City Cast Denver

Since 2002, a unique team of highly trained, motivated people have been fighting wildfires across Colorado. But of the 2,500 people who have participated in the State Wildland Inmate Fire Team, or SWIFT, fewer than 10 have gone on to get firefighting jobs after their release from prison. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies speaks with Garry Briese, executive chair of Colorado State Fire Chiefs, about why it’s been so difficult to get SWIFT graduates jobs fighting wildfires after they get out.Looking for things to do in Denver this week? We’ve got tons of great recs in our newsletter. All you've got to do is subscribe: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Freshen up your Twitter feed with @citycastdenver!

Welcome to Friday, that time of the week where we look back on what’s been happening in Denver. This week, host Bree Davies and producer Xandra McMahon are joined by rapper, activist, and most recently, Meow Wolf artist Kalyn Heffernan. They chat about the immersive art installation’s long road to Denver and what Meow Wolf means to the hundred plus local artists it employs. Plus, Kalyn gives a backstage sneak peak of PHAMALY Theatre Company’s original rendition of “Alice in Wonderland,” scored by Kayln’s band, Wheelchair Sports Camp. Get tickets and more details here: https://phamaly.org/show/alice/Want more piping hot news in your inbox every weekday morning? Subscribe to the CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/And how ‘bout some tweets? @CityCastDenver

From Colorado’s worsening air quality to the recent UN report declaring a “code red for humanity,” climate change is at the forefront of our lives. This serious global issue may have once felt like a distant threat, but Coloradans are increasingly finding their everyday experiences impacted by the constant threat of wildfires, an increase in ozone days, and unbearable summer temperatures. But the issue of climate change can feel both overwhelming and intangible, as we ponder just what, exactly, we as individuals can do to make meaningful changes in our lives and environment. Today on the show, City Cast Denver host Bree Davies talks with Chase Woodruff, environmental reporter for Colorado Newsline, about what’s happening on the climate change front in Colorado, whose fault it is, and what, if anything, we as citizens can do to leave a better planet for the next generation.  Got a hankerin’ for more Denver news? We’ve got a newsletter just for you, pardner: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/And some dadgum tweets to boot! @citycastdenver 

When playwright Jessica Kahkoska set out to write something about the real-life impacts of wildfires on residents in Colorado, she looked to survivors of Grand County’s East Troublesome Fire, which burned more than 190,000 acres last year. In conjunction with History Colorado’s Museum of Memory and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Kahkoska produced “Wild Fire,” a composite of her interviewees’ often traumatic memories of living through the fire. As wildfire smoke once again blankets our state, City Cast Denver host Bree Davies spoke with Kahkoska about the urgency of processing this trauma, her personal connection with Colorado wildfires, and the unique power of theater to address this kind of climate catastrophe. “Wild Fire” opens Monday, August 16th at Levitt Pavilion. For tickets and more information, visit Levitt Pavilion. We’ve got more cool events to attend, shows to see, and news to catch up on in the City Cast Denver newsletter. Subscribe here: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Get some tweets while you’re at it: @citycastdenver 

When the Douglas County School District announced a new equity policy earlier this year, many parents in the predominantly white, affluent district cried foul, accusing the district of inserting “critical race theory” into the curriculum and fueling the major conservative media narrative of the summer. So with classes in DougCo schools starting up again this week, City Cast Denver host Bree Davies speaks with two of the parents who helped craft the equity policy, Nara Altmann and Ishmeet Kalra, about the need for such a thing in the first place and what they hope lingers after the national spotlight moves on. Looking for even more City Cast Denver in your mornings? Subscribe to our weekday morning newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Tweets @citycastdenver

Eight is an auspicious number in Chinese and other Asian cultures. That’s why some leaders of the local AAPI communities chose yesterday, 8/8, to unveil their new plans to commemorate Denver’s old Chinatown. It was at one point one of the largest Chinatowns in the American West, but now all that’s left is a racist old plaque a few blocks from where the neighborhood once was. City Cast Denver host Bree Davies sits down with one of the organizers, Dr. William Wei, to hear how the old plaque brought the group together, why it’s so important to enact change now, and what they hope for the future. Dr. William Wei is professor of history at CU Boulder, a former state historian, and the author of Asians in Colorado, which you should read if you want to learn more about the history of Colorado’s Chinese community. As unveiled at the event at Zoe Ma Ma across from Union Station yesterday, here is Dr. Wei’s proposed text for a new plaque commemorating Denver’s old Chinatown: Denver’s Historic Chinatown: 1869-1940Of the over 20 Chinese communities that once existed in the American West, Denver’s Chinatown was one of the largest and most prosperous. Chinatown’s origins can be traced to an anonymous Chinese immigrant who arrived in Denver in June 1869. He was probably one of the Chinese railroad workers who were mostly responsible for building the western half of the famous Transcontinental Railroad that unified the country economically and culturally.Chinatown was located on Wazee Street between 15th and 17th Streets, extending up to 22nd Street. It was a flourishing frontier community that provided a wide range of ethnic goods and services in a welcoming environment to Chinese immigrants working in Colorado and the Intermountain West. The Chinese immigrants performed mainly physical labor such as working in mines and building infrastructure. Eventually, they were relegated to marginal livelihoods such as laundrymen and cooks. Even though there were comparatively few Chinese residents, the local white population perceived them as an economic and cultural threat. Chinese encountered racial hostility and were denied civil rights, economic opportunity, and social equality. This hostility gave rise to “The Chinese Question,” a national controversy over whether Chinese laborers should be allowed to immigrate to the United States. Local antagonism led to Denver’s anti-Chinese race riot. On October 31, 1880, an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 Denverites descended upon Chinatown to destroy it and drive out the Chinese. During the mob’s rampage, they lynched and beat to death a laundryman named Look Young. Though the murderers were brought to trial, they were acquitted of the crime. Despite continued tensions, most of the Chinese community remained to rebuild Chinatown. What sounded the death knell of Denver’s Chinatown were national laws preventing Chinese immigrants from establishing families in America and even from entering the country. Ironically, Denver’s anti-Chinese riot was cited as one of the reasons why the U.S. Congress enacted the disreputable Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) to ensure social stability.Since the end of World War II, Chinese and other Asian Pacific Americans have returned to Denver’s lower downtown area to live and work. No longer confined to an ethnic enclave, they can now be found throughout the Greater Denver Metropolitan area and Colorado. Looking for more stories of Denver past, present, and future? Look no further than the City Cast Denver newsletter. Subscribe now and get your first edition tomorrow morning: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Tweets tweets tweets tweets tweets tweets @citycastdenver 

A note from producer Lizzie Goldsmith:The end of May was a time of transition for City Cast Denver. Our regular host, Bree Davies, was heading off on maternity leave, producer Paul Karolyi was getting ready to take over as temporary host, and the whole team was preparing to welcome me, Lizzie Goldsmith, as a producer for the summer. I rarely stepped behind the mic, but I worked behind the scenes on this wonderful whirlwind of a podcast, getting to know its wonderful creators.It was an honor to help tell so many important stories, but it was also a lot of fun. There were so many outtakes from our three crew members who took turns as host — Bree, Paul, and producer Xandra McMahon — that didn’t make it into the show, so I put together this blooper reel for the team to commemorate the first summer of City Cast Denver. I hope you listeners enjoy it too!For more City Cast goodness in print form, subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/We’re also on Twitter @citycastdenver 

TGICCDF (Thank God It’s City Cast Denver Friday) which means it’s time to look back on the news of the week. Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi chat about Historic Denver’s 50 actions for 50 places list that was released on Tuesday. They’ve also got a story update regarding the Park Hill Safe Outdoor Space (hear our episode from May 3 on the program here) and some weekend recommendations for things to do. Finally, the City Cast Denver crew learns a new locally-made board game: Canoosh. Here are links to Bree and Paul’s recommendations:Bree: Denver photographer Armando Geneyro’s exhibition “Brick & Soul” is at History Colorado through next JulyPaul: Former Denver Post reporter Dick Kreck’s “Smaldone: The Untold Story of An American Crime Family” should be available now from your favorite local bookstore. Want to know even more Denver things?! Subscribe to the CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Want some tweets? Here ya go: @CityCastDenver

Every day since July 5, Colorado health officials have issued an “action day” alert, warning residents about poor air quality across the Front Range. So what are we supposed to do about that? Not go outside during the summer anymore? Not breathe? Move? City Cast Denver host Bree Davies had questions, so we invited Dr. Anthony Gerber on the show for answers. He is professor of medicine and director of pulmonary research at National Jewish Health, as well as the chair of the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission. Dr. Gerber breaks down what exactly is so bad about our air, what we as individuals can do about it, and what we should be worried about.If you’re digging the pod, check out the newsletter! Subscribe right now and get all the Denver news delivered right to your inbox every weekday morning: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/Or if tweets are more your speed, we do those too: @citycastdenver

Adam Cayton-Holland, Andrew Orvedahl, and Ben Roy: Together, they are The Grawlix, a comedy supergroup that has risen to the top of Denver’s comedy scene over the past 20 years, consistently selling out shows and even skipping off to Los Angeles for a few years to make a big Hollywood TV show (“Those Who Can’t” is now streaming on HBOMax). So now that they’ve restarted their monthly comedy nights at The Bug Theater, we invited Adam, Andrew, and Ben to look back talk about how Denver shaped them and whether they think it’s still a good place to be funny. Get ready for some plugs!Together, Adam, Andrew, and Ben make a very funny podcast called The Grawlix Saves the World and perform on the last Saturday of every month at The Bug (tickets are available now). Individually, Andrew launched an independent game publishing company last year called Occupied Hex Games. Adam has a new album, Hot Takes, coming out soon and is performing his one-man show, Happy Place, at The Bug on September 4. Ben has a new album out called Take the Sandwich, makes a podcast called 97.9 The Rat Race, performs with his band SPELLS, oh and he also finds time to teach jiu-jitsu at Easton Training Center in Arvada. Ben says to come take a class!Think about this: You wake up tomorrow, you sit down to breakfast and a morning scroll, and whoa! It’s City Cast Denver in your inbox! Awesome! And all you’ve got to do to make it happen is click this link: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/We promise to write some really good tweets for you today: @citycastdenver