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‘It’s government policy that is causing the problem in the first place’: Denver’s fix for restaurants criticized
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denvergazette.com, Local

‘It’s government policy that is causing the problem in the first place’: Denver’s fix for restaurants criticized

By Deborah Grigsby | The Denver Gazette The Colorado Restaurant Association expressed skepticism of Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's proposal to tack a service charge onto local restaurant bills, while the Denver Chamber of Commerce argued that adding the fee — and thereby raising prices — would discourage sales.    On Monday, Johnston told City Cast Denver, a popular podcast, that a 20% service charge added to restaurant bills — and then taxing the total amount — could help local restaurants offset the city’s higher minimum wage and promote what he called pay equity among tipped and non-tipped employees. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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Denver auditor finds two strip clubs owe $14M in stolen wages
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coloradopolitics.com, Local

Denver auditor finds two strip clubs owe $14M in stolen wages

By Carol McKinley | Colorado Politics, via The Denver Gazette Two of Denver's most popular strip clubs must pay $14 million in penalties and back pay over stolen wages in what Denver Auditor Tim O'Brien described as one of the most "extraordinary cases he's ever conducted." The clubs, he added, "violated almost every provision." Denver Labor Executive Director Matt Fritz-Mauer said that the allegations are "the tip of the iceberg" in an investigation leading to months of litigation ahead with RCI Hospitality Holdings, Inc., a multimillion dollar adult entertainment company. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Denver mayor hints of strategy as he prepares for March’s ‘sanctuary’ city hearing
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gazette.com, Local

Denver mayor hints of strategy as he prepares for March’s ‘sanctuary’ city hearing

By Alexander Edwards | The Gazette Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, whose administration just hired a law firm to help him prepare for an upcoming congressional inquiry into "sanctuary" cities, hinted he will insist that Denver's approach to illegal immigration "works" when he testifies in the nation's capital next month.  “We think the data is quite clear that (our) approach works,” he told City Cast Denver during a podcast released Wednesday. “One of the things we see is the fact that we have engaged people in services, supported them, meaning we’ve built trust there, which is why we haven’t seen huge spikes in crime.” READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETTE
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Denver Mayor Mike Johnston floats 20% service charge on tabs to tackle restaurant woes
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denvergazette.com, Local

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston floats 20% service charge on tabs to tackle restaurant woes

By Deborah Grigsby | The Denver Gazette Denver Mayor Mike Johnston wants to add a 20% service charge to local restaurant tabs — and then tax it — to help restaurants cope with the city’s minimum wage and promote what he called pay equity among tipped and non-tipped employees. On Monday, Johnston told City Cast Denver, a popular podcast, that he has already been discussing the idea with restaurant owners. He didn’t say whether they are on board. He also did not discuss if increasing people's dinner costs would decrease restaurant visits.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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Denver moves closer to changing ordinance related to noise
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coloradopolitics.com, Local

Denver moves closer to changing ordinance related to noise

By Deborah Grigsby | Colorado Politics, via The Denver Gazette The city of Denver is moving forward with proposed changes to its local noise ordinance that would permit earlier garbage collection and noisier festivals but ban “plainly audible” nighttime construction. Council Bill 25-0044 got its first nod of approval from the City Council on Feb. 18 and will be back at Monday's meeting for a second vote. The last time Denver addressed its noise concerns was in 2017, said Brendan Doyle, noise program supervisor for the Denver Department of Public Health. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Citing Elon Musk’s ownership, Denver City Council pulls down Twitter account
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denvergazette.com, Local

Citing Elon Musk’s ownership, Denver City Council pulls down Twitter account

By Deborah Grigsby | The Denver Gazette The Denver City Council has deleted its account on X, formerly known as Twitter, blaming what it described as increased political rhetoric surrounding Elon Musk and his newly formed Department of Government Efficiency. City Council President Amanda Sandoval confirmed the account was deleted on Feb. 21. “As long as X is owned by Elon Musk, and he’s an appointee of the president, and he’s bidding on contracts for the federal government, as Council President, I have made the decision that we cannot have City Council be part of that,” Sandoval told The Denver Gazette.   READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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Denver mayor brushes off no-confidence vote on Denver Fire Chief Desmond Fulton
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CBS Colorado, Local

Denver mayor brushes off no-confidence vote on Denver Fire Chief Desmond Fulton

By Brian Maass | CBS Colorado Denver Mayor Mike Johnston Monday batted away a no-confidence vote in Fire Chief Desmond Fulton, saying, "I'm confident Chief Fulton will continue to serve our community with honor and distinction." Last week, nearly 900 Denver firefighters weighed in -- with 64% saying they had no confidence in their fire chief and deputy chief. The vote was an expression by firefighters of unhappiness with Fulton following a scandal over his use of comp time, revealed in a 2024 CBS Colorado Investigation. The probe found Fulton and his top commanders were awarding themselves comp time for attending routine events, which then allowed them to cash in vacation days at the end of each year for tens of thousands of dollars. An independent investigation commissi...
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Denver hires law firm in advance of Mike Johnston’s ‘sanctuary city’ hearing in Congress
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denvergazette.com, Local

Denver hires law firm in advance of Mike Johnston’s ‘sanctuary city’ hearing in Congress

By Deborah Grigsby  | The Denver Gazette The City and County of Denver has retained outside legal counsel for up to $2 million just before Mayor Mike Johnston’s appearance next month before a congressional committee in Washington, D.C. The U.S. House Committee on Government and Reform has asked Johnston to testify before the panel on March 5. The City and County of Denver inked an agreement with the law firm Covington and Burling, LLP to represent the city in the upcoming congressional inquiry into so-called "sanctuary" jurisdictions nationwide. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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Some surprised with renewal of Denver City Council term limit proposal
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Local, Westword

Some surprised with renewal of Denver City Council term limit proposal

By Catie Cheshire | Westword Denver City Council members Amanda Sandoval and Amanda Sawyer have reintroduced the idea of decreasing city term limits from three to two terms, much to the surprise of many other members of council. The pair initiated the discussion in August 2023, saying many of their constituents had brought it up on the campaign trail. At that time, other members expressed concern with the idea and believed the topic to be closed. “Last August, I thought the conversation was complete,” Councilman Chris Hinds said during a May 20 Charter Review Committee meeting. “I haven't heard anything from constituents about council term limits.” READ THE FULL STORY AT WESTWORD
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Denver has a ‘Newcomer Director’ and a continuing illegal immigration crisis
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Local, Westword

Denver has a ‘Newcomer Director’ and a continuing illegal immigration crisis

By Bennito L. Kelty | Westword In December 2022, the City of Denver declared an emergency after the arrival of thousands of migrants from the southern border. Since then, nearly 40,000 of them have come to the city. The response has cost Denver $61 million so far and could cost another $120 million in 2024, according to city estimates, but Mayor Mike Johnston believes his new director of Denver's Newcomer Program will steer the city toward a more sustainable path.  Now a month into her role, Sarah Plastino's duties include compassion to migrants while shifting the city's strategy from emergency response to a long-term plan. An immigration defense lawyer, Plastino told a small group of reporters during an interview on Wednesday, March 20, that this is "a refugee cris...
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