City Cast Denver

Denver’s minimum wage is going up to $17.29 starting in January, and with restaurants already on the brink, Denverites can. not. stop. talking about tipping. Many local restaurants are adopting service fees to balance things out, but according to a new survey, Denverites are feeling “tipping fatigue.” What can be done? Host Bree Davies, newsletter editor Peyton Garcia, and producer Paul Karolyi are digging into this multi-faceted problem and looking at some new ideas local restaurants have tried to fix it. Plus! We debut a new segment. There’s tons of cool stuff happening around the city this weekend, but only one event will get the official City Cast Denver stamp of approval. Stick around to the end of the show to find out where you’re most likely to find us this weekend! We previously discussed tipping on the show last summer, when producer Paul Karolyi interviewed Elle Taylor, co-founder of Amythest Coffee, about their decision to eliminate tipping and pay all their employees a living wage. Paul made a joke about the Palisade peach grower who also happens to be a 9/11 truther. Read all about him in this great story from friend of the show Andrew Kenney, politics reporter with CPR. Peyton mentioned this funny video that lays out an argument against tipping and the Bonanno Concepts’ explanation of their service fee. Peyton’s got even more awesome recommendations for your weekend in today’s newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Are you a big tipper? A begrudging tipper? A cow tipper? Let us know on Twitter @citycastdenver Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: The Colfax Crawl, presented by the Colfax Ave. Business Improvement District Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Denver has a trash problem. And so far, efforts to improve recycling and composting rates have fallen far short of the city’s goals. In June, city council adopted a plan to make recycling and composting easier for homeowners. And this November, voters will have their say on a ballot initiative that would require businesses and apartment buildings to provide compost and recycling pickup. Ean Thomas Tafoya —co-founder of Headwaters Protectors, co-chair of the Colorado Environmental Justice Action Taskforce, and state director of GreenLatinos— stopped by to chat with host Bree Davies about the Waste No More initiative and his run for mayor. Oh and Bree mentioned some Rocky’s Autos commercials you might enjoy. RIP Rocky’s! Peyton’s got allll the food news to get you through to the weekend! Read and subscribe to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Hi. We’re 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: The Colfax Crawl, presented by the Colfax Ave. Business Improvement District Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Denver’s Chief of Police Paul Pazen is retiring. After 28 years on the force, Chief Pazen was appointed to the position in 2018 by Mayor Hancock. Since then, he’s faced increasing scrutiny for the police’s behavior under his leadership — including a $14 million settlement for police brutality against protestors during the George Floyd uprisings and, most recently, police shooting and injuring six innocent bystanders on a crowded street in LoDo. Today on the show, Westword editor Patty Calhoun joins host Bree Davies to discuss Pazen’s departure, what the new chief is walking into, and what the next state and city elections have to do with the police’s role in Denver. For more on Chief Pazen, check out Bree’s interview with the man himself from earlier this year. Patty mentioned her last appearance on the show, when she told the story of Elvis the cop lover’s admiration for Denver’s own Fool’s Gold sandwich. Hey! We have a newsletter. It’s great. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ We’re 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: The Colfax Crawl, presented by the Colfax Ave. Business Improvement District Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

For the entire month of August, public transportation was completely, utterly FREE. The no-cost ride effort was in part meant to lure drivers out of their cars and mitigate our annual, late-summer problems with air quality. We wanted to know how this $14-million “Free Fare for Better Air” experiment actually worked for people, so producer Lizzie Goldsmith spent the month riding buses and light rail, and talking to dozens of RTD riders about their experience. Today, she chats with host Bree Davies to share some stories and try to answer the big question: Was the free fare worth it? Get all the news you need here in the City Cast Denver newsletter. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tweet us pics of your RTD transit stop @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: Colfax Avenue BID presents The Colfax Crawl Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Labor Day weekend is upon us! We put our heads together and came up with our favorite places around Colorado to fill that one extra day. We’re talking tourist traps, killer hikes, dynamite vistas, and an Estes Park salt water taffy hack that you’ll never forget. Host Bree Davies, producer Paul Karolyi, and newsletter editor Peyton Garcia are gossiping about the very best day trips that are a less than two-hour car ride outside Denver. Bree mentioned this recent Colorado Sun story about Leadville’s recent transformation. Patty Calhoun wrote in to suggest the one-of-a-kind World’s Wonder View Tower, which she co-owns. Looking to catch up on some news before clocking out for the long weekend? Check out our morning newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ What great day trips did we miss? Let’s talk. We’re on Twitter @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

There’s a new space race on, and getting back to the moon or Mars is only part of the fun. There’s money to be made out there! At least, that’s what a lot of smart people in Colorado are banking on. They’re still sorting out little stuff like how and why. So today, producer Paul Karolyi sits down with Denver Business Journal senior reporter Greg Avery to talk about what’s fueling the country’s second-biggest commercial space industry and introduce us to the Colorado-born Orion spacecraft, which is currently sitting on the launchpad in Florida awaiting takeoff after an aborted launch Monday morning. Here’s Greg’s latest on the Orion launch, now planned for this coming Saturday. Catch up with all the Denver news you need to know in our morning newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Blast off with us to Planet Twitter: @citycastdenver The 150th Colorado State Fair is open through Monday, and we want to know if it’s worth the trip! Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts, 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

When the very first Chipotle opened on E. Evans Ave. in 1993, hungry DU students fueled the restaurant to world domination, ushering in a new fast yet casual style of dining along the way. Nearly thirty years later, the dining experience is once again at a turning point, with eaters still unsure what exactly they want out of a post-pandemic night out. Westword’s food & drink editor Molly Martin recently stopped by two new fast-casual chains that just opened right across from the original Chipotle on Evans — BirdCall and Next Level Burger. Both are hoping to attract DU students with new types of service and climate-conscious menu options. So producer Paul Karolyi and newsletter editor Peyton Garcia tried both and invited Molly on the show to compare notes. Check out Molly’s first impressions at Next Level Burger and BirdCall. There’s so much more interesting stuff happening in Denver. Subscribe to our morning newsletter and don’t miss a beat! https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Have you tried Next Level Burger or BirdCall? We want to hear what you think! 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 Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Legal Help in Colorado Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

There’s no faster route to a bad day than having your car towed. And especially in the last few years, complaints of predatory towing have been on the rise across the Denver metro area. State lawmakers have been debating the problem, and earlier this month they enacted a new “towing bill of rights” that promises to shift the balance of power away from the towers. Community organizer, journalist, and City Cast Denver contributor Theo Wilson is back to explain why he’s optimistic about this new law and what can happen when a “poverty tax” like predatory towing gets out of hand. What exactly is in the new towing law? Check out this full breakdown from our friends at CPR: https://www.cpr.org/2022/06/08/tow-companies-give-notice-new-law/ Paul mentioned a CBS Colorado story about the new towing law, the Coors family’s big plans for Golden and Denver Water’s latest conservation pledge. Fill your week with curated event recs, new restaurants and food trends, and more with our daily newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Hang out with 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

Ever since Denver Water was founded in 1918, the agency has demonstrated enviable foresight, building out a massive infrastructure across 4,000 square miles to ensure Denver’s population (and economy) can continue to grow. But now that reservoirs and rivers are drying up across the West, is it time for Denver to share the wealth? Today, Colorado’s top water reporter, Luke Runyon of KUNC, joins producer Paul Karolyi to explain where Denver fits into the recent conflict over the Colorado River and offer an outsider’s perspective on Denver Water’s ambitious growth. For more from Luke Runyon, you can find all his water reporting for KUNC here. Paul mentioned his June interview with Denver Water’s chief planner Greg Fisher, Denver Water’s Gross Reservoir Expansion Project, and the Denver Post’s report on mosquito problems in southeast Denver. Thirsty for more Denver happenings to start your week? Take a big sip from our daily morning newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ 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 sponsor of this episode: Legal Help in Colorado Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

On July 17, Denver police shot into a crowd of hungry club-goers waiting for a bite to eat around let-out time in LoDo, injuring seven people. And in response, the city decided to ban… food trucks. So with our host Bree Davies out for a few days, we wanted to share this episode from last December, when the city took a very different approach to keeping the peace in LoDo. It’s a profile of nightclub kingpin Valentes Corleons, who believes he was railroaded by the city — just like the food truck operators now. It also features Westword reporter and friend of the show Conor McCormick-Cavanagh. Oh, and we added some extra good stuff to this version. Call it a director’s cut. For more on the LoDo let-out situation, check out our recent episode with Westword editor Patty Calhoun where she breaks down some alternatives the city isn't trying. Still looking for fun stuff to do this weekend? We’ve got you covered with a curated events round-up in today’s newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ 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: Trade Coffee How to Buy a Home podcast Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Could it be true? Could Colorado really be working toward our climate goals… and actually stop widening our highways? According to a new plan in front of the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), yes. After a state mandate set new standards for greenhouse gas emissions related to our transit habits, DRCOG could vote to shift hundreds of millions of dollars toward better public transit infrastructure, bike lanes, sidewalks, and more. Colorado Public Radio’s transportation reporter Nathaniel Minor is back on the show today to talk about why this could mark a “seismic shift” for our transit system and, for the first time in Host Bree Davies’ life, stop the expansion of I-25 and C-470 in the city. DRCOG is currently looking for public comment on this big new plan. Submit yours here ahead of their board’s vote scheduled for Sept. 21. Bree mentioned that the City of Denver is looking for your input on the “shared streets” idea. You can do that here. And you can read more about the downtown highway that almost happened here. More news you can use in the City Cast Denver newsletter: Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ We’re 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: Trade Coffee How to Buy a Home podcast Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

The secret is out: Denver is an awesome place to live. But in the past 15 years, that’s led to a massive influx of new residents who collectively pose an essential Denver question: How do we get bigger without sacrificing what made this city great? Fortunately, there’s an iconic local institution that answers that question every day in the form of great burgers, good vibes, and a consistently high quality experience — despite a similarly massive expansion over the past few years. So today, host Bree Davies visits the original “Black Sheep of Cherry Creek,” AKA the Cherry Cricket, to uncover the secret to managing growing pains. Get all the news you need and a bunch of fun things to do and places to eat in our daily newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ We want to hear what you think about the Cherry Cricket! Got a favorite burger topping combo? Let us know 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: Trade Coffee How to Buy a Home podcast Legal Help in Colorado Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

When the Denver Broncos open their regular season on September 12 against the Seattle Seahawks, they’ll look completely different than last year. They’ve got a new celebrity quarterback, a new goofball head coach, and a brand new ownership group — led by one of the richest people in the world, Rob Walton, heir to the Walmart fortune. Our sports guy Jake Shapiro from Denver Fan 104.3 is back to introduce host Bree Davies to the new Broncos and explain why local football fans are so optimistic. Bree mentioned this editorial from Colorado Newsline about the new Broncos’ ownership group. 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: How to Buy a Home podcast Trade Coffee Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Students head back to Denver Public Schools today — but what in the heck is going on with the district’s school board? DPS’s governing body has been all over the news lately, and for all the wrong reasons. Infighting, accusations of misogyny and racism, and power struggles have plagued this teachers’ union-backed slate of elected officials, and there are fears their personal disagreements are impacting students and teachers. Today on the show, host Bree Davies talks with Chalkbeat Colorado’s senior reporter Melanie Asmar about what the heck is going on with Denver’s divided school board. Check out Melanie’s reporting for Chalkbeat Colorado on the ongoing Denver school board drama. Melanie mentioned DPS board president Xóchitl "Sochi" Gaytán’s recent interviews with Westword and Denver7, which we excerpted in this episode. We want to hear your favorite way to enjoy a Palisade peach! Leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬ Find more news you can use. Read and subscribe to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Follow us on Twitter @citycastdenver Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Legal Help in Colorado How to Buy a Home podcast Trade Coffee Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Which four people embody the spirit of Denver? Which four represent the very highest of our ideals? Which four represent us to the world? Community organizer and all-around Denver OG Ben Chavez joins host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi for the Friday news round-up, then we grab our granite chisels and duke it out over who should be repped on Denver’s Mt. Rushmore. Ben is co-organizing La Raza Park Day, going down this Sunday, August 21, from 1pm to 5pm. It’s free and families are welcome! Paul mentioned e-bike mania, Hickenlooper and the climate bill, and Aurora’s latest backasswards proposal to “help” our unhoused neighbors. What are you doing this weekend? Newsletter editor Peyton Garcia has a big ol’ list of cool stuff for you to do. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Who did we forget to put on our version of a Denver Mt. Rushmore? Let us know on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Stuck between highways and hidden under a viaduct, the Sun Valley community has quietly gone about its business — until a few years ago, when it started getting a lot more attention and big money interest in its land. Meow Wolf has moved in, a new Latino cultural museum is on the way, and lots of big housing developments are in going up. But what do the people of Sun Valley want? On the show today, Glenn Harper, Manuel Aragon, and Lindsay Miller of Sun Valley Kitchen explain what makes Sun Valley so wonderful — and why they are inviting people to not “discover” this neighborhood, but come celebrate it at this weekend’s Sun Valley Rising Night Market. Bree mentioned a 5280 Magazine interview with local activist and educator, Tim Hernandez. Pull up a chair for newsletter editor Peyton Garcia’s Denver food news round-up. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Find us on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Around 1:30 a.m. on July 17, just as the bars and nightclubs were letting out in LoDo, Denver police confronted an allegedly armed man and shot into a crowded street in LoDo, injuring 6 innocent bystanders. The city’s response? Ban food trucks from the neighborhood. Host Bree Davies sits down with Westword founder and editor Patty Calhoun to get some historical perspective on the persistent late-night issues in LoDo and hear her thoughts about what’s actually causing the problems — and how to fix them. Plus, to commemorate this week’s 45th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, Patty shares the real Denver story behind Elvis’s famous peanut butter and bacon sandwich. Bree mentioned that law enforcement officials released body cam footage from the July 17 shooting. You can watch that here, via the Denver Post. We’ve got even more about the LoDo situation and the fallout from the July 17 shooting in today’s CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ 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: Legal Help in Colorado Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Ever since South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker bought Casa Bonita last year, Denverites have been worrying, speculating, and looking forward to the day when the pink palace on West Colfax will re-open. Stone and Parker say they want to “change nothing, improve everything,” but what exactly does that mean? 9News investigative journalist Jeremy Jojola recently set his sights on the South Park guys’ Casa Bonita renovation project, and he’s on the show today to share all the juicy, insider details he uncovered. Here’s a link to Jojola’s report on the documents outlining the Casa Bonita renovation, and here’s a recent interview Matt and Trey gave to the Denver Post on their investment in this project. We’ll be following every twist and turn in the Casa Bonita saga as it develops. Subscribe to our daily newsletter and you’ll never miss a beat: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ How do you feel about the changes happening at Casa Bonita? Tweet at us @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

It’s no secret: most Denver neighborhoods have sidewalks that are pretty terrible. In fact, around 40 percent of sidewalks around the city are either nonexistent, in bad shape, or are not accessible for people using wheelchairs or other mobility devices. Part of the reason our sidewalks suck? The city doesn’t have a dedicated funding stream to pay for construction or maintenance. But this November, voters will decide if a new ballot initiative, Denver Deserves Sidewalks, can change our mobility fate — by asking property owners to chip in a little each month. On today’s show, host Bree Davies talks with Molly McKinley of Denver Streets Partnership to learn more about why they hope voters will say YES to sidewalks this November. Got a janky sidewalk in your neighborhood? Tweet a pic to us @citycastdenver! Or share your worst sidewalk experience by leaving us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬ Sign up for our morning newsletter here. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Legal Help in Colorado Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

The City Cast Denver crew is back at the table with a new local food challenge and this time, we’re taking on sandwiches. While the Mile High is overflowing with great grinders, subs, hoagies, and tortas, today’s showdown is all about two out-of-town chains that Denverites have embraced as our own: Cheba Hut vs. Snarf’s Sandwiches. Which tasty sub will reign supreme? Host Bree Davies is joined by newsletter editor Peyton Garcia, plus producers Paul Karolyi and Erin O’Toole for a great debate over who puts the best meat and cheese (or guacamole and cream cheese???) between two perfectly toasted pieces of bread. Looking for more City Cast Denver food battles? We’ve also taken on the best burger, enjoyed the local delicacy of breakfast burritos, taste-tested fried chicken, indulged in Denver’s most decadent donuts, and compared Illegal Pete’s and Chipotle! Peyton mentioned a story she wrote on Quizno’s earlier this year: https://denver.citycast.fm/2022/03/07/the-rise-and-fall-of-a-denver-sandwich-empire/ Paul quoted from this Celebstoner.com interview with Cheba Hut founder Scott Jennings: https://www.celebstoner.com/news/celebstoner-news/2021/03/04/cheba-hut-founder-scott-jennings-interview/ And finally: some Casa Bonita news!!!! Read and subscribe to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tell us about your dream sandwich 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

More than 3 million Coloradans are receiving $750 checks in the mail this week, but who’s to thank? Is it Governor Jared Polis and the Democrats, who re-branded and re-worked our tax policy to create this ‘Colorado Cashback’? Or is it the conservatives who convinced Colorado voters to approve the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (aka TABOR) in 1992 and have defended it ever since? Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi dive into the politics of TABOR to figure out the real story behind these $750 checks. For an even deeper dive, Bree recommends The Taxman, CPR’s podcast series about the origins and lasting impact of TABOR. Want to get more plugged in to all the cool stuff happening in Denver? Subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ What are you doing with your $750? Tell 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

On July 15, Ma Kaing was shot and killed outside her home in the East Colfax neighborhood. The mother, restaurateur, and beloved community member was the latest victim of gun violence in Denver. But soon after Kaing’s death, her community came forward with serious concerns over the effectiveness of 911 calls made from the Denver neighborhood that sits on the border of Aurora. Today, host Bree Davies sits down with Denver Post reporter Noelle Phillips to talk 911 call centers, emergency response, gun violence, and East Colfax’s unsteady relationship with their councilwoman. Read more of Noelle Phillips’s reporting on the East Colfax community tragedy in the Denver Post. A GoFundMe has been set up to support Ma Kaing’s family. For more on the removal of the racist Chinatown plaque Bree mentioned, here’s the report from Rocky Mountain PBS. Listen to our episode with Dr. Wei from last August to learn more about Denver’s lost Chinatown. Casa Bonita is back in the news this week, and you know we’re all over it. Get the latest in today’s CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ 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 Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

South Park, AKA the show that introduced the world to Casa Bonita, is celebrating 25 years on TV this week. That’s hundreds of episodes packed with thousands of jokes made at the expense of politicians, pop stars, and us, the faithful residents of Colorado. Host Bree Davies sits down with her friend and South Park superfan Kalyn Heffernan to talk all things Kenny, Stan, Kyle, and Cartman. A musician, artist, former mayoral candidate, and disability rights activist, Heffernan has a deep love for South Park’s irreverent humor and the version of Colorado portrayed on the show, and Bree wanted to get to the bottom of that love. If you want to join the 25-year anniversary celebrations, there’s a two-night live music extravaganza happening at Red Rocks with creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, along with their band-friends Ween and Primus. Of course, South Park is also cashing in on the immersive experience trend with a shipping container wrapped in Cartman’s image, peddling photo-ops and memorabilia for fans to see and pose with. That’ll be outside the concert and at McGregor Square this weekend. More on that here. Bree offered an update on BALLOT TRIP, our four-part investigation into the future of psychedelics in Colorado. To hear the whole series, here’s where you can find part one, part two, part three, and part four. Catch up on all the Denver news with the CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Got a favorite South Park joke about Colorado? Let us know 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

***This is the final episode in our four-part series on the future of psychedelics in Colorado. To get the rest of the story, here’s where you can find part one, part two, and part three. ***UPDATE (9/21/22): This episode has been updated to correct our characterization of SPORE's position. SPORE is not neutral. In fact, after this episode was originally published on 8/8/22, Matthew Duffy published an op-ed in the Denver Post urging voters to reject the Natural Health Medicine Act in November. Who will decide the future of psychedelics in Colorado? Is it the big-money, out-of-state campaign with nationwide ambitions? Or the grassroots-driven Decriminalize Nature measure that wants to take things a little slower? In this final episode of our four-part series Ballot Trip, award-winning investigative reporter Chris Walker highlights the grassroots approach and why their organizers are wary of moving too fast. Get all the Denver news you need, plus cool events happening this week and more in today’s CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Hang out with 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

It’s only been six weeks since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and ripple effects are still being felt across the country — including here in Colorado, where surprising new fronts have opened in the battle to keep reproductive healthcare safe, legal, and accessible. Today, host Bree Davies sits down with two Colorado experts on abortion issues: Denver Post reporter Elizabeth Hernandez shares insight from her reporting on healthcare providers and Coloradans looking for reproductive healthcare, and Justine Sandoval, a political insider who’s been working on abortion rights legislation for close to a decade. Find all of Elizabeth’s fantastic reporting on the local ripple effects of the Roe decision via The Denver Post. Justine mentioned supporting abortion access advocates already doing the work, like: Cobalt, COLOR Latina, and National Abortion Funds. Looking for fun stuff to do this weekend? Check out the City Cast Denver newsletter for editor Peyton Garcia’s handpicked list: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Find us on Twitter: @citycastdenver Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Trade Coffee How to Buy a Home podcast Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Denver is home to many neighborhoods, cultures, and people. But lately, our host Bree Davies has been stuck on a certain kind of Denverite: the Denver Foo. Thanks to the @DenverFoos303 Instagram account, you can stay up-to-date on where local Edgars get their Polo shirts, what’s really going down in LoDo after let-out, and who serves the best tacos on a paper plate in the city. Bree sat down with Benny, one of the guys behind the IG account, to talk about what makes a true Denver Foo, what this particular subculture says about Denver, and why this account is an appreciation — not an appropriation — of a certain style of Mile High human. More news you can use in our daily City Cast Denver newsletter. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Give a shout out to the Denver Foo in your life on Twitter, bud: @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: Trade Coffee How to Buy a Home podcast Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

The journalist and community organizer Theo Wilson is fresh off a high-profile new gig, hosting his own show for the History Channel. On “I Was There,” Theo explores the history you know from an angle you don’t know. So we invited Theo to give the “I Was There” treatment to an issue many Denverites are dealing with in different ways: our housing crisis. It turns out Theo is in the market to buy a home himself, and he’s got tons of insight from history, his research into other housing models around the world, and his own personal experience to help point us in the right direction. Theo mentioned that he is taking advantage of a new housing equity program called the Dearfield Fund. Check out our episode from March 9 with another beneficiary of the program and one of the folks who designed it to learn more. Craving more Denver news? Subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ 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: Trade Coffee How to Buy a Home podcast Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

For the first time in the history of legal weed, sales are falling. It’s an unthinkable turnaround for an industry that was once seen with limitless potential, and it’s going to mean a loss of tax revenue for all the public services funded by cannabis sales. So why are weed sales dropping? Ricardo Baca is the founder and ceo of Grasslands, a cannabis-focused PR agency. He’s been digging into the numbers, and he sees more than what’s on the surface. Host Bree Davies sits down with the veteran cannabis journalist-turned-weed biz insider to parse out what, exactly, is going on with cannabis in Colorado. Oh, and- We’re doing another food battle! This time, it’s a showdown between Denver’s favorite sandwich chains: Snarf’s vs. Cheba Hut. So which colorful sub-maker will reign supreme? Or is there another local sandwich maker that deserves a spot in this battle? Leave us a voicemail with your take, name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬ Bree mentioned Mutiny Information Cafe’s GoFundMe, which you can support here. Get all the Denver news you need, plus event listings and more fun tidbits and bobs in today’s CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Hang out with us on Twitter @citycastdenver Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Trade Coffee How to Buy a Home podcast Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

***This is the third episode of a four-part series on the future of psychedelics in Colorado. To hear the whole story, you can find part one here and part two here. Recently, news broke that at least one of the dueling campaigns to get a psychedelics measure on the November ballot has been successful. This means Colorado voters will decide on Initiative 58, also known as the Natural Medicine Health Act, which is the one that aims to to legalize psychedelics, but also regulate their distribution at licensed “healing centers.” It’s a controversial proposal with big money behind it. This time on BALLOT TRIP, investigative journalist Chris Walker explores the origins of this scheme, including its surprising financial backer, and looks at how a similar initiative is already playing out in Oregon. We’ve got all the news you need to start your week right here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ 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: Trade Coffee How to Buy a Home podcast Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

It’s been all over the news: RTD is going FARE-FREE for the entire month of August! Our elected officials pushed for the transit agency to adopt a month of no-cost rides in an effort to combat Denver’s chronic smog problem. But the move also comes as the metro area grapples with a decades-old traffic congestion issue that many think could be solved if car drivers would just fundamentally change everything they know about their own transit habits. Today on the show, producer (and bike-loving) Paul Karolyi sits down with host (and unabashed single-occupant car driver) Bree Davies and special guest, retired public radio heavyweight (and public transit lifer) Jo Ann Allen to get deep on RTD. Don’t miss Jo Ann’s new column for the Denver Post! The first one is out now, and it’s all about Black generational wealth. We are also delighted to recommend Jo Ann’s podcast, Been There Done That! Paul mentioned a couple of articles about RTD’s month of free fares: this one from the Washington Post profiling a Denver bus driver, and this one from friend of the show Nate Minor for CPR about the time RTD offered free fares in the 70s. Looking for something fun to do this weekend? We’ve got you covered in today’s newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Follow us on Twitter! @citycastdenver Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Control Group Productions presents THE END How to Buy a Home podcast Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

After our episode yesterday with Planterra CEO Darcey Macken, City Cast Denver’s resident vegetarian, producer Paul Karolyi, and “flexitarian” host Bree Davies were itching to talk more about protein. Today on the show, Paul and Bree discuss their experiences with non-meat, plant-based, and animal-alternative options in Denver and tackle the big question: does the Mile High’s reputation as a literal cow town still hold true? Or are we a city that can celebrate an array of culinary, veg-friendly options that go beyond the “meat and potatoes” stereotype of our past? If this episode has you hungry, check out today’s City Cast Denver newsletter, where editor Peyton Garcia digs into her fave dish at Tamayo. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tell us your fave vegetarian/non-meat restaurant or menu item 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: Denver Film presents Summer of Soul How to Buy a Home podcast Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Plant-based protein is all the rage, with Beyond- and Impossible-branded products popping up in grocery stores and on fast food menus across the country. But there’s a plucky new local startup, Planterra, angling for its share of this new market, and they’ve got a not-so-plucky parent company lurking behind the scenes, armed with data and know-how from running a global “protein” business. That company? JBS, the largest meat producer in the world. Producer Paul Karolyi sits down with Planterra CEO Darcey Macken to hear all about JBS’s first step into the plant-based arena, starting with a production plant here in Denver. For more on Planterra’s business plans, here’s the Denver Business Journal story where we first learned about the company. All Coloradans can expect TABOR refunds in the mail soon. Wanna know why? We’ve got a full breakdown in today’s newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ 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: The How to Buy a Home Podcast Denver Film presents Film on the Rocks: Summer of Soul Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Denver is a dog city, that’s for sure. But what happens when dogs run free at one of many informal “dog parties” popping up in parks across the city? Host Bree Davies sits down with producer Erin O’Toole and newsletter editor Peyton Garcia to talk about park-roaming dogs and their scofflaw owners, the controversy around these so-called dog parties, and some reader comments about the great off-leash dog debate. What do you think about all the off-leash dogs running amok in our parks? Leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬ Check out our morning newsletter to find out more of what’s going on in the city. Read and subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Catch our tweets @citycastdenver! Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: The How to Buy a Home Podcast Denver Film presents Film on the Rocks: Summer of Soul Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Cannabis has been legal in Colorado for close to a decade. In 2019, Denver decriminalized psilocybin. Soon, voters will be asked to consider changes in the regulation of psychedelics statewide. But before Colorado has the chance to capitalize on this latest potential drug policy shift, some experts are sounding the alarm. Will historic inequities that followed other legalizations play out with psychedelics, too? In the second episode of Ballot Trip, a new four-part series from City Cast Denver, award-winning investigative reporter Chris Walker digs into the potential impacts of plant medicine legalization. He talks with plant medicine healers, ancestral knowledge keepers, and advocates who fear that if the legalization and decriminalization of psychedelics isn’t laid out carefully, communities could be harmed. As Chris mentioned in the episode, here are Kuthoomi Castro’s resources for listeners interested in decolonization work in the psychedelics space: Dr. Rocio Rosales Meza, a Seer, Medicine Woman, Counselor, and Educator, and Puma Fredy Quispe Singona, an Andean Medicine Man. This reporting is supported by the Ferriss-UC Berkeley Psychedelic Reporting Fellowship. More news you can use in newsletter form. Read and Subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Have psychedelics helped you? Tell us about your experience on Twitter: @citycastdenver

There are many narratives about Denver — we’re a boom n’ bust town, we’re a weed town, we’re, well (in the eyes of one rural Colorado politician), a “toilet bowl.” Earlier this week, Mayor Hancock shared his own, albeit bland, narrative of the Denver he’s been in charge of for the last 11-plus years. Over at Westword, editor-in-chief Patty Calhoun and the crew pondered that same narrative and asked: has Denver lost its mojo? On the show today, host Bree Davies sits down with Patty and Westword staffer Conor McCormick-Cavanagh to discuss what makes Denver worth celebrating, and what we can do to put that pep back in our Mile High step. Check out Westword’s latest cover story contemplating the mojo question from Patty, Conor, and a slew of other great writers. Listen to our episode from earlier this week where Paul and Bree discuss Mayor Hancock’s final State of the City address. (Conor did a great summary of the speech for Westword, too!) Looking for cool stuff to do this weekend? Editor Peyton Garcia’s got you covered. Read and subscribe to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ We are on twitter: @citycastdenver Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Colfax Ave. BID presents Independents Day Denver Film presents Film on the Rocks: Summer of Soul Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Outdoor concerts are a staple of the Colorado experience, and this month, Levitt Pavilion Denver is celebrating five years of bringing live shows to the Ruby Hill neighborhood. On the show today, host Bree Davies talks with Levitt’s Interim Executive Director, Andy Thomas, and Marketing and Development Director Jessi Whitten about why Levitt is about more than live music — it’s about creating community, paying local musicians fairly, and creating the next generation of Denver music lovers, movers, and shakers. Levitt Pavilion Denver still has dozens of free and ticketed shows coming up this season — check out their concert calendar for a list of great local and national acts to see this summer and fall! Miguel Aviña, front-person for the band iZCALLI, was mentioned several times — hear his interview with City Cast Denver from a few months ago! All the news you need, right here in the City Cast Denver newsletter. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Share your Levitt Pavilion Denver memories with 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: Colfax Ave. BID presents Independents Day Denver Film presents Film on the Rocks: Summer of Soul Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

It’s host Bree Davies’ Sweet 16 sober anniversary and she’s ready to celebrate! Because not-drinking can sound like a drag, Bree wanted to shed some light on what can make a bar inviting to those who don’t imbibe. She invited friend of the show, Artistic Director at the Sie Film Center AND fellow non-drinker, Keith Garcia, to chat about how to go out on a Friday night and find fun in Denver, whether you choose to drink or not. Keith mentioned the monthly-ish queer-centered dance party Junk Drawer and the new event space slash hair salon Scorpio Palace on Brighton Boulevard. Bree talked about Clearheads, happening this Sunday at Fort Greene; check out our May interview with the party’s founder, Jen Korte! More news you can use: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Where are your fave spots to get fun, booze-free drinks? Tell 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: Colfax Ave. BID presents Independents Day Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

On Monday, Mayor Michael B. Hancock offered many thoughts and some interesting prospects for Denver’s future in his last State of the City address. Winding down his third and final term as Denver’s mayor, Hancock focused mostly on what he’s done for us lately — like championing programs and policies to address housing and homelessness and announcing the new Denver Institute of Racial Equity, Innovation and Reconciliation, a think tank that’s supposed to improve public safety. Today on the show, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi break down Hancock’s speech, respond to some of his claims, and ask: What will be Mayor Hancock’s true legacy? To read or watch Hancock’s whole State of the City address, click here. Paul mentioned a Westword story about the Denver Basic Income Project. You can read that here. There’s plenty more Denver news you might want to know. Fortunately, we’ve rounded it all up for you in today’s CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Hang out with 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: Denver Film presents Summer of Soul Colfax Ave. Business Improvement District presents Independents Day Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Psilocybin, AKA magic mushrooms — maybe you’ve heard of ‘em? Or, you know, tried them for yourself? Because here in Denver, voters decriminalized psilocybin back in 2019, but the statewide fight to regulate naturally derived psychedelics like mushrooms — and mescaline, ibogaine, ayahuasca, and DMT — is only just beginning. In the first episode of a new four-part series for City Cast Denver, award-winning investigative reporter Chris Walker brings us Ballot Trip, a deep dive into debate over how psychedelics will fit into life in Colorado. From practitioners of traditional, ancestral healing work to the multi-million dollar PAC behind policy reform in Washington, Chris explores the many perspectives that exist within the world of legalization and decriminalization of psychedelics. Get more news you can use from the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenver Have you ever had your car towed in Denver? Was it by a company called Wyatt’s Towing? You are far from alone. Attorney General Phil Weiser is cracking down on predatory towing, and we want to hear from you. Tell us your Wyatt’s Towing stories! 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: Colfax Ave. Independents Day (July 22-24) Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

What happens when an anti-gang activist shoots someone at his own peace rally? For Terrance Roberts of Northeast Park Hill, that question came to define his life following that very incident on September 20, 2013. Award-winning journalist Julian Rubinstein spent seven years reporting Roberts’ story. The resulting book, “The Holly: Five Bullets, One Gun, and the Struggle to Save an American Neighborhood,” came out in May 2021. It won a Colorado Book Award for best general nonfiction, and has been made into a documentary film that premiered at this year’s Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride. And recently, Roberts announced a run for Denver mayor. Roberts and Rubinstein joined host Bree Davies last May to talk about the book, the nature of gang violence in Denver, and police reform. NOTE: This interview originally aired in May 2021, and is back as part of our special summer book series. Learn more about the documentary film "The Holly," which Julian Rubinstein directed, at TheHollyFilm.com Connect with us on Twitter: @citycastdenver And sign up for our morning newsletter! Learn more about the sponsor of this episode: Denver Film presents Film on the Rocks: Summer of Soul Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

In “The Guide,” Colorado author Peter Heller weaves a suspenseful tale centered on Jack, a young wilderness and fishing guide at an elite resort near Crested Butte. Things aren’t quite as idyllic as they seem, though, and Jack finds himself questioning what he sees and hears at every turn. Heller joined City Cast Denver’s Peyton Garcia for a conversation about his inspiration for the book, and what it was like writing a fictional story set during a pandemic — while actually experiencing the pandemic in real time. NOTE: This interview originally aired in August 2021, and is back as part of our special summer book series. Tune in all week for more! Learn more about Peter and his work at PeterHellerAuthor.com We’d love to know what your favorite summer book is! Tweet us @citycastdenver Or leave us a voicemail with your name, neighborhood, and the title of your favorite book and why you love it. (720) 500-5418‬ Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Jenny Shank grew up in southeast Denver, but when it was time for school, she was bused all over the city — from an elementary school with a Chicano-rooted curriculum on the West Side to a predominantly Black middle school near Five Points. And it was those experiences that informed her new collection of short stories, “Mixed Company.” It explores all the awkward, comical, and challenging ways that very different kinds of Coloradans can find connection. The book has been awarded the George Garrett Fiction Prize and a Colorado Book Award since it was released last November — which is when host Bree Davies sat down with Shank to talk about their shared history with Denver Public Schools and busing, and how they understand their similar education experiences differently today. NOTE: This interview originally aired in November 2021, and is back as part of our special summer book series. Tune in all week for more reading recommendations! To learn more about her work including “Mixed Company,” check out her website, JennyShank.com And for more on Denver’s history of busing, check out our episode from September 8 with playwright Alicia Smith Young! What books are keeping you company this summer? Tweet us your recs! @citycastdenver Sign up for our morning newsletter!

Almost 20 years ago, Erika Krouse took a job as a private investigator. Her first big case? A massive sexual assault scandal that revealed a toxic culture of abuse within CU Boulder’s prized football program. Krouse’s new book, “Tell Me Everything: The Story of A Private Investigation,” is part true crime thriller and part memoir, as she weaves together her recollections of the case with the story of her own experience with sexual assault. City Cast Denver’s Peyton Garcia spoke with Krouse about what it was like going up against an institution as powerful as the University of Colorado, the legacy of the case today, and how she saw her own story in the stories of the survivors. NOTE: This interview originally aired in March 2022, and is back as part of our special summer book series. Tune in all week for more reading recommendations! Warning: While there are no graphic descriptions, this episode contains discussions about sexual assault. Learn more about Erika Krouse and her work at erikakrousewriter.com. And for more about the scandal at the heart of Krouse’s book, ESPN has a full timeline right here. Learn more about the sponsor 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

Colorado isn’t usually the first state people think of when it comes to barbecue. But it turns out, we have our own barbecue story to tell — and our Black community is at the center of it all. James Beard award-winning author Adrian E. Miller has that story and more in his most recent book, “Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue.” He joined host Bree Davies on the show last May to talk about everything Colorado barbecue, from the 1898 barbecue riot at the Stock Show to the legacy of “Daddy” Bruce Randolph and his son, Bruce Jr. NOTE: This interview originally aired in May of 2021, and is back as part of our special summer book series. Tune in all week for more! Learn more about Adrian and his work at adrianemiller.com What’s your favorite barbecue spot in Denver? Let us know on Twitter @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

***UPDATE (7/8/22): Since we published this episode this morning, we received a clarification from a Meow Wolf representative. She wrote in response to our guest John Wenzel's description of his reporting process: "The Denver Post article came out Wednesday morning, but the Meow Wolf Workers Collective Convergence Station Organizing Committee didn't formally reach out to CEO Jose Tolosa about the union until after 5 p.m. that day, after the article was published. Meow Wolf's brief statement and lack of answers to John's questions did not come from an unwillingness to be transparent, but rather a lack of information as the situation was still evolving." Since Meow Wolf opened the doors to Convergence Station in Denver last year, the Santa Fe-based arts collective-turned-corporation has been the talk of the town. They brought jobs, global clout, and millions of dollars to the often overlooked Sun Valley neighborhood. But the company has also struggled with lawsuits related to gender discrimination in Denver and fair pay issues in its home state. Now, the Meow Wolf Workers Collective says employees here have taken steps to unionize. Today on the show, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are joined by Denver Post arts reporter and critic John Wenzel, whose recent piece digs into the unionization efforts at the Denver Meow Wolf outpost. Bree also mentioned this story past guest Jason Blevins wrote for the Colorado Sun this week about the Rainbow Family gathering, which went down last week in Routt National Forest Still don’t have plans for the weekend? We’ve got a rundown of curated picks in today’s newsletter https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Have you been to Convergence Station yet? Let us know what you think on Twitter @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

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

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

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

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

***Due to a technical error, some subscribers downloaded a mostly silent, 1.75 hour long version of this episode. This is a re-uploaded, correct version. 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