City Cast Denver

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To Be Black and Own a Gun in Denver Jul 20, 2021

Show notes

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.

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Is Denver’s Gang Violence on the Rise? Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

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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#ListenLocal: The Taxman Jul 17, 2021

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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.

Wildfire Smoke, Ski Rock, and That Hotel Bust Jul 16, 2021

Show notes

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://denver.citycast.fm/referrals/

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At 142 Years Old, History Colorado is Still Finding New Stories to Tell Jul 15, 2021

Show notes

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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The Forgotten Music Venue That Hosted The Greats Jul 14, 2021

Show notes

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.

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Did the MLB All-Star Game Prompt Homeless Sweeps? Jul 13, 2021

Show notes

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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Land Reparations at the National Western Center? Jul 12, 2021

Show notes

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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Mud Slides, Ketamine, and Beer for Life Jul 09, 2021

Show notes

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.”

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A Case of Alleged Police Brutality and the Fight for Justice Jul 08, 2021

Show notes

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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