🌱Cinco De Mayo Fun + Affordable Housing Project Rejected + Tax Relief

Good morning, everybody! It's Friday in Denver and I'm back in your inbox with everything that's fit to print about what's happening in the community, including news about...

• It's Cinco De Mayo, check out where to celebrate the day in Denver.
• An affordable housing project proposed by a church in Denver's Capitol Hill neighborhood has been rejected by the City's Landmark Commission.
• Does the environment have a seat at the table with either one of Denver's mayoral candidates?

Friday's weather: Partly sunny. High: 74 Low: 43.

Shoutout to our premier local sponsor:

Looking for the area’s best gourmet groceries? Denver’s Choice Market, with four locations in downtown Denver, features locally sourced groceries, smoothies, coffee, and freshly prepared meals from their in-store scratch kitchens. Stop by one of their stores — located at 1770 N Broadway, 939 Bannock, 2200 E Colfax and 1737 E Evans and mention Patch for $5 off a $25 in-store order through 4/30/23. Choice also offers fast delivery for online orders here.

Want to see your business featured in this spot? Click here to get started.

Here are the top stories in Denver today:

1. Cinco De Mayo Festival in Denver expected to draw hundreds of thousands. Cinco de Mayo, also known as the 5th of May, is an occasion in Colorado that highlights Mexican culture, heritage, and pride. The day marks the triumph of the Mexican army over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, which was 161 years ago. Despite being outnumbered by a factor of 2 to 1, the Mexicans emerged victorious. While the holiday is still observed in Puebla, it has gained more prominence in the United States than in Mexico. (CBS4)
2. A proposal by a Denver church to convert a parking lot into affordable housing has been rejected by the City's Landmark Commission. The leaders of the First Baptist Church of Denver have been working on a plan to develop an 18,750-square-foot parking lot next to the church into a 12-story apartment building with affordable housing. However, the proposed project was turned down by Denver's Landmark Preservation Commission, as it exceeded the minimum height standards required by the city for the Capitol Hill area. (Westword)
3. Which Denver mayoral candidate has a better environmental record? Denverite dug in to find out which mayoral candidates is more environmentally friendly, and it's clear the two candidates have divergent platforms when it comes to approaching environmental issues facing the city in the future. (Denverite)
4. City of Denver now accepting applications for property tax relief. The relief program, which offers qualified Denver residents a partial refund of their property taxes or the equivalent in rent. Over the last few weeks, the City of Denver's office has sent out biannual assessments to homeowners indicating that property valuations have risen by double digits. The median increase in property valuations for Denver was 33 percent. (CBS4)

Sponsored by Banner Health:

Flowers are beginning to bloom and birds are chirping, but your house is still holding its winter allergens. Enter spring cleaning. A good spring cleaning won’t just make your home look better; it can also help you and your loved ones to feel better. Presented by Banner Health, here are five ways spring cleaning can actually improve your health.

Today in Denver:

• Rhythm and storytelling: Wheat Ridge Library. (10 a.m.)
• Opening Reception: "Toxic Positivity" by Jodi Stuart. (6 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Get free mulch this weekend. (9News)
• Celebrate Cinco de Mayo on First Friday of May. (Westword)
• SeriesFest: Season 9, May 5-10, creators and fans will gather en masse in Denver at the Sie FilmCenter, Red Rocks, and all stops in between. (Visit Denver)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Discount Dumpster — (Visit website)
• The Better Mattress — (Visit Website)
• Improovy Painters Denver — (Visit website)
• MILE HIGH GUTTER, LLC. — (Visit website)
• Colorado Custom Welding — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Featured events:

• Guardian Storage Free Shred-It Event: May 6 (May 6)
• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Fresh Perks Every Week (May 9)
• Estate Planning Seminar at Goodson Recreation Center (May 9)
• Add your event

Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with your next update. — Brad K. Evans

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Denver Patch newsletter? Contact me at denverdaily@yahoo.com