City councilmembers are angry at him. The clerk and recorder is accusing him of “cowardice.” Former supporters are abandoning him. But what will the average Denver voter think about how Mayor Mike Johnston handled laying off 169 workers this week? Denver Post city hall reporter Elliott Wenzler and our politics and green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval join producer Paul Karolyi to talk about “The Hunger Games,” as some city employees described the layoffs. Plus, we respond to Defector’s take on ‘Why Denver Sucks’ and all our wins and fails of the week.

Paul talked about Flock cameras, Playa Bowls, and his conversation with at-large City Councilmember Sarah Parady earlier this week. Justine talked about an emu and DPS’ heat day. Elliott discussed the big local TV merger and the Denver Zoo lion cam that she read about in Hey Denver.

Some City Council members are hosting a webinar for city workers this Sunday at 4pm. You can RSVP here. 

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Ever since the election in November, Democrats across the country have been scrambling to figure out what went wrong, so they can rally and try to take back control of Congress in 2026. One candidate who has emerged, at least in terms of his impressive early fundraising numbers, is Commerce City’s own Manny Rutinel, a fresh face even in the Colorado Capitol, where he has served only two sessions as a state representative. So, as Rutinel and the rest of the legislature return to Denver today for a special legislative session, he joins producer Paul Karolyi to talk about the state’s budget priorities, possible tweaks to his controversial AI law, immigration, food trucks, veganism, and his campaign to win back Congressional District 8 from Republican Gabe Evans. 

Rutinel has reportedly raised $1.6 million for his campaign so far, as of the second quarter of this year. For more on Evans’ and the other Democrats’ fundraising, Axios Denver has the details. 

What do you think about Manny Rutinel’s chances in CD8? Would you like to hear from the other candidates hoping to unseat Republican Gabe Evans? We want to hear from you! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418

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If you enjoyed the sponsored interview with Dr. Jessica Apted, Medical Director of Sploot, learn more here.

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Ever since Mayor Mike Johnston announced a $250 million budget shortfall and the possibility of layoffs, city workers have been nervously preparing for “The Purge” or “The Hunger Games.” We now know that 171 workers are losing their jobs this week and 800 more positions will be eliminated, but we don’t know how that’s going to affect city services. City Council member at-large Sarah Parady joins producer Paul Karolyi to discuss the biggest city layoffs in 15 years. Plus, a bunch of other hot-button issues facing council, from Salvation Army’s cancelled contracts for homeless services to the mayor’s big push for more AI.  

Paul mentioned the New York Times reporting on Uber’s sexual assault data. Sarah talked about the Colorado Drivers Coop and the comic Questionable Content.

What do you think about the way the mayor is handling these layoffs?? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418

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President Trump is calling on Democrat-run cities to watch closely as he attempts to take control of Washington, D.C. So we’re talking about one of the policies he’s pushing and some new data on how harsher penalties for fentanyl possession have been impacting overdose deaths in Colorado. Producers Paul Karolyi and Olivia Jewell Love discuss the shifting politics around public safety and addiction. Plus, some hilarious and insightful listener comments about Gov. Jared Polis’ online antics and animal sounds on 16th St., and the best ways to survive a zombie apocalypse in Denver. 

Paul mentioned Denverite’s reporting on the city layoffs happening this week and Dr. Joshua Barocas’s study on the fentanyl felonization bill. Here’s the sound art on 16th St. that a listener told us about.

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What do you think about harm reduction and the 2022 fentanyl law? We want to hear from you! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418

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Have you tried a pickle pizza? What about one topped with peaches and prosciutto? And is the hot honey trend past its sell-by date? There’s a lot of hype around a new spot on Santa Fe, but is the best pizza in Denver actually in Longmont? Cookbook author and hot take slinger Allyson Reedy returns to the podcast to talk about all the latest pizza news, from buzzy openings to trendy topping combos we’ve been loving all across the Front Range.

We want to hear your hot pizza takes! Text us or leave a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418

We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey—it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card – and City Cast City swag.

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If you enjoyed this interview with Denver Trivia League's Julio Trujilo, learn more here.

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After Rep. Jason Crow was turned away from the ICE detention center in Aurora a few weeks ago, he and Colorado’s three other Democratic members of the House were ⁠finally granted access⁠ this week for a tour. So what did they see? And what does it have to do with the new detention center ICE ⁠wants to open⁠ north of the city? With Trump taking unprecedented control of the police in DC, State Sen. Julie Gonzales and our politics contributor Deep Singh Badhesha join producer Paul Karolyi to talk about the Democrats’ resistance strategy here in Denver. Plus, a ⁠controversial proposal⁠ to build a nuclear reactor at DIA was delayed, and all our wins and fails of the week.

Paul talked about “⁠Whip-Its⁠” and ⁠DIRT⁠. Julie mentioned the ⁠wildfires raging⁠ on the Western Slope. Deep talked about ⁠City Council’s votes on voting⁠ and ⁠the Savannah Bananas at Coors Field⁠. 

We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at⁠ citycast.fm/survey⁠ — it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card–and City Cast City swag.

What do you think about a nuclear reactor at DIA? Is that a good idea? Or a total nightmare? We want to hear from you! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at ⁠denver.citycast.fm⁠.

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The average Denverite probably isn’t walking around thinking about the special legislative session next week or debating specific line items of the Vibrant Denver bond with their friends. So what’s really on their minds?  Producers Paul Karolyi and Olivia Jewell Love walked up and down 16th St. for a few hours earlier this week to talk to Denverites about what’s most important to them — everything from the mayor’s work on homelessness and bringing life back downtown, to the sorely missed Mellow Mushroom and what local billionaire Stan Kroenke eats for lunch. Thanks to everyone who talked to us! 

We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey — it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card–and City Cast City swag.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

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What do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418

If you enjoyed this interview with Dr. Jessica Apted, the Medical Director of Sploot, learn more here.

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Colorado Governor Jared Polis is term-limited and rumor is he’s got his eye on a run for president, but are his signature dorky online antics ready for the national stage? Producer Olivia Jewell Love has been obsessed with the way Polis presents himself online. So as we prepare for the special legislative session (and another great opportunity for a signature Polis stunt) next week, she researched everything from his earliest posts and blogs to his latest prime-time antics. Today, Olivia is on with fellow chronically online politics watcher Adrian Felix and producer Paul Karolyi to parse Polis’ most cringeworthy moments and talk about our very online governor. Why is he like this? And is it working for him?

We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey—it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card–and City Cast City swag.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Olivia mentioned Polis’ tweet about the pedestrian bridge, his Feliz Navidad video, and his Governor’s portrait tweet. Adrian mentioned the special session glass-breaking stunt, and Paul mentioned his Reddit rock findings. 

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What do you think about Governor Polis’ style of communicating? We want to hear from you! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418

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Mayor Mike Johnston is set to announce which and how many city employees will be laid off in less than a week, and rumors are swirling! Westword editor Patty Calhoun joins producer Paul Karolyi to speculate about the impacts. Plus, the city’s economic development office just revealed how much the minimum wage will be going up in January, and the city is rolling out a new plan to “support and advance” local restaurants. Will it be enough? Or will we see another push to lower the tipped minimum wage? Plus, Patty responds to listener comments about parking downtown. 

We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey—it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card–and City Cast City swag.

Paul discussed Benzina’s instagram account, CBS Colorado’s coverage of Denver’s new city attorney, the Denver Post’s reporting on Jevon Taylor’s big plan for a new Green Spaces on 16th St., this CPR interview with Mayor Johnston and this Denver Gazette report on the bill for the lawyer he hired to help out with the “sanctuary cities” congressional hearing. 

What do you think about the minimum wage going up? We want to hear from you! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

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If you enjoyed this interview with Kelsey Simpkins from Regional Air Quality Council, learn more here.

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Sloan’s Lake is fighting for its life. Even the human-made lake's signature event, the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, is looking for a new home because the body of water is too shallow and toxic, especially this time of year when the blue-green algae is blooming. So, what would it take to save this historic Mile High gem? Turns out, a lot. Host Bree Davies sits down with Kurt Weaver, executive director of the Sloan’s Lake Park Foundation, to learn more about the massive environmental challenges, the moonshot plan to address them, and why it might cost upwards of $130 million to make the lake clean and safe again.The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival is still set for Sept. 6 and 7 in Sloan’s Lake Park this year. Kurt mentioned this upcoming park clean-up and education walk event on August 16, as well as this video of a board member walking out into the middle of the lake.We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey—it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card–and City Cast City swag.What do you think about Sloan’s Lake? Do you visit the park often? Who do you think should pay for it to be dredged? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418‬For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenverChat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenverSupport City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fmLearn more about the sponsors of this August 11th episode:

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