Happy St. Patrick’s Day weekend, Bucket Listers. Make sure to pull out your shamrock green from the back of the closet for the 2026 Denver St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which begins this Saturday at 9:30 a.m. For more St. Patrick’s Day fun, check out our Bucket Listicle of ways to celebrate Irish Culture in Denver. This week’s stories dig into a transportation rollout that left drivers scrambling, a big step forward for a historic neighborhood theater, debate inside the state Capitol on International Women’s Day, how the Denver Summit FC is inspiring young athletes and a family-run café bringing Salvadoran and Caribbean flavors to a local library.
Denver Admits Communication Breakdown on 13th and 14th
A sudden traffic change on East 13th and 14th avenues left drivers confused and residents scrambling for answers. When the city switched from one-way to two-way streets in the middle of the day on Feb. 18, many commuters were taken by surprise. Now, Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure admits it “missed some communication steps” when implementing the change. Reporter Daniel Montoya speaks with neighborhood residents who witnessed the chaotic first hours and asks city officials about what went wrong and how they intend to avoid similar confusion in the future.
Historic Yates Theater Cleared for Revival
A long-vacant movie house in Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood is one step closer to reopening. The Denver Board of Adjustment unanimously approved a zoning variance allowing the historic Yates Theater on West 44th Avenue to expand its seating capacity, clearing a key hurdle for its revival as a film and events venue. Local couple Macy Lao and Kyle Hagan are leading the restoration, aiming to bring movies and live events back to the building. Journalist Sadie Gonzales explains what the decision means for the project and those who live near it.
Inside the Debate Over International Women’s Day at the Capitol
The Colorado State Capitol marked International Women’s Day for the eighth year in a row, inviting the public to watch lawmakers vote on a resolution officially recognizing March 8. But the celebration also sparked unexpected political debate inside the House chamber, with disagreements over language, gender identity and the role of motherhood. Our Ella Berry takes readers inside the Capitol for a closer look at the discussion and the broader conversation about how women’s contributions are recognized in Colorado today.
Denver’s New Women’s Soccer Team Already Inspiring Young Players
Colorado’s new National Women’s Soccer League expansion team, Denver Summit FC, hasn’t even played its first home match yet and it’s already making waves. More than 50,000 fans have purchased tickets for the team’s debut at Empower Field, setting a new NWSL attendance record. But the biggest impact may be happening off the field. High school reporter Daniella Prime-Morales speaks with local youth players and coaches who say the new team is changing how young girls in Colorado see their future in the sport.
A Salvadoran and Caribbean Café Brings Community to Thornton
Inside the Anythink Wright Farms Library in Thornton, a small café is serving up pupusas, tres leches and Caribbean-inspired dishes. LatinA Flavor Café, founded by sisters Odila and Karen Colato and their friend Melba Velazquez, blends family recipes with a welcoming space for library visitors. Sophia Collins shares the story behind the café, from its roots in a food truck to plans for a second location.
Stuff We Noticed
Does Nextdoor Make Neighbors More Afraid of Each Other? A new study from the University of Colorado Boulder claims that the platform Nextdoor instills fear about local crime by altering viewers’ perceptions of reality. The study, conducted in 2023 through an online poll of 1,806 adults, discovered that frequent Nextdoor users are more concerned about crime and support stricter policing tactics than neighbors who use the platform infrequently or not at all. Nonetheless, Nextdoor has become a primary source of neighborhood news, and some critics argue that researchers are drawing a causal link between whether people who are concerned about crime join Nextdoor or whether using the platform exacerbates their fears.
Colorado Weed Prices Reach New Low. This week, the Department of Revenue announced that the price of marijuana had dropped to its lowest level since the state began tracking the median price per pound for marijuana in Colorado in 2014. Prices have fallen by 6.3 percent from the previous record of $648 in December last year, with this year’s $608 being the lowest ever. These prices may be beneficial to customers’ wallets, but industry experts warn that they will result in a “race to the bottom” for growers and a continued decline in quality.
Sunnyside Ramen Restaurant Rebrands. Sunnyside Ramen, a popular ramen restaurant located at 4044 Tejon Street in the Sunnyside neighborhood, is being renamed Ebisu Sushi and Ramen Star. This announcement comes with the news that the original owner, Takashi Tamai, is going to move back to Japan. The restaurant’s new owners and buyers, Myong Choi and chef Soon Choi, intend to launch a completely new menu featuring ramen and sushi, drawing on Choi’s years of experience in Japanese restaurants.
From street changes to neighborhood cafés and Capitol debates, there’s a lot happening across the Denver area and we’re grateful you’re following along with Bucket List. If you’re heading out for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade this weekend, wear some green, stay safe and enjoy the festivities. Thank you so much for reading. We’ll see you next week with more local stories worth your time.
Warmest Regards,
Kathryn Cronin
Editorial Intern/Bucket List Community News
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