🏙️ TODAY IN DENVER
Denver's unhoused community will be at the center of a first-of-its-kind study this summer. The idea? Give Denverites experiencing homelessness a monthly stipend.
Mark Donovan, founder of the Denver Basic Income Project, was inspired by a similar initiative in Stockton, California, in which 125 people living within range of the poverty line were granted $500 per month. Results from that study showed that most individuals used the money to pay off debt and find a stable job. Most notably, however, the study showed a decrease in stress, depression, and anxiety among its subjects. Denver's version, according to Donovan, will be the first of this type of study to focus on the unhoused community.
The Denver Basic Income Project selected 820 Denver residents experiencing homelessness to take part in the study. Those participants will be divided into three different sub-groups:
- Group 1: 260 participants will receive a direct payment of $1,000 per month for a year
- Group 2: 260 participants will receive an upfront payment of $6,500, then $500 every month after for a year
- Group 3: 300 participants will receive a direct payment of $50 per month for a year
The different distribution methods will allow researchers to study the different affects of receiving money upfront versus spreading those payments throughout the year. Participants will not be told how to spend their money. The project kicks off July 1.
[Denverite][Denver7]
April showers bring... more May showers apparently. We're looking at temps in the mid 40s and rain throughout the day ☔
—Peyton Garcia (@peytonmgarcia)
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📰 IN OTHER NEWS
🔥 Enter wildfire season
On Saturday morning, the first day of Wildfire Awareness Month, a wildfire broke out in Park County near Jefferson County. The fire covered about 45 acres; but no structures were damaged and no evacuation was necessary. In an update from Pike and San Isabel National Forest services on Sunday around 4:30 p.m., the fire was 100% contained. [KDVR]
👉 What you can do: Check out these tips from forest service officials on what you can do to help reduce the risk of wildfires.
😷 How've we fared since state COVID guidelines were removed?
Two weeks ago, the state retired its COVID-19 dial and handed off control to county officials. Some counties have maintained strict rules, while some have nearly eliminated COVID restrictions. Is there a noticeable correlation between restrictions and case numbers? Not really.
[Denver Post]
⚾ Denver Beer Co. falls ~$999,994,000 short to buy Rockies
But it's all in good fun. The brewery launched a GoFunMe at the start of the season with a $1 billion goal to try to buy the Rockies from owner Charlie Monfort. By its self-imposed deadline of May 1, the brewery raised a little over $6,000. If Monfort doesn't bite, the money will be donated to the Colorado Restaurant Foundation's Angel Relief Fund to aid hospitality workers impacted by the pandemic. [9News]
🐻 Wildlife officials warn about bear activity
A Durango woman is suspected to have been killed by a black bear this weekend, and now parks and wildlife officials are reminding Coloradans to practice caution as we venture into hiking and camping season. The woman was walking her dogs when it's believed she was attacked by a mother bear with her two cubs. The bears were tracked and euthanized. [Denver Post]
👉 What you can do: Familiarize yourself with bear encounter tips from the National Park Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
🍾 Mizuna's building owners drop demolition eligibility request
Fantastic news for Denver foodies — the owners of the building that houses four acclaimed Frank Bonanno restaurants have dropped their request for a certificate of demolition eligibility. They are still, however, exploring selling the building — or a possible historic designation, depending on how things unfold. [Business Den]
👉 What you can do: Get caught up on this potential demolition saga with this episode of City Cast Denver.
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🎙️ TODAY'S PODCAST
Last week, we shared a first-person account from a man, David Gordon, who was living inside the latest effort to combat Denver’s homelessness crisis. Today, Host Bree Davies continues the conversation around the Safe Outdoor Spaces with the person directing the program and the pastor of the Park Hill church where the next SOS is being set up.
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🗓️ MARK YOUR CAL
+ TUESDAY: Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower
The month-long meteor shower will hits its peak Tuesday night into the dawn hours of Wednesday. You can reasonably expect 10-20 meteors an hour.
+ WEDNESDAY: Live Talk with John Wenzel
If you loved hearing from Denver Post arts reporter John Wenzel on City Cast Denver recently, you can get more of his take on Denver's immersive art scene at this live chat.
+ THURSDAY: ReelAbilities Film Festival
This film festival showcasing movies by and about people with disabilities runs May 5-8, and is fully available online.
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Image courtesy of Colfax Ave Business Improvement District
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"A little mystery and a lot of love from local businesses." A Bag of Colfax is exactly what it sounds like — the best that Colfax Avenue has to offer in a bag, presented neat, tidy, and ready for unwrapping. It's the ultimate gift for anyone that is #DenverProud. How it works: Place your order online (with optional instructions for custom preferences). Then, they'll build your bag with 5-7 different goodies from Colfax businesses. Finally, you'll receive an email when your bag is ready for pick-up! Some of my favorite participating businesses include The Urban Cookie, Big Ass Map Illustrations, Pete's Kitchen, Smith + Canon Ice Cream, and Studio Colfax. Bag of Colfax is accepting Mother's Day orders until midnight on Wednesday, May 5.
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