City Cast Denver

There are more than 1,000 people sleeping in their vehicles in Denver right now, according to the Colorado Safe Parking Initiative. And with the federal evictions moratorium set to expire at the end of the month, that number could skyrocket. So today on the show, we bring you the story of Lando Allen, a man who was experiencing homelessness before he fell into the “insidious trap” of living in a vehicle, as CSPI co-founder Chelsey Baker-Hauck describes it. City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi spoke with Lando and Chelsey about this oft-overlooked dimension of our housing crisis.The City of Denver has compiled a list of resources for people facing possible evictions, which you can find here. Their advice for anyone who has received a 10-day advance notice from their landlord is to contact the Office of Financial Empowerment and Protection by calling 720-944-2498 or emailing FEC@denvergov.org. They’ll connect callers with navigators who can help get them connected with relevant services. We initially recorded this episode as an installment of VOICE on the Street, our partnership with Denver’s street paper, the Denver VOICE, which provides opportunities to Denverites experiencing homelessness and other forms of economic inequity. If you’d like to support VOICE vendors like Lando Allen, head over to denvervoice.org/donate. They even have Venmo, so if you want to get a little help directly to Lando, follow this link and add his name to the note attached to your transfer.Don’t forget to subscribe to our morning newsletter for even more news from around the city: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/For following purposes, the official City Cast Denver Twitter account is @citycastdenver.

So far, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics have been nothing short of surreal. With protesters in the streets and no fans in the stands, the Opening Ceremony on Friday begged the question: Why is this even happening? And almost 50 years ago, that was that exact question that led Dick Lamm, a young Colorado state lawmaker who would go on to become governor, to lead a campaign to block the 1976 Winter Games from coming to Denver, setting the tone for half a century of Colorado politics. City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi sits down with Lamm to talk through that formative story, his surprising feelings about the Games, and what it would take for him to support a Denver Olympics bid in the future. For more on Denver’s unique relationship with the Olympics, check out our episode from July 23, titled “The Case for a Denver Olympics.” There’s a whole lot more to this City Cast Denver thing than just a podcast. We also have a newsletter, with the Denver news you need, as well as great event recommendations and other ways to help you connect with your city. Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/And don’t forget about the tweets? @citycastdenver

Since he guest hosted the show this past week, you know that donnie l. betts is an activist, storyteller, filmmaker, and producer of audio dramas. So we couldn't help but share a little more of his work, especially since it connects with so many of the themes we discussed on the show this week. "The Tale of the Bullet" explores America's obsession with guns from the perspective of the bullet. He initially released it as an episode of his podcast, Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days, which is a revival of the first African-American radio drama by Richard Durham, and, like its predecessor, tells the stories of people of color and highlights important issues.The full version of "The Tale of the Bullet" ends with a conversation with activists and families who have been impacted by gun violence, which you can find on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Find out more about Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days on donnie's website, and check out the original Destination Freedom show here.Don't miss our daily newsletter, delivered fresh to your inbox every weekday! Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/And don't forget about the tweets! @CityCastDenver 

The Opening Ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is tonight! Yes, they’re still calling it that, even though it’s definitely 2021. No, there won’t be fans in the stands. No, the Japanese public doesn’t want this to be happening. Yes, we’re feeling as conflicted about it as you are. But Denver’s relationship with the Games has always been conflicted. We were the first city to be awarded the Games that turned around and said, “no thanks.” And every 20 years or so since, some group of local boosters has tried to get them back. So today and Monday on the show, as the Tokyo Games get underway, City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi is exploring Denver’s unique connection with the Olympics. First up, IMA Financial Group CEO and Chairman Robert Cohen. He led the most recent effort to bring the Games to Denver, and he’s on the show to share his case for a Denver Olympics. One hundred dollars. We’re giving it away, and it could be yours. All you’ve got to do is fill out our listener survey! It’ll only take a few minutes, and you’ll be helping us out a ton: https://denver.citycast.fm/survey/Did you hear that Lakeside Amusement Park opened for the summer last night? If not, you should really subscribe to our morning newsletter. It’s the best way to keep up with all the most important stuff happening in Denver. Get it here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Tweets! Get your tweets here! Fresh hot tweets!

It’s been two months since Denver lifted its mask mandate, and more than half of Coloradans are fully immunized against COVID-19. But many still aren’t, and the new, more contagious Delta variant is now the dominant strain. So are we going to see another mask mandate like they have in Los Angeles? And what’s going to happen when schools open in the fall? We had questions about the state of the pandemic, so City Cast Denver guest host donnie l. betts sat down with epidemiologist Dr. Jonathan Samet to talk about the Delta variant, the latest vaccination numbers, and what we can learn from the 1918 flu pandemic. It’s donnie’s last regular show with us for the time being, but be sure to follow him on Twitter @donniebetts! You can find out more about his films and other work at www.nocredits.com, including the radio drama Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days (which is also available on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts). Subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/And catch the tweets here: @CityCastDenver

“Just when the government was about to let crowds of people congregate again so that we could play our horns once more, the lid was clamped down tighter than ever.” That’s how jazz legend Louis Armstrong remembered his experience of the 1918 pandemic in New Orleans in his 1954 memoir Satchmo. “Everybody was down with it, except me.” Because he managed to survive, jazz flourished across the country in the mid-20th century, including here in Denver, where Five Points earned a reputation for world-class jazz. Armstrong himself even played at the iconic Rossonian Hotel on Welton Street. So now that the government is again allowing some crowds to congregate, are we on the brink of a jazz renaissance? City Cast Denver guest host donnie l. betts visits one of Denver’s premier jazz clubs, Dazzle, to listen to some music and talk through this moment in Denver jazz with legendary pianist Purnell Steen, Dazzle co-owner Matt Ruff, and trombonist Stafford Hunter. If you’re interested in sampling some live jazz for yourself, Stafford Hunter’s Young Lions are playing a set at Dazzle tonight — July 21 at 7 p.m. — but if you can’t make it down there, Dazzle is offering a livestream to enjoy the performance from home. Find all the details right here. Looking to pocket an extra $100? All you’ve got to do is fill out our listener survey, and you’ll have a chance to win it all! It’ll only take a few minutes, and you’ll be helping us out a ton: https://denver.citycast.fm/survey/Get our daily newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/And follow us on Twitter: @CityCastDenver

These are boom times for gun sellers in Colorado, with more gun purchases reported in 2020 than in 2000, 2001 and 2002 combined, according to the Denver Post. Look a little closer at those numbers, and the story gets a little more complicated, especially for Black people in Denver. City Cast Denver guest host donnie l. betts sits down with Alton Clark, the founder of 5280 Steel, a local gun club that saw its membership double in the past year. Then, he takes a tour of 1770 Armory and Gun Club, a new virtual firing range that opened in Five Points last September, with one of its founders, Shawn McWilliams. They discuss their personal relationships with guns, the taboo of gun ownership in the Black community, and what they think is driving the recent boom in gun sales. To hear donnie’s production of The Knock-Kneed Man: The Story of Crispus Attucks Freedom Fighter, click here. Want to win $100? All you have to do is tell us what you think about City Cast Denver. Take our listener survey, and you’ll be entered to win! https://denver.citycast.fm/survey/Get the newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Get the tweets: @CityCastDenver

Earlier this year, journalist Julian Rubinstein published The Holly, a thorough and revealing look at the history of gang violence in Denver, focusing in particular on the story of one former gang member turned anti-gang activist Terrance Roberts. It’s a fascinating book that answered many questions about a little-understood issue in our city, and it landed as violent crime is once again on the rise. So is the current spike in homicides and shootings related to gang violence? And how big is Denver’s gang problem anyways? City Cast Denver guest host donnie l. betts sat down with the new head of Denver’s anti-gang efforts, Nicole Monroe, to talk through how gangs operate in Denver today and what her office is doing about it.For more on gang violence in Denver, here’s a link to our episode earlier this year with Julian Rubinstein and Terrance Roberts.Want to get your hands on some ferociously cool City Cast Denver swag? Sign up for our new perks program. Get your personal referral link here, and start sharing with friends you think would appreciate a little more Denver in their days. If just one person uses your link to sign up, we’ll send you our personal recommendations for summer fun in Denver. Learn more and get started: https://denver.citycast.fm/referrals/And if you’re not already getting the City Cast Denver newsletter, you can subscribe right here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Don’t miss the tweets: @citycastdenver

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 The Taxman, Colorado Public Radio's three-parter on Douglas Bruce, the man behind the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights and his legacy in Colorado today. Initially published in 2017, this is still a must-listen for any Coloradan who has ever wondered why our state has such a complicated relationship with taxes.The Taxman was produced by CPR News, specifically Rachel Estabrook, Ben Markus, and past City Cast Denver guest Nate Minor.Listen to the whole series here and follow Berry on Twitter @podcastsincolor. Catch up with the rest of CPR's podcast slate here.

TGIF! We’re back with another news round-up for you today, and this week City Cast Denver producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon are joined by award-winning storyteller, inventor, and activist donnie betts. We’re excited to have him on the show today, and to announce that he’ll be guest hosting City Cast Denver all next week! But first, listen in to this conversation about the week’s top stories, “meh” stories, and each person’s highlight of the week.If you want to hear more from donnie before he starts guest-hosting the show on Monday, do yourself a favor and listen to a few episodes of his podcast Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days.Speaking of highlights, did you know we put together a list of our favorite things to do in Denver in the summer? Refer just one person to the City Cast Denver newsletter, and you’ll get these recommendations in your inbox. Want to refer more people? We got some swag for you! Find out more and get your referral link here: https://denver.citycast.fm/referrals/If you have a few minutes, fill out our listener survey and let us know what you think of the podcast! It’ll really help us out, plus you’ll be entered in a drawing to win $100!Subscribe to the newsletter and stay on top of all the happenings: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter! @CityCastDenver