City Cast Denver

Over the summer a show at Red Rocks was hit by a hailstorm that injured several people and left hundreds scrambling for cover. A lawsuit filed by 9News and reporter Steve Staeger reveals text messages between Red Rocks and city employees and law enforcement were not so sympathetic to the situation. Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi dig into the texting drama plus other stories that matter...

Tim Hernández came on our show for the first time two years ago as a 24-year-old teacher who was not just burned out but burned up. He spoke out and suffered the consequences, losing his job with DPS but also becoming kinda Denver famous. Then this year, two things happened. First, Hernández was picked by Democratic leaders to fill a vacant seat in the state legislature. Second, on October 7, Hama...

Ever since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, tensions over the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict have been on the rise in Denver, with reports of hate crimes, protests and counter-protests, and several high-profile politicians clashing. It all came to a head this week, with the Jewish National Fund-USA conference in town. So Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are talking it through with...

Last year, Colorado voters decided that grocery stores could sell wine along with beer, which had many independent liquor store owners nervous. With the holiday season in full swing, how are those mom and pop shops doing now with more competition? Host Bree Davies, producer Paul Karolyi, and newsletter editor Peyton Garcia discuss the liquor store conundrum, and talk about competitive eater and so...

With construction on the 16th St. Mall now set to last through 2025 and many office workers happier working at home, the Denver Post reported this week that Mayor Mike Johnston has reversed a major Hancock-era plan for downtown. Instead of allowing city employees to work from home while the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Office Building is being renovated, he has leased space in Republic Plaza, one...

Mayor Mike Johnston’s effort to house 1,000 people by the end of the year is not looking great, with more than 700 placements still needed in just over a month. Now Councilwoman Stacie Gilmore has resigned as head of the Safety, Housing, Education & Homelessness Committee, stating issues with the Johnston administration’s handling of the project. Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are talk...

It seems like everyone has an opinion on where to find the best green chile in town. So why do so many of these lists feature spicy green sauces that are specifically NOT Denver-style green chile? And what makes a green chile stand out? Host Bree Davies is chatting with our politics and green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval about what green chile is and isn’t, how it became Colorado’s signatu...

Happy Thanksgiving! We’re celebrating the short week with a round-up of all the local stories that matter. First, it’s been almost a year since waves of mostly Venezuelan migrants started arriving in Denver, and with the weather taking a turn for the cold, Denver Post reporter Megan Ulu-lani Boyanton spoke to migrants, neighbors, and city officials about a tense shelter closure in Athmar Park and...

Black Friday and the holiday shopping season are right around the corner, but while the big chain stores are rolling out the deals, we know Denver’s got a lot more to offer. So where do you start? There are hundreds of unique shops and shopping destinations that are also gearing up for a Mile High holiday season. So today, host Bree Davies, newsletter editor Peyton Garcia, and producer Paul Karoly...

Many cities have a museum solely dedicated to telling their own story, and many of those museums are a source of civic pride and profit. So why not Denver? Westword editor Patty Calhoun has been reporting on the very real new effort to answer that question. So today, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi sit down with Patty to debate what would absolutely have to be in that museum, where it c...

Gas prices are trending down nationwide, but they are perhaps nowhere lower than the exit off I-25 into Greenwood Village. 9News reporter Steve Staeger lives nearby and has been doggedly following the price wars between the various gas stations. So today he joins producer Paul Karolyi and one of our favorite regular guests, stand-up comic Joshua Emerson, to report from the front lines. Then, Color...

Hungry for lunch but don’t want to go out? One local restaurant owner hopes you don’t reach for that meal-delivery app just yet. Olive & Finch’s Mary Nguyen recently told BusinessDen that these apps are profiting off of the “blood, sweat and tears” of small businesses like hers. So today, newsletter editor Peyton Garcia joins producers Paul Karolyi and Olivia Jewell Love to sort out the delivery a...

After a water main break, the rise of streaming, and a global pandemic put the Esquire Theatre on the brink, it looks like the 96-year-old arthouse won’t make it to 100. BusinessDen reported this week that after failing to find a buyer, the owners now intend to redevelop the property at 590 Downing St. into a mix of restaurant, retail, and office space. So producer Paul Karolyi is chatting with fe...

It’s Tuesday, and we’re talking about all the local stories that matter this week. First, local officials are officially hyped about BRT, aka “bus rapid transit” aka the hottest thing in public transportation! Local, state, and federal officials gathered recently to talk about all the exciting new bus rapid transit projects coming to the Denver metro, but something was missing. Producer Paul Karol...

The State of Colorado has a lot of big, lofty goals to help stave off climate change. But according to a new analysis, we are collectively pretty far off track — nearly 12 million tons of carbon dioxide per year, to be precise. The State Energy Office is in charge of hitting the numbers, and last week they proposed a batch of fresh ideas. So today, producer Paul Karolyi talks to Colorado Sun clima...

It wasn’t the biggest election of our lifetimes. It wasn’t even the biggest election in Denver this year! But this past Tuesday’s results will reshape our lives, and our politics, in some big ways. Producer Paul Karolyi is breaking down the results and looking to the future with returning guest Joshua Emerson, a stand-up comic and the co-chair of the Denver American Indian Commission, and one of o...

A few years ago Tom Messina made a deal to sell off his iconic East Colfax building — then known as Tom’s Diner — and ride off into the sunset. But historic preservation got in the way of his retirement plans. The business reopened a little over a year ago as Tom’s Starlight, but it looks as if Tom is thinking about retirement again. Who will take on the stewardship of this Denver institution and...

Voter turnout was unsurprisingly low for yesterday’s off-year election, but we still have plenty of results to dissect from all the hottest statewide and Denver races! Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi break down the initial returns from Tuesday evening, including the fate of Prop HH and the new era for Denver Public Schools. Then, we check in with one of Denver’s new city council members...

It might not feel like it, but today is election day. So host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are sharing a juicy update on the scammer running unopposed for school board in Englewood and talking about what they’ll be watching for as the results come in tonight. Then, the trials over the 2019 killing of Elijah McClain took an unexpected turn last week, with one officer making the unusual mov...

Between the ongoing I-70 traffic conundrum, housing affordability issues in basically every ski town, pricey passes to overcrowded lift lines, resort workers unionizing left and right, and, of course, the imminent threat of changing climate, the ski world seems to touch every aspect of life in Colorado. So as resorts open across the state, producer Paul Karolyi sits down with the ultimate ski indu...

Epic weed drama erupted this week, with the outing of a “rat in the community” who allegedly made dozens of complaints about public consumption to city officials, which led to the massive crackdown on not-quite-legal weed parties over the summer. With weed sales still trending down, we’re asking: Is this the last gasp of the Green Rush? Or a mess we voters made for ourselves? Our green chile and p...

It’s Thursday, and we are so ready for the weekend. So as usual, newsletter editor and our resident foodie Peyton Garcia joins to talk through Denver’s hottest food news: first, a Japanese restaurant that claims to be the oldest in the state is closing in Cherry Creek, while a hot new Japanese place called Kumoya is promising to change the game in Highland. And speaking of everything old being new...

Welcome to November, the month of 5 p.m. sunsets, extended family visits, early holiday shopping, and colder temps. Newsletter editor Peyton Garcia and producer Olivia Jewell Love rounded up their top picks to help you figure out how to entertain that random cousin visiting for a long weekend and drum up some unique ways to make this the best Friendsgiving yet! Host Bree Davies and producer Paul K...

Election day is just a week away and while it’s an off-year, there are plenty of important races and issues at stake across the metro area. So host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are talking about the unique character running unopposed in Englewood, a potentially pivotal measure on homelessness in Boulder, and all the dark money swaying the races for the Denver Public Schools Board. Then, P...

With Halloween coming up tomorrow, we’re thinking about everything that goes bump in the night. But the importance of Denver’s nighttime economy far exceeds the one-night-only, trick-treat trading that’ll be going down tomorrow evening. For years our nightlife has been both a big business and the scene of high-profile violence — particularly around let-out time late at night in LoDo. Youth on Reco...