City Cast Denver

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Are Scooters Good for Denver? Or a Menace? (Maybe Both) Jul 07, 2022

Show notes

All it takes is one rush-hour morning to see that Denverites love their cars. Some city officials think having more environmentally friendly options — like e-scooters — are key to breaking that dependence. But are scooters really the best option for Denver’s busy, crowded streets and sidewalks? Not everyone is a fan of the compact devices that zip around with abandon, and can be parked seemingly anywhere. Host Bree Davies checked in with District 10 councilman Chris Hinds, a scooter skeptic, to hear about his dive into this hot-button issue.

If you’re a scooter lover hoping to be a good citizen of our shared streets and sidewalks, our friends at Denverite put together a very helpful guide for how to ride a scooter and not be a jerk.

Hungry? Editor Peyton Garcia chows down on the latest Denver food news in today’s CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/

Scooters: Menace, public good, or both? Let us know what you think and follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenver

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

Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:

Control Group Productions presents THE END

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

We're Going Behind the Scenes at Water World Jul 06, 2022

Show notes

It’s been said that Colorado has everything… except a beach. But ever since 1979, Water World has filled that ocean-sized hole in our hearts, serving up family fun in the form of wild rides, crazy slides, and zillions of funnel cakes along the way. Host Bree Davies has loved visiting Water World since she was a kid, so one recent morning we asked for a behind-the-scenes tour to see what you don’t see from the bird’s eye view of Alpine Springs gondola — everything from a backstage look at the animatronics powering Voyage to the Center of the Earth to the engineering marvel literally making waves at Thunder Bay.

Share your favorite Water World memory with us on Twitter! We’re @citycastdenver

Worried about monkeypox in Colorado? Newsletter Editor Peyton Garcia has a breakdown of all things monkeypox in today’s newsletter: 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 sponsors of this episode:

Control Group Productions presents THE END

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

From Cinderella City to Buckingham Square: How the Mall Shaped Denver Jul 05, 2022

Show notes

Like many American cities, Denver and its adjoining suburbs have had moments defined by malls. From Cinderella City to Villa Italia, Buckingham Square to Westminster, malls have come and gone, but created indelible memories for many Denverites. These intergenerational spaces played host to first jobs, first dates, and for many teens, first parent-free experiences in the public realm. Today on the show, host Bree Davies talks with author and architecture critic Alexandra Lange about her new book, Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall. Together, they trace the architectural and social history of Denver through the lens of a built environment meant for shopping — but remembered for so much more.

Bree and Alexandra talked about beautiful images of dying malls — like these photos from Seph Lawless.

(Pssst… today’s blooper comes courtesy of these amazing in-store tapes from KMart that someone kindly posted to the Interwebz. Also, Bree recommends the album Vacant Places by Hantasi if you really want to immerse yourself in the mall’s aural aesthetic.)

Want more Denver metro mall history? Read and subscribe to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/

Shout out your fave Denver metro mall of yore on Twitter: @citycastdenver

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

The Avs Won. The Primaries Are Over. Let’s Celebrate! Jul 01, 2022

Show notes

What an up and down week it was in Denver. Elections officials were counting primary votes (some had to be counted twice!) and the final results for one key race arrived less than an hour before host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi started recording with Westword editor Patty Calhoun on Thursday morning at the Westword office. At the same time just down the street, the Stanley Cup was slowly approaching, with hundreds of thousands of hockey fans swarming downtown to watch as our victorious (and increasingly drunk) Colorado Avalanche paraded from Union Station to Civic Center Park. In short, it ruled!

A programming note: We’re taking a long Fourth of July weekend, so there’ll be no new episode in your feed or newsletter in your inbox until Tuesday morning.

Paul mentioned a 9News report on Democrat-linked spending in the Republican primaries. Here’s a link to see that for yourself.

Still don’t have plans for the Fourth of July weekend? Newsletter editor Peyton Garcia has you covered: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/

Did you attend the Stanley Cup parade on Thursday? We want to see your pics! Tag us @citycastdenver

Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:

Control Group Productions presents THE END

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

The Denver Zoo. Yay or Nay? Jun 30, 2022

Show notes

After a recent visit to the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, our former producer Xandra McMahon proclaimed, “Ugh, why do we have zoos?” That episode didn’t go over so well with the folks from the Denver Zoo, and they invited us to come see for ourselves why zoos are still cool. So newsletter editor Peyton Garcia (zoo lover), producer Paul Karolyi (zoo skeptic), and host Bree Davies (zoo ambivalent) stopped by recently for some fresh perspective.

We finally have results from Tuesday’s Democrat and Republican primaries. Peyton’s got a round-up of all the key races in today’s newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/

Would you rather visit the Denver Zoo or the Wild Animal Sanctuary? Tweet at us @citycastdenver

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

Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:

Control Group Productions presents THE END

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

Campfire Confidential: The Secret to an Epic Camping Trip Jun 29, 2022

Show notes

The long Fourth of July weekend is upon us, and producer Paul Karolyi hasn’t planned anything — let alone an epic camping trip. Newsletter editor Peyton Garcia, on the other hand, is a camping pro. So Paul and Peyton hopped on the mics to talk through the whole process: when to start planning, getting out of REI without going broke, what gear is worth the trunk space, stepping up your campfire cookery, and the great bluetooth speaker debate!

Oh, and if you’re interested in an outdoor adventure minus the fossil fuels, past guest Nate Minor recently wrote a helpful guide for car-free hiking and camping for Colorado Public Radio. And if you, like Paul, neglected to book a campsite, 5280 Magazine has a great guide for booking a last-minute campsite right here.

Paul mentioned our episode from earlier this year with Councilman Jolon Clark explaining why he was so excited to get Denverites to pay for trash pickup service. That plan passed City Council Monday night, so it’s a perfect time to revisit that episode.

Wanna see Peyton’s camping checklist? She’s got that and more camping tips in today’s CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/

Do you know of a local reproductive healthcare provider in need of support? Or maybe some kind of related service provider that Denverites should know about? We want to help get the word out, so tweet at 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

How Much Champagne Fits in the Stanley Cup? Asking For a Friend... Jun 28, 2022

Show notes

Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, Cale Makar, Devon Toews: These difficult-to-spell names will be etched onto the Stanley Cup this summer, alongside those of their teammates, coaches, staff, and so many other champs to come before them. The Avalanche won it all on Sunday night, sending thousands of hockey-loving Denverites into the streets to celebrate — mostly responsibly — and City Cast Denver’s sports guy Jake Shapiro was there. Now also a sports analyst for DenverFan.com, Jake is back on the show today with producer Paul Karolyi to talk about the Cup riot that wasn’t and break down the Avs’ big win.

Plus, this episode includes a re-run of one of our favorite Avs’ stories from last year. Click this link after you listen to see their Reverse Retro for yourself.

We have a new producer! Get to know Erin O’Toole in today’s CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/

Were you downtown Sunday night? Get any good pics of the drunken debauchery? Tag us on Twitter @citycastdenver

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

Inside the Predatory Development Scandal on Welton St. Jun 27, 2022

Show notes

Five Points is rooted in Denver’s Black history and culture, with monuments to the swinging jazz age and soul food eateries still dotting the historic Welton St. corridor. But the iconic Rossonian Hotel remains vacant and many Black-owned businesses have closed or been forced to move in the last few years. So what is it going to take to revitalize Welton St.? Host Bree Davies recently sat down with Five Points Business Improvement District president Ryan Cobbins to connect the dots between gentrification, the pandemic, and a once-promising business deal that now has him fending off lawsuits.

Cobbins is also the owner of Coffee at the Point.

Bree mentioned the displacement of the Welton St. Cafe from its longtime home, but there’s good news! They recently announced on Instagram that they’ve found a new permanent location on Welton and in the meantime they’re serving takeout out of 2258 California St.

For more details on Matthew Burkett’s work in Five Points with the FlyFisher Group, here’s a link to Westword reporter Conor McCormick-Cavanagh’s article breaking down the various deals and what went wrong.

We are still thinking about the Supreme Court’s Friday decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, so newsletter editor Peyton Garcia rounded up some local abortion resources and information in today’s newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/. And if you haven’t heard it, check out our episode about the local implications that we published back when the draft opinion leaked.

What’s your favorite local business in Five Points? Tweet at 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

A Denver Dem’s Guide to the Messy GOP Primaries Jun 24, 2022

Show notes

It’s Friday, and we’re still deep in this Colorado primary conversation. But today, we’re talking about the craziness on the GOP side — and what role independent voters could have in next week’s primary election. Today on the show, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are joined by Ian Silverii, a longtime Democratic Party insider, to dissect the Republican candidates and chat about what, exactly, you should be doing with your Republican or Democratic primary ballot. (Hint: he wants you to fill it out!)

For more of Ian's political analysis, check out the awesome podcast he co-hosts, The Get More Smarter Podcast.

Ian mentioned past CCD guest Ryan Warner’s longform interviews with GOP gubernatorial candidates Greg Lopez and Heidi Ganahl.

Still not sure how to vote in this primary? Check out this helpful guide from Colorado Public Radio.

Looking for fun stuff to fill your weekend? https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/

Are you an unaffiliated voter planning to return the GOP primary ballot? Let us know how you’re thinking about the candidates on Twitter @citycastdenver

Learn more about the sponsor of this episode:

CU Boulder’s Masters of Journalism Entrepreneurship program

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

The Fight for HD6: Democrat Katie March Makes Her Case Jun 23, 2022

Show notes

The Democratic primary for House District 6 in central Denver is a hot one, with unprecedented amounts of money flowing in and plenty of media coverage. But the question at the heart of this race: How progressive is Denver? This democratic showdown could reveal the answer, and there are two candidates who hold the key: Elisabeth Epps and Katie March. Today, host Bree Davies talks with March about how she approaches her ongoing work on gun control, and how she laid the groundwork for her campaign after spending years as a Dem State House staffer.

Be sure to check out our episode from yesterday with March’s opponent, Elisabeth Epps.

In today’s newsletter, editor Peyton Garcia digs into the legacy of LGBTQ+ rights pioneer and former Boulder County Clerk, the late Clela Rorex. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/

Have you dropped your primary ballot in the ballot box yet? Brag about it to us on Twitter: @citycastdenver

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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