💼 Denver cuts nearly 200 jobs

💼 City to Cut 7.6% of Workforce

Denver announced Monday that 171 city employees will be laid off this week, and 665 open positions will be eliminated, in an effort to address a $250 million budget deficit. Details on affected departments are expected later this week, but the cuts have already drawn criticism from unions and City Council members. [Denverite]

• Have you been affected by city layoffs? Send us a message and tell us about your experience.

🏗️ More Neighborhoods and Transportation Planned Around DIA

Construction at the airport has been ongoing, and top brass says they’re “aggressively” speeding up the development of nearly 1,500 acres along Peña Boulevard. Long-term plans include distinct districts with retail, luxury hotels, and expanded public transit. [CBS News Colorado]

• Related: Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport recently broke ground on its own $7 million expansion project that could make them an extra $2 million per year. [Denver Business Journal 🔒]

📈 Harsher Punishments Aren’t Reducing Overdose Deaths

A bipartisan group of lawmakers passed a state law in 2022 increasing penalties for possession of any drug containing fentanyl and outlining treatment for offenders. But now we have some new data showing how well that’s working. A new study found that the changes had no effect in lowering opioid overdose deaths. We’re talking about what the experts say and Denver’s new politics of addiction on the City Cast Denver podcast today. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

🔐 Denver Blocks Traffic Camera Access Over Immigration Concerns

Denver Police revoked the Loveland Police Department’s access to Denver’s Flock license plate readers after records showed Loveland police had shared data access with U.S. Border Patrol, though it’s unclear if Border Patrol has used the data. The company that makes the cameras alleged Loveland police and Border Patrol had a sharing agreement, which the Loveland Police Department denies. [9News]

We love spotting something unusual or surprising around Denver. Like how far along the new King Soopers in Virginia Village off Colorado Boulevard has come 🤩

The Kentro Group, the same development firm behind this King Soopers project, is also planning to build a five-story apartment building at the corner of Pearl Street and Louisiana Avenue in Platt Park. It’s rumored not only that a new Trader Joe’s might go into the bottom floor of the complex, but that it would be one of the only TJs in the region to sell beer and wine. Kentro only confirmed that they plan to break ground in 2026.

Have you seen something fun or curious around town recently? We want to see it too!