City Cast Denver

In the context of his proposed budget for 2026, Mayor Mike Johnston has announced plans to shut down two shelters, saving the city $11 million. But that’s still far from enough to cover the $250 million shortfall between 2025 and 2026. The mayor critics are growing in number and intensity, blaming him for mismanagement, so Westword editor Patty Calhoun joins producer Paul Karolyi to talk about who’s to blame for the budget woes and what they have to do with his new policy strategy on homelessness. Plus, a ⁠longshot candidate for governor⁠ enters the race, and a listener has questions about rats at Larimer Square.

Patty talked about ⁠the mayor’s plans⁠ for Central Park. Paul mentioned ⁠Denverite’s reporting⁠ on the city’s budget woes. 

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What do you think about the mayor’s new direction on homelessness? 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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Denver as a city is more than 160 years old. So, with quite a few decades under the city’s belt, how are things looking these days? From a former mayor’s COVID-era tweets to a popular theater with a questionable moniker, we put some of Denver’s most famous and iconic people, places, and things to the test: Did that age well? Host Bree Davies debates the Mile High City’s best and worst looks with politics and green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval and Molly Smith, host of the Did That Age Well? podcast! 

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Bree mentioned both her and producer Paul Karolyi‘s appearances on Molly’s podcast to talk about Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Jurassic Park. 

What do you think about Denver has aged well? Or really, really hasn’t? 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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For years, the social media account DoBetterDNVR has been a thorn in Mayor Mike Johnston’s side, attracting 150,000 followers with harsh personal attacks, policy critiques, and crowd-sourced photos and videos of people experiencing homelessness in crisis. Then on Monday night, the anonymous admin mysteriously deactivated the accounts on Instagram and X. Our politics and green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval joins host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi to talk about why DoBetterDNVR stepped away now. Plus, a new report on how local politicians are navigating “toxic” social media, a preview the Denver season of Love is Blind that’s set to premiere next Wednesday, and all our wins and fails of the week. 

UPDATE: Hours after we recorded this episode, DoBetterDNVR returned! The newly reactivated account posted a surprising message acknowledging mistakes, committing to more accurate posts, and apologizing to Mayor Johnston and his wife Courtney. We are working to verify this new post and learn more. 

Bree talked about Pete’s University Park Cafe closing and Glenwood Springs. Paul discussed weed lounges, Palantir’s new merch, Rich Spirit Bagels, and our recent episode on how weird Gov. Polis is online. Justine talked about recycling plastic bottles and the new play from Jeff Campbell, Jedidiah Blackstone. 

Get more from City Cast Denver when you become a City Cast Denver Neighbor! You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at https://membership.citycast.fm/ 

What do you think about DoBetterDNVR's change of heart? 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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Fall is officially here, and the vibes are getting cozy. But beyond a quick service pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks, where do you go to settle in and really enjoy a warm and welcoming cup of coffee? Host Bree Davies and producer Olivia Jewell Love are joined by entrepreneur, content creator, and coffee shop aficionado ⁠Michelle Jackson⁠ to talk about the best local spots that bring the ambiance, offer creative drink choices, and capture what it means to be the best at the coffee game in the Mile High City.

Bree mentioned the lawsuit local baristas ⁠recently filed⁠ against Starbucks corporate’s new dress code. Michelle mentioned ⁠Weathervane’s “grandma-core” cabins⁠ that you can rent in Clear Creek County. She also mentioned the podcast she hosts for Colorado CarShare, “⁠How You Got There.⁠”

Get more from City Cast Denver when you become a City Cast Denver Neighbor! You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at ⁠https://membership.citycast.fm/⁠ 

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

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What’s your favorite coffee shop in the Denver metro? 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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With some of the best pho, dim sum, and tacos in the city, Federal Boulevard long ago earned its reputation as a top dining destination. But lately, Havana Street in Aurora has been getting attention for its own variety of global cuisine. So, is Havana the new Federal? We posed this question to Westword food writer Antony Bruno, who’s been eating his way up Aurora’s boulevard of strip malls, box stores, and used car lots, finding delicious surprises along the way. From a tucked away taqueria to a local Korean BBQ chain, Bruno shares what he’s learned about Aurora and some of his favorites with host Bree Davies.

Antony talked about Taqueria Corona, Snowl, Dae Gee Korean BBQ, Tofu Story, Yemen Grill, Coco Loco, and Katsu Ramen. Bree mentioned the Havana Night Market’s final event of the year this Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. at Leezakaya. 

Get more from City Cast Denver when you become a City Cast Denver Neighbor! You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at https://membership.citycast.fm/

What’s your favorite place to eat on Havana St.? 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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A major commercial real estate company is ⁠buying up buildings⁠ in downtown Denver and wants to convert the empty offices into housing, but the mysterious landowner is ⁠standing in the way⁠. And what does the owner of Lakeside Amusement Park have to do with the mayor’s big plan to revitalize the city’s urban core? Then, RTD has committed almost $1 million to pilot a shuttle service to Red Rocks, but it ⁠won’t be serving concert goers.⁠ Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are talking about these big stories on development and transit, plus a listener question about Clerk and Recorder Paul López’s ⁠delinquent property tax payments⁠.

Bree spoke with Paul López on Monday’s show about his beef with ⁠the mayor’s proposed budget cuts⁠. Paul mentioned CBRE’s ⁠recent analysis of downtown real estate⁠ and Evan Makovsky’s ⁠recent deal to lease space⁠ on 16th St. to Green Spaces with help from the Downtown Development Authority.

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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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Clerk and Recorder Paul López has been very vocal lately in his distaste for Mayor Johnston’s proposed city budget cuts. The top elections official feels the integrity of Denver’s ballot system is at stake and has even called the mayor’s decisions on city funding “a threat to democracy.” So, López himself sits down with host Bree Davies to hash out his beef with Johnston’s 2026 budget proposal and explain why he thinks the mayor’s fiscal moves are so dangerous for Denver’s elections. We also share a direct response to López’s claims from the mayor. 

Bree quoted Denverite’s reporting on former mayor John Hickenlooper’s layoffs in 2009. 

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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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Mayor Mike Johnston revealed his proposed budget for 2026 this week — the vibes are off and the numbers are down. But what can we read between the lines of his proposals to see where the city is going next? Our politics and green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval joins host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi to talk about the mayor’s new priorities on homelessness and other secrets hidden in the budget. Plus, some City Park neighbors are big mad about the Denver Zoo’s proposal to reopen a long-shuttered West Gate, so we’re talking about one of our favorite topics — parking — and all our other wins and fails of the week. Plus, Justine has a big announcement. 

Paul talked about a landmark preservation debate in Wash Park, rising homelessness in Houston, exceptions to Waste No More, and Denver’s gun violence dashboard. Bree talked about the Federal Theater reopening. Justine discussed the recent debates over the Mestizo-Curtis Park Pool and Park Hill Park. We also discussed the La Loma green chile situation. 

What do you think about the Zoo reopening the old West Gate? We want to hear from you! Especially if you live in City Park West. 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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Fighting on the internet is nothing new. But as our social media becomes more algorithmically siloed, the outrage machines are reshaping our policy outcomes in very real ways. Chris Vanderveen is an investigative reporter for 9News and has seen firsthand how online discourse is getting more divisive and subjective — especially when it comes to news coverage of crime. He joins host Bree Davies to talk about some recent stories he’s covered, why he engages with anonymous commenters on X.com, and how all the outrage is impacting laws and policy-making in Colorado.

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

Here’s one of Chris’ X threads about the Denver bus stabbings, and his post about getting offline. 

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Is it possible to capture the feeling of life in Denver in a song? Many, many people have tried, and the results are … mixed. But there’s a new banger out this year that we think shows off the magic of the city! So we invited the rappers behind the track — “Next Stop Denver” by Nelo (Feat. Wayne Watts)  — to join host Bree Davies and Denver Post entertainment reporter John Wenzel to break down their creative process and talk about all the songs they think embody our city best. 

What did we miss? We want to hear your picks for the songs that embody Denver! 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 this interview with Window Nation's Sales Manager, Ryan Quinnell, learn more here.

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