City Cast Denver

Colorado was lucky to have a particularly wet winter in 2023, meaning water runoff from the mountains is really strong right now. But does that mean we can stop worrying about the Colorado River and that pesky 20-year megadrought? KUNC reporter Luke Runyon has a new podcast out, “Thirst Gap,” exploring the precarious state of our water supply. So producer Paul Karolyi sat down with Luke to talk about the new podcast, the latest politics of water at the Capitol, and the prospect of another hot, dry summer. 

Paul mentioned some New York Times coverage that addressed recent developments with the Colorado River, and you can subscribe to “Thirst Gap: Learning to Live With Less on the Colorado River” wherever you listen to podcasts.

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It’s Friday, and we’re talking about all the local stories that mattered this week. Way back in November 2019, Colorado voters narrowly approved the legalization of sports betting, taking the illicit hobby out of the shadows and on to our phones! And on billboards! And everywhere else! Sports betting is now a multi-billion-dollar industry with Coloradans chasing the adrenaline rush from the Broncos and the Nuggets to late-night prop bets on the pro cornhole championship. To mark the three-year anniversary of our state’s first legal sports bet, Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are chatting with 5280 Magazine editor Lindsey B. King, who reported this month’s cover story on how sports betting is going mainstream. Then they each share an underreported story from the week and invite Hey Denver newsletter editor Peyton Garcia on to share her best bets for your weekend. 

We talked tofu, new speed limits, healthcare transparency, and the New York Times’ take on Blucifer and DIA. 

For even more weekend event recs and local stories that matter, subscribe to our weekday morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866

Follow our weather guy for all your weekend weather needs: Rain or Shine, it's Andy Stein!

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It’s not just you— trying to get a camping spot in Colorado feels impossible these days because it kind of is! New data reported by the Denver Post shows it was five times harder in 2022 to secure a campsite in this state than it was pre-pandemic. So, how do you get your outdoors on when the competition is so fierce? Newsletter editor Peyton Garcia — the City Cast Denver camping authority — takes our producer and camping novice Paul Karolyi through her best outdoor enjoyment hacks and secrets to making the most of Colorado’s greatest asset. 

Peyton made this handy dandy camping checklist so you can be fully prepared to set up shop in your favorite mountainside spot. 

This conversation originally aired on June 29, 2022. 

Bree mentioned how busy Colorado’s campgrounds are, why the gig driver transparency bill went down this week, and Lunar New Year! Here are a couple links to our past coverage of Lunar New Year in Denver and CAPU’s work to commemorate Denver’s old Chinatown:

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866

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Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

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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There didn’t used to be a place in Denver called RiNo. So it wasn’t a problem when a bunch of artists found some space and made dusty, industrial Brighton Boulevard… cool. But now art is big business in RiNo, and several rising entertainment companies — Vinyl Me, Please; Victrola; AEG Presents: Rocky Mountains — are building Denver’s next “music district” right there on Brighton. So where does that leave the artists? And how is the local music business reshaping Denver? Host Bree Davies sits down with The Denver Post’s arts reporter and critic John Wenzel to get the scoop.

Don’t miss Wenzel’s deep dive into the companies forming a new music district in RiNo. 

Bree mentioned the last-gasp effort to pass Governor Jared Polis’s big land-use bill at the state legislature this week. 

The Subaru Hotline is Open! Maybe it’s a stereotype, maybe it’s true: Coloradans love their Subarus. But what about you? Do you drive one? Do they bug you? We want to hear what Subarus mean to you. Text or leave us a voicemail at (720) 500-5418‬ 

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866

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With 2023 state legislative session almost over, the race is on to get these bills outta the house — but what will our lawmakers focus on with their final week? The fact that our property taxes are going through the roof? Or that the Suncor oil refinery continues to emit toxic chemicals? Or are they just focused on fighting their own trolls on social media? It’s Tuesday, so host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are breaking down all the local stories that matter this week. Plus, of course, the latest on Casa Bonita. 

Paul mentioned how Colorado stacks up to other states when it comes to property taxes on residential real estate and the reasons Colorado voters repealed the Gallagher Amendment back in 2020. 

Bree mentioned a Zillow listing in West Colfax that touted the home’s proximity to Casa Bonita. 

Give us a ring on the Always-Open, Always Hot, Casa Bonita Hotline! Text or leave us a voicemail: (720) 500-5418‬

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866

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The Nuggets are having a history-making season, and — knock on wood! — Denver could be on its way to our first NBA Championship in franchise history. But sports teams are so much more than the athletes. Coaches, scouts, analysts, trainers, and many many more work together to get those wins — like today’s guest, Kyle Speller. He’s a PA announcer now in his 18th season with the Nuggets, and his voice, energy, and excitement are crucial to getting 20,000 fans on their feet and cheering at Ball Arena every game. Host Bree Davies talks with Kyle about how he came up with his now-infamous “To the window/to the wall!” call-and-response, the call Nikola Jokić asked him to stop, and other secrets for driving Nuggets fans wild.

(And if you’re curious, Bree also asked Kyle about his homage to Guy’s “Teddy’s Jam.”)

Bree mentioned the settlement in the Coffee at the Point dispute and Colorado’s new gun laws. 

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866

Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenver

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Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

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

Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:

Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

It’s Friday, and we’re rounding up the stories that caught our eye this week. Housing has been top of mind for Coloradans and finally, Governor Jared Polis was poised to do something about it — in the form of a massive housing and land-use bill. But SB213 was gutted this week, thanks to Republicans and Democrats standing up for “the Colorado Way,” as they put it. So what went wrong? Producer Paul Karolyi is joined by host Bree Davies and returning favorite Jo Ann Allen to chat all things housing, along with a rousing round of Two Truths and a Lie inspired by Denver hosting the inaugural Cities Summit of the Americas this week. Then newsletter editor Peyton Garcia has some sweet recs for your weekend!

For the full backstory behind Governor Polis’s big push for housing density, catch up with all our coverage of housing at the Capitol this year:

Paul mentioned Nick Campion’s concession video in the D7 City Council race, and Bree mentioned an editorial in the Aspen Daily News about the supposed “Californication” of Colorado.

Check out Jo Ann Allen’s podcast, Been There Done That!

Follow our weather guy for all your weekend weather needs: Rain or Shine, it's Andy Stein!

Here are the events we discussed happening this weekend:

We are so sad to be saying goodbye this week to our producer Erin O’Toole. Erin helped us uncover the mystery of Denver's lost tunnels and took us inside Denver’s many sex rooms. We’ll miss you, Erin!

For even more weekend event recs and local stories that matter, subscribe to our weekday morning newsletter Hey Denver online or by texting “Denver” to 66866

Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenver

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Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Learn more about the sponsor of this episode:

• The North Face

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Are the stars more beautiful from Denver? We are one mile closer, after all. But seriously, after the surprise Aurora Borealis sighting in Colorado last weekend, we are determined not to miss another epic cosmic show. So we posed that Mile High query and all our other starter stargazing questions to Ron Hranac of the Denver Astronomical Society. Producer and certified star-liker Paul Karolyi sat down with Ron to get to the bottom of the altitude question, some insider tips to find the darkest skies (including one inside city limits), and his best bets for the next cosmic event you don’t want to miss. 

If you cant make the DAS’s open house this Saturday, check out their whole list of upcoming events. You can also join to gain access to the DAS’s own dark sky site east of the city. Or, you can “Just Look Up”!

Paul mentioned the fate of Rep. Javier Mabrey’s rent control bill and our topsy turvy housing market. Now we want to hear from you! There are lots of dramatic headlines, but only you know what it’s really like trying to find a good place to live in Denver. What are the real problems you’re dealing with? Send us a text or leave us a voicemail at (720) 500-5418‬, and you might hear your crazy housing story on the show soon.

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866

Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenver

Or Instagram: @citycastdenver

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Learn more about the sponsor of this episode:

• The North Face

Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Gardening in Colorado comes with a unique set of challenges. Between our clay-heavy soil and our seriously dry climate, getting anything other than weeds to poke up out of the ground takes some special know-how. Host Bree Davies sits down with gardening enthusiast Ann Marie Awad to answer Denver’s most pressing gardening questions directly from you, our listeners! Ann Marie covers everything from from how to raise tomatoes in plots surrounded by concrete to where to get free and cheap supplies to keep your urban gardens healthy year-round. 

A few places & things Ann Marie mentioned: 

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866

Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenver

Or instagram: @citycastdenver

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

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

Learn more about the sponsor of this episode:

• The North Face

Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

It’s Tuesday, and we’re looking at all the important stories shaping Denver this week. With only a few weeks left in the legislative session, the Democrats in power at the state Capitol are still divided on new gun laws. So host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are talking about the politics of guns, a new lawsuit over “abortion reversal” drugs, and why Bandimere Speedway is closing this year — its 65th season. Plus, we have an exclusive story about a new social impact program for the local cannabis industry, which prompts a bigger discussion about how entrepreneurs are pushing up against our weed laws. 

We discussed the City of Denver’s new Cannabis Cares program. For more details about the planned May 4 launch, check out their website. 

Bree mentioned a few sources for better understanding the “abortion reversal” conversation — Bente Birkland covered the latest ruling for CPR; NPR explains the origins of the abortion pill Mifepristone’s approval in the U.S. more than 20 years ago and also covered the dangers of the study conducted on the controversial “abortion reversal” treatment. 

For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver by texting “Denver” to 66866

Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenver

Or instagram: @citycastdenver

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

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

Learn more about the sponsor of this episode:

• The North Face

Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise