City Cast Denver

On July 17, Denver police shot into a crowd of hungry club-goers waiting for a bite to eat around let-out time in LoDo, injuring seven people. And in response, the city decided to ban… food trucks. So with our host Bree Davies out for a few days, we wanted to share this episode from last December, when the city took a very different approach to keeping the peace in LoDo. It’s a profile of nightclub kingpin Valentes Corleons, who believes he was railroaded by the city — just like the food truck operators now. It also features Westword reporter and friend of the show Conor McCormick-Cavanagh. Oh, and we added some extra good stuff to this version. Call it a director’s cut. For more on the LoDo let-out situation, check out our recent episode with Westword editor Patty Calhoun where she breaks down some alternatives the city isn't trying.Still looking for fun stuff to do this weekend? We’ve got you covered with a curated events round-up in today’s newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Follow us on Twitter! @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: Trade Coffee 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

Could it be true? Could Colorado really be working toward our climate goals… and actually stop widening our highways? According to a new plan in front of the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), yes. After a state mandate set new standards for greenhouse gas emissions related to our transit habits, DRCOG could vote to shift hundreds of millions of dollars toward better public transit infrastructure, bike lanes, sidewalks, and more. Colorado Public Radio’s transportation reporter Nathaniel Minor is back on the show today to talk about why this could mark a “seismic shift” for our transit system and, for the first time in Host Bree Davies’ life, stop the expansion of I-25 and C-470 in the city. DRCOG is currently looking for public comment on this big new plan. Submit yours here ahead of their board’s vote scheduled for Sept. 21. Bree mentioned that the City of Denver is looking for your input on the “shared streets” idea. You can do that here. And you can read more about the downtown highway that almost happened here.More news you can use in the City Cast Denver newsletter: Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/We’re on Twitter: @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: Trade Coffee 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

The secret is out: Denver is an awesome place to live. But in the past 15 years, that’s led to a massive influx of new residents who collectively pose an essential Denver question: How do we get bigger without sacrificing what made this city great? Fortunately, there’s an iconic local institution that answers that question every day in the form of great burgers, good vibes, and a consistently high quality experience — despite a similarly massive expansion over the past few years. So today, host Bree Davies visits the original “Black Sheep of Cherry Creek,” AKA the Cherry Cricket, to uncover the secret to managing growing pains. Get all the news you need and a bunch of fun things to do and places to eat in our daily newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/We want to hear what you think about the Cherry Cricket! Got a favorite burger topping combo? Let us know on Twitter @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: Trade Coffee How to Buy a Home podcast Legal Help in Colorado Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

When the Denver Broncos open their regular season on September 12 against the Seattle Seahawks, they’ll look completely different than last year. They’ve got a new celebrity quarterback, a new goofball head coach, and a brand new ownership group — led by one of the richest people in the world, Rob Walton, heir to the Walmart fortune. Our sports guy Jake Shapiro from Denver Fan 104.3 is back to introduce host Bree Davies to the new Broncos and explain why local football fans are so optimistic.Bree mentioned this editorial from Colorado Newsline about the new Broncos’ ownership group. 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: How to Buy a Home podcast Trade Coffee Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Students head back to Denver Public Schools today — but what in the heck is going on with the district’s school board? DPS’s governing body has been all over the news lately, and for all the wrong reasons. Infighting, accusations of misogyny and racism, and power struggles have plagued this teachers’ union-backed slate of elected officials, and there are fears their personal disagreements are impacting students and teachers. Today on the show, host Bree Davies talks with Chalkbeat Colorado’s senior reporter Melanie Asmar about what the heck is going on with Denver’s divided school board. Check out Melanie’s reporting for Chalkbeat Colorado on the ongoing Denver school board drama. Melanie mentioned DPS board president Xóchitl "Sochi" Gaytán’s recent interviews with Westword and Denver7, which we excerpted in this episode.We want to hear your favorite way to enjoy a Palisade peach! Leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬Find more news you can use. Read and subscribe to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Follow us on Twitter @citycastdenverLearn more about the sponsors of this episode: Legal Help in Colorado How to Buy a Home podcast Trade Coffee Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Which four people embody the spirit of Denver? Which four represent the very highest of our ideals? Which four represent us to the world? Community organizer and all-around Denver OG Ben Chavez joins host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi for the Friday news round-up, then we grab our granite chisels and duke it out over who should be repped on Denver’s Mt. Rushmore.Ben is co-organizing La Raza Park Day, going down this Sunday, August 21, from 1pm to 5pm. It’s free and families are welcome!Paul mentioned e-bike mania, Hickenlooper and the climate bill, and Aurora’s latest backasswards proposal to “help” our unhoused neighbors. What are you doing this weekend? Newsletter editor Peyton Garcia has a big ol’ list of cool stuff for you to do. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Who did we forget to put on our version of a Denver Mt. Rushmore? Let us know on Twitter: @citycastdenverLooking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Stuck between highways and hidden under a viaduct, the Sun Valley community has quietly gone about its business — until a few years ago, when it started getting a lot more attention and big money interest in its land. Meow Wolf has moved in, a new Latino cultural museum is on the way, and lots of big housing developments are in going up. But what do the people of Sun Valley want? On the show today, Glenn Harper, Manuel Aragon, and Lindsay Miller of Sun Valley Kitchen explain what makes Sun Valley so wonderful — and why they are inviting people to not “discover” this neighborhood, but come celebrate it at this weekend’s Sun Valley Rising Night Market.Bree mentioned a 5280 Magazine interview with local activist and educator, Tim Hernandez. Pull up a chair for newsletter editor Peyton Garcia’s Denver food news round-up. Read and subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Find us on Twitter: @citycastdenverLooking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Around 1:30 a.m. on July 17, just as the bars and nightclubs were letting out in LoDo, Denver police confronted an allegedly armed man and shot into a crowded street in LoDo, injuring 6 innocent bystanders. The city’s response? Ban food trucks from the neighborhood. Host Bree Davies sits down with Westword founder and editor Patty Calhoun to get some historical perspective on the persistent late-night issues in LoDo and hear her thoughts about what’s actually causing the problems — and how to fix them. Plus, to commemorate this week’s 45th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, Patty shares the real Denver story behind Elvis’s famous peanut butter and bacon sandwich. Bree mentioned that law enforcement officials released body cam footage from the July 17 shooting. You can watch that here, via the Denver Post. We’ve got even more about the LoDo situation and the fallout from the July 17 shooting in today’s CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Follow us on Twitter @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: Legal Help in Colorado Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Ever since South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker bought Casa Bonita last year, Denverites have been worrying, speculating, and looking forward to the day when the pink palace on West Colfax will re-open. Stone and Parker say they want to “change nothing, improve everything,” but what exactly does that mean? 9News investigative journalist Jeremy Jojola recently set his sights on the South Park guys’ Casa Bonita renovation project, and he’s on the show today to share all the juicy, insider details he uncovered. Here’s a link to Jojola’s report on the documents outlining the Casa Bonita renovation, and here’s a recent interview Matt and Trey gave to the Denver Post on their investment in this project. We’ll be following every twist and turn in the Casa Bonita saga as it develops. Subscribe to our daily newsletter and you’ll never miss a beat: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/How do you feel about the changes happening at Casa Bonita? Tweet at us @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

It’s no secret: most Denver neighborhoods have sidewalks that are pretty terrible. In fact, around 40 percent of sidewalks around the city are either nonexistent, in bad shape, or are not accessible for people using wheelchairs or other mobility devices. Part of the reason our sidewalks suck? The city doesn’t have a dedicated funding stream to pay for construction or maintenance. But this November, voters will decide if a new ballot initiative, Denver Deserves Sidewalks, can change our mobility fate — by asking property owners to chip in a little each month. On today’s show, host Bree Davies talks with Molly McKinley of Denver Streets Partnership to learn more about why they hope voters will say YES to sidewalks this November.Got a janky sidewalk in your neighborhood? Tweet a pic to us @citycastdenver!Or share your worst sidewalk experience by leaving us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬Sign up for our morning newsletter here.Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:Legal Help in ColoradoLooking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise