Kunc's Colorado Edition

Today on Colorado Edition, we learn about the growing number of recovery homes, where residents live in a substance-free environment. We also cover the hurdles tribal communities face accessing clean water in their homes. Plus, we hear how Arizona is responding to major federal water cutbacks. And, we talk with a member of the Little Rock Nine.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear how a volunteer for a nonprofit that helps people navigate insurance after disaster is working with Marshall Fire survivors. We also listen back to a conversation about the history of avocados.

Today on Colorado Edition, we listen back to our favorite stories about two Fort Collins homes with important historical legacies. One is the home of Virgil Thomas, the first known African American to graduate from a Fort Collins high school. The other is an adobe-style home that belongs to the Cordova family, who have lived in Fort Collins for 100 years.

Today on Colorado Edition, we see what recovery is looking like for a Louisville family one month after their home became severely damaged and rendered uninhabitable in the Marshall Fire. We also hear about an organization in Colorado that’s working to fund girls and women of color, a group that’s critically under-funded when it comes to charitable giving, even in an era of unprecedented donations. And we continue our series on the Republican River with a look back at the history of how it got its name.

Today on Colorado Edition, we see what recovery is looking like for a Superior family one month after losing their home in the Marshall Fire. We also hear how some survivors are struggling through insurance inventories of everything they lost in the fire. And, we listen back to a story about Barney Ford, who helped with the Underground Railroad and lobbied for African American rights in Colorado.

Today on Colorado Edition, we explore the unlikely intersection of our state’s natural wonder and beauty with the online environment of TikTok.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear why Nebraska is staking a claim to more water from the South Platte River. We also learn why some methods to test drugs for fentanyl in the West are illegal. And, we talk about a new apprenticeship program for restaurants in Colorado.

Throughout the last year, we had more than 350 conversations with Coloradans across the Front Range and beyond. Producers Henry Zimmerman and Tess Novotny joined host Erin O’Toole to talk about some of our favorite segments of 2021.

Today on Colorado Edition, we get an update on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s recovery efforts for Marshall Fire survivors in Boulder County. We also hear about a $40 million plan to save a fork in the Republican River. And, we talk about the effects of a freeze on new building permits in Severance.

Today on Colorado Edition, we speak to Deborah Winking about her new book, Capable: A Story of Triumph for Children the World has Judged as 'Different,' a deeply personal account of raising a child born with a rare genetic syndrome.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear how omicron is impacting students and teachers in classrooms across the state. We also travel to the fields of central Arizona, where farmers are grappling with federal water cutbacks. And, we talk with the Bureau of Reclamation's new deputy regional director for the lower basin.

Today on Colorado Edition: In 2020, the Almeda Fire became Oregon’s most destructive wildfire, destroying nearly 2,600 homes and claiming three lives. We hear how the affected town of Phoenix has progressed through its recovery, and how it could inform recovery in Louisville and Superior. And with extensive legal battles threatening abortion access nationally, state lawmakers may consider a bill this session that would help secure reproductive rights. We’ll learn more about what’s in the prospective bill and the state of abortion access in Colorado.

There is a long history of people creating guides to help others find inclusive spaces. In the 20th century, Black travelers used The Green Book to navigate safely. Now, two Colorado women have created a website that aims to do something similar

With water flow declining in the Republican River, fresh ideas are cropping up to save it from depletion. We explore the pivot some farmers are making to alternative growing methods and crops less dependent on water. And, the art of drag performance has grown in visibility and popularity over the last few years, opening the door for a series of local classes on drag for teens and tweens. We hear more about the class and how attitudes about drag have changed over time.

Risk factors for domestic violence are complex and varied, but some research suggests that incidents increase in the wake of natural disasters, including pandemics and wildfires. We explore the connection between the two here in Colorado. And as we head into the third year of the pandemic, college and university students are heading back to classes. We hear how COVID is impacting the day-to-day at the University of Northern Colorado.

Today on Colorado Edition: We hear about a final push underway in the U.S. to destroy stockpiles of chemical weapons at two Army bases, including at the Army’s Chemical Depot in Pueblo. We also hear from a mother and daughter who created the Shining Beautiful series about living with disabilities. And, we revisit an exhibit at the Greeley History Museum on the power of voting.

Today on Colorado Edition, we speak to Jenny Shank about her book, Mixed Company, that celebrates diverse voices and perspectives in the city of Denver.

Today on Colorado Edition: Experts have suggested that eyewitness accounts to identify potential suspects are often inaccurate, given the trauma of seeing a crime take place. We hear how the misidentification and wrongful arrest of a Black teen led to a grassroots effort in Colorado to change the practice of using showups.

Today on Colorado Edition: We speak with the head of public health in Boulder County about surging COVID-19 cases and recovery from the Marshall Fire. We also hear how the closure of a Louisville hospital is impacting community health care. Plus, we explore how current strikes in the West could impact workers rights in the future. And, we head back in time to the early days of the Republican River’s water management to understand how managers today are grappling with dropping river flows.

There is a long history of people creating guides to help others find inclusive spaces. In the 20th century, Black travelers used The Green Book to navigate safely. Now, two Colorado women have created a website that aims to do something similar.