🎨 Has First Friday outgrown Santa Fe?

🍎 DPS Board Considers School Closure Moratorium

The Denver community is still grappling with the school district’s swift decision last November to close 10 low-enrollment schools by the end of the academic year. Knowing that the superintendent could announce another batch of closures as early as August has some members of the school board suggesting a closure moratorium to bring some “normalcy, consistency, and relief” to the process for parents and school staff alike. [Chalkbeat]

• Why it matters: Sweeping school closures in recent years have been controversial and emotional for parents and DPS staff. But a local expert recently joined the City Cast Denver podcast to explain why you should care even if you’re not a parent. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

😰 Could Denver Lose First Friday on Santa Fe?

For the first time in nearly a decade, city officials are hesitating to grant the annual permits for Denver’s most iconic First Friday free art walk. The city says the popular event has physically outgrown Santa Fe Drive, and changes — possibly to the day or location — need to be considered for public safety. [Denverite]

🍽️ Why Denver Dining Feels So Dang Expensive Right Now

In an effort to ease the financial struggles that many local restaurants are currently facing, Democrats are soon expected to introduce a new bill that would lower the tipped minimum wage. But would this change trickle down to Denverites who are feeling increasingly squeezed by high dining costs? A former restaurant worker turned food reporter explains. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

• Dive deeper: Last week on the podcast, we spoke with a local restaurateur and a local policy expert to explore the potential benefits of lowering Denver’s tipped minimum wage. [City Cast Denver 🎧]
• Confused? Yeah, it’s complex 😵‍💫 But our glossary for local tipping laws can help! [Hey Denver]

Some tidbits from the inbox 💌 ⬇️

🦖 A Jurassic Park Fun Fact!

About that new Costa Rican-inspired, Jurassic Park-themed makeover coming to RiNo’s Zeppelin Station — Hannah from Westminster (a self-proclaimed Jurassic Park obsessive) shares a fun fact with us:

• “More than likely the reason this Zeppelin Station guy is basing his restaurant off of the Costa Rican islands is because in the lore of Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar and Isla Sorna — which are the [fictional] sites of the Jurassic Park labs and park itself — were supposed to be off the coast of Costa Rica. That's also probably the reason that there is a dinosaur-themed attraction in Costa Rica.”

👐 Local Support for Immigrant Communities

After reading our roundup of local organizations and efforts supporting immigrant rights causes, Elizabeth D. was eager to share a few more:

• “I work for Americorps, and our core values include community building. I work with a lot of at-risk people. [Here are] some resources and information for anyone facing questions about immigration and deportation.”

📚 Latin American-Based Reading Recs

Raych D. encourages supporting our local immigrant communities through education. Raych shares her personal list of reading recommendations if you want to learn more “about what is happening in Venezuela, how we got here, and personal stories from the people there.”

Spotted Around Town 👀

Meet Fred. While City Cast Denver podcast host Bree Davies was on a trip to Freaky’s down in Glendale recently, she was greeted by this interesting character: a mannequin wearing a Baja hoodie, a plastic chain, bunny ears, and a nightmare-inducing mask (whose likeness we cannot figure out for the life of us!) We like your style, Fred.

Seen something cool/quirky/strange recently? Share the fun 👇