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The Mile High price tag: Denver now among worst in U.S. for inflation
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The Mile High price tag: Denver now among worst in U.S. for inflation

By Catie Cheshire | Westword One study found prices in Denver have spiked significantly in the last two months, outpacing Los Angeles, New York and even Honolulu. Denver has a highly ranked park system and was recently named one of the coolest cities in the country, but living around the Mile High City isn't cheap. According to a new study by WalletHub, the Denver metro has the fifth-worst inflation problem in the United States, with costs rising on a monthly and yearly basis. WalletHub analyzed inflation impacts in 23 major metropolitan areas for the study, lumping together Denver, Aurora and Lakewood. In metro Denver, the change in Consumer Price Index compared to two months ago is 1 percent and the change over the last year is 2.2 percent, WalletHub research s...
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U.S. Supreme Court sides with rail developers in Eagle County fight over NEPA
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U.S. Supreme Court sides with rail developers in Eagle County fight over NEPA

By J.B. Ruhl | Westword On May 29, the Supreme Court – minus Justice Neil Gorsuch, who recused himself – decided the case of Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colorado. Getting federal approval for permits to build bridges, wind farms, highways and other major infrastructure projects has long been a complicated and time-consuming process. Despite growing calls from both parties for Congress and federal agencies to reform that process, there had been few significant revisions – until now. In one fell swoop, the U.S. Supreme Court has changed a big part of the game. Whether the effects are good or bad depends on the viewer’s perspective. Either way, there is a new interpretation in place for the law that is the centerpiece of the debate about permitting: the&nbs...
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Denver’s not just going to the dogs—it’s leaving children behind
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Denver’s not just going to the dogs—it’s leaving children behind

By Thomas Mitchell | Westword About 50 percent of this city's residents have a dog. Only 20 percent have children under eighteen. Denver is no longer a cowtown. It's a dog city. Long known as a hub for livestock, Denver has corraled several more amenities over the years. Outdoor sports, craft beer, legal weed, live music and a wave of tech jobs have attracted travelers and transplants alike. But those who stay in this city must acknowledge its four-legged rulers, whether you own one or not. Around 50 percent of Denver's residents have a dog, with 68 percent reporting that they own at least one pet, according to a 2024 survey by the Colorado Polling Institute. In the same poll, just 20 percent of Denver residents said they had children under eighteen. Population n...
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Denver DMVs rated among worst in the U.S.
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Denver DMVs rated among worst in the U.S.

By Brendan Joel Kelley | Westword Would you rather spend a few hours getting a root canal, or sitting with a paper number in hand, waiting for someone to call your name at the DMV? A rhetorical exercise, perhaps — but at least the endodontist will numb you with a local anesthetic and, if you’re lucky, provide nitrous oxide for your trouble. The DMV offers no such panacea. But Denverites really hate their DMVs, according to a new report from SudokuBliss, a sudoku gaming website that (and you'll be shocked to hear this) recommends sudoku as a way to pass the time at the DMV. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE WESTWORD
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Wolf reintroduction strains rural Colorado as payouts outpace budget
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Wolf reintroduction strains rural Colorado as payouts outpace budget

By Catie Cheshire | Westword Colorado is eighteen months into the state’s wolf restoration project, and the teeth are still coming out. So far, the state has paid over $370,000 in claims to ranchers who have been impacted by the presence of wolves near their operations. Although wolf advocates and detractors both agree that Colorado should compensate people for wolf-related losses, ranchers believe the funds are not enough to cover the full breadth of the impact of the carnivores in this state. Conversely, wildlife advocates question if some of the reimbursements that ranchers have claimed are a good use of taxpayer money. The wolf-related claims that made many wildlife advocates howl came on December 31 from three ranchers in Middle Park. The ranchers argued the state s...
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Denver vs. Aurora: Homelessness reports reveal two competing visions
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Denver vs. Aurora: Homelessness reports reveal two competing visions

By Bennito Kelty | Westword The first state-funded homelessness report to look at the crisis across Colorado came out on Monday, April 28, with an estimate that nearly 53,000 people are experiencing homelessness statewide. The recommended solution sets it apart from another report published just a couple of weeks ago. "Homelessness ends with a home," The Colorado State of Homelessness Report 2024 urges in its call to action. "Every part of the homelessness response system — from street outreach to emergency shelter — must stay focused on connecting people to permanent housing as quickly as possible." Funded by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, the new report suggests that government agencies and nonprofits continue focusing on putting people in housing, s...
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Here’s how much more expensive Denver has become since 2020
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Here’s how much more expensive Denver has become since 2020

By Catie Cheshire | Westword Residents across Denver’s neighborhoods are worried about the cost of living in the Mile High City, particularly related to the rising price of homes and rent. A recent study from travel-and-finance website Upgraded Points shows that they aren't imagining things: It's more expensive to live in Denver now than it was four years ago. According to the study, assorted items in Denver cost 21.5 percent more than they did in 2020, with housing costs driving a large part of the increase. Housing is 25.2 percent higher than it was in 2020, while groceries cost 17.9 percent more than they did four years ago. During the same time period, wages grew by just 16.9 percent — so Denver’s pocketbooks aren’t keeping up with what it costs to live ...
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Thousands of Colorado teachers, parents and kids protest education cuts
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Thousands of Colorado teachers, parents and kids protest education cuts

By Bennito L. Kelty | Westword Thousands of Colorado teachers, parents and kids gathered at the Colorado State Capitol on Thursday, March 20, to demand more funding for public schools and protest possible cuts as the state deals with a $1 billion budget shortfall. "Kids need a chance to do their best," said Siobhan Holland, a teacher for twenty years in the Adams 12 Five Star School District who came out to protest against cuts. "They need the funds and resources that will help them be successful."  Donning red shirts and sweaters printed with words "Red for Ed," an estimated 4,000 protesters amassed at the Capitol's west lawn to support public education funding on Thursday, according to the Colorado State Patrol, with signs reading "fully fund public education" and...
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Denver Arrest Warrant Raises Stakes for Controversial Aurora Property Manager
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Denver Arrest Warrant Raises Stakes for Controversial Aurora Property Manager

By Bennito L. Kelty | Westword Called "out-of-state slumlords" by Aurora's mayor, the owners of CBZ Management are now wanted in Denver months after entering the public spotlight. The owners of CBZ Management, a controversial property management firm, have a warrant out for their arrests for failing to appear in Denver court on March 10, to resolve fines for property code violations. An arrest warrant issued by a Denver County judge raises the stakes for the Brooklyn-based property owners, who triggered a media storm in Aurora after they blamed the abysmal conditions at their apartment complexes on a violent Venezuelan gang takeover. The warrant was issued for Zev and Shmaryahu Baumgarten after the two failed to appear for a deposition hearing as the owners of CBZ Man...
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Proposed Colorado law would cut base wages for Denver’s tipped employees
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Proposed Colorado law would cut base wages for Denver’s tipped employees

By Hannah Metzger | Westword In the last ten years, the minimum wage for tipped workers in Denver has more than tripled and the resulting increase in labor cost has played a major factor in the closure of many local restaurants. Now, state lawmakers are considering a bill that would roll back those increases. If made law, House Bill 1208 would change regulations around tipped wages in municipalities with a higher minimum wage than the rest of the state, including Denver. This would effectively make the hourly minimum wage for tipped workers the same statewide, at least temporarily. READ THE FULL STORY AT WESTWORD
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