🔎 Councilwoman under investigation

💵 Denver Extends Basic Income Project

The Denver program that distributes cash payments — no strings attached — to a select group of people experiencing homelessness will extend its work another six months after receiving $5 million more from funders. A midpoint report released in the fall showed encouraging success. [Denverite]

• Related: More than 30,000 people utilized Metro Denver’s homeless services over the past year. [Denverite]

⚕️ Abortion Rights Advocates Target 2024 Ballot

Efforts are underway to put an abortion rights initiative on the 2024 state ballot in November. The measure would codify abortion protections in the Colorado constitution, making it impossible for a future legislature to pass abortion restrictions. [CPR]

🔎 New Council Member Faces Ethics Investigation

With less than a year of service under her belt, District 7 City Council member Flor Alvidrez is at the center of an ethics investigation for financial mismanagement. A complaint alleges she sought reimbursement for unapproved items, like alcohol and flight upgrades. [Denver Post]

🇺🇸 What Mayor Johnston Did in DC

The mayor just got back from a second visit to Washington where he appealed again for urgent federal action to help Denver support the nearly 40,000 migrants who’ve arrived here since 2022. He told us he’s optimistic for congressional action and prepared to take drastic steps if they can’t agree. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

• What kind of drastic steps? Read the full interview transcript here. [City Cast Denver]

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

🚧 Regarding the sad news that ¡Viva! Streets won’t be returning for 2024, Ben R. wrote in to say:

• “Super bummed about losing ¡Viva! Streets. We went to all but one of them. We loved getting to walk down Broadway without a care in the world. The event definitely enticed us to go and spend money on Broadway when we otherwise wouldn’t have. Hopefully we can bring it back.”

👎 The feds are trying to put the kibosh on CDOT’s notoriously funny road signs. Hamilton from Ruby Hill thinks that’s nonsense:

• “I think they're great and they should stick around … Being funny and silly and using humor is a really great way to get people to pay attention, to learn, to process things, to get stuff to stick. I think the federal government is just being a bunch of fuddy-duddies.”

📍 Last week’s Neighborhood Guide spotlighted the Central Business District. Natalie M. offers a few other can’t-miss spots in the area:

• “We really love CBD for its amenities and walkability. We can walk to get our groceries, go to work, doctors appointments, the post office, Union Station, the Children’s Museum, various parks, the main library, etc. Some of our CBD favorites:
  Little Owl Coffee
  54thirty Rooftop Bar (Amazing views!)
  Qué Rico ($2 taco Tuesdays!)
  French 75 ($2.50 Prosecco at happy hour!)
  The Clocktower Cabaret
  Vibe Coffee and Wine
  Free Ice Skating at Skyline Park (And in the summer, there’s pickleball and roller skating)”

Mayor Johnston on the Migrant Crisis, ¡Viva! Streets, and His Iconic Corduroy Jacket

We sat down with the mayor earlier this week to ask about his transportation priorities now that ¡Viva! Streets is canceled for 2024. We also asked about the lengths he’d go to support migrants in Denver if Congress neglects to approve the new funding or accelerated work authorizations he has been pleading for.