City Cast Denver

It’s Election Day! We’ll be back to dig into the results on tomorrow’s episode. But for now, we’re digging into a whole mess of overlooked stories: First, a mysterious rumor that Denver is home to one of the first fully automated fast food joints. Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi take on the “Case of the Robot-Run McDonald’s” with the help of a listener. Plus, Denver has built parks on top of graveyards, but did you know we’re also home to an amusement park built on top of an old power plant? And, the days of ample, free parking near Colfax may be ending, and why a thousand passionate pickleballers got the boot from Congress Park. Here’s some of the late-breaking election news we’re NOT talking about:  “Denver mayoral candidate Lisa Calderón, Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca named in campaign finance violation complaints” [The Denver Post] “Big out-of-state money is flowing to support Mike Johnston again” [Denverite] Voter turnout is looking low! [Denver Elections] Still need to drop off your ballot or you’d like to vote in person? The Clerk and Recorder’s office has all the info you need to know!For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenverOr instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverText or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬Looking 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 interviewing almost all of the original 17 candidates for Denver mayor, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi have a pretty good sense of the race ahead of Election Day on April 4. So we were delighted when our pals at the Get More Smarter podcast -- Ian Silverii and Jason Bane -- invited us on to dish on the interviews, the ads, and everything else.Please enjoy this bonus look inside Mayoral Madness, and we'll see you for the run-off!For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenverOr instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last month, the City of Denver transferred 35 bison from our historic herd at Genesee Park outside Golden to the Northern Cheyenne, Eastern Shoshone, Yuchi, and Tall Bull Memorial Council. It was the third annual transfer of bison to indigenous tribes who once lived on the land that became Denver, but it’s far more than a symbolic gesture. Host Bree Davies sits down with Parks and Recreation’s deputy director Scott Gilmore and the executive director of the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative, Jason Baldes, to talk about how this unique program started, why it matters, and how these buffalo are creating real opportunities for the recipient tribes.Have you voted yet? The deadline to mail in your ballot has passed, so here’s where you can find your closest ballot box. Are you excited about spring? We want to help take your Denver garden to the next level, and we’ve got a gardening expert ready to dispense the wisdom of the earth. So if you’re new to Denver and wondering what to do with our soil, or maybe you’re a renter looking for indoor-gardening inspo, we can help. Email your gardening questions to us at denver@citycast.fm, or leave us a voicemail on the Denver Garden Hotline: (720) 500-5418.For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenverOr instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverLearn more about the sponsors of this episode:New Era ColoradoLooking 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 the Friday before election day and these races are heating up. Or are they? Low voter turnout for mail-in and drop-off ballots indicate low interest, or maybe voters are just overwhelmed with 16 candidates for mayor? But not to worry. Producer Paul Karolyi, host Bree Davies, and Westword editor Patty Calhoun are going to tell you who they think you should vote for. Plus, rumors are swirling about the Park Hill Golf Course becoming a Topgolf — or an In-N-Out? Patty’s got the scoop, plus newsletter editor Adrian González joins to share a boatload of great events happening around Denver this weekend. Paul and Bree are going to be on the excellent Get More Smarter podcast this weekend talking about the mayoral election. Subscribe and listen here: https://getmoresmarter.com/Follow our weather guy for all your weekend weather needs: Rain or Shine, it's Andy Stein!Here are links to our weekend recs. Looking for more? Sign up for our Hey Denver newsletter! Dabin at Red Rocks (Morrison) Cervecería Colorado’s Mi Vida IPA Release & Photography Exhibition Party (LoHi) Patty’s Pick: Alan Prendergast Book Release, in Conversation with Patty Calhoun (Congress Park) Grand Reopening of Russell Square Park (Cole) Charcuterie Making Class (Park Hill) For even more weekend event recs and local stories that matter, subscribe to our weekday morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenverOr instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverLearn more about the sponsor of this episode:New Era Colorado 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

Short-term rentals — like AirBnB or VRBO — may be controversial, but after a pandemic downturn, they’re back and more popular than ever! They generated record revenues in 2022, and the number of active licenses is once again on the rise. So what’s it like renting out space on AirBnB in Denver? And how is the recent surge shaping our city? Host Bree Davies sits down with two veteran AirBnB hosts Pam Vanderpool and Pam Clifton to swap crazy stories and talk through the impact on our housing market. As we were putting this episode together, our friend Megan Ulu-lani Boyanton at the Denver Post reported a story about 20 local luxury apartment buildings recently allowing their tenants to rent out their units as AirBnBs. Here’s the link for more: “Denver luxury apartment complexes make rare move of allowing tenants to rent units as Airbnbs.”For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenverOr instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverText or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬Learn more about the sponsor of this episode:New Era Colorado 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

Can you stand the heat? It takes a lot of gastrointestinal fortitude to taste test dozens of local hot sauces, but that’s what we did — all to narrow it down to five top contenders: Sauce Leopard, Merf’s, Oso Rojo, Danny Cash, and The Heat. Each one deserves a shot at being named the best hot sauce in Denver, but only one will win! Our state politics and green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval joins newsletter editor Adrian González and producer Paul Karolyi to rate our contenders on heat level, flavor, and versatility before they pick the best of the best. For even more food news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenverOr instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverText or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬Learn more about the sponsor of this episode:New Era Colorado 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 Tuesday, and we’re digging into all the local stories that matter this week. First up, the beloved Japanese restaurant Domo is reopening! But will TikTok ruin it again? Then, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi check in on the state legislature, where debates are heating up around Governor Jared Polis’s big housing proposal and guns in the wake of the East High School shootings. And finally, can anyone trust the developers promising big things for the Park Hill Golf Course? Their plan for parkland, housing, and commercial development is on our April 4 ballots, and we got tons of feedback from listeners who’ve worked with Westside Investment Partners. For more details on the Park Hill Golf Course Community Benefits Agreement, one of the signatories made this website to share the text of the document and explain some of its key provisions. If you have more questions before you vote on 2O, let us know! We’ll try to help figure them out. For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenverOr instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverText 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:New Era ColoradoLooking 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

During this school year alone, East High School has been the site of swattings, violent threats, and multiple shootings — some ending in death. The students have led walkouts and protests at the Capitol, forcing lawmakers to confront the issue of gun violence face-to-face. Clara and Gracie Taub are East High sophomores and members of their school’s chapter of Students Demand Action. After a recent demonstration at the Capitol, they sat down with host Bree Davies to talk about what it’s like to be at East High right now, as well as their efforts to end gun violence in schools and across the country.The tweet discussed in this episode came from Colorado State Senator Larry Liston.For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenverOr instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverText or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬Learn more about the sponsor of this episode:New Era ColoradoLooking 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

This year alone there have been two shootings at East High School, prompting mass student walkouts, renewed calls for gun control, and, in a surprising turn of events, the return of police to Denver schools. So we are channeling our outrage with one of our favorite returning guests, Ann Marie Awad, and digging into gun laws, school safety, mental health, and more. Plus, underreported stories from the week and then Hey Denver editor Adrian González joins us to recommend some cool events for your weekend. Read more about the stalled appointment of DIA CEO Phil Washington to run the FAA; and the show Bree mentioned featuring teen photography at PlatteForum.Here are some links to the weekend events we discussed: Una Historia de la Cumbia! with Ciudad Reina (Five Points) Beginner Mushroom Cultivation Class (Wheat Ridge) Elephant Revival Reunion Show (RiNo) Brunch Run Club (Downtown) For even more weekend event recs and local stories that matter, subscribe to our weekday morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenverOr instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverLearn more about the sponsors of this episode:Acappellooza!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

Between the mayor’s race and the Park Hill Golf Course, our ballots for the April 4 election are jam-packed! But don’t overlook the two innocuous-looking zoning questions 2M and 2N. They may seem insignificant, but they could have big implications for the literal shape of our city. Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval (District 1) helped get 2M and 2N on the ballot, and she sits down with host Bree Davies to explain where they came from, what they’d change, and why they matter. To catch up on the full backstory behind Councilwoman Sandoval’s effort to reform the Zoning Board of Adjustment, you can hear our episodes tracking the story here: Why Can’t This Northside Couple Build an ADU for Their Disabled Mom How an Obscure Zoning Board Got Reformed (And Why It Matters) For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenverOr instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverText or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬Looking 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