Denver in 5 minutes: What you need to know today, July 31

Andrew Kenney

Jul. 31, 2016, 12:00 p.m.

It’s the last day of two excellent events: The Underground Music Showcase, which brings a really wonderful variety to downtown Denver, and the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, which is super popular for both obvious and subtle reasons.

Sadly, we weren’t invited to the Koch brothers’ “exclusive weekend retreat” in Colorado, and maybe neither did Donald Trump. Once again, there’s not much love between the billionaires and the maybe-a-billionaire.

In other Trump-Colorado news, his own team probably got him stuck in an elevator here. In other dragon-boat news, Darryl Glenn’s team is not particularly good at dragon boating.

Meanwhile, environmentalists are planning to focus some of their campaigning in Colorado in this year’s elections. (The Hill)

Over at the Denver Post, the columnist Woodie Paige just wrote his last column before departing for the Colorado Springs Gazette. (DP)

Meanwhile, the Post finds that Colorado does a remarkably bad job of checking doctors’ criminal records. As a result, one kept practicing for years here after losing his license to fraud allegations elsewhere. (DP)

This weekend, sadly, brought more gun violence to Denver.

Affordable housing units in Stapleton, May 22, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

denver; colorado; residential real estate; affordable housing; stapleton;

Colorado Housing and Finance Authority is closing in on a record in helping low-income homeowners

It has already invested more than $1 billion in that business so far this year, almost double the figure at this point last year.

District 10 City Councilman Wayne New speaks to a reporter at a Golden Triangle restaurant, March 19, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Denver City Council candidate Wayne New said he was once a Dixiecrat, later said he didn’t know the party was racist

The party formed in 1948 favored segregation under the pretense of state’s rights.

Mayor Michael Hancock at a news conference Friday, May 24, 2019 announcing new contributions to a housing fund. (Donna Bryson/Denverite)

Colorado foundations and business groups give $1 million to Denver’s housing fund

And they've offered to match general public donations up to $500,000.

George Brauchler, District Attorney for the 18th Judicial District, during a press conference at the U.S. Attorney's Office on Friday, May 24, 2019, in Denver. (Esteban L. Hernandez/Denverite)

Feds, local authorities in Colorado announce massive black-market marijuana takedown

The investigation spanned eight Front Range counties and 42 people were arrested.

Denver's air quality is visibly not great on Aug. 20, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Citizen climate crisis fighters launch campaign to make Denver the first major U.S. city with a carbon tax

The bid to collect 8,200 valid signatures begins today.

Kesi, the new baby mandrill at the Denver Zoo, held by her mother, Kumani. (Courtesy Denver Zoo)

Denver Zoo has a new baby mandrill, its first since 2003

It's Friday. Here's a baby animal.

Agata Indiasty rides his motorcycle down Santa Fe Drive, Aug. 2, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Things to do in Denver this weekend, May 24-27

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

John Parvensky, CEO and President of Colorado Coalition for the Homeless,
speaks during groundbreaking for new housing for homeless veterans at the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora, Dec. 18, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Colorado Coalition for the Homeless’s John Parvensky named acting director of the National Coalition for the Homeless

He says he will use his new platform to ensure that calls for more federal dollars to address homelessness are part of the political conversation leading up to the 2020 presidential vote.

Five Points liquor and grocery stores, May 21, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Full-strength beer is good for grocery stores, but Denver liquor stores get stuck with the hangover

The city has 205 grocery and convenience stores competing with 233 liquor stores.

Albus Brooks and Candi CdeBaca. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Racist flier hits District 9 runoff race, both campaigns think it’s bullshit

A Brooks supporter says she found fliers depicting Councilman Albus Brooks as a monkey on cars in Clayton.

Denver Public Works holds open "office hours" about the Broadway bikeway's future. Metropolis Coffee, May 22, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Denver’s bicycle superhighway on Broadway will take up to two more years to start

Whether it's happening is no longer up for debate. When and how is another story.

Stapleton on a snowy spring day, May 21, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

The people of Stapleton will vote on changing the neighborhood’s name — but only the property-owning people

Most people in Stapleton own property. And if you own more property, you get more votes.

Democratic representatives Brianna Titone and Brittany Petterson of Jefferson County and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez of Denver, standing from left to right look on as Gov. Jared Polis signs the law they sponsored on rental applications on April 25, 2019. (Donna Bryson/Denverite)

Metro Denver landlords are learning how to manage their relationships with tenants under new laws

A briefing at the Apartment Association of Metro Denver’s annual trade show Wednesday focused largely on advice that can help landlords cope.

Former Governor John Hickenlooper addresses supporters for his run at the presidency during a rally at Civic Center Park, March 7, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Hickenlooper proposes nationwide gun licensing and safety tests

The former Colorado governor on Wednesday released a detailed gun control proposal, similar to that of presidential rival and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker.