City Cast Denver

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Mayor Johnston’s ‘Deception’, DA Looks at ’Shrooms, and a New Colorado Christmas Song Dec 19, 2023

Show notes

Mayor Mike Johnston has less than two weeks left to bring almost 500 people off the street into housing if he wants to hit his self-imposed target. At least, that’s what his housing dashboard says now. Westword editor Patty Calhoun joins host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi to talk about “deception” and “gaslighting” allegations from Kyle Clark of 9News and the growing criticism facing the mayor. Plus, why is Denver DA taking a look at the burgeoning gray market for psilocybin now?

Did you love Jarrod Walker’s “Christmas in Colorado” and want to hear more locally made holiday tunes? Here’s the list that Patty mentioned. Patty also talked about Westword’s reporting on psilocybin entrepreneur Darren Lyman.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

What do you think about Mayor Johnston and House1000? We want to hear your concerns, questions, celebrations, or whatever else you have to share! Text or 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:

“All Stars: American Artists from The Phillips Collection” at the Denver Art Museum

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

Can Denver Stop Evictions Forever? Dec 18, 2023

Show notes

Denver is on track to see more people evicted from their homes this year than any time since 2008. But with the Mile High minimum wage steadily rising and a fairly stable economy, what’s going on? Host Bree Davies sits down with Melissa Mejia, policy director for the Colorado Economic Defense Project, to talk about the eviction crisis, how more than $60 million in new funding from the city and state is going to help, and why stopping evictions is about more than just keeping people off the streets.

Bree mentioned the Denver Post’s coverage of evictions in the city this year.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

What do you think? Text or 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:

“All Stars: American Artists from The Phillips Collection” at the Denver Art Museum

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

Why Aren’t Coloradans More Optimistic? Plus, Wins and Fails of the Year Dec 15, 2023

Show notes

A new poll shows that Coloradans are “slightly” optimistic about the direction of the state. But a closer look at those numbers reveals a heckuva lot more. Producer Paul Karolyi and host Bree Davies are joined by returning faves — politics and green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval and Joshua Emerson, comedian, Casa Bonita employee, and co-chair of the Denver American Indian Commission — to break down the data. Plus, we’re crowning Denver’s most epic wins and fails of 2023.

Bree mentioned a piece she was quoted in about thriving DIY spaces. Paul wants you to know that the most prominent challenger to Lauren Boebert in the CD3 Republican primary is Jeff Hurd.

What do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418‬

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/Denver

Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:

“Bag of Colfax” from the Colfax BID
Museum of Illusions
DCPA presents “A Christmas Carol”

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

The Fate of Car-Free Streets, Lemonade Scandal Hits Local Paneras, and French Fries! Dec 14, 2023

Show notes

The beverage of the moment here in Denver — like the rest of the country — comes from an unlikely purveyor: Panera Bread. But as our producer Olivia Jewell Love has been watching, local Paneras are making their new “charged” lemonade harder to access, as the company faces lawsuits alleging that the highly caffeinated sweet treat is more deadly than it seems. Olivia joins host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi to talk through her reporting on the local lemonade situation, and then they break down the latest fight in RiNo over car-free streets. Finally, we’ve got some recommendations for your Denver weekend.

Paul cited Axios Denver and BusinessDen’s coverage of the car-free streets. Bree mentioned the survey the City of Denver and RiNo Art District are running to ask for opinions on the closed block in RiNo.

Here are links to our picks for your weekend:

Blankslate Holiday Show @ Broadway Roxy
The french fries at Gaia Masala, Bull & Bush, and Las Tortas
Rainbow Dome Winter Solstice Market

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

What do you think are the biggest Denver wins and fails of 2023? We want to hear what you think are the wins and fails that defined the year in Denver. Text or 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:

“Bag of Colfax” from the Colfax BID
Museum of Illusions
DCPA presents “A Christmas Carol”

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

Should Denver Open Emergency Warming Shelters Sooner? Dec 13, 2023

Show notes

Cold weather is a fact of life up here in Mile High. But current city policy says that Denver’s emergency warming centers should only open after temperatures dip down to 20 degrees — well below the point when the human body can experience hypothermia. Recently, Dr. Joshua Barocas, a medical doctor and associate professor at the CU School for Medicine, made a presentation to City Council arguing for a simple change to Denver’s approach to keeping people warm. Dr. Barocas joins host Bree Davies to explain why opening our warming centers before Denver gets too cold can save lives — and also save the city money.

The proposal to change temperature thresholds for Denver’s warming centers goes before the City Council’s Safety Committee December 20 as part of a cold weather shelter plan; if it passes, all of council may vote on the issue in January.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:

“Bag of Colfax” from the Colfax BID
Museum of Illusions
DCPA presents “A Christmas Carol”

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

Neighbors Rally To Support Migrants, Hotel Shelter Mix-Up, and Blucifer’s Nemesis Dec 12, 2023

Show notes

Since Central and South American migrants started arriving in Denver almost exactly one year ago, more than 30,000 people have arrived looking for support, housing, and all kinds of other help. While city officials are scrambling, everyday Denverites are stepping up — but still, the struggle to help migrants is clashing with Mayor Mike Johnston’s last-minute push to house 1,000 people already living in Denver by the end of the year. Host Bree Davies is joined by green chile and politics correspondent Justine Sandoval for a ground-level look at the neighborhood aid work happening across the city. Plus, a listener question pits Blucifer against the Big Blue Bear. And could the solution for our empty office buildings be daycare?

Bree mentioned the City of Denver’s Newcomers Fund to help migrants, where you can find the city-run toy drive, and Justine mentioned this Denver Post article about Tamales by La Casita.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:

“Bag of Colfax” from the Colfax BID
Museum of Illusions
DCPA presents “A Christmas Carol”

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

Did Colorado Fix Its Auto Theft Problem? Dec 11, 2023

Show notes

The numbers are in and it’s official, Denver is not the car theft capital of the country. Car thefts are even down at DIA! So how did that happen? Host Bree Davies sits down with Director Robert Force and Cale Gould of the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority to talk about how new legislation and a mission from the governor’s office gave them the tools to turn around not just Denver’s auto theft problem, but to bring down year-over-year auto theft rates across Colorado in 2023 by 23%.

To see an auto theft heat map of Denver and learn more about decreasing your risk of car theft, check out the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority. The City of Denver also offers several crime dashboards and information on its car theft tracking system, DenverTrack. Bree mentioned the “Denver Boot.”

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

What do you think? Text or 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:

Grab a “Bag of Colfax” Today!
Purchase tickets to Museum of Illusions Denver
“A Christmas Carol” at DCPA

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

What’s Denver’s Word of the Year? Plus, the Nutcracker’s Cheap Seats and Dyketopia! Dec 08, 2023

Show notes

Colorado Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker is a popular Denver holiday tradition, but ticket prices have barely increased in the last 25 years. So who’s really paying for it? And as the end of the year approaches, the Oxford English Dictionary has chosen “rizz” as the word of 2023. We want to know: If Denver had a word of the year, what would it be? Producer Paul Karolyi and host Bree Davies are joined by Lee Robinson and Kate McLachlan, co-hosts of the Dyketopia podcast and monthly comedy show, to discuss ticket pricing, Denver words, and of course, their Rocky Mountain Highs and Lows of the week.

Lee and Kate’s A Very Merry Dyketopia live show this weekend is sold out, but sign up for their mailing list to get a heads-up on future events.

Paul mentioned the rise in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia across Denver, Adam Sandler, and Gov. Polis’s Dyketopia shout-out. Bree talked about a new DIY space. Lee discussed Front Range Passenger Rail and straight pride flags in schools. Kate talked about the Broncos and Call Your Mother.

What do you think should be Denver’s Word of the Year? Should it be “unhoused” or “micro-community” or something else entirely? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418‬

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/Denver

Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:

Grab a “Bag of Colfax” Today!
“A Christmas Carol” at DCPA
My Denver Therapy

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

The Best Holiday Pop-Up Bars Dec 07, 2023

Show notes

The hottest trend in Denver dining right now is the holiday pop-up. These timely takeovers have been popping up everywhere over the past few years, but this year it’s a bona fide eruption of campy, Christmas-y fun, with new stand-outs, contrarians, and even a Tiki-themed trend within a trend. Food writer Linnea Covington is Denver’s go-to holiday pop-up enthusiast, reporting on the trend for Westword and the Denver Post, and she’s on today with host Bree Davies and newsletter editor Peyton Garcia to talk about what’s hot and what’s not. Plus, they share their picks for your weekend.

Linnea mentioned her reporting on the Call to Arms Brewery’s pop-up “Big Holiday Energy.”

Here are some links to our weekend picks:

4th Annual Five Points Holiday Stroll (Five Points)
Denver Zoo Lights (City Park)
Saturdays with Santa! at the Little Man Ice Cream Factory (West Colfax)
Yule Night Market (Wheat Ridge)

What’s your favorite holiday pop-up bar? We need to know! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418‬

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:

“A Christmas Carol” at DCPA
My Denver Therapy

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

Your Guide to December in Denver Dec 06, 2023

Show notes

The holidays are in full swing, but December is just getting started! From holiday markets in picturesque mountain towns to daytime New Year’s Eve parties for kiddos, there’s a lot happening in and around Denver before 2023 comes to an end. Host Bree Davies and producer Olivia Jewell Love share their picks for fun ways to spend your days and nights in December.

Here are some links to our picks:

Georgetown Christmas Market (Georgetown)
Evergreen Ice Fest on NYE (Evergreen)
Saturday Night Lights (Cherry Creek)
Aura Readings (Platt Park)
Noon Year’s Eve (Jefferson Park)

Bree mentioned RTD’s final report on the ‘Zero Fare for Better Air’ program. For more, our pal Nate Minor at CPR has a helpful breakdown.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

What do you think? Text or 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:

“A Christmas Carol” at DCPA
My Denver Therapy

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

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