City Cast Denver

¡Viva! Streets brought more than 40,000 Denverites out to enjoy car-free streets in 2023. But the pedestrian-centered effort to revitalize downtown won’t be returning this year, and advocates are questioning who is ultimately to blame. Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are talking through the suspects, as well as this story about the new robots patrolling LoDo parking garages. Finally, listeners share their thoughts on the labor, environmental, and fashion concerns of the company Mayor Mike Johnston chose to supply the yellow-vest uniform for downtown’s new ambassador program.

The Denver Streets Partnership is circulating a petition to save ¡Viva! Streets in 2024.

Paul discussed Cotopaxi’s sustainability policy and this third-party review of the company’s sustainability practices. Listener Baily Rose alluded to this classic episode of ours, featuring a local oil and gas executive calling out The North Face for hypocrisy. 

What do you think about ¡Viva! Streets’ cancellation? 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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Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:

• Tecovas

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The Colorado state legislature returned to work last week, with Democrats still in control of both the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the governor’s office. Housing remains top of mind for state leaders, with unsettled debates over zoning, rent control, and transit-related development expected to continue from last year. But after Governor Jared Polis’s massive land-use reform failure, what, if anything, could change about Colorado’s approach to housing? And what should Denverites in particular be watching? Colorado Sun politics reporter Brian Eason joins host Bree Davies to dig into the big themes for legislators this year and examine the burning question: With lingering tensions over Gaza, will they be able to agree on anything at all?

Bree mentioned friend of the show Nate Minor’s excellent podcast “Ghost Train” for CPR. 

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

Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:

• Tecovas

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Sponsored by Tecovas, Western Week reaches a thrilling finale!

The Downtown Denver Partnership and Mayor Mike Johnston rolled out a new safety program this week in the form of 650 yellow-vested private security and nonprofit outreach workers. Could these new “ambassadors” be the signal of a safer downtown? And as homelessness and migrant arrivals take up city resources, will the mayor make good on his promise to prioritize the arts? Producer Paul Karolyi and host Bree Davies are joined by politics and green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval to dissect all the stories that mattered to Denverites this week, plus a round of Rocky Mountain Highs and Lows. 

Justine talked about a four-part series in the Denver Post on alcoholism in Colorado. Bree mentioned at story from the Colorado Sun on artists moving to the San Luis Valley and an obituary for her great uncle, John Litz. Paul discussed the IRS and TABOR, this week’s Rocky Flats news, and his five-part podcast series “Unclear Danger: The Colorado Story of Rocky Flats,” which he neglected to mention was supported by a Denver Arts & Venues grant — what a coincidence!

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

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

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Sponsored by Tecovas, Western Week continues!

And we are digging into one of Denver’s most unusual claims to culinary fame — the Rocky Mountain oyster, aka bull’s balls. But is this quirky appetizer really a unique local delicacy? Or something a lot more complicated? Producer Paul Karolyi and newsletter editors Peyton Garcia and Adrian González visited one of the most famous purveyors of Rocky Mountain oysters, the iconic Buckhorn Exchange (est. 1893), to share a plate of bovine cojones with a side of surprising Mile High history and lore. 

Have you ever had Rocky Mountain oysters? What did you think of ‘em? Got a favorite place to get them? Or a story about the Buckhorn Exchange? 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.

Here are links to our picks for your weekend:

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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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Sponsored by Tecovas, Western Week continues!

And we are going into the belly of the beast, the Stock Show itself. Join host Bree Davies and returning guest Joshua Emerson — stand-up comic and co-chair of the Denver American Indian Commission — as they talk to ranchers and vendors, old-timers and outlaws, and all sorts of colorful characters in town to carry on this beloved Denver tradition. Tag along as they ask the uncomfortable questions, open the closed doors, and figure out once and for all, what does one do inside a Beef Palace?

Missed an episode of Western Week? Catch up on all the goodness:

For even more Western Week, 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

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Welcome back to Western Week, our weeklong celebration and investigation into Denver’s Western roots, brought to you by Tecovas! 

Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi stopped by the Tecovas store in Cherry Creek North to smell the fine leather goods and talk through all the stories that matter to Denverites this week. First, mayor Mike Johnston declared victory in his effort to get 1,000 unhoused people off the streets in 2023. But can he do it again in 2024? Plus, we’re talking about who Congresswoman Lauren Boebert punched in the face over the weekend and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to hear appeals over former president Donald Trump’s ban from Colorado’s Republican presidential primary.

Wanna hear us dive deep into the Stock Show’s “cattle sperm auction,” as listener Celia S. suggested? Get access to that members-only bonus episode, plus ad-free listening and more by becoming a member of City Cast Denver today! Join now for as little as $8/month at membership.citycast.fm.

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

Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

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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Welcome back to Western Week! 

Sponsored by Tecovas, our celebration of Denver’s Western roots continues today with a game about the stories we Denverites tell about ourselves. It’s Two Truths and a Tall Tale about Denver’s Wild West history! Politics and green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval joins host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi to swap mostly true stories about con men, sex workers, unruly cattle, uranium mining, the gold rush, and more. Can you figure out which of these stories are shockingly real and which are tall tales?

Love Colorado history? Check out our past episodes on the sex workers of the Wild West, the Black homesteaders who settled the Dry, and the work Denver Parks and Rec is doing to bring bison back to the indigenous communities rooted in this region. 

What do you think? Do you have a favorite tall tale of Denver’s Wild West? We want to hear it. 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.

Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

Support City Cast Denver and become a member: membership.citycast.fm

Learn more about the sponsor of this episode:

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

Sponsored by Tecovas, Western Week continues! 

As the longhorns paraded down 17th Street yesterday to kick off the National Western Stock Show, we gathered downtown to talk through the biggest stories of the week, each of which offers a look at the state of Colorado’s urban-rural divide. Longtime Western Slope representative Lauren Boebert is switching districts — will she appeal to conservatives in Denver’s suburbs? Then, thanks mostly to urban voters, wolf reintroduction is in full swing — so what does it all have to do with the Mile High price of a burger these days? Producer Paul Karolyi and host Bree Davies are joined by Aspen Times Western Slope politics reporter Elliott Wenzler to dig into the news and share the first Rocky Mountain Highs and Lows of 2024.

Elliott talked about donkeys as the first line of defense against wolves, shouted out the Ouray Ice Festival, and mentioned Jesse Paul’s coverage of Boebert’s district switch. Bree referenced a story from The Oregonian about the impacts of wolf reintroduction and unrelated, Aaron Gordon’s dog bites. Paul talked about Russell Wilson’s good sportsmanship and the federal government’s lack of support for Denver and the migrant crisis. 

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

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

Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver

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Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/Denver

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Presented by Tecovas, Western Week continues! 

The National Western Stock Show kicks off this weekend, serving up 16 days of fun things to do, see, and eat! Whether you’re an experienced rodeo-goer or a first-timer, a plan is a necessity — but where do you start? From a high-dollar art show to mutton bustin’ to cattle pageantry, there are dozens of unique agricultural, historical, cultural, and culinary offerings to choose from. Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi sit down with Westword editor Patty Calhoun — a super Stock Show aficionado and cowboy boot enthusiast — to get the lowdown on how to do the big horse and cattle show right. 

For even more help planning your Stock Show visit, we’ve got a quick and dirty FAQ for you at denver.citycast.fm. 

Patty mentioned the Coors Western Art Exhibit, the Cowboy Bar, and the Livestock Exchange building, along with other historic buildings worth touring on the National Western property. Paul quoted from the 2023 Leachman Cattle of Colorado Commercial Breeder’s Guide. 

ICYMI: We also discussed the 4-H kids who raise livestock for the Stock Show, but neglected to mention the episode we made last January tagging along with one Arvada girl who was showing off a goat. Check it out if you missed it!

Our Hey Denver newsletter editor Peyton Garcia has some helpful tips for navigating parking, ticket pricing, and more at the Stock Show. For even more news from around the city, subscribe to Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.

Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver

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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

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

Welcome to Western Week, sponsored by Tecovas!

The National Western Stock Show is set to open this weekend in Denver, as it has almost every January since 1906. More than a rodeo and livestock showcase, this annual event is an integral part of Denver’s identity and economy, bringing in billions of dollars over the decades. But the story of a city and its rodeo is not all bolo ties and button-snap shirts! To kick off our weeklong celebration and investigation into Denver's Western roots, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi tracked down a chapter that’s best not forgotten — the time the Stock Show almost left Denver… forever. We hear from former speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives Terrance Carroll, Rockmount Ranch Wear president Steve Weil, National Western Stock Show CEO Paul Andrews, and start to answer our big Western Week question: Is Denver still a cowtown? 

What do you think? Is Denver still a cowtown or something else entirely? 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

Stick around to the end of the episode for your Tecovas Tip of the Day! Because the Stock Show is its own world, and we’ve teamed up with Tecovas to get you all the insider know-how.

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

Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver

Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver

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