City Cast Denver

Could Denver see a new face in congress in 2026? Diana DeGette has held the 1st Congressional District seat for nearly thirty years, handily winning reelection 14 times since 1997. But this year, she’s facing two challengers. We invited all three candidates for interviews to discuss how they want to represent Colorado under Trump. For this first conversation host Bree Davies is joined by Democratic Socialist Melat Kiros, a former lawyer and barista who could be one of only a handful of Gen Zers in the U.S. House of Representatives if elected. Representative DeGette declined our invitation, but stay tuned for our conversation with candidate Wanda James tomorrow. 

Kiros discussed the MIT Living Wage calculator.

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Last week the City of Englewood shared a video about the work they are doing to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. But the municipality was swiftly chastised online for creating said video using AI – and causing carbon dioxide emissions. Westword Editor in Chief Patty Calhoun joins host Bree Davies to talk about the the potential for city governments to erode trust by using AI, plus the latest on the newBroncos stadium development, and what it means when a politician turns down an interview with a local media outlet (ahem, like City Cast Denver).

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What do you think about the City of Englewood’s use of AI? 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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The sun is out, and we’re ready to take a dip! From a cool way to rent a boat to the best spots to get in – or near – the water on a day trip to the mountains, we’re rounding up our fave things to do, see, eat, drink, and explore around the Mile High City this June. Our contributor and editor-in-chief of The Lever David Sirota joins to swap Pride recs, a DIY beer-arepas-ice cream crawl, and our pick for the best Red Rocks show of the summer. 

Bree mentioned our new weekly newsletter, Keep It Local! Check out the latest edition featuring a great list of Denver metro shops for swim gear (like Swim N’ Things) and educational spaces that teach swimming, diving, and more! 

If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Denver community.

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What are you looking forward to in June? 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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Where would Denver be without its libraries? Chicago is opening its 82nd public library branch in June, and loaning out books is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what these institutions offer residents. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Chicago podcast host Jacoby Cochran about how Chicago’s libraries have evolved to meet community needs, from opening a food pantry inside a branch to turning student IDs into automatic library cards — and how they could be even better. Plus, are the Chicago Bears still the Chicago Bears if they move to Indiana?

Is there something your city is doing that we should be talking about? Email David now! 

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Gov. Jared Polis has been the talk of the town since he commuted the sentence of noted 2020 election denier and former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters, and he’s handling all the attention the way only he could – trolling the press, sticking to his guns, and finding some time for a very jovial bill-signing on an RTD bus. City Cast Denver’s reigning Hater of the Year Adrian Felix and HD5 candidate Sterling Simms join producer Paul Karolyi to get into the weeds of that big RTD reform bill and dissect all Polis’ latest antics. Plus, one of the most highly anticipated performers at Denver PrideFest is “breaking her silence” about a legal dispute with one of Denver’s favorite clothing brands; Sterling addresses his opponent (aka, green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval); and all our wins and fails of the week. 

That’s not all! If you’re a City Cast Denver Neighbor, you’ll also get a bonus segment where we respond to some very fun listener comments and questions about DIA’s new plan to divert waylaid travelers into its infamous underground tunnels. 

Paul mentioned Pattie Gonia’s online merch store, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s comments about sanctuary cities, and Elijah Wood’s vaguely Lord of the Rings-themed DJ sets this weekend. Sterling talked about his campaign for HD5 and Colorado’s latest PIRG report on clean energy. Adrian discussed a clip of his costume on our Instagram last Halloween, Denver Water’s new anonymous reporting form, and the photos of State Sen. Matt Ball and Polis at the RTD bill signing. 

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What do you think about Governor Jared Polis’ latest antics? 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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From Chef Theo Adley’s French-inspired small plates at Heretíc to Johnny Curiel's Spanish bistro bites at Mar Bella Boqueria, tapas are having a moment. But are these petite dishes all they’re cracked up to be? Food and culture writer Sara Rosenthal joins host Bree Davies and producer Olivia Jewell Love to dig into the debate over small plates, plus discuss a new survey that ranks the top five “unlikely” places that Denver singles are going to find love these days. 

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

Did you enjoy this interview with Elizabeth Martinez from Compass Real Estate? Learn more here.

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The family of Kilyn Lewis – a 37 year-old unarmed Black man shot and killed by Aurora police in 2024 – filed another lawsuit against the City of Aurora last week, this time alleging systematic failures within the police department leading to his death. This comes after his estate filed a wrongful death lawsuit last year and as APD is still under a consent decree to change excessive use of force policies and discriminatory practices against people of color. Host Bree Davies and producer Olivia Jewell Love dig into the state of the APD in this moment, and what these two lawsuits are aiming to address. Then, DIA is finally getting pedestrian walkways and we hear from listeners about their fave cheap meal hacks around the city. 

Olivia mentioned linking something and I can’t remember what it was now?? I think this https://www.denverpost.com/2023/01/01/denver-airport-train-solutions-bridges-tunnel-walkway/

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If you enjoyed this interview with Danny Feely, the Director of FP&A at TaskRabbit, learn more here.

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A warm winter combined with late-spring cold snaps and ongoing drought concerns are impacting Colorado growers across the state. But what does that mean for the fruits and vegetables that make it to your favorite local farmers market? Peter Wanberg, co-owner of the City Park and Lafayette Farmers Markets, joins host Bree Davies to break down how climate issues dictate why you might see peaches at this year’s markets but not apples. He also shares his expert hacks for getting the most out of farmers market season, explains the difference between the produce at a chain grocery store vs. local agriculture-focused sellers, and more.

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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

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Are wildfires a threat Denverites should be worried about? After the urban devastation the Front Range experienced with the Marshall Fire in 2021, Denver is working on its own fire evacuation plans for the first time. Politics contributor Adrian Felix joins host Bree Davies and producer Olivia Jewell Love to dig into the big environmental stories of the week, plus discuss Mayor Johnston’s approach to homelessness in the context of the 2026 point in time count report, and as always, share their wins and fails of the week! And for a special members-only bonus segment, the trio speculate about why Casa Bonita is such a sore spot for Matt Stone and Trey Parker, beyond costing the billionaires a cool $50 million to buy and renovate.

Bree mentioned episodes we did on the Marshall Fire with a fire ecologist and an environmental reporter; she also talked about harm-reduction education in local schools and a Lakewood cop being investigated for alleged sexual misconduct and cybercrimes. Adrian mentioned Denver’s data center moratorium and the state Democratic Party censuring Governor Jared Polis. Olivia mentioned the JeffCo lookout alert system, a checklist for packing a “go bag,” fire prevention tree-cutting along highways, Children’s Hospital resuming gender affirming care for youth, and the lack of booze at the new Taco Bell Cantina in DIA.

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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

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City Cast Twin Cities host Sean McPherson hosts this showdown where 12 City Cast reps, including City Cast Denver host Bree Davies, compete head-to-head and debate which city is the best for a weekend trip this summer. From hot tub boats (exactly what they sound like) to epic outdoor summer festivals, our hosts are bringing the best of what their city has to offer this season. Can Bree beat out her competitors from Chicago, DC, Las Vegas, Madison, Nashville, Philly, Pittsburgh, Portland, Salt Lake, Seattle, and the Twin Cities?

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