro and Westword editor Patty Calhoun to talk about what this means for the future of the Broncos, and if Denver could ever accept Aaron Rodgers as the city’s next football darling.
In the second half of this Friday Chat, producer Xandra McMahon, host Bree Davies, and newsletter writer Peyton Garcia share their Denver love stories… and we want to hear YOUR Denver love stories, too! Whether it’s about a special person, a pet, or a place — what’s happened in Denver that makes you feel those warm fuzzies? You can leave us a voicemail at 720-500-5418, send us a text, or email us at denver@citycast.fm. And stay tuned for something sweet in time for Valentine’s Day!
Head on o…
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Feb 3, 2022
The Epic Family Saga Behind Denver’s Biggest Lunar New Year Celebration
Billions of people all over the world celebrated the Lunar New Year on Tuesday, including here in Denver, where Mimi Luong’s family has made it their mission to share the holiday with everyone. Her grandparents, her dad, and her uncles all fled Vietnam during the fall of Saigon in 1975. When they arrived in Denver, they had nothing. But Mimi’s family worked hard to build a piece of home here and that dream eventually led to the Far East Center — a shopping plaza in Southwest Denver that celebrates Asian culture and heritage. This weekend, the Far East Center will host Lunar New Year festivities after taking a year off because of the pandemic.
For more details on the events visit: https://littlesaigondenver.com/
Newsletter writer Peyton Garcia has a robust roundup of other Lunar New Year events happening in Denver. Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
We would absolutely love it if you shared photos from any Lunar New Year fun happening in your area this wee…
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Feb 2, 2022
Denver's Mask Mandate is Lifting. So Is This Thing Over Yet?
Earlier this week, Mayor Hancock announced that he was letting Denver’s indoor mask mandate expire on Thursday. This means the days of mask requirements and proofs of vaccination will soon be a thing of the past. Though he cited waning numbers of Omicron cases and hospitalizations, the mayor also stated that we’re still dealing with an ongoing “public health emergency.” Today on the show, host Bree Davies talks with Dr. Jonathan Samet — a pulmonary physician, epidemiologist, and dean of the Colorado School of Public Health — about where we are with the Omicron variant and if this latest lifting of the mask mandate means we’re in the clear.
Producer Paul Karolyi caught mushroom fever and went down a rabbit hole of local wildfire science, ecology, and mycology. You can learn all about it in today’s City Cast Denver newsletter, which you can read and sign up for here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
We love Twitter! Find us there: @CityCastDenver
Learn more about…
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Feb 1, 2022
A Final Treasure Hunt at One of Denver's Oldest Surplus Stores
There is a special place in Denver with all the best old junk: shelves of antique tools, a ratty old flightsuit, bright yellow bombs hanging from the ceiling (decommissioned, we hope), and all sorts of hidden nooks and crannies filled with dusty treasures of yesteryear. Surplus Tools & Commodities now bills itself as a “unique shopping experience,” but long before all the artists and scavengers discovered its secrets, Roger Cox’s grandfather opened the shop in 1947 selling government surplus. Host Bree Davies lives a few blocks away, so when she saw Roger’s note that the shop is closing later this year, she invited her friend, artist Lauri Lynnx Murphy — who has been making art out of Surplus’s goods for decades — for one last spin through the aisles.
Wanna see photos of the treasure we found on our visit to Surplus Tools & Commodities? Subscribe to the CCD newsletter! https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Share the weirdest thing you’ve purchased at Surplus Tools…
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Jan 31, 2022
Can Denver's Tourist Trap of an Aquarium Treat Animals — and Employees — With Dignity?
If you’ve visited Denver’s Downtown Aquarium recently, you probably noticed something fishy. According to numerous current and former employees, the current owners have allowed the place to deteriorate, with issues ranging from paint chips in the stingray pool to piles of expired food for sale to not-so-subtle anti-mask messaging. So Host Bree Davies sat down with Westword reporter Catie Cheshire to talk about her recent investigation, including her undercover trip to the aquarium’s restaurant. They discuss the aquarium’s unique regulatory situation, the current owners (they run a chain of seafood restaurants!), and what, if anything, can be done to clean up this mess.
To read Cheshire’s whole cover story for Westword, find it on newsstands or online here:
https://www.westword.com/news/aquarium-downtown-denver-landrys-stingray-fish-starbucks-employee-complaints-13300068
The Irish Snug is gone!!!!!!!! Bree lamented the loss of a Colfax favorite in our newsletter today. Rea…
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Jan 28, 2022
Groceries... at Liquor Stores? Plus, Dearfield Could be Our Next National Park
Too many neighborhoods in Denver lack access to fresh food. It’s an ongoing problem as the city continues to grow and become more expensive, and the mom and pop markets get put out of business by the grocery conglomerates. But this week, one Republican lawmaker decided he had a plan to solve Colorado’s food desert problem: just put groceries into existing liquor stores. Hmmm…easier said than done. For this week’s Friday chat, City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi chats with host Bree Davies, and Westword editor Patty Calhoun about why food in liquor stores is actually a bad idea. Plus, the three discuss the exciting proposal to turn the historic Black farming settlement of Colorado’s Wild West days — Dearfield — into a National Park.
Like the music you heard on today’s show? It comes from the local group, Bluebook, who have a new album out soon. You can check out two of the tracks from the upcoming record on their website: https://www.thisisbluebook.com/listen
Folk…
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Jan 27, 2022
Smashing Disability Stereotypes with Phamaly Theatre Company
Denver’s Phamaly Theatre Company doesn’t just accommodate theatre artists with disabilities, they welcome them and celebrate them — they are them. Actor, director, and advocate Regan Linton is one of the filmmakers behind the 2021 documentary imperfect that takes audiences into this “sacred space,” as she calls it, as the actors and crew members put on a production of Chicago. The documentary won the audience award for best documentary at last year’s Denver Film Festival, and today, City Cast Denver host Bree Davies talks with Linton about disability representation and affirmation, the importance of vulnerability, and why this film is for everyone.
You’ll hear clips from imperfect in this episode, but you can stream it online (for $10, which includes access to all the other films in the Slamdance Film Festival) starting today at slamdance.com.
And find out more about Phamaly and their upcoming production, The Spitfire Grill, on their website.
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Jan 26, 2022
Can Skiers and Snowboarders Take on a Corporate Ski Resort Giant?
Vail Resorts isn’t just the biggest ski resort operator in Colorado, it’s the biggest operator in all of North America. But now, more than 40,000 skiers and snowboarders across the country are fed up with how Vail Resorts does business. A petition circulating in the ski and snowboard world aims to hold the company accountable for things like “mismanagement of the ski area, the failure to treat employees well, or pay them a livable wage, and the failure to deliver the product we all paid for and bought with hard-earned money during a pandemic.” So we called up Jason Blevins in Eagle, CO. When he’s not hitting the slopes at Beaver Creek, he’s reporting on all things outdoors for The Colorado Sun. He’s also a former ski bum, and walked City Cast Denver host Bree Davies through this skier vs. multi-million dollar corporate ski resort conflict.
Sign up for our daily newsletter to get an even bigger head start on the news of the day: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
A…
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Jan 25, 2022
Denver's Tumultuous Tattoo History, In Alicia Cardenas's Own Words
The mass shooting across Denver and Lakewood last month led to the deaths of five people, many of whom were leaders in the local tattooing community, including Alicia Cardenas. But as Westword's Culture Editor Emily Ferguson discovered when she was reporting on an art opening at a local parlor, the Denver tattoo community has a dark history of violence that long predates the events of December 27, 2021. Host Bree Davies sat down with Ferguson to talk about how Cardenas and a new wave of artists revolutionized the city’s tattoo scene and discuss Ferguson’s own experience of reporting on this community before and after the tragedy.
Content warning: Ferguson recorded an interview with Cardenas 12 days before the shooting. This episode includes clips from that interview.
For more on the Denver tattoo story, we highly recommend Ferguson’s story, including some pretty epic photos of 1970’s tattoo artists: https://www.westword.com/arts/denver-tattoo-murders-history-alicia-carden…
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Jan 24, 2022
The Picket Lines Are Down. But The King Soopers Labor Dispute Isn't Over.
Ten days after more than 8,000 grocery store workers across Denver walked out on strike, Kroger-owned King Soopers and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 announced a tentative agreement on Friday morning. Union president Kim Cordova said that the new three-year contract would address "the company's unfair labor practices and ensures that our members will receive the respect, pay, and protection they warrant.” But really, that’s for the workers to decide, and a vote is scheduled for today. So producer Paul Karolyi called up someone who’s been through this before. Miguel Jimenez worked for King Soopers from 1984 through 2006, including during several contract negotiations and strikes, and he shares his perspective on today's pivotal vote.
At one point in this conversation with Jimenez, Paul mentioned Ernie Duran Jr. He was Kim Cordova’s predecessor as president of the UFCW Local 7, and his tenure ended with quite a flameout of controversy. For the whole stor…
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Jan 21, 2022
When Is It Ok For Legacy Businesses To Change?
For this week’s Friday news roundup, City Cast Denver host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are joined by Westword editor and founder, Patty Calhoun, to discuss a couple legacy businesses in the city that are undergoing some big changes. First, in a lengthy investigative piece, Denverite found that some employees of Denver’s largest independent bookstore, Tattered Cover, are less than satisfied with the new owners who took over in 2020 and started aggressively expanding the business. Then, Denver Business Journal revealed this week that Tom’s Diner on Colfax might be coming back from the grave as…a 1970s-era Las Vegas-style cocktail lounge?
By the way, we want to find the best fried chicken in Denver, and we want your help! Email your pick to denver@citycast.fm or leave us a voicemail explaining why at 720-500-5418.
Subscribe to the CCD newsletter for great food recommendations around the city: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
You can also talk to us about fri…
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Jan 20, 2022
Everything You Wanted to Know About Denver But Were Too Afraid to Ask
People have been moving to Denver since, well, Denver became Denver. And it’s no secret, this tension between longtime residents and new folks is kinda the crux of our struggle as a city. So we thought, what better way to help get new Denverites acclimated than to bring in our boss David Plotz. He’s a lifelong Washingtonian, but as CEO of City Cast it’s part of his job to get to know all the cities that are part of our network: Chicago, Houston, Salt Lake City, Pittsburgh, and of course, Denver. So today on the show, David asks City Cast Denver host Bree Davies and producer Xandra McMahon some of his most embarrassing Denver questions, like: “What the heck is Red Rocks and do you actually get to sit on the rocks?” and “Does the altitude really affect your life that much?”
City Cast is growing and we’re hiring in a lot of cities! Check out the list here: https://citycast.fm/jobs/
Get all the Denver news and recs you need in your inbox every weekday morning. Subscribe t…
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Jan 19, 2022
Why is RTD “Dramatically” Overhauling Bus Routes Now?
Denverites are slowly returning to public buses, trains, and light rail, but ridership is still far below pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, bus drivers have been leaving the fleet in droves, and the Regional Transportation District (RTD) is still paying off huge loans from major projects of yesteryear. So why is now the right time for RTD to propose the biggest overhaul of bus routes since the 1970s? Colorado Public Radio’s transportation reporter Nathaniel Minor is back on the show to connect the dots. All of them. No matter how dispersed they are across the metro area.
For more on this new RTD proposal, check out Minor’s article laying out the details: https://www.cpr.org/2022/01/12/rtd-bus-network-overhaul/
At the end of the episode, Minor suggested that listeners who want a say in this route overhaul should get in touch with their RTD director. You can find yours and their contact info here: https://www.rtd-denver.com/board-of-directors
We’ve got even more Denver news…
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Jan 18, 2022
Five Points Has Changed. Is There Still Room For Welton St. Cafe?
Welton St. Cafe has seen Five Points change — a lot. But unlike many other Black-owned businesses in the neighborhood, the restaurant has been able to stay alive — and thrive — amid the displacement and gentrification of its own community. Still, real estate pressures have crept up on the decades-old, family-run business and the restaurant is ready for a new home. Host Bree Davies and producer Xandra McMahon sat down with Chereka Dickerson, whose family has been running the restaurant for most of her life, to find out more about their campaign to raise money for the next chapter of Welton St. Cafe and how they manage to keep the spirit of old Five Points alive.
If you’d like to support Welton St. Cafe’s effort to open a new restaurant space, here’s a link to the GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/c6p4h-last-man-standing
Get more news in your inbox every weekday morning by signing up for our newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
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Jan 14, 2022
Scenes from the King Soopers Picket Line
This past Wednesday morning, after negotiations with their parent company fell apart, thousands of King Soopers workers across metro Denver went on strike. We heard stories about tension along the picket lines, so host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi went out to see for themselves. We heard from workers, shoppers, a protester, and one assistant manager, who really, really did not seem happy to be dealing with us or any of this.
If you haven’t heard Bree’s interview with UFCW Local 7 president Kim Cordova from earlier this week, she explains why they called for a strike in the first place. You can listen to that here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6h7WKDjze5BpNYvqNFzEG0
Here’s a link to the survey Bree references in the episode: https://inthesetimes.com/article/kroger-grocery-survey-disturbing-new-report-shows-dire-conditions-for-workers
We’ll be following the King Soopers strike as it develops, and you can keep up with every twist and turn in our weekday morning n…
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Jan 13, 2022
The Marshall Fire Was Undoubtedly A ‘Climate Fire.’ Here’s Why That Matters.
The Marshall Fire burned hundreds of homes and businesses in Colorado to the ground, leaving many of us to wonder: Are wildfires in urban areas becoming a common occurrence? To get a better understanding of what happened with this latest megafire, host Bree Davies talks with Dr. Natasha Stavros, a fire ecologist and the Director of the Earth Lab Analytics Hub at CU Boulder. Dr. Stavros discusses the role of climate change and the conditions that led to the Marshall Fire. She also explores how — if we were to embrace hundreds of years of indigenous knowledge on how to use fire as a tool — we could potentially change the outcomes of these disasters.
Sign up for the City Cast Denver newsletter and stay up-to-date with news from around the city: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Chit-chat with us on Twitter: @citycastdenver
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Jan 12, 2022
State Sen. Brittany Pettersen Has Led On Mental Health and Gun Control. Now She's Running For Congress.
State Sen. Brittany Pettersen has served the community of Lakewood for 10 years, leading legislative efforts to fix our broken mental health safety net and impose new gun safety measures. And as of yesterday, she’s running for Congress. Pettersen hopes to replace fellow Democrat Ed Perlmutter, who has represented Colorado’s District 7 for the past 15 years. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies chats with Pettersen about her new campaign, what she has her sights on this legislative session, and how the “Red Flag Law” she co-sponsored back in 2019 could have done more in the Denver/Lakewood mass shooting on Dec. 27.
It would mean so much to us if you’d subscribe to our newsletter and then tell a friend to sign up too! https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
You can also connect with us on Twitter: @citycastdenver
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Jan 11, 2022
One Denver Teacher Says They're Not Just Burned Out, They're Being Set On Fire
With a snowstorm bearing down on Denver last Wednesday evening, Denver Public Schools sent an email to families cancelling the next day’s classes “due to severe weather" but also citing “continued severe staffing shortages.” We’ve been hearing about teacher shortages throughout the district for months, but something about this new mix of winter weather and the Omicron variant felt different. So we asked a teacher. Host Bree Davies sits down with North High School teacher Tim Hernández to hear why teachers are feeling so burned out, what are the stakes of the remote vs. in-person learning debate, and how the DPS staffing shortage is affecting his students.
For more on the poetry and photography project Bree mentioned at the end of this episode, check out this piece from the Denver Post. You can also find a digital copy of the project here.
Subscribe to the City Cast Denver weekday morning newsletter for even more news and cool events from around the city: https://denver…
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Jan 10, 2022
Why Are King Soopers Workers Going On Strike?
Early on in the pandemic, employees of grocery stores were deemed “essential” and “frontline workers.” But for many of them, going to work never stopped feeling like going to war. And now, the parent company behind Colorado’s largest grocery chain, King Soopers, is playing hardball on their new contract. So starting Wednesday, approximately 8,400 King Soopers employees are planning to go on strike. Host Bree Davies sits down with Kim Cordova, the president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, which represents King Soopers workers in Colorado and southern Wyoming, to hear how we got to this point, why the UFCW Local 7 filed a lawsuit over “scabs,” and how this strike would fit into the recent surge of labor organizing across the country.
For more on the parent company’s side of this labor dispute, we recommend this Westword article with a detailed breakdown of their latest contract offer and the union's counterproposal: https://www.westword.com/news/king-s…
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Jan 7, 2022
The Stock Show Must Go On, And Who is 'Don't Look Up' Really For?
It’s Friday, which means the City Cast Denver crew is back for a roundtable discussion on all things Denver. Producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon, newsletter writer Peyton Garcia, and host Bree Davies discuss the upcoming Stock Show, its lax stance on vaccination requirements, and what the whole agricultural enterprise historically means for Denver. Plus, SPOILER ALERT: the team discusses “Don’t Look Up,” the most-watched movie on Netflix ever that just so happens to be created by some Colorado-connected folks.
In the show, Paul mentions the Colorado Encyclopedia entry for “The First National Western Stock Show” : https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/first-national-western-stock-show
The song featured at the end of today’s episode was “Seeds We Sow” by David Lawrence and the Spoonful: https://davidlawspoonful.com/
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Jan 6, 2022
Why Candi CdeBaca Was The Only Councilperson to Vote No on ShotSpotter
Two years ago, thousands of Denverites took to the streets to protest the murder of George Floyd. Many politicians joined the protesters, lending weight to their calls to defund the police and reform our criminal justice system. But at the Denver City Council meeting this past Monday night, when a five-year, $4.7-million contract with a controversial gunshot detection technology went up for a vote, only one councilperson stood against it. Councilperson Candi CdeBaca joins host Bree Davies to explain why she opposes Denver police’s use of ShotSpotter and why we’ve seen so little movement on criminal justice reform since the protests.
For more on ShotSpotter, check out our episode from last September when Bree interviewed Axios Denver reporter Alayna Alvarez about the technology and the controversy surrounding it: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5xiPsLlR1vg2lhNhTFUXBn
Every Friday, Peyton puts together a carefully curated list of things to do, read, watch, see, and eat in Denver…
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Jan 5, 2022
The Broncos' Crazy Ownership Drama, Explained
What do Jay-Z, John Elway, Jeff Bezos, and Peyton Manning have in common? They’re all rumored to be interested in buying the Denver Broncos. And that might be exactly what the team needs after five straight losing seasons — to say nothing of all the behind-the-scenes drama around former owner Pat Bowlen’s last will and testament, which pitted brother against sister in a years-long legal battle over ownership of the team. Broncos president Joe Ellis said that an “ownership transfer” would be happening after this season. Now that the Broncos have officially been eliminated from playoff contention with a loss last weekend, host Bree Davies sits down with Ryan Koenigsberg and Zac Stevens of the DNVR Broncos Podcast to talk about Mr. Bowlen’s legacy in Denver, what a new owner could mean for the team and the city, and what we should make of those wild rumors. Jay-Z? Really???
When important Denver news breaks, you can trust that we’ll break it down for you in our newsletter.…
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Jan 4, 2022
Why Is Colorado’s Mental Health Care Safety Net So Broken?
It seems ironic that in a state that touts healthy lifestyles like hiking and biking and being outdoors, we have some of the worst mental health stats in the country. For a long time, Colorado has landed at the bottom of lists ranking state suicide rates and access to mental health care. Why? Susan Greene, a reporter for Colorado News Collaborative, recently published a six-month investigation into why Colorado’s mental health care “safety net” — the publicly funded community health care centers that are supposed to serve the uninsured — is failing so many Coloradans. She chats with City Cast Denver host Bree Davies about how our system got so broken and what it means for the people who need care most.
To read Greene’s whole story, here’s the version that was published in The Denver Post: https://www.denverpost.com/2021/12/05/colorado-mental-health-centers-investigation/
This story is part of a broader project from the Colorado News Collaborative, called On Edge. You…
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Jan 3, 2022
Dual Tragedies in Colorado Close Out the Year
Denver entered the new year under a dark cloud of tragedy. First, a man shot and killed 5 people last Monday in downtown Denver and Lakewood. Though the perpetrator’s motive is still unclear, he reportedly knew most of the victims through the tattoo and body modification community. Three days later, grass fires fueled by high winds forced tens of thousands of Coloradans to evacuate their homes in Superior, Louisville, and unincorporated Boulder County. According to the Boulder County Office of Emergency Management, 991 homes were destroyed, making the Marshall Fire the most destructive in Colorado history. Host Bree Davies, Producer Paul Karolyi, and Newsletter Writer Peyton Garcia come together to discuss what happened and share a few stories.
Do you have a connection to the shooting or the fires? We would love to offer up City Cast Denver as a platform for stories about victims, personal experiences of the fires, or anything else you’d like other Denverites to hear about these t…
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Dec 31, 2021
Superlatives Week: Best Steward of Old Denver
The City Cast Denver team is taking some time off until the new year but we didn’t want to leave you hanging. To look back on some of our favorite episodes of 2021, we’re handing out some well-deserved superlatives. Today’s superlative is best steward of Old Denver…Who could it be?!
City Cast Denver will return January 3, 2022 with fresh episodes.
Peyton has some special newsletters in store to get you through the holidays. Don’t miss out: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Our Twitter is taking a holiday too but we promise to post some really good tweets in the new year: @citycastdenver
Don’t peek! But here’s a link to this guest’s original episode, including a description and all the links you need to learn more.
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Dec 30, 2021
Superlatives Week: Most Alluring Voice
The City Cast Denver team is taking some time off until the new year but we didn’t want to leave you hanging. To look back on some of our favorite episodes of 2021, we’re handing out some well-deserved superlatives. Today’s superlative is the guest with the most alluring voice…Who could it be?!
City Cast Denver will return January 3, 2022 with fresh episodes.
Peyton has some special newsletters in store to get you through the holidays. Don’t miss out: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Our Twitter is taking a holiday too but we promise to post some really good tweets in the new year: @citycastdenver
Don’t peek! But here’s a link to this guest’s original episode, including a description and all the links you need to learn more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Dec 29, 2021
Superlatives Week: Biggest Bagel Fan
The City Cast Denver team is taking some time off until the new year but we didn’t want to leave you hanging. To look back on some of our favorite episodes of 2021, we’re handing out some well-deserved superlatives. Today’s superlative is the biggest bagel fan…Who could it be?!
City Cast Denver will return January 3, 2022 with fresh episodes.
Peyton has some special newsletters in store to get you through the holidays. Don’t miss out: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Our Twitter is taking a holiday too but we promise to post some really good tweets in the new year: @citycastdenver
Don’t peek! But here’s a link to this guest’s original episode, including a description and all the links you need to learn more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Dec 28, 2021
Superlatives Week: Most Likely To Get Stuck In The Gum Tree
The City Cast Denver team is taking some time off until the new year but we didn’t want to leave you hanging. To look back on some of our favorite episodes of 2021, we’re handing out some well-deserved superlatives. Today’s superlative is the guest most likely to get stuck in the gum tree…Who could it be?!
City Cast Denver will return January 3, 2022 with fresh episodes.
Peyton has some special newsletters in store to get you through the holidays. Don’t miss out: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Our Twitter is taking a holiday too but we promise to post some really good tweets in the new year: @citycastdenver
Don’t peek! But here’s a link to this guest’s original episode, including a description and all the links you need to learn more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Dec 27, 2021
Superlatives Week: Most Likely To Make Your Mouth Water & Tummy Grumble
The City Cast Denver team is taking some time off until the new year but we didn’t want to leave you hanging. To look back on some of our favorite episodes of 2021, we’re handing out some well-deserved superlatives. Today’s superlative is the guest who is most likely to make your mouth water and tummy grumble…Who could it be?!
City Cast Denver will return January 3, 2022 with fresh episodes.
Peyton has some special newsletters in store to get you through the holidays. Don’t miss out: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Our Twitter is taking a holiday too but we promise to post some really good tweets in the new year: @citycastdenver
Don’t peek! But here’s a link to this guest’s original episode, including a description and all the links you need to learn more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Dec 23, 2021
Superlatives Week: Most Likely To Get Your Toe Tappin’
The City Cast Denver team is taking some time off until the new year but we didn’t want to leave you hanging. To look back on some of our favorite episodes of 2021, we’re handing out some well-deserved superlatives. Up first: the guests who are most likely to get your toe tappin’…Who could it be?!
City Cast Denver will return January 3, 2022 with fresh episodes.
Peyton has some special newsletters in store to get you through the holidays. Don’t miss out: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Our Twitter is taking a holiday too but we promise to post some really good tweets in the new year: @citycastdenver
Don’t peek! But here’s a link to this guest’s orginal episode, including a description and all the links you need to learn more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Dec 22, 2021
The Casa Bonita Saga, Part 3: Change Nothing, Improve Everything
All week, we’ve been revisiting the biggest Denver story of the year — Casa Bonita’s bankruptcy and eventual sale to South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker. And now it’s time for the thrilling conclusion. Host Bree Davies and Producer Paul Karolyi revisit the not-too-distant past — late November — when Matt and Trey began unveiling their plans for CB 2.0, starting with a very exciting hire: Chef Dana Rodriguez.
Oh, and here’s that 5280 Magazine story about Raquelita’s that Paul mentioned.
Here’s how we described this episode when it initially aired on November 22:
For the last 20 months, the fate of Casa Bonita has been uncertain. Would Denver’s original “immersive experience” survive a pandemic, not to mention a bankruptcy? Things were looking up when Matt Stone and Trey Parker (you know, the guys who created South Park) announced they were purchasing CB. But optimism quickly turned to skepticism and hardcore fans wondered: Was our landmark of ki…
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Dec 21, 2021
The Casa Bonita Saga, Part 2: Welcome to South Parkland?
The biggest Denver story of the year was undoubtedly Casa Bonita, and the watchword for this second chapter of the story is “uncertainty.” Because back in August, South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker announced they'd be buying the place. We all knew that Matt and Trey found the Mexican restaurant in a strip mall comical, but did they get it? Like, if they were going to be the stewards of this place, did they really understand what made it special?
Join Host Bree Davies and Producer Paul Karolyi as we revisit that moment of uncertainty after the South Park guys bought the pink palace, when we took a tour with Westword editor Patty Calhoun and Bree interviewed David Thomas, “professor of fun” — both of whom really helped us understand what makes Casa Bonita so dang fun.
Here’s how we described this interview back when it aired on October 6:
It’s official: Trey Parker and Matt Stone have purchased Casa Bonita. So, now what? Will the Lakewood landmark stay th…
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Dec 20, 2021
The Casa Bonita Saga, Part 1: Andrew Novick in a Monkey Suit
City Cast Denver will return with new episodes on January 3. In the meantime, we’re looking back at some of our favorite moments of the year. First up, probably the story of the year in Denver, it’s the Casa Bonita saga.
Join Host Bree Davies and Producer Paul Karolyi to look back at all the ups and downs, starting today with our first interview on the topic from back in April just after Casa Bonita’s owners filed for bankruptcy. It was a dark time for the pink palace, to be sure.
Here’s how we described this episode when it initially aired on April 15:
Get Eric Cartman on the phone, Casa Bonita needs help. More than a year into the pandemic, the iconic Mexican restaurant slash immersive entertainment experience filed for bankruptcy earlier this week. There have been reports of community efforts to raise money to save the place, but until now it’s been unclear exactly how that might work. Andrew Novick, who’s visited Casa Bonita 300 times, and entrepreneur Danny Newma…
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Dec 18, 2021
#ListenLocal: From the Margins to the Center
It's time for another #listenlocal podcast recommendation from our friend Berry of Podcasts in Color, the largest database of podcasts produced by people of color in the world.
Berry's pick this month is From the Margins to the Center, a new podcast from House of Pod. Hosted by Becca Mendoza Nunziato and Jeanette Harris-Courts, this show "unapologetically amplifies voices of marginalized folks." Please enjoy the episode included here, featuring Natasha Pepperl on foster care, and subscribe anywhere you listen to podcasts. Learn more at houseofpod.org and follow Berry on Twitter @podcastsincolor.
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Dec 17, 2021
Denver Wins and Fails of 2021
It’s been a year, Denver. Maybe not a particularly great one, but it wasn’t all bad. And that’s why, for the final new episode of 2021, the City Cast Denver crew is calling out the wins and fails of the last year in this complicated city we all love.
City Cast Denver will be in your feeds all next week and the week after with some fun re-runs, so stick with us!
And Peyton is cooking up some special newsletters to get your through the holiday break. Don’t miss out, subscribe now: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Tell us what your Denver win and fail of the year is on Twitter: @CityCastDenver
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Dec 16, 2021
Nurses are Overworked and Underpaid. How Can We Support Them?
Burnout is hitting nurses hard as we barrel toward the pandemic’s second anniversary. Nearly one in five nurses in Colorado plans to quit their job in the near future, according to an American Nurses Foundation survey. Hospitals across the state are already strained by the number of COVID patients they’re seeing, and staff shortages could make the situation worse. Nurse Tara Rynders talks with guest host Avery Lill about the pressures nurses face and how they could be better supported. Rynders shares that her organization, The Clinic, is helping nurses at hospitals across Denver through art and play-based workshops.
If you want to watch the full performance of “COVID Stories” by The Clinic click here: https://www.theclinicperformance.com/covid-stories
Want to know more about your city? We’ve got a newsletter for you: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
We’d love to hear from you on Twitter! @citycastdenver
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Dec 15, 2021
Why Exactly Does DIA Need Another $1.1 Billion?
So apparently Denver International Airport just needs a billion more dollars to finish the construction project that’s already over-budget, overdue and over the top with its new, sparkly white floors that look like snow. The Great Hall renovation project has been a headache for more than four years now, but it’s supposed to make the travel experience… better? Somehow? Denver Post reporter Jon Murray has been covering the project since the beginning, and he’s back on the show with guest host Avery Lill to explain why the project has taken so long, where all that money is supposed to come from, and who all of this hoopla is really for.
For more details on next steps for the Great Hall project, here's Murray's latest for the Denver Post: https://www.denverpost.com/2021/12/10/denver-airport-terminal-project-completion/
Wanna know what’s on Peyton’s Plate this week? Subscribe to our weekday morning newsletter, and get personal restaurant recs and food news in your inbox ever…
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Dec 14, 2021
Reclaiming Education at the American Indian Academy of Denver
For a long time, schools have been used to erase Indigenous identities. Take the boarding schools of the 19th and 20th centuries where children were forced to shed their culture and assimilate into a Euro-Christian one. And the erasure can still be seen today in curricula and the staggeringly low graduation rates for Indigenous students. But a new charter school in southwest Denver hopes to reclaim what’s been lost and invest in the future of Denver’s 200 different Indigenous tribes. On a recent visit to the American Indian Academy of Denver, City Cast Denver guest host Avery Lill met the school’s founder, Dr. Terri Bissonette.
Want to feel even more connected to your city? Sign up for the CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Hey are you on Twitter? We are too! @citycastdenver
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Dec 13, 2021
BONUS: Remembering Demaryius Thomas
Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas died last Thursday at the age of 33. He last played for the Broncos in 2018, but he left an enduring legacy here in Denver, where teammates, sports reporters, and fans alike spent the weekend swapping stories of Thomas’s kindness and quiet pursuit of “everyday greatness,” as ESPN reported.
Our friends at the DNVR sports network recorded a raw conversation sharing some of their and their listeners’ experiences with Thomas, and we loved it, so please enjoy this bonus episode today.
Here’s how they described it:
It is a hard day for Broncos Country, the NFL, and anyone who had the pleasure of meeting or just watching Demaryius Thomas. The impact DT left on the world is being felt by the thousands of messages pouring in of what he meant to them.. We spent this episode remembering our favorite memories of Demaryius Thomas, looking back at all the good times and we also asked and share some of the moments our listeners a…
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Dec 13, 2021
How Denver Became A Beacon of Christmas Joy
Christmas lights have been a tradition for so long, it’s hard to imagine December without them. We heard a rumor that Denver was the birthplace of these magical twinkling bulbs — so we called up Colorado history expert Dr. William Wei to find out more. Guest host Avery Lill chats with Dr. Wei about his latest book, Becoming Colorado, which traces the state’s history using the backstories of one hundred objects, including a box of Christmas lights. We also went on a mission to find the folks behind the brilliant light displays at Denver’s City and County Building and connected with Nate, Madeline, and Heidi Webb . The Webbs have run their event lighting company Blazen Illuminations in Colorado for more than two decades and they share the secrets to what makes those holiday light shows so fun to watch.
Find out about more fun holiday stuff going on in Denver by subscribing to our weekday newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Have a favorite local Christmas light…
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Dec 11, 2021
EXTRA: Coal at Sunset: A Colorado Town in Transition
Where does Denver’s power come from? It’s a deceptively complex question, loaded with all kinds of personal, political, and global implications. But one thing is certain, less and less of the electricity that powers our city is coming from coal. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, coal-fired power plants provided 36% of Colorado’s electricity in 2020, down from 68% in 2010. So this weekend on the show, we’re bringing you a little perspective from outside the city. Our friends at the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science are producing an eight-part podcast exploring the transition away from coal in one of the most coal-reliant cities in the state — Craig, Colorado. This episode includes the first part in that series. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and click here to learn more: https://coalatsunset.org
Here’s their description for this first episode:
There's a popular saying in Craig: "Coal keeps the light…
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Dec 10, 2021
Union Station Woes, And That Terrible Denver Gazette Editorial
One RTD driver recently described Union Station as a “hellhole,” and concerns with safety, drug use, littering, and public urination are mounting. The city’s response? More policing. Today on the show, Producer Xandra McMahon chats with host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi about other possible solutions to social issues that don’t involve more versions of law enforcement. Plus, the crew tackles a horrific editorial the Denver Gazette ran this week that targeted our unhoused neighbors. Oh, and we’re joined by a special guest whose voice you’ll be hearing more often on the show!
A note: On the show today, we read part of a response from Benjamin Dunning from Denver Homeless Out Loud, regarding the Denver Gazette’s editorial. Here’s the full version of the statement he sent to us:
“Peoples ignorance when it comes to homelessness is amazing as evidenced by the editorial 'Denver’s drifters glamp on taxpayers’ tab.' from the Denver Gazette. The article has no…
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Dec 9, 2021
iZCALLi Invites You To Celebrate La Posada With A Rock Show
A traditional holiday celebration in Spain and Latin America, La Posada has never really taken root here in Denver. But maybe that should change? Miguel Aviña certainly thinks so. He and his band, iZCALLi, put on an annual concert commemorating the event, and this weekend it’s going to be bigger and better than ever, with a jam-packed line-up taking the stage at Meow Wolf’s Perplexiplex Saturday night. Host Bree Davies sits down with Aviña to talk about the meaning of La Posada, his favorite Christmas music to perform, and what to expect at iZCALLi’s big bang of an end-of-year show.
Looking for a little more local holiday music for your weekend? One of the acts joining iZCALLi on stage for La Posada, Kayla Marque, live-streamed a set of holiday tunes on PBS12 last year. Catch “How COVID Stole Christmas” here: https://www.facebook.com/PBS12.CO/videos/1357156864622162/
The songs we featured in this episode include:
“Corriendo Con Todo” off of iZCALLi’s 2018 album…
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Dec 8, 2021
BONUS: Left Hand Left Out
Did you know that today is actually a holiday here in Colorado? Happy Margaret Coel Day! So we thought, what better way to celebrate than to share this audio documentary our producer Paul Karolyi made last year featuring Coel and her work? She’s best known for her Wind River mystery novels, but before she got into fiction, she published a historical biography of Arapaho Chief Left Hand, who famously uttered these famous words about Boulder Valley: “People seeing the beauty of this valley will want to stay, and their staying will be the undoing of the beauty.” Or did he? This is a story about exactly that uncertainty, as well as the nature of storytelling itself and land acknowledgements.
This audio doc originally appeared on the podcast Range & Slope, where you can hear a couple of Paul’s other audio docs, like this one about Beau Jo’s so-called Colorado-style pizza or this one about Fort St. Vrain, Colorado’s first and still only nuclear power plant.
Learn more about yo…
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Dec 8, 2021
Valentes Corleons: Nightclub Kingpin? Mobster? Both?
The LoDo nightclub Beta was once one of the top EDM clubs in the country, if not the world. But after a few high-profile violent incidents over the summer, a couple of undercover police raids, and one off-the-wall Von Miller party, Beta is on the verge of losing its liquor license, which would effectively shut it down for good. So what happened? Host Bree Davies sits down with Westword reporter Conor McCormick-Cavanagh to break down the story and the self-proclaimed “made man” at the center of it all — Beta’s owner, Valentes Corleons. Plus, Producer Paul Karolyi called up Corleons to get his side of the story.
For more on the Beta situation, here’s McKormick-Cavanagh’s latest for Westword.
Every Thursday in our newsletter, Peyton is reviewing a Denver restaurant and sharing the inside scoop on Denver restaurants. Subscribe now to make sure Peyton’s Plate hits your inbox tomorrow morning: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Have you ever been to Beta? Let’s talk:…
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Dec 7, 2021
Tay Anderson Opens Up About His Controversial Year
Tay Anderson made national headlines in 2019 when he was elected as the youngest Denver Public Schools board member in Colorado history. In 2021, he made headlines again — this time for accusations of sexual assault and sexual misconduct. But then a third-party investigation concluded that the most serious of the allegations were unsubstantiated, and just last week his peers elected him Vice President of the DPS board. Host Bree Davies sits down with Anderson to talk about the ups and downs of the last year and what he sees for his future and the future of Denver Public Schools.
Stay up-to-date with Denver happenings by subscribing to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenver
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Dec 6, 2021
Stranahan’s Snowflake: A Whiskey Worth Waiting For
Of all Denver’s great holiday traditions, there’s only one carefully crafted to drive whiskey lovers wild. Local distiller Stranahan’s started selling small batches of “Snowflake” whiskeys way back in 2007. But in the last few years, the Snowflake has taken on a lore of its own as aficionados camp out for days next to the distillery, just for the chance to get a bottle of that year’s unique, limited-edition recipe. This year, Stranahan’s decided to do things a little differently, turning the low-key campout into a full-fledged blowout at Red Rocks, complete with food trucks and live music. City Cast Denver correspondent JD Lopez — host of the Left Hand Right Brain podcast — headed over to the amphitheater’s parking lot at the crack of dawn to talk to Colorado’s whiskey tailgaters and find out what makes the Snowflake blend good enough to wait in line for.
Plus, our VOICE on the Street segment is back — this time, we hear from Denver VOICE street paper vendor…
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Dec 3, 2021
Will This Family-Owned Pizza Joint Survive Another Pandemic Winter?
It’s official: the Omicron variant has hit Colorado. As we brace for continued disruptions in our daily lives, there’s still a lot at stake — schools are short-staffed, hospitals are overloaded, and our local economy is still dealing with supply chain issues and employee shortages. So, what does this all mean for family-owned businesses in Denver? Oblio’s, a long-running pizza joint in Park Hill, has been very forthright about the pandemic’s ongoing impacts on their business. In fact, they recently launched a GoFundMe in an effort to keep the family restuarant afloat — and in the post, owner Morgan McKay candidly shared what it has been like trying to save her family’s pizza legacy. City Cast Denver Producer Paul Karolyi chatted with Morgan about Oblio’s future and the concerns she has going into what looks like another winter of suriving a pandemic.
Find great stuff to do this weekend by subscribing to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/new…
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Dec 2, 2021
Did Denver’s Last Lesbian Bar Weaponize Its Status?
There is only one lesbian bar left in Denver. It’s one of only around 20 left in the United States. But according to a new lawsuit from three former employees, Blush & Blu owner Jody Bouffard has used that status for years to “create a culture of obligation where workers were required to accept mistreatment and brazen underpayment as a ‘service’ to the bar and broader queer community.” City Cast Denver producer Xandra McMahon sits down with one of those former employees, Jordan Feltner, to talk about what happens when power dynamics are at play within a vulnerable, marginalized community.
You can read the entire lawsuit here: https://towardsjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2021.11.12-Filed-Blush-Complaint.pdf
Here is the full statement we received from Blush & Blu:
"Jody Bouffard and Blush & Blu deny these untrue and shocking allegations from three former off-and-on part-time staff. Bouffard has never intentionally belittled anyone in the manner described or other…
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Dec 1, 2021
Finding a Recovery Community through Coffee
When Pastor Ryan Canaday confessed his alcoholism to his congregation back in 2013, he was shocked by the outpouring of love and stories from others who were on their own journeys of recovery. It was that experience that eventually led him and his wife Tami Canaday — a former climber on the corporate coffee ladder — to build their own community around coffee and recovery. Host Bree Davies sits down with the Canadays to talk about how the “gift of desperation” led them to start a non-profit, a coffee roasting company, Wagon Coffee, and now their very own coffee shop — all to help normalize and support people in recovery from alcoholism.
The Canadays have been hosting support groups virtually every Saturday at 7 p.m. throughout the pandemic, and they are excited to return to in-person meetings this Saturday, December 4, at 2122 S. Lafayette St. Find all the details here.
For more on the Canadays, here’s the 303 Magazine piece where we first heard about them.
Don’t miss…
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Nov 30, 2021
Step Inside Camp Christmas, Lonnie Hanzon’s Glittery Wonderland
We may have yet to see snow on the ground, but artist Lonnie Hanzon has successfully captured the feeling of Christmas in his annual immersive installation, Camp Christmas. Lonnie’s work is kitschy, but not cynical; it’s over-the-top, but not obnoxious. This year, he’s transformed the entire 15-building campus at Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park into a lavish and sparkling winter wonderland, complete with neon trees, glitter horses, rainbow chandeliers, and psychedelic sheep. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies caught up with Lonnie Hanzon to learn all about the creation of Camp Christmas and how he captured the feeling of the season in this beautiful, interactive landscape.
Camp Christmas is in partnership with the DCPA and the city of Lakewood. It runs until Jan. 2, 2022 and you can buy tickets by clicking here.
Get more local Christmas info via the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Tell us your favorite Denver Christmas traditions on twitter…
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Nov 29, 2021
Tattered Cover’s Books of The Year
What’s the best part of any good local bookstore? The staff recs! Duh. We love those colorful little handwritten notes on the shelf pointing us to that next page-turner. So as holiday shopping gets under way, we invited two of Tattered Cover’s book buyers to come on the show and share some of their favorites of the year. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sits down with Jeremy Patlen and Kathy Baum to talk through Tattered Cover’s 2021 Books of The Year and give us a little behind-the-shelf insight into how these recommendations happen.
Find links to all the books mentioned and the full list right here: https://www.tatteredcover.com/2021-books-year
And for even more on The Holly: Five Bullets, One Gun, and The Struggle to Save an American Neighborhood, check out our interview with author Julian Rubinstein and Terrance Roberts, the former gang member-turned-anti-gang activist at the heart of Rubinstein’s book: https://open.spotify.com/episode/55BtBvCfcJZ52TJB34sKbv?si=67eb748…
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Nov 24, 2021
Den-Mex (Uncensored)
We’re taking the rest of the week off to be with friends and family, so please enjoy this re-run of one of our favorite episodes of the year. We took out the bleeps and added back some of the good stuff that didn’t make it onto the plate last time. Enjoy!
Here’s our original description for this episode:
So what exactly is Denver-style Mexican food? How do we differentiate our particular brand of Mexican food? (Hint: We’re talking green chile. On everything.) Food writer Gustavo Arellano and Westword editor and Den-Mex super fan Patty Calhoun break down where it came from, what we need to do to protect it, and what makes Den-Mex so special.
Warning: Side effects of this episode may include a growling stomach and watering mouth.
Subscribe to our morning newsletter for more Denver news, and follow us on Twitter @citycastdenver.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Nov 23, 2021
A Popular News Anchor Became Disabled. Then 9News Fired Her.
After suffering a stroke in 2019, Kristen Aguirre was let go from her dream job at 9News. Her colleagues supported her recovery. The station even broadcast her story of recovery on World Stroke Day. But behind the scenes, she says management made it clear: they didn’t want her on TV anymore. Host Bree Davies sits down with Aguirre to talk about what happened, why she’s now suing 9News for racial and disability-related discrimination, and why it is so important for her to bring her experience with disability and discrimination to light.
Read the details of Kristen Aguirre’s case via original reporting from The Denver Post: https://www.denverpost.com/2021/11/11/kristen-aguirre-sues-9news-discrimination/
Peyton’s been cooking up some good stuff over at the City Cast Denver newsletter, which you can subscribe to here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Say hello on Twitter: @citycastdenver
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Nov 22, 2021
Casa Bonita’s Food Needs Help. Chef Dana Rodriguez to the Rescue!
For the last 20 months, the fate of Casa Bonita has been uncertain. Would Denver’s original “immersive experience” survive a pandemic, not to mention a bankruptcy? Things were looking up when Matt Stone and Trey Parker (you know, the guys who created South Park) announced they were purchasing CB. But optimism quickly turned to skepticism and hardcore fans wondered: Was our landmark of kitsch and fun in danger of being changed forever? Turns out, things are changing. But it sounds like… for the better? Last week, news broke that Parker and Stone have hired renowned chef Dana Rodriguez, the culinary visionary behind hit restaurants like Super Mega Bien and Work & Class, to improve the food. Host Bree Davies called up the chef to find out what, exactly, she has planned for CB 2.0.
Subscribe to the Casa Bonita Podcast…er, City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Tell us your hopes and dreams for CB on Twitter: @citycastdenver
Learn more about your…
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Nov 19, 2021
Could The Words "Gourmet" and “Casa Bonita" Really Go Together?
These days, it seems like the Casa Bonita news faucet never turns off. This week, the new owners Matt Stone and Trey Parker (ever heard of ‘em??) announced that renowned Denver chef Dana Rodriguez would be taking over the CB kitchen. The internet all but imploded and so did the City Cast Denver team. So producer Xandra McMahon, host Bree Davies, and newsletter writer Peyton Garcia are on the show today to talk through those reactions and nervous feelings. Plus, Peyton has a curated restaurant recommendation to get you through your weekend.
For more about chef (and possible future mayor) Frank Bonanno, he was one of our very first guests when we launched this show back in March. You can hear that episode right here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5w7mP3I6DQ8P7fZk5OMSCF?si=00ddd5163eec485d
Get Peyton’s Plate in your inbox on Fridays! And a healthy digest of news and cool events throughout the week: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m…
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Nov 18, 2021
BookBar Buys The Bookies
The Bookies has been an institution in Denver for decades. Tucked away inside a nondescript Glendale strip mall, the bookstore has served generations of curious young readers and helped teachers curate their classrooms affordably for more than 50 years. But in July, the bookstore lost its owner and steward, Sue Lubeck — and the fate of the quirky bookseller was unknown. Enter Nicole Sullivan, owner of BookBar across town. Host Bree Davies sat down with The Bookies’ new owner to talk about her plans for the beloved Denver staple. Plus, we chatted with one of The Bookies’ many longtime employees about how Sue Lubeck’s kindness was so infectious.
Get more news delivered to your inbox every weekday by signing up for the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Share your Bookies memories with us on Twitter: @citycastdenver
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Nov 17, 2021
Is It Really That Hard to Build Affordable Housing in Denver?
It’s no secret that Denver’s a pretty expensive place to live these days. But there’s hope — in recent years, voters have approved measures to help ease the burden of high housing costs. Still, there’s a lot of mystery around how, exactly, affordable housing gets built in Denver. Today on the show, Host Bree Davies speaks with developer Kimball Crangle of Gorman & Company, who has built affordable housing all over Colorado, to explain how it works, why it's important, and how you can help.
Also: Denver recently proposed a new affordable housing policy. The Department of Community Planning and Development has a whole mess of documentation for Denverites to dig through, plus dates and times for open houses and focus groups to talk about the proposal, if you’re into that sort of thing: https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Community-Planning-and-Development/Denver-Zoning-Code/Text-Amendments/Affordable-Housing-Project
The first announced changes…
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Nov 16, 2021
Denver on Shrooms: It's Been a Trip!
Way back in the spring of 2019, Denver became the first American city in the country to decriminalize psilocybin, or magic mushrooms, with 50.56% of voters in favor. That left many Denverites worried about where decriminalization could lead — like Jeff Hunt, who said this to CBS4: “What I’m afraid we’re going to see happen now is people go, ‘Denver is a place where I’m not going to get prosecuted, so we’re going to increase the use of these drugs.’” Well, Jeff, the first batch of numbers are in! Today on the show, host Bree Davies sits down with Kevin Matthews, the former West Point cadet who led the decriminalization campaign. He’s been working with the city to monitor the situation and last week he presented a report and some interesting recommendations for next steps to City Council.
To see Matthews’ whole presentation to City Council last week, click here: http://denver.granicus.com/player/clip/14561?view_id=180&redirect=true
For more on the push toward le…
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Nov 15, 2021
Thunderbird Man's Legacy Now Includes a Library
Like many American cities, Denver is home to many buildings, streets, and monuments commemorating problematic figures from our sometimes violent and racist past. Slowly but surely, we’re changing that. Like this past weekend, the Byers Branch Library in La Alma Lincoln Park was officially renamed in honor of John Emhoolah Jr., “Thunderbird Man,” a Kiowa and Arapaho elder who spent his life advocating for Native American education and religious liberty. City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi was at the ceremonial renaming ceremony on Saturday, and he has the story.
For more on why Denver Public Library wanted to rename the Byers Branch, here’s a brief summary of his support for the Sand Creek Massacre: https://history.denverlibrary.org/news/william-n-byers-contributing-massacre
What’s the latest on Denver’s pandemic protocols? Supply chain issues? And housing crisis? Get all that and more in our weekday morning newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
We don…
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Nov 12, 2021
Traffic Deaths, Vision Zero’s Zero Score, & Denver’s World Cup Possibility
Denver had to face a hard truth this week: so far in 2021, 73 people have been killed on the city’s roadways. That’s the highest number of traffic deaths Denver has seen since the Vision Zero plan was implemented in 2016. The plan hoped to end all traffic deaths by 2030, but clearly the numbers are going in the wrong direction. Why? Host Bree Davies and producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon discuss the age-old Denver question: Who really owns these streets? Plus, the crew debates whether Denver’s bid for the 2026 World Cup is a good idea or not.
Paul mentioned a website that leaks all of FIFA’s dirty secrets. Here’s a New Yorker story about it: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/06/03/how-football-leaks-is-exposing-corruption-in-european-soccer
For more on Colorado’s obsession with big SUV’s, check out Nate Minor’s story for CPR News: https://www.cpr.org/2021/10/01/colorado-suvs-sales-carbon-emissions-pedestrian-safety/
Our newsletter writer Peyton Garcia…
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Nov 11, 2021
An Ode to The Denver Diner Before It Gets Chase-Bank'd
Last week, it was announced that the boarded-up Denver Diner would not re-open, but instead become a Chase Bank. The beloved late-night dining spot that had served the city for decades (even long before it became The Denver Diner in the ’90s) was going away for good — leaving Denver with even less options for a 24-hour gathering place with affordable meals. Today on the show, host Bree Davies reminisces with fellow Denver Diner enthusiast Kalyn Heffernan about their mutual love for a dining spot that acted as an intersection for humanity and proved to be one of the most physically and economically accessible meeting places in the city. Plus, we hear from newsletter writer Peyton Garcia about hers -and some of your- favorite diners in Denver.
Wondering what diners still exist in the Mile High City? Westword has an excellent survey of the current diner scene: https://www.westword.com/restaurants/late-night-food-diners-denver-12725841
Get more dirt on Denver in your inbox every we…
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Nov 10, 2021
Author Jenny Shank Seeks Human Connection in 'Mixed Company’
Jenny Shank grew up in southeast Denver, but when it was time for school, she was bused all over the city — from an elementary school with a Chicano-rooted curriculum on the West Side to a predominantly Black middle school near Five Points. And it was those experiences that informed her new George Garrett Fiction Prize-winning collection of short stories, “Mixed Company.” It explores all the awkward, comical, and challenging ways that very different kinds of Coloradans can still find ways to connect. Host Bree Davies sits down with Shank to talk about their shared history with Denver Public Schools and busing, and how they understand their similar education experiences differently today.
“Mixed Company” comes out later this month. For more details on how to get yourself a copy or attend an upcoming reading, check out Shank’s website or RSVP to this reading she's doing in January with a couple of other local authors.
For more on Denver’s history of busing, check out ou…
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Nov 9, 2021
Why You Can’t Watch the Nuggets, Avs or Rapids on TV
If you’ve tried to watch the Nuggets or the Avalanche on TV at all in the last three years, you may have noticed that well, you can’t. That’s because Denver is going into its third season of a blackout, thanks to a dispute between Altitude, the regional sports network that broadcasts our teams, and Comcast, the metro area’s most popular cable provider. While the corporate giants battle it out in court, fans are left to try to watch games in person, switch cable providers, or find less-than-legal streams online. Today, Host Bree Davies chats with Denver Post reporter and City Cast Denver sports expert Jake Shapiro about why, exactly, local sports fans are shut out from watching their teams on TV.
Get news you can use every weekday morning by signing up for the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Give us your Altitude TV/Comcast hot takes via Twitter: @citycastdenver
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Nov 8, 2021
15 Years of Food Justice on Colfax
Walk into SAME Café on East Colfax, and it looks like your average fast-casual lunch spot. But there’s A LOT of good stuff going on under the surface. SAME, which stands for So All May Eat, is a donation-based “participatory” restaurant. Anyone can go in and get a freshly cooked meal made with local produce. All you have to do is give something back to the community in exchange — be it a donation of produce, money, or your time. Host Bree Davies sits down with SAME Café’s new executive director Brad Reubendale to talk about SAME’s 15-year anniversary, his winding journey to this job, and the restaurant’s new “trauma-informed design.”
For more on SAME Cafe’s 15-year anniversary, check out this article from 5280 Magazine: https://www.5280.com/2021/11/celebrating-one-of-the-countrys-oldest-pay-what-you-can-restaurants/
The holidays are just around the corner! Do you have a favorite tradition around this time of year where you like to give back or connect with our c…
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Nov 5, 2021
Chipotle vs. Illegal Pete’s: A Denver-Style-Mission-Style Burrito Battle
Way back in the early ’90s, the Denver-style-Mission-style burrito rolled into town thanks to Chipotle. They introduced a massive meal you could eat with two hands — a steamed tortilla chock-full of rice, beans, meat, and all sorts of toppings. Illegal Pete’s appeared just a few years later in Boulder with a similar style burrito, but a restaurant environment all its own. Today on the show, the City Cast Denver crew gets together to talk about these burrito behemoths and tries to decide who makes the best Denver-style-Mission-style meal in the Mile High City.
Want more of Peyton’s culinary recs? Check out the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Tell us where you stand on the Chipotle/Illegal Pete’s debate on Twitter: @citycastdenver
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Nov 4, 2021
BONUS: What Sara Terry Learned at Mobile Home University
In this morning’s episode, Bree talked to documentarian Sara Terry about her new film A Decent Home, which is premiering this Saturday at Denver Film Fest. It was a fascinating, wide-ranging conversation, so we wanted to share a little bonus excerpt. It’s about the scene in the documentary where Sara visits Mobile Home University, a Colorado-based program that teaches people how to buy and make the most money possible out of mobile home parks.
Here’s a great piece from the Denver Post’s Sam Tabachnik about Mobile Home University if you want to learn more: https://www.denverpost.com/2021/09/05/mobile-home-university-rv-horizons-impact-communities-frank-rolfe-dave-reynolds/
Stream Sara Terry’s new documentary, A Decent Home, online: https://watch.eventive.org/denverfilmfestival/play/6154d7761d62fd003e42366d
Or catch a screening in-person, as part of the 44th Annual Denver Film Festival:
Sat, Nov 6th, 4:00 PM @ Maglione Theater (Sie)
Sun, Nov 7th, 2:30 PM @ AMC House 3
Th…
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Nov 4, 2021
Searching for 'A Decent Home' at an Aurora Mobile Home Park
After filmmaker Sara Terry almost lost her home in 2008, she thought a lot about housing stability and inequality. In Terry’s new documentary, A Decent Home, she tackles an often unseen side of the housing crisis — the precarious nature of mobile home parks — with the vigor of a career journalist and the humanity of a natural storyteller. Today on the show, Host Bree Davies talks with Terry about her film and the people she chose to profile, particularly the residents of Aurora’s Denver Meadows mobile home park as they fought to stay housed. Terry also discusses the documentary’s exploration of predatory park owners across the country, who make their money by squeezing every last penny out of people on the margins of society.
Terry is hosting a convening this Saturday ahead of the premiere at 4 p.m. It will feature former residents of Denver Meadows alongside activists and elected officials. The event is set to run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and space is very limited, so if yo…
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Nov 3, 2021
How Denver Voted (And How We Feel About It)
Yes, voter turnout was low. And yes, there weren’t any major offices up for grabs. But there were a lot of important issues at stake in Denver’s election, and we stayed up all night — okay, some of the night — to see what happened. Bree, Peyton, Paul, and Xandra break down what voters approved, what they rejected, and what that’s going to mean for all of Denver.
As the fallout from the election unfolds, we’ll have plenty of coverage in our newsletter. Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
You heard our first reactions to the results. But we want to hear from you, too! Tweet us your hottest election takes @citycastdenver
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Nov 2, 2021
A Denver Royal Gives Up Her Crown
In the spring of 1958, Marilyn Van Derbur was on University of Colorado’s ski team, worried about moguls and final exams. By fall, she was crowned Miss America. Decades later, she used her Miss America platform to support and advocate for survivors of sexual abuse — something Van Derbur herself endured throughout childhood at the hands of her father. But now, after more than 60 years of philanthropy and advocacy, she’s decided to sell her Miss America crown. Host Bree Davies sits down with Van Derbur to talk about what the crown has meant to her and why she decided to sell it now.
Van Derbur’s crown, as well as a collection of other Miss America memorabilia, will be going on auction through Heritage Auctions starting November 4, 2021. The bidding will reportedly start at $20,000.
Want the results of today’s election delivered straight to your inbox tomorrow morning at 6 a.m.? Subscribe to our newsletter today: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
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Nov 1, 2021
Colorado Snagged $34 Million For Transit and RTD Gets... None?
It’s no secret that RTD has been struggling for years. Even before the pandemic, the regional public transportation provider was experiencing a drop in ridership, despite the state seeing a population boom. Then there was the bus driver and light rail operator shortage, the organization’s ever-consuming debt, constant bus schedule changes, and whole routes being cut. Recently though, $34.2 million in federal transit aid made its way to Colorado… but RTD didn’t get any of it. Instead, the millions of dollars landed in Boulder. Host Bree Davies talks with RTD Board Director Shontel Lewis about what happened with this money and why the transit organization continues to struggle.
Read Shontel’s Op-Ed for the Denver Post about CDOT withholding federal transit funding: https://www.denverpost.com/2021/10/25/rtd-cdot-federal-funding/
Looking for more local news? Subscribe to the City Cast Denver weekday newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Tell us about your commut…
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Oct 29, 2021
Halloween Spooktacular! With Denver’s Clerk & Recorder Paul López
It’s Halloween weekend and the City Cast Denver crew created a special episode to celebrate the spooky season. Today on the show, Denver’s Clerk and Recorder Paul López joins Host Bree Davies to share a ghostly tale involving one of the Mile High City’s oldest (and possibly haunted?) hotels in downtown. Will you be able to guess which one it is? Then, professional fright expert and haunted house actor Danielle Look shares her tips and tricks for scaring the pants off people. She’s also got some recommendations for the scariest spots in town.
Looking for good trick-or-treat destination recommendations and other spooky things to do this holiday? Check out today’s newsletter, which is packed with Denver Halloween weekend fun: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Tag us in your Denver Halloween fun this weekend on Twitter: @citycastdenver
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Oct 28, 2021
You Gotta Fight For Your Right to Build a Skate Park
It’s election season here in Denver, but elections are far from the only way to make changes you want to see in your community. Take, for example, the group of kids who recently pitched Councilwoman Kendra Black on building a skate park in her southeast Denver district. Is that really how it works? Host Bree Davies sits down with Black to talk through why their pitch clicked with her and how she plans to make it a reality.
If you want to show your support for Councilwoman Black’s skate park project, there are two good ways to do that right now. First, as she mentions in this episode, you can get in touch with her office and potentially join a steering committee to work on it directly. You can find contact info for her office her: https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Denver-City-Council/Council-Members/Kendra-Black-Council-District-4
Second, you can let the Parks and Recreation Department know how strongly you feel about skate parks or any other outdoo…
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Oct 27, 2021
Denver City Council vs. Bubble Gum Vape Juice
There’s been a battle brewing over kids and vaping for the past few years — and now Denver is mired in the haze. It all started when Councilmember Amanda Sawyer thought her daughter was buying bubblegum-flavored vape juice on the internet. But now her proposal to ban the sale of all flavored smoking products has evolved into a passionate, multi-sided debate, and the only thing that’s clear is that not everyone can get what they want. Host Bree Davies talks to Denver Post reporter Noelle Phillips about why this proposal was so provocative for so many different kinds of Denverites.
For more, Noelle’s piece on the push to ban sales of flavored smoking products is here: https://www.denverpost.com/2021/10/25/denver-flavored-tobacco-vape-ban/
Keep up with all the breaking Denver vaping news in our newsletter. Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Tweet us @citycastdenver
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Oct 26, 2021
Why Denver Should NOT Pay For A New National Western Arena
The National Western Stock Show has been a big deal in Denver for decades, drawing farmers, ranchers, equestrians and rodeo enthusiasts to the city. This two-week long event at the beginning of every year is also big business — and Mayor Hancock thinks its worth investing in, to the tune of $190 million. This election, Denver will vote on a bond package that includes measure 2E, which asks voters to approve the construction of a 10,000-seat arena along with renovations to an existing Stock Show Complex building. Host Bree Davies talks to #NoOn2E campaign manager Sarah Lake and Alfonso Espino, a representative of community activist group, GES Coalition. Lake and Espino make their case for why voters should think twice before signing off on a multi-million dollar project in the middle of a community that has seen neglect by the city for decades.
Don’t miss yesterday’s show with Bree and at-large councilwoman Deborah “Debbie” Ortega — who represented the National Western Ce…
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Oct 25, 2021
Why Denver Should Pay For a New National Western Arena
Every January for more than 100 years, Denver has hosted the National Western Stock Show. The event draws farmers and ranchers from across the West to show off their livestock, compete in the rodeo, and remind Denver that despite its big city ambitions, it’s still surrounded by those amber waves of grain. But how much are Denver taxpayers willing to invest into this relationship? Mayor Michael Hancock has asked voters to approve $190 million for renovations and upgrades at the National Western Center, including a brand new, 10,000 seat arena. So it’s time for voters to decide: should the National Western Center get a $190-million facelift or should we be spending that money elsewhere? To understand the case for a new arena, Host Bree Davies speaks with at-large councilwoman Deborah “Debbie” Ortega — who represented the National Western Center’s surrounding neighborhoods on council from 1987 to 2003 — about why #YesOn2E is best for the community.
Make sure to come back to…
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Oct 24, 2021
BONUS: The DAM’s “Marie Antoinette Moment”?
The Denver Art Museum opened up its new $175-million front door this morning, and Bree has some thoughts.
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Oct 23, 2021
#ListenLocal: How Art is Born
Berry is back! That's right, our favorite local podcast critic is back with another #listenlocal recommendation for your weekend. Berry’s pick this month is How Art is Born, the first-ever podcast from Denver's Museum of Contemporary Art. Also of note, it's hosted by R. Alan Brooks, who local podcast fans will recognize from his show about comics and culture, Motherf**ker in a Cape. How Art is Born features interviews with all kinds of Colorado creatives, from comedians like Janae Burris to photographers like Armando Geneyro, who is featured in the episode Berry recommends you start with.
For more podcast news and gossip, we recommend following Berry on Twitter @podcastsincolor. While you’re there, say hi to us @citycastdenver!
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Oct 22, 2021
Election-Palooza 2021
It’s an off-year election, but that doesn’t mean it’s not an important one. Denver voters will be deciding things like which big projects to spend money on and how we deal with aspects of our housing crisis. While ballot language is often hard to understand, the 2021 election’s seemed super daunting — so the City Cast Denver crew got together to try to talk through some of what we learned in researching the measures.
We didn’t talk about the school board races today, but we still want to help you out as you make your choices in those races. So consider this an endorsement of past City Cast Denver guest Melanie Asmar’s thorough interviews for Chalkbeat, which you can find here, along with a very helpful contextual introduction: https://co.chalkbeat.org/2021/10/13/22723116/denver-public-schools-board-of-education-candidates-2021-election-voter-guide
For more on the election, sign up for our newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
And follow @citycastdenver f…
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Oct 21, 2021
What’s So Scary About A Bunch of Adults Living Together?
There’s a measure on Denver ballots this year that was many, many years in the making. After countless community debates, angry posts to Nextdoor, and level-headed conversations between neighbors, City Council passed an amendment to our zoning code in February allowing up to five unrelated adults to live together in a single home (previously, it was capped at 2). But even after the vote, the debate waged on. Critics collected more than 13,000 signatures to put a repeal motion on the ballot, so now it’s up to Denver voters to decide the fate of group living. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies used to live communally, so today on the show she sits down with her old roommate Piper Rose to talk about why group living was so important to them.
Also, and we’re asking for a friend: what’s the statute of limitations on zoning code violations?
We requested an interview with a representative of the group that collected the signatures to put a repeal measure on the ballot, Safe and Sound…
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Oct 20, 2021
What is Dark Money? And How is it Impacting Our Election?
Denver is in the middle of another election. Did you notice? It’s an off year, but there are still plenty of important issues to decide. We’ll be digging in to all of them as election day approaches, but first the question of Defend Colorado, a so-called “dark money” group that’s poured $540,000 into several different measures so far. So what exactly is dark money? And how is Defend Colorado using it to shape some of the most important issues facing our city? Host Bree Davies sits down with Conor McCormick-Cavanagh, who’s been reporting on Defend Colorado’s dark money spending for Westword, to sort it all out.
For more from Conor, here’s his latest piece on the dark money at play in Denver’s election: https://www.westword.com/news/dark-money-defend-colorado-denver-election-expenditure-12404774
We shared a doozy of a story about some shady dealings at the Parks and Rec Dept. in our newsletter this morning. Did you catch it? Don’t miss another one and subscribe righ…
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Oct 19, 2021
The Revolutionary Music of Los Mocochetes
The music you hear every day on City Cast Denver wasn’t made for a podcast — it’s the work of Denver Chicano band Los Mocochetes. The songs we weave into each episode are rooted in the history and culture of Denver, and help us convey a range of emotions throughout our more than 100 episodes. They are also the foundation of a new record, Mucho Gusto, which Los Mocochetes will be releasing this Saturday, October 23rd at Raíces Brewing Company. In advance of their big show, Diego Florez and Joshua Abeyta sit down with Host Bree Davies to discuss the new album and talk about what it means to identify as a Chicano band in Colorado.
Grab tickets to Los Mocochetes album release party at Raíces Brewing Company: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/los-mocochetes-ep-release-mucho-gusto-tickets-181456670787?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
Get more news delivered straight to your inbox every weekday: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Tell us your favorite Los Mocochetes track on Twitter: @citycastd…
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Oct 18, 2021
Why A Big Brother Tech Giant Moved to Denver
Palantir Technologies is a massive, publicly traded defense contractor founded on the promise of bringing Silicon Valley-style data analysis to the U.S. armed forces. And now, after years spent complaining about the “monoculture” of the Bay Area, Palantir’s leaders have moved the company’s headquarters to Denver. So what do they see in us? Why are people protesting them in the street? And what can we expect from our new neighbor? City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi speaks with Max Chafkin, reporter for Bloomberg Businessweek and author of a brand new book on Palantir’s co-founder Peter Thiel: The Contrarian: Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley's Pursuit of Power.
For more on Palantir’s early operations in Denver, past City Cast Denver guest Ed Sealover has a good article for you right here: https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2020/11/16/palantir-technologies-denver-headquarters-move.html
After speaking with Max, we reached out to the City of Denver and the State of Co…
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Oct 15, 2021
Colorado’s ‘Rich Mosaic of Dining’, Plus Denver Trivia That Stumps Even Bree
Welcome back to Fridays at City Cast Denver where the crew chats about the news of the week and shares their perspectives. Today, host Bree Davies, producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon, and newsletter writer Peyton Garcia hash out the New York Times’ picks for “the most vibrant and delicious” restaurants in the country. Spoiler alert: restaurants in Denver and Boulder made the cut. Plus, Xandra hit a silver mine when she found a Denver trivia game from the ’80s at a yard sale for a buck. She’ll be testing the team’s true knowledge of the Mile High City and you can play along!
(This has nothing to do with the New York Times’ list but…) do you have strong feelings about Chipotle or Illegal Pete’s? Leave us a voicemail: 720-500-5418.
Have more Peyton in your life! Subscribe to the CCD newsletter she writes every weekday: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Let’s keep in touch. We’re on Twitter: @CityCastDenver
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Oct 14, 2021
Identity, Resistance and Resilience at the Museo
It has been 500 years since the fall of Tenochtitlan, but the Spanish colonization of Mesoamerica still reverberates across the world today — including here in Denver, where Museo de las Americas is opening a new exhibition that explores that legacy. Smoking Mirrors: Visual Histories of Identity, Resistance and Resilience was curated by Chicano/a Murals of Colorado Project and features the work of more than 20 muralists and other artists from Colorado and New Mexico, including Emanuel Martínez, Nani Chacón, Gregg Deal, Ratha Sok, and more. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies talks with the show’s curator, Lucha Martínez de Luna, about the importance of telling these stories of resistance, decolonization, and multi-dimensional identity through the work of artists who aren’t always given their rightful space in a museum context.
Learn more about Smoking Mirrors: Visual Histories of Identity, Resistance and Resilience opening this Friday night via Museo de las Americas.
For mor…
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Oct 13, 2021
28 Years of Roasting Chiles with the Morales Family
Ron Morales has been roasting green chiles in a parking lot at the corner of 52nd and Sheridan every fall for the past 28 years. He learned the trade from his father and hopes to pass it on to his kids one day — if any of them decide to take on the family business. But what exactly does it take to make this signature Colorado ritual possible year after year? Ron shared his story with City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi and newsletter writer Peyton Garcia on a recent behind-the-scenes tour of the Morales Family Chile Store.
If this episode gets you in the mood to buy some fresh roasted chiles of your own, there’s a helpful list of chile roasters available at denvergreenchili.com. But really all you need to do is stop at the next stand you see on the side of the road.
Want your mornings to feel as good as fresh roasting green chiles smell? Subscribe to our newsletter right here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Got a go-to green chile supplier? Let’s talk: @citycast…
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Oct 12, 2021
Is Denver Repeating the Past By Sweeping this Indigenous Camp?
Since 2012 when the City of Denver enacted the Urban Camping Ban, the forced removal of people from tents and other temporary shelters — commonly known as “sweeps” — have become the norm. Even as houseless neighbors and advocates protest these displacements, the Hancock administration continues to conduct them. But one recent sweep of an encampment outside the Four Winds American Indian Council in Baker challenged the status quo in a different way. Today on the show, City Cast Denver host Bree Davies talks with Four Winds American Indian Council chair Mateo Parsons about why this sweep is different and where things stand with this part of the indigenous community and the city.
To hear from one of the residents of the encampment outside Four Winds, here’s a link to a video of a man talking about a confrontation he had with DPD at the camp: https://www.facebook.com/fourwindsamericanindiancouncil/videos/?ref=page_internal
Here’s the full response we got from the mayor’s of…
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Oct 9, 2021
EXTRA: Get 'More Smarter' on Redistricting
Redistricting is important. We swear. Every ten years, our elected officials fight over how and who will elect them next time -- or not. Which groups will be overrepresented? Or underrepresented? Who knows! Fortunately, we're doing a feed-swap this week with the Get More Smarter podcast, which is hosted by a couple of guys who have been around Colorado politics for a long time: Ian Silverii, formerly of ProgressNow Colorado, and Jason Bain, of ColoradoPols.com. They talk about Lauren Boebert and the state GOP primary to take on Michael Bennet, then go deep on redistricting with Evan Wyloge, a veteran redistricting reporter with coloradopolitics.com.
Also, and this is for podcast fans, how cool is it that they have a theme by Breakmaster Cylinder?
Here's their description of this episode:
This week, our favorite Colorado insurrectionist joins the US Senate Republican Primary and we're taking bets on how badly this ruins GOP chances to beat Michael Bennet in 2022. Our 7th favorite congre…
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Oct 8, 2021
A Newspaper’s Worst Nightmare, Mountain Town Faves, and…Chowdermeister?
It’s Friday, which means the City Cast Denver team chats about some of the craziest news items from the week. Today on the show, Producer Xandra McMahon sits down with Newsletter Writer Peyton Garcia and Host Bree Davies to discuss the Boulder Daily Camera’s removal of its front page 9/11 anniversary story and the journalism drama that followed. Plus, the crew takes Conde Nast to task for proclaiming Aspen the “Best Small Town in America” (ever heard of Estes Park?) Oh, and Chowdermeister — the festival claiming to bring clam chowder and Jägermeister together. But the whole thing got canceled, because apparently, Jäger can’t take a joke. Whatever, we thought it was funny.
Want more news in your inbox every weekday? Subscribe to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Be our friend on Twitter! @citycastdenver
Tell us about your favorite small town in Colorado — leave us a voicemail: (720) 500-5418
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Oct 7, 2021
Are Colorado’s Sex Offender Laws Really Keeping The Community Safe?
It’s tough to talk about, but we’ve got a problem. There are 20,000 people on Colorado’s sex offender registry, including many whose offenses date back to when they were under 18 and many others whose offenses were as minor as peeing in public. But what exactly is the problem with the registry and the way we deal with sex offenders? And is there anything we can do to fix it? Host Bree Davies talks with psychologist and professor Dr. Apryl Alexander about an issue most of society doesn’t want to talk about — sex offenders and their rights. Along with being an associate professor of psychology at the University of Denver, Dr. Alexander is on the board for the Colorado Juvenile Defender Center and has spent much of her career working with both survivors of sexual assault and youth sex offenders in treatment programs.
Want more news delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up for the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Have an idea for the show or jus…
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Oct 6, 2021
BONUS: Is Casa Bonita More Fun than Meow Wolf? Or Lakeside?
In this morning’s episode, Bree went deep on what makes Casa Bonita special with David Thomas, “professor of fun." But their conversation didn’t end there! So here we are with an afternoon bonus episode with Bree and David putting Casa Bonita up against two other fun Denver spots: Meow Wolf’s new Convergence Station and Lakeside Amusement Park.
If you haven’t heard this morning’s episode, go listen to that one first!
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Oct 6, 2021
Why Casa Bonita is Textbook Fun (and Why Matt and Trey Couldn't Ruin It If They Tried)
It’s official: Trey Parker and Matt Stone have purchased Casa Bonita. So, now what? Will the Lakewood landmark stay the same, or become a fully South Park-themed eatertainment destination? While the iconic restaurant’s future hangs in the balance, we wanted to know: What really makes Casa Bonita fun? Host Bree Davies and Producer Paul Karolyi took an official tour of the still-closed-for-dining immersive eatery with David Thomas, the “Professor of Fun.” David explains why Casa Bonita is more than just a theme restaurant — it’s an architecturally designed masterpiece that invites play, stirs imagination, and ensures that all who visit will be transported to another place and time for an experience that can be hard to put into words.
The City Cast Denver Crew joined Westword Editor-In-Chief Patty Calhoun for the Casa Bonita tour, too — you can read her take on CB and the concept of fun in this week’s Westword.
Get Denver news delivered straight to your inbox every w…
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Oct 5, 2021
Is Tay Anderson Owed An Apology?
Back in March, Black Lives Matter 5280 posted an account of alleged sexual assault by Denver Public Schools board member Tay Anderson. Then, a woman claiming to speak on behalf of more than 60 students testified at the Colorado state legislature, bringing dozens of sexual assault allegations that were eventually connected to Anderson. In September, after a five-month investigation, all sexual assault accusations against Anderson were found to be unsubstantiated (the investigators did find evidence of other, less serious allegations). But during the intervening months, many journalists published the allegations without any effort to verify them or figure out what was really happening. One of the few voices to question the allegations’ credibility was Colorado Sun columnist Theo Wilson. So today, Host Bree Davies sits down with Wilson to talk about what, exactly, the rest of us seemed to miss about this situation with Director Anderson.
For more from Theo Wilson, check out his organ…
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Oct 4, 2021
Are Denver's New Hotel Shelters Any Better Than The Old Kind?
Denver has been in a housing and homelessness crisis for many years, and the pandemic only increased the need for more shelter options. In response, one of the City of Denver’s temporary solutions was to rent underutilized hotels and motels and convert them into a new kind of shelter. But as City Cast Denver Producer Xandra McMahon discovered, this temporary housing solution is leaving a lot to be desired. Today on the show, Xandra talks with Host Bree Davies about what she saw at one of these new shelters, what she’s learned from activists and the unhoused community, and how the City and its partners are working to improve this program — and maybe even make it permanent.
For more, here’s Marshall Zelinger’s full report for 9News on the widespread vacancies at these temporary hotel/motel shelters: https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/next/denver-hotel-rooms-homeless-empty/73-3dd22a0a-b274-4d1b-9088-d5aa7e58b918
Got something about Denver to share? Leave us a voicemail…
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Oct 1, 2021
Where is The "Real Creativity" in Denver? Plus, Pumpkin Flavor Season Begins
It’s the City Cast Denver Friday chat with Producer Paul Karolyi, Newsletter Writer Peyton Garcia, and Host Bree Davies. This week, the discussion centers on outgoing Westword Culture Editor Kyle Harris’s cover story, which asks: “With Culture Becoming a Commodity, Is There Room for Real Creativity in Denver?” Plus, with temps dropping and October approaching, the team shares their favorite fall activities, and Peyton talks extensively about her love for all things pumpkin. (Warning: This episode contains multiple mentions of Pumpkin Spice Lattes.)
Ray Mark Rinaldi’s review of Meow Wolf for the Denver Post/New York Times: https://www.denverpost.com/2021/09/29/review-meow-wolf-denver/
Kealey Boyd’s commentary on Meow Wolf for Hyperallergic: https://hyperallergic.com/678101/meow-wolf-expands-its-immersive-schtick/
Want more news every weekday? Sign up for the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
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Sep 30, 2021
Titwrench: 13 Years of Musical Revolution
Thirteen years ago, a group of friends and strangers got together and decided to start a music festival in Denver. But it was so much more than your average fest — it was, and still is, a community that calls itself Titwrench. An art-centered collective was formed under the Titwrench umbrella where anyone who wanted to join could learn how to run sound at a concert, teach others how to build their own instruments, and maybe even perform their own music on stage for the first time. Host Bree Davies sits down with her longtime friend and Titwrench cofounder, Sarah Slater, to talk about the evolution of this fest and community.
The festival component of Titwrench is set to begin this Sunday at 4 p.m., with performances from Nacha Mendez, The Milk Blossoms, Machete Mouth, My Name Is Harriett, and Sol VidaWorldwide.
For more on Titwrench, here’s a preview of this weekend’s festival from Westword: https://www.westword.com/music/titwrench-music-festival-comes-to-city-park-12405030
Su…
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Sep 29, 2021
A Serious Breakfast Burrito Throwdown
You’ve called, you’ve written us, and now we bring you the hotly anticipated Breakfast Burrito Throwdown where the City Cast Denver crew will attempt to crown Denver’s best breakfast burrito. It’s not a contest for the faint of heart. But host Bree Davies, producer Paul Karolyi, producer Xandra McMahon, and newsletter writer Peyton Garcia were up for the challenge.
For more burrito news (and regular news too, I guess) subscribe to the City Cast Denver newsletter! https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Want another way to connect with the CCD crew? Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenver
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Sep 28, 2021
Why Our Sidewalks are Broken, Crumbling, and Missing
Denver’s sidewalks are in a sorry state, and that’s if you’re lucky enough to live in a neighborhood that has them. What’s worse is the fact that property owners are responsible for maintaining our sidewalks, which means not much maintenance gets done at all. So how are we supposed to get out of this mess? Last week, City Cast Denver producer Xandra McMahon tagged along on a walking tour of Cap Hill with District 10 councilperson Chris Hinds and Denver Streets Partnership executive director Jill Locantore to talk about how we got here, the disproportionate impact on our neighbors with disabilities, and what’s stopping us from addressing the problem.
There’s a lot more important stuff happening out there, and you can read about it all in our nifty morning newsletter. Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
They say that every time you retweet @citycastdenver a sidewalk gets repaired. Should we try it out?
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Sep 27, 2021
Legal Weed Delivery Exists in Denver... Sort Of
The first legal weed deliveries happened in Denver last month. But like many aspects of the weed business, the actual implementation of legal delivery hasn’t been easy. Currently, only six dispensaries are permitted for delivery and so far just one, Strawberry Fields, has launched, in partnership with a delivery service called doobba. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies talks with journalist and podcast host Ann Marie Awad about what makes the delivery process so cumbersome for local companies, what it means for those impacted by the war on drugs, and how accessible — or inaccessible — cannabis delivery really is for the average Denverite.
If you want to see how the City of Denver is soliciting applications for cannabis deliver licenses, here’s their site explaining the process: https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Business-Licensing/Business-Licenses/Marijuana-Licenses/Delivery-Permit
Want more local news every weekday? Sign up for the City Cast…
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Sep 24, 2021
Digging Into the Tay Anderson Investigation, Saying Goodbye to Kmart
Happy first Friday of fall! For our news roundup, this week: Producer Paul Karolyi and Host Bree Davies discuss the ongoing Tay Anderson school board saga. Plus, Bree reminisces about an older version of Denver, one where her neighborhood Kmart was thriving and Paul comes to the defense of abandoned parking lot activities.
For more on the Tay Anderson story: Check out our episode with Chalkbeat Colorado reporter Melanie Asmar, plus Melanie’s original reporting on the issue.
The Kmart situation has dragged on for years — read/watch more about the former retailer and plans for the new site over on The Denver Channel.
Have a hankering for more news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our weekday newsletter here.
Find City Cast Denver on Twitter: @CityCastDenver
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Sep 23, 2021
Did We Really Need to Close Civic Center Park?
On September 15, the City of Denver set up metal barricades around Civic Center Park, blocking people from taking in all the new public art, eating lunch on the steps of the amphitheater, and strolling among the flower beds. But of course, that’s not what this was about. City officials describe the temporary shutdown as an essential measure to stem violence, crime, drug use and unsanitary conditions. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sits down with past guest Ean Thomas Tafoya, who organizes what he calls “compassionate trash service” in the park, for a practical conversation about Denver’s housing crisis and other ways to make Civic Center Park more welcoming for everyone.
👉 What you can do: The Civic Center Conservancy and City of Denver are hosting a virtual, public workshop to help reimagine Civic Center Park tonight, September 23, at 5:30 pm: https://www.facebook.com/events/1528587610814267/?ref=newsfeed
Mayor Michael Hancock announced a “STAR-like” program for…
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Sep 22, 2021
Breakfast at the New Zaidy's with David Sirota
Zaidy’s is back! Once a Cherry Creek staple, the Jewish deli’s owners decided it was time to close up shop after 35 years at the height of the pandemic in 2020. But thanks to a few enterprising Denverites, the restaurant returned last month — this time in the heart of southeast Denver’s Jewish community, where the new owners hope copious parking, a new event space, and a bakery will help Zaidy’s flourish for decades to come. One Denverite who was particularly happy about the new Zaidy’s? Journalist, political figure, and southeast Denver resident David Sirota. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies met up with Sirota for breakfast at the new Zaidy’s to talk about his relationship with the restaurant, his thoughts on Denver’s secret bagel wars, and how Zaidy’s fits into its new neighborhood, Virginia Vale.
For more on the new Zaidy’s, including some sweet pics courtesy of past City Cast Denver guest Kevin Beaty, here’s Denverite’s report on their reopening last mon…
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Sep 21, 2021
A Better Way To Feed Denver’s Hungry
After being unhoused and struggling with food insecurity himself, Jim Scharper knew he wanted to help others. What started out as Jim making and handing out sandwiches to unhoused folks turned into Feeding Denver’s Hungry, a full-scale food access operation that connects Denverites with free groceries. Friends and strangers alike showed up to help Jim and now, eight years into this work, Feeding Denver’s Hungry connects thousands of community members with groceries of their choice. That idea of giving people a choice is crucial for Jim; he works to ensure that the people who utilize his services are able to maintain a sense of dignity — especially in a time of struggle. Host Bree Davies and producer Xandra McMahon met up with Jim and his crew at the Feeding Denver’s Hungry free grocery store in Montbello to learn more about this food access organization.
Plus, we’ve got another installment of our series “VOICE on the Street,” this time with Denver VOICE vendor LarMarqu…
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Sep 20, 2021
Breaking Down the Tay Anderson Investigation
Back in March, Black Lives Matter 5280 issued a statement on behalf of a woman who said that Denver Public Schools Board Member Tay Anderson had sexually assaulted her. From there, other claims of misconduct and assault surfaced, including statements by another woman who claimed to be speaking on behalf of more than 60 DPS students who Anderson supposedly assaulted. Anderson, who is also an influential activist leader and champion of local progressive politics, has maintained his innocence since the beginning. In response, DPS hired an outside investigative team to look into the claims, and last week the investigators published their findings. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sits down with Chalkbeat Colorado reporter Melanie Asmar to parse the report and lay out a timeline of this complex, ongoing saga involving one of Colorado’s youngest political figures and activists.
Tay Anderson is planning to address the community about his future with Denver Public Schools tonight — M…
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Sep 17, 2021
Concert Vaccination Protocols, Palm Scanning and Shotgun Willie’s
As more businesses and events require a COVID vaccine, and Gov. Jared Polis chomps at the bit for booster shots, the City Cast Denver crew asks the really tough questions: What’s it even like to go to a concert right now? When do you need to show proof of vaccination? Should you be wearing a mask? How much is it the ticket-takers' or security’s responsibility to uphold these big mandates?
Plus, Paul, Bree, and Xandra talk about Red Rocks’ dystopian, Bezos-approved ticket entry system. And a new segment is introduced that focuses on Glendale’s shenanigans, the tiny town in the middle of Denver that Paul warmly refers to as “the fully-loaded nacho lodged in Denver’s throat.” For example: How come Shotgun Willie’s is no longer bankrupt?
Here’s the whole letter to Fiddler’s Green that’s referenced in the episode: https://www.reddit.com/r/CoronavirusColorado/comments/po82j3/an_open_letter_to_fiddlers_green/
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Sep 16, 2021
From Denver Catholic School to the E! Network: Justine Marino Talks High Plains
The High Plains Comedy Festival returns to South Broadway this weekend and the line-up is stacked with funny people, including Denver’s own Justine Marino who went from a “girl who loves the Cherry Creek Mall” to LA-minted stand-up comedian with her own show on E! to boot. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sits down with her longtime friend and former Catholic school rival to discuss the festival, Justine’s own podcasting venture, and why Denver’s mall scene is so much better than LA’s.
Hey it seems like you enjoy podcasts. Check out Justine’s! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/glitter-and-garbage/id1506683181
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Sep 15, 2021
A Dead Accountant, 33 Zombie Businesses, and $2.3 Million in Fraud
Jeremy Jojola and Zack Newman were doing what they normally do as journalists at 9News: Poking around. What they came across though was a $2.3 million PPP loan fraud that could be traced back to a single office suite in Denver. We still don’t know who exactly was behind this fraud, but the bigger question is, how did they pull it off? Turns out, it’s not that hard to take over dormant business licenses in the state of Colorado. So what can the state do to close these loopholes and prevent further fraud? City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sits down with Jeremy and Zack to get the story behind the investigation and talk through the regulatory challenges around this kind of fraud prevention.
Have a tip for Zack, Jeremy and the 9Wants to Know team? Email them: blowthewhistle@9news.com
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Sep 14, 2021
What Happens When a County Breaks Up With Its Health Department?
It was one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the Denver metro area — the 1965 South Platte River floods — that initially led Douglas County to join the Tri-County Health Department in 1966. As DougCo grew and grew since then, Tri-County provided residents with crucial public health services ranging from syringe disposal to restaurant health inspections. But after 55 years and one global pandemic, their relationship has come to an end. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies speaks with Elliott Wenzler, who covers DougCo for Colorado Community Media, about why conservative-leaning Douglas County is breaking up with the Tri-County Health Department and what it’s going to mean for the health and safety of DougCo residents.
For more on the break-up with Tri-County Health and other goings-on in Douglas County, you can find all of Elliott’s stories at coloradocommunitymedia.com.
Want more Denver news and cool things to do in your inbox every weekday morning? You should s…
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Sep 13, 2021
How One Brewery Is Promoting Vaccines to Denver's Undervaxxed Latino Community
For breweries in Colorado, September is typically a month of fests. There’s Oktoberfest, of course. And then there’s the Great American Beer Fest to prepare for in early October. But with the Delta variant on the rise and increasing fears of breakthrough cases, the party is canceled — mostly. A community hub for Latino beer fans on Denver’s Westside, Raices Brewing Co. is bringing back Suave Fest this Saturday, and this year it comes with a gentle, thoughtful nudge in the direction of a COVID-19 vaccine. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sits down with Raices co-founder Tamil Maldonado to talk about her personal experience with COVID-19, the Latino community’s lagging vaccination rate, and how Raices is working to get more shots in her customers’ arms.
We’ve got plenty more Denver news and cool events you should know about in our newsletter. Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Got a favorite local beer event that we should know about? We’re thirst…
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Sep 11, 2021
#ListenLocal: Escaping Denver
Our friend and resident podcast connoisseur Berry of Podcasts in Color is back with another recommendation to spice up your podcast feed with a little more local flavor. Berry’s pick this month is Escaping Denver, a fiction podcast that may or may not explore the conspiracy theories surrounding Denver International Airport.
For more podcast news and gossip, we recommend following Berry on Twitter @podcastsincolor. While you’re there, say hi to us @citycastdenver!
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Sep 10, 2021
Civic Center Park Woes, Stackable Homes, and Slumlords
Earlier this week, the city of Denver shut down Civic Center Park, closing off the public space for at least two months. Though Denver Department of Public Health and Environment cited health and safety issues as the primary reason for the closure, the City Cast Denver crew actually saw this story as part of a larger conversation about housing issues. We discuss our thoughts on the park closure, as well as a new shipping container housing concept coming to Colorado and a look at the slimy practices of a national mobile home park giant wreaking havoc on local renters.
Plus, stick around for staff picks— Peyton, Paul, Xandra, and Bree share things to do, places to see, and good stuff to eat in the Mile High City!
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OR leave us a message on our brand new City Cast Denver hotline: (720) 500-5418…
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Sep 9, 2021
With Evictions Looming, These Activists Have a Plan
When the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Biden administration’s eviction moratorium two weeks ago, approximately 12,000 Denverites woke up to the increasingly imminent threat of losing their home. But a new organization called NEWR Denver wants to give tenants a fighting chance. NEWR, or No Eviction Without Representation, is gathering signatures for a ballot initiative that, if passed, would give renters free legal counsel. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies chats with NEWR Denver’s Wren Echo about the city’s current housing crisis and how much of a difference having a lawyer makes at eviction hearings.
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Sep 8, 2021
Uncovering Denver's Complicated Legacy of Forced Busing
In the late ‘60s, Denver Public Schools began busing children across the city in an effort to desegregate our schools. Then came the pushback in the form of lawsuits, harassment of school board members, and in 1970, a bombing at the DPS bus depot off Federal Boulevard. But many Denverites’ memories of the busing era offer a more complicated story. Host Bree Davies sits down with Alicia “Lisa” Smith Young, director and producer of the new play “Busing,” which marks the first production from the new theater group IDEA Stages and tackles the legacy of Denver’s busing era with intergenerational stories of race and community.
Interested in checking out the show? You can find tickets here: https://controlgroup.wellattended.com/events/sojourners-project-busing?httpsRedirect=tru
Want to know more about what’s going on in Denver? Check out and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
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Sep 7, 2021
What is ShotSpotter? Why Is It So Expensive? Why Does DPD Use it?
Police departments across the country have fallen in love with an obscure technology company called ShotSpotter, which purports to use microphones, algorithms, and artificial intelligence to detect and help combat gun violence, including right here in Denver. It’s “one of the most important cogs in our wheel of addressing gun violence,” said one Ohio police chief, according to the Associated Press. But after a few high-profile incidents involving ShotSpotter in Chicago earlier this year, a new level of scrutiny has inspired investigations and some cities have canceled their contracts altogether. Axios Denver’s Alayna Alvarez has been reporting on the Denver Police Department’s contract with ShotSpotter, and she’s back on the show today with host Bree Davies to sort out the situation and lay out the questions that still need answers.
For more on ShotSpotter, here’s a great piece from the Associated Press about how the technology works and how it’s been implemented acr…
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Sep 3, 2021
The Elijah McClain Case, Beta Nightclub Drama and Domo’s TikTok Disaster
This week, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced that the Aurora police officers and paramedics involved in Elijah McClain’s 2019 death will face 32 criminal charges, including manslaughter and assault. Producer Xandra McMahon, host Bree Davies, and newsletter writer Peyton Garcia recap the grand jury indictment and the years of investigation that led up to this moment.
Plus, some weird business stories that happened this week in Denver. And, staff recommendations for your weekend. City Cast Denver will be enjoying the Labor Day holiday and will return on Tuesday, Sept. 7.
Want more news in your inbox every weekday morning? Subscribe to the CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
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Sep 2, 2021
The Broncos’ Quarterback Dilemma
What’s going on with the Broncos? That’s one of the many questions producer Xandra McMahon asked our Sports Guy Jake Shapiro. From quarterback problems to who of the Bowlen family estate runs the team now, our pressing Broncos questions get answered just in time for the start of a new season. Speaking of seasons, how will COVID affect the Broncos in 2021? Yeah, we asked that too.
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Sep 1, 2021
Fact or Fiction: Colorado’s 300 Days of Sunshine
You’ve heard it before and probably uttered the words yourself: “Colorado has 300 days of sunshine.” It’s no secret that our weather here is great most of the time, but is it really that good? Meteorologist Andy Stein wanted to find out, so he did some research, revealing his findings in a recent story for The Denver Post. Host Bree Davies talks with the weather expert to find out if the thing we like to brag about the most in Colorado really is all its cracked up to be.
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Aug 31, 2021
Rethinking Drug Use Treatment on Overdose Awareness Day
The Harm Reduction Action Center isn’t rehab, it’s a community. Not only does the center help people living with substance use issues find resources, but people who visit can also get clean needles, coffee, and even someone to talk to. So when it was reported that Colorado overdose deaths were at an all-time high, executive director Lisa Raville knew that the community she helped build needed to lean on each other more than ever. City Cast Denver Host Bree Davies speaks with her longtime friend Lisa about the family the center’s built, how fentanyl has affected Denver as of late, and how to get rid of stereotypes around drug addiction.
HRAC is hosting a memorial and rally today for Overdose Awareness Day. Details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/350293813357389?active_tab=about
Always stay in the loop with what’s happening in Denver. Subscribe to the City Cast Denver newsletter here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
And hey, if you’re on Twitter, we are too! F…
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Aug 30, 2021
Author Peter Heller on His New COVID-Thriller, 'The Guide'
Denver author Peter Heller joins City Cast Denver Newsletter Writer Peyton Garcia for a conversation about his latest thriller, “The Guide.” The novel, set outside Crested Butte, weaves a suspenseful tale centered on young protagonist Jack and his job as a wilderness and fishing guide at an elite resort. But things aren’t quite as they seem, and Jack finds himself questioning what he sees and hears at every turn. Peyton digs into the author’s inspiration for the book and what it was like writing a fictional story set during a pandemic — while actually experiencing the pandemic in real time.
Want more Peyton? Well then subscribe to her newsletter! Fresh every weekday: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
For more ways to connect with the CCD team, follow us on Twitter: @CityCastDenver
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Aug 28, 2021
City Cast Denver Live at UMS!
Host Bree Davies and the City Cast Denver team did a live podcast taping at this year's Underground Music Showcase. And now you can hear it!
This candid conversation explores the idea of "diversity in music" and what that really means for performers of color. How does "diversity, equity and inclusion" truly extend to show booking, venue operations, and other positions of power within a music scene? Does representation go beyond the stage? As white folks scramble to "diversify," does it feel like anything meaningful is happening or changing for the actual artists?
We're honored to be joined for this panel discussion by several guests from around the Denver music scene:
Alicia "Bruce" Trujillo - Alicia "Bruce" Trujillo is a Chicana feminist from occupied Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapahoe land, in what's now called Colorado - raised on the Western Slope, and currently in Denver. Bruce has been working in the community and public media since 2012, with a mission to spotlight, book, and amplify…
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Aug 27, 2021
The One Where We Ate All the Burgers
City Cast Denver is hosting a LIVE show tonight at the Underground Music Showcase! Catch us at 6pm at Mutiny Information Cafe with a panel of awesome musicians and leaders in the local music scene: Wes Watkins, Miguel Aviña, and past guest Alicia “Bruce” Trujillo!
It’s free and all ages are welcome. See you tonight!
RSVP → https://www.facebook.com/events/527335278501154
But until then, please enjoy this re-run of one of our favorite episodes:
In-N-Out has been getting all the buzz — and insanely long lines — since it opened its first Denver area location last year. Five Guys is an East Coast favorite. Shake Shack strutted into town from NYC with a hip new look and a lot of big talk. But really, who do these transplant burger chains think they are, coming into our city thinking they can make burgers?! City Cast Denver’s crack team of eaters are here to settle it once it for all. And can any of them stand up against our homegrown fast food burger darling Good Times?…
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Aug 26, 2021
Queer Cinema, UMS, and Lowriders
Since 2006, Keith Garcia has been curating films for Cinema Q, Denver’s annual celebration of queer cinema. Garcia is the Artistic Director for the Sie FilmCenter and created the festival as a celebration of LGBTQ filmmakers, directors, actors, and the storylines they bring to life. Garcia joins City Cast Denver Host Bree Davies to talk about what makes a film queer and what movies shaped his own experience as a young, gay kid obsessed with the big screen.
For more on Keith and Cinema Q, check out this profile of the festival from the Denver Post.
Plus: City Cast Denver Producer Xandra McMahon joins Bree to offer recommendations for artists to see and things to do at this weekend’s Underground Music Showcase! Bree will also share information about Sunday’s 3rd Annual La Raza Park Day and Cruise, a celebration of Denver’s unique Chicano culture.
Here are links to all the cool UMS acts we talked about:
Kayla Marque/The Grand Alliance
Neoma
YaSi
City Cast Denver LIVE a…
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Aug 25, 2021
Yet Another Plan To Fix Our Housing Crisis
Way back in 2005, then Mayor John Hickenlooper put forth an ambitious, 10-year plan to address Denver’s crisis of houselessness. Ten years and one recession later, our housing issues were worse than ever. That failure, in part, led our current mayor, Michael Hancock, to create a brand new Department of Housing Stability (HOST) in 2019. And guess what? HOST just published their first long-term plan to address the housing crisis. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sits down with Britta Fisher, the head of HOST, to talk about what’s in this plan and why this time is going to be different.
HOST is soliciting public comment on their new plan until September 3. After that, the plan will head to City Council in November. Here’s the link to read the full report and fill in HOST’s community survey. Get to it soon, though! You only have another week!
For more on our housing crisis and other Denver news you need to know, subscribe to our weekday morning newsletter: https://denver.cityc…
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Aug 24, 2021
Who Owns the Jerry Martinez Family Memorial Park?
For 31 years, Florida “Flo” Archuletta has taken care of a plot of land on the Southwest corner of 14th and Lipan. After the 1993 killing of her son, Archuletta turned the once-abandoned Westside lot into a tribute to him, dubbing it the “Jerry Martinez Family Memorial Park.” But there’s a problem: Archuletta never formally owned the land, and now that real estate in the neighborhood is a hot commodity, the legal owners have come calling. So who really owns this community park? City Cast Denver host Bree Davies met up with Flo in the park over the weekend to hear the whole story. Plus, we hear from the legal owners about their plans.
This Friday, Friday. Gotta get down on Friday. Everybody’s lookin’ forward to the live taping of City Cast Denver. Podcastin’ podcastin’, yeah. RSVP here: City Cast Denver LIVE at UMS!
Looking for even more Denver news, cool things to do, and ways to get involved in your community? Look no further than the City Cast Denver newsletter:…
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Aug 23, 2021
Can the Mercury Cafe Stay Weird? Danny Newman Thinks So
For more than three decades, the Mercury Cafe has been a destination for artists, activists, and outsiders. It’s more than just a restaurant and venue space; it’s a hub for out-there ideas, unexpected collaboration, and lasting community. And the heart of the Merc has always been its owner and operator, Marilyn Megenity. That is, until June 22, when Danny Newman and his business partners purchased the iconic, vine-covered building in Five Points. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sits down with Newman to find out how they plan to carry on her vision and what the future might hold for this counterculture institution.
Come see us LIVE! This Friday at the Underground Music Showcase, Bree will be on stage with a panel of musicians and leaders in the music community exploring the idea of "diversity in music" and what that really means for performers of color. We’ve got an incredible panel, lots of cool CCD merch, and it’s FREE. FOR. EVERYONE. RSVP and details here: https://www.fa…
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Aug 20, 2021
Let’s Play Guess that COVID Restriction! Plus Mexican Food, Outdoor Malls and More
With the delta variant spreading like wildfire, it feels like we’re headed for another long, lonely winter. So we’re looking past the doom and gloom for a game of Guess That COVID Restriction! City Cast Denver’s Bree Davies, Paul Karolyi, and Peyton Garcia are hanging out and chatting all things COVID and Colorado, along with another round of New Denver/Old Denver.
Looking for more Denver news and event recs? Subscribe to our newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
We tweet @citycastdenver
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Aug 19, 2021
Watching the Fall of Kabul From Denver
After 20 years and $83 billion, the U.S. war in Afghanistan is finally ending. On Sunday, Taliban forces swept Kabul, taking back control of Afghan capital from the U.S.-backed government and putting the thousands of Afghan civilians who worked with the U.S. and allied forces in an extremely vulnerable position. Today on the show, City Cast Denver host Bree Davies speaks with Aurangzaib Sharifi, an Afghan journalist who worked as an interpreter before eventually finding his way to Denver in 2015.
Aurangzaib’s Facebook group for the Denver Afghan community can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/DenverAfghans.
Some members of the Denver Afghan community are holding a demonstration tonight — August 19 at 6 p.m. — outside the Capitol Building downtown to call for an end to the humanitarian crisis. For more details, click here: https://www.facebook.com/events/575630286805756
Every single edition of the City Cast Denver newsletter comes with more ways for you to get involve…
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Aug 18, 2021
What if Denverites — Not Developers — Could Build Affordable Housing?
It’s no secret — Denver has been in an affordable housing crisis for a long time. But what if there was a solution all along that would allow Denverites themselves to build some of that needed housing stock? Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval (District 1) has been leading the charge, pushing for the adoption of Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs, as part of Denver’s zoning code. So what exactly is an ADU? And how would ADUs help address our housing crisis? Today on the show, City Cast Denver host Bree Davies talks with Sandoval about everything ADUs and why Denver needs to adopt them as an equitable housing solution right now.
For more on Sandoval’s work on ADUs, including a guide for how to build one for yourself, here’s a website she and her team set up to break it all down.
Unlike New York, they say that Denver is a city that sometimes sleeps. When you wake up, wouldn’t it be nice to get a quick digest of news and cool event recs? Subscribe to our newsletter and get exactly…
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Aug 17, 2021
A Denver DIY Icon Lives On at Meow Wolf
When Meow Wolf opens its newest and biggest immersive art museum, Convergence Station, in Denver next month, it will feature the work of more than 100 local artists, each one putting their own Denver-y spin on Meow Wolf’s particular brand of interdimensional weirdness. One of those artists, Colin Ward, was a leading figure in Denver’s DIY community before he died by suicide in 2018, shortly after submitting a proposal for an installation with fellow artist and friend Peniel “Pepe” Apantenco. Today on the show, City Cast Denver host Bree Davies tours the as-yet-unfinished Convergence Station, including Colin and Pepe’s room, with Pepe and Kim Shively, who was also Colin’s girlfriend. They discuss Colin’s art, his legacy, and their complicated feelings surrounding his posthumous acceptance into the mainstream.
Come hang with us at UMS! Friday, August 27, 6:30 pm at Mutiny Information Cafe. We’ll be giving away some brand new CCD swag too, so you don’t want to miss it…
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Aug 16, 2021
Who Gets to Fight Wildfires?
Since 2002, a unique team of highly trained, motivated people have been fighting wildfires across Colorado. But of the 2,500 people who have participated in the State Wildland Inmate Fire Team, or SWIFT, fewer than 10 have gone on to get firefighting jobs after their release from prison. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies speaks with Garry Briese, executive chair of Colorado State Fire Chiefs, about why it’s been so difficult to get SWIFT graduates jobs fighting wildfires after they get out.
Looking for things to do in Denver this week? We’ve got tons of great recs in our newsletter. All you've got to do is subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Freshen up your Twitter feed with @citycastdenver!
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Aug 13, 2021
Talking Meow Wolf and ‘Alice’ w/ Wheelchair Sports Camp’s Kalyn Heffernan
Welcome to Friday, that time of the week where we look back on what’s been happening in Denver. This week, host Bree Davies and producer Xandra McMahon are joined by rapper, activist, and most recently, Meow Wolf artist Kalyn Heffernan. They chat about the immersive art installation’s long road to Denver and what Meow Wolf means to the hundred plus local artists it employs. Plus, Kalyn gives a backstage sneak peak of PHAMALY Theatre Company’s original rendition of “Alice in Wonderland,” scored by Kayln’s band, Wheelchair Sports Camp. Get tickets and more details here: https://phamaly.org/show/alice/
Want more piping hot news in your inbox every weekday morning? Subscribe to the CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
And how ‘bout some tweets? @CityCastDenver
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Aug 12, 2021
A Clear-Eyed Look Through The Smog
From Colorado’s worsening air quality to the recent UN report declaring a “code red for humanity,” climate change is at the forefront of our lives. This serious global issue may have once felt like a distant threat, but Coloradans are increasingly finding their everyday experiences impacted by the constant threat of wildfires, an increase in ozone days, and unbearable summer temperatures. But the issue of climate change can feel both overwhelming and intangible, as we ponder just what, exactly, we as individuals can do to make meaningful changes in our lives and environment. Today on the show, City Cast Denver host Bree Davies talks with Chase Woodruff, environmental reporter for Colorado Newsline, about what’s happening on the climate change front in Colorado, whose fault it is, and what, if anything, we as citizens can do to leave a better planet for the next generation.
Got a hankerin’ for more Denver news? We’ve got a newsletter just for you, pardner: https://denve…
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Aug 11, 2021
Wildfire Grief Takes Center Stage
When playwright Jessica Kahkoska set out to write something about the real-life impacts of wildfires on residents in Colorado, she looked to survivors of Grand County’s East Troublesome Fire, which burned more than 190,000 acres last year. In conjunction with History Colorado’s Museum of Memory and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Kahkoska produced “Wild Fire,” a composite of her interviewees’ often traumatic memories of living through the fire. As wildfire smoke once again blankets our state, City Cast Denver host Bree Davies spoke with Kahkoska about the urgency of processing this trauma, her personal connection with Colorado wildfires, and the unique power of theater to address this kind of climate catastrophe.
“Wild Fire” opens Monday, August 16th at Levitt Pavilion. For tickets and more information, visit Levitt Pavilion.
We’ve got more cool events to attend, shows to see, and news to catch up on in the City Cast Denver newsletter. Subscribe here: h…
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Aug 10, 2021
Can DougCo Schools’ Equity Problem Be Fixed?
When the Douglas County School District announced a new equity policy earlier this year, many parents in the predominantly white, affluent district cried foul, accusing the district of inserting “critical race theory” into the curriculum and fueling the major conservative media narrative of the summer. So with classes in DougCo schools starting up again this week, City Cast Denver host Bree Davies speaks with two of the parents who helped craft the equity policy, Nara Altmann and Ishmeet Kalra, about the need for such a thing in the first place and what they hope lingers after the national spotlight moves on.
Looking for even more City Cast Denver in your mornings? Subscribe to our weekday morning newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
Tweets @citycastdenver
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Aug 9, 2021
Reclaiming Denver’s Lost Chinatown
Eight is an auspicious number in Chinese and other Asian cultures. That’s why some leaders of the local AAPI communities chose yesterday, 8/8, to unveil their new plans to commemorate Denver’s old Chinatown. It was at one point one of the largest Chinatowns in the American West, but now all that’s left is a racist old plaque a few blocks from where the neighborhood once was. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sits down with one of the organizers, Dr. William Wei, to hear how the old plaque brought the group together, why it’s so important to enact change now, and what they hope for the future.
Dr. William Wei is professor of history at CU Boulder, a former state historian, and the author of Asians in Colorado, which you should read if you want to learn more about the history of Colorado’s Chinese community.
As unveiled at the event at Zoe Ma Ma across from Union Station yesterday, here is Dr. Wei’s proposed text for a new plaque commemorating Denver’s old Chinatown:…
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Aug 7, 2021
Bloops
A note from producer Lizzie Goldsmith:
The end of May was a time of transition for City Cast Denver. Our regular host, Bree Davies, was heading off on maternity leave, producer Paul Karolyi was getting ready to take over as temporary host, and the whole team was preparing to welcome me, Lizzie Goldsmith, as a producer for the summer. I rarely stepped behind the mic, but I worked behind the scenes on this wonderful whirlwind of a podcast, getting to know its wonderful creators.
It was an honor to help tell so many important stories, but it was also a lot of fun. There were so many outtakes from our three crew members who took turns as host — Bree, Paul, and producer Xandra McMahon — that didn’t make it into the show, so I put together this blooper reel for the team to commemorate the first summer of City Cast Denver. I hope you listeners enjoy it too!
For more City Cast goodness in print form, subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
We’re al…
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Aug 6, 2021
50 New Historic Places, Staff Recs, and Canoosh!
TGICCDF (Thank God It’s City Cast Denver Friday) which means it’s time to look back on the news of the week. Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi chat about Historic Denver’s 50 actions for 50 places list that was released on Tuesday. They’ve also got a story update regarding the Park Hill Safe Outdoor Space (hear our episode from May 3 on the program here) and some weekend recommendations for things to do. Finally, the City Cast Denver crew learns a new locally-made board game: Canoosh.
Here are links to Bree and Paul’s recommendations:
Bree: Denver photographer Armando Geneyro’s exhibition “Brick & Soul” is at History Colorado through next July
Paul: Former Denver Post reporter Dick Kreck’s “Smaldone: The Untold Story of An American Crime Family” should be available now from your favorite local bookstore.
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Aug 5, 2021
Learning to Live With Poor Air Quality
Every day since July 5, Colorado health officials have issued an “action day” alert, warning residents about poor air quality across the Front Range. So what are we supposed to do about that? Not go outside during the summer anymore? Not breathe? Move? City Cast Denver host Bree Davies had questions, so we invited Dr. Anthony Gerber on the show for answers. He is professor of medicine and director of pulmonary research at National Jewish Health, as well as the chair of the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission. Dr. Gerber breaks down what exactly is so bad about our air, what we as individuals can do about it, and what we should be worried about.
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Aug 4, 2021
Is Denver Still Funny?
Adam Cayton-Holland, Andrew Orvedahl, and Ben Roy: Together, they are The Grawlix, a comedy supergroup that has risen to the top of Denver’s comedy scene over the past 20 years, consistently selling out shows and even skipping off to Los Angeles for a few years to make a big Hollywood TV show (“Those Who Can’t” is now streaming on HBOMax). So now that they’ve restarted their monthly comedy nights at The Bug Theater, we invited Adam, Andrew, and Ben to look back talk about how Denver shaped them and whether they think it’s still a good place to be funny.
Get ready for some plugs!
Together, Adam, Andrew, and Ben make a very funny podcast called The Grawlix Saves the World and perform on the last Saturday of every month at The Bug (tickets are available now). Individually, Andrew launched an independent game publishing company last year called Occupied Hex Games. Adam has a new album, Hot Takes, coming out soon and is performing his one-man show, Happy Place, at The Bug on…
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Aug 3, 2021
Will the Denver Music Scene Be OK?
Big name concerts and massive summer festivals are back in full swing, but how have local musicians fared throughout the pandemic? City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sits down with local music expert Bruce Trujillo to dig into the state of things for the music community here in Denver. As a radio host at Indie 102.3, an independent show booker, and now, as Concert Director for Swallow Hill Music, Trujillo knows the ins and outs of Denver’s diverse music scene. She shares her takes on pay equity for musicians, the importance of DIY music venues, and how online artistic collaboration has helped many artists stay connected to their communities throughout the last year and a half.
Bruce’s local music recs from the episode:
Ritmo Cascabel
Katiria
The Manañas
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Aug 2, 2021
Spotlight on La Alma Lincoln Park's Chicano Community
Of Denver’s 56 historic districts and 352 individual landmarks, less than 3% commemorate non-white contributions to the city’s history. Tonight, Denver City Council could change that. They are set to vote on the creation of a historic cultural district in La Alma Lincoln Park, which would make it the first historic district in the country to honor the Chicano movement. Sitting outside the La Alma Rec Center, City Cast Denver host Bree Davies spoke with Ean Thomas Tafoya and Cathy and Desiree Prieto, community members who have strong roots in the neighborhood. They talk about the importance of La Alma Lincoln Park as not only a place where Chicano civil rights took hold, but where community pride is housed in the structures and city blocks they’ve called home.
For more on the push to designate La Alma Lincoln Park a historic cultural district, here’s a write-up from Historic Denver.
City Cast Denver was proud to have published one of the final interviews with former Colora…
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Jul 30, 2021
Breaking Down the Bond (Plus, the People’s Coaster)
For this week’s news round-up, City Cast Denver host Bree Davies, producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon, and newsletter writer Peyton Garcia unpack the proposed $450 million infrastructure bond package, which Mayor Hancock detailed this week in his State of the City address. What would all that money fund? Who’s for it and who’s against it? And what’s a bond again? Smash that play button for answers to all those questions and more. Plus, we debut a new segment: New Denver/Old Denver.
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Jul 29, 2021
The New DPS Superintendent Wants Snow Days!
Dr. Alex Marrero has only lived in Denver for three weeks. But as the new superintendent of Denver Public Schools, it’s his job to lead 90,000+ students when classes start next month. With open questions looming on masks in the classroom, equity, and cops in schools, he’s got quite the mountain to climb. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sat down with Marrero yesterday to get to know him a little better and hear about his plans for DPS.
For more from Dr. Marrero, here’s his open letter introducing himself to the DPS community: https://www.dpsk12.org/our-dps-weekly-july-16-2021/
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Jul 28, 2021
There’s More to Love About Rocky Mountain National Park Than Bear Lake
Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most loved places in all of Colorado. After a dip in visitation last year, it’s on a record-setting pace once again. But many people who visit see only the same old, same old: Trail Ridge Road, Bear Lake, etc. Enter: Exploring Estes Park, a new podcast aiming to help the 4+ million people coming through RMNP get off the beaten path and understand the land’s history through stories and inspiration from across the region. Award-winning travel writer Aaron Millar hosts the podcast, and he sits down with City Cast Denver producer Xandra McMahon to talk through some of the fascinating stories they found and offer some tips for your next trip to RMNP and Estes Park.
Learn more about Aaron’s travel writing here: https://www.thebluedotperspective.com/
And if you do want to follow in Isabella Bird’s footsteps any time soon, you’re going to need to follow this link and make a reservation before visiting RMNP: https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyou…
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Jul 27, 2021
What It’s Really Like to Live in Your Vehicle
There are more than 1,000 people sleeping in their vehicles in Denver right now, according to the Colorado Safe Parking Initiative. And with the federal evictions moratorium set to expire at the end of the month, that number could skyrocket. So today on the show, we bring you the story of Lando Allen, a man who was experiencing homelessness before he fell into the “insidious trap” of living in a vehicle, as CSPI co-founder Chelsey Baker-Hauck describes it. City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi spoke with Lando and Chelsey about this oft-overlooked dimension of our housing crisis.
The City of Denver has compiled a list of resources for people facing possible evictions, which you can find here. Their advice for anyone who has received a 10-day advance notice from their landlord is to contact the Office of Financial Empowerment and Protection by calling 720-944-2498 or emailing FEC@denvergov.org. They’ll connect callers with navigators who can help get them connected with relevant…
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Jul 26, 2021
The Case Against a Denver Olympics
So far, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics have been nothing short of surreal. With protesters in the streets and no fans in the stands, the Opening Ceremony on Friday begged the question: Why is this even happening? And almost 50 years ago, that was that exact question that led Dick Lamm, a young Colorado state lawmaker who would go on to become governor, to lead a campaign to block the 1976 Winter Games from coming to Denver, setting the tone for half a century of Colorado politics. City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi sits down with Lamm to talk through that formative story, his surprising feelings about the Games, and what it would take for him to support a Denver Olympics bid in the future.
For more on Denver’s unique relationship with the Olympics, check out our episode from July 23, titled “The Case for a Denver Olympics.”
There’s a whole lot more to this City Cast Denver thing than just a podcast. We also have a newsletter, with the Denver news you need, as well as great e…
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Jul 24, 2021
The Tale of the Bullet
Since he guest hosted the show this past week, you know that donnie l. betts is an activist, storyteller, filmmaker, and producer of audio dramas. So we couldn't help but share a little more of his work, especially since it connects with so many of the themes we discussed on the show this week. "The Tale of the Bullet" explores America's obsession with guns from the perspective of the bullet. He initially released it as an episode of his podcast, Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days, which is a revival of the first African-American radio drama by Richard Durham, and, like its predecessor, tells the stories of people of color and highlights important issues.
The full version of "The Tale of the Bullet" ends with a conversation with activists and families who have been impacted by gun violence, which you can find on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Find out more about Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days on donnie's website, and check out the original Destination Fre…
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Jul 23, 2021
The Case for a Denver Olympics
The Opening Ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is tonight! Yes, they’re still calling it that, even though it’s definitely 2021. No, there won’t be fans in the stands. No, the Japanese public doesn’t want this to be happening. Yes, we’re feeling as conflicted about it as you are. But Denver’s relationship with the Games has always been conflicted. We were the first city to be awarded the Games that turned around and said, “no thanks.” And every 20 years or so since, some group of local boosters has tried to get them back. So today and Monday on the show, as the Tokyo Games get underway, City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi is exploring Denver’s unique connection with the Olympics. First up, IMA Financial Group CEO and Chairman Robert Cohen. He led the most recent effort to bring the Games to Denver, and he’s on the show to share his case for a Denver Olympics.
One hundred dollars. We’re giving it away, and it could be yours. All you’ve got to do is fill out…
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Jul 22, 2021
The Good, the Bad, and the Delta Variant
It’s been two months since Denver lifted its mask mandate, and more than half of Coloradans are fully immunized against COVID-19. But many still aren’t, and the new, more contagious Delta variant is now the dominant strain. So are we going to see another mask mandate like they have in Los Angeles? And what’s going to happen when schools open in the fall? We had questions about the state of the pandemic, so City Cast Denver guest host donnie l. betts sat down with epidemiologist Dr. Jonathan Samet to talk about the Delta variant, the latest vaccination numbers, and what we can learn from the 1918 flu pandemic.
It’s donnie’s last regular show with us for the time being, but be sure to follow him on Twitter @donniebetts! You can find out more about his films and other work at www.nocredits.com, including the radio drama Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days (which is also available on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts).
Subscribe to our daily newsletter: ht…
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Jul 21, 2021
An Evening of Five Points Jazz at Dazzle
“Just when the government was about to let crowds of people congregate again so that we could play our horns once more, the lid was clamped down tighter than ever.” That’s how jazz legend Louis Armstrong remembered his experience of the 1918 pandemic in New Orleans in his 1954 memoir Satchmo. “Everybody was down with it, except me.” Because he managed to survive, jazz flourished across the country in the mid-20th century, including here in Denver, where Five Points earned a reputation for world-class jazz. Armstrong himself even played at the iconic Rossonian Hotel on Welton Street. So now that the government is again allowing some crowds to congregate, are we on the brink of a jazz renaissance? City Cast Denver guest host donnie l. betts visits one of Denver’s premier jazz clubs, Dazzle, to listen to some music and talk through this moment in Denver jazz with legendary pianist Purnell Steen, Dazzle co-owner Matt Ruff, and trombonist Stafford Hunter.
If you’re interest…
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Jul 20, 2021
To Be Black and Own a Gun in Denver
These are boom times for gun sellers in Colorado, with more gun purchases reported in 2020 than in 2000, 2001 and 2002 combined, according to the Denver Post. Look a little closer at those numbers, and the story gets a little more complicated, especially for Black people in Denver. City Cast Denver guest host donnie l. betts sits down with Alton Clark, the founder of 5280 Steel, a local gun club that saw its membership double in the past year. Then, he takes a tour of 1770 Armory and Gun Club, a new virtual firing range that opened in Five Points last September, with one of its founders, Shawn McWilliams. They discuss their personal relationships with guns, the taboo of gun ownership in the Black community, and what they think is driving the recent boom in gun sales.
To hear donnie’s production of The Knock-Kneed Man: The Story of Crispus Attucks Freedom Fighter, click here.
Want to win $100? All you have to do is tell us what you think about City Cast Denver. Take our listener…
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Jul 19, 2021
Is Denver’s Gang Violence on the Rise?
Earlier this year, journalist Julian Rubinstein published The Holly, a thorough and revealing look at the history of gang violence in Denver, focusing in particular on the story of one former gang member turned anti-gang activist Terrance Roberts. It’s a fascinating book that answered many questions about a little-understood issue in our city, and it landed as violent crime is once again on the rise. So is the current spike in homicides and shootings related to gang violence? And how big is Denver’s gang problem anyways? City Cast Denver guest host donnie l. betts sat down with the new head of Denver’s anti-gang efforts, Nicole Monroe, to talk through how gangs operate in Denver today and what her office is doing about it.
For more on gang violence in Denver, here’s a link to our episode earlier this year with Julian Rubinstein and Terrance Roberts.
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Jul 17, 2021
#ListenLocal: The Taxman
It's time for another #listenlocal podcast recommendation from our friend Berry of Podcasts in Color, the largest database of podcasts produced by people of color in the world. Berry's pick this month is The Taxman, Colorado Public Radio's three-parter on Douglas Bruce, the man behind the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights and his legacy in Colorado today. Initially published in 2017, this is still a must-listen for any Coloradan who has ever wondered why our state has such a complicated relationship with taxes.
The Taxman was produced by CPR News, specifically Rachel Estabrook, Ben Markus, and past City Cast Denver guest Nate Minor.
Listen to the whole series here and follow Berry on Twitter @podcastsincolor. Catch up with the rest of CPR's podcast slate here.
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Jul 16, 2021
Wildfire Smoke, Ski Rock, and That Hotel Bust
TGIF! We’re back with another news round-up for you today, and this week City Cast Denver producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon are joined by award-winning storyteller, inventor, and activist donnie betts. We’re excited to have him on the show today, and to announce that he’ll be guest hosting City Cast Denver all next week! But first, listen in to this conversation about the week’s top stories, “meh” stories, and each person’s highlight of the week.
If you want to hear more from donnie before he starts guest-hosting the show on Monday, do yourself a favor and listen to a few episodes of his podcast Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days.
Speaking of highlights, did you know we put together a list of our favorite things to do in Denver in the summer? Refer just one person to the City Cast Denver newsletter, and you’ll get these recommendations in your inbox. Want to refer more people? We got some swag for you! Find out more and get your referral link here: https://…
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Jul 15, 2021
At 142 Years Old, History Colorado is Still Finding New Stories to Tell
History Colorado has been documenting the state’s stories since 1879, just three years after Colorado became a state. And the way we teach history has changed a lot in the last 142 years. In the organization’s recent past, controversy around a 2013 Sand Creek Massacre exhibit propelled History Colorado towards a more community-centered mission. And just this past week, the organization announced a new executive director, Dawn DiPrince. City Cast Denver producer Xandra McMahon sits down with Dawn to talk about History Colorado’s past, present, and future.
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Jul 14, 2021
The Forgotten Music Venue That Hosted The Greats
What do Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and the Grateful Dead have in common? If you guessed music, good for you, that’s correct. But more specifically, they all played shows at a long-forgotten hippie rock club in southwest Denver that was only open for 10 months in 1967 and 1968. DU professor Scott Montgomery and filmmaker Dan Obarski made a documentary, The Tale of the Dog, which argues that without that short-lived little club, Denver would never have been able to attract such high-profile acts and become the live music destination we know it as today. City Cast Denver producer Xandra McMahon sits down with Scott and Dan to talk through the six years of research that went into their documentary, the Family Dog’s lasting legacy, and the real story behind Canned Heat’s famous run-in with Denver police.
The Tale of the Dog is available for streaming now. Find out more at thetaleofthedog.com.
Do you love the show? Are there things we’re doing you want more of? Less of? We want to…
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Jul 13, 2021
Did the MLB All-Star Game Prompt Homeless Sweeps?
Housing activists and our unhoused neighbors say that the City of Denver has been increasing sweeps of homeless encampments ahead of today’s MLB All-Star Game at Coors Field, and many have accused Mayor Michael Hancock of attempting to whitewash our housing crisis for the TV cameras. But there’s more to this story than meets the eye. Denverite reporter Kevin Beaty filed records requests to get a better picture of the underlying data, and he sits down with City Cast Denver producer Xandra McMahon to unpack it.
For an even deeper dive into the data Kevin dug up, here’s his report for Denverite.
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Jul 12, 2021
Land Reparations at the National Western Center?
The Globeville and Elyria-Swansea (GES) neighborhoods never seem to get a fair shake. Hemmed in by industrial polluters, highways, and massive commercial real estate developments, the area has long been among the poorest and most marginalized in the city. So when the City of Denver suspended work on one piece of the redevelopment of the new National Western Center during the pandemic, they saw an opportunity to claim some community control. City Cast Denver producer Xandra McMahon sits down with the director of the GES Coalition Organizing for Health and Housing Justice, Nola Miguel, and GES Coalition organizer and lifelong resident Alfonso Espino to talk about reparations and their new campaign to establish a “community-driven” planning process for that land.
Read the GES Coalition’s whole plan for The Triangle right here.
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Jul 9, 2021
Mud Slides, Ketamine, and Beer for Life
Happy Friday! We’re shaking things up a bit and have 15 minutes of news catch-up for you. City Cast Denver producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon chat about the top stories from the week, that huge upcoming sporting event, and the news that made them feel “meh.”
Want a shot at a $100? All you’ve got to do is fill out our new listener survey here: https://denver.citycast.fm/survey/ It’ll take 5 minutes, and no matter what we’ll be grateful!
And you can get some sweet City Cast Denver swag FOR FREE if you refer some of your friends to subscribe to our weekday morning newsletter. If just one of them signs up, you get our personal recommendations for summer in the city. How cool is that! Grab your referral link and get started here: https://denver.citycast.fm/referrals/
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Jul 8, 2021
A Case of Alleged Police Brutality and the Fight for Justice
Earlier this week, City Cast Denver listeners brought to our attention the story of Lakewood resident Ameer Allen and the alleged police brutality he experienced in February. He says he was the victim in an altercation with a tow truck driver, but when the police arrived, they too assaulted him. He was arrested and now faces four misdemeanor charges. Since then, a Lakewood city council member who heard his story has taken up his case, which goes to trial in August. City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi talked with Ameer and Moe Clark, the journalist who broke the story, about the incident itself and its aftermath.
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Jul 7, 2021
Lions, Moose, and Bears, Oh My! Your Summer Wildlife Guide
We are smack in the middle of Great Outdoors Season, and it might be a good time to remind you that no, you should not touch that cute baby animal. City Cast Denver Producer Paul Karolyi sits down with Jason Clay of Colorado Parks and Wildlife to talk this year’s wildlife trends.
Plus, a new VOICE on the Street! This time, Denver VOICE vendor Raelene Johnson shares a poem she wrote about gun violence. The Denver VOICE provides opportunities to Denverites experiencing homelessness and other forms of economic inequity. If you’d like to support VOICE vendors like Raelene, head over to denvervoice.org/donate. They even have Venmo, so if you want to get a little help directly to Raelene, follow this link and add her name to the note attached to your transfer.
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Feast your eyes on the tweets: @CityCastDenver
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Jul 6, 2021
Lisa Calderón Wants to Break the Glass Ceiling for Women in Politics
Lisa Calderón is one of those people in Denver politics that everybody knows. Whether she’s running to be Denver’s first female mayor or making change by working as Chief of Staff for her friend, Councilperson Candi CdeBaca, she’s built power around her name. And now she’s taking that power and reputation to Emerge Colorado — an organization that trains Democratic women on how to run for office. City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi sits down with Lisa to chat about her plans as the organization’s new executive director and why, in 2021, women still aren’t equitably represented in politics.
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Jul 2, 2021
War of the Moths
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of moths? We know.
It’s that time of year, when the miller moths complete their annual migration from the plains to the mountains, wreaking havoc on Coloradans along the way. This year, we caught it all on mic … except, not really. Enjoy this dramatic audio presentation from the City Cast Denver crew, which is a loose adaptation of Orson Welles’s War of the Worlds.
For moth removal tips, check out this article. To learn more about the miller moths in particular, this CSU fact sheet should answer all your questions.
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Jul 1, 2021
Hancock's Pick To Run DIA Has Baggage
When longtime CEO of Denver International Airport Kim Day announced her retirement back in May, Mayor Michael Hancock called up an old friend and colleague to see if he wanted the job. That friend, former RTD CEO Phil Washington, jumped at the chance to move back from Los Angeles — can you blame him? But now that some pretty serious allegations about his time with LA Metro have come to light, Phil has got some explaining to do. Axios Denver’s Alayna Alvarez has been covering the allegations, and she chats with City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi to break it down. Plus, producer Xandra McMahon was there yesterday when City Council members questioned Phil Washington on his record, the allegations, and his plans for the future of the airport.
For more on Phil Washington’s record with RTD and LA Metro, past and future City Cast Denver guest Jon Murray has the story for the Denver Post.
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Jun 30, 2021
Is Trinidad The New Denver?
Two years ago, Kayvan Khalatbari was running to be mayor of Denver. He had started a chain of pizza shops, helped legalize cannabis, supported numerous arts organizations, and he had big plans for managing Denver’s growth. Now he’s the ringleader of a growing group of progressive-minded Denverites decamping for Trinidad, Colorado, a small rundown town on the New Mexico border. Mutiny Information Cafe is opening an outpost down there this summer. So are the owners of Grandma’s House Brewery and the Hi-Dive. City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi sits down with Kayvan to talk about what he sees in Trinidad that he no longer sees in Denver. Plus, we’ll hear from another Trinidad booster, Denver’s iconic historical preservationist, Dana Crawford.
Don’t miss another morning with the City Cast Denver newsletter! Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
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Jun 29, 2021
Denver’s Jam Band Scene Has An Ugly Open Secret
Free love, psychedelic drugs, and the Grateful Dead: These are the tenets of Denver’s thriving jam band scene. But for decades, jam musicians say they’ve been dealing with a gatekeeper who projects a positive image while walking all over them. After some much more serious allegations against Denver’s ‘Grandfather of Jam Music’ came to light in March, some of those frustrated musicians are taking a stand. Two of the organizers behind the new Colorado Musicians Union, Aidan Pagnani and Sarah Mount, are on the show today to talk about Jay Bianchi’s role in the scene, their boycott campaign, and their plan for a more equitable local music community. Plus, one of the women accusing Jay Bianchi of sexual assault shares her story.
Past (and future) City Cast Denver guest John Wenzel has been covering the allegations against Jay Bianchi for the Denver Post. Click here to read Jay’s response and more about the case.
The Colorado Musicians Union is organizing a picket/protest out…
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Jun 28, 2021
Meet the Master of Chicano Noir
It’s beach-reading season, people. And one of Denver’s best novelists is back with an absolute corker of a mystery. Since he left a career in criminal justice, Manuel Ramos has published 11 novels and one short story collection — all revolving around Denver and specifically the Chicano community Manuel knows so well. His latest is Angels in the Wind: A Mile High Noir. It follows ex-con private investigator Gus Corral out of his native Northside and onto the Eastern Plains for a story rooted in family and the urban-rural divide. City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi sits down with Manuel to talk about Chicano Noir and how the genre allows him space to explore some of the darker aspects of life in Colorado.
In addition to his many novels and short stories, which you can find here, Manuel is also co-founder and a regular contributor to La Bloga, the award-winning Chicana Chicano, Latina Latino literary blog.
For more local authors of color, Manuel recommends checking out Mario Acev…
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Jun 25, 2021
Talking Pride at One of the Last Lesbian Bars in the Country
We’re doing things a little bit differently today. It’s Friday and it’s Pride weekend, so City Cast Denver producer Xandra McMahon invited her friend and fellow journalist Danika Worthington to hang out and talk all things Denver Pride at the city’s last lesbian bar, Blush & Blu, which also happens to be one of the last lesbian bars in the whole country. Xandra and Danika talk about what Blush & Blu means to them, why they think lesbian bars are going away, and how they’re planning to celebrate Pride this weekend.
If you haven’t heard our episode with Rex Fuller, CEO of The Center on Colfax, about his organization’s tough decision to block the police from formally participating in Pride this year, definitely go back and listen to that one this weekend.
For more on Blush & Blu, here’s Danika’s profile of the place from the Denver Post back in 2017.
If you’re still planning your Pride weekend, here’s a few helpful guides:
How to Celebrate Pride in Denver This We…
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Jun 24, 2021
The Long Goodbye to Single-Use Plastic
In the world of single-use plastics and Styrofoam, big changes are on the horizon for Coloradans … eventually. While Denverites will have to start paying for plastic and paper bags in July, the rest of Colorado won’t see the effects of a new bill until 2023 (if Polis signs it, of course). CPR News reporter Miguel Otárola has been following this potential plastics ban as it’s progressed through the legislature, and now that it’s poised to become law, he sat down with City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi to talk about what exactly is — and isn’t — in the bill, who opposed it, and what it means for restaurants, grocery stores, and the health of our planet.
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Jun 23, 2021
How to Redistribute Wealth Without A Savior Complex
The economic recession caused by the pandemic is driving a wedge through Denver — and all of America. While many people have lost jobs or worked in dangerous conditions, many others have seen their lots in life improve, leading to explosive growth in the real estate, car, and furniture markets. It’s not an easy thing to talk about, and it’s way harder to do anything about it. That’s where Resource Generation comes in. It’s a nonprofit that helps young people with access to wealth and/or class privilege equitably redistribute money, land, and power. City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi chats with two members of Resource Generation’s Colorado chapter who are each an heir to a family fortune. They talk about why they’re sharing their stories now, what they plan to do with that money, and how concentrated wealth can shape our city.
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Jun 22, 2021
Fall in Love With Cherry Creek All Over Again
This past year, Cherry Creek was more of a respite than ever. It’s the place to see world-class murals, walk with friends, and go for bike rides, but it’s a heckuva lot more important to Denver than just recreation. When City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi stumbled on a massive new creek renovation project last year, he uncovered a fascinating history of creek management (and mismanagement). Today on the show, Paul explores that history with Jesse Clark, a landscape architect the Mile High Flood District contracted to help reimagine our urban waterways and facilitate a healthier relationship between us humans and our beloved Cherry Creek.
To see what this stretch of Cherry Creek between Quebec and Iliff is supposed to look like in a few years, here’s a mockup flyover Jesse shared with us: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErfDZs0N2qU
For even more on our urban waterways, past City Cast Denver guest Michael Booth has a great story this week in the Colorado Sun about a proposed…
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Jun 21, 2021
Shaping Denver Business From Bust to Boom (To Bust)
In the past 12 years, Denver has experienced an explosion of economic growth (as well as a slew of growing pains, such as increasing rates of inequality, homelessness, traffic, and gentrification). And it just so happens that those are the same 12 years that Kelly Brough served as a leader for the business community in her role as president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. She’s made or influenced many key decisions that shaped Denver into what it is today, but no more! On September 1, she’ll be stepping down from the chamber to pursue other opportunities. So City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi sat down with Kelly to talk through the ups and downs of the past 12 years, how she sees the current economic moment, and how she feels about the rumors of a mayoral bid.
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Jun 17, 2021
A Walk Through Denver’s Juneteenth Past and Present
The City of Denver finally recognized Juneteenth as a commemorative holiday earlier this year. But for many Denverites, it’s always been a big deal. The Juneteenth Music Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and every year the event gets bigger and the message gets stronger. And as we learned this week, it’s something of a family affair for organizer Norman Harris III. City Cast Denver producer Xandra McMahon tagged along with Norman as he made some final preparations for the concert, parade, and food festival. So take a trip down Welton Street with Norman and Xandra, and hear about the festival’s humble beginnings in a building developed by Norman’s grandfather and what it means to Norman to see Juneteenth become what it is today.
Check out the full slate of events for this year’s Juneteenth Music Festival: https://www.juneteenthmusicfestival.com/
Don’t miss another morning with the City Cast Denver newsletter! Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newslette…
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Jun 16, 2021
The Worst Week in Denver Sports History?
A few months ago, the Nuggets and the Avalanche both looked like championship contenders, but both teams flamed out hard in the playoffs. So what happened? City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi commiserates with Sports Guy Jake Shapiro (who also happens to be a breaking news reporter for the Denver Post). Plus, City Cast Denver’s resident foodie Peyton Garcia ate at Denver’s buzziest new fine-dining restaurant, Sunday Vinyl, and she’s here to tell you whether it’s a must-visit or a skip.
Catch more Denver news and events with Peyton every weekday morning in the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
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Jun 15, 2021
The North Face vs Denver's Oil and Gas Industry
When The North Face refused to print co-branded jackets for a Houston-based fracking company, Denver oil and gas execs cried foul, sparking a months-long trolling campaign to highlight what they see as hypocrisy in the outdoor recreation industry. It’s a showdown between one of Denver’s most powerful legacy industries and the new kid in town, VF Corp, the multi-billion dollar company that moved here in 2019 and owns The North Face, Jansport and dozens of other outdoor-oriented apparel brands. City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi sat down with Denver Business Journal reporter Greg Avery to get the whole backstory and talk through what it all says about Colorado’s relationships with climate change and our own history.
Want to learn more about the people and ideas shaping Denver today? Subscribe to our weekday morning newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
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Jun 14, 2021
The Old CCC Built Red Rocks. What Could a New Civilian Climate Corps Do?
Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to kickstart an economic recovery that at the same time addressed our climate crisis? Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse thinks there is one. He’s proposing to bring back a popular program from President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s time — the Civilian Conservation Corps. Starting in the early 1930s, the CCC was meant to get people back to work after the Great Depression, and it left a lasting legacy here in Colorado — they built Red Rocks! But Neguse’s 21st-century version would look a little different. City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi sat down with the congressman to talk about the new and improved Civilian Climate Corps, and how it could affect life in Denver sooner than you might think.
Want to learn more about the people and ideas shaping Denver today? Subscribe to our weekday morning newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/
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Jun 11, 2021
Councilperson Candi CdeBaca on Renters’ Rights and More
When Councilperson Candi CdeBaca learned that Denverites were being evicted from their homes last year despite the federal eviction moratorium, she knew something had to change. The progressive young politician partnered up with Councilperson Amanda Sawyer on a new measure to help renters, and it passed unanimously on Monday night. City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi sits down with Candi to talk through some of the challenges she faces passing measures like this one and how she believes the new policy is going to help everyone in Denver — not just renters. Plus, Paul gets Candi on the record on some recent issues we’ve featured on the show, including the Park Hill Golf Course, the Reimagine Police and Public Safety Task Force recommendations, and which playoff run she’s been rooting for harder: Nuggets or Avs.
If you live in Candi’s District 9 (Five Points, downtown, etc.), we recommend signing up for her newsletter. You’ll get regular updates on what Candi is working on a…
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Jun 10, 2021
The Problem With Paying to Get Out of Jail
After the explosion of outrage over police violence last summer, many activists turned to the hard work of incremental criminal justice reform. One of those efforts came to a head earlier this week on the second to last day of the legislative session. Colorado Freedom Fund founder Elisabeth Epps was there pushing for change that, she says, would have kept more people out of jail (and out of harm’s way). City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi sits down with Elisabeth for a raw discussion about what happened at the Capitol on Monday evening, the long road to get there, and what she’s going to work towards next.
For more on the Colorado Freedom Fund, click here. And do yourself a favor and follow Elisabeth on Twitter @elisabeth.
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Jun 9, 2021
Can Denver Survive an All-Remote Tech Workforce?
What happens to Denver if every service worker leaving the industry learns to code? Turing School of Software & Design trains programmer newbs for entry level tech jobs, and at the height of the pandemic they decided to make remote learning permanent. City Cast producer Paul Karolyi sits down with Turing’s executive director Jeff Casimir to talk through the data