City Cast Denver

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Episodes

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City Cast Denver

Join Host Bree Davies and the City Cast Denver crew every weekday morning as we celebrate, explore, and challenge an ever-changing Denver. It’s the daily news podcast for all Denverites — whether you’ve been here for six months or six generations. We’ll break down the news you need (and want) to know with journalists and culture makers; activists and artists; neighbors and ne’er-do-wells — and John Elway, if he ever returns our calls. Learn more and subscribe to our morning newsletter at citycast.fm/denver. *Named Westword's Best Podcast of 2021, 2023

Episodes

What if Suncor Shut Down Forever?

A series of mysterious incidents in late December forced the Suncor refinery in Commerce City to shut down for weeks. The refinery is reviled by environmental activists and neighbors for its history of polluting our air and water, but it’s also responsible for about 40% of Colorado’s supply of gasoline. So, what if the shutdown was permanent? What if Mother Earth snapped her fingers and it disappeared? Denver Post reporter Noelle Phillips has been covering Suncor for years, and she’s on today wi...

Feb 21, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Mayoral Madness: Thomas Wolf on Gentrification, Casa Bonita and His Favorite Local Artist

Thomas Wolf is an investment banker who has worked for JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, and Crewe Capital, and he wants to be mayor. Thomas sits down with producer Paul Karolyi to talk about how he’d support the arts community, combat gentrification, build bike lanes, and, of course, Casa Bonita. We are inviting all 17 candidates for interviews before Election Day on April 4. So far, we've talked to: Renate Behrens Leslie Herod Lisa Calderón Ean Thomas Tafoya Keep up with Mayoral Madnes...

Feb 19, 2023•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Mayoral Madness: Trinidad Rodriguez on the Police, Rent Control, and Late-Night Diners

Trinidad Rodriguez is an investment banker who’s served on the board of the Denver Housing Authority and as policy advisor for the Governor’s Policy Office and Office of Energy Conservation, as well as Colorado’s Department of Natural Resources, and he wants to be mayor. Trinidad sits down with producer Paul Karolyi to talk about his plan to improve public safety, his stance on rent control, and how he’d support Denver’s remaining late-night diners. We are inviting all 17 candidates for intervie...

Feb 18, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Denver Bans TikTok, the War on Prairie Dogs, and Carbs Are Back!

It's Friday and we're rounding up all the stories that mattered to Denverites this week. First, TikTok: is it a source of endless entertainment and information or a Chinese surveillance operation? And which should we be worried about more? The City of Denver banned the social media app from government-owned devices this week and Colorado’s senior senator Michael Bennet (Democrat) is joining Republican calls to ban it from the app stores, so we’re digging into the local implications of the TikTok...

Feb 17, 2023•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Is There a Racist Conspiracy Brewing on the Plains?

When Courtney and Nicole Mallery were thinking about buying a ranch on the Eastern Plains, other Black people in Denver told them to “be careful out there.” But it was the Mallerys’ dream to live off the land, so they bought some land east of Colorado Springs anyway. A simple dispute over their property line quickly escalated with slaughtered livestock, allegations of a racist conspiracy involving the local sheriff, felony charges for the Mallerys, and nearly $200,000 in donations to a GoFundMe ...

Feb 16, 2023•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Does Denver Need Rent Control?

Colorado has banned rent control since 1981. But with the cost of housing on the rise across the state, including here in Denver, some lawmakers are trying to change that. While Governor Jared Polis has already come out against their proposal, Javier Mabrey thinks he can change the governor’s mind. State Rep. Mabrey is an evictions defense attorney representing southwest Denver, and he’s on today with host Bree Davies to explain why now’s the time to legalize rent control, how it would work in D...

Feb 15, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast

How ‘Dangerous’ is Dining Downtown? Plus, New Flavors of the Old West

It’s Valentine’s Day, so we’re surveying the dining scene with Westword’s food editor Molly Martin and editor-in-chief Patty Calhoun. First, Molly’s recent piece about giving leftovers away to an unhoused person sparked a heated conversation online about how “dangerous” it is to dine out downtown right now. So we’re digging into that thorny topic, then Molly and Patty report back from visiting two iconic Denver-area Western restaurants: The Fort, which is turning 60 this year, and El Rancho, whi...

Feb 14, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast

The 50-Year Fight to Desegregate Denver Schools

In the wake of Brown v. Board of Education, Denver Public Schools created a de facto segregation that was so bad, a group of Park Hill parents sued and their case went all the way to the Supreme Court. That landmark decision in 1973 led to decades of busing, white flight, and now “school choice,” prompting many parents and activists to ask, has DPS become de facto segregated again? To mark the 50th anniversary of Keyes v. School District No. 1, Chalkbeat reporter Melanie Asmar worked with Histor...

Feb 13, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Mayoral Madness: Ean Thomas Tafoya on Xcel, Public Safety, and the Park Hill Golf Course

Ean Thomas Tafoya is an environmental justice advocate and community organizer with 20 years of experience working with and within local government, he led the campaign to pass the Waste No More ballot initiative in 2019, and he’s running for mayor. He sits down with producer Paul Karolyi to talk about Xcel Energy, Public Safety, and the Park Hill Golf Course. Ean wants you to know that he remembered the name of the coffee shop he mentioned. It’s the Curious Coffee near Colorado Blvd. and I-25. ...

Feb 12, 2023•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Mayoral Madness: Lisa Calderón on Transit, the Police Budget, and the Downtown Dilemma

Lisa Calderón is the executive director of Emerge Colorado, previously served as chief of staff for City Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca, and she’s running for mayor. She sits down with Host Bree Davies to talk about her plan for “transformational transportation,” how she’d adjust the police budget, and her plan for downtown. We are inviting all 17 candidates for interviews before the April 4 election. So far, we've talked to: Renate Behrens Leslie Herod For even more news from around the city, subsc...

Feb 11, 2023•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast