City Cast Denver

In a city that’s been grappling with affordable housing issues for years, Denver landlords seem to hold all the power. Councilperson Stacie Gilmore wants to change that dynamic, with a new proposal that would strengthen renter protections and require landlords to be more accountable for their properties. Stacie is on the show today to talk through her proposal, including her personal motivation for getting it passed. The City Council is set to discuss her rental licensing proposal tonight (and vote on it next Monday), so now is the time to find your representative and make your voice heard!Plus, City Cast Denver contributor JD Lopez attended the Save Casa Bonita rally on Saturday morning to hear more about the community effort to make sure the old pink palace sticks around. Get the rest of the story in our April 15th episode, “Inside the Fight to Save Casa Bonita.”For more on that rental in Green Valley Ranch that Councilperson Gilmore mentioned, here’s the first report about it, from CBS4 in 2019. And here’s the CBS4 follow-up about what happened to the family that lived there. 

Here at City Cast Denver, we love podcasts. There are so many different styles and topics; each one is a window into its own world. So what better way to explore different parts of Denver than through the many podcasts made here? We invited the biggest podcast fan we know, Berry of Podcasts in Color, to recommend a good place to start. So in this first weekend bonus episode, please enjoy Berry’s #ListenLocal pick: The COnnect with Graffiti, interviewing Denver’s own Suzi Q. Smith.Subscribe to The COnnect here and follow Berry on Twitter @podcastsincolor. 

When is an “immersive art experience” worth the ticket price? What makes an art installation truly transformational and not just a cool place to take selfies? From Van Gogh to Star Wars to dinosaurs, Denver has been inundated with these “immersive” experiences. Today on the show, Denver Post arts and culture reporter and critic John Wenzel stops by to talk about the wave of all-consuming, immersive art installations that have set up shop in Denver and offer some advice on how to ride that wave. Plus, our resident foodie Peyton Garcia joins Bree to talk about Cho77, Linger, and STK, her top picks for the best spots to visit during Denver Restaurant Week, which starts today and runs through May 2. And if you haven’t signed up for our newsletter yet, subscribe now and Peyton will be your inbox buddy! Get the tweets @citycastdenver.

Chicano history runs deep in Denver’s Westside, particularly in its collection of murals. Many have already been lost to time and development, but now, a proposed Historic Cultural District and a city-wide campaign to recognize more Chicano and Latino historical sites are in the works to help protect what’s left. With the guidance of mural expert and archaeologist Lucha Martínez de Luna, director of the Chicano/a Murals of Colorado Project, this new push for historic preservation is working to incorporate the cultural and historic context that anchors the La Alma Lincoln Park neighborhood. Lucha is on the show today to share her personal connection with the murals and the some of that important context. The City of Denver is holding two community meetings, on April 28 and May 15, to talk about the proposed Historic Cultural District. For more information, go here. 

Derek Chauvin is guilty of murdering George Floyd. With the verdict yesterday, the country exhaled after holding its collective breath through weeks of trial and 10 hours of jury deliberations. Here in Colorado, legislators gathered to share their reactions, their grief, and their plans to advance police accountability in our state. On the show today, some of their comments, some context, and a memory from last year’s uprisings in Civic Center Park. For more on the legislation mentioned in this episode, here is Bree’s interview with State Rep. Leslie Herod from last week. 

Happy 420, Denver. Sorry you can’t celebrate with Snoop Dogg in Civic Center Park this year, but we’ve got a weed day treat for you. Ann Marie Awad, who hosts Colorado Public Radio’s "On Something," joins the show to talk about the current state of weed culture and the fight for social equity in the cannabis industry — a topic that just so happens to be the theme of On Something’s upcoming third season. The trailer just dropped today, hear that here. Let us know how you’re celebrating the second pandemic 420! Tweet us at @CityCastDenver. And subscribe to our newsletter for more Denver news here. 

The numbers don’t add up. According to recent polling, 38% of Coloradans are not currently planning to sign up for the vaccine. That hesitation breaks down along political lines, with Republicans far more likely to skip the vaccine or, at the very least, take a “wait and see” approach. Herd immunity will require at least 70% of a population to be vaccinated or carry antibodies, according to the CDC. So, what are we to do? Denver Post columnist Krista Kafer, who identifies as center-right on the political spectrum, is on the show today to talk about her decision to get vaccinated and how she’s talking about it with her Republican friends. You know what goes great with a daily podcast? A daily newsletter. Subscribe to ours and learn more about us at citycast.fm/denver. 

Colorado’s music scene does big business for our economy. But since the pandemic began, live music has been silenced, with many venues shutting down temporarily or closing altogether. Venue operators large and small across the state have been working together to find ways to keep them alive and now, with COVID restrictions lifting, live concerts are coming back. But what is live music going to feel like?Chris Zacher, CEO of Levitt Pavilion Denver, has been working around the clock to make sure live music venues are equipped to return and thrive. Zacher joins the show today to explain just how much has gone into making sure Coloradans get to experience live concerts again. Subscribe to our morning newsletter for more Denver news, and follow us on Twitter @citycastdenver.

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. Novick, Newman, and company are holding a “Save Casa Bonita” rally on Saturday morning in front of the restaurant. Find details here. (Yes, Bananas the monkey may make an appearance.) And support the cause here. Did you like the segment at the end of the show today? Then you should read Sam Brasch’s story that inspired it! Additional music in this episode comes courtesy of Kevin MacLeod. We’re using it under a CC BY 3.0 license. Subscribe to our podcast and newsletter right here. 

As the world watches the Derek Chauvin trial in Minneapolis and protests continue over this week’s police killing of Daunte Wright in another Minnesota town, Colorado lawmakers are building on the major police accountability reform they passed last year. Democratic State Rep. Leslie Herod chats with Bree today about the new bill she’s sponsoring that would further limit the police’s ability to use lethal force in Colorado. Have strong feelings about the bill? Make your voice heard! You can find your representative and how to get in contact with them here. Hey, let’s take this relationship to the next level! Subscribe to the podcast and our newsletter at citycast.fm/denver.