City Cast Denver

Ten years ago this week, Denver leaders signed an urban camping ban into law. Since then, folks across the city have experienced displacement, skyrocketing housing costs, and fewer and fewer sheltering options for those living on the margins. Today on the show, Bree sits down with Denver Homeless Out Loud cofounder Benjamin Dunning and Westword reporter Conor McCormick-Cavanaugh for a wide-ranging conversation on how Denver got here and what the future looks like for a city that desperately needs more affordable housing options. For a thorough breakdown of Denver’s recent history dealing with our housing crisis, do yourself a favor and spend some time with McCormick-Cavanagh’s terrific feature story from last December: https://www.westword.com/news/denver-homelessness-decades-hancock-hickenlooper-pena-12975252 Interested in the work advocates and the unhoused community are doing? Denver Homeless Out Loud offers resources and information, like this “Seven Myths of Homelessness” list. Also, events commemorating the “Decade of Doom” culminate this weekend. More info here. Wanna have a kickass weekend? Peyton’s got a rundown of cool events and other stuff to do in today’s CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ If you were running for mayor in 2023, what would be your stance on the urban camping ban? Repeal it or extend it? Tell us why on Twitter @citycastdenver or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood and we might play 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 April 27, Gary Arellano was shot and killed in La Alma-Lincoln Park. The city’s response? Fence off the park to the community, something that Arellano’s family says is in direct opposition to what he would have wanted. And this wasn’t the first time the park has been closed to the public because of violence. So what’s to be done in this rapidly gentrifying neighborhood? Denver Post reporter Elizabeth Hernandez has been reporting on the situation at La Alma-Lincoln Park, and she’s on the show to explain what happened, why, and explore this moment’s connections with the historic displacement of Auraria, just on the other side of Colfax. Gary Arellano’s family is hosting a benefit this Saturday, May 14, at The Denver Inner City Parish from 1-6 p.m. You can find details for that, a link to their GoFundMe, and their petition to “Save La Alma Park in Honor of Gary Arellano” here. The Park Hill golf course drama continues and Peyton’s breaking it all down in the City Cast Denver newsletter. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Do you have a connection to La Alma-Lincoln Park? Tweet us: @citycastdenver. Or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬ Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Earlier this year, North High School teacher Tim Hernández came on the show to talk about his experience teaching in a pandemic. But he also spoke passionately about the cultural significance of the work he does as a Chicano teacher on the Northside, and the importance of teaching Chicano and Latino history to his mostly Latino classes. So last week when Tim posted online that he was being let go from his beloved Northside school, we knew there was more to the story. Today on the show, Bree talks with Tim about his impending departure from North High School, and why — in a city with a supposed teacher shortage — a devoted, community-centered educator like him would be let go. On the show today, Bree also mentioned “Denver’s Decade of Doom,” a term some housing and unhoused community activists are using to mark the 10-year anniversary of Denver’s urban camping ban this week. See their event page for more details about the planned week of “grievance and action.” Read and subscribe to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Say hi on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

It’s our producer Xandra’s last hurrah in Denver before she heads off to Philadelphia. So we had to ask: What‘s on your bucket list before you leave Colorado? Her number one choice was a trip to the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keensburg, home to 38 tigers that once belonged to the man they call the Tiger King. So we sent her off to visit this past weekend. Bree sits down with Xandra to get the inside scoop on what the sanctuary is like, what kinds of animals you can find there, and why this space made just for lions, tigers, and (very big) bears feels so different from visiting a traditional zoo. Plus: you, our dear listeners and readers, had some fantastic recommendations for Xandra’s bucket list and Peyton rounds them up in the City Cast Denver newsletter. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Chit-chat it up with us on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Denver is sooooo bad at recycling and composting. In fact, our diversion rate — the amount of waste we divert from landfills to recycling and composting — is a paltry 26%. So how did Denver get so far behind when it comes to trash? And what are we doing to catch up? Councilman Jolon Clark has been pushing for one surprising, seemingly counter-intuitive measure since he was elected to City Council in 2015, and it looks like he might finally have the support to make it happen this year. So Bree sat down with Councilman Clark to hear why he wants Denverites to start paying for our trash. Councilman Clark mentioned an initiative that’s going to be on Denver’s ballot this fall to require all businesses, including apartment buildings, offer recycling and composting bins. Here’s a link to learn more about the Waste No More initiative. The City of Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency recently adopted Clark’s new pay-for-trash proposal and incorporated it into their broader plan to increase our diversion rate to 50% by 2027. After complaints from the neighbors, Number 38 is no longer allowed to host super loud concerts in RiNo. Peyton’s got the whole story and all the news you need to know to start your week right here in our daily newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Hang out with us on Twitter @citycastdenver] Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

We’ve brought you a burger crawl, a breakfast burrito battle, and a fried chicken chowdown. Now, we’re tackling something sickly sweet and asking the big, round, frosted question: Who makes the best donuts in Denver? Peyton, Paul, Xandra, and Bree took on the task of taste-testing four of the top contenders in the Mile High City (and may have suffered a collective sugar overload in the process, so you don’t have to). Settle in as we debate who bakes, fries, (and in one case, blowtorches) the best dang donuts in Denver. It’s Friday! Peyton’s rounded up all the cool stuff happening in and around the Mile High in the City Cast Denver newsletter. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tweet at us: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Jen Korte likes to throw big parties. She also doesn’t really drink that much. But as a musician, Korte has seen first-hand how much art and music are often intertwined with drinking culture — so, she set out to change that. The result is Clearheads: A Booze-Free Hang, Korte’s monthly party happening this Sunday, May 8, from 12pm to 4pm at Fort Greene bar in Globeville. The all-ages party de-centers alcohol, while refocusing on community, entertainment, and fun. Bree talks with her old friend Jen Korte about what makes Clearheads feel so fresh and what’s driving the increasing interest in sober bars and booze-free gatherings all across Denver. For more information or tickets to Clearheads: A Booze-Free Hang, check out Eventbrite. It’s Cinco de Mayo! Peyton has a hearty list of ways and places to celebrate today and throughout the weekend in the City Cast Denver newsletter. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Gotta a go-to bar or restaurant that serves your fave mocktail? Tell us on Twitter: @citycastdenver This episode is sponsored by the 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 U.S. Supreme Court is planning to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 50-year-old decision guaranteeing federal protection of Americans’ right to an abortion. That’s according to a leaked, draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito published by Politico earlier this week. What would that decision mean for Colorado, where our state just put a new law on the books defending abortion rights? Bree and Xandra are talking out the local implications of a decision that could affect every person in this country. Our brilliant, thoughtful listeners sent us a couple of suggestions for how to contribute to the effort to protect abortion rights: Abortion Care Network and Colorado Doula Project. Tell us what you think about the status of abortion rights in Colorado! Leave us a message or text us with your name and neighborhood and we might share your message on the show: 720-500-5418 For a deeper dive into the local policy implications of this threat to abortion access, Peyton has got you covered in today’s City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Were you at any of the pro-choice rallies yesterday? We’d love to see some pics! Tweet them at us @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Denver Public Library’s Central Branch is one of the city’s most beautiful, iconic structures, with a design by world-renowned architect Michael Graves. Graves’ addition to the original 1955 Burnham Hoyt designed structure came in 1995 — while still gorgeous, in the past few years, the library has really started showing its age. But thanks to Denver voters — who approved a bond package in 2017 — the library received the funds for a massive renovation. Last week the newly renovated children’s area opened to the public for the first time. Today, join Bree on a trip through DPL’s present and future with the central branch’s administrator Rachel Fewell. Want more Denver news fresh in your inbox everyday? Subscribe to our newsletter! https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ If you visit the new children’s library, share photos with us on Twitter! @citycastdenver Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: 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

Everyone agrees that the synthetic opioid fentanyl has become a serious threat to the health and well-being of Coloradans — but the question of what to do about fentanyl has sparked one of the hottest debates of this year’s legislative session. Lawmakers are reaching across the aisle in both directions. Harm reduction advocates are rallying on the steps of the Capitol. Law enforcement officers are calling for stiffer penalties. Rep. Leslie Herod has been at the center of it all, and today on the show, she takes Bree inside the “political hell” around the fentanyl issue at the Capitol. For more on the new e-bike and other green rebates offered by Denver’s new Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency Office, check out their website and see what you’d be eligible to save. A shooting at La Alma Lincoln Park upset plans to celebrate Denver’s Chicano murals this week. Peyton’s got the story in today’s City Cast Denver newsletter, alongside all the other news you need to know today: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ With less than two weeks left in the Colorado legislature’s session, what do you hope they get done? 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

It’s Friday and we’re talking politics. Specifically, we’re talking politicians — this week, some Colorado legislators were up to no good. Paul is joined by Bree and Westword editor and founder Patty Calhoun to talk about Gov. Polis’s promise to “gift” taxpayers money (that’s already ours), Rep. Matt Gray’s DUI arrest, and Rep. Dave Williams’s court battle to get his bogus nickname on the ballot. Plus, Xandra is leaving us for Philly — but before she goes, Paul and Bree help narrow down her very Colorado bucket list. Got suggestions for the best Colorado things Xandra should do before she jets off to the East Coast this summer? Call the “Xandra’s Big 303 Bucket List” hotline and leave her a message: 720-500-5418. Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Check out Peyton Garcia’s picks in the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ If you heard yesterday’s episode about Beau Jo’s, we know you’ve probably got piping hot takes on “Colorado Style Pizza,” sooooo tweet them at us! @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Two years ago, producer Paul Karolyi and his wife, Megan, reviewed local iconic pizza joint Beau Jo’s for their show, the Denver Pizza Podcast. (Spoiler alert: they weren’t impressed.) But the experience turned into an obsession for Paul who had to get to the bottom of why Beau Jo’s was considered the only “Colorado-style pizza” around. Now that Beau Jo’s is opening a new location in Lone Tree, Bree thought it would be a good time to ask Paul about his strong feelings about the institution, and discuss his in-depth pizza investigation into the phenomenon of putting honey on the crust and how Beau Jo’s trademarked the term “Colorado-style pizza.” Paul and Megan’s full pizza investigation: Range & Slope: The Honey Trap For more Denver food news, Peyton’s got you covered with today’s roundup! Check it out here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ What do you think of Beau Jo’s? Let us on know on Twitter @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

As Denver continues to grow and change, there’s a constant conversation happening about our identity. Who are we as a city? What makes Denver, well, Denver? One characteristic often in question is the way we speak. Do we have an accent? Is there a way — or more than one way — Denverites talk? Turns out, there isn’t a lot of information out there on our particular speech patterns, but researchers at CU Boulder are on the case. Today on the show, Host Bree Davies talks with Jeremy Calder, an assistant professor in the linguistics department, and graduate student Andrew Ting about their “Voices of Colorado” project and what they’ve learned about how Denverites speak. Think you have a Denver accent? Jeremy and Andy need your help! Check out their Voices of Colorado project on Facebook. Have you ever eaten a hot dog from a stand outside Home Depot? Well, strap in, because those hot dog vendors have been in a years-long battle with the company, and all processed meat fans are gonna wanna read Peyton’s breakdown of the situation in today’s newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ What do you think about the Denver accent? Let us know on Twitter @citycastdenver, or text or leave us a voicemail at (720) 500-5418‬. Just remember to include your name and neighborhood, and we might play it on the show! Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

You know the movie “Dodgeball”? The one where Vince Vaughn saves his neighborhood gym by bringing together a team of misfits to win a quirky adult version of a kids' game? Over the past few years, the plot of “Dodgeball” has been playing out here in Denver, but centers on a parkour gym called APEX and a scrappy group of Coloradans who are now two-time national champions at World Chase Tag, a relatively new sport that exploded in popularity during the pandemic, with tournaments airing on NBC and ESPN. The APEX squad is now in training for the tag world championships in May. So earlier this week, Bree visited their backyard practice arena to meet some of the players and watch them in action. The rules of chase tag are simple — "1 chaser, 1 evader, 20 seconds, don't get caught!" — but seeing the sport in action is something else entirely. Check out APEX’s latest national championship match from last June here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n29ni9Khe14 We asked for your recycling and composting tips, and you answered! Peyton rounded up your responses in today’s newsletter. Read and subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Have you ever caught World Chase Tag on TV? Tell us what you think on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

With one week left in the NHL’s regular season, the Colorado Avalanche are sitting pretty at the top of the standings. Though widely considered favorites to win the Stanley Cup, the team is known to underperform in the post-season. So, is this the year? Can the Avs can get it done? Or could another early exit lead to big changes within the franchise? Producer Paul Karolyi sits down with City Cast Denver sports guy Jake Shapiro to preview the Avs’ playoff run. Jake and Paul briefly discuss the Avs’ connection with the old Quebec Nordiques and their beautiful powder blue uniforms. For more, check out this episode from last year. Take a look at today’s City Cast Denver newsletter, where Peyton Garcia breaks down this year’s wildfire forecast: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Shoot us your Avalanche hot takes on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

It’s the City Cast Denver green and mean Earth Day special! Producers Paul Karolyi, Xandra McMahon, and Lizzie Goldsmith are joined by newsletter editor Peyton Garcia to talk climate wins and fails. From Denver’s lag in recycling (and plans to rectify that) to beef fat being used to power airplanes, there’s been a lot of environmental news around Colorado lately. We also talk about the most endangered river in America (spoiler: It’s the Colorado River), rebates for e-bikes, DPS Students for Climate Action, and more. For more on the Colorado River, check out the book The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko. Have thoughts or tips on how to recycle or compost efficiently in the city? Give us a call and 720-500-5418 and let us know! Looking for things to do this weekend? Peyton has you covered in the newsletter. Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tell us how you recycle and compost in the city on Twitter: @citycastdenver Today’s episode is brought to you by Choir League. Check out their concert, “Choral Bangerz,” at the Stanley Marketplace this Sunday at 5:30 p.m. Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

She dazzled the judges all season with her Victorian baby doll style, and now Denver’s own Willow Pill has made it to the finale of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” If she wins, Willow would become the second Drag Superstar hailing from the Mile High City. Her mentor, friend, and fellow oddball Yvie Oddly won in 2019. But Willow has been dreaming of Drag Race success for longer than that, since she was a baby queen at Colorado State University. Bree sat down with Willow ahead of Friday night’s finale to talk about her experience on the show, how it’s helped her discover new things about her gender identity, and why Denver’s drag scene keeps producing these weirdo, eccentric queens. Peyton has rounded up ways you can celebrate Earth Day in the newsletter. Find that edition and subscribe to get future ones here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Share your reactions to the “Drag Race” finale with us on Twitter: @citycastdenver Today’s episode is brought to you in part by the How to Buy a Home podcast. Learn more at https://www.howtobuyahome.com/podcast/. Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Could you imagine a better way to spend 420 than a sweet hang at Denver’s first-ever, smoke-friendly public weed consumption site, Tetra Lounge? Join host Bree Davies and City Cast Denver weed contributor Ann Marie Awad as they talk through Denver’s up-and-down relationship with public weed consumption and chat with Tetra’s owner, Dewayne Benjamin. There’s a ton of 420 stuff going on today, as usual, so Peyton rounded up your best bets in today’s edition of the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Get our tweets @citycastdenver Today’s episode is brought to you by Choir League. Check out their concert, “Choral Bangerz,” at the Stanley Marketplace this Sunday at 5:30 p.m. Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

When the news dropped a few weeks ago that 30,000 hippies are likely to descend on Colorado this summer for the 50th annual Rainbow Gathering of the Tribes, the backlash was swift and vocal. A Reddit post on how to take action against the Rainbow Gathering even garnered more than 600 comments in less than 24 hours. Wildfire risk and the environmental impact of this weeks-long shindig were some of the major concerns cited. But one thing the City Cast crew didn’t see in any of the coverage? Information from an actual attendee of the Rainbow Gathering. So we called one up. Tenali Hrenak has been going to Rainbow Gatherings all over the world for more than 20 years, and he chatted with City Cast Denver Host Bree Davies about what this event is really all about, what myths need to be dispelled, and if Coloradans have a reason to be concerned. Hrenak has been collecting field recordings from Rainbow Gatherings for his own podcast. Learn more here: https://soundsfromtherainbow.org/ Catch up on the latest Denver happenings via our daily newsletter! Check out past issues, or sign up here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Want some more back-and-forth in real time? Follow us on Twitter @citycastdenver

Denver’s brown cloud is in the news… again. And it doesn’t seem to be getting better. In fact, in a new move by the EPA, the Front Range’s air quality has gotten so bad, it’s been downgraded from a "serious" to "severe" violator of national ozone standards. But what does it actually mean for Denverites when it comes to quality of life? Are we looking ahead to another summer locked indoors because our air quality is so terrible? Today on the show, host Bree Davies talks with CPR climate reporter Sam Brasch about what, exactly, this new EPA categorization means, how it will impact our lives, and what — if anything — we can do about it. Read Sam Brasch’s reporting for Colorado Public Radio: The EPA moves to declare the Front Range a ‘severe’ air quality violator. Here’s why that matters. City Cast Denver’s Peyton Garcia has rounded up some of the most outrageous hot takes about Denver in today’s newsletter. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Chat with us on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

In less than a year, Denverites will start casting their votes for the next mayor of our city. It may seem early in the race, but the field is likely shaping up to be an already crowded one. From a former gang member-turned-community activist to several state legislators throwing their hats in the ring, there’s plenty of interesting potential mayors to talk about. And it’s not just the mayoral race that will be juicy — lots of city council seats are up for grabs, and those people can make a big difference in the trajectory of Denver, too. Producer Xandra McMahon is joined by host Bree Davies and Westword founder and editor Patty Calhoun to preview the 2023 city election and provide some hot insider campaign goss. Looking for things to do in Denver this weekend? The City Cast Denver newsletter has you covered. Find today’s issue and subscribe to future ones here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ How are you feeling about the city election this far out? Tweet us @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Since 1987, FashioNation has been outfitting Denver’s goths, punks, ravers, and fest-goers with wild streetwear and the latest in counterculture style. The little indie boutique sells everything from leather pants and platform boots for teens and adults to tutus and bowling shirts for rockabilly babies and toddlers. When Pam and Paul Italiano set out to share their love of clothes and music, they didn’t imagine they would one day be celebrating 35 years in Denver. The secret to their success? FashioNation is a true family business. Pam and Paul have dedicated their lives to the store, and now their daughters Mia and Sydney are helping out too. But Mia and Sydney are more than just sales people — they’ve transformed FashioNation into a global attraction, all through the viral magic of TikTok. Today on the show, host Bree Davies and producer Xandra McMahon take a trip down to south, South Broadway to visit the Italianos and hear the story of how FashioNation has stayed weird and wonderful for three decades. And of course, Mia and Sydney give us the scoop on what their millions of followers on TikTok think about Denver’s coolest goth and punk clothing store. For pictures of FashioNation and more on the history of the store, check out (and subscribe!) to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ What are your fondest memories of FashioNation? Tell us via Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

For Denver cyclist Marcus Robinson, biking equals freedom. It’s a chance to experience new things and reach places he’s never been able to reach before. It was this idea that was at the heart of his Ride for Racial Justice organization that started in 2020 amid the protests over the murder of George Floyd. He thought if he could get people talking to each other about race from the seat of a bicycle, folks might be more open to listen. Robinson has continued to push for racial equity from his bike, most recently by testifying in favor of the “safety stop” bill recently passed by the state legislature. The safety stop, or “Idaho stop”, would let cyclists roll through stop signs legally. It might seem like a small change, but producer Paul Karolyi chats with Robinson about how this is a big win in the fight for racial justice and safety. We first heard about Robinson and Ride for Racial Justice from past City Cast Denver guest Nathaniel Minor. Check out his piece for Colorado Public Radio on the Idaho Stop here. Newsletter writer Peyton Garcia has a breakdown of Denver’s consideration of a concealed carry ban for its parks. Find today’s edition and subscribe to get future ones in your inbox here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Let’s be friends on Twitter! @citycastdenver

We got a crap-ton of super interesting voicemails about our story on 1800 S. Broadway, the once and future weed lounge. So producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon are taking your calls and talking it out. And if you don't know what this is about, check out part one and part two of our story on real estate developer Josh Horwitz's effort to carry on his father's legacy by opening a weed lounge in a contentious spot on South Broadway. Do you have something to say about 1800 S. Broadway or smoking weed in public? Leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood and we may play it on the show: (720) 500-5418 Xandra mentioned a story she reported a few years back about weed tourism. You can listen to that whole story here: https://www.cpr.org/show-segment/as-marijuana-mainstreams-bus-tours-view-themselves-as-industry-ambassadors/ Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Ever since the killing of Elijah McClain in 2019, the Aurora Police Department has been mired in turmoil. Now, the chief of police they hired to help reform the department has been fired. Former Chief Vanessa Wilson spoke publicly about her firing for the first time yesterday, and Colorado Sentinel managing editor Kara Mason is on the show today to explain how we got here and why it matters. Want some of Bree’s insider tips on the best stuff in Denver? Check out today’s newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Chit-chat with us on Twitter @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

If you haven’t heard part one of our look at 1800 S. Broadway and the dawn of public weed consumption in Denver, scroll back in your podcast feed to last Friday or click here. When the city of Denver opened applications for marijuana hospitality businesses last year, the new program attracted a diverse mix of go-getters, from the owner of a private marijuana club who wanted to go public to a Cap Hill mansion whose owners thought weed would help attract more tourists. Among them was an enterprising young real estate tycoon, Josh Horwitz. He applied to open a weed lounge at 1800 S. Broadway, the exact spot where Habibi Hookah Cafe undermined the trust of the neighborhood with excessive late-night partying and violence. The neighbors are organizing to stop Horwitz and City Councilman Jolon Clark is opposed to his permit, but no one has heard his side of the story. Until now. This isn’t the first time Denver has tried to set up a regulatory framework for marijuana hospitality businesses. They tried before a few years ago, but the rules were so restrictive that only one business ever opened. You can learn more about that and Denver’s long on-again, off-again relationship with weed in today’s CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ What do you think should be done about 1800 S. Broadway? 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

Ever since Coloradans started taking the prospect of legal weed seriously, stoners have wanted a place to partake in public. The city of Denver opened permits for public consumption businesses a few years ago, but the regulations were so restrictive that only one business was ever able to open. But after last year’s sweeping revamp of our weed laws, a wave of new ganjapreneurs have come forward with proposals for how they’d want a public weed lounge to look and feel — and, more importantly, where one could actually open. It’s a new era of legal weed, and it’s begging the age-old question: if not here, where? Producer Paul Karolyi stumbled upon a red-hot neighborhood battle over one proposed weed lounge a few weeks ago. Today on the show, he breaks it down with producer Xandra McMahon and host Bree Davies. Stay tuned to the show next week for part two of our look at the fight over 1800 S. Broadway. In the meantime, we want to hear from you! Are you excited to smoke weed in public? Would you want a weed lounge in your neighborhood? And how do you feel about the debate over this one in particular? Text or leave us a voicemail at (720) 500-5418‬, and we might share your thoughts on the show! No weekend plans? No problem. Peyton’s got a rundown of all the cool stuff happening in Denver this weekend in our newsletter today: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Share your hot takes on 1800 S. Broadway with us on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Daylight Saving Time. Love it or hate it, it’s part of our lives… but if a new law passes in Colorado, it might change our concept of time forever. The bill already passed Colorado’s House of Representatives, and now the Senate is considering adopting DST year round, meaning we would never have to change our clocks again. But how would this impact our days? What does it mean for our sunrises and sunsets? And why do our ski resorts care so much about it? Today on the show, host Bree Davies took these questions to our resident weather expert, meteorologist Andy Stein, who researched everything we wanted to know about the fight over Daylight Saving Time. A whole lot of news broke over the last few days, and City Cast Denver newsletter writer Peyton Garcia has a round-up— read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Give us your Daylight Saving Time hot takes via Twitter: @citycastdenver We’re hiring a producer to help make City Cast Denver! If you love Denver and know your way around an .mp3, let’s talk. Email questions to [email protected] and check out the job listing here: https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-denver/ Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Janae Burris used to fudge the numbers when people asked how long she’s been doing stand-up comedy. “I kind of stopped doing that, though,” she told the Denver Post earlier this week. “I’ve gotten to the point in my [career] that I can tell people the truth and still get jobs.” But now that the stand-up scene is finally creeping back after two years of terrible comedy over the internet, Burris is on the precipice of great change: She’s eight and a half months pregnant. To document this unique moment, she’s recording her first big comedy special in front of a live audience at the Aurora Fox Arts Center next week, and she’s on the show today to talk with host Bree Davies about being funny while pregnant. Learn more about Burris’ special, “Long Overdue,” and get your tickets to the taping here: https://www.aurorafoxartscenter.org/janae-burris-is-long-overdue Maybe you heard that election denier and My Pillow Guy, Mike Lindell, was on the steps of the Capitol yesterday for an election conspiracy rally? Peyton Garcia has more on that event, and all the other news you need to get through your day in the CCD newsletter. Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Let’s be friends on Twitter! @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

It might be a false spring, but can you blame us for letting a little nice weather get us excited for camping season?! Some of us, at least. Host Bree Davies has never been super outdoorsy, and all the gatekeeping around the best spots and the reports of overcrowding at our state and national parks don’t make it seem that appealing. So we invited Blackpackers founder and outdoors educator Patricia Cameron to help make it all feel a little more approachable. Check out this piece Cameron published in 2019 about her journey to the outdoors: https://www.elevationoutdoors.com/go-outside/feet-to-the-ground/ One of Denver’ biggest companies is going to court. Learn all about dialysis giant DaVita and the eccentric former CEO at the center of the case in today’s CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ What are your favorite hikes or campsites? Let’s swap notes on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

“There is no accurate picture” of how many indigenous people have been murdered or gone missing in Colorado, according to our guest today, Raven Payment. Amid a growing, international movement to address the crisis of MMIR — Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives — she helped form a task force to take on the issue locally. Step one? Push for legislation to create a state office that can figure out exactly how big this problem even is. Today on the show, Host Bree Davies talks with Payment, who identifies as Kanien'kehá:ka and Anishinaabe, about her work on the task force and how the creation of this office could help Indigenous people all across Colorado. Our guest Raven Payment mentions a couple of times how the Urban Indian Health Institute’s 2017 report on MMRI was a catalyst for organizing around this issue. If you’re interested, here’s a link to that report: https://www.uihi.org/resources/missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-girls/ 30,000 hippies are descending on an as-yet-undisclosed location in Colorado this summer. It’s an annual event called the Rainbow Gathering, and it’s got lots of folks really worried. Catch up on the whole backstory in today’s newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Hang out with us on Twitter! We’re at @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Union Station is a mess. At least that’s what news outlets keep saying about the transit hub and fancy downtown hangout. In the last six months, complaints of violence, open drug use, and people sleeping in the public space have become the narrative of Union Station, painting it as a scene of constant chaos. At the beginning of 2022, Mayor Hancock responded by swarming the place with police — as a result, he said that DPD had made 700 arrests since January. The City Cast Denver crew hadn’t made a trek down to the shiny train station since before the pandemic, and knew it was time to see for themselves what was going on there. Host Bree Davies and producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon met up with Denverite reporter Kyle Harris — who has covered issues at Union Station extensively — for a walk around the downtown spot. They wanted to see for themselves what, exactly, was so concerning. Read more of Kyle Harris’s original reporting on Union Station for Denverite: We spent 18 hours at Union Station. Here’s everything we saw and heard. A swanky Union Station high rise holds clues about how the rich and poor will coexist (or not) downtown Denver police have arrested more than 700 people at Union Station this year — only a third for drug crimes Just a note: Street sweeping starts today! Find out when to avoid that parking ticket in your neighborhood and more in today’s City Cast Denver newsletter. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Say hello on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

News broke last week that local music non-profit Youth on Record was buying a stake in the Underground Music Showcase, one of Denver’s biggest annual music festivals. But this is far from any run-of-the-mill music biz deal: YOR’s Executive Director, Jami Duffy, sees the UMS as a platform to propel a “musicians’ middle class” in Denver and beyond. Today on the show, Duffy chats with host Bree Davies about her long-term plans to turn a staple Denver music fest into a pipeline for careers in the arts, while also cultivating a better experience for music fans. Read and sign up for the City Cast Denver newsletter, where today, Peyton Garcia tells the story of how the modern day coffee break has its origins in a labor dispute that happened in CO: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tell us your favorite UMS stories on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

The push to unionize Starbucks workers started in Buffalo, New York, with one small group of baristas stepping forward to call for better working conditions at their cafe. Then slowly, one by one, workers at more than 120 Starbucks locations across the country petitioned for union elections at their shops, including here in Denver, where three separate Starbucks are now in the middle of organizing campaigns. Host Bree Davies sits down with two baristas — Jack Janzen and Hannah Mehlman — to hear why they’re trying to unionize their Starbucks at Leetsdale and Holly, and how the coffee giant is pushing back. WE’RE HIRING! We are looking for an audio producer who loves Denver as much as we do! We’re looking for someone who wants to help us continue to tell beautiful, complicated, compelling stories about the people and things that make this city what it is. Think you or someone you know fits the bill? Take a peek at the official job posting here. In today’s newsletter, Peyton has all the juicy gossip about the Outdoor Retailer show leaving Colorado and heading back to Utah. Find that newsletter and subscribe to future ones here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ By the way, tell us what you think of the newsletter! Fill out this short survey and get entered to win two tickets to RadioLab’s Jad Abumrad live at the Paramount Theatre. https://denver.citycast.fm/survey/ Let’s connect on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

With fentanyl-related deaths spiking across Colorado, our elected officials have been debating new measures to better protect people from the highly potent, synthetic opioid. Should they go after drug users who are at risk of unwittingly taking a lethal dose? Should they focus on dealers and manufacturers who lace their goods with fentanyl? And what are the roles of “overdose prevention sites” and harm reduction, a strategy borne from the failures of the war on drugs? Now that they’ve formally submitted their bill at the state legislature, it’s time to dig in. Host Bree Davies sits down with Harm Reduction Action Center’s executive director Lisa Raville to break down the policy and politics around the new Fentanyl Accountability and Prevention Act. For additional perspectives on this new bill, Peyton has got a deep dive in our newsletter today. Read and subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ And if you’d like a more thorough breakdown of the fentanyl situation, Harm Reduction Action Center and Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition co-published a brief, titled “Fentanyl in Colorado: Overview and recommendations for addressing the overdose crisis.” Don’t let another day go by without RTing a great Denver tweet and tagging @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Too often there’s inherent bias at play when we think about who makes a good firefighter — strong, athletic… manly. “I think that we forget sometimes that the people we are serving like to see a familiar face when they're having their worst day,” says Kathleen Vredenburgh, who wants people to know that firefighting requires a lot more than just physical strength. She was named deputy chief of Denver Fire last month, making her the highest ranking woman in the fire department’s 156-year history. Today on the show, Host Bree Davies talks with Vredenburgh about her experience as a firefighter and her work getting other women to join the department. In today’s newsletter, City Cast Denver’s Peyton Garcia breaks down the $14 million settlement protesters won in an excessive force case against DPD. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Catch us on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

It’s Friday and we’re chatting about stories big and small in Denver this week, starting with Union Station — which can’t seem to get a decent headline in its favor these days. Producer Paul Karolyi is joined by host Bree Davies and Patty Calhoun, founder and editor of Westword, to discuss perceptions of crime downtown and the re-opening of a beloved Denver Mexican restaurant. Plus, the pickleball player who’s landed himself in a real pickle with the police. Read the latest from Westword on crime statistics at Union Station here: https://www.westword.com/denver/Print?oid=13699478 For more on the pickleball power struggle, Denverite’s Desiree Mathurin has been all over this story: Here’s the original piece and here’s the follow-up. Get the whole backstory on the Outdoor Retailer trade show’s move back to Salt Lake City from past City Cast Denver guest and Colorado Sun reporter Jason Blevins: https://coloradosun.com/2022/03/23/outdoor-retailer-leaving-denver-salt-lake-city/ The Denver Post story about the situation downtown and at Union Station that we talked about is here. Paul shouted out his father-in-law and his favorite Longmont brewery, Wibby Brewing. For directions to their taproom and more, click here: https://www.wibbybrewing.com/ Peyton’s got a roundup of fun things to do this weekend in our daily newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Chit-chat with us on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise Oh, and we’re hiring!! https://citycast.fm/audio-producer-city-cast-denver/

The painter Stevon Lucero was his own person through and through. He created his own style, which he called “metarealism,” and through painting he explored the outer bounds of consciousness, connecting dots no one else saw. When top Denver art galleries didn’t seem interested in him or other Chicano artists, they started up their own thing — Chicano Humanities and Arts Council, or CHAC — paving the way for a surge of interest in Chicano art today. Lucero passed away last year, but not before finishing a room at the hottest gallery in town, Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station, where “meta” is the name of the game. Host Bree Davies visited Convergence Station with Lucero’s wife and fellow artist Arlette Lucero to discuss her husband’s legacy and the special exhibition of his works opening there tomorrow. Peyton’s got all the hot Denver food gossip in our newsletter today. Read and subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Do you have a favorite Stevon Lucero painting? Share a pic with us on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

About an hour west of Denver is a place called Lincoln Hills, an outdoor recreation destination created especially for — and built by — Black people. For 100 years, it has offered a safe, welcoming space for Black folks from across the country to come enjoy all the natural beauty Colorado has to offer. Today on the show, host Bree Davies sits down with past City Cast Denver guest host donnie l. betts, whose Lincoln Hills documentary which screens at History Colorado next month, and retired judge Gary Jackson, whose great grandfather was one of the original builders of Lincoln Hills and whose family has owned a cabin there ever since. History Colorado is celebrating Lincoln Hills’s 100th anniversary all year long. On April 15th, they’re hosting donnie l. betts for a screening of his documentary and a Q&A. Then, on June 3rd, they’re hosting Gary Jackson for a talk on his experience and research into the Lincoln Hills story. There a restaurant in Denver that’s taking a stand against drug cartels by… taking avocados off their menu. Peyton’s got a deep dive into why in our newsletter today: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Have you ever been to Lincoln Hills? Tag us in your pics! @citycastdenver

Lipgloss is one of the longest running indie club nights in the country — and it takes place every Friday evening, right here in Denver. Started by DJ Michael Trundle and a group of friends in 2001, Lipgloss is a music connoisseur’s dream: when you hit the dance floor, you’re apt to hear everything from The Killers to The Supremes to Fontaines D.C. Trundle has been the sole DJ behind the turntables for the last half-decade or so of Lipgloss, but he’s been at the heart of the dance night from the beginning. Today, he joins host Bree Davies to talk about how the little indie dance night that could has survived —and thrived — for more than two decades in Denver, and what’s next as it moves to its latest location, HQ, on South Broadway. Looking to take in some live theater next month? Our producer Lizzie Goldsmith has got recommendations, plus a behind-the-scenes interview about Curious Theater Company’s latest production, “Refuge.” Find that and subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Follow us on Twitter @citycastdenver Wanna advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Nearly 800 Coloradans have received aid-in-dying medication since voters approved a controversial law giving doctors that prescription option under certain circumstances in 2016. While the debate over the right to die has grown no less controversial in the past six years, one leading eating disorder doctor based in Denver wants to expand access to people with severe eating disorders, prompting alarm within the psychiatric field across the country. Today on the show, host Bree Davies talks with Colorado Sun reporter Jennifer Brown about this new turn in the death-with-dignity debate and what it could mean for people who suffer from life-threatening eating disorders all across the country. Read Jennifer Brown’s report for the Colorado Sun here: https://coloradosun.com/2022/03/14/denver-doctor-gaudiani-aid-in-dying-aneroexia-patients/ There is a ton going on at Denver schools right now, so Peyton rounded up all the important stories for you in our newsletter today: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

It’s Friday! And we’re looking back at two years in Denver since lockdown. What’s changed about the city for the better? What structural, social, and political shifts do we want to keep with us from these pandemic times? How did we survive the two-hour prohibition of weed and alcohol sales that sent many Denverites running Black Friday-style to their nearest dispensary and liquor store? The whole team is here — Host Bree Davies, Producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon, and Newsletter Writer Peyton Garcia — and we’re trying to focus on the silver linings, like city council going online and the joys of car-free streets. Want to snag a couple free tix to see Radiolab’s Jad Abumrad at the Paramount on April 17? We’re giving a set away, and all you have to do is write a nice review of City Cast Denver wherever you listen to podcasts and send a screenshot of that review to [email protected] by April 1. Because, come on, it’s Jad freakin’ Abumrad. One of the greats. Wanna know what to do this weekend in Denver? Read and subscribe to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Find us lurking on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads: citycast.fm/advertise

Almost 20 years ago, Erika Krouse took a job as a private investigator. Her first big case? A massive sexual assault scandal that was exposing 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 newsletter writer Peyton Garcia sits down with Krouse to talk about what it was like going up against an institution as powerful as the University of Colorado, how she saw her own story in the stories of the victims, and the legacy of the case today. Warning: While there are no graphic descriptions, this episode contains discussions about sexual assault. If this is your first time hearing about the scandal at the heart of Krouse’s book, ESPN has a full timeline right here. Catch all the latest Denver food news and gossip in our newsletter today, including Peyton’s take on the James Beard Award finalists: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Follow us on Twitter @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

There was a time when food trucks were the hottest thing out there, and it seemed like every chef and restaurateur wanted to sell sushi burritos on a street corner for $15 a pop. But now that the novelty has worn off, where do food trucks fit in Denver’s dining scene? And what does it take to start one now? We’ve been looking at all aspects of Denver dining alongside Denver Restaurant Week this week, and today host Bree Davies speaks with Maria Rangel, a former EMT who left healthcare to start cooking and selling gorditas out of a truck in the middle of a global pandemic. Find out where Rangel is going to be serving up gorditas and vegan green chile next at maizdenver.com. Interested in learning more about the business course Rangel took at Mi Casa Resource Center? Check out micasaresourcecenter.org. Did you know Bree has a tattoo dedicated to the old Colfax laundromat Smiley’s? Well she does. And now that the old Smiley’s building is being demolished, Bree shared some of her Smiley’s stories in our newsletter. Read and subscribe at denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ What’s your favorite local food truck? Tell us on Twitter @citycastdenver] Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Denver Restaurant Week is the perfect occasion for a nice night out without breaking the bank. And that means Frank Bonanno’s restaurants have been packed. Along with his wife Jacqueline, he runs a growing empire of restaurants across the city, including the flagship fine dining spot Mizuna and the downtown food hall Denver Milk Market. Host Bree Davies interviewed Bonanno almost exactly one year ago when Mizuna was celebrating its 20-year anniversary under the shadow of a possible sale and demolition. So we invited him back ahead of our one-year anniversary for an update on Mizuna’s real estate situation, an explanation of some of the changes he’s made during the pandemic, and his thoughts on the future of Denver’s dining scene. Do you want a chance to see Radiolab founder Jad Abumrad at the Paramount Theater on April 17? We’re giving away two free tickets, and all you have to do to enter is write a really nice review of City Cast Denver wherever you listen to podcasts, and rate us 5 stars. Then, take a screenshot of your review and send it to us at [email protected] by April 1. There is an HOA in Green Valley Ranch that has foreclosed on more than 50 homes, according to recent reports from Denverite and Denver7. Peyton’s got a full breakdown of the story in our newsletter today: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ What’s your favorite Denver restaurant? Tweet at us @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

It’s Denver Restaurant Week and we’re exploring all aspects of the dining scene. Today, John Hinman is a pastry chef and the owner of Hinman Pie. But he’s also the founder of Culinary Hospitality Outreach and Wellness, or CHOW, a nonprofit offering support groups and mental health courses to restaurant workers that’s grown by leaps and bounds in the last two years. Host Bree Davies sits down with Hinman to talk about how his own mental health struggles led to CHOW, the specific challenges of working in Denver restaurants today, and what kinds of positive changes he’s seeing in the local food world. If you’re interested in attending one of CHOW’s support group meetings, check out the Denver chapter’s in-person gatherings on Monday nights at 6 p.m. at 1633 Fillmore Street. Follow @CHOW_org on Instagram for up-to-date information on meetings and other resources. In today’s City Cast Denver newsletter, local musician Arnie Swenson remembers his friend, collaborator, and jazz great Ron Miles, who passed away last week: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Check us out on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Denver Restaurant Week kicks off today! We’re talking Mile High culinary history, the cowtown stereotype we can’t seem to shake (Rocky Mountain Oysters, anyone?), and more. Host Bree Davies is joined by newsletter writer and resident CCD foodie Peyton Garcia, along with regular Friday chat contributor, Westword’s Patty Calhoun, plus Denver restaurateur-turned-behind-the-scenes-culinary-expert John Imbergamo for a look at what Denver’s food world means to us — and the rest of the country. In today’s City Cast Denver newsletter, Peyton rounds up the best escape rooms in the metro area. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ What’s your favorite restaurant in Denver? Tell us on Twitter: @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

The City of Denver has already paid out more than $3 million in settlements to people injured by the police while protesting the murder of George Floyd in the summer of 2020. But now, a group of 12 protesters has taken their case to court, marking the first federal trial in the country to challenge police violence against those racial justice protests. The ACLU’s Colorado office is representing most of the plaintiffs, and senior staff attorney Sara Neel joins host Bree Davies to take us inside their case and talk about the implications for future criminal justice reform. Bree mentioned the Office of the Independent Monitor’s December 2020 report on the Denver Police Department’s response to the racial justice protests that summer. You can read the whole 94-page report documenting multiple examples of excessive force here: https://www.denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/Portals/374/documents/2020GFPReport_OIM.pdf Plus, this episode includes another installment of Voice on the Street, our partnership with Denver’s street paper, The Denver VOICE. You can support the Voice by buying a copy from your local vendor, donate online or via Venmo. And if you want to get a little extra support to Albert Bland, our guest on this episode, make sure to include his name in a note with your Venmo transfer. Denver Restaurant Week starts on Friday, and Peyton has got all the local food news you need to know before booking your reservations in our newsletter. Read and subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Follow us on Twitter @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Until recently, Justin Murchison wasn’t really thinking about buying a home. He was more focused on paying down his credit card debt and taking care of his plants. Then he stumbled upon on opportunity that most young people in Denver only dream about: a path to buying their first home. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies chats with Justin about his journey to homeownership. Plus, we’ll hear from Santhosh Ramdoss, vice president of impact investing at Gary Community Ventures. He helped create The Dearfield Fund that made Justin’s home purchase possible and he says it could be the key to shrinking Denver’s racial home ownership gap. Wanna know where Gary Community Ventures got that name for their fund — Dearfield? We talked about the historic Black homesteading community with Westword editor Patty Calhoun a few weeks ago, and you can learn even more courtesy of the Colorado Encyclopedia. Do you want a chance to see Radiolab founder Jad Abumrad at the Paramount Theater on April 17? We’re giving away two free tickets, and all you have to do to enter is write a really nice review of City Cast Denver wherever you listen to podcasts, and rate us 5 stars. Then, take a screenshot of your review and send it to us at [email protected] by April 1. Near the end of this episode, Bree mentions a federal civil rights trial over the Denver Police Department’s use of force during the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020. We’ve got a full breakdown of the trial in our newsletter today. Read that and subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Hang out with us on Twitter @citycastdenver!

More than 1,000 homes were destroyed when the Marshall Fire ripped through Louisville, Superior and unincorporated Boulder County in late December, sending thousands of Coloradans headlong into an urgent search for an affordable place to live. Now that the dust has settled, all those families are thinking about rebuilding what was lost, and it’s going to be expensive — especially with the brand new climate-friendly building codes Louisville instituted last October. Denver Post reporter Noelle Phillips has been covering the story, and she joins host Bree Davies to talk about the fire’s impact on our housing market, the cost of a “green” rebuild, and how Louisville residents are feeling about those new building codes now that it’s wildfire survivors who’ll be footing the bill. Subscribe to the CCD newsletter for more Denver news fresh in your inbox every weekday morning: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Follow us on Twitter @citycastdenver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise