Denver, CO
Denver proposal targets soda and sugary drinks in kids’ meals at restaurants
A new regulation proposed in the Denver City Council would mandate that restaurants list just two drink options on their menus as part of combo meals for children: Water or milk?
The proposal aims to sideline sodas and sugary drinks and help drive healthier dietary choices for young Denverites at a time when health care professionals say rates of chronic illness, like diabetes, obesity and fatty liver disease, are increasing in children.
As with other recent City Council measures aimed at addressing societal ills, its members are opting for the approach of steering consumer choice by limiting the options advertised. Another Denver ordinance passed in 2021 to cut down on waste says take-out restaurants can provide single-use utensils and condiment packets to customers only upon request.
Councilman Chris Hinds, one of the sponsors of the new legislation, said the ordinance would not prevent children or their caretakers from ordering another beverage available on a restaurant’s menu. The goal, he said, is to make sure that drinks without added sugars are put in front of children before they ask for a soda or sugary juice.
“So the idea is a bit of nudge — nudging people into behaving in a way that’s best for the planet,” Hinds said during Wednesday’s meeting of the council’s Business, Arts, Workforce, Climate and Aviation Services Committee, which he chairs.
The committee voted unanimously to move the ordinance on for consideration by the entire council in coming weeks. If passed, the regulation would apply to every dining establishment in the city, from fast food restaurants to diners and fancier eateries.
Children’s meals could include water, milk or a milk substitute, such as soy or oat milk. The mandate would build on voluntary moves by some fast-food chains, including Burger King and McDonald’s, to drop at least fountain sodas from kids’ meals, though often juice is still offered.
A 2019 survey found that roughly 400 restaurants in Denver offered combo kids’ meals, said Andrea Pascual, a public health planner focused on chronic disease prevention at Denver Health. Of those, more than half were chains. Pascual led the presentation about the ordinance at Wednesday’s meeting.
The proposed change has a long list of backers, including medical professionals and local neighborhood associations.
Some supporters point to a racial equity element in limiting the accessibility of sodas and other sugar-laden drinks, which advocates say are disproportionately marketed to communities and children of color.
“As you know, communities of color have a higher risk of diabetes. And when I go to these communities, they always have some kind of testimony regarding a family member or themselves or a loved one who has diabetes,” Giannina Estrada said through a Spanish translator.
Estrada was one of several people who spoke on behalf of ViVe Wellness, a nonprofit dedicated to providing health-focused education and programming to low-income families in Denver.
The Colorado Restaurant Association has taken a neutral position on the proposed ordinance, said Colin Larson, the organization’s director of government affairs.
He said the association was grateful for the long lead time built into the bill. Restaurants would have until July 1, 2025, to change their menus. Financial support also would be offered to offset the costs of updated marketing materials.
According to the presentation, restaurants would be able to request as much as $2,000 for those purposes.
Denver isn’t the first city in Colorado to look at regulating the choices that restaurants present to consumers in hopes of improving health outcomes for children.
Lafayette banned the advertising of sugary drinks on kids’ menus in 2017. Longmont and Golden followed suit in 2022. In Longmont, restaurants can face fines up to $500 if they repeatedly violate the ordinance.
Three states — California, Delaware and Hawaii — require restaurants make water and milk the default offerings on kids’ menus.
Councilwoman Serena Gonzales-Guitterez is co-sponsoring the legislation. She is a mother of three and said she would welcome help in instilling healthy dietary habits by limiting options in kids’ meals.
“They’re the age now where of course they can read the menu and they can say, ‘I know this place has pop or soda. I know that they have this juice that I want,’ ” she said. “But when they were younger, I could definitely see the value in, as a parent, looking at a menu and saying, ‘Well, here’s what our options are.’ ”
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Denver, CO
Rep. Hurd emphasizes need for consistent, predictable energy policies at Denver roundtable
The Denver Broncos made a significant upgrade to their wide receiver corps this offseason trading for Jaylen Waddle. That gives them a solid group of five with Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin, and Pat Byrant all in the mix. The hope is the corps can contribute at a high level for the upcoming 2026 season and help take Denver’s offense to the next level.
The Broncos didn’t draft a wide receiver this past April but signed a handful of undrafted free agents to compete for a spot. Additionally, they signed veteran wide receiver Mike Woods after he impressed at the team’s rookie minicamp several weeks ago.
Woods split time between Arkansas and Oklahoma during his collegiate career. He performed well during the pre-draft circuit and had a very good performance at the NFL Combine and was subsequently selected by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. However, since being drafted, he has made a minimal impact in the NFL with just 12 career receptions and 110 receiving yards.
Age: 26 | Experience: Fifth Year | College: Arkansas & Oklahoma | Height: 6’1” | Weight: 204 pounds
Arm Length: 33” | Hand Size: 9-3/8” | Broad Jump: 10’-5” | Vertical: 35-1/2”
40-Yard Dash: 4.37 seconds | 3-Cone: 7.07 seconds | 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.46 seconds
Mike Woods’ 2026 outlook with the Broncos
The Broncos have opted to carry five receivers on the final roster for most of Head Coach Sean Payton’s time leading the charge. It’s unlikely Woods will be able to unseat any of the five aforementioned receivers. Those spots are set in stone barring some unforeseen circumstance.
At best, it seems like he could be a fit on the team’s practice squad. His physical attributes and athletic testing scores are quite impressive outside of his agility drills. Perhaps he could be a potential game day elevation like we have seen from Lil’ Jordan Humphrey over the past few seasons.
However, he has had multiple significant injuries during his pro career and has been suspended in the past for off the field issues. With that in mind, it’s hard to see him being a contributor for the team this season to any significant degree.
Chalk it up as extremely doubtful that Woods ends up making the final roster. There is a chance he could make the team’s practice squad. But even with that, he faces an uphill battle. The team already has several other receivers in the fold who already have an extensive knowledge of Payton’s offense.
DENVER – Some of the most important documents in American history have arrived in Denver.
The Freedom Plane landed at Denver International Airport on Tuesday, carrying nine historic documents pulled directly from the National Archives for a rare traveling exhibit that will make eight stops across the country.
“This is a once-in-a-generation experience,” said National Archives Foundation CEO Patrick Madden. “For us at the National Archives, it is about the original records and saying, ‘How do you take this and make this a human experience, and know it was all people who were coming together around a common idea that has become our nation today?’”
The exhibit includes a William J. Stone engraving of the Declaration of Independence, a draft of the Constitution, a draft of the Bill of Rights, and the Oaths of Allegiance signed by George Washington, Aaron Burr, and Alexander Hamilton – documents that have never traveled outside of Washington, D.C. before this tour.
“What could be more important than these foundational documents that formed our nation?” said History Colorado President and CEO Dawn DiPrince. “To be invited to host these feels like one of the greatest honors that we could ever hope for in our work.”
Denver7’s Jim Waltz
Before the documents are ready for the public, History Colorado staff face a significant behind-the-scenes challenge to prepare the museum.
“I think a lot of people don’t realize what goes on behind the scenes in the museum,” said Exhibits and Loan Registrar Samantha Stamps-Ten Hoeve. “It’s kind of like an extreme version of Tetris, where there’s so many things going on.”
The preparation includes organizing security, calibrating lighting, and addressing a challenge unique to Colorado’s climate.
►Watch Ethan Carlson’s report in the player below:
Freedom Plane arrives in Denver with rare founding documents from National Archives
“We did make a plan: in our case, silica gel, because that’s very useful to help raise humidity,” Stamps-Ten Hoeve said.
The exhibit opens Thursday, May 28, and will only be on display for 17 days before moving on to Miami. Admission is free to the public, but tickets must be reserved in advance at HistoryColorado.org.
“To do this on behalf of Coloradans and the Rocky Mountain West is pretty incredible,” DiPrince said.
Madden said the goal of the exhibit goes beyond a history lesson.
“We’re hoping they take a little bit of civic spark from it and say, ‘What is my role in my democracy today, and how do we shape it for the future?” Madden said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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