Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Denver

Denver’s not just going to the dogs—it’s leaving children behind
Approved, Local, Westword

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...
‘A place where silence speaks volumes’: Fort Logan among top Memorial Day sites honoring the fallen
Approved, kdvr.com, Local, National

‘A place where silence speaks volumes’: Fort Logan among top Memorial Day sites honoring the fallen

By Spencer Kristensen | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — It’s Memorial Day Weekend, and all across the United States, citizens will travel to National Cemeteries to pay tribute to the lives of friends, family, community members or even complete strangers who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the U.S. military. Crowds of people will gather in the burial grounds, but not a peep will be heard as a moment of silence is held for the fallen. Ahead of Memorial Day, Choice Mutual, an insurance company, surveyed over 3,000 U.S. citizens on which cemetery they would most like to visit. Fort Logan in Denver was one of the most mentioned in the survey, and landed in the No. 20 spot. The top 10 most popular mentions included: Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia Gettysburg Nation...
“I feel trauma”: Former Denver Democrat says migrants brought violence, backs Trump
Approved, GB News, Local

“I feel trauma”: Former Denver Democrat says migrants brought violence, backs Trump

By Ben Chapman | GB News A Denver resident who once advocated for immigrant rights has revealed how her political allegiance shifted from the Democrats to Donald Trump due to concerns over crime and border security. Speaking to GB News, the woman explained her dramatic change of heart: "I was planning on voting for Kamala Harris but I could not bring myself to do it. If it was not for Donald Trump, we might still be living next to gang members because everything changed after he was elected." The resident, who previously ran a group called "Teachers United for Immigrant Rights", now supports stricter border controls after experiencing violence in her neighbourhood. Her husband detailed the shocking level of violence they experienced: "I've walked out here watering my garden and...
Denver Mayor Johnston walks back raises, braces city for cuts amid $50M budget gap
Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Denver Mayor Johnston walks back raises, braces city for cuts amid $50M budget gap

By Deborah Grigsby | Denver Gazette Facing a shortfall of hundreds of millions of dollars, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston is expected to announce significant cuts to the city's budget at a news conference this morning. The city is facing a $50 million gap in this year's budget, while the projected deficit is $200 million next year, according to sources, who shared information with The Denver Gazette. The city blames an economic downturn, flat revenues and "growing government costs" as reasons for the deficit, according to sources.  To deal with the shortfall, Johnston is proposing furloughs and a hiring freeze, in addition to limiting discretionary spending and reducing and restructuring contracts. The furloughs will save the city $10 million this year, according to city estimat...
ATF crackdown: Denver gun shop owners sentenced in federal firearms fraud case
Approved, kdvr.com, State

ATF crackdown: Denver gun shop owners sentenced in federal firearms fraud case

By Heather Willard | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — The co-owners of a Denver-based firearms business have been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to one count each of conspiracy to defraud the U.S., and after one of the co-owners also pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm. Campbell Slayden, 26, a co-owner of Modern Arms and Optics LLC, was sentenced to 50 months in prison and pleaded guilty to two counts: conspiracy to defraud and possession of an unregistered firearm. Anthony Gallegos, 26, also a co-owner of the company, was sentenced to 36 months for conspiracy to defraud. The sentences were announced on Wednesday by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado. The pairs’ plea agreements detail how Modern Arms and Optics...
Denver crisis grows while solutions stall: Family homelessness up 150% since 2022
Approved, DENVER7, Local

Denver crisis grows while solutions stall: Family homelessness up 150% since 2022

By Veronica Acosta | Denver7 DENVER — For nearly two years, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's administration has been working to find solutions to the city's homelessness crisis. According to the 2024 Point-in-Time Count, the number of families living on the street dropped last year. However, data from the Department of Housing Stability (HOST) shows the overall number of families experiencing homelessness has increased by 150% since 2022. During a presentation to the city's Safety, Housing, Education, and Homelessness Committee, Jeff Kositsky, the deputy director for HOST, said the family shelter waitlist increased 78% in the past year. He attributed the increase in families experiencing homelessness to a rise in eviction filings, a growing number of unhoused newcomers,...
A tale of two cities: How two Colorado mayors stand far apart on immigration
Approved, denvergazette.com, Local, State

A tale of two cities: How two Colorado mayors stand far apart on immigration

By Deborah Grigsby | Denver Gazette Colorado's two most populous cities are separated by fewer than 60 miles, but when it comes to their approach to immigration law enforcement, the mayors of Colorado Springs and Denver stand much farther apart. To some extent, both mayors are merely articulating their respective cities' positions, though the crackdown on illegal immigration by the Trump administration has put the spotlight on their contrasting views. On the one hand, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has repeatedly defended his city's response to the illegal immigration crisis, and, at one point, suggested civil disobedience as a proper action against a federal mass deportation program.  On the other hand, Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade welcomed a major ICE ...
Denver DMVs rated among worst in the U.S.
Approved, Local, Westword

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
Denver rent down $65, but rising costs leave renters struggling
Approved, Denverite, Local

Denver rent down $65, but rising costs leave renters struggling

By Kyle Harris | Denverite When Cassie Welch Rubin moved to Denver in 2022, she paid $1,400 a month for a bug-infested, rundown studio apartment in University Hills, a neighborhood she hated. To get to her job, she took a two-hour bus ride each way.   This year, Rubin left her University Hills studio for a one-bedroom in Capitol Hill. She’s still paying $1,400 – but for a larger place in a central Denver neighborhood. “I’m really happy with the location,” she said.  Trees line the blocks. She’s close to museums, the botanic gardens and the zoo. She wakes up long before dawn for her 3 a.m. shift as a produce manager at King Soopers. But now she’s a short walk — not a two hour-long bus ride — away from her job. Like many other renters in Denver, Rubin has found ...
Downtown Denver’s 16th Street Mall still mostly empty despite taxpayer-funded revitalization
Approved, kdvr.com, Local

Downtown Denver’s 16th Street Mall still mostly empty despite taxpayer-funded revitalization

By Carly Moore | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — According to a new annual report, the 16th Street Mall is still struggling to fill vacancies, and it’s also dealing with decreased foot traffic. This has been a spot that has struggled to keep businesses for several years, but as construction wraps up by the end of May, representatives at the Downtown Denver Partnership remain optimistic. The Downtown Denver Partnership said the retail vacancy rate is about 30%. Empty storefronts still line 16th Street Mall, and the vacancy rate is twice as much as the rest of downtown’s average of 15%. There are 45 spaces that are empty right now along the mall. “We’re working really closely with the City and County of Denver to provide incentives to provide things like facade and patio grant...