Hi Bucket Listers! As we approach mid-summer, a quick reminder that we now have three newsletters: our Friday wrap-up, our Sunday 5 Questions series and our Tuesday curated list of accessible, low-cost events.
Bucket List is a media partner for a few exciting events, including a town hall at 6 p.m. on July 17 at 525 Santa Fe Drive, where neighbors can talk about the proposed National Women’s Soccer Stadium. This Sunday, in our 5 Questions series, Tim Jones of Longer Tables, with whom we are also collaborating, will explain why his organization is building a mile-long table and inviting 5280 people to the Auraria campus for lunch on July 26. These are both excellent ways to connect with the community.
Boulder Leaders Grapple With Public Safety Crisis
In the wake of multiple violent incidents, Boulder officials are facing renewed scrutiny over how to keep residents safe. As Mark Goetzler reports, the recent chain attack that injured ten people and the firebombing that killed Holocaust survivor Karen Diamond have left Boulder shaken. “Like a zillion,” is how City Council Member Tara Winer describes the number of messages she’s received with safety concerns. Acting Deputy Police Chief Michael Heath insists the department is responding with increased presence, but both he and Winer agree: the balance between civil liberties and community protection is harder, and more necessary.
Tree Equity Takes Root Across Denver
Denver’s tree canopy may not rival lush coastal cities, but it’s growing thanks to a mix of city strategy and community action. With programs like Denver Digs Trees offering free or low-cost options, over 2,500 trees were planted this year, many in areas with the lowest canopy coverage. Dylan Barbee explores how both Denver Parks & Recreation and nonprofits like The Park People are helping residents plant shade trees in neighborhoods that need them most. It may not be quick work, but as one advocate puts it, growing a canopy is about cultivating care.
Denver’s Blind Date Scene Gets a Reality Show Makeover
Forget Hinge—this summer, some Denverites are finding romance live on stage. Khaleigh Reed takes us inside Dating in the Dark, a matchmaking show that’s part comedy set, part reality TV spectacle. Inspired by “Love Is Blind” and NYC’s UpDating, the event invites blindfolded contestants to answer flirty questions before an audience. Founder Gracey Thompson and co-producer Kori Woods say the show attracts twenty-somethings looking for a laugh and possibly a spark.
Radio Debut: Bucket List Hits the Airwaves on KGNU
This month, we officially expanded beyond the inbox and onto the radio. The inaugural episode of Bucket List on KGNU features street safety on Federal Boulevard, transit access to Red Rocks and a deep dive into the Ethiopian community’s cultural impact. Hosted by me, Toni Tresca, and produced by our team of emerging reporters, the show covers everything from film festivals and jazz to personal reflections on Denver’s baseball woes. Missed it? Stream it online, and catch our next episode on August 7.
Stuff We Noticed
Federal Budget Cuts Hit Health Access Hard. Following the signing of a new federal tax and spending bill, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains has suspended services for Medicaid patients, roughly 15,000 people. CEO Adrienne Mansanares called the move “devastating,” particularly for young and rural patients who rely on Planned Parenthood for primary care. Though Colorado voters recently approved expanded access through Amendment 79, the new federal law overrides it, eliminating Medicaid coverage for a range of reproductive health services.
You Can Keep Your Shoes On at TSA—Finally! In an effort to modernize air travel, the Department of Homeland Security announced this week that passengers no longer have to remove their shoes at TSA checkpoints. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the change would decrease wait times and improve traveler experience while maintaining security standards. Other updates include TSA PreCheck discounts for service members and expanded expedited lanes. Will this make summer travel less chaotic? We’ll take any wins we can get.
A Final Toast to the Giggling Grizzly. After nearly three decades of Rockies games, rowdy happy hours and late-night laughs, the Giggling Grizzly poured its final beer on July 6. The beloved LoDo bar, housed in the historic Marcus Hotel, closed to make way for a redevelopment project by Monfort Companies that also involves the former El Chapultepec site. But not all is lost: elements of both buildings will be preserved, including the iconic El Chapultepec sign. Still, for regulars who called the Grizzly home, this one stings.
Finally, congratulations to Julian Rubenstein, who won a national Emmy for his documentary “The Holly,” which is believed to be the first film produced and set in Denver to have ever won an Emmy Award. The investigative doc, based on his book, is the story about Terrance Roberts and his journey from gangs to community activism and his shocking crime that exposed issues of race, violence, injustice and gentrification in the northeast Denver neighborhood. That’s it for this week. Help us build our audience by asking your neighbors to subscribe to our free newsletters, and if you appreciate what we are doing, please contribute. See you next time!
Warmest Regards,
Toni Tresca
Editor/Bucket List Community News
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