City Cast Denver

It’s that time of year when Denverites all seem to be asking the same question: When are we going to see the spring’s final frost? But for gardeners, it’s not just small talk. They need to know! So while we refresh our weather forecasts, host Bree Davies is sitting down with City Cast Denver’s resident gardening expert, Ann Marie Awad, to talk about when it’ll be safe to put your plants in the ground and answer all your other burning questions about Denver’s dense soil, favorite perennials, the ever-present menace of squirrels, and more!Get more from City Cast Denver when you become a City Cast Denver Neighbor! You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm For more gardening fun with Ann Marie Awad, check out her past appearances answering listener gardening questions in 2024 and 2023. She will also be hosting an event with ColoRadio this Friday at the Denver Press Club with a couple of vendors from the Denver VOICE.For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverSupport City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fmWhat’s your favorite garden store? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418If you enjoyed this interview with Jennifer Gremmert, the CEO of Energy Outreach Colorado, learn more here.Learn more about the sponsors of this April 23rd episode: PineMelon - Use code CITYCAST for 75% off! Denver Art Museum Aura Frames - Get $35-off plus free shipping on the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mayor Mike Johnston just finished touring Denver’s neighborhoods pitching his next big proposal to voters: An $800 million bond. Nearly 6,000 people have responded to the city’s survey asking for specific ideas and priorities, but not everyone is excited about the city taking on all that new debt. So will voters go for a third huge bond in 8 years? Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are digging into the Vibrant Denver bond roadshow — plus, listener questions and comments on what’s dividing local liberals and RTD scofflaws. It’s time for our spring membership campaign! Get more from City Cast Denver when you become a City Cast Denver Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members-only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm Paul quoted Nate Minor’s 2020 article about RTD fare-evaders, shared from this Denver Post article about the Vibrant Denver bond, discussed the results of the survey the mayor’s office did on how Denverites would want to see that $800 million spent, and mentioned Greeley’s new arena-centric entertainment district project. There’s also a breakdown of the 2017 bond that voters passed and where that money has been spent so far. What do you think about how RTD charges for fares? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418‬For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverSupport City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fmLearn more about the sponsors of this April 22nd episode: PineMelon - Use code CITYCAST for 75% off! Denver Art Museum Aura Frames - Get $35-off plus free shipping on the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Cozy Earth - Use code COZYDENVER for 40% off best-selling sheets, towels, pajamas, and more. Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Downtown Denver has seen better days. A new Gensler survey shows only 55% of Denverites reported having a “great experience” downtown in 2024, down from more than 70% in surveys conducted in 2021 and 2023. But construction on the 16th St. Mall is supposed to be finished soon! And the mayor has a big, complicated plan to give the recovery an even bigger boost. So host Bree Davies is sitting down with Brad Segal, the founder and president of PUMA, a real estate economics and planning firm that consulted on the plan, to explain how the Denver Downtown Development Authority is supposed to bring life back downtown — and why its success matters to all Denverites. It’s time for our spring membership campaign! Get more from City Cast Denver when you become a City Cast Denver Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members-only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm You may remember Brad from his previous appearance on City Cast Denver discussing downtown’s many empty office buildings and the prospect for converting them into housing. Brad discussed how “tech-heavy” downtown business is and that particular industry’s recent dynamics. For more on that, check out this episode with our favorite local tech analyst Jeff Casimir. For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverSupport City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fmWhat do you think about the state of downtown Denver? Are you optimistic about the mayor’s plan? We want to hear from you! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418Learn more about the sponsors of this April 21st episode: PineMelon - Use code CITYCAST for 75% off! Denver Art Museum Aura Frames - Get $35-off plus free shipping on the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve got something special for you this weekend. It’s a special bonus episode from our friends at Denverse Magazine. They recently launched a podcast called Denverse: Locals Aloud, featuring loose, long form, weekly conversations with Denver locals from all walks of life. The guest on this one is local illustrator Karl Christian Krumpholz, who offers his personal guide to Denver’s storied bar scene. New episodes of Denverse: Locals Aloud are released weekly on Spotify, Apple Music, and Substack, where paid subscribers get access to exclusive episodes and the full Denverse Magazine archives. Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a couple of hard pandemic years and a few more of slow recovery, the big story this week was Mayor Mike Johnston’s work to open Denver for business. On this week’s Friday round-up, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are joined by former councilmember Robin Kniech to talk about the substance and politics behind his new Denver Permitting Office, as well as the “plummeting” corporate sponsorship of Denver Pride, how this year’s Pride Parade might feel different, and all our wins and fails of the week. How do you feel about corporate support for Pride this year? We want to hear from you! We want to hear from you! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418Bree talked about the documentary Secret Mall Apartment, playing at the Sie FilmCenter this weekend. She also mentioned the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and the 5-4 podcast on Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act. Paul talked about Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog, the mods of r/Denver, and recommends this Denver Post investigation into the permitting backlog from back in 2022. Robin talked about the ACLU’s recent win and the leader of Colorado’s Libertarian Party.For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.Watch the Friday show on YouTube: youtube.com/@citycastdenverFollow us on Instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverSupport City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/DenverLearn more about the sponsors of this episode: The Delores Project Denver Health Energy Outreach PineMelon - Use code CITYCAST for 75% off! Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% off Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The conversation around transportation in Denver can often feel like two steps forward, one step back. RTD built out a massive network of light rail lines thirty years ago, but now thousands of Denverites have abandoned the trains. Our elected officials talk a lot about ending traffic fatalities, but hesitate on making transformative changes to our streets. For almost ten years, Nate Minor has reported on Denver’s unique transportation quandaries and challenges, driving the conversation on everything from RTD to bike lanes. But now he’s leaving town for a job in Minnesota. So he’s back on with host Bree Davies one last time to look back and share a few predictions.Nate mentioned Mayor Johnston’s comments on transportation on our show back in February.For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverSupport City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fmWhat do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: The Delores Project Denver Health Energy Outreach PineMelon - Use code CITYCAST for 75% off! Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% off Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Coloradan named Michael Clark walked free this week after spending 12 years in prison for a murder he says he did not commit. But Clark’s story is just one of hundreds of cases potentially affected by the alleged mishandling of DNA at the hands of a star forensic scientist with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation who is now under investigation herself. Host Bree Davies sits down with Senior Investigative Reporter Jenny Deam of the Denver Gazette to get a grasp on Clark’s case, understand the ramifications of the mounting DNA scandal, and dig into what it could mean for hundreds of victims and the accused in Colorado cases going back nearly 30 years. For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverSupport City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fmWhat do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418‬Learn more about the sponsors of this April 16th episode: The Delores Project Denver Health Energy Outreach PineMelon - Use code CITYCAST for 75% off! Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% off Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After months of rumors and speculation, Sen. Michael Bennet announced on Friday that he is officially running for governor — but he also wants to stay in the Senate while he campaigns so he could appoint his own successor if he wins. So host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are talking about the campaign announcement that’s got local Dems abuzz — plus, we share a follow-up on the turmoil at Illegal Pete’s and respond to even more of your takes on Denver’s dog poop problem. Paul mentioned the Denver Post editorial about Michael Bennet’s succession plan and Axios Denver’s report on local opinions on Democrats. For more on Bennet, we talked to historian Phil Goodstein about Bennet’s biography ahead of his most recent re-election to the Senate. Bennet himself was previously on the podcast talking about his effort to ban TikTok. Bree mentioned her piece on the dog poop problem for Westword way back in 2016.For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverSupport City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fmWhat do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418‬Learn more about the sponsors of this April 14th episode: Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% off The Delores Project Denver Health Energy Outreach PineMelon - Use code CITYCAST for 75% off! Cozy Earth - Use code COZYDENVER for 40% off best-selling sheets, towels, pajamas, and more. Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a simple question with a deceptively complicated answer: Does Denver have a dog poop problem? When our CEO David Plotz came to Denver, he was overwhelmed with Mile High piles of dog poop, and he asked us to figure it out. So we put the call out to listeners, and dozens and dozens of you called and wrote in with tips, ideas, and steaming hot takes. Producers Paul Karolyi and Olivia Jewell Love enlisted one of our favorite regular contributors, Helen Xu, to track down the most promising leads and we’ve got some very real answers to share.Wanna hear even more from our dog poop investigation? Become a member for Paul’s unedited interview with Vince Voll, the dog poop entrepreneur, and dig into all of Helen’s data in our newsletter Hey Denver. Sign up now at denver.citycast.fm!If you would like to contract Vince Voll for dog waste cleaning services, you can reach him at (719) 371-8289, and if your apartment building has a dog poop mystery on its hand, you might be interested in Pooprints. Paul also mentioned this blog post from Denver Parks & Rec about the public health impact of dog poop. For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverSupport City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fmDoes Denver have a dog poop problem? We still want to hear from you! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418Learn more about the sponsors of this April 14th episode: The Delores Project Denver Health Energy Outreach PineMelon - Use code CITYCAST for 75% off! Prolonlife.com/city - Use this link for 15% off Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump’s tariffs have already hit Denver, causing massive drops in stock prices and higher costs for businesses and consumers. But are they hitting us harder than other cities? Then, the Nuggets canned their beloved coach, Michael Malone, and opted not to renew the contract of General Manager Calvin Booth. Fans and sports analysts alike flipped out — but could this be the vibe shift the Nuggs need? Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are joined by standup comedian and Casa Bonita performer Joshua Emerson to dig into these news stories and share all our wins and of the week. Does Denver have a dog poop problem? We want to know what you think! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418We talked about Westword’s coverage of the Bike Lane Uprising app. Bree mentioned Nuggets coverage on the DNVR Nuggets and Locked on Nuggets podcasts, and Bill Simmons’ show. She also talked about the benefit show for local photographer Michael McGrath. Paul talked about Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-D3), Wynkoop Brewing near Union Station, and the proposal for Denver to spend $70 million on the NWSL stadium. Joshua mentioned City Cast CEO David Plotz’s observation about Denver’s dog poop and Sundance’s Indigenous Program.Grab tickets to Joshua’s new show, Dead Man Talking, tonight at the Savoy!For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.Watch the Friday show on YouTube: youtube.com/@citycastdenverFollow us on Instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverSupport City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/DenverLearn more about the sponsors of this episode: Visit Port Aransas Denver Urban Gardens PineMelon - Use code CITYCAST for 75% off! Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices