Happy Halloween, Bucket Listers! Before the costumes and candy, a quick heads-up: our #newsCOneeds year-end fundraiser kicks off tomorrow, Nov. 1. If you value independent, local reporting and the mentorship we provide to emerging journalists, we’d love your support to help us reach our goal of $15,000 by the end of the year. Now, on to this week’s five stories.
Montclair Elm Debate: Safety vs. Shade
A 100-year-old American elm towering over Montclair Park’s playground has become the center of a months-long debate. At a neighborhood forum on Oct. 27, Denver Parks & Rec’s Forestry team cited repeated limb “failures” and safety risks. Residents countered with their own arborist and urged the city to preserve an anchor of community memory, or at least honor its legacy if removal proceeds. Potential redesigns, shade alternatives and budget tradeoffs are all on the table. Reporter Sadie Gonzales sat in on the meeting and breaks down what comes next.
After the Nederland Fire, a Mountain Town Rebuilds
When the Caribou Village Shopping Center burned down on Oct. 9, Nederland lost far more than storefronts—it lost a daily gathering place and dozens of livelihoods. From Lyons fundraisers to reopened essentials like B&F Mountain Market, the recovery has begun, but the financial ripple effects are real for workers, tradespeople and small businesses across the Peak to Peak. Our Mauricio Mendez spoke with residents about what rebuilding will really require.
Colorado Reacts to Trump’s Immigration Crackdowns
New federal enforcement tactics have Coloradans torn, even among those who support tighter borders. In a COLab/CPR project written by Stephanie Rivera, immigration lawyers, state leaders and residents describe due-process concerns, shifting policies and real-time impacts on families here. It’s a clear primer on what’s happening now and why many are calling for different approaches.
Inside GALS: Movement, Mentorship and Middle School
At Denver’s Girls Athletic Leadership School (GALS), mornings begin with movement—running one quarter, ultimate frisbee the next—to “wake up the brain” and build confidence. Its a key part of the tuition-free, all-girls+ public school’s curriculum that emphasizes movement and prepares students to lead confidently. Rowen Kennedy shares the stories of seventh-grade student Emily Soto and school leaders to tell how the school’s emphasis on wellness, leadership and an inclusive culture translates into academics and life.
Black Men and Their Fathers
Too often missing from public conversation: the everyday legacy of Black fathers. In a deeply personal essay, Perry Guidry profiles Coloradans David DeClouet and Elroy Williams and reflects on his own dad to show how presence, work ethic and love ripple through families and communities. The piece counters tired stereotypes with lived experience, tracing how fathers’ support shapes sons into mentors, providers and leaders. It also looks at how those lessons endure through loss, recovery and the responsibility to give back.
Stuff We Noticed
Four Queer Denver Businesses Vandalized. Several LGBTQ+ spaces in Denver were hit with vandalism last weekend, including broken windows at The Center on Colfax and incidents at Above Ground, The Pearl and The Joy Movement Collective. Police say there are no suspects yet. The Colorado Democratic Party, Stonewall Democrats of Colorado and the Democratic Party of Denver issued a joint statement condemning the attacks as “an assault on Colorado’s values,” vowing to respond with “solidarity, strength and action.”
Denver rents dip…for now. Everyone is talking about rising rents in big cities, but in Denver, the cost of renting is going down. The Apartment Association of Metro Denver reported that average rents have dropped 5% from the same time last year, the lowest they have been since 2022. This trend may not continue as overall vacancy rates fall, so make sure to sign or renew your lease before rates rise.
Park Hill Park is now open. After years of fights over the former golf course, the site reopened on Tuesday as Denver’s fourth-largest park, complete with ballfields, a nature-themed playground and new trails planned. The reopening of the space is a significant victory for green space advocates, though some neighbors say it’s “a little bit disappointing” that all they can do right now is “walk your dog here.”
Don’t forget to turn in your ballots by Tuesday, November 4. You have until 7 p.m. that day to ensure that your vote counts towards Denver’s future. Then, on Thursday, November 6, at 3 p.m., listen to our latest radio show on KGNU. Toni Tresca, our editor, and our student journalists share audio stories about Veterans Day traditions, RiNo’s struggle to build a grocery store, DU’s mariachi program and other hyperlocal topics.
Finally, if our reporting makes you feel informed and connected, please consider contributing to help us keep community journalism strong. We’re fundraising through the end of the year and can’t do this work without you. That’s it for this week. Have a safe Halloween and try not to eat too much candy. See you next Friday, Bucket Listers!
Warmest Regards,
Kathryn Cronin
Editorial Intern/Bucket List Community News
KEEP UP WITH US!
Follow our daily news feeds on Facebook and Instagram
Listen to our Podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Got a story idea? Contact us!
