Unsheltered Homelessness Drops, Denver Wildfire Concerns, and Was Casa Bonita a $50M Mistake?
Are wildfires a threat Denverites should be worried about? After the urban devastation the Front Range experienced with the Marshall Fire in 2021, Denver is working on its own fire evacuation plans for the first time. Politics contributor Adrian Felix joins host Bree Davies and producer Olivia Jewell Love to dig into the big environmental stories of the week, plus discuss Mayor Johnston’s approach to homelessness in the context of the 2026 point in time count report, and as always, share their wins and fails of the week! And for a special members-only bonus segment, the trio speculate about why Casa Bonita is such a sore spot for Matt Stone and Trey Parker, beyond costing the billionaires a cool $50 million to buy and renovate.
Bree mentioned episodes we did on the Marshall Fire with a fire ecologist and an environmental reporter; she also talked about harm-reduction education in local schools and a Lakewood cop being investigated for alleged sexual misconduct and cybercrimes. Adrian mentioned Denver’s data center moratorium and the state Democratic Party censuring Governor Jared Polis. Olivia mentioned the JeffCo lookout alert system, a checklist for packing a “go bag,” fire prevention tree-cutting along highways, Children’s Hospital resuming gender affirming care for youth, and the lack of booze at the new Taco Bell Cantina in DIA.
For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter 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
What do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418
Learn more about the sponsors of this May 22nd episode:
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
Inside Alma Fonda Fina: How Johnny and Kasie Curiel Are Beating the Odds As Many Restaurants Close
After racking up two Michelin stars and opening six restaurants in less than three years, Johnny and Kasie Curiel are the Denver restaura...

Zombies Are Attacking Denver! Where Do You Go? Who Do You Team Up With?
It’s officially summer in the Mile High City, and for many Denverites that means it’s time to high-tail it to the nearest shady spot on t...

Denver State Senate Candidates Beef over Dark Money, Data Centers, and RTD's Budget
While there’s been plenty of coverage of the gubernatorial, congressional, and U.S. Senate primaries, smaller but equally important battl...

New Rules for City Council Lobbyists, Primary Ballot Conspiracies, and Winning Wontons
This week Denver City Council passed new lobbying rules aimed at increasing transparency and tracking who lobbyists work for, how much th...

Why Some Cherry Creek Trail Art Got 'The Landlord Special.' Plus, Downtown's Perception Problem and Our Summer Concert Picks
What makes a piece of public art “legitimate”? Denverite recently profiled artist Tom Dorsa, an appliance repairman by day who also insta...

Why Three Venues Cancelled on The Kiros/Piker Rally, a Conservative's Tour of Downtown, and Juneteenth Expands
Over the weekend, a rally featuring congressional candidate Melat Kiros and leftist political pundit Hasan Piker was booted from three lo...

How to Survive a Denver Summer
The National Weather Service and Climate Prediction Center are forecasting a warm and wet summer this year. So, how do you cope with incr...

'Your City Could Be Better': Why Every Region Needs A Park Map Tool Like Salt Lake’s — Presented By City Cast Denver
Do you know how many parks Denver has? Residents of Salt Lake County have wondered about their parks for years — that is, until City Cast...

Kyle Clark on GOP Exorcisms, CD-8 Switcheroos, and Tornado False Alarms
Can Victor Marx conduct exorcisms over the phone? The ordained minister and front-runner in the GOP primary for governor says so, and mad...

Senator Michael Bennet on Housing Affordability, Redistricting, and How He’s Different From Gov. Polis
Michael Bennet has represented Colorado in congress since 2009. Now, the U.S. senator is running for governor – and is in the midst of a...

