🚧 Civic Center Park’s massive makeover begins

We’re back with more recommendations from City Cast Denver Neighbors about their fave local people, spots, and organizations in the Mile High, so they can become your favorites too!

📣 Kristi G. is shouting out the Colorado chapter of Solar United Neighbors, an organization of educators, communicators, and policy advocates providing information and resources for building a “clean, equitable energy system.”

📣 Kathy G. is shouting out the MaxFund Animal Shelter, its veterinary clinic, and its community pet food pantry offering free cat or dog food to anyone in the community who needs it.

Become a City Cast Denver Neighbor today to share your own shoutout in this newsletter!

🚧 Construction at Civic Center Begins Today

The work is Phase 1 of a broader, long-term redesign plan, “Civic Center Next 100,” which was developed with community input in 2021. The current renovations will focus on flipping the Greek Theater stage so it faces the opposite direction, as well as some smaller improvements to the park’s Central Promenade and the South Plaza. Work on this phase is expected to wrap up in 2027. Until then, much of the park will be closed off. [Axios Denver]

🚨 Colorado Sees Nation’s 6th Largest Drug Bust Ever

State authorities recovered an estimated 1.7 million fentanyl pills, plus several pounds of methamphetamine and fentanyl powder, from an abandoned storage unit in Highlands Ranch. Federal officials confirmed the drug supply is linked to the infamous Sinaloa drug cartel. It was the largest single seizure of illicit drugs ever recorded in Colorado, and the sixth largest in the country. [CPR]

• Save a life: According to the DEA, fentanyl is the leading cause of death nationally for adults ages 18 to 45. Read our tips on how to respond if you witness a drug overdose.

👀 What Really Happened in That Viral Bleach-Pouring Video

Recently, a video went viral on social media showing two people in City of Denver uniforms pouring bleach into aguas frescas and salsas at a local taco stand. Without any context, the clip left a trail of outrage but no answers. We spoke to both the city’s director of the public health investigations division and a local taco truck expert to get the real story behind the viral taco stand bleach incident. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

🌳 Your Neighborhood’s New Area Plan Has Been Delayed

The timeline for Denver's Neighborhood Planning Initiative has been delayed due to the city’s recent layoffs, which slashed 19 jobs (and 40 vacant positions) from the city’s planning department. The initiative kicked off in 2017 with the goal of having new area plans in place for all 78 of Denver’s statistical neighborhoods within 10-14 years. Officials now estimate a completion date in 2035. [Denverite]

• Up next: The city is currently working on plans for Far Southwest, Southwest, and Downtown. Next on deck are the Near Northeast, South Central, and Far Northwest areas. Not sure where your neighborhood lands? Check here📍

Recently, the City Cast Denver crew and our friend, local YouTuber Dave Chung, had the rare opportunity to get up-close and personal with DIA’s iconic demon horse mascot, Blucifer — officially titled “Mustang” by Luis Jiménez Jr. — and lived to tell the tale! Tune into Dave’s channel to watch the whole wild adventure where producer Paul Karolyi gives a great rundown of Blucifer’s backstory and does some myth-busting in the process.

Plus, after standing hoof-to-toe with the big blue guy, the folks at Denver International Airport took us on a behind-the-scenes tour — secret underground tunnels and all. Stay tuned in to the City Cast Denver podcast for a new episode coming soon where we’ll dig into what we learned about the rumored underground bunker, local art and alleged illuminati connections, and more of the airport’s wildest conspiracy theories!