Late last week, Mayor Mike Johnston responded to City Council’s ban on sweeps of homeless encampments during freezing temperatures with his first official veto. Though the Denver mayoral position allows for vetoes of City Council decisions, it is not a power often used by those in office — so why did the Johnston administration take this particular stand? Plus, this isn’t the only friction to arise within local government lately. After the mayor partnered with the Downtown Denver Partnership a few weeks ago to roll out a new “ambassadors” program aimed at making the city center more appealing to visitors, some council members are questioning if the program is lacking oversight. Host Bree Davies is joined by Westword editor-in-chief Patty Calhoun to break down these stories, plus dig into some listener responses to our ongoing callout for the worst intersections in the Mile High.
Patty mentioned the Next Gallery Casa Bonita-inspired art show, opening February 16; she also talked House1000 dashboard updated by the City, which as of February 5 said that 1,245 people had been moved indoors and 1,191 were still indoors.
Bree mentioned the deadly shooting in Green Valley Ranch over the weekend, as well as Axios Denver’s coverage of the veto and the Mayor’s letter to City Council; she also talked about the need for volunteer translators for migrant work authorization clinics happening this week.
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