Neighbors in Congress Park and Country Club say that new infrastructure meant to keep cyclists safe is making their neighborhoods “ugly.” But is this change in our built environment really about aesthetics or more about who “owns” the road? Then, the Casa Bonita saga continues as management responds to concerns of employees who have been organizing with ROC United, and the rest of us try to figure out if we’ll ever get a table at CB again. Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi tackle these ...
Jul 25, 2023•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today is International Self-Care Day, and what more prompting do any of us need than to spend some time with just us? From bike trails and other outdoor adventures to concert series and day trip destinations, producer Olivia Jewell Love and Demi Harvey, host of “Serve It!” on Indie 102.3, share their favorite places for self-care in the Mile High. UPDATE 7/27/23: Jeffco Sheriff’s Office released a warning to hikers two days after airing this episode to be on the lookout for a sexual predator wan...
Jul 24, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast It was a raucous night on Colfax last night -- as usual -- and the renovated garage behind Bruz Off Fax was no exception. A distinguished panel of Colfax aficionados inaugurated the first class of five Colfax icons to our new Colfax Hall of Fame in front of a crowd at the Colfax Indie Bash. Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi were joined by Westword founder and editor Patricia Calhoun, Sie FilmCenter artistic director Keith Garcia, and owner and bartender of the Oak Creek Tavern, Skyler M...
Jul 21, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Next time you find yourself in LoDo or wandering around near Union Station, look down. Just below the streets of downtown, there’s a maze of old, out-of-commission tunnels that used to connect our hotels, restaurants, and stores of yore. Glimpses of these alternative pathways still exist at street level, if you know where to look. Back in January, host Bree Davies spoke with Tracy Beach, author of “The Tunnels Under Our Feet: Colorado’s Forgotten Hollow Sidewalks,” about this turn of the last ce...
Jul 20, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Robert Speer. Michael Hancock. Benjamin Stapleton. Federico Peña. Wellington Webb. Each mayor of Denver leaves their mark on the city — for good, for bad, and often for both. So what can we expect from Mike Johnston? He is the latest to lead the massive, unwieldy bureaucracy that is our city government. How will his administration bend the arc of Denver history? Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi speak with Nicki Gonzales, a professor of history at Regis University and former state histo...
Jul 19, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Mayor Mike Johnston was inaugurated yesterday, with an inspiring speech and… a killer music festival? It’s Tuesday, so host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are talking about all the local stories that mattered this week, from outgoing Mayor Michael Hancock’s last kiss goodbye to the vibes of Johnston’s first day in office. Plus, we respond to your comments on yesterday’s Colfax meme and some not-so-nice comments that our colleagues at City Cast Salt Lake made about Denver. Wanna see our Co...
Jul 18, 2023•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Do you remember your first time on Colfax Avenue? It was probably equal parts exhilarating, interesting, confusing, and entertaining, as Denver’s most famous strip tends to be. But we wanted to get to the heart of what makes a true “Colfaxian experience” — like, why does this particular street attract and inspire so much weird wonderfulness? Host Bree Davies and producer Olivia Jewell Love decided to go right to the source, calling up Ashley, the human behind Colfax Things, an awesome Instagram ...
Jul 17, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast With our first new mayor in 12 years set to be inaugurated on Monday, we’re running out of time to resolve the most pressing issues of the Hancock Era. One of the most persistent sources of tension? Those iconic green-and-white “Denver Native” bumper stickers. Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi talk it out with returning favorite Joshua Emerson, stand-up comic and co-chair of the Denver American Indian Commission. Then, a round of wins and fails from the week and Peyton is out, so Bree i...
Jul 14, 2023•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast Is there anything worse than a bad hike? Maybe you ran out of water. Maybe you didn’t pack the micro-spikes. Maybe you’ve been walking for 6 hours straight and you’re just plain sick of it! But this is Colorado, and we’ve got tons of great hiking trails for all occasions and skill levels. Newsletter editor Peyton Garcia joins producers Paul Karolyi and Olivia Jewell Love to dish on the latest hiking news and share some favorite hiking trails — whether you’re answering the call to adventure, hopi...
Jul 13, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Mike Johnston will be sworn in as Denver’s 46th mayor on Monday, and he’s already making moves. He hired a transition team and packed his calendar with community listening sessions. But will he roll out his “micro-communities” plan for homelessness that he campaigned so hard on? What about handling the perceptions and realities of public safety that Denver has been struggling with? And our most pressing issue: Can Mike make downtown cool again? Host Bree Davies is joined by producer Paul Karolyi...
Jul 12, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast ¡Viva! Streets! took over Broadway once again, literally intersecting with the Lowrider Show and Shine event outside the Denver Art Museum. And that had us wondering: Could this new clash of pedestrian life and car art culture start a new conversation about transit in Denver? Then, the Denver Post reported on how the Mile High stacks up when you compare rent hikes with average income increases — meaning, your housing nightmares were real all along. Host Bree Davies is joined by producer Paul Kar...
Jul 11, 2023•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast To the chagrin of many summer lovers, Denver’s public pools are once again operating with limited hours, due to — you guessed it — staffing problems. And that’s after they raised wages last summer! So why, as the Colorado Sun recently reported, are Denver teens increasingly skipping out on summer jobs? Host Bree Davies sits down with our official teen correspondent Shana Saint-Phard, who just graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School and is not working this summer, to ask the big question: Why...
Jul 10, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s Friday and we’re talking about all the news that mattered this short, holiday week. From our expansive craft brew scene and the burgeoning world of kombucha to Boulder’s historic — and celestial — tea empire, Colorado is a big player in the beverage world. Could kava be next? A new piece in Westword about the rise of ceremonial drink has us curious. Producer Olivia Jewell Love joins host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi to talk all things drinks, plus wins and fails of the week, and th...
Jul 07, 2023•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast Downtown Denver is definitely not the hellhole that some suburban Republicans think it is, but since the pandemic it’s certainly seen better days. The work-from-home boom means fewer and fewer people traversing the city’s core and, in turn, fewer customers for downtown shops, bars, and restaurants. But even with many eateries shuttering in the last few years — The Market, The Paramount Cafe, The Hard Rock Cafe, and even McDonald’s! — has come opportunity. Host Bree Davies is joined by Westword f...
Jul 06, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Did you keep a diary as a kid? Did you have that safe place where all of your teenage thoughts and daydreams lived on paper, never to be seen or read by anyone but you? Host Bree Davies certainly did — but instead of leaving her early 90s teenage musings behind lock and key, she joined a handful of fellow brave souls and read directly from her journals at Mortified Colorado a few weeks ago. Today, we’re bringing you the live recording of that fateful night on the Oriental Theater where rockstar ...
Jul 05, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Every city has its unwritten rules, and when Politico published its rules for surviving Washington DC, we figured why not share our tips for surviving Denver? Being new to this place can be daunting, so we wanted to answer some of those burning questions, like — does the altitude really matter? How much is too much when it comes to edibles? Why is everyone carrying around a giant water bottle? Earlier this year, Bree Davies chatted with producer Paul Karolyi and fave guest, former Westword staff...
Jul 03, 2023•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s Friday and we’re talking about the big local stories this week. Casa Bonita continues to dominate the news cycle but this time it isn’t all roses and sopaipillas — the company changed its tipping policy last minute and many servers and bartenders are not ok with it. All this comes as a new study ranks Denverites among the highest tippers in the country. Producer Paul Karolyi and host Bree Davies are joined by podcast host and multimedia producer Graffiti to talk wins and fails: Will RTD’s z...
Jun 30, 2023•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast Starting in July, the City of Denver is officially launching its free composting program, which will serve more than 180,000 households across the Mile High. This means that now, along with your recycle and trash bins, you’ll also have a composting bin to help cut down even more on what goes into the landfill. But the rules of compost are tricky and ever-changing. So what exactly goes into that big green bucket on wheels anyway? Are apple cores ok? What about tea bags? Or coffee grounds? Host Br...
Jun 29, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the wake of the March 23 shooting at East High School, thousands of students walked out of class in protest, and the school board started what became an emotionally charged, highly controversial, three-month debate on the possible return of police to Denver Public Schools. They ultimately voted, 4-3, that police should be a “persistent presence” in our schools, but not everyone is happy with that outcome. So today on the show, host Bree Davies speaks with the board's vice president, Aoun’tai ...
Jun 28, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s Tuesday, and we’re talking about all the local stories that matter this week. First up, RTD’s “Zero Fare for Better Air” promotion is back! Local public transit will be free in July and August this year, but is this really going to lead to better air quality? Host Bree Davies and Producer Paul Karolyi are talking transit and responding to some listener comments and questions about tourist traps, public art, and Stephen King’s Colorado connections. In case you missed it, here’s a link to the...
Jun 27, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast After a wet winter and super rainy spring, our rivers and creeks are running high. Does that mean we’re about to witness the best tubing season ever? Lead Producer Paul Karolyi is joined by Rocky Mountain PBS reporter and tubing buff Alison Berg to break down what those high water levels mean for your summer floating plans, as well as her expert tips on the best tubing spots, safety tips, and the unspoken rules of the river. Paul mentioned the city auditor’s report on Denver Police Department an...
Jun 26, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s Friday and we’re talking about all the the stories that mattered this week. The big Pride weekend is finally here, but what is the state of our LGBTQ community in Denver right now? Some residents in Douglas County are (again) clamoring for libraries to ban queer books; meanwhile, the state legislature has seen major strides in LGBTQ representation. Host Bree Davies is joined by returning fave Ann Marie Awad and City Cast first-timer Demi Harvey, who hosts Indie 102.3’s “Serve It!” The trio ...
Jun 23, 2023•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast There are lots of glitzy attractions around Denver — but which ones are really worth it? Which destinations are just tourist traps, and which ones are the real gems, you know — the tourist treats? In this final installment of our Summer Entertainment Guide, host Bree Davies is joined by newsletter editor Peyton Garcia and producers Paul Karolyi and Olivia Jewell Love to break down their can’t-miss and definitely-pass attractions from downtown D-town to ski towns of the Rockies. We want to hear f...
Jun 22, 2023•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Colorado’s most infamous Republican, Rep. Lauren Boebert, won re-election last November by a mere 546 votes, shocking the unsuspecting Denver public and the national press. Something was clearly changing in Boebert’s mostly rural, southern and western Colorado district, and now the Democrats have a plan to take advantage of the moment. Producer Paul Karolyi sits down with the new chair of the Colorado Democratic Party, Shad Murib, to talk about “The 546 Project,” his massive new effort to unseat...
Jun 21, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast You ever see one of those signs that say “We Buy Ugly Houses” stapled to a telephone poll? Or plastered in giant block letters up on a billboard? Did you ever wonder what happens when someone calls that phone number? ProPublica investigative reporter Anjeanette Damon cracked the story wide open, and she’s on today with host Bree Davies to explain how the mysterious HomeVestors’ business model works, how they scoop up the deeds to so many perfectly good looking houses, and who is paying the price...
Jun 20, 2023•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Nuggets are finally world famous! Denver’s hometown ballers won their first NBA Championship in franchise history, and the city has been celebrating all week. Everything culminated with a big parade downtown on Thursday, and the City Cast Denver team was there to take it all in. But of course, the Nuggets aren’t all the news — it’s Friday, so we’re talking about a new queer cultural district, a rash of shootings on the city’s streets, and question whether Trinidad has lost its shine. Diné co...
Jun 16, 2023•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Denver Museum of Nature and Science is full of dioramas depicting wolves in the arctic, rare birds from across the U.S., and… people. Since 1978, millions of Denverites have walked through the North American Indian Cultures Hall and seen indigenous people — who come from hundreds of diverse tribes, cultures, and communities — depicted behind panes of glass. As the museum prepared to close the exhibition for good this week, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi met up with Diné comedian ...
Jun 15, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Every Friday on City Cast Denver, our newsletter editor Peyton Garcia joins the crew to offer some event recommendations, and we collectively pick the Official City Cast Denver Maybe For Your Weekend — aka the one weekend event where you’re most likely to see us. So for this second installment of our summer entertainment guide, City Cast editor Adrian González returns to help Peyton, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi pick City Cast Denver’s Ultimate Summer Maybe. Because there’s a zilli...
Jun 14, 2023•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast UPDATE 6/13/23: After this episode was published, we learned that the location of the Jor'Dell Richardson community memorial and procession planned for Friday 6/16 has been moved to Aurora Municipal Center. The event is still set to begin at 5 p.m. It’s Tuesday and we’re breaking down all the local stories that matter. First, the Aurora Police Department released bodycam footage of the killing of 14-year-old Jor’Dell Richardson, but questions still remain as to what happened. Also, Denver School...
Jun 13, 2023•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast AI is everywhere right now — at least that’s how it seems. The technology has a lot of people worried, but we wanted to know: What does it actually mean for us as Denverites? Will our jobs be taken over by AI? How will it impact our daily lives? One local company has been on the cutting edge of this technology for years before the recent hype, and they recently deployed their AI at four local fast-food restaurants. So today on the show, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi take a trip to t...
Jun 12, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
