It’s Friday and we’re looking back at the biggest stories of the week. First, a big new investigation from CPR reveals that a foundation meant to support mental health and substance use treatment problems may be sending millions in taxpayer dollars to some potentially shady places. Then, the new plan for Civic Center Park has sparked controversy over a proposed modern redesign of the historic space. Host Bree Davies is joined by politics and green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval and Westwor...
Dec 06, 2024•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Denny’s on Alameda and Santa Fe closed last month without warning. But that was just the latest diner casualty in a city already severely lacking in late night food options. The loss of this particular type of restaurant struck at something deeper for Suzi Q. Smith — the poet, performer, and educator grew up in Denver’s vast constellation of diners, finding a place where she could hang out as a teen with not much money, but a whole lot of time. Suzi explores these sacred places in her Denver...
Dec 05, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s Wednesday and we’re looking at the news of the week. First, the owner of a bunch of strip clubs hoped to open a Hooters-like experience in a south Denver food hall space. Though the sexy food court idea never came to fruition, the Cherry Creek Food Hall & Brewery did open, but flamed out two years later. Host Bree Davies and producer Olivia Jewell Love dig into the uncertain future of the food hall trend, plus another addition of landlord watch featuring a mess left behind by X Denver — the...
Dec 04, 2024•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast There’s no shortage of fun stuff to do with kids around Denver this season. But how do parents and caregivers make the most of the holidays without stressing out or emptying their wallets? Host and mom Bree Davies is joined by fellow parents Linnea Covington, managing editor at DiningOut, and David Gilbert, writer and local history buff, to map out the best ways to make memories with your kiddos during this most wonderful time of the year. From free hot cocoa and no-cost holiday scavenger hunts ...
Dec 03, 2024•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to December in Denver, a time for gathering with friends, supporting the city’s many local businesses, and soaking up the holiday season! We’ve rounded up our top recommendations for places to shop, new social experiences to try, and more ways enjoy this month in the Mile High City. From a chocolate lover’s paradise and a delicious afternoon tea to a drive-thru holiday light show and a legendary live music performance, we’ve got your December calendar packed with fun. If you’re new here,...
Dec 02, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast From bike lanes and sidewalks to trash pick-up and snow plowing, Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure is in charge of the big things that make our city work. And if such issues make the news — like when Denver cyclists rallied against the city’s decision to ditch new bike infrastructure or when composting services got a big boost — someone has to answer for these choices. Amy Ford is the head of Denver DOTI and joins host Bree Davies to dig into some of the city’s biggest dec...
Nov 27, 2024•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s Tuesday, and we’re flipping through the headlines you need to know before the holiday break. First, the 160th anniversary of the Sand Creek Massacre is on Friday, and Colorado is still grappling with how we’ve interpreted our own shameful history. Then, Mayor Johnston is already backtracking on some controversial comments he made on Trump’s “Operation Aurora,” DPS votes to shut down more neighborhood schools, and state legislators look to overhaul the system for filling vacant seats. Host B...
Nov 26, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Denver’s got no shortage of places to grab a drink — from fancy lounges with cocktail programs to those down and dirty dives that serve up cheap shots with a smile, there’s a place for every taste. But how do you choose? Westword food and drink editor Molly Martin just published the paper’s annual “Best Bars We Can’t Live Without” and it’s a wonderful doozy of a list! She joins host Bree Davies and politics and green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval to dig into the Mile High’s vast selection...
Nov 25, 2024•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s Friday, and we’re rounding up the biggest stories of the week. First, CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy Chris Wright — also known as the guy who drank fracking fluid on camera to “prove” it was safe — is President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Energy. Who is Wright, and what would his appointment mean for the climate crisis? Then, the city has proposed building pickleball courts to fill the vacant lot at Colfax and Broadway. Will pickleball players go for it? Host Bre...
Nov 22, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast We know art is big business in this city — world-renowned artists exhibit their work here, live music dominates our many music venues, and Denver has become a go-to place for hit Broadway shows. But what about the artists who live here? Like other working people, creatives often hold down multiple jobs just to afford living here. Recently, writer and photographer Manuel Aragon wrote about the affordability crisis many artists face — and offered some creative solutions Denver could embrace to kee...
Nov 21, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s an age-old question in Denver: Which buildings are worth preserving, and which ones, well, aren’t? From gentrification and housing affordability to the impacts on a city’s cultural significance and the built environment, historic preservation plays varying roles across Mile High neighborhoods. Host Bree Davies sits down with John Deffenbaugh, the president and CEO of Historic Denver, to talk through his philosophy on preservation, and take a look at some current properties with fates being ...
Nov 20, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s Tuesday, and we’re looking at the big stories of the week. First, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services has sparked national concerns due to RFK’s skepticism over vaccines. More surprising? Gov. Jared Polis’ endorsement of him. Meanwhile, the future of RiNo’s business improvement district is uncertain — some property owners who lobbied for the creation of BID now want to get rid of it, arguing in a petition that the ...
Nov 19, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast The presidential election left many folks feeling discouraged and defeated. But it also energized people looking to plug in and start helping their neighbors right now — but how? And where? And beyond performative allyship, how do you actually make a difference? Host Bree Davies sits down with Tran Wills, a longtime business owner and organizer in Denver, to lay out the most effective ways to use your time, resources, and expertise to help your community in this moment. These are the organizatio...
Nov 18, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s Friday, and we’re rounding up the biggest stories of the week. First, after winning re-election in a landslide last week, State Senator Chris Hansen just announced that he’s is leaving his seat for a big payday in the private sector. But questions are swirling: Why such bad timing? And are the Dems making backroom deals to replace him? Then, mega-millionaire Kent Thiry’s ranked choice voting ballot measure went down in flames, but his work tweaking Colorado’s elections process may be far fr...
Nov 15, 2024•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast Just 18 months after an emotional board debate ended with three schools closing, DPS superintendent Alex Marrero has proposed the closure or consolidation of ten more schools in the district. The news came just after election day, leaving the community with less than two weeks to share their thoughts ahead of a school board vote on November 21. But beyond declining enrollment and funding issues, what else is DPS weighing this time? And what’s different about their approach? Former education poli...
Nov 14, 2024•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Between the presidential elections of 2020 and 2024, every single state in the country shifted to the right… except Colorado. While Democrats lost close congressional races in CO’s Congressional District 3 and District 8, the Democratic Party here made significant gains across the state. So what are the local Democrats doing right that the national party could learn from? Colorado Democratic Party chair Shad Murib returns to the show with host Bree Davies to talk about the strategic choices he m...
Nov 13, 2024•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s Tuesday, and we’re looking at the biggest stories of the week ahead. First, Mayor Johnston’s big proposal of a sales tax for affordable housing failed in last week’s election, so what will Mayor Mike tackle next? Another strategy to fund affordable housing or something else entirely? Then, changes to the Mile High’s trash collection service are on the horizon — will less recycling and more composting have better outcomes for the environment? Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi do som...
Nov 12, 2024•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Whether you’re looking for a great cheap eat or a splurge night out, there’s never been a better time to eat well in Denver. New bars and restaurants are opening all the time! Every month, our newsletter editor Peyton Garcia rounds up all the new spots that opened (and all the ones that closed), so today we’re trying something new on the podcast. Peyton joins host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi to talk about the most exciting openings and the most lamentable closings, plus all the other f...
Nov 11, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s Friday, and we’re rounding up the news of the week — which was all about the election. With a second Trump term on the horizon, what will it mean for Colorado? Will he make good on his mass deportation plans, dubbed ‘Operation Aurora’? Host Bree Davies is joined by producer Paul Karolyi and Colorado State Senator and Democratic Majority Whip Julie Gonzales to hash out the Trump effect, plus discuss the rebirth of Welton Street Cafe, a contradictory weed-related election outcome in Colorado ...
Nov 08, 2024•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast If the election showed us anything, it’s that the U.S. is changing — issues like migration, the climate, declining birth rates, and housing costs are shaping how people vote and where they choose to live. Here in Colorado, our population is growing at its slowest recorded pace. So what does it all mean for Denver? Earlier this year, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi sat down with Colorado state demographer Elizabeth Garner to discuss the end of Denver’s booming population growth and how...
Nov 07, 2024•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast The United States of America will have a new president. Here in Denver, we obviously voted for Harris, but it was Trump who declared victory as swing state after swing state was called in his favor Tuesday evening. But what about the big local and state races that will affect the lives of Denverites every single day? What does this election say about us? Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are breaking down all the results we know so far, from the split decision on sales taxes to the surp...
Nov 06, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s Election Day! We’re talking about the biggest stories of the week — Governor Jared Polis says everything has been fixed after the secretary of state’s election security breach, but we still have questions as Coloradans steel themselves to watch the results roll in tonight. Then, Five Points business owners say the light rail on Welton Street has been a business killer for decades, and they want it gone. Meanwhile on the Northside, cyclists took to the streets over a drastically diminished p...
Nov 05, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why don’t more young people vote? There are a million reasons why the youth demographic isn’t always represented in our politics, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If more young people got out to vote, they could make a real change. So the fight is on! New Era Colorado’s organizing director Arianna Morales joins producer Paul Karolyi to talk about her work getting young people to vote and shy it matters. Learn everything you need to know about voting in this November’s election at neweracolora...
Nov 04, 2024•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast When it comes to immigration, former president Trump has drawn national attention to Aurora with his exaggerated claims that a Venezuelan gang has “taken over.” Locally, Mayor Johnston has focused on welcoming newcomers to Denver, redirecting public money into emergency support and opportunities for these people to build new lives. But lost somewhere in the middle is a skyrocketing backlog of asylum seekers, waiting around in a Mile High limbo to see a judge who will decide their fate. Colorado ...
Nov 04, 2024•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week we’ll be sharing results from our local elections and discussing what they mean for Denver. But we can’t help but wonder… what’s going on with our City Cast colleagues in swing states? As America white-knuckles its way into one of the closest presidential elections in modern history, City Cast CEO David Plotz sits down with the hosts of our shows in swing state cities: Madison, Philly, Pittsburgh, and Las Vegas. In this special episode, our crew of hosts gives you a locals’ look inside...
Nov 03, 2024•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s Friday, and we’re rounding up the biggest news of the week. First, Secretary of State Jena Griswold is in hot water after a spreadsheet with sensitive election-related passwords was exposed online. Will this flub have an impact on voter turnout? Will Griswold resign? Then, the future of big cat hunting is up for debate as millions of dollars pour into both sides of a surprisingly complex ballot question. Producer Paul Karolyi and host Bree Davies are joined by returning fave, Aspen Times po...
Nov 01, 2024•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to November, a chilly month in the Mile High City — perfect for getting cozy indoors or enjoying the beauty of our seasonal weather. We’ve rounded up our top recommendations for things to do and see, places to sip and savor, and ways to give back around Denver and beyond. From a hidden gem pie shop in the suburbs and some killer chili-cookoffs to the best Día de los Muertos celebrations and ways to give back to your neighbors, we’ve got your November calendar covered! If you’re new here,...
Oct 31, 2024•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Every so often, something really weird happens in Colorado, and sometimes it goes mega-viral, making the world stop and look in our direction. So what do they see? Apart from the fact that Coloradans are capable of some pretty hilarious, bizarre, and sometimes awful things, what do our biggest viral moments say about us? Host Bree Davies sits down with a couple of our favorite guests — politics and green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval and local history aficionado David Gilbert — to revisit...
Oct 30, 2024•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast There’s only a week left until Election Day! So we’re digging into all the latest election news and gossip as millions and millions of dollars are flooding the local airwaves with campaign ads. First, political insiders are saying that that the polls on Proposition 131 (aka, open primaries and ranked choice voting) are tightening, despite all the backers’ endorsements and fundraising. Then, was Mayor Mike Johnston “factually incorrect” when we asked him about the sales tax hike he put in front o...
Oct 29, 2024•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Election Day is coming up next week, and the battle for Congress could come down to Colorado, where eight seats are up for grabs. So who are the candidates? What’s at stake? And most importantly, who’s going to win? Producer Paul Karolyi is joined by Democratic strategist Ian Silverii, and his friend and former foil on 9News, Republican strategist Kelly Maher, to break down the tightest races and the most important issues from both sides of the aisle. Paul quoted this article about abortion and ...
Oct 28, 2024•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
