City Cast Denver
🚭 The flavored tobacco fight isn’t over
March 21, 2025 · — Peyton Garcia
We did it! We made it to Friday, everyone 👏 And what a week it was. Today on the City Cast Denver Friday News Roundup, we take a closer look at some of the biggest stories that had the Mile High abuzz, from immigration protests and union worker rallies to everything we know so far about the plans for the new NWSL stadium. Join the convo 🎧 👇
What's CITY Talking About?
🚭 Could Denverites Reverse Flavored Tobacco Ban?
Mom-and-pop tobacco shops aren’t going down without a fight. A group of Denverites hoping to repeal the newly instated flavored tobacco ban — which was overwhelmingly approved by city leaders in December — say they’ve submitted more than 17,000 signatures to the city clerk in an attempt to put a repeal measure in front of voters this fall. [Denverite]
- A little history: “White snus pouches were designed to help Swedish women quit cigarettes. They’ve become a staple for American dudes.” [The New Yorker]
🏗️ Peña Boulevard Construction Contract Moves Forward
Following a second hearing on the matter, a city council committee voted to pass the hotly debated contract proposal for a costly overhaul of Peña Boulevard — the main artery leading to DIA — on to the full council for consideration.
- What’s the controversy? Opponents of the contract fear airport officials will simply expand the highway without taking multi-modal transit options into consideration. [Denverite]
🚨 ICE Breakout Blame Game
Aurora officials and federal immigration officials are pointing fingers over who did a worse job responding to a detainee escape at the Aurora ICE detention center this week. ICE agents say Aurora police “were notified immediately and declined to assist.” APD says it wasn’t contacted until five hours after the breakout. [Denver Post 🔒]
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Where Is It?
Last week’s answer: You can find this charming little “fairy village” at Town Hall Collaborative, a cafe/bar/retail and event space in Baker. 10/10 recommend 👌
📣 A very special shoutout for this week’s quickest correct guessers:
- Eric G. was the first to write in with the correct answer!
- But Maria R., Eliot L., Anna D., Lucas L., Doug G., and 24 (!!) others weren’t far behind!
This Week’s Photo:
🕵️ Recognize the inside of this Denver brewery? Be among the first to respond with the right answer and you’ll get a special shoutout in next Friday’s newsletter!
📸 Want to submit a photo? Send me a snapshot of somewhere in Denver, and I’ll consider it for an upcoming photo trivia segment!
What To Do
Friday, March 21
- 🪶 49th Annual March Powwow | 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. | $8.30 | Denver Coliseum
- ☕ Coffee Tasting (18+) | 3:30-4:30 p.m. | Free | Anythink Perl Mack
- 📚 Erika Wurth and Friends in Conversation | 6-8 p.m. | $25.28 | Tattered Cover - Colfax
- 🪩 Concha the Party by Womxns Pride (21+) | 9 p.m.- 2 a.m. | $17.85 | Your Mom's House Denver
- 🤠 Queer Country, A Night of Live Music and Dance (21+) | 8-11:30 p.m. | $14.64+ | Town Hall Collaborative
- 🎺 Friday Night Jazz at Spangalang | 6-9 p.m. | Free entry | Five Points
Saturday, March 22
- 🪶 49th Annual March Powwow | 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. | $8.30 | Denver Coliseum
- 🎎 Miniature Show | 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. | $6 | Green Mountain Presbyterian Church
- 🧵 Embroidery for Beginners | 11 a.m.-Noon | Free | Valdez-Perry Branch Library
- 🫶 Kindness Unplugged | 12:30-2 p.m. | $22 | Hope Tank
- ☕ Coffee Shop Speed Dating (21+) | 3-5 p.m. | $33.76 | Table Public House
- 🩰 Cirque of Fortune | 6-8 p.m. | $39.19 | Cleo Parker Robinson Dance
Not an April Fool’s joke: Beginning April 1, employees of the Cherry Creek Mall will have to pay to park there while on the clock 😬
Free · Daily