City Cast Denver

The City Cast Denver team is taking some time off until the new year but we didn’t want to leave you hanging. To look back on some of our favorite episodes of 2021, we’re handing out some well-deserved superlatives. Today’s superlative is the guest most likely to get stuck in the gum tree…Who could it be?! City Cast Denver will return January 3, 2022 with fresh episodes. Peyton has some special newsletters in store to get you through the holidays. Don’t miss out: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Our Twitter is taking a holiday too but we promise to post some really good tweets in the new year: @citycastdenver Don’t peek! But here’s a link to this guest’s original episode, including a description and all the links you need to learn more.

The City Cast Denver team is taking some time off until the new year but we didn’t want to leave you hanging. To look back on some of our favorite episodes of 2021, we’re handing out some well-deserved superlatives. Today’s superlative is the guest who is most likely to make your mouth water and tummy grumble…Who could it be?! City Cast Denver will return January 3, 2022 with fresh episodes. Peyton has some special newsletters in store to get you through the holidays. Don’t miss out: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Our Twitter is taking a holiday too but we promise to post some really good tweets in the new year: @citycastdenver Don’t peek! But here’s a link to this guest’s original episode, including a description and all the links you need to learn more.

The City Cast Denver team is taking some time off until the new year but we didn’t want to leave you hanging. To look back on some of our favorite episodes of 2021, we’re handing out some well-deserved superlatives. Up first: the guests who are most likely to get your toe tappin’…Who could it be?! City Cast Denver will return January 3, 2022 with fresh episodes. Peyton has some special newsletters in store to get you through the holidays. Don’t miss out: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Our Twitter is taking a holiday too but we promise to post some really good tweets in the new year: @citycastdenver Don’t peek! But here’s a link to this guest’s orginal episode, including a description and all the links you need to learn more.

All week, we’ve been revisiting the biggest Denver story of the year — Casa Bonita’s bankruptcy and eventual sale to South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker. And now it’s time for the thrilling conclusion. Host Bree Davies and Producer Paul Karolyi revisit the not-too-distant past — late November — when Matt and Trey began unveiling their plans for CB 2.0, starting with a very exciting hire: Chef Dana Rodriguez. Oh, and here’s that 5280 Magazine story about Raquelita’s that Paul mentioned. Here’s how we described this episode when it initially aired on November 22: For the last 20 months, the fate of Casa Bonita has been uncertain. Would Denver’s original “immersive experience” survive a pandemic, not to mention a bankruptcy? Things were looking up when Matt Stone and Trey Parker (you know, the guys who created South Park) announced they were purchasing CB. But optimism quickly turned to skepticism and hardcore fans wondered: Was our landmark of kitsch and fun in danger of being changed forever? Turns out, things are changing. But it sounds like… for the better? Last week, news broke that Parker and Stone have hired renowned chef Dana Rodriguez, the culinary visionary behind hit restaurants like Super Mega Bien and Work & Class, to improve the food. Host Bree Davies called up the chef to find out what, exactly, she has planned for CB 2.0.

The biggest Denver story of the year was undoubtedly Casa Bonita, and the watchword for this second chapter of the story is “uncertainty.” Because back in August, South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker announced they'd be buying the place. We all knew that Matt and Trey found the Mexican restaurant in a strip mall comical, but did they get it? Like, if they were going to be the stewards of this place, did they really understand what made it special? Join Host Bree Davies and Producer Paul Karolyi as we revisit that moment of uncertainty after the South Park guys bought the pink palace, when we took a tour with Westword editor Patty Calhoun and Bree interviewed David Thomas, “professor of fun” — both of whom really helped us understand what makes Casa Bonita so dang fun. Here’s how we described this interview back when it aired on October 6: It’s official: Trey Parker and Matt Stone have purchased Casa Bonita. So, now what? Will the Lakewood landmark stay the same, or become a fully South Park-themed eatertainment destination? While the iconic restaurant’s future hangs in the balance, we wanted to know: What really makes Casa Bonita fun? Host Bree Davies and Producer Paul Karolyi took an official tour of the still-closed-for-dining immersive eatery with David Thomas, the “Professor of Fun.” David explains why Casa Bonita is more than just a theme restaurant — it’s an architecturally designed masterpiece that invites play, stirs imagination, and ensures that all who visit will be transported to another place and time for an experience that can be hard to put into words. The City Cast Denver Crew joined Westword editor Patty Calhoun for the Casa Bonita tour, too — you can read her take on CB and the concept of fun here.

City Cast Denver will return with new episodes on January 3. In the meantime, we’re looking back at some of our favorite moments of the year. First up, probably the story of the year in Denver, it’s the Casa Bonita saga. Join Host Bree Davies and Producer Paul Karolyi to look back at all the ups and downs, starting today with our first interview on the topic from back in April just after Casa Bonita’s owners filed for bankruptcy. It was a dark time for the pink palace, to be sure. Here’s how we described this episode when it initially aired on April 15: Get Eric Cartman on the phone, Casa Bonita needs help. More than a year into the pandemic, the iconic Mexican restaurant slash immersive entertainment experience filed for bankruptcy earlier this week. There have been reports of community efforts to raise money to save the place, but until now it’s been unclear exactly how that might work. Andrew Novick, who’s visited Casa Bonita 300 times, and entrepreneur Danny Newman, who helped save My Brother’s Bar, have been working behind the scenes, and they’re on the show today to explain their strategy and how you can help.

It's time for another #listenlocal podcast recommendation from our friend Berry of Podcasts in Color, the largest database of podcasts produced by people of color in the world. Berry's pick this month is From the Margins to the Center, a new podcast from House of Pod. Hosted by Becca Mendoza Nunziato and Jeanette Harris-Courts, this show "unapologetically amplifies voices of marginalized folks." Please enjoy the episode included here, featuring Natasha Pepperl on foster care, and subscribe anywhere you listen to podcasts. Learn more at houseofpod.org and follow Berry on Twitter @podcastsincolor.

It’s been a year, Denver. Maybe not a particularly great one, but it wasn’t all bad. And that’s why, for the final new episode of 2021, the City Cast Denver crew is calling out the wins and fails of the last year in this complicated city we all love. City Cast Denver will be in your feeds all next week and the week after with some fun re-runs, so stick with us! And Peyton is cooking up some special newsletters to get your through the holiday break. Don’t miss out, subscribe now: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tell us what your Denver win and fail of the year is on Twitter: @CityCastDenver

Burnout is hitting nurses hard as we barrel toward the pandemic’s second anniversary. Nearly one in five nurses in Colorado plans to quit their job in the near future, according to an American Nurses Foundation survey. Hospitals across the state are already strained by the number of COVID patients they’re seeing, and staff shortages could make the situation worse. Nurse Tara Rynders talks with guest host Avery Lill about the pressures nurses face and how they could be better supported. Rynders shares that her organization, The Clinic, is helping nurses at hospitals across Denver through art and play-based workshops. If you want to watch the full performance of “COVID Stories” by The Clinic click here: https://www.theclinicperformance.com/covid-stories Want to know more about your city? We’ve got a newsletter for you: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ We’d love to hear from you on Twitter! @citycastdenver

So apparently Denver International Airport just needs a billion more dollars to finish the construction project that’s already over-budget, overdue and over the top with its new, sparkly white floors that look like snow. The Great Hall renovation project has been a headache for more than four years now, but it’s supposed to make the travel experience… better? Somehow? Denver Post reporter Jon Murray has been covering the project since the beginning, and he’s back on the show with guest host Avery Lill to explain why the project has taken so long, where all that money is supposed to come from, and who all of this hoopla is really for. For more details on next steps for the Great Hall project, here's Murray's latest for the Denver Post: https://www.denverpost.com/2021/12/10/denver-airport-terminal-project-completion/ Wanna know what’s on Peyton’s Plate this week? Subscribe to our weekday morning newsletter, and get personal restaurant recs and food news in your inbox every Thursday. https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/] Don’t you wanna be Twitter friends? Hit us up @citycastdenver

For a long time, schools have been used to erase Indigenous identities. Take the boarding schools of the 19th and 20th centuries where children were forced to shed their culture and assimilate into a Euro-Christian one. And the erasure can still be seen today in curricula and the staggeringly low graduation rates for Indigenous students. But a new charter school in southwest Denver hopes to reclaim what’s been lost and invest in the future of Denver’s 200 different Indigenous tribes. On a recent visit to the American Indian Academy of Denver, City Cast Denver guest host Avery Lill met the school’s founder, Dr. Terri Bissonette. Want to feel even more connected to your city? Sign up for the CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Hey are you on Twitter? We are too! @citycastdenver

Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas died last Thursday at the age of 33. He last played for the Broncos in 2018, but he left an enduring legacy here in Denver, where teammates, sports reporters, and fans alike spent the weekend swapping stories of Thomas’s kindness and quiet pursuit of “everyday greatness,” as ESPN reported. Our friends at the DNVR sports network recorded a raw conversation sharing some of their and their listeners’ experiences with Thomas, and we loved it, so please enjoy this bonus episode today. Here’s how they described it: It is a hard day for Broncos Country, the NFL, and anyone who had the pleasure of meeting or just watching Demaryius Thomas. The impact DT left on the world is being felt by the thousands of messages pouring in of what he meant to them.. We spent this episode remembering our favorite memories of Demaryius Thomas, looking back at all the good times and we also asked and share some of the moments our listeners and community had with DT. It’s a hard episode but one that we needed to have to truly remember the man DT was on and off the field. RIP Bay-Bay, you’ll always be remembered. You can subscribe to The DNVR Sports Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google, Pocket Casts, Spotify, or anywhere else you get your podcasts.

Christmas lights have been a tradition for so long, it’s hard to imagine December without them. We heard a rumor that Denver was the birthplace of these magical twinkling bulbs — so we called up Colorado history expert Dr. William Wei to find out more. Guest host Avery Lill chats with Dr. Wei about his latest book, Becoming Colorado, which traces the state’s history using the backstories of one hundred objects, including a box of Christmas lights. We also went on a mission to find the folks behind the brilliant light displays at Denver’s City and County Building and connected with Nate, Madeline, and Heidi Webb . The Webbs have run their event lighting company Blazen Illuminations in Colorado for more than two decades and they share the secrets to what makes those holiday light shows so fun to watch. Find out about more fun holiday stuff going on in Denver by subscribing to our weekday newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Have a favorite local Christmas lights display you think we should know about? Tell us on Twitter: @citycastdenver

Where does Denver’s power come from? It’s a deceptively complex question, loaded with all kinds of personal, political, and global implications. But one thing is certain, less and less of the electricity that powers our city is coming from coal. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, coal-fired power plants provided 36% of Colorado’s electricity in 2020, down from 68% in 2010. So this weekend on the show, we’re bringing you a little perspective from outside the city. Our friends at the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science are producing an eight-part podcast exploring the transition away from coal in one of the most coal-reliant cities in the state — Craig, Colorado. This episode includes the first part in that series. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and click here to learn more: https://coalatsunset.org Here’s their description for this first episode: There's a popular saying in Craig: "Coal keeps the lights on." But in 2020, the electrical utility Tri-State announced that it would close its coal-fired power plant and coal mines in Craig by 2030. The news was like an earthquake. Hundreds of jobs would be lost. The town now faces the prospect of massive economic disruption as its primary industry disappears. In our first episode, we travel to Craig to hear from coal workers who are bracing for change and one local business owner who's already looking for ways to reinvent the town's identity. Plus, we'll talk with the CEO at the center of the decision that changed everything. What will Craig do now?

One RTD driver recently described Union Station as a “hellhole,” and concerns with safety, drug use, littering, and public urination are mounting. The city’s response? More policing. Today on the show, Producer Xandra McMahon chats with host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi about other possible solutions to social issues that don’t involve more versions of law enforcement. Plus, the crew tackles a horrific editorial the Denver Gazette ran this week that targeted our unhoused neighbors. Oh, and we’re joined by a special guest whose voice you’ll be hearing more often on the show! A note: On the show today, we read part of a response from Benjamin Dunning from Denver Homeless Out Loud, regarding the Denver Gazette’s editorial. Here’s the full version of the statement he sent to us: “Peoples ignorance when it comes to homelessness is amazing as evidenced by the editorial 'Denver’s drifters glamp on taxpayers’ tab.' from the Denver Gazette. The article has no declared author. We take this as evidence of them being unable to accept responsibility or accountability. The shaming sentiment they put on our homeless communities with their coined word is disrespectful. Their stupidity and lack of insight is evidenced by statements like “It’s bad for the unfortunate soul who chooses that life as well as for the neighbor who has to put up with it.” No one, and I mean no one chooses to be homeless. To sit behind a locked door and call the police on folks stuck in homelessland, over and over and over only makes things worse. 70% of calls to the STAR program are for unwanted persons and not for emergencies. Apparently there is a person who alone has called emergency services 500 times. It is sicking the disrespect we show our homeless communities. And this anonymous author is no different. The SOS camps do a great job offering help with dignity and respect. So when folks are offered some help with dignity, are we to shame them as grifters? Makes you wonder what kind of grift this author is manufacturing. Here is a bit of what enduring homelessland actually looks like. Glamping my A**- Being chased from street to street by city officials week after week, month after month. No rest, never sleeping with both eyes closed. Asking for housing and being told there is none. Asking where you could go and being told an “overcrowded emergency shelter during a pandemic”. Not a safe place at all. How about housing? Efforts to address homelessness should emphasize housing. Housing ends homelessness. Shelters do not work, they never have. Is the anonymous author willing to accept housing vouchers at their properties? Trust me the anonymous author owns property. (remember the grift they were on we mentioned earlier) Many folks on the streets have housing vouchers that private landlords refuse to accept. Making a problem even worse. People who have housing being denied the right to access the housing they have been granted. Only then to be shamed by Karen's excessively calling the police on them. But then that is what stupid people do. Make their problems worse and then blame it on someone else.” And here’s the Denver Gazette’s “Denver Drifters Glamp on Taxpayer’s Tab” Find Peyton Garcia’s best of local gift guides in today’s newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tell us what you thought of the Denver Gazette piece on Twitter: @CityCastDenver

A traditional holiday celebration in Spain and Latin America, La Posada has never really taken root here in Denver. But maybe that should change? Miguel Aviña certainly thinks so. He and his band, iZCALLi, put on an annual concert commemorating the event, and this weekend it’s going to be bigger and better than ever, with a jam-packed line-up taking the stage at Meow Wolf’s Perplexiplex Saturday night. Host Bree Davies sits down with Aviña to talk about the meaning of La Posada, his favorite Christmas music to perform, and what to expect at iZCALLi’s big bang of an end-of-year show. Looking for a little more local holiday music for your weekend? One of the acts joining iZCALLi on stage for La Posada, Kayla Marque, live-streamed a set of holiday tunes on PBS12 last year. Catch “How COVID Stole Christmas” here: https://www.facebook.com/PBS12.CO/videos/1357156864622162/ The songs we featured in this episode include: “Corriendo Con Todo” off of iZCALLi’s 2018 album “IV” “Villain” off Kayla Marque’s 2020 record “Left Brain” We’ve got plenty more recommendations for your Denver weekend in our newsletter. All you’ve got to do is subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ We promise to send you some really good tweets today: @citycastdenver

Did you know that today is actually a holiday here in Colorado? Happy Margaret Coel Day! So we thought, what better way to celebrate than to share this audio documentary our producer Paul Karolyi made last year featuring Coel and her work? She’s best known for her Wind River mystery novels, but before she got into fiction, she published a historical biography of Arapaho Chief Left Hand, who famously uttered these famous words about Boulder Valley: “People seeing the beauty of this valley will want to stay, and their staying will be the undoing of the beauty.” Or did he? This is a story about exactly that uncertainty, as well as the nature of storytelling itself and land acknowledgements. This audio doc originally appeared on the podcast Range & Slope, where you can hear a couple of Paul’s other audio docs, like this one about Beau Jo’s so-called Colorado-style pizza or this one about Fort St. Vrain, Colorado’s first and still only nuclear power plant.

The LoDo nightclub Beta was once one of the top EDM clubs in the country, if not the world. But after a few high-profile violent incidents over the summer, a couple of undercover police raids, and one off-the-wall Von Miller party, Beta is on the verge of losing its liquor license, which would effectively shut it down for good. So what happened? Host Bree Davies sits down with Westword reporter Conor McCormick-Cavanagh to break down the story and the self-proclaimed “made man” at the center of it all — Beta’s owner, Valentes Corleons. Plus, Producer Paul Karolyi called up Corleons to get his side of the story. For more on the Beta situation, here’s McKormick-Cavanagh’s latest for Westword. Every Thursday in our newsletter, Peyton is reviewing a Denver restaurant and sharing the inside scoop on Denver restaurants. Subscribe now to make sure Peyton’s Plate hits your inbox tomorrow morning: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Have you ever been to Beta? Let’s talk: @citycastdenver

Tay Anderson made national headlines in 2019 when he was elected as the youngest Denver Public Schools board member in Colorado history. In 2021, he made headlines again — this time for accusations of sexual assault and sexual misconduct. But then a third-party investigation concluded that the most serious of the allegations were unsubstantiated, and just last week his peers elected him Vice President of the DPS board. Host Bree Davies sits down with Anderson to talk about the ups and downs of the last year and what he sees for his future and the future of Denver Public Schools. Stay up-to-date with Denver happenings by subscribing to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenver

Of all Denver’s great holiday traditions, there’s only one carefully crafted to drive whiskey lovers wild. Local distiller Stranahan’s started selling small batches of “Snowflake” whiskeys way back in 2007. But in the last few years, the Snowflake has taken on a lore of its own as aficionados camp out for days next to the distillery, just for the chance to get a bottle of that year’s unique, limited-edition recipe. This year, Stranahan’s decided to do things a little differently, turning the low-key campout into a full-fledged blowout at Red Rocks, complete with food trucks and live music. City Cast Denver correspondent JD Lopez — host of the Left Hand Right Brain podcast — headed over to the amphitheater’s parking lot at the crack of dawn to talk to Colorado’s whiskey tailgaters and find out what makes the Snowflake blend good enough to wait in line for. Plus, our VOICE on the Street segment is back — this time, we hear from Denver VOICE street paper vendor Brian Augustine, who talks candidly about why he loves being out in the community. Learn more about the Denver VOICE and read an online version of the paper at denvervoice.org. Donate directly to the Denver VOICE via Venmo: @DenverVOICE. We’ve got plenty more news from around the city in our weekday morning newsletter. Sign up here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Chat with us on Twitter: @CityCastDenver

It’s official: the Omicron variant has hit Colorado. As we brace for continued disruptions in our daily lives, there’s still a lot at stake — schools are short-staffed, hospitals are overloaded, and our local economy is still dealing with supply chain issues and employee shortages. So, what does this all mean for family-owned businesses in Denver? Oblio’s, a long-running pizza joint in Park Hill, has been very forthright about the pandemic’s ongoing impacts on their business. In fact, they recently launched a GoFundMe in an effort to keep the family restuarant afloat — and in the post, owner Morgan McKay candidly shared what it has been like trying to save her family’s pizza legacy. City Cast Denver Producer Paul Karolyi chatted with Morgan about Oblio’s future and the concerns she has going into what looks like another winter of suriving a pandemic. Find great stuff to do this weekend by subscribing to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Share your fond memories of Oblio’s via Twitter: @citycastdenver

There is only one lesbian bar left in Denver. It’s one of only around 20 left in the United States. But according to a new lawsuit from three former employees, Blush & Blu owner Jody Bouffard has used that status for years to “create a culture of obligation where workers were required to accept mistreatment and brazen underpayment as a ‘service’ to the bar and broader queer community.” City Cast Denver producer Xandra McMahon sits down with one of those former employees, Jordan Feltner, to talk about what happens when power dynamics are at play within a vulnerable, marginalized community. You can read the entire lawsuit here: https://towardsjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2021.11.12-Filed-Blush-Complaint.pdf Here is the full statement we received from Blush & Blu: "Jody Bouffard and Blush & Blu deny these untrue and shocking allegations from three former off-and-on part-time staff. Bouffard has never intentionally belittled anyone in the manner described or otherwise, nor withheld rightfully earned pay. This filing is an unfortunate retaliation against Bouffard and Blush & Blu for unrelated staffing decisions, and does not accurately represent the work environment at Blush & Blu. As a lifeline and community space for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC people alike, and one of the last lesbian bars in the country, Blush & Blu feels strongly about their responsibility to create and maintain a safe and accepting space. When the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies’ Civil Rights Division investigated Savage’s claims of discrimination, Blush & Blu fully cooperated. Similarly, Blush & Blu provided a complete response to the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment regarding Jordan Feltner's wage complaint. Bouffard and Blush & Blu exercised care and due diligence in their response to both claims, despite the limited information included in Savage's and Feltner'sComplaints. Bouffard and Blush & Blu responded to each of the complaints lodged by Ms. Savage in her CCRD charge in full, with corroborating business documents, shift records, bank statements and payment records, social posts, photos, and specific eyewitness accounts. Similar evidence rebutting Feltner's claim was provided to CDLE in the form of shift records, payment stubs, and bar receipts. Reviewing the evidence presented on behalf of Bouffard and Blush & Blu, and legal discussion of the charge, no standing of discrimination was recognized by CCRD. The CDLE complaint was pulled before it could be dismissed. Now, they have apparently opted to try their case by public opinion." Don’t miss another CCD newsletter! Subscribe now and get Peyton’s guide for your weekend tomorrow morning: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Talk to us on Twitter @citycastdenver

When Pastor Ryan Canaday confessed his alcoholism to his congregation back in 2013, he was shocked by the outpouring of love and stories from others who were on their own journeys of recovery. It was that experience that eventually led him and his wife Tami Canaday — a former climber on the corporate coffee ladder — to build their own community around coffee and recovery. Host Bree Davies sits down with the Canadays to talk about how the “gift of desperation” led them to start a non-profit, a coffee roasting company, Wagon Coffee, and now their very own coffee shop — all to help normalize and support people in recovery from alcoholism. The Canadays have been hosting support groups virtually every Saturday at 7 p.m. throughout the pandemic, and they are excited to return to in-person meetings this Saturday, December 4, at 2122 S. Lafayette St. Find all the details here. For more on the Canadays, here’s the 303 Magazine piece where we first heard about them. Don’t miss another newsletter fresh in your inbox every weekday! https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Yeah yeah, don’t worry, we’re on Twitter too: @citycastdenver

We may have yet to see snow on the ground, but artist Lonnie Hanzon has successfully captured the feeling of Christmas in his annual immersive installation, Camp Christmas. Lonnie’s work is kitschy, but not cynical; it’s over-the-top, but not obnoxious. This year, he’s transformed the entire 15-building campus at Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park into a lavish and sparkling winter wonderland, complete with neon trees, glitter horses, rainbow chandeliers, and psychedelic sheep. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies caught up with Lonnie Hanzon to learn all about the creation of Camp Christmas and how he captured the feeling of the season in this beautiful, interactive landscape. Camp Christmas is in partnership with the DCPA and the city of Lakewood. It runs until Jan. 2, 2022 and you can buy tickets by clicking here. Get more local Christmas info via the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tell us your favorite Denver Christmas traditions on twitter: @citycastdenver

What’s the best part of any good local bookstore? The staff recs! Duh. We love those colorful little handwritten notes on the shelf pointing us to that next page-turner. So as holiday shopping gets under way, we invited two of Tattered Cover’s book buyers to come on the show and share some of their favorites of the year. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sits down with Jeremy Patlen and Kathy Baum to talk through Tattered Cover’s 2021 Books of The Year and give us a little behind-the-shelf insight into how these recommendations happen. Find links to all the books mentioned and the full list right here: https://www.tatteredcover.com/2021-books-year And for even more on The Holly: Five Bullets, One Gun, and The Struggle to Save an American Neighborhood, check out our interview with author Julian Rubinstein and Terrance Roberts, the former gang member-turned-anti-gang activist at the heart of Rubinstein’s book: https://open.spotify.com/episode/55BtBvCfcJZ52TJB34sKbv?si=67eb748add9b4bc9 Wanna help Capitol Hill Books rebuild after a truck drove through their front window? Here’s a link to their GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/t2b6z-help-capitol-hill-books-rebuild For more local shopping inspiration, be our inbox buddy! https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ What was your favorite book of the year? Shout it out and tag us @citycastdenver

We’re taking the rest of the week off to be with friends and family, so please enjoy this re-run of one of our favorite episodes of the year. We took out the bleeps and added back some of the good stuff that didn’t make it onto the plate last time. Enjoy! Here’s our original description for this episode: So what exactly is Denver-style Mexican food? How do we differentiate our particular brand of Mexican food? (Hint: We’re talking green chile. On everything.) Food writer Gustavo Arellano and Westword editor and Den-Mex super fan Patty Calhoun break down where it came from, what we need to do to protect it, and what makes Den-Mex so special. Warning: Side effects of this episode may include a growling stomach and watering mouth. Subscribe to our morning newsletter for more Denver news, and follow us on Twitter @citycastdenver.

After suffering a stroke in 2019, Kristen Aguirre was let go from her dream job at 9News. Her colleagues supported her recovery. The station even broadcast her story of recovery on World Stroke Day. But behind the scenes, she says management made it clear: they didn’t want her on TV anymore. Host Bree Davies sits down with Aguirre to talk about what happened, why she’s now suing 9News for racial and disability-related discrimination, and why it is so important for her to bring her experience with disability and discrimination to light. Read the details of Kristen Aguirre’s case via original reporting from The Denver Post: https://www.denverpost.com/2021/11/11/kristen-aguirre-sues-9news-discrimination/ Peyton’s been cooking up some good stuff over at the City Cast Denver newsletter, which you can subscribe to here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Say hello on Twitter: @citycastdenver

For the last 20 months, the fate of Casa Bonita has been uncertain. Would Denver’s original “immersive experience” survive a pandemic, not to mention a bankruptcy? Things were looking up when Matt Stone and Trey Parker (you know, the guys who created South Park) announced they were purchasing CB. But optimism quickly turned to skepticism and hardcore fans wondered: Was our landmark of kitsch and fun in danger of being changed forever? Turns out, things are changing. But it sounds like… for the better? Last week, news broke that Parker and Stone have hired renowned chef Dana Rodriguez, the culinary visionary behind hit restaurants like Super Mega Bien and Work & Class, to improve the food. Host Bree Davies called up the chef to find out what, exactly, she has planned for CB 2.0. Subscribe to the Casa Bonita Podcast…er, City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tell us your hopes and dreams for CB on Twitter: @citycastdenver

These days, it seems like the Casa Bonita news faucet never turns off. This week, the new owners Matt Stone and Trey Parker (ever heard of ‘em??) announced that renowned Denver chef Dana Rodriguez would be taking over the CB kitchen. The internet all but imploded and so did the City Cast Denver team. So producer Xandra McMahon, host Bree Davies, and newsletter writer Peyton Garcia are on the show today to talk through those reactions and nervous feelings. Plus, Peyton has a curated restaurant recommendation to get you through your weekend. For more about chef (and possible future mayor) Frank Bonanno, he was one of our very first guests when we launched this show back in March. You can hear that episode right here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5w7mP3I6DQ8P7fZk5OMSCF?si=00ddd5163eec485d Get Peyton’s Plate in your inbox on Fridays! And a healthy digest of news and cool events throughout the week: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/

The Bookies has been an institution in Denver for decades. Tucked away inside a nondescript Glendale strip mall, the bookstore has served generations of curious young readers and helped teachers curate their classrooms affordably for more than 50 years. But in July, the bookstore lost its owner and steward, Sue Lubeck — and the fate of the quirky bookseller was unknown. Enter Nicole Sullivan, owner of BookBar across town. Host Bree Davies sat down with The Bookies’ new owner to talk about her plans for the beloved Denver staple. Plus, we chatted with one of The Bookies’ many longtime employees about how Sue Lubeck’s kindness was so infectious. Get more news delivered to your inbox every weekday by signing up for the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Share your Bookies memories with us on Twitter: @citycastdenver

It’s no secret that Denver’s a pretty expensive place to live these days. But there’s hope — in recent years, voters have approved measures to help ease the burden of high housing costs. Still, there’s a lot of mystery around how, exactly, affordable housing gets built in Denver. Today on the show, Host Bree Davies speaks with developer Kimball Crangle of Gorman & Company, who has built affordable housing all over Colorado, to explain how it works, why it's important, and how you can help. Also: Denver recently proposed a new affordable housing policy. The Department of Community Planning and Development has a whole mess of documentation for Denverites to dig through, plus dates and times for open houses and focus groups to talk about the proposal, if you’re into that sort of thing: https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Community-Planning-and-Development/Denver-Zoning-Code/Text-Amendments/Affordable-Housing-Project The first announced changes to Casa Bonita are here! Read the latest in our daily City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Chat with us on Twitter: @citycastdenver

Way back in the spring of 2019, Denver became the first American city in the country to decriminalize psilocybin, or magic mushrooms, with 50.56% of voters in favor. That left many Denverites worried about where decriminalization could lead — like Jeff Hunt, who said this to CBS4: “What I’m afraid we’re going to see happen now is people go, ‘Denver is a place where I’m not going to get prosecuted, so we’re going to increase the use of these drugs.’” Well, Jeff, the first batch of numbers are in! Today on the show, host Bree Davies sits down with Kevin Matthews, the former West Point cadet who led the decriminalization campaign. He’s been working with the city to monitor the situation and last week he presented a report and some interesting recommendations for next steps to City Council. To see Matthews’ whole presentation to City Council last week, click here: http://denver.granicus.com/player/clip/14561?view_id=180&redirect=true For more on the push toward legalization across the country, Matthews was quoted in this recent New York Times piece about veterans leading the charge: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/11/health/veterans-psychedelics-ptsd-depression.html?referringSource=articleShare Subscribe to our newsletter for more news and cool events! https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Follow our twitter account for nonsense and memes! @citycastdenver

Like many American cities, Denver is home to many buildings, streets, and monuments commemorating problematic figures from our sometimes violent and racist past. Slowly but surely, we’re changing that. Like this past weekend, the Byers Branch Library in La Alma Lincoln Park was officially renamed in honor of John Emhoolah Jr., “Thunderbird Man,” a Kiowa and Arapaho elder who spent his life advocating for Native American education and religious liberty. City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi was at the ceremonial renaming ceremony on Saturday, and he has the story. For more on why Denver Public Library wanted to rename the Byers Branch, here’s a brief summary of his support for the Sand Creek Massacre: https://history.denverlibrary.org/news/william-n-byers-contributing-massacre What’s the latest on Denver’s pandemic protocols? Supply chain issues? And housing crisis? Get all that and more in our weekday morning newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ We don’t always tweet. But when we do, we use the handle @citycastdenver

Denver had to face a hard truth this week: so far in 2021, 73 people have been killed on the city’s roadways. That’s the highest number of traffic deaths Denver has seen since the Vision Zero plan was implemented in 2016. The plan hoped to end all traffic deaths by 2030, but clearly the numbers are going in the wrong direction. Why? Host Bree Davies and producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon discuss the age-old Denver question: Who really owns these streets? Plus, the crew debates whether Denver’s bid for the 2026 World Cup is a good idea or not. Paul mentioned a website that leaks all of FIFA’s dirty secrets. Here’s a New Yorker story about it: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/06/03/how-football-leaks-is-exposing-corruption-in-european-soccer For more on Colorado’s obsession with big SUV’s, check out Nate Minor’s story for CPR News: https://www.cpr.org/2021/10/01/colorado-suvs-sales-carbon-emissions-pedestrian-safety/ Our newsletter writer Peyton Garcia cooks up an extra special newsletter every Friday. Don’t miss another one: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Let’s be friends on Twitter! @CityCastDenver

Last week, it was announced that the boarded-up Denver Diner would not re-open, but instead become a Chase Bank. The beloved late-night dining spot that had served the city for decades (even long before it became The Denver Diner in the ’90s) was going away for good — leaving Denver with even less options for a 24-hour gathering place with affordable meals. Today on the show, host Bree Davies reminisces with fellow Denver Diner enthusiast Kalyn Heffernan about their mutual love for a dining spot that acted as an intersection for humanity and proved to be one of the most physically and economically accessible meeting places in the city. Plus, we hear from newsletter writer Peyton Garcia about hers -and some of your- favorite diners in Denver. Wondering what diners still exist in the Mile High City? Westword has an excellent survey of the current diner scene: https://www.westword.com/restaurants/late-night-food-diners-denver-12725841 Get more dirt on Denver in your inbox every weekday by signing up for the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Share your Denver Diner memories with us on twitter: @citycastdenver

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 George Garrett Fiction Prize-winning collection of short stories, “Mixed Company.” It explores all the awkward, comical, and challenging ways that very different kinds of Coloradans can still find ways to connect. Host Bree Davies sits 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. “Mixed Company” comes out later this month. For more details on how to get yourself a copy or attend an upcoming reading, check out Shank’s website or RSVP to this reading she's doing in January with a couple of other local authors. For more on Denver’s history of busing, check out our episode from September 8 with playwright Alicia Smith Young! We’re trying some new stuff in our newsletter this week! Check it out and tell us what you think: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ If you follow, we’ll send you some really good tweets today from @citycastdenver

If you’ve tried to watch the Nuggets or the Avalanche on TV at all in the last three years, you may have noticed that well, you can’t. That’s because Denver is going into its third season of a blackout, thanks to a dispute between Altitude, the regional sports network that broadcasts our teams, and Comcast, the metro area’s most popular cable provider. While the corporate giants battle it out in court, fans are left to try to watch games in person, switch cable providers, or find less-than-legal streams online. Today, Host Bree Davies chats with Denver Post reporter and City Cast Denver sports expert Jake Shapiro about why, exactly, local sports fans are shut out from watching their teams on TV. Get news you can use every weekday morning by signing up for the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Give us your Altitude TV/Comcast hot takes via Twitter: @citycastdenver

Walk into SAME Café on East Colfax, and it looks like your average fast-casual lunch spot. But there’s A LOT of good stuff going on under the surface. SAME, which stands for So All May Eat, is a donation-based “participatory” restaurant. Anyone can go in and get a freshly cooked meal made with local produce. All you have to do is give something back to the community in exchange — be it a donation of produce, money, or your time. Host Bree Davies sits down with SAME Café’s new executive director Brad Reubendale to talk about SAME’s 15-year anniversary, his winding journey to this job, and the restaurant’s new “trauma-informed design.” For more on SAME Cafe’s 15-year anniversary, check out this article from 5280 Magazine: https://www.5280.com/2021/11/celebrating-one-of-the-countrys-oldest-pay-what-you-can-restaurants/ The holidays are just around the corner! Do you have a favorite tradition around this time of year where you like to give back or connect with our community? Let us know your favorite ways and places to give — and receive — via email at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at (720) 500-5418‬ For more Denver news and cool events, subscribe to our newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Have you ever had lunch at SAME Café? Tell us how it was @citycastdenver

Way back in the early ’90s, the Denver-style-Mission-style burrito rolled into town thanks to Chipotle. They introduced a massive meal you could eat with two hands — a steamed tortilla chock-full of rice, beans, meat, and all sorts of toppings. Illegal Pete’s appeared just a few years later in Boulder with a similar style burrito, but a restaurant environment all its own. Today on the show, the City Cast Denver crew gets together to talk about these burrito behemoths and tries to decide who makes the best Denver-style-Mission-style meal in the Mile High City. Want more of Peyton’s culinary recs? Check out the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tell us where you stand on the Chipotle/Illegal Pete’s debate on Twitter: @citycastdenver

In this morning’s episode, Bree talked to documentarian Sara Terry about her new film A Decent Home, which is premiering this Saturday at Denver Film Fest. It was a fascinating, wide-ranging conversation, so we wanted to share a little bonus excerpt. It’s about the scene in the documentary where Sara visits Mobile Home University, a Colorado-based program that teaches people how to buy and make the most money possible out of mobile home parks. Here’s a great piece from the Denver Post’s Sam Tabachnik about Mobile Home University if you want to learn more: https://www.denverpost.com/2021/09/05/mobile-home-university-rv-horizons-impact-communities-frank-rolfe-dave-reynolds/ Stream Sara Terry’s new documentary, A Decent Home, online: https://watch.eventive.org/denverfilmfestival/play/6154d7761d62fd003e42366d Or catch a screening in-person, as part of the 44th Annual Denver Film Festival: Sat, Nov 6th, 4:00 PM @ Maglione Theater (Sie) Sun, Nov 7th, 2:30 PM @ AMC House 3 Thu, Nov 11th, 4:15 PM @ Maglione Theater (Sie) Want more news in your inbox every weekday morning? Sign up for the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tell us your experience with housing in Colorado via twitter: @citycastdenver

After filmmaker Sara Terry almost lost her home in 2008, she thought a lot about housing stability and inequality. In Terry’s new documentary, A Decent Home, she tackles an often unseen side of the housing crisis — the precarious nature of mobile home parks — with the vigor of a career journalist and the humanity of a natural storyteller. Today on the show, Host Bree Davies talks with Terry about her film and the people she chose to profile, particularly the residents of Aurora’s Denver Meadows mobile home park as they fought to stay housed. Terry also discusses the documentary’s exploration of predatory park owners across the country, who make their money by squeezing every last penny out of people on the margins of society. Terry is hosting a convening this Saturday ahead of the premiere at 4 p.m. It will feature former residents of Denver Meadows alongside activists and elected officials. The event is set to run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and space is very limited, so if you’re interested act fast. Email [email protected] if you’d like to attend. Stream A Decent Home online: https://watch.eventive.org/denverfilmfestival/play/6154d7761d62fd003e42366d Or catch a screening in-person, as part of the 44th Annual Denver Film Festival: Sat, Nov 6th, 4:00 PM @ Maglione Theater (Sie) Sun, Nov 7th, 2:30 PM @ AMC House 3 Thu, Nov 11th, 4:15 PM @ Maglione Theater (Sie) Find the full Denver Film Fest schedule of screenings, both in person and virtual, here: https://www.denverfilm.org/denverfilmfestival/dff44/ Want more news in your inbox every weekday morning? Sign up for the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tell us your experience with housing in Colorado via twitter: @citycastdenver

Yes, voter turnout was low. And yes, there weren’t any major offices up for grabs. But there were a lot of important issues at stake in Denver’s election, and we stayed up all night — okay, some of the night — to see what happened. Bree, Peyton, Paul, and Xandra break down what voters approved, what they rejected, and what that’s going to mean for all of Denver. As the fallout from the election unfolds, we’ll have plenty of coverage in our newsletter. Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ You heard our first reactions to the results. But we want to hear from you, too! Tweet us your hottest election takes @citycastdenver

In the spring of 1958, Marilyn Van Derbur was on University of Colorado’s ski team, worried about moguls and final exams. By fall, she was crowned Miss America. Decades later, she used her Miss America platform to support and advocate for survivors of sexual abuse — something Van Derbur herself endured throughout childhood at the hands of her father. But now, after more than 60 years of philanthropy and advocacy, she’s decided to sell her Miss America crown. Host Bree Davies sits down with Van Derbur to talk about what the crown has meant to her and why she decided to sell it now. Van Derbur’s crown, as well as a collection of other Miss America memorabilia, will be going on auction through Heritage Auctions starting November 4, 2021. The bidding will reportedly start at $20,000. Want the results of today’s election delivered straight to your inbox tomorrow morning at 6 a.m.? Subscribe to our newsletter today: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ We promise to send you some really good tweets today @citycastdenver

It’s no secret that RTD has been struggling for years. Even before the pandemic, the regional public transportation provider was experiencing a drop in ridership, despite the state seeing a population boom. Then there was the bus driver and light rail operator shortage, the organization’s ever-consuming debt, constant bus schedule changes, and whole routes being cut. Recently though, $34.2 million in federal transit aid made its way to Colorado… but RTD didn’t get any of it. Instead, the millions of dollars landed in Boulder. Host Bree Davies talks with RTD Board Director Shontel Lewis about what happened with this money and why the transit organization continues to struggle. Read Shontel’s Op-Ed for the Denver Post about CDOT withholding federal transit funding: https://www.denverpost.com/2021/10/25/rtd-cdot-federal-funding/ Looking for more local news? Subscribe to the City Cast Denver weekday newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tell us about your commute on twitter: @citycastdenver

It’s Halloween weekend and the City Cast Denver crew created a special episode to celebrate the spooky season. Today on the show, Denver’s Clerk and Recorder Paul López joins Host Bree Davies to share a ghostly tale involving one of the Mile High City’s oldest (and possibly haunted?) hotels in downtown. Will you be able to guess which one it is? Then, professional fright expert and haunted house actor Danielle Look shares her tips and tricks for scaring the pants off people. She’s also got some recommendations for the scariest spots in town. Looking for good trick-or-treat destination recommendations and other spooky things to do this holiday? Check out today’s newsletter, which is packed with Denver Halloween weekend fun: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tag us in your Denver Halloween fun this weekend on Twitter: @citycastdenver

It’s election season here in Denver, but elections are far from the only way to make changes you want to see in your community. Take, for example, the group of kids who recently pitched Councilwoman Kendra Black on building a skate park in her southeast Denver district. Is that really how it works? Host Bree Davies sits down with Black to talk through why their pitch clicked with her and how she plans to make it a reality. If you want to show your support for Councilwoman Black’s skate park project, there are two good ways to do that right now. First, as she mentions in this episode, you can get in touch with her office and potentially join a steering committee to work on it directly. You can find contact info for her office her: https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Denver-City-Council/Council-Members/Kendra-Black-Council-District-4 Second, you can let the Parks and Recreation Department know how strongly you feel about skate parks or any other outdoor adventure and alternative sports infrastructure. They’re running a survey right now, and as you heard from Councilwoman Black, they take the results from this kind of thing really seriously. Find that survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DPROutdoors Bree briefly mentioned how her husband Gregg helped Joyce Foster get Denver’s first skate park built downtown. For the whole crazy story, we recommend this longread from Westword that was published when the park opened in 2001: https://www.westword.com/news/a-tough-grind-5067465?storyPage=2 Halloween is this weekend. Do you have plans yet? Peyton is rounding up all sorts of spooky events and activities in our newsletter this week, so subscribe now: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Our tweets are here: @citycastdenver

There’s been a battle brewing over kids and vaping for the past few years — and now Denver is mired in the haze. It all started when Councilmember Amanda Sawyer thought her daughter was buying bubblegum-flavored vape juice on the internet. But now her proposal to ban the sale of all flavored smoking products has evolved into a passionate, multi-sided debate, and the only thing that’s clear is that not everyone can get what they want. Host Bree Davies talks to Denver Post reporter Noelle Phillips about why this proposal was so provocative for so many different kinds of Denverites. For more, Noelle’s piece on the push to ban sales of flavored smoking products is here: https://www.denverpost.com/2021/10/25/denver-flavored-tobacco-vape-ban/ Keep up with all the breaking Denver vaping news in our newsletter. Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tweet us @citycastdenver

The National Western Stock Show has been a big deal in Denver for decades, drawing farmers, ranchers, equestrians and rodeo enthusiasts to the city. This two-week long event at the beginning of every year is also big business — and Mayor Hancock thinks its worth investing in, to the tune of $190 million. This election, Denver will vote on a bond package that includes measure 2E, which asks voters to approve the construction of a 10,000-seat arena along with renovations to an existing Stock Show Complex building. Host Bree Davies talks to #NoOn2E campaign manager Sarah Lake and Alfonso Espino, a representative of community activist group, GES Coalition. Lake and Espino make their case for why voters should think twice before signing off on a multi-million dollar project in the middle of a community that has seen neglect by the city for decades. Don’t miss yesterday’s show with Bree and at-large councilwoman Deborah “Debbie” Ortega — who represented the National Western Center’s surrounding neighborhoods on council from 1987 to 2003 — about why Denverites should vote #YesOn2E. Get more news in your inbox every weekday by signing up for the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tell us your thoughts on the bond measure on Twitter: @citycastdenver

Every January for more than 100 years, Denver has hosted the National Western Stock Show. The event draws farmers and ranchers from across the West to show off their livestock, compete in the rodeo, and remind Denver that despite its big city ambitions, it’s still surrounded by those amber waves of grain. But how much are Denver taxpayers willing to invest into this relationship? Mayor Michael Hancock has asked voters to approve $190 million for renovations and upgrades at the National Western Center, including a brand new, 10,000 seat arena. So it’s time for voters to decide: should the National Western Center get a $190-million facelift or should we be spending that money elsewhere? To understand the case for a new arena, Host Bree Davies speaks with at-large councilwoman Deborah “Debbie” Ortega — who represented the National Western Center’s surrounding neighborhoods on council from 1987 to 2003 — about why #YesOn2E is best for the community. Make sure to come back tomorrow when we’ll explore the other side of this issue! Election day is a little over a week away, so it’s the perfect time to make sure you’re getting all the important news you need to be an informed voter. Subscribe to our newsletter here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/ Tell us what you think about #YesOn2E and Councilwoman Ortega’s argument on Twitter @citycastdenver

The Denver Art Museum opened up its new $175-million front door this morning, and Bree has some thoughts.