Chris Nevitt

Marijuana: Rolling Stone calls Denver ground zero of "The New Stoned Age"

The June 20 cover of Rolling Stone describes the stars of the new comedy This Is the End as "The Doobie Brothers" -- a notion that ties in well with a special section on marijuana entitled "The New Stoned Age." Under that label is a headline that reads, "Too High to Fail: Inside Denver's Weed Boom. ... More >>

Medical marijuana centers will be big winners if Denver plan goes through, activist says

In a post published yesterday, Denver City Councilman Chris Nevitt defended a Denver proposal to limit recreational marijuana license applications to previously existing medical marijuana businesses until January 1, 2016. Marijuana attorney Warren Edson is a longtime critic of such an approach, an ... More >>

Marijuana: Councilman on plan to weed out "idiots" from Denver pot industry

On Monday, Denver City Council members held a straw poll to determine if they wanted to continue toward regulations for the recreational marijuana industry made possible by the passage of Amendment 64 -- and a 10-1 vote showed the majority did. Also shared was a draft of a proposed local licensing o ... More >>

Photos: Gates preservation bid rejected by landmark commission

College student Eugene Elliott's campaign to save remaining buildings at the old Gates Rubber factory on South Broadway from demolition, the subject of last month's feature "Trouble in the Rubble," has failed to impress Denver's Landmark Preservation Commission -- which voted 9-0 yesterday not to r ... More >>

Can a single student with $250 change the fate of the Gates Rubber factory?

See also: Slide show: Inside the Gates Rubber Factory

Michael Hancock's State of the City speech: Police reform and e-Denver

A year after taking office, Mayor Michael Hancock delivered his first State of the City address this morning, promoting a range of priorities, including restructuring the police department, increasing programs for children and a new online initiative he is calling "e-Denver." That's right, Denver is ... More >>

Photos: Cries of "Shame!" as camping ban passes at tense council meeting

The mood was charged from the beginning. Even before City Council voted nine to four to approve Denver's new urban camping ordinance, one audience member made a point during the Pledge of Allegiance. During its conclusion of "peace and justice for all," he shouted "ALL!" in protest against the measu ... More >>

Photos: Denver City Council preliminarily passes urban camping ban

Before last night's epic Denver City Council meeting started, and well before its members voted nine to four to preliminarily approve the proposed urban camping ordinance, the line for public attendance stretched far outside the City and County Building. Many of these people left during the followin ... More >>

Urban camping: A timeline of how the ban began -- and where it's headed

Although there have been rumblings about it for months, Denver's proposed urban camping ordinance has only been circulated in draft form for the past few weeks. In this week's feature, "For the homeless, 'urban camping' is no picnic," Jef Otte took a look at its direct implications by spending a nig ... More >>

Medical marijuana: Could dispensaries be allowed to share same block in Denver?

​After U.S. Attorney John Walsh sent closure threats to 23 medical marijuana dispensaries near schools (and vowed that he wasn't bluffing about the shut-down warnings), observers began to fear that MMCs would have few places to move in Denver due in part to rules that centers be at least 1,000 ... More >>

RedPeak to share drawings of Highland development tonight, neighbors grow restless

Tonight is the night RedPeak Properties will finally release its draft drawing of three five-story apartment buildings it plans to build near Highland Square that have caused so much neighborhood uproar. Of course, last Wednesday was supposed to be that night, as well. That meeting was delayed unti ... More >>

Carla Madison, Denver City councilwoman, dies after cancer battle: Colleagues pay tribute

Carla Madison.​District 8 councilwoman Carla Madison has been battling colon cancer for about two years, but the fight didn't seem to slow her down. That's why her sudden death yesterday came as such a surprise. Below, read the city's official goodbye to Madison, featuring remembrances from co ... More >>

Medical marijuana: More than 52 grows could still be at risk from city council, attorney says

​Yesterday, the Denver City Council attempted to tackle medical marijuana regulations that MMJ attorney Warren Edson initially feared could close 137 of 150 MMJ grows in the city. The current measure, which will be voted upon by council a week from today, is no longer so draconian. But Edson s ... More >>

Medical marijuana: Jessica Corry on suit that could make Denver liable for MMJ shutdowns

Jessica Corry.​Following reports about proposals that could close 137 of 150 medical marijuana grows, a compromise measure passed through the Denver City Council special issues committee -- although it's unclear how many operations might be shuttered under the provision. Moreover, attorney Jes ... More >>

Medical marijuana: City council compromise could still close most grows, attorney says

​A medical-marijuana-grows compromise proposal passed through Denver City Council's special issues committee yesterday, with public input on the measure slated for February 14. At this point, however, attorney Warren Edson is uncertain if the tweaked proposal might still doom as many as 90 per ... More >>

Medical marijuana: Would 137 of 150 grows close by July 1 under new Denver proposal?

​Since last year, we've been reporting about various Denver City Council proposals to update zoning rules for medical marijuana grows, with attorney Christian Sederberg warning weeks ago about huge repercussions if there's no MMJ grandfathering. Now, lawyer Warren Edson says more than 90 perce ... More >>

Denver City Council committee moves forward with medical marijuana zoning proposal

​A revised version of a proposed Denver city ordinance that, according to attorney Warren Edson, would have closed 137 of Denver's 150 medical marijuana grow operations, and potentially dispensaries associated with them, passed through Denver City Council's Special Issues Committee this aftern ... More >>

Gourmet food trucks collide with confusing Denver regulations

​Gourmet food trucks were the surprise hit of 2010 -- by December, over 150 mobile food vendors had been licensed in Denver, which almost put the movement on par with the medical-marijuana dispensary business. And like dispensaries, the food trucks have been causing some headaches for the city ... More >>

The trucks stopped here: City council committee tries to bring clarity to the rules

The Steuben's truck was the first of the next generation of food trucks to hit the road.​"Let's make sure we all understand what the rules are before we change them," said Denver City Council president Chris Nevitt, after a council committee had been discussing the rules now regulating this ci ... More >>

Wellshire Inn concessionaires on the outs with city

The Wellshire Inn in happier days​Former Westword scribe Jared Jacang Maher has more good scoop on the city's deal -- or lack thereoff -- with the Wellshire Inn, the facility at a city-owned golf course that isn't bringing the city a penny. In fact, the concessionaries who have the contract ... More >>

Crimson & Gold to open near the University of Denver

Crimson & Gold Tavern should be open this weekend

​When brothers Kevin and Craig Caldwell took over the former Aroma Cafe (and Pita Jungle before that) at 2017 South University Boulevard near the end of 2009, they'd hoped to reopen the spot as the Crimson & Gold Tavern in the spring. But in February, they were denied a liquor license; turns ... More >>

Broadway is fixed! (For four blocks, anyway)

The first segment of a massive reconstruction project along the South Broadway Corridor was officially completed today, a four-block stretch from Arizona to Iowa avenues. Denver mayor John Hickenlooper, city council president Chris Nevitt and Denver Department of Public Works manager Bill Vidal wer ... More >>

Medical marijuana edible makers and Denver officials struggle over legal catch-22

​Can you have your pot cake and sell it, too? That's the dilemma facing edible makers and manufacturers of other marijuana-infused goods, since according to new state law they have to apply for an "infused product manufacturer" license by July 1 in order to continue operating -- but in most l ... More >>

Medical marijuana showdown: City council members target Altitude Organic Medicine

Altitude Organic Medicine.​Altitude Organic Medicine received a rave as part of our Mile Highs and Lows dispensary reviews. But AOM may get a much more negative critique at today's city council meeting. Owner Brian Cook says two members are trying to shut down his business over what he sees as ... More >>

Immigration Center: Business that allegedly faked fed link hit with $2.5 million judgment

A Flickr photo​As Denver City Councilman Chris Nevitt noted yesterday in support of a proclamation demanding comprehensive immigration reform, "I think the two sides of this debate have demonized each other. The immigration-rights folks look at the people who pursued the Arizona measure as bei ... More >>

Immigration reform must happen now, says Denver City Council proclamation

Chris Nevitt has something to proclaim.​The controversial Arizona immigration bill hasn't stopped any folks from coming into this country illegally yet. After all, it won't take effect until July. But it's certainly led to a bumper crop of proclamations, including denunciations by Denver Publi ... More >>

Mason Tvert and SAFER celebrates five years of marijuana advocacy

Mason Tvert​The Grand Hyatt Denver will be hopping this Saturday, as folks gather to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation, the local drug-policy reform organization better known as SAFER. Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, Denver City Councilman C ... More >>

Medical marijuana protest against Denver City Council: "Closing half of the businesses in a particular sector is a sweeping action without any justification," activist says

Photo by Robert FisherThere are fewer of these displays accessible in Denver today...​The deadline has passed for medical marijuana dispensaries to apply for their official licenses in Denver -- and only 235 out of more than 500 did so. Update, 3:22 p.m.: The Colorado Coalition for Patients a ... More >>

Live blog: Safety committee hears Charlie Brown's latest pot proposal

Charlie Brown's back in the pot spotlight.​Denver City Councilman Charlie Brown is back before council's safety committee this morning, presenting his proposed ordinance to regulate the city's medical marijuana dispensaries. We're live-blogging the hearing. You'll find Brown's proposal at the ... More >>

Live blog: Charlie Brown presents his pot proposal

Charlie Brown is the man with the plan.​This morning, Denver City Councilman Charlie Brown presented his proposed ordinance to regulate the city's medical marijuana dispensaries to the council's Safety Committee. We live blogged the hearing; you'll find Brown's proposal at the bottom of this p ... More >>

Medical-marijuana price hikes from too many regulations worry Denver councilman

Councilman Chris Nevitt doesn't want to give dispensaries an excuse to start buying from bad guys.​While some officials seem to see the ongoing medical-marijuana boom as a threat to all that's good and strong and true about our fair state, Denver city councilman Chris Nevitt is focusing on the ... More >>

Live blog: Denver City Council considers medical-marijuana regulations

Charlie Brown wants to put medical-marijuana businesses on a tighter leash.​Today, Councilman Charlie Brown is presenting his proposal for regulating the city's medical marijuana dispensaries to the Denver City Council's Safety committee. We live blogged the meeting. To read the account in chr ... More >>

City Councilman Chris Nevitt: Tax medical marijuana -- and maybe regulate it like food

Chris Nevitt feels better about the safety of a Starbucks coffee than a marijuana brownie.​Denver councilman Charlie Brown plans to share his ideas for proposed medical-marijuana regulations on November 18 -- and his already-expressed interest in taxing the stuff has been endorsed by fellow co ... More >>

Cutting $120 million with no job loss and no new revenue? Good luck with that, guys.

"What can we save if we sell this red carpet on eBay?"Mayor John Hickenlooper may be starring in his own documentary series, but if this morning's Denver Post is any indication, he's soon going to be starring in his own political thriller, in which he somehow tries to trim $120 million from the city ... More >>

Urbavore's Dilemma: Denver's convoluted livestock laws lead to renegade chickens

Urbavore's Dilemma is an ongoing web series detailing city dwellers' commitment to urban homesteading. From May through September, Westword writer Joel Warner will get his hands dirty, covering everything from backyard chickens to front-lawn gardens, from greenhouses to co-ops and food-sharing. Chec ... More >>

Medical marijuana has become a growth industry in Colorado

Craig Nassi changed Denver's Golden Triangle, but not everything is sparkling

Denver Realtors protest West Washington Park's anti-duplex plan

Yesterday, the Denver Board of Realtors made a last-ditch effort to protest a proposal to keep mega-duplexes out of West Washington Park. As we chronicled here last week, Councilman Chris Nevitt's rezoning plan to preserve the bungalow, single-family feel of one pocket of the city has exploded int ... More >>

West Wash Park rezoning fight gains steam

In October, we introduced you to  the battle over monster duplexes and neighborhood character in West Washington Park. Now, as a December 15 City Council hearing approaches, the controversy is exploding into a debate over the future of development in Denver's older neighborhoods. Some residen ... More >>

In West Washington Park, a battle over monster duplexes and neighborhood character

Yappers’ Delight: City Council Puts Pot to Voters

People Power

Chris Nevitt, both pro-union and an economist, represents some of the poorest and wealthiest areas of the city. Can he bring everyone together?

The Organizer

Can councilman Paul Lopez reconcile his anti-city government past with his establishment future?

One More Time for Ruby Hill

Pole Position

Ruby Hill-area residents want to protect their views from eleven-story utility poles, but Xcel thinks it has the juice.

Shut Down Denver. Vote for Paul Lopez.