City Cast Denver

Goodbye, FirstBank! While PNC promised a smooth transition after it acquired the legacy “Colorado bank for you” for $4.1 billion, many customers are reporting real problems – like the woman who suddenly had access to her mother’s bank accounts. Green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval is back on the pod with host Bree Davies to talk about local banking brand loyalty, long wait times at the DMV,...

Did Denver really figure out how to solve homelessness? British news magazine The Economist recently touted Mayor Mike Johnston’s long-term initiative to get people into shelter, and the 64% drop in unsheltered homelessness since 2023 – but what did they miss? City Cast Denver regular Michelle Jackson joins host Bree Davies to discuss the mayor’s “all in” shelter plan. They also compare the latest...

Since voting to unionize back in November of 2024, Casa Bonita performers have gone to the table 14 times to negotiate wages, security issues, and workplace safety protocols, but have yet to reach a compromise with CB’s billionaire owners Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Pink Palace actor, union member, and City Cast Denver regular Joshua Emerson sits down with host Bree Davies to take us inside the on...

Is the city’s new $5 downtown parking program worth it to Denverites? After Mayor Mike Johnston came on the show last week to talk up his grand new plan to get people downtown, our dear listeners had a lot of thoughts and feelings about it. Jill Locantore, executive director of the Denver Streets Partnership, took particular issue with Johnston’s approach to the topic of drinking and driving – she...

Two years ago, City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi interviewed a bona fide Colorado legend – two-term former Senator Gary Hart. He was the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1987, but became notorious for how his campaign ended, with a shocking sex scandal. At the time of the call, Hart was 87, and City Cast Denver was working on our big Lauren Boebert project. Paul had q...

See if your Denver knowledge serves you well! In the first-ever Your City Could Be Better trivia episode, City Cast CEO David Plotz goes head to head with journalist and historian Alexandra Petri to see who knows more about U.S. history, geography, and celebrities ahead of the country’s semiquincentennial. Sean McPherson, trivia wiz and City Cast Twin Cities host, leads four riveting rounds of que...

The primaries on Tuesday ushered in historic change to our Mile High City, with a 29-year-old Democratic Socialist primed to take over the 1st Congressional District seat from a 30-year incumbent. But what exactly can we expect from Melat Kiros in Congress? And what change will Attorney General Phil Weiser bring if he can defeat the Republican nominee for governor in November? The Lever editor-in-...

The eyes of the nation were on Colorado yesterday as “anti-establishment” candidates took on some of Colorado’s longest tenured elected officials in the crucial Democratic primaries for governor, U.S. Senate, and Colorado’s 1st Congressional District. Producers Paul Karolyi and Olivia Jewell Love were at the victory parties, up late for the latest results, and they are breaking down what we know s...

There’s one issue Denverites can never seem to agree on – parking. Does the city have too much or too little? Is parking too expensive or too cheap? Mayor Mike Johnston has his own idea of what’s wrong with parking in Denver, especially downtown, and he joins Westword editor-in-chief Patty Calhoun and producer Paul Karolyi today to discuss it. Plus, the mayor shares some thoughts on America’s semi...

It’s birthday time in Denver! With America’s 250th birthday on the Fourth of July, and Colorado’s 150th birthday coming up on August 1st, the City Cast Denver team is in a mood to celebrate. The hilarious host of Good Night Denver, Miriam Moreno, joins producers Olivia Jewell Love and Paul Karolyi to share their pro tips on drones vs. fireworks, the best thrift stores to use the restroom, and the...

Denver voters approved a tax hike in 2022 to fund much-needed sidewalk repairs, and after a lot of back-and-forth from City Council, those repairs are finally underway. Not only do sidewalks make pedestrian life safer and urban transit more accessible, but they are also an important indicator of a healthy city. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Denver host Bree Davies about the state...

Denver is on the precipice of what could be a historic moment; the city’s 30-year incumbent congresswoman, Diana DeGette, is facing a late surge in momentum from Democratic Socialists of America-backed challenger Melat Kiros. So what’s real and what’s fake in the final days leading up to primary? And could Kiros really win? Comedians and returning guests Joshua Emerson and Kate McLachlan join prod...

Why did Democratic gubernatorial candidate Michael Bennet just lend his campaign nearly $1 million? And is “former barista” Melat Kiros’s campaign surging enough to unseat Denver’s longtime congresswoman Diana DeGette? With less than a week until the primary elections, The Lever editor-in-chief David Sirota joins host Bree Davies to talk through all the biggest headlines and insider gossip from th...

After racking up two Michelin stars and opening six restaurants in less than three years, Johnny and Kasie Curiel are the Denver restaurant industry’s biggest success story. So how, at a time when so many other restaurateurs are struggling, closing, or calling for minimum wage reform, did they pull this off? And how long can it last? Producer Paul Karolyi sits down with the married co-owners of Fo...

It’s officially summer in the Mile High City, and for many Denverites that means it’s time to high-tail it to the nearest shady spot on the bank of a mountain creek. But what if instead of escaping our day-to-day lives, we Denverites were escaping a horde of bloodthirsty zombies? Would that shady spot offer good defenses? Provisions? And what about the long-term chances for survival? Denver Busine...

While there’s been plenty of coverage of the gubernatorial, congressional, and U.S. Senate primaries, smaller but equally important battles are also being fought in Denver – like the race to represent Colorado Senate District 34 (a seat currently held by Julie Gonzales). Two Democrats are vying to represent the downtown and northwest Denver district: Andrés Carrera and Chela Garcia Irlando. They e...

This week Denver City Council passed new lobbying rules aimed at increasing transparency and tracking who lobbyists work for, how much they are being paid, and what issues they are advocating for. The new ordinance also requires former elected officials and city appointees to take a break between leaving office and becoming a lobbyist. Denver Post city hall reporter Elliott Wenzler joins host Bree...

What makes a piece of public art “legitimate”? Denverite recently profiled artist Tom Dorsa, an appliance repairman by day who also installs his own artwork when and where he likes. “27 PACKETS OF TACO BELL DIABLO SAUCE” was a fixture on the Cherry Creek Trail – set amongst 48 other city-approved pieces – for more than two years before it was covered up. Podcast host and regular guest Michelle Jac...

Over the weekend, a rally featuring congressional candidate Melat Kiros and leftist political pundit Hasan Piker was booted from three locations before settling on the steps of the Capitol. By the time the gathering kicked off Sunday afternoon, Piker had dropped out and Kiros accused her challenger, incumbent Diana DeGette, of sabotaging the rally. So, what really happened? Westword editor-in-chie...

The National Weather Service and Climate Prediction Center are forecasting a warm and wet summer this year. So, how do you cope with increasingly higher temps as we move into this sweltering season? We’re revisiting a conversation we had a while back about the best places to go, things to do, and products to buy on a budget to keep you and the fam cool all summer long. For even more news from arou...

Do you know how many parks Denver has? Residents of Salt Lake County have wondered about their parks for years — that is, until City Cast Salt Lake host Ali Vallarta set out to catalog them all. Over the course of two years, she visited all 511 parks in the county, seeking to record their amenities (e.g., bathrooms, playgrounds), write helpful summaries, and track down the people in charge. The re...

Can Victor Marx conduct exorcisms over the phone? The ordained minister and front-runner in the GOP primary for governor says so, and made national news when HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver picked up 9News’ debate between Marx, State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, and State Rep. Scott Bottoms. Journalist Kyle Clark joins host Bree Davies and politics contributor Adrian Felix to dig into that unh...

Michael Bennet has represented Colorado in congress since 2009. Now, the U.S. senator is running for governor – and is in the midst of a heated democratic primary against fellow candidate, Attorney General Phil Weiser. Last fall, Bennet sat down with host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi to talk about everything from housing affordability and rent algorithms to pushing back against Trump. Jus...

Governor Jared Polis is serving his final term and the Democratic primary race to replace him is heated. Attorney General Phil Weiser joins host Bree Davies to discuss his run for the highest office in the state and dig into everything from his position on highway expansions and zoning reform to where he stands on felonies for drug possession and data center moratoriums. Plus, they talk about Weis...

Host Bree Davies and Producer Olivia Jewell Love are opening up the City Cast Denver mailbag to hear listeners’ thoughts on everything from our interviews with Rep. Diana DeGett’s primary challengers to the pedestrian walkways coming to DIA’s underground tunnels and how friendships blossom in the Red Rocks parking lots. Plus, Bree and Olivia answer the question of the summer: Underground Music Sho...