City Cast Denver

Nearly three years of a global pandemic have done a number on downtown Denver — high vacancy rates, shuttering businesses, low foot traffic, and crime and safety concerns abound. It’s clear every mayoral candidate is going to need a plan to bring life back to our economic center, but the question is how? When Federico Peña was elected mayor in 1983, he faced a very similar set of challenges downtown. But he turned it around with his campaign to “Imagine a Great City,” leading to a period of sustained growth and prosperity. So as we gear up for the mayoral election on April 4, producer Paul Karolyi spoke with Peña about how he did it and what he’s hoping to hear from candidates today. City Cast Denver is looking for a Senior Account Executive to join our revenue team. Do you know someone who might be a good fit? Are you that person? Check out the full listing here. 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/CityCastDenverHelp us find Denver’s best hot sauce! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and we’ll track down that hot sauce: (720) 500-5418‬Learn more about the sponsor of this episode:How to Buy a Home PodcastLooking 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

When you pay $80 for an Uber to the airport, how much of that fare goes to the driver? A recent survey of local gig drivers showed that they’re only making an average of $5.49 per hour. That data has brought the debate over gig work back to the state legislature, where some lawmakers are pushing a new “Gig Worker Transparency” bill to require these tech platforms to disclose information about payments to both the drivers and their customers. Today host Bree Davies talks with Uber and Lyft drivers Munir Abuzawida, Michael Machar, and Zaw Tun to get a full picture of what it’s like to work in the gig economy in Denver in 2023. For more from Michael Machar on their recent advocacy work, here’s an op-ed he recently published with the Colorado Sun. Michael, Munir, and Zaw have been organizing with other drivers through a new organization called Colorado Independent Drivers United. For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverLeave 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:How to Buy a Home PodcastLooking 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 breaking down the big stories of the week so far: The mayor’s race is heating up, and we’re finally getting to know the lesser known candidates — like Andy Rougeot, who made some big claims on AM radio recently, which 9News promptly investigated. Then, there’s the story of Maggie Barton, a teacher who was fired from All Souls Catholic school in Englewood — the Archdiocese claims it wasn’t because she’s gay. Later, we talk local business, with VF Corp’s recent slump and Duffeyroll’s surprising growth. Finally, we debut “Paul’s Movie Corner” so producer Paul Karolyi has an excuse to talk about a weird Netflix movie starring Kevin James as the Broncos incoming head coach, Sean Peyton. (Oh, and we have a Casa Bonita update, but shhhh it’s top secret!)Thanks to 9News, CPR, and Denver Business Journal for their reporting and to Bree’s unnamed friend who may or may not have snuck her a photo of the inside of a still-in-progress Casa Bonita renovation. 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/CityCastDenverShould we invite some expert guests to watch the Sean Payton biopic with us? Let us know with a text or 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: Mortified Live: Doomed Valentine’s  How to Buy a Home Podcast 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 Black History Month, and we’re thinking about the people and experiences that have been foundational to this place. Much of who and what has been depicted as Colorado history paints a picture that is not very diverse, let alone accurate. But Colorado’s history is Black history — today on the show, host Bree Davies talks with Dexter Nelson II, History Colorado’s associate curator of African American History and Cultural Heritage, about The Dry, a Black homestead that dried up long ago. The tale of The Dry is one of Black excellence and perseverance in the face of harsh environmental and social conditions.You can learn more about the Black Heritage Trail and download the new History Colorado app.Additional music in this episode is by Jason Shaw and adapted here under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. In the newscast, Bree mentioned the cute baby sloth born last week at the Denver Zoo, which you can see here.Want to work for City Cast Denver? Check out our latest job posting for a Senior Account Executive. 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:How To Buy a Home podcastLooking 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

Renate Behrens worked as a caretaker in Germany before moving to Colorado to get married, and she wants to be Denver’s next mayor. She speaks with producer Paul Karolyi about transportation, homelessness, and Casa Bonita. For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverLeave 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

Leslie Herod is a state representative serving parts of Denver, and she wants to be Denver’s next mayor. Host Bree Davies speaks with her about the rising cost of energy, public transportation, the Park Hill Golf Course, and Casa Bonita. For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverLeave 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

It’s Friday and we’re talking about the stories we couldn’t stop thinking about this week. Host Bree Davies is joined by producer Paul Karolyi and returning favorite, public radio veteran and host of the Been There Done That podcast, Jo Ann Allen. Inspired by multimodal-transit advocate Molly McKinley’s op-ed for Westword, the crew talks through the failures of Vision Zero and questions Denver’s ability to get transit and pedestrian infrastructure right. Then, Jo Ann connects the brutality of Tyre Nichols’ murder at the hands of police with a recent incident in Colorado Springs. Finally, newsletter editor Adrian González joins with some ideas on how to spend your weekend. Paul discussed the success of Vision Zero in Oslo, Norway, and mentioned Denver’s big new transportation vision document laying out how the city plans to shift away from car dependency and toward more biking, walking and public transit. Jo Ann mentioned an opinion piece from Charles M. Blow in the New York Times about the murder of Tyre Nichols. Here are the events Adrian brought us to consider: Museo’s First Friday Celebration of Afro-Latinx Identity Los Mocochetes in Concert Soleful: MCA’s Closing Night Celebration of The Dirty South USA Curling Championships Subscribe to our weekday morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866Follow us on Twitter @citycastdenverLooking 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 tackled breakfast burritos. We’ve eaten our way through Denver’s donut scene. We’ve chowed down on fried chicken and compared Denver-style, Mission-style burritos. Finally, we’re taking on the toughest tussle of them all: tacos. But not just any tacos, we’re talking al pastor street tacos. Host Bree Davies is joined by producer Paul Karolyi, newsletter editor Adrian González, and producer Erin O’Toole to taste test four of the top street tacos from across the metro area. An old school favorite, a downtown newcomer, an urban-suburban superstar, and an esteemed west, West side staple go head-to-head as the City Cast Denver crew decides: Who makes Denver’s best street taco?Our street taco competitors:La Diabla Pozole & MezcalEl Taco de MexicoTacos SeleneLa Calle Taqueria Y CarnitasFor even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverLeave 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

If you’ve been in Denver for a while, you’ve seen the work of internationally renowned artist Anthony Garcia. Born n’ raised in Globeville, he paints with bold, bright colors and serape-inspired patterns to create murals that enrobe whole buildings across the metro area and take over gallery walls from Miami to Amsterdam. Recently, the artist collaborated with the GES Coalition, an environmental and housing justice organization created by and serving the Globeville Elyria-Swansea neighborhoods, to paint two homes taken from GES families through eminent domain. Host Bree Davies met up with Anthony and GES Coalition organizer Alfonso Espino on the block where these two houses still stand to talk about how art, activism, and community connection made this painting project a reality. And make sure to follow our instagram to see these beautiful new pieces for yourself!For the whole backstory to the Torres family’s displacement through eminent domain, we recommend this feature story from Westword. The GES Coalition is working on a variety of different projects to advance their campaign and strengthen their land trust, including this new affordable housing/library project that could be coming soon. 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/CityCastDenverGot a moment of Denver joy you want to share? 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

Do you have what it takes to be “entertainer (wet)” — aka, a cliff diver at Casa Bonita? The South Park guys are hiring ahead of their planned May re-opening. Meanwhile, many Denverites’ energy bills have more than doubled in the past few months while Xcel posted massive profits for 2022 — so, what gives? And on the transit front, RTD is debating a policy change that would prohibit passengers without a set destination from riding the light rail. Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi break down these local stories and more as they dig what Denverites are talking about this week. Plus, Paul and Bree answer a listener question about population growth and revisit the hilarious vanity license plate convo from last week. Paul mentioned Xcel’s record profits, Jon Caldara and the Independence Institute’s crusade against Xcel, and Xcel’s tips for reducing your energy bill. Don’t miss our guide for how to help our neighbors struggling to pay energy bills, which we published in our newsletter Hey Denver yesterday. You can subscribe to Hey Denver for even more news from around the city by texting “Denver” to 66866Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverLeave 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: Mortified Live: DOOMED VALENTINE’S 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