City Cast Denver

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Colorado Healing Fund Backlash, Our Parking Paradox, and a S'mores-gasbord Dec 09, 2022

Show notes

It’s another Friday news roundup! This week, podcaster and cannabis expert Ann Marie Awad joins producer Paul Karolyi and host Bree Davies to dig through local stories big and small. First, the crew discusses the recent controversy around the Colorado Healing Fund and talk about “solidarity not charity” models of giving, like mutual aid networks. Then, Paul, Ann Marie, and Bree dig into a highly controversial listener question about parking in central Denver. Finally, newsletter editor Peyton Garcia pulls up to the table to bring us her top four picks for the Official City Cast Denver Maybe For Your Weekend!

Bree mentioned the recent RTD customer satisfaction survey results.

Ann Marie and Bree mentioned several mutual aid networks, support programs, and food access organizations in the metro area:

Denver Community Fridges
Rocky Mountain Mutual Aid Network
Denver Food Rescue
Snow Angels - snow removal
And here’s the piece Bree wrote about how mutual aid works

Folks looking for an alternative to the Colorado Healing Fund can support Club Q survivors through this GoFundMe, set up by Good Judy Garage.

Here are the events Peyton proposed for our Official Maybe For Your Weekend:

Festival de Tamale y Atole - Westwood (who is definitely NOT paying Peyton ;) )
Ugly sweater contest at Park Meadows Mall
Xmas movie night - Grounds for Dismissal Coffee + s’mores board - Aurora
37th Annual Children’s Hospital Toy Drive - Aurora Sports Park

Find even more cool events every week - subscribe to our newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866.

For updates from on the construction at the Central Library, check here: https://www.denverlibrary.org/central-library-bond-updates.

Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Is SCOTUS About to Alter CO's Anti-Discrimination Laws? Dec 08, 2022

Show notes

Ten years after Lakewood baker Jack Phillips refused to bake a cake for a gay wedding, a similar case went before the Supreme Court this week — yet again involving a Denver-area professional refusing to serve same-sex couples. But the make-up of the court is very different, and the outcome is anyone’s guess. CPR’s justice reporter Allison Sherry was in Washington this week to hear oral arguments, and she’s on today with host Bree Davies to break down the case — what’s at stake for our civil rights laws and why Coloradans keep bringing this type of case.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866

Leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬

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The Restaurants We Couldn’t Live Without This Year Dec 07, 2022

Show notes

Denver lost so many restaurants to the pandemic — RIP Racines, To The Wind, Tables, Piatti, etc. — but there are great new spots popping up all the time and plenty of old favorites going strong! So we’re looking back at a killer year in Denver dining with Westword’s food editor Molly Martin, who just published her annual list of 100 restaurants we can’t live without. Is the food hall trend floundering? Do celebrity chefs have any cache left in Mile High? And what’s behind the rise of the bakery/restaurant? Molly’s got her finger on the pulse and her eyes on the menu.

Restaurants Molly specifically mentioned:

El Taco de Mexico (Santa Fe.)
Sam’s No. 3 (Glendale, Aurora, Downtown)
Bakery Four (Tennyson St.)
Bánh & Butter Bakery Cafe (East Colfax)
Bourbon Grill (Uptown)
Oak at Fourteenth (Boulder)
Corrida (Boulder)
Three Saints Revival (Downtown)
The Wolf’s Tailor (Sunnyside)
Blazing Chicken Shack (Park Hill)
Hits the Spot (Lakewood)
Poppie’s (University Hills)
Mama Lolita’s (Broomfield)
Stone Cellar Bistro (Arvada)
Denver Central Market (RiNo)
Apple Blossom (Downtown)
Bodega (Valverde)

Bree and Molly also discussed the ups and downs of food halls, including the recent change-up at Zeppelin Station, and the latest celebrity chef to open a new spot in Denver, Ludo Lefebvre.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866

Leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬

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Your Guide to Holiday Fun Dec 06, 2022

Show notes

Sure, Denverites love the Parade of Lights and the tree lighting at Union Station. But what else is there to do here during the holiday season? Today on the show, host Bree Davies is joined by newsletter editor Peyton Garcia for a rundown of some of the best Christmas-y things to do, see, and eat in the Mile High. From pop-up bars and holiday markets to tamale tastings and visits with Santa, we’ve got a variety of seasonal recommendations to fill your December calendar and make the yuletide great!

Stuff we mentioned:

Christkindl Market at Civic Center Park (Plus, Peyton mentioned this list of first-timers tips)
Denver Zoo Lights
Camp Christmas (Listen to Bree’s tour with director Lonnie Hanzon from last year)
Holiday Tea at Hotel Boulderado
Miracle, the Christmas cocktail pop-up
Festival Del Tamal Y Atole

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866

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

How Looters and Liars Propped Up the Denver Art Museum Dec 05, 2022

Show notes

The Denver Post published a blockbuster three-part investigation last week, unveiling the spokes of an international criminal conspiracy with Denver as a key hub — the Denver Art Museum, in fact. Their fifth floor Bunker Gallery is so-named for Emma C. Bunker, “The Scholar,” as she was known in court papers connected to the scheme. From her Denver home, she validated and elevated the false claims of Douglas Latchford, an art dealer and collector who trafficked in priceless relics looted from southeast Asia. Producer Paul Karolyi talks to reporter Sam Tabachnik, who investigated the story for more than a year, including on the ground in Cambodia and Thailand.

Paul mentioned the new venue for Frozen Dead Guy Days and Denver’s laudatory efforts to replace lead water pipes.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866

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

Club Q Fallout, Indigenous School Protest, and World Cup Watch Spots Dec 02, 2022

Show notes

What does it mean to have a safe space? We tackle that question from two different directions in this week’s Friday news round-up. First, Club Q’s owner has pledged to re-open after the mass shooting left 5 dead and 22 injured less than two weeks ago. Will it still be a respite for the LGBTQ community of Colorado Springs? And second, dozens of parents and students from Athmar Park’s American Indian Academy of Denver — a charter school rooted in indigenous values — flooded the Denver Public Schools board meeting on Monday to protest the possible closure of their school. But should it stay open right where it is? Public radio veteran and fan favorite guest Jo Ann Allen returns to break it all down with host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi. Plus, Hey Denver newsletter editor Peyton Garcia joins us to pick our official Maybe for your weekend.

Jo Ann mentioned this episode of her excellent podcast Been There Done That with Mia Yamamoto.

For more on the American Indian Academy of Denver, guest host Avery Lill and former CCD producer Xandra McMahon visited the school and talked to its founder almost exactly one year ago.

Are you feeling the holiday spirit? Help us get in the mood! Leave us a voicemail with your name, neighborhood, and favorite Denver holiday tradition, and you might hear it on the show soon. Our number is 720-500-5418.

Subscribe to Hey Denver, our kickass morning newsletter, by texting “Denver” to 66866, and check out today’s newsletter for Peyton’s list of spots to watch the USMNT take on the Netherlands at the World Cup on Saturday.

Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

How Libertarians Shaped Colorado (And Still Do) Dec 01, 2022

Show notes

The Libertarian Party celebrates its 51st birthday next week — that’s 51 years pushing a fiscally conservative, socially liberal agenda. And the party’s origins trace back to a living room in the Denver suburbs — Westminster! — when a group of people fed up with the Nixon administration imagined a different way. Their message has shaped Colorado in many ways in the decades since, but why was Colorado the perfect place for this political ideology to be born? And is Governor Jared Polis really a secret Libertarian? Today on the show, author and former party leader Ari Armstrong joins host Bree Davies to talk about Libertarianism’s impact on local and national politics, why Colorado became the birthplace of this movement, and more.

Read Ari’s work on his website.

Here’s the interview with party founder David Nolan: https://lpedia.org/wiki/Document:Memoir_2001_David_Nolan_Reflects_on_the_Libertarian_Party_on_its_30th_Anniversary

Looking for more Denver news you can use? Sign up for our daily newsletter, Hey Denver, by texting “Denver” to 66866

You can also find us on Twitter: @CityCastDenver

Leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬

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Is This a Mayor’s Race or a Clown Car? Nov 30, 2022

Show notes

With no fewer than 20 declared candidates, the race to be Denver’s next mayor seems to be getting more crowded by the day. And more of those candidates might have a fighting chance this year, thanks to the new Fair Elections Fund, which matches certain campaign contributions with public money. But there’s only so much money available, and some of the requirements could make this election in particular a bit unwieldy. Producer Paul Karolyi talks with Westword editor Patty Calhoun about what she’s seen in 45 years of covering mayoral elections and if this fund is, indeed, a game-changer, as some have called it.

Find out more about the Fair Elections Fund and its ramifications in this article from Westword.

Paul mentioned James Leprino, the reclusive pizza cheese billionaire who hasn’t been photographed in public since 1978. His family is in court this week fighting over his billions, and if you want to learn more, the only interview we could find was with Forbes in 2017: “This Secretive Billionaire Makes the Cheese For Pizza Hut, Domino’s and Papa John’s”

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866

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

Why Chicano Theater Still Matters in Denver’s Changing Westside Nov 29, 2022

Show notes

It’s a milestone year for Su Teatro, the 50-year-old Westside institution and third-oldest Chicano theater in the country. They’re also close to paying off the mortgage on their building, cementing their place in a part of town that has seen so much change — and displacement — over the years. Host Bree Davies sits down with Su Teatro’s Executive Artistic Director Tony Garcia to hear the story of how Su Teatro came to be and why their mission is still important.

Starting this weekend, Su Teatro is bringing their acclaimed play “The Westside Oratorio” back to the stage. Learn more and buy tickets at http://suteatro.org/the-westside-oratorio/

Paul mentioned the indictments in connection with the killing of Christian Glass. He also talked about the World Cup, which would be great to watch at these local spots recommended by our pals at Westword.

Subscribe to our weekday morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866 and learn more at https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/

Leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬

Learn more about the sponsor of this episode:

Youth on Record’s Underground at the Showcase podcast

Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Is Denver a Fashion Disaster? Nov 28, 2022

Show notes

Whether you’re celebrating Cyber Monday today or thinking about a wardrobe refresh for the new year, it’s time to talk fashion. Do Denverites have style? Do Crocs, cargo pants, a puffer jacket, and a cowboy hat count as fashion? LA-based designer Lil Fresh Sam grew up in Denver and now styles superstars like Doja Cat and Method Man. She sits down with host Bree Davies to talk about about finding her style in a fashion-challenged Denver, how she’s styling mayoral candidate Leslie Herod, and whether or not Denverites have style.

Looking for great local charities and nonprofits to support on Giving Tuesday tomorrow? We rounded up a list of our favorites in today’s edition of our newsletter Hey Denver, which you can subscribe to by texting “Denver” to 66866

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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