Denverite Now

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Christian Clark bemoans the state of the top three active local sports franchises and recommends a game of the week. Here's Christian's recent article about Nuggets star Nikola Jokic: Nuggets star Nikola Jokic has already overcome long odds. His next challenge? The weight of expectation Can you top Paul's suggestion for a new Jokic nickname? Tweet it at us using #DenveriteNow. 2) Erica Meltzer and Andy Kenney discuss City Council president Albus Brooks' proposal to ban vaping and smoking on the 16th Street Mall—who's against it, who's for it and why. Here's a selection of their stories on the subject: A smoking ban on the 16th Street Mall got a little closer to reality 16th Street smoking ban becomes civil rights controversy amid homeless concerns Yes, smoking is bad for you, but should Denver ban it on the 16th Street Mall? Denver may ban smoking and vaping on 16th Street Mall Remember, you can send any questions or feedback about the podcast to tips@denverite.com or tweet

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Adrian D. Garcia discusses the Boulder-based Brewers Association's latest plea for attention to their struggle against Big Beer. Here's his piece on the subject: Craft brewers ready to buy Anheuser, just need $213 billion 2) Kevin Beaty shares the story of Ingrid Encalada, a Peruvian immigrant who has escaped deportation and is currently taking sanctuary at a church in Fort Collins. Here's Kevin's latest story on the subject, including a selection of the photos he mentions in this episode: Defying deportation, Ingrid Encalada will enter sanctuary once again Remember, you can send any questions or feedback about the podcast to tips@denverite.com or tweet at us using the hashtag #DenveriteNow.

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Paul joined the Denverite team on Colfax this past Tuesday to interview residents and other passersby about their experiences on the iconic avenue. FYI: Some of the responses included here are explicit. 2) Dave Burdick, Andy Kenney and Ashley Dean have a roundtable discussion to conclude Colfax Week. Here's a selection of the stories mentioned in the episode: The "storage castle" changed East Colfax in 1926, and then never changed again We're pretty sure Playboy never said Colfax was the "longest, wickedest street in America" — but it printed something better A night and a morning at Nob Hill Inn, the oldest dive bar on Colfax Jewish pioneers built the miniature downtown near Mile High — and a legacy on Colfax Remember, you can send any questions or feedback about the podcast to tips@denverite.com or tweet at us using the hashtag #DenveriteNow.

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Megan introduces Colfax Week and offers an update on last year's theme week, which was all about the 16th Street Mall. Here's her latest piece on the current proposals to redevelop the mall: How would you redesign the 16th Street Mall? Here are three new options 2) Erica talks through her new comprehensive dive into gentrification and how it has been affecting our city in all different ways. We highly recommend taking the time to read it here: What's so bad about gentrification anyway? Remember, you can send any questions or feedback about the podcast to tips@denverite.com or tweet at us using the hashtag #DenveriteNow.

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Ashley got a chance to dine at Denver's hottest new restaurant, Tavernetta, before a kitchen fire forced it to temporarily close. She gives us the skinny on the long-awaited follow-up from the team behind Boulder's fine dining darling Frasca Food and Wine, and she shares a tasty recommendation. Tavernetta makes its highly anticipated debut, bringing Italian regional cuisines to the platform at Union Station 2) Erica reports back from the City Council's Monday night session, which stretched deep into Tuesday morning. The council voted to designate Packard's Hill a historic district. Erica explains why it took seven hours and how it fits into our ongoing conversation about gentrification. Here's her report from the marathon meeting: A divided Denver City Council votes to create Packard's Hill Historic District in West Highland And here's the opinion piece by Bree Davies that Paul mentioned: OPINION: How I learned that civic engagement isn't as easy as it should be Remember, you

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Kendall Smith recently joined Denverite as its first vice president of sales and events. He introduces himself and talks about what he'll be up to. Denverite hires its first VP, Sales and Events: Meet Kendall Smith 2) Adrian D. Garcia talks through Denver's bid to host Amazon's second North American campus and the controversy surrounding it. Here's a few of the pieces Adrian has published about the bid: Amazon and its 50,000 employees could make Denver the "San Francisco of the plains" Denver is already in talks about Amazon headquarters "mega prospect" Amazon would have "social responsibilities" if it came to Colorado, Gov. John Hickenlooper says And here's the New York Times' analysis Adrian mentioned: Dear Amazon, We Picked Your New Headquarters for You Remember, you can send any questions or feedback about the podcast to tips@denverite.com or tweet at us using the hashtag #DenveriteNow.

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Christian Clark previews the week ahead in sports and tosses out a few recommendations for games to watch. If you're interested in the U.S. Women's National Team's match this Friday, check out Christian's story about Colorado's own Mallory Pugh and Lindsey Horan: Colorado's Lindsey Horan and Mallory Pugh are preps-to-pros trailblazers 2) Megan Arellano breaks down the results of her study of the gifts received by Denver's elected officials so far this year. Here's a link to her story: Every gift that Mayor Hancock and Denver's other elected officials got in the first half of 2017 And here's Erica Meltzer's report on the rules change that mandated the new gift reports back in March: Denver City Council adopts new ethics rules that limit gifts of meals and tickets to $300 Remember, you can send any questions or feedback about the podcast to tips@denverite.com or tweet at us using the hashtag #DenveriteNow.

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Megan Arellano was cold-called by a real estate salesman and learned something new about the housing market. Here's her story about the call: Why cold calling is a valid tool for some realtors – or – an account of the longest spam call I've ever been on 2) Andy Kenney and Erica Meltzer break down the local effects of the Trump administration's decision to rescind DACA. Here's a selection of Denverite's coverage of the program: Six months and counting: How Coloradans are planning for the end of DACA Trump admin. rescinds DACA program – now it's up to Congress Gov. John Hickenlooper urges "common sense" on DACA as advocates mobilize Denver's DACA kids prepare for the fight of their lives Remember, you can send any questions or feedback about the podcast to tips@denverite.com or tweet at us using the hashtag #DenveriteNow.

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Kevin returns to give us the answer to last week's installment of our sound-guessing game, "Where's Kevin Now?" Here's the video he mentions: WATCH: The giant M and a century-long Miners tradition 2) Erica breaks down City Council's new ordinance governing how the city will interact with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and puts it in the context of the ongoing debate over illegal immigration. Here's Erica's story on Monday's vote: How Denver is limiting its cooperation with immigration officials Remember, you can send any questions or feedback about the podcast to tips@denverite.com or tweet at us using the hashtag #DenveriteNow.

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Kevin returns for another round of our sound guessing game "Where's Kevin Now?" If you know where Kevin was, tweet your answer with #DenveriteNow or email it to tips@denverite.com. The first correct answer wins a shout-out in the Denverite morning newsletter! 2) Andy, Erica and Dave have a roundtable discussion about place names in light of the op-eds Denverite ran this week. Respectively, they covered RiNo vs. Five Points, Highlands vs. Northside, and Stapleton's KKK connection.

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Dave Burdick talks through Denverite's Facebook comments policy in light of a conflict that broke out on Wednesday over a post about Black Lives Matter and the Denver City Council. Here's a link to the post in question. 2) Christian Clark and Kevin Beaty tell us the story of Beth Buglione, Colorado's first female high school varsity football coach, ahead of her Nederland Panthers' first game this week. Here's their story: How a Raiders fan from Oregon became the first female varsity football coach in Colorado history Remember, you can send any questions or feedback about the podcast to tips@denverite.com or tweet at us using the hashtag #DenveriteNow.

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Megan Arellano joins us for a new segment we're calling Number of the Week! This time, it's all about real estate. Here's a few more numbers from Megan: Seven numbers that explain Denver real estate in early August 2) Erica Meltzer breaks down DIA's proposal to renovate its Great Hall, which would mean major changes for how the security line works. You can find her story on the subject here: Explained: The $1.8 billion DIA security line fix, who's for it, who's against it and why 3) Adrian D. Garcia and Ashley Dean put the spotlight on Meow Wolf, the Santa Fe, New Mexico-based art collective that's been making inroads in Denver this year. Here's a few Denverite stories about it: Meow Wolf grants give lifelines to Denver art nonprofits and DIY spaces Meow Wolf Denver location won't be the Sportscastle, but decision to come here (or not) may come soon Meow Wolf hopes to raise roughly $1 million to expand to Denver, Las Vegas or Texas Remember, you can send any questions or fe

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Ashley Dean delves into the history of the Underground Music Showcase and doles out a few recommendations to anyone joining the festivities on South Broadway this weekend. Here's her oral history on the UMS: How the underground became the biggest show in Denver: an oral history of the UMS 2) Adrian D. Garcia discusses the future of Colfax Avenue and how your vote on this fall's GO bond could help shape it. Here's his story on Colfax from earlier this week: East Colfax's identity will soon change – but to what? Remember, you can send any questions or feedback about the podcast to tips@denverite.com or tweet at us using the hashtag #DenveriteNow.

This week on Denverite Now... 1) Denverite's first birthday party is on July 26 at Galvanize Platte, and you are invited. RSVP here! 2) Erica Meltzer breaks down the new ordinance giving DIY and other unpermitted spaces a way to bring their buildings up to code. Her coverage – links below – is the latest of Denverite's award-winning reporting about Denver's response to the Ghost Ship fire in Oakland this past December. Denver artists will get more time to bring their spaces into compliance, but what they really need is money 3) Kevin Beaty offers us a peek into the life of Aaron Walbert, a Capitol Hill resident and Medicaid recipient who says he's afraid of losing his freedom under the recent Republican health care proposals. Here's the story Kevin and Andy Kenney put together about Aaron and the human impacts of a Medicaid rollback: Medicaid keeps him in his own Denver condo, but now he fears the nursing home Remember, you can send any questions or feedback about the podcast to tips@denverite.com or tweet

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Stephanie Snyder and Dave Burdick invite you to Denverite's one-year anniversary party at 6 PM on JULY 26 at GALVANIZE PLATTE. RSVP here! 2) We do a "close read" of Mayor Michael Hancock's State of the City speech, with Denverite's beat reporters reacting to and analyzing his major policy announcements. Here's Erica Meltzer's coverage of the speech: Even Mayor Hancock finds Denver's pace of development "shocking" And if you want to experience the whole speech for yourself, you can read it here and watch it here. Remember, you can send any questions or feedback about the podcast to tips@denverite.com or tweet at us using the hashtag #DenveriteNow.

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Dave reports back from his weekend at Denver Comic Con. He ran a special newsletter the week leading up to the con and attended all three days. Here's a selection of the pieces that ran in that newsletter: Denver Comic Con and whether or not you should go: A very good guide, if a bit late LOOK: Wonder Women at Denver Comic Con Things to do in Denver in June and July for nerds, geeks and Denver Comic Con fans 2) Andy, Erica and Ashley talk through the recent protests over the U.S. Senate Republicans' new health care proposal, including the high-profile sit-in at Sen. Cory Gardner's office last week. Here's Denverite's coverage of their action in chronological order from the beginning: Protesters occupy Sen. Cory Gardner's office overnight, demand answers on Medicaid "Rather go to jail than to die without Medicaid": Denver police arrest protesters at Cory Gardner's office Activist Carrie Ann Lucas told Denver police to Google how to use her wheelchair; now she's charged with

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Stephanie Snyder introduces the newest iteration of Denverite's Readers' Choice project and puts the call out to you, the listeners, for possible future topics. Denverite has been running the program in some form for almost a year, so a lot of reader questions have been answered already: Readers' Choice: Stories about Denver, selected by you And here's the story Stephanie mentioned about horse ties in Capitol Hill: Those mysterious stone pillars in Capitol Hill are vestiges of Denver's horse-drawn history 2) Adrian D. Garcia talks through a few recent developments within the local craft beer community, including a new Brewers Association seal for craft breweries to distinguish their products from megabrews. Here's his coverage of the seal: Brewers Association has new seal for really, truly "independent" craft beers And here's a selection of his reports about and last year's schism within the Colorado Brewers Guild: Colorado breweries fight over who belongs in the craft club

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Andy Kenney talks through his major investigation into the deteriorating conditions at the Salvation Army's Crossroads homeless shelter in RiNo, which you can find here: How a Salvation Army homeless shelter became a potential deathtrap in Denver's trendiest neighborhood 2) Megan Arellano and Ashley Dean contextualize the city's recent announcement of a new tool meant to bring un-permitted DIY art spaces up to code. Here's a selection of their award-winning reporting on the issue: Denver may be first in nation to grant legal status to un-permitted DIY art spaces Denver allots $20K for "safe creative spaces," artists ask for help and clear plan Rhinoceroplis was already grappling with one threat: development Denver Fire shuts down DIY arts space Rhinoceroplis 3) Adrian D. Garcia discusses how Amazon Prime Now will fit into Denver's broader food network. Here's some of his past coverage of the spread of similar grocery-delivery services and food security issues: Why grocery

This week on Denverite Now... 1) Kevin Beaty profiles local artist Lonnie Hanzon, whose newest piece "Shrine of Humanity" will be on display in Civic Center during PrideFest this weekend. Here's Kevin's piece about Lonnie: Lonnie Hanson and the "Shrine to Humanity" will offer Civic Center sanctuary at Denver PrideFest Here's a guide for all things Pride. 2) Megan Arellano breaks down the latest announcement from Car2Go's Denver office: They are getting rid of their iconic Smart cars in favor of new Mercedes-Benz models. Megan's report is here: Car2Go Denver will replace all Smart cars with four-door Mercedes-Benz models 3) Adrian D. Garcia was there when the public got its first chance to comment on the city of Denver's proposed rules for the implementation of Initiative 300, the social marijuana consumption measure that voters approved last November. You can find Adrian's report and the city's proposal here: Denver marijuana rules for social consumption areas mostly supported in public comments Remember,

This week on Denverite Now… 1) Andy Kenney talks about local reactions to Pres. Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris climate accords and local efforts to combat climate change. Here's some suggested reading from Andy and Erica Meltzer: Heat of climate change will be worst for western and northern Denver, city map finds What Colorado lawmakers are saying about Trump withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris accord 2) Dave Burdick and Stephanie Snyder join Andy and Paul for a conversation about the summer. We share recommendations for great seasonal activities in and outside the city. Here's a few more ideas: Colorado for kids: Garden of the Gods day trip from Denver Lakes near Denver: A summer guide to boating, beached, rentals and swimming                                             &nb