Kunc's Colorado Edition

Today on Colorado Edition, we preview what state lawmakers are planning to pursue in the new legislative session that kicks on tomorrow. We also learn about the possibility of new technology to help farms use less water. And, we hear why higher populated communities are becoming more vulnerable to wildfire.

Today on Colorado Edition: We examine the connection between devastating wildfires in our region and the climate crisis happening on a global scale. We also hear from a Marshall Fire survivor about how her family is navigating recovery with a home that’s still standing, but uninhabitable due to smoke and soot damage.

The latest official estimates of the Marshall Fire’s toll put the number of structures destroyed at 1084. Today on Colorado Edition, we talk with four people who evacuated and lost homes in the fire.

Today on Colorado Edition: We check in with the mayor of Superior to hear how the community is processing the aftermath of the Marshall Fire. And, we hear how water shortages in the Republican River are affecting agricultural producers in eastern Colorado and downstream.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear how residents in northwestern Colorado are reacting to their new congressional district. We also hear why some Arizonans are relying on water stored underground amid federally mandated water usage cutbacks. Plus, we get an update on surging COVID cases in the high country. And, we learn about a new Facebook group to facilitate housing for Marshall Fire survivors.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear how a disaster assistance center opened in Boulder County this week is helping people displaced by the Marshall Fire. And, we check in with Boulder Valley School District’s superintendent on plans to return to school this week.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear how extreme climate conditions and drought set the stage for last week’s devastating winter wildfires. And, we listen back to a story on a campaign to stop stigma against opioid addiction treatment.

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 the year.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear what issues Latino voters in the state’s new 8th Congressional District are thinking about. We also listen back to a conversation with teachers helping young students adjust to in-person school. And, we learn how long-term residents of mountain towns across the West are being priced out of their communities as home prices soar.

Today on Colorado Edition: We hear how higher education institutions that displaced communities for the development of Denver’s Auraria campus are expanding their promise of scholarships for affected families. We also explore how financial aid can impact degree attainment for Hispanic women in Weld County. And, we hear how upcoming mandatory water cutbacks could impact farmers across the West.

Today on Colorado Edition: We speak with a Fort Collins-based writer and poet about her work in an anthology of writings at the intersection of the climate movement and feminist thought, and we explore the work of a trans photographer in Paonia who documented the early days of his transition in a recent photo essay.

Today on Colorado Edition: Every month, the RiNo Mural Program in Denver’s River North Art District pays local artists to create community installations. In celebration of Native American Heritage month, three Indigenous artists in Colorado have painted works exploring cultural representation and identity. We speak with the artists about their murals, and the connection between artistic expression and social change.

Today on Colorado Edition, we explore the impact of college attainment disparities for Hispanic men. We also dig into the definition of drought. And, we listen back to the story of a World War II-era bomber crashing into one of the Colorado River’s biggest reservoirs in 1948.

Today on Colorado Edition: We hear how a slow start to the winter season is intensifying climate concerns about the future in our region. We also get an update on ongoing discussions over the allocation of water from the Colorado River. Plus, we talk with a respiratory therapist about how her life changed during the pandemic, and after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

Today on Colorado Edition: Colorado is getting a new congressional seat for the first time in years. We hear how it could dramatically change public policy here and around the country. We also speak with one of Northern Colorado’s leading public health officials about the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine and the path of the pandemic over the last year. And we get a look at a new state effort to prepare more Coloradans for employment in STEM fields.

Today on Colorado Edition: The COVID-19 vaccine first became available in Colorado nearly one year ago. Since then, millions of Coloradans have gotten vaccinated. But despite that progress, the virus and its variants are still spreading. We explore the state of the pandemic a year after the vaccine became available, and how efforts to make vaccine access more equitable have fared.

Today on Colorado Edition, we dig into the results of the most recent Colorado Political Climate Survey, produced by the American Politics Research Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder. And we revisit a discussion with two researchers studying the beneficial health impacts of listening to natural sounds.

Today on Colorado Edition: We hear what’s next for Douglas County schools following a recent vote by the school board to drop a mask requirement. We’ll also preview a water conference next week where officials will make decisions that affect millions of people. And, we revisit our conversation with famed ski map illustrator James Niehues, and the Montana-based artist he’s passing the torch to, Rad Smith.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear why many tribal communities in the Colorado River basin do not have access to clean drinking water. We also get tips from an arborist on keeping trees healthy during this dry fall and winter. Plus, we get the latest on pandemic-related disruptions making it harder for Latinos to access health care in Western states. And, we listen back to a conversation about migratory patterns of birds in Colorado.

Today on Colorado Edition, we learn what’s behind the warm and dry weather so far this winter on the Front Range, and what impact the lack of snow could have next spring. We also hear about an emerging technology that could prevent oil and gas producers from abandoning unprofitable wells. Plus, we explore the end-of-life cycle for these wells and who typically pays to clean them up when producers walk away.