City Cast Denver

The High Plains Comedy Festival returns to South Broadway this weekend and the line-up is stacked with funny people, including Denver’s own Justine Marino who went from a “girl who loves the Cherry Creek Mall” to LA-minted stand-up comedian with her own show on E! to boot. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sits down with her longtime friend and former Catholic school rival to discuss the festival, Justine’s own podcasting venture, and why Denver’s mall scene is so much better than LA’s. Hey it seems like you enjoy podcasts. Check out Justine’s! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/glitter-and-garbage/id1506683181Want more Denver news in your inbox every weekday morning? Subscribe to the CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/We would love to be friends on Twitter! Follow us @citycastdenver

Jeremy Jojola and Zack Newman were doing what they normally do as journalists at 9News: Poking around. What they came across though was a $2.3 million PPP loan fraud that could be traced back to a single office suite in Denver. We still don’t know who exactly was behind this fraud, but the bigger question is, how did they pull it off? Turns out, it’s not that hard to take over dormant business licenses in the state of Colorado. So what can the state do to close these loopholes and prevent further fraud? City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sits down with Jeremy and Zack to get the story behind the investigation and talk through the regulatory challenges around this kind of fraud prevention. Have a tip for Zack, Jeremy and the 9Wants to Know team? Email them: blowthewhistle@9news.comStay up to date on what’s happening in Denver without ever leaving your inbox: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Connect with us on Twitter! @citycastdenver

It was one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the Denver metro area — the 1965 South Platte River floods — that initially led Douglas County to join the Tri-County Health Department in 1966. As DougCo grew and grew since then, Tri-County provided residents with crucial public health services ranging from syringe disposal to restaurant health inspections. But after 55 years and one global pandemic, their relationship has come to an end. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies speaks with Elliott Wenzler, who covers DougCo for Colorado Community Media, about why conservative-leaning Douglas County is breaking up with the Tri-County Health Department and what it’s going to mean for the health and safety of DougCo residents.For more on the break-up with Tri-County Health and other goings-on in Douglas County, you can find all of Elliott’s stories at coloradocommunitymedia.com. Want more Denver news and cool things to do in your inbox every weekday morning? You should subscribe to our newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/We’ve been saving some of our best tweets for today. Don’t miss them! @citycastdenver

For breweries in Colorado, September is typically a month of fests. There’s Oktoberfest, of course. And then there’s the Great American Beer Fest to prepare for in early October. But with the Delta variant on the rise and increasing fears of breakthrough cases, the party is canceled — mostly. A community hub for Latino beer fans on Denver’s Westside, Raices Brewing Co. is bringing back Suave Fest this Saturday, and this year it comes with a gentle, thoughtful nudge in the direction of a COVID-19 vaccine. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sits down with Raices co-founder Tamil Maldonado to talk about her personal experience with COVID-19, the Latino community’s lagging vaccination rate, and how Raices is working to get more shots in her customers’ arms. We’ve got plenty more Denver news and cool events you should know about in our newsletter. Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Got a favorite local beer event that we should know about? We’re thirsty and listening: @citycastdenver

Our friend and resident podcast connoisseur Berry of Podcasts in Color is back with another recommendation to spice up your podcast feed with a little more local flavor. Berry’s pick this month is Escaping Denver, a fiction podcast that may or may not explore the conspiracy theories surrounding Denver International Airport. For more podcast news and gossip, we recommend following Berry on Twitter @podcastsincolor. While you’re there, say hi to us @citycastdenver!

Earlier this week, the city of Denver shut down Civic Center Park, closing off the public space for at least two months. Though Denver Department of Public Health and Environment cited health and safety issues as the primary reason for the closure, the City Cast Denver crew actually saw this story as part of a larger conversation about housing issues. We discuss our thoughts on the park closure, as well as a new shipping container housing concept coming to Colorado and a look at the slimy practices of a national mobile home park giant wreaking havoc on local renters. Plus, stick around for staff picks— Peyton, Paul, Xandra, and Bree share things to do, places to see, and good stuff to eat in the Mile High City! Get a steady stream of news delivered right to your inbox every weekday by subscribing to our newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Chat with us via Twitter: @citycastdenverOR leave us a message on our brand new City Cast Denver hotline: (720) 500-5418‬

When the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Biden administration’s eviction moratorium two weeks ago, approximately 12,000 Denverites woke up to the increasingly imminent threat of losing their home. But a new organization called NEWR Denver wants to give tenants a fighting chance. NEWR, or No Eviction Without Representation, is gathering signatures for a ballot initiative that, if passed, would give renters free legal counsel. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies chats with NEWR Denver’s Wren Echo about the city’s current housing crisis and how much of a difference having a lawyer makes at eviction hearings. Want more Denver news in your inbox every weekday morning? Subscribe to our newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/We also sometimes tweet things @CityCastDenver 

In the late ‘60s, Denver Public Schools began busing children across the city in an effort to desegregate our schools. Then came the pushback in the form of lawsuits, harassment of school board members, and in 1970, a bombing at the DPS bus depot off Federal Boulevard. But many Denverites’ memories of the busing era offer a more complicated story. Host Bree Davies sits down with Alicia “Lisa” Smith Young, director and producer of the new play “Busing,” which marks the first production from the new theater group IDEA Stages and tackles the legacy of Denver’s busing era with intergenerational stories of race and community. Interested in checking out the show? You can find tickets here: https://controlgroup.wellattended.com/events/sojourners-project-busing?httpsRedirect=truWant to know more about what’s going on in Denver? Check out and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/We’re always listening - get in touch with the City Cast Denver crew on Twitter: @citycastdenver

Police departments across the country have fallen in love with an obscure technology company called ShotSpotter, which purports to use microphones, algorithms, and artificial intelligence to detect and help combat gun violence, including right here in Denver. It’s “one of the most important cogs in our wheel of addressing gun violence,” said one Ohio police chief, according to the Associated Press. But after a few high-profile incidents involving ShotSpotter in Chicago earlier this year, a new level of scrutiny has inspired investigations and some cities have canceled their contracts altogether. Axios Denver’s Alayna Alvarez has been reporting on the Denver Police Department’s contract with ShotSpotter, and she’s back on the show today with host Bree Davies to sort out the situation and lay out the questions that still need answers. For more on ShotSpotter, here’s a great piece from the Associated Press about how the technology works and how it’s been implemented across the country. More Denver news and cool things to do could be on their way to your inbox as soon as tomorrow morning! All you’ve got to do is subscribe to our newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/What questions do you have about ShotSpotter? Let us know @citycastdenver

This week, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced that the Aurora police officers and paramedics involved in Elijah McClain’s 2019 death will face 32 criminal charges, including manslaughter and assault. Producer Xandra McMahon, host Bree Davies, and newsletter writer Peyton Garcia recap the grand jury indictment and the years of investigation that led up to this moment. Plus, some weird business stories that happened this week in Denver. And, staff recommendations for your weekend. City Cast Denver will be enjoying the Labor Day holiday and will return on Tuesday, Sept. 7.Want more news in your inbox every weekday morning? Subscribe to the CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Follow us on Twitter: @CityCastDenver