Ask any Denverite about the stinkiest spot in the city, and for more than 90 years the answer has been clear: The Purina pet food plant in Elyria-Swansea. But in the last six months or so, odor complaints have spiked. So what can be done? Science reporter Trish Zornio looked into the science of bad smells for the GES Gazette, and she’s on today with host Bree Davies to talk about the health implications of the Purina plant’s smell, the challenge of effective odor monitoring, and how the smell fi...
Feb 22, 2024•21 min
Back in 2022, voters decided that Denver definitely deserves sidewalks. But not everyone was happy with the new taxes to pay for them. Now, city leaders have a new proposal for how to pay for them, so we’re getting into the details. Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi dig into the sidewalk debate, talk about Bree’s trip to see Next Gallery’s Casa Bonita-themed art show, and share some hot goss from a listener about how one local restaurant chain is changing its cooking methods and, accord...
Feb 21, 2024•25 min
For the past year, Colorado’s Attorney General Phil Weiser has been investigating the proposed merger of two of Denver’s biggest grocery chains — King Soopers and Safeway. While their parent companies insist the $24.6 billion merger would save Denverites money, Weiser has concluded the opposite and filed a lawsuit to block it. “After 19 town halls across the state,” he wrote, “I am convinced that Coloradans think this merger between the two supermarket chains would lead to stores closing, higher...
Feb 20, 2024•22 min
It’s Friday, and we’re looking back at the biggest stories of the week. First, why is the City of Denver paying residents to change their transportation habits? Also, why did the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure cancel plans to plant trees on West Colfax? Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are talking about green steps forward and back with artist and educator Moe Gram. Plus, parents are increasingly struggling to find a spot in a good summer camp — so what are kids suppos...
Feb 16, 2024•54 min
Pizza makers, aka pizzaiolos, are notoriously particular about their ovens. Is it coal-fired? Or wood? How hot does it get? How fast? “It’s the pursuit of perfection.” That’s what one local pizzaiolo told reporter Helen Xu about the brick oven he had custom made for White Pie in Uptown. But another local pizza shop is going in a different direction entirely — electric! Producer Paul Karolyi joined Helen Xu for a visit to the newly all-electric Sexy Pizza on Pearl Street to taste some electric pi...
Feb 15, 2024•28 min
What does it take to be a true Denverite? There’s gotta be a turning point sometime after you first see Blucifer but before you get in your first fight about green chile. What was that moment for you? Host Bree Davies sits down with a couple of keen observers of Mile High culture — Lee Robinson and Kate McLachlan of Dyketopia — to help finish this sentence: You’re not a Denverite until… Kate is hosting a night of “hootin’ and hollerin’” at Comedy Works downtown with a bunch of funny folks on Feb...
Feb 14, 2024•27 min
Denverites are reeling from Mayor Johnston’s Friday announcement of budget cuts to free up money to provide more support for migrants, and now the uproar is spreading into the suburbs! Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are talking about the blowback to Johnston’s cuts and the “sanctuary city” debate in Lakewood, plus the Denver Zoo’s new 570-acre facility in Weld County. Finally, we’re considering your thoughts on whether we should be saying “migrant,” “new immigrant,” or something else...
Feb 13, 2024•27 min
After a deal on immigration reform died in Congress last week, Mayor Mike Johnston made a decision he didn’t want to make. To cover the estimated $180 million projected cost of supporting the still-growing migrant population this year, he announced a round of budget cuts on Friday for the DMV and Parks and Recreation, and warned of more cuts possible. As Denverites prepare for a summer without flowers in city-owned flower beds or in-person vehicle registration renewals, Denverite editor Obed Man...
Feb 12, 2024•23 min
It’s Friday, and we’re digging into all the local stories that mattered this week. First, Suncor Energy is getting hit with a “historic” $10.5 million dollar fine for “spewing excessive amounts of toxic chemicals into the air over three years.” Are lawmakers finally ready to crack down hard on the 100-year-old chronic polluter? Plus, tickets went on sale yesterday for a new “SXSW-style” event called Outside Festival set to premiere in Civic Center Park this June, and those new black-and-white li...
Feb 09, 2024•50 min
It’s almost Valentine’s Day! Have you planned something extra thoughtful for your sweetie?Did you remember to make a reservation? Fear not, we’ve got you covered. We’ve rounded up a great list of unique, low-cost, and memorable options in and around the city for the best V-Day yet. From a simple gesture like a heart-shaped box of fried chicken to an affordable day trip to a city-close hot springs, host Bree Davies, producer Olivia Jewell Love, and returning guest, writer Linnea Covington from Mi...
Feb 08, 2024•22 min
Spurred by new guidelines issued last month by the Biden Administration, curators at the vaunted American Museum of Natural History in New York are shutting down two major exhibits of Native American objects and culture. The closures send “a powerful message” to museums across the country to speed up their repatriation work, according to The New York Times. But here in Denver, our museum community is already on the cutting edge! Last summer, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi toured the ...
Feb 07, 2024•20 min
Late last week, Mayor Mike Johnston responded to City Council’s ban on sweeps of homeless encampments during freezing temperatures with his first official veto. Though the Denver mayoral position allows for vetoes of City Council decisions, it is not a power often used by those in office — so why did the Johnston administration take this particular stand? Plus, this isn’t the only friction to arise within local government lately. After the mayor partnered with the Downtown Denver Partnership a f...
Feb 06, 2024•24 min
Did you know Denver used to have a streetcar? That simple, nostalgia-fueled question has lured many transit nerds and urban planning enthusiasts down a rabbit hole paved with asphalt and good intentions (mostly asphalt though). None have gone further into the archives than Jake Berman. He’s the author of the new book “The Lost Subways of North America,” and he’s on today with host Bree Davies to talk through the shockingly bloody history of the old Denver Tramway company and why Denverites are s...
Feb 05, 2024•20 min
Do you have that one spot in the city where your phone calls always get dropped? Or that place in your house where cell service is nonexistent? According to a new story from Denver Post reporter Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, the trees on your block might be to blame. Megan joins host Bree Davies and producer Olivia Jewell Love to dig into the cell service dilemma, along with her forthcoming story, just in time for Valentine’s Day — does Denver still live up to its nickname “Menver,” a place overflowi...
Feb 02, 2024•44 min
It’s the month of love! It’s also “false spring,” aka temps in the 20s and 60s. So, what is a Denverite to do? From skiing in a tuxedo to enjoying a solo movie date during Oscars season, we’ve got a list of fun ways to the make the most of February in and around the Mile High City. Host Bree Davies, producer Olivia Jewell Love, and newsletter editor Adrian González share their fave activities, food recs, and hot tips for enjoying this wonky weather season. Here are links to our picks: 33rd Annua...
Feb 01, 2024•30 min
What makes a particular intersection worse than another? Or more dangerous? Or just plain rage-inducing? From the urban streets we treat like speedways to ‘spaghetti monster’ highway interchanges to that one building drivers can’t stop crashing into, our listeners shared tons of suggestions for the worst roadways in the city. So we invited Denver7’s “Traffic Guy” Jayson Luber to help answer some of your voicemails and texts about Denver’s worst intersections, and break down why we love to hate t...
Jan 31, 2024•27 min
It’s Tuesday, and we’re talking about all the stories that matter in Denver this week. First, Secretary of State Jena Griswold is concerned about deepfakes and other AI-generated material impacting Colorado elections and she’s asking the legislature to take the issue seriously. But how? Then, just as bicycle activists declare victory over NIMBYs on 7th Avenue, a new transit fight is brewing over the soon-to-be-constructed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line on Colfax Ave. Host Bree Davies and producer ...
Jan 30, 2024•29 min
One of Denver’s richest men just won another major ruling in a years-long legal battle with his own nieces over the mozzarella empire he built on 38th Avenue. James “Jim” Leprino will maintain sole control of 85% of the global market for pizza cheese through his company Leprino Foods. But how did this reclusive billionaire first corner the market? And why did his own family take him to court? Producer Paul Karolyi spoke with reporter Helen Xu (also known as Helen X) back in December 2022 when al...
Jan 29, 2024•18 min
It’s Friday, and we’re talking about all the stories that mattered this week. District 7 city councilmember Flor Alvidrez is in hot water after an ethics investigation revealed she allegedly misused city funds. Then, Republican state representative Mike Lynch stepped down as House minority leader after a video surfaced of his 2022 DUI arrest. Producer Paul Karolyi and host Bree Davies are joined by Joshua Emerson, comedian and co-chair of the Denver American Indian Commission, to wade through th...
Jan 26, 2024•50 min
Dry January is coming to a close, but what if you want to keep the booze-free party going? Beyond Denver’s countless breweries and hyped cocktail bars, where do adults go to let loose and have fun? Host Bree Davies is joined by returning guest Ashley (AKA Colfax Things on Instagram) to lay out a versatile list of fun things to do with a group of friends or on a date in the Mile High City, no alcohol needed. We want to hear from you, too! We’re compiling a list of all our favorite sober activitie...
Jan 25, 2024•18 min
With busloads of migrants still arriving in Denver nearly every day, Mayor Mike Johnston just returned from a second trip to Washington, DC, lobbying the federal government for emergency action. So in our semi-regular sit-down with the mayor, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi ask him why this situation is so dire right now, what happens if Congress won't give him what he wants, and whether or not he’d be willing to risk prison time testing out an innovative new legal theory. Plus, we ge...
Jan 24, 2024•30 min
State transportation officials for years have been using humor to spice up their safety messaging (e.g., “camp in the mountains, not in the left lane"), but now the Federal Highway Administration says CDOT is too funny. Or maybe not funny enough? Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are talking about the crackdown on humorous safety slogans. Plus, we’re hashing out the new historic preservation fight brewing in Park Hill and responding to your comments and recommendations about our episode...
Jan 23, 2024•30 min
It seems like Mayor Mike Johnston has tried everything to make Denver a welcoming place for the nearly 40,000 South American migrants who have arrived here since December 2022. He’s opened up shelter space and organized a city-wide fundraiser. He called on city departments to cut their budgets to fund additional support. He even flew to Washington, DC, to personally appeal to President Biden for more federal money and fast-tracked work authorizations — twice! But with Congress embroiled in parti...
Jan 22, 2024•21 min
A Lakewood woman is suing her apartment’s management company for “junk fees” after it allegedly added hidden charges to her rent. Meanwhile, new data says rents in the metro area are actually trending down — does this all signal a change in the balance of power between Denver renters and landlords? Plus, multiple lists of Denver’s most anticipated restaurant openings came out this week, so we’re talking about where we’re most excited to eat in 2024. Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are...
Jan 19, 2024•47 min
Everyone knows the reasons why you might want to eat less meat — it’s good for the Earth, it’s good for your health, et cetera et cetera. But not everyone knows the best spots in town to eat well, veggie-style. So today, producer Paul Karolyi (reducetarian) is joined by two members of the veggie community — friend of the show Brooke Garcia (vegetarian) and the new owner of Glendale’s Native Foods, Michael Olivas (vegan) — to talk about how Denver stacks up when it comes to meat-free eats and sha...
Jan 18, 2024•23 min
¡Viva! Streets brought more than 40,000 Denverites out to enjoy car-free streets in 2023. But the pedestrian-centered effort to revitalize downtown won’t be returning this year, and advocates are questioning who is ultimately to blame. Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are talking through the suspects, as well as this story about the new robots patrolling LoDo parking garages. Finally, listeners share their thoughts on the labor, environmental, and fashion concerns of the company Mayor ...
Jan 17, 2024•24 min
The Colorado state legislature returned to work last week, with Democrats still in control of both the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the governor’s office. Housing remains top of mind for state leaders, with unsettled debates over zoning, rent control, and transit-related development expected to continue from last year. But after Governor Jared Polis’s massive land-use reform failure, what, if anything, could change about Colorado’s approach to housing? And what should Denverites in ...
Jan 16, 2024•20 min
Sponsored by Tecovas, Western Week reaches a thrilling finale! The Downtown Denver Partnership and Mayor Mike Johnston rolled out a new safety program this week in the form of 650 yellow-vested private security and nonprofit outreach workers. Could these new “ambassadors” be the signal of a safer downtown? And as homelessness and migrant arrivals take up city resources, will the mayor make good on his promise to prioritize the arts? Producer Paul Karolyi and host Bree Davies are joined by politi...
Jan 12, 2024•50 min
Sponsored by Tecovas, Western Week continues! And we are digging into one of Denver’s most unusual claims to culinary fame — the Rocky Mountain oyster, aka bull’s balls. But is this quirky appetizer really a unique local delicacy? Or something a lot more complicated? Producer Paul Karolyi and newsletter editors Peyton Garcia and Adrian González visited one of the most famous purveyors of Rocky Mountain oysters, the iconic Buckhorn Exchange (est. 1893), to share a plate of bovine cojones with a s...
Jan 11, 2024•28 min
Sponsored by Tecovas, Western Week continues! And we are going into the belly of the beast, the Stock Show itself. Join host Bree Davies and returning guest Joshua Emerson — stand-up comic and co-chair of the Denver American Indian Commission — as they talk to ranchers and vendors, old-timers and outlaws, and all sorts of colorful characters in town to carry on this beloved Denver tradition. Tag along as they ask the uncomfortable questions, open the closed doors, and figure out once and for all...
Jan 10, 2024•24 min
