City Cast Denver

State Sen. Julie Gonzales announced yesterday that she’s challenging John Hickenlooper for his seat in the U.S. Senate, setting the stage for a very Denver Democratic primary next June. So, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are talking about how this race reflects the broader divide within the Democratic Party, from Gonzales and Hickenlooper’s respective policy achievements to their approaches to resisting President Trump. Plus, internal city documents reveal just how much influence a wealthy neighbor had over the change to DOTI’s traffic calming plans for Alameda Avenue, and we respond to listener feedback on our interview with RTD CEO Debra Johnson. Bree mentioned the potential redesign of the cloverleaf interchange at Federal Boulevard and Colfax Avenue. Help us hit the goal for our year-end membership drive! You’ll get more from City Cast Denver when you become a City Cast Denver Neighbor.  Enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at https://membership.citycast.fm  Vote for the finalists of the Denver-est Denver Awards! Your vote will determine the winners of Best Artist, Best Small Business, Biggest Win, and more. And don’t forget to buy your ticket to the show on Dec. 18 and see the winners announced live on stage at The Oriental Theater. Vote here and get your tickets now! 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 by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm What do you think about Gonzales vs. Hickenlooper? Who will you vote for? 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 December 9th episode: Denver Health Colfax Ave BID Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Aura Frames - Use code CITYCAST for $35 off Cozy Earth - Use code COZYDENVER for up to 20% off Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

‘Tis the season for holiday markets, ugly sweater parties, and pop-up bars aplenty — but what about the kids? Where do parents and caregivers take the little ones to have fun without breaking the bank? Last year, host Bree Davies sat down with fellow parents Linnea Covington, managing editor at DiningOut, and David Gilbert, writer and local history buff, to come up with a killer list of fun and affordable ways to keep kiddos entertained — from seasonal light displays to free visits with Santa and more. 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  Bree mentioned a video of the old, elaborate holiday displays at the long-demolished Buckingham Square in Aurora. What’s your favorite thing to do with the fam over the holidays? 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 There are plenty of things to do for adults, too! Check out our events calendar plus even more news from around the city by subscribing 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 by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm 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  Learn more about the sponsors of this December 8th episode: Denver Health Colfax Ave BID Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Aura Frames - Use code CITYCAST for $35 off Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

State Sen. Faith Winter was killed in a car accident last week, and the internet is buzzing with heartfelt tributes, but also rumors about the circumstances and some really nasty speculation. So how should we make terms with her multifaceted legacy? Congressional candidate Melat Kiros joins host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi to talk about Faith Winter and alcohol at the Capitol. Plus, a new local startup wants to sell you a house for $5, a viral video is sparking heated conversations about refugees in Aurora, and the hottest fashion trend in China is “Colorado”? And as always, we wrap with our wins and fails of the week.  Paul mentioned Troy Guard’s new restaurant and his previous comments about Denver’s restaurant scene, as well as a new exhibit at History Colorado and this New Yorker article about America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. Bree talked about the federal funding cuts for housing, and a cool new building on Speer. What do you think about the new real estate sweepstakes? 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. Watch clips from the show on YouTube: youtube.com/@citycastdenver or Instagram @citycastdenver Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/Denver Learn more about the sponsors of this December 5th episode: Warren Village The People Park Colfax Ave BID Multipass Ballpark Denver Elizabeth Martinez with PorchLight Real Estate - Do you have a question about Denver real estate? Submit your questions for Elizabeth Martinez HERE, and she might answer in next week’s segment. Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

We’re celebrating all the Rocky Mountain highs and lows of the year by giving our the inaugural Denver-est Denver Awards! Join us on Dec. 18 for special celebrity guests, live music, comedy, and a formal awards presentation to the Best Artist of the Year, the Best Bar/Restaurant, the Biggest Win, and more. We received hundreds of heartfelt nominations and today on the podcast, host Bree Davies and producers Paul Karolyi and Olivia Jewell Love reveal the finalists for our six categories. Now it’s up to you to vote for the winners! Who will you pick for the Denver-est Denverite of the Year? Vote for the finalists now! And get your tickets for the party on Dec. 18 at The Oriental Theater! 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 by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm What do you think of the finalists? Tell us who you’re voting for and why! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear your message on the show: 720-500-5418 If you enjoyed the sponsored segment conversation with Maya Osterman-Van Grack, the Executive Director of Programs for Mirror Image, and their Community Engagement Manager, Michael Board, learn more here. Learn more about the sponsors of this December 4th episode: Women's Bean Project The People Park Colfax Ave BID Multipass Ballpark Denver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Denver’s public transit agency RTD has had a rough couple of years. Almost a full year of track maintenance and slowdowns led to a nearly 20% decline in light rail ridership, but ridership across the network overall is down, too. With even more light rail maintenance expected in the next few years, RTD’s budget is projected to hit multi-billion deficits in the early 2030s. So what’s the plan to get back on track? And if the answer is more money, who will pay? RTD CEO and General Manager joins producer Paul Karolyi to discuss what she thinks the biggest problems are, her plan for the budget deficit, and what she does when her train is late.  Paul referenced Nate Minor’s reporting for CPR about the senior leaders who left RTD in recent years and quoted the emailed statement Johnson shared with the Denver Post for this recent story. Johnson quoted some recent data on ridership numbers and talked about RTD’s new tap-to-pay technology.  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 by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm What do you think should be done to improve RTD? We want to hear from you! Would you pay higher sales taxes? Or would you prefer to pay more at parking meters? Or do you think RTD is going well enough as it is? 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 December 3rd episode: Warren Village The People Park Colfax Ave BID Multipass Ballpark Denver Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise