🤔 What’s ICE hiding in rural Colorado?

❄️ Will Denver Have Enough Shelter Beds for This Weekend’s Freeze?

Last month, City Council declined to approve a cold-weather shelter contract for the city-run shelter at the former DoubleTree hotel on Quebec Street, which would have added 250 beds. Now, homelessness advocates are scrambling to find enough space to protect people on the streets from the dangerously cold temperatures expected to settle over Denver this weekend. [Denverite]

🛑 Alameda Ave Debate Reaches Fever Pitch

The battle over how to address safety issues along a stretch of Alameda Avenue in Wash Park continues. A Denver City Council committee meeting this week saw the drama intensify as the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure announced a plan to pilot a modified version of the controversial “road diet” by cutting down car access. But pedestrian and bike advocates still don’t think it’s enough. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

🐺 Colorado Halts Wolf Reintroduction Efforts

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is pressing pause on its gray wolf reintroduction efforts after failing to find any state or tribal nation willing to provide more wolves. At the same time, the project is under scrutiny by the Trump administration, which is considering revoking the state’s permissions for the program. [CPR]

• How’s it been going? The program has faced a rocky rollout since the initial release in December 2023. Colorado has seeded four wolf packs that have successfully reproduced. At least 11 wolves have died.

🪧 Protesters Rally Against Planned New ICE Facility

On Wednesday, more than 100 people gathered outside a defunct Weld County prison building to protest plans to turn it into an ICE detention center. The ACLU of Colorado obtained documents confirming the plan last week, but much of the information was heavily redacted, leaving concerned community members to wonder what ICE isn’t sharing. [Denver Post 🔒]

🕵️ DPD Investigates Serial Vandalism on Broadway

Denver police have received dozens of reports of shattered windows in cars and buildings along Broadway roughly between 17th and Blake streets since November — and those are just the incidents they know about. Authorities appear to believe the attacks are connected and encourage other victims or anyone with information to come forward. [Westword]

Last week’s answer: This stunning snapshot was taken at a Candlelight Concert (Tribute to The Beatles, if you’re wondering) hosted by Trinity United Methodist Church at 1820 Broadway. You may recognize its gorgeous exterior constructed of rhyolite stone quarried locally from Castle Rock. The church — with its 183-foot spire — was built in 1887, reportedly making it one of the tallest structures in Denver at the time. Its crowning characteristic is often considered the massive 4,200-pipe organ designed by G.A. Audsley. The church still operates as a functioning worship space today.

📣 A special shoutout for this week’s correct guessers:

• Michael F. was the first to write in with the correct answer!
• But Leah J., Tiffany O., Melissa S., Jody I., Ryan N., Angela V., Lisa B., Jorge P., Kathy K., Jason C., Nicole O., Katie W., Ron T., and Kent L. weren’t far behind!

This Week’s Photo:

🕵️ There’s only one place in Denver where you’ll find this detailed hand-illustrated wheat diagram. Do YOU know where it is? Be among the first to respond with the right answer and you’ll get a special shoutout in next Friday’s newsletter!

🙏 A special thank you to Hey Denver reader Joe C. for sending in this week’s trivia pic!

📸 Want to submit a photo? Send me a snapshot of somewhere in Denver, and I’ll consider it for an upcoming photo trivia segment!