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Tag: Denver

Hot dog anyone? Denver vendors may be unlicensed and lacking sanitary standards
Downtown Denver, Westword

Hot dog anyone? Denver vendors may be unlicensed and lacking sanitary standards

By Catie Cheshire | Westword When hordes of patrons file out of Denver sports arenas and music venues, they’ll inevitably encounter someone hawking hot dogs, ready to fill bellies directed by inebriated brains. Because who’s saying no to a bacon-wrapped glizzy at 2 a.m.? But city officials, pointing to a surge of unlicensed hot dog vendors in Denver, warn against partaking in street dogs. Without proper health inspections, they say, you could be signing up for more than just a hangover. “Unfortunately, with the dangerous lack of sanitary standards being practiced by some of the unlicensed hot dog carts, people may find themselves sick the next day and assume it is because of the alcohol they consumed the previous night — instead of the hot dog and bacon sitting u...
Denver Elementary students face racist slurs during City Council meeting
Local, Westword

Denver Elementary students face racist slurs during City Council meeting

By Hannah Metzger | Westword Two young Black girls went before Denver City Council to ask for help for their school. Instead, they became the victims of a racist tirade. Fourth- and fifth-grade students from Monarch Montessori spoke during the council's weekly public comment session on Monday, May 13, requesting assistance in getting a yurt for their school. But less than a minute into their testimony, a voice from the online Zoom shouted at the girls to "go back to fucking Africa," followed by a series of insults and racial slurs. Council staff unsuccessfully tried to mute the anonymous speaker, but the racist rant continued for around thirty seconds, with the female-sounding voice repeatedly calling the children the N-word before the Zoom was eventually ...
Denver announces plan to invest over $500M to revitalize downtown
Downtown Denver, kdvr.com

Denver announces plan to invest over $500M to revitalize downtown

By Brooke Williams | KDVR DENVER (KDVR) — After teasing the announcement in an “ask me anything” session on Reddit, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said Thursday that the city plans to invest more than $500 million over the next decade to “restore downtown vibrancy and stimulate economic growth.” According to a release from the city, downtown Denver has been slower than other areas when it comes to recovering from the pandemic. The city said downtown has seen lower foot traffic, businesses closing and a lack of new housing development because hybrid and remote working options are becoming more popular. From March to May 2023, Denver’s downtown foot traffic was at an average of 56% of what it was in 2019, according to researchers at the University of Toronto School of Citie...
Denver City Council delays spending $8 million on homeless hotel
denvergazette.com, Local

Denver City Council delays spending $8 million on homeless hotel

By Alexander Edwards | Denver Gazette The Denver City Council has requested a delay in voting for funding for a shelter run by the Salvation Army. The Tamarac Family Shelter, located at 7525 E. Hampden Ave. in a repurposed Embassy Suites hotel building, was set to receive an $8 million contract with the city. That is almost three-fourths of the amount invoiced to the city by the Salvation Army last year. The $8 million contract is only good for one year and expires on Dec. 31, 2024. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Tents back at pro-Palestinian protest on Auraria Campus in Denver
coloradopolitics.com, Denver Metro

Tents back at pro-Palestinian protest on Auraria Campus in Denver

By Noah Festenstein and Nico Brambila | Colorado Politics Ignoring university officials, pro-Palestinian protesters set up roughly 40 tents over the weekend at the Auraria Campus in Denver, saying they are prepared to "defend" the encampment until their demands — notably divestment from companies that operate in Israel — are met. Police officers arrested dozens of protesters on Friday, a day after hundreds occupied the Auraria Campus, which is shared by the University of Colorado Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver and the Community College of Denver. Authorities had also cleared several tents that went up near the Tivoli building. On Sunday, the tents were back — and there are more of them. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
‘Citizens are not safe coming to the state capitol’, Rep. Holtorf says on Stinchfield
Rocky Mountain Voice, State

‘Citizens are not safe coming to the state capitol’, Rep. Holtorf says on Stinchfield

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice Anyone choosing to visit the state's capitol is doing so at their own peril in Colorado, Minority House Whip Rep. Richard Holtorf told Grant Stinchfield during a recent appearance on Real America's Voice. "Denver citizens and Colorado citizens are not safe coming to the state capitol, or the capitol of Colorado," he said in a video clip posted on his Twitter/X account. He's critical of City of Denver budget reductions, some to police in the state's capitol city, at the same time as out-of-control illegal migration, the clip details. He also details a concern toward crime related to illegal immigrants being unable to find work. "When these immigrants can't find jobs, they're going to turn to crime," Holtorf said. Fluent in Spanish, Holto...
Denver shares “Newcomer Playbook,” offering advice on handling immigration crisis
Denver Metro, denvergazette.com

Denver shares “Newcomer Playbook,” offering advice on handling immigration crisis

By Alexander Edwards | Denver Gazette Even as Denver cuts its budget and diverts funds in order to pay for its response to the immigration crisis that some say is self-inflicted, Mayor Mike Johnston's administration released a "playbook" that contains the "best practices and procedures for cities to welcome newcomers arriving from the U.S. southern border." The 24-page document is essentially a 15-step "how-to" guide, but its usefulness may be questionable as other metro area communities have made clear that the Mile High City is on its own. Lakewood and Aurora, the two largest municipalities within the metropolitan area, have told Denver they will not accept immigrants from the city.  Other surrounding cities like Centennial and Arvada have said they don't have resources availabl...
Hiring freeze, service reductions among proposed $45M cuts to Denver’s budget to pay for illegals
coloradopolitics.com, Local

Hiring freeze, service reductions among proposed $45M cuts to Denver’s budget to pay for illegals

By Alex Edwards | Colorado Politics A panel of councilmembers has unanimously advanced Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's proposed $45 million in budget cuts — dollars the administration intends to use to pay for its response to the city's illegal immigration crisis. The proposed budget cuts' next stop is the full City Council.     The budget cuts include a hiring freeze and service reductions. Early in the crisis, Denver officials decided the city would assume the responsibility to temporarily house, feed and transport arriving immigrants. That response is expected to cost a total of $90 million this year. At last count, the city has helped almost 41,000 immigrants. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Denver City Council approves $3.1M to convert hotel rooms into supportive housing
coloradopolitics.com, Local

Denver City Council approves $3.1M to convert hotel rooms into supportive housing

By Alex Edwards | Colorado Politics The Denver City Council unanimously approved a funding agreement worth $3.1 million to assist the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless with rehabilitating 107 hotel rooms into studio apartments.  The rooms being rehabilitated sit within the former Clarion Hotel at 200 W. 48th Ave. The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless will add services geared towards assisting homeless people and those at risk of becoming homeless. Once completed, the property will be known as Renewal Village. The Clarion Hotel is the third hotel the city has converted to a shelter as part of an ongoing strategy to address homelessness in Denver. The city's Department of Housing Stability (HOST) has worked to convert other hotels, located at 3737 Quebec St. and 3500 Park A...
Denver imposes hiring freeze, diverts funds to come up with $90M for illegal immigration crisis
denvergazette.com, State

Denver imposes hiring freeze, diverts funds to come up with $90M for illegal immigration crisis

By Alex Edwards | Colorado Politics Denver taxpayers are on the hook for $90 million this fiscal year to pay for the city's response to the illegal immigration crisis that has been spilling over into America's interior cities from the southern border.  That's the latest estimate from Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s administration, which earlier said the city was poised to spend $180 million on the crisis and revised that number down to $120 million. Early in the crisis, Denver officials decided the city would assume the responsibility to temporarily house, feed and transport arriving immigrants. That decision has cost the city about $68 million since December 2022 — and counting. Of that amount, the city spent $35 million just in the past four months. READ THE FULL STORY AT C...