City Cast Denver

There’s a measure on Denver ballots this year that was many, many years in the making. After countless community debates, angry posts to Nextdoor, and level-headed conversations between neighbors, City Council passed an amendment to our zoning code in February allowing up to five unrelated adults to live together in a single home (previously, it was capped at 2). But even after the vote, the debate waged on. Critics collected more than 13,000 signatures to put a repeal motion on the ballot, so now it’s up to Denver voters to decide the fate of group living. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies used to live communally, so today on the show she sits down with her old roommate Piper Rose to talk about why group living was so important to them.Also, and we’re asking for a friend: what’s the statute of limitations on zoning code violations?We requested an interview with a representative of the group that collected the signatures to put a repeal measure on the ballot, Safe and Sound Denver, and they declined. So if you’re looking for a different perspective on this issue, including the other changes it would make to our zoning code (e.g. expanding possible locations for halfway houses), we recommend perusing their website: https://www.safeandsounddenver.com/For more on all the measures in front of Denver voters this election, subscribe to our weekday morning newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Get those good tweets @citycastdenver

Denver is in the middle of another election. Did you notice? It’s an off year, but there are still plenty of important issues to decide. We’ll be digging in to all of them as election day approaches, but first the question of Defend Colorado, a so-called “dark money” group that’s poured $540,000 into several different measures so far. So what exactly is dark money? And how is Defend Colorado using it to shape some of the most important issues facing our city? Host Bree Davies sits down with Conor McCormick-Cavanagh, who’s been reporting on Defend Colorado’s dark money spending for Westword, to sort it all out.For more from Conor, here’s his latest piece on the dark money at play in Denver’s election: https://www.westword.com/news/dark-money-defend-colorado-denver-election-expenditure-12404774We shared a doozy of a story about some shady dealings at the Parks and Rec Dept. in our newsletter this morning. Did you catch it? Don’t miss another one and subscribe right here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Does knowing about dark money spending affect the way you’re going to vote? Tell us on Twitter @citycastdenver

The music you hear every day on City Cast Denver wasn’t made for a podcast — it’s the work of Denver Chicano band Los Mocochetes. The songs we weave into each episode are rooted in the history and culture of Denver, and help us convey a range of emotions throughout our more than 100 episodes. They are also the foundation of a new record, Mucho Gusto, which Los Mocochetes will be releasing this Saturday, October 23rd at Raíces Brewing Company. In advance of their big show, Diego Florez and Joshua Abeyta sit down with Host Bree Davies to discuss the new album and talk about what it means to identify as a Chicano band in Colorado.Grab tickets to Los Mocochetes album release party at Raíces Brewing Company: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/los-mocochetes-ep-release-mucho-gusto-tickets-181456670787?aff=ebdsoporgprofileGet more news delivered straight to your inbox every weekday: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Tell us your favorite Los Mocochetes track on Twitter: @citycastdenver

Palantir Technologies is a massive, publicly traded defense contractor founded on the promise of bringing Silicon Valley-style data analysis to the U.S. armed forces. And now, after years spent complaining about the “monoculture” of the Bay Area, Palantir’s leaders have moved the company’s headquarters to Denver. So what do they see in us? Why are people protesting them in the street? And what can we expect from our new neighbor? City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi speaks with Max Chafkin, reporter for Bloomberg Businessweek and author of a brand new book on Palantir’s co-founder Peter Thiel: The Contrarian: Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley's Pursuit of Power. For more on Palantir’s early operations in Denver, past City Cast Denver guest Ed Sealover has a good article for you right here: https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2020/11/16/palantir-technologies-denver-headquarters-move.htmlAfter speaking with Max, we reached out to the City of Denver and the State of Colorado to learn more about what kinds of negotiations or incentives helped lure Palantir to Denver, and neither said they actively recruited or offered any sort of special benefit. “But we’re not surprised that our workforce talent pool and quality of life is a major selling point for any major tech company, and has made us a destination for these businesses to locate and relocate,” a spokesperson for the city added.Hate Chipotle’s new queso? Got an off-menu order that changes the game? We’re talking all things Denver-style, Mission-style burritos this week, and we want to hear from you! Give us your name, your neighborhood, and your hottest take, and you may hear your voicemail on the show. The number to call is (720) 500-5418‬.Sign up for our newsletter! https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Follow us on Twitter! @citycastdenver

Welcome back to Fridays at City Cast Denver where the crew chats about the news of the week and shares their perspectives. Today, host Bree Davies, producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon, and newsletter writer Peyton Garcia hash out the New York Times’ picks for “the most vibrant and delicious” restaurants in the country. Spoiler alert: restaurants in Denver and Boulder made the cut. Plus, Xandra hit a silver mine when she found a Denver trivia game from the ’80s at a yard sale for a buck. She’ll be testing the team’s true knowledge of the Mile High City and you can play along!(This has nothing to do with the New York Times’ list but…) do you have strong feelings about Chipotle or Illegal Pete’s? Leave us a voicemail: 720-500-5418.Have more Peyton in your life! Subscribe to the CCD newsletter she writes every weekday: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Let’s keep in touch. We’re on Twitter: @CityCastDenver

It has been 500 years since the fall of Tenochtitlan, but the Spanish colonization of Mesoamerica still reverberates across the world today — including here in Denver, where Museo de las Americas is opening a new exhibition that explores that legacy. Smoking Mirrors: Visual Histories of Identity, Resistance and Resilience was curated by Chicano/a Murals of Colorado Project and features the work of more than 20 muralists and other artists from Colorado and New Mexico, including Emanuel Martínez, Nani Chacón, Gregg Deal, Ratha Sok, and more. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies talks with the show’s curator, Lucha Martínez de Luna, about the importance of telling these stories of resistance, decolonization, and multi-dimensional identity through the work of artists who aren’t always given their rightful space in a museum context. Learn more about Smoking Mirrors: Visual Histories of Identity, Resistance and Resilience opening this Friday night via Museo de las Americas.For more with Lucha Martínez de Luna, do yourself a favor and revisit our episode about her work preserving the remaining Chicano murals around Denver: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-urgent-push-to-preserve-chicano-murals/id1557798162?i=1000518191869Want more news in your inbox every weekday? Subscribe to our newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Chat with us on Twitter: @citycastdenver

Ron Morales has been roasting green chiles in a parking lot at the corner of 52nd and Sheridan every fall for the past 28 years. He learned the trade from his father and hopes to pass it on to his kids one day — if any of them decide to take on the family business. But what exactly does it take to make this signature Colorado ritual possible year after year? Ron shared his story with City Cast Denver producer Paul Karolyi and newsletter writer Peyton Garcia on a recent behind-the-scenes tour of the Morales Family Chile Store. If this episode gets you in the mood to buy some fresh roasted chiles of your own, there’s a helpful list of chile roasters available at denvergreenchili.com. But really all you need to do is stop at the next stand you see on the side of the road. Want your mornings to feel as good as fresh roasting green chiles smell? Subscribe to our newsletter right here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Got a go-to green chile supplier? Let’s talk: @citycastdenver

Since 2012 when the City of Denver enacted the Urban Camping Ban, the forced removal of people from tents and other temporary shelters — commonly known as “sweeps” — have become the norm. Even as houseless neighbors and advocates protest these displacements, the Hancock administration continues to conduct them. But one recent sweep of an encampment outside the Four Winds American Indian Council in Baker challenged the status quo in a different way. Today on the show, City Cast Denver host Bree Davies talks with Four Winds American Indian Council chair Mateo Parsons about why this sweep is different and where things stand with this part of the indigenous community and the city.To hear from one of the residents of the encampment outside Four Winds, here’s a link to a video of a man talking about a confrontation he had with DPD at the camp: https://www.facebook.com/fourwindsamericanindiancouncil/videos/?ref=page_internalHere’s the full response we got from the mayor’s office:General about the cleanup:We remain focused on connecting those living in any unsanctioned encampment with services, shelter and housing that will help them exit homelessness as quickly as possible. Unsanctioned encampments pose a health and safety risk to those living in them and those living around them. The Mayor has been clear that they cannot persist when better alternatives remain available. About the meeting with Four Winds folks:Mayor Hancock and city staff meet with representatives from the Four Winds American Indian Council and the encampment that was located outside their building. The meeting was productive and alternative options were discussed for those who were in the encampment, including housing, shelter and access to safe outdoor spaces. As well, several of the individuals in the encampment were connected with housing already through outreach efforts prior to the encampment cleanup. Additional context:For further context on those who were connected to real solutions as opposed to the accusations of those who want them to stay in these conditions: there were five people from that encampment who were placed in Safe Outdoor Spaces and 10 who were provided two-week motel vouchers to help them connect with longer term services and resources. The week before the actual cleanup, the Homeless Outreach Team contacted a woman living in the encampment outside Four Winds who had three small children (including a toddler) living in the tent with her. Nobody at Four Winds or within the camp had offered her assistance or bothered to provide resources for the children. DPD was able to get her and her children out of the encampment and connected with supportive resources.And here’s the full response we got from the Department of Housing Stability (HOST): Prior to all encampment cleanups, street outreach teams are deployed on multiple dates leading up to the cleanup to connect individuals with resources, services, shelter and housing. Outreach prior to the Four Winds cleanup resulted in the following:  One family (mother plus three children) placed into family shelter and connected with services Five individuals placed into Safe Outdoor Space managed campsites 10 individuals placed, via motel vouchers, into motels for 14 days with follow-up visits provided by street outreach teams One person referred for permanent supportive housing with another successfully rehoused Three individuals completed case management steps necessary in order to be prioritized for future housing referral In addition, individuals were provided with food, vaccinations, and medical/behavioral care  HOST continues to work with individuals who were residing in this encampment. HOST has partnered with several Native American-led organizations, as well as with the Colorado Village Collaborative, on visioning efforts related to future Safe Outdoor Space sites.

Redistricting is important. We swear. Every ten years, our elected officials fight over how and who will elect them next time -- or not. Which groups will be overrepresented? Or underrepresented? Who knows! Fortunately, we're doing a feed-swap this week with the Get More Smarter podcast, which is hosted by a couple of guys who have been around Colorado politics for a long time: Ian Silverii, formerly of ProgressNow Colorado, and Jason Bain, of ColoradoPols.com. They talk about Lauren Boebert and the state GOP primary to take on Michael Bennet, then go deep on redistricting with Evan Wyloge, a veteran redistricting reporter with coloradopolitics.com.Also, and this is for podcast fans, how cool is it that they have a theme by Breakmaster Cylinder?Here's their description of this episode:This week, our favorite Colorado insurrectionist joins the US Senate Republican Primary and we're taking bets on how badly this ruins GOP chances to beat Michael Bennet in 2022. Our 7th favorite congressperson from Colorado makes us ask, once again, “What the hell is wrong with our 7th favorite congressperson from Colorado?” The Colorado Republican Party doesn’t know the first rule of fight club, so the break the hell out of it. We have another edition of MAP MADNESS, where we discuss the brand-new redistricting and reapportionment process in Colorado AND we interview Evan Wyloge, reporter for the various Gazettes and ColoradoPolitics.com who has had the distinct pleasure of covering this public-political-cartography process not once, but twice!Follow Evan on Twitter: @EvanWylogeSome of Evan's redistricting articles mentioned in the interview- Coordinated persuasion efforts emerge in Colorado redistricting commissions’ public comments (9/20/21)- Challenge to congressional map plan over minority protections announced already (9/30/21)- Newly revealed interactions added to redistricting lobbying complaint (9/27/21)- Colorado nonprofit targeted with redistricting lobbying complaint helped draft others’ map proposals (8/30/21)-------This week, we're doing a feed-swap with our friends at City Cast Denver, Denver's only local daily news podcast. They make terrific content, and you'll find their recent episode about Casa Bonita in our feed. Subscribe to the City Cast Denver podcast and newsletter.-------Hosts: Jason Bane | Ian SilveriiProducer: Ethan BlackIntern: Taleen SampleMusic: Breakmaster CylinderFollow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Visit our website at getmoresmarter.com.

It’s Friday, which means the City Cast Denver team chats about some of the craziest news items from the week. Today on the show, Producer Xandra McMahon sits down with Newsletter Writer Peyton Garcia and Host Bree Davies to discuss the Boulder Daily Camera’s removal of its front page 9/11 anniversary story and the journalism drama that followed. Plus, the crew takes Conde Nast to task for proclaiming Aspen the “Best Small Town in America” (ever heard of Estes Park?) Oh, and Chowdermeister — the festival claiming to bring clam chowder and Jägermeister together. But the whole thing got canceled, because apparently, Jäger can’t take a joke. Whatever, we thought it was funny. Want more news in your inbox every weekday? Subscribe to the City Cast Denver newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Be our friend on Twitter! @citycastdenverTell us about your favorite small town in Colorado — leave us a voicemail: (720) 500-5418‬