⛔ Mayor Johnston bans ICE from city property

⛔ Mayor Johnston Has a New Plan For ICE

Ever since the Trump administration escalated immigration enforcement in Minnesota earlier this year, Mayor Johnston has faced one question over and over: What if it happened here? He announced his plan yesterday with an executive order banning immigration agents from city property and directing local police to step in if they observe immigration agents using “excessive force," as well as other measures. [New York Times]

• The mayor in his own words: “We hold our own officers to that standard, and we will hold any ICE agent to the same if an ICE agent assaults or shoots or kills a civilian in Denver” [Denver Gazette}

🪅 Piñata Stunt Shakes Up CD8 Primary

Rep. Manny Rutinel and former Marine Evan Munsing, both Democratic candidates for the 8th Congressional District, spoke at a Thornton forum on Tuesday. Shannon Bird, the third candidate, was absent — but organizers imposed her image on a three-foot-tall piñata, which was reportedly mocked and laughed at during the event. Moderator and former state Rep. Tim Hernández said he commissioned the piñata to symbolize Bird’s absence. Bird’s campaign has blasted the piñata as “appalling.” [Axios]

🤔 Is Denver Done With Data Centers?

After bubbling up over the last few months, the debate over data centers in Denver boiled over this week. Mayor Mike Johnston imposed a moratorium on new ones being built, then a community meeting erupted in chants to halt construction on one going up in Elyria-Swansea. Our green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval was at the town hall, and she joins host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi to get into it — plus, Douglas County has a new retail theft measure that could lead to fines for businesses that don’t report shoplifting and, as always, our wins and fails of the week. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

🔪 Divisive, Influential Restaurateur Steps Down

Juan Padro is stepping down as CEO of Culinary Creative Group, with former Punch Bowl Social CEO Richard Flaherty taking over. Padro, who co-founded CCG in 2010 and grew it to more than 15 restaurants across the country, will stay on as a consultant. His departure comes amid an ongoing 2025 lawsuit by a former Kumoya server alleging tip theft and improper service charges, which continues to move through Denver County District Court. [Denver Post 🔒]

💸 Caring for Denver Updates Alcohol Policy

City Council members on Wednesday expressed concern over Caring for Denver’s spending after reviewing a critical audit on the organization, which oversees over $40 million annually in taxpayer funds. Lorez Meinhold, the nonprofit's executive director, acknowledged the audit’s finding and said they would stop reimbursing alcohol. But their roughly $1,000 in alcohol spending accounts for only a small portion of their $2.5 million administrative budget. [CPR News / Axios]

Last week’s answer: You’ll recognize this view if you’ve ever dined on the second floor of Hapa Sushi downtown at 1514 Blake St. (The anime-style robot mascot should have been the real giveaway.) The original location of this casual sit-down sushi fave was a 10-seater eatery located inside Boulder’s Fox Theater that opened in 1999. Now, you’ll find locations in Greenwood Village, Cherry Creek, downtown Denver, and on Boulder’s Pearl Street 🍣 🥢 😋

Congratulations to this week’s quickest correct guessers:

• Cerise K. was the first to write in with the correct answer! 🏆
• Followed closely by Sara V., Linda B., Adam A., Keith S., Anna Z., Erin B., Cara F., Lee R., Beth K., Jamie W., Jason C., Trish H., and Katherine L.R. 👏

This Week’s Photo:

🕵️ Do YOU recognize this distinct architecture found inside one of Denver’s most treasured local landmarks? 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!