Minimum Wage Hike Incoming, City Layoff Rumors, and Will the New Restaurant Help Be Enough?
Mayor Mike Johnston is set to announce which and how many city employees will be laid off in less than a week, and rumors are swirling! Westword editor Patty Calhoun joins producer Paul Karolyi to speculate about the impacts. Plus, the city’s economic development office just revealed how much the minimum wage will be going up in January, and the city is rolling out a new plan to “support and advance” local restaurants. Will it be enough? Or will we see another push to lower the tipped minimum wage? Plus, Patty responds to listener comments about parking downtown.
We’re doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We’d be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey—it’s only 7 minutes long. You’ll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card–and City Cast City swag.
Paul discussed Benzina’s instagram account, CBS Colorado’s coverage of Denver’s new city attorney, the Denver Post’s reporting on Jevon Taylor’s big plan for a new Green Spaces on 16th St., this CPR interview with Mayor Johnston and this Denver Gazette report on the bill for the lawyer he hired to help out with the “sanctuary cities” congressional hearing.
What do you think about the minimum wage going up? We want to hear from you! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418
For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm.
Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver
Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver
Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm
If you enjoyed this interview with Kelsey Simpkins from Regional Air Quality Council, learn more here.
Learn more about the sponsors of this August 12th episode:
- Arvada Center
- Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST
- Rocky Mountain PBS
- Cozy Earth - use code COZYDENVER for 40% off best-selling temperature-regulating sheets, apparel, and more
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Stay connected to City Cast Denver and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
'Your City Could Be Better': Why Portland’s Considering Hiring a Night Mayor — Presented By City Cast Denver
Denverites, what do you do when your night life starts to dwindle? Nightlife is a huge economic driver for cities, but city offices are o...

Lakewood Backtracks on Housing Density, Inside the RTD Drama, and Shirtless Rockies Fans
Lakewood voters sent a big statement to the rest of Colorado this week, with the campaign to reverse the Denver suburb’s new housing dens...

Xcel Takes on Data Centers, RTD's Big Shakeup, and Former Mayor Hancock: Real Estate Mogul?
There was a huge shakeup at Denver’s transit provider RTD yesterday as CEO and GM Debra Johnson declined to renew her contract, effecti...

Why are Denver Lakes Disappearing? Plus, Blucifer on Hulu and Disneyland on Colorado Boulevard
What is happening to Huston Lake? The southwest Denver body of water has almost completely dried up, taking with it some of the park’s fl...

Polis and Boebert at the Rockies Game, Denver's Next Top Mascot, and More from the Mailbag!
Could prediction markets in politics mean more participation from voters? What if the Denver Summit FC’s mascot was a giant sun? Where’s...

Are Denver Restaurants Really in Crisis? It’s Complicated.
It feels like every week, another Denver restaurant is closing – Enzo’s End Pizzeria served its last slice on Friday, Imperial Chinese sh...

'Your City Could Be Better': Denver’s Bet on a Women’s Soccer Stadium
If you were one of the over 60,000 fans cheering for the Denver Summit last weekend, you may already know this, but Denver is only the se...

Alamo Drafthouse's QR Code Backlash, Election Denier Reconsidered, and What's So Funny About RTD?
Union workers at Alamo Drafthouse in Sloan’s Lake are walking out today over frustrations with the company’s move to a QR code-based food...

Prediction Markets Hit Local Politics, Axon Replaces Flock, and a Great Local Pet Store
Harbingers of dystopia or the hottest trend in tech — Kalshi, Polymarket, and other prediction market platforms have come for local polit...

Your Guide to April 2026 in Denver
Spring is springing! Flowers are blooming! Who was hoping for a a real winter this year, anyway? Denverites are up and about, and the cit...

