Your Daily Guide

🎸 The Stage is Set … On the Porch

What happens when you skip the traditional music venue and turn porches, backyards, and parking lots into stages? Denver is about to find out! Denver PorchFest will take over Baker on Oct.3, bringing 193 acts to the neighborhood for an afternoon of live music and a whole lot of opportunities to discover something new.

• That’s a lot of music: About 580 artists applied for the 193 spots, with everything from jazz and punk to hip-hop, indie rock, and singer-songwriters making the lineup. Most of the acts are from Colorado.
• Free fest, paid musicians: PorchFest is free to attend, while sponsors, fundraising, and donations help cover festival expenses and compensate performers. A suggested $20 donation gets attendees access to the interactive festival app and a sticker which extra tiers available.
• Up close and personal: Part of the idea behind Porchfest is creating the kind of artist-audience connection that can get lost at bigger festivals. Here, the audience is able to share a more intimate setting with the musicians.
• Recommended reading: So, how exactly do you PorchFest? I talked with founder Bradley Schwartz about the idea behind the festival, what makes it different, and how to enjoy 193 acts in one afternoon. Here’s my guide to enjoying Denver’s first PorchFest like a pro.

🚌 RTD’s Next Stop: a New CEO

RTD is searching for its next CEO, but transit experience isn’t necessarily required. The agency is looking for someone who has led a large, complex organization, prompting some board members to question whether its next leader should have direct transit experience. The job listing is set to open Sept. 28, with a new CEO expected to be selected by the end of the year. [Denverite]

• More than buses and trains: The next CEO will also be responsible for building community relationships, working with state and county lawmakers and overseeing marketing efforts, while navigating budget challenges and efforts to rebuild ridership. [Denverite]
• Changing of the guard: Current CEO Debra Johnson is stepping down after nearly six years leading RTD, a tenure that included debates over lagging leadership, service reliability, and workplace culture. City Cast Denver spoke with Johnson earlier this year about those challenges and her record at the agency.

🗑️ Denver’s Trash Math Isn’t Adding Up

Denver is spending more to collect trash than residents are paying in service fees – about $42.9 million in expenses compared with $33 million in charges. City officials say rates will likely need to increase to keep the program financially sustainable. [Denver Gazette 🔒]

• Could trash go private? Council members Amanda Sawyer and Amanda Sandoval are calling for Denver to consider privatizing trash collection, with both raising concerns about the city-run service. Meanwhile, the city is required to conduct a rate study by 2027 to determine whether trash fees need to change. [Denver Gazette 🔒]

🔌 New Rules Could Be Coming For Xcel Shutoffs

After complaints over Xcel Energy’s preemptive power shutoffs during high winds, Colorado regulators are working on new rules for how they’re handled. The Public Utilities Commission wants clearer expectations around when customers are notified, who could lose power, and how Xcel communicates plans to restore service. The rules are still being developed and could change through the formal process. A public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 23, with final rules not expected until 2027. [Denver Post 🔒]

• Why the shutoffs? Xcel began using public safety power shutoffs after the 2021 Marshall Fire as a way to reduce wildfire risk when extreme weather could bring down power lines. The company says it considers factors including windspeeds, humidity, vegetation conditions, and critical infrastructure before deciding to cut power. [Denver Post 🔒]