⚖️ Former DPS principal sues district

✊ Kaiser Permanente Workers Authorize Strike

Approximately 85,000 employees of Kaiser Permanente, including 3,000 here in Colorado, could go on strike at the end of the month if their union and the healthcare provider fail to agree on a new contract by Sept. 30. Members of the SEIU Local 105 in Denver voted overwhelmingly last week to authorize a strike if their demands aren’t met. They are pushing for faster hiring to fill vacancies and a pay raise. [CPR]

🏫 Adams 14 School District Won’t Be Broken Up

After years of uncertainty around the future of the Adams 14 school district in Commerce City, Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova has decided not to reorganize the district after all. There had been discussions about compelling the surrounding districts to absorb Adams 14 schools, but that was deemed not feasible. Adams 14 administrators celebrated the decision, touting improvements they’ve made since the initial reorganization order. [Chalkbeat]

• 🎧 Catch up: Chalkbeat reporter Yesenia Robles laid out the whole complicated situation on the City Cast Denver podcast last June.

⚖️ Embattled Former DPS Principal Sues District

Former McAuliffe International School principal Kurt Dennis filed a lawsuit this week against Denver Public Schools, alleging that the district wrongfully fired him after he spoke out against district safety policies following the March shooting at East High School. Meanwhile, both DPS and the Denver Police Department are still investigating Dennis for his role in managing the “seclusion room” at McAuliffe where some students were placed unsupervised and behind a locked door. [Denver Post 🔒]

• 🎧 Dive deeper: We talked through the whole seclusion room controversy with former DPS teacher Tim Hernández on the City Cast Denver podcast a couple weeks ago.

Hey loyal reader, what’s on your mind? 🤔

🎃 🍺 Last week, I put out a call out to readers and listeners for the best pumpkin beers around town:

• Laura H. says: “My all-time fave is Southern Tier’s Pumking Ale. It’s like a boozy mouthful of pumpkin pie, rich and strong, and it screams Halloween.”
• Kelsey B. says: “Pumpkin beers are the best and I consider myself an expert. My top 3 are: Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, Left Hand Pumpkin Spice Latte Nitro, and New Belgium Atomic Pumpkin.”

🏳️‍🌈 Regarding some recent news on “Denver’s only queer-owned gym,” Kim W. wrote in to say:

• “Wanted to let you know that there's been another queer-owned gym in Denver for nine years called Kali Strength and Fitness. It's owned by a queer woman and is a very inclusive gym for queer folks, focused on women and those who identify as women.” 

🐦 After listening to our episode about Denver’s best parks, Anna D. dropped this local bird knowledge:

• “Paul mentioned loving what he calls ‘Bird Island,’ and then said he doesn’t know what bird is usually hanging out there. I wanted to say that’s also my favorite spot in City Park because I love watching the double-crested cormorants! From what I’ve noticed over a few years, they migrate here in March, breed on ‘bird island,’ and then leave sometime in the late summer for warmer climates.”

⛳ I shared a list of the city’s greatest golf-themed bars recently. Amy C. wanted to add one:

• “Just wanted to give a shoutout to another great spot for golf / drinks — FlyteCo Tower. They've got an 18 hole mini-golf course on the outside patio and a newly opened third floor space, Over Flyte Denver, with fancy golf simulators.”

💅 Adulti-Verse | Wednesday | 5-10 p.m.

Kick off Meow Wolf’s 2nd “Convergiversary” with this drag-inspired adults-only trip into a mind-bending alternate universe created by artists from across the globe. [Sun Valley; $49]

♟️ BYOBoard Game Night | Wednesday | 6-10 p.m.

Bring your own board game or sit down for a round of Monopoly and make new friends at this 21+ hang, serving up both signature drinks and specialty mocktails. [Congress Park; Free]

🤣 Mortified | Thursday | 7 p.m.

Watch total strangers take the spotlight to share their most vulnerable — and hilarious! — moments as they read directly from their teenage diaries live, on stage! [Berkeley; $20-$120]

🥦 Vegan Night | Thursday | 5-9 p.m.

Sample some of the best vegan food in Denver at this food truck round-up hosted by community space Improper City. [RiNo; Varies]

A Defunct Westside Power Plant: Opportunity or Eyesore?

What can be done about an old power plant? The community has big dreams for the defunct Zuni Generating Station in Sun Valley, and the city is trying to figure out what could be a feasible usage for this historic structure from 1900. The City Cast Denver crew takes a trip to the powerstation with Denver’s first-ever chief urban designer Eugenia di Girolamo to talk about the past, present, and future of this West Denver landmark.