City Cast Denver

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Spotlight on La Alma Lincoln Park's Chicano Community Aug 02, 2021

Show notes

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 Colorado governor Dick Lamm last Monday. His wife Dottie Lamm announced this past Friday that the former governor died of complications related to a pulmonary embolism on Thursday evening. He was 85 years old. We have included a short remembrance in this episode. For more on his life and career in politics, we recommend these articles from the Denver Post and Colorado Public Radio:

Former Gov. Richard ‘Dick’ Lamm, A Complex And Controversial Figure In Colorado Politics, Dies At 85

Former three-term Colorado Gov. Dick Lamm dies at 85

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Breaking Down the Bond (Plus, the People’s Coaster) Jul 30, 2021

Show notes

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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The New DPS Superintendent Wants Snow Days! Jul 29, 2021

Show notes

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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There’s More to Love About Rocky Mountain National Park Than Bear Lake Jul 28, 2021

Show notes

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/planyourvisit/timed-entry-permit-system.htm

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What It’s Really Like to Live in Your Vehicle Jul 27, 2021

Show notes

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 services.

We initially recorded this episode as an installment of VOICE on the Street, our partnership with Denver’s street paper, the Denver VOICE, which provides opportunities to Denverites experiencing homelessness and other forms of economic inequity. If you’d like to support VOICE vendors like Lando Allen, head over to denvervoice.org/donate. They even have Venmo, so if you want to get a little help directly to Lando, follow this link and add his name to the note attached to your transfer.

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For following purposes, the official City Cast Denver Twitter account is @citycastdenver.

The Case Against a Denver Olympics Jul 26, 2021

Show notes

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 event recommendations and other ways to help you connect with your city. Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/

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The Tale of the Bullet Jul 24, 2021

Show notes

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 Freedom show here.

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The Case for a Denver Olympics Jul 23, 2021

Show notes

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.

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Did you hear that Lakeside Amusement Park opened for the summer last night? If not, you should really subscribe to our morning newsletter. It’s the best way to keep up with all the most important stuff happening in Denver. Get it here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/

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The Good, the Bad, and the Delta Variant Jul 22, 2021

Show notes

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).

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And catch the tweets here: @CityCastDenver

An Evening of Five Points Jazz at Dazzle Jul 21, 2021

Show notes

“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 interested in sampling some live jazz for yourself, Stafford Hunter’s Young Lions are playing a set at Dazzle tonight — July 21 at 7 p.m. — but if you can’t make it down there, Dazzle is offering a livestream to enjoy the performance from home. Find all the details right here.

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