Hi, Bucket Listers! This week, we officially broke the record for most days in Denver without snow, and there’s none in the immediate forecast. In less depressing news, we’re up to $5,718 in our #newsCOneeds fundraising campaign. That’s over a third of the way to our $15,000 goal! The campaign ends on Dec. 31, but for the rest of the month, we’re having a sprint to see if we can get the most contributors to give $5 of all the participating community news outlets. If we can accomplish that together, we have a chance to earn an additional $2,500 from the Colorado Media Project. Unlocking that amount would be extremely beneficial in allowing us to continue providing you with free hyperlocal news. Additionally, during this time, the Lenfest Institute will double all of your contributions. Now, onto the news!
Food Banks Face Mounting Pressure Ahead of Holidays
The holidays are a time when people gather to share delicious food, but for many Coloradans, federal cuts and rising costs will make this impossible. This season, billions of dollars have been cut from SNAP and Medicaid, leaving citizens with a significantly weaker safety net and driving an increase in the number of people seeking help from food banks. Our reporter, Cassis Tingley, speaks with food bank organizers and recipients about how SNAP freezes, federal cuts and rising costs are driving more Coloradans to food banks ahead of Thanksgiving.
DPS Sponsors Bucket List Community News
This week’s newsletter is sponsored by Denver Public Schools. Every day at Denver Public Schools, the DPS experience comes to life through our students, educators, families and community. Through passionate learning, personalized support, powerful impact, prestigious achievement and being proud of who we are, these stories celebrate what it means to be part of the DPS experience.
Fashion Designer Fresh Sam Back in Denver
After spending almost a decade in Los Angeles working for brands like Netflix, Bose, Puma and Reebok, fashion designer Fresh Sam is bringing her sustainable label INFATUÉ home to Denver. Although the city is not known for its fashion scene or sense of style, Fresh Sam shares with our reporter, Maxx Goodman, how growing up here forced her to create her own designs from scratch. Learn more about Fresh Sam’s early days in Denver, professional work and how she hopes to push Denver’s fashion scene “out of the box.”
Denver Housing Market Begins to Cool
As sellers outnumber buyers in Denver, now may be a good time to consider purchasing a home. Our Lily Delgado interviews a Denver couple who successfully found their “perfect home” in today’s housing market. Although affordability remains a concern for many, Denver’s housing market is finally rebalancing, resulting in many more meaningful opportunities than in previous years for buyers who are prepared and patient and negotiate.
Stuff We Noticed
Denver Health Inspector Pouring Bleach Goes Viral. A short video posted on Instagram last Saturday of a public health inspector pouring bleach on food at Taco Tacolorado, a local street taco stand, went viral online. Comments were removed from the video on Monday after people accused the city of targeting this beloved vendor. However, the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment pushed back that the stand had been operating without a license despite repeated attempts by multiple jurisdictions, and this was done to ensure that they did not continue to serve unsafe food. Taco Tacolorado has yet to provide a public response.
New Study Reports 50% Decline in Interest in Moving to Denver. Once ranked first on moveBuddha‘s “Most Popular Cities To Move To” list, Denver is now well outside the top ten for 2026. From 2019 to 2025, interest in Denver fell by 48%, with people seeking the “Just-Right” cities rather than the “It” ones. Mid-size cities such as Knoxville and Tulsa are becoming more appealing because they offer the same amenities without the crowds and costs that larger cities like Denver do.
City’s 28th Library Now Open in Westwood. The wait is over, as the city’s new library branch in Westwood officially opens on Monday. The 28th city location will join the old Westwood branch in the neighborhood, providing public access to two libraries and a larger collection. The new location is named after Denver’s first Latina principal, Lena Archuleta, and is open from 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday.
That’s it for this week, Bucket Listers. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our #newsCOneeds campaign so far. We are deeply grateful for your support of community news. If you haven’t had a chance to give yet, we’d love your help as we push toward the finish line before Dec. 31. Even $5 makes a difference, and remember that the Lenfest Institute will double all contributions. Thank you for reading, supporting and showing up for local news. We’ll see you next week, and happy Thanksgiving!
Warmest Regards,
Kathryn Cronin
Editorial Intern/Bucket List Community News
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