Kunc's Colorado Edition

Today on Colorado Edition: We get the latest on the vaccine rollout in Colorado and explore what benefits we’re beginning to see due to an increasingly vaccinated population. We also take a look at how traumatic events can impact first responders, and even people who weren’t physically at the scene of a traumatic event. And with the vaccine rollout on track, we look at the return of summer camps in Colorado. And KUNC’s film critic gives us a review of "The Father," which received six Oscar nominations and features Best Actor winner Anthony Hopkins.

Today on Colorado Edition: we learn how traumatic experiences can take a toll on the mental health and morale of law enforcement officers. Then, we hear about a nonprofit that offers military veterans an artistic path of healing their trauma. We talk with Governor Jared Polis about attempts to vaccinate members of rural communities. And then, we learn about the first college in Colorado to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for all students.

We look at the factors driving the cumulative mental health strain for many Black Coloradans, and we explore the growing need for mental health care. We’ll also take a look at the record-breaking month of median home sales across much of Northern Colorado, and what it all means for sellers and would-be buyers. Plus, we explore the environmental importance of native plants, and hear how our shifting climate is impacting butterfly populations across the West.

On today’s Colorado Edition: Jurors on Tuesday found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all three charges he faced in the death of George Floyd in 2020. We speak with a professor of ethnic studies about the significance of the long-anticipated verdicts. We also hear from Gov. Jared Polis as he begins to hand off more of the pandemic response powers to local governments. We discuss the use of restraints on kids in Colorado schools, and the legislative roadblocks that prevent education officials from intervening. And, we explore a new exhibit at the Museum of Boulder that pays tribute to the lives lost during the last year.

Today on Colorado Edition: We get a look at the how Colorado is leading the push for police reform as nationwide calls for meaningful change grow. We also hear about recent legislation looking to help people of color stake their claim in the blossoming marijuana industry. We learn more about a recently extended program providing food aid to low-income students during the pandemic -- and how the agencies distributing funds are trying to reach more eligible students. And, we hear how climate change could finish off a World War II-era bomber discovered at the bottom of Lake Mead.

Today on Colorado Edition: we learn about how human trafficking was impacted by the pandemic and what to expect when COVID-19 restrictions loosen up. Then, we explore how some Coloradans have been impacted by student loan debt, and how President Biden’s latest push for debt relief could help. Next, we step back and relax with some notes of nature, and learn how natural sounds can positively impact our health. And, we celebrate the life and legacy of Colorado photographer Soren McCarty.

On today’s Colorado Edition: The last year saw a huge bump in people getting outdoors to escape pandemic confinement. We hear from Colorado Parks and Wildlife about the impact all that recreation has had on the environment. We explore the struggles of one of the region’s original natural grocers, and the overall state of the natural foods market. And, we talk with two authors on either side of the Continental Divide, who began a correspondence during the pandemic, based on their shared love of the Mountain West.

Today on Colorado Edition, we learn about a new bill aiming to make ski resorts more accountable for public safety. Then we hear about new calls for assault weapons bans and other gun control measures in the wake of the Boulder shooting. Plus, we hear from a second amendment rights activists about how gun owners — rather than legislators — should play a part in preventing mass shootings.

Today on Colorado Edition: We explore what gun legislation state lawmakers are considering after last month’s mass shooting at a grocery store in Boulder. We also hear about a bipartisan bill that would fund intensive tutoring for students across the state to address learning loss over the course of the pandemic. Plus, we learn how Colorado’s billionaires not only avoided financial losses, but came out of 2020 with billions more to their names, and we hear about a bill in Montana which would strip protections from the grizzly bear, which has seen its population rebound since its listing as an endangered species about 50 years ago.

On this special, podcast-exclusive episode of Colorado Edition, we speak with KUNC reporters Matt Bloom and Leigh Paterson to go in depth on their new reporting series, On The Edge. Their reporting examines the economic factors behind the surge in requests for emergency rental insurance here in Colorado and explores the growing issue of housing insecurity, and what programs exist to help renters out in these uncertain times.

Today on Colorado Edition: We’ll hear from two Boulder residents about how they, and the community, are processing their collective grief after the shooting at a Boulder King Soopers store. We’ll also learn about a new supportive housing project in Fort Collins that’s changing what it looks like to get people housed. We’ll explore the significance of Major League Baseball’s decision to relocate the annual All-Star Game to Colorado in the wake of Georgia’s new restrictions on voting. And, we hear from a marriage and family therapist on how to navigate a relationship when one person is a believer in QAnon conspiracy theories.

Today on Colorado Edition: We’ll hear how one Front Range city is offering legal support to local renters facing eviction. We’ll also explore how Colorado beef producers are looking to establish trade relationships in southeast Asia. Plus, we go in-depth with a recent lawsuit brought against the Colorado National Guard over First Amendment rights, and we hear a perspective on our changing state from up in Leadville.

Today on Colorado Edition: We explore a recently completed study measuring the impact of the pandemic on the state’s early childhood education sector. We also examine the economic factors pushing many Coloradans who are struggling to pay their rent to ask for financial relief. Plus, we get an update on some of the eagles at Standley Lake in Westminster, whose saga has been livestreamed online, and we hear more about the spring migration happening now across our region.

Today on Colorado Edition, we take a look at a new bill at the state house aiming to loosen abortion restrictions for rural survivors of sexual assault. Then, we learn about a new financial incentive encouraging staff to sign up for vaccines at the Colorado Department of Corrections. Next, we learn about upcoming live music events as some venues start to open up for the first time in a year. And finally, we hear about groundwater shortages in Moab, Utah.

On today’s episode of Colorado Edition, we hear about Durango’s COVID cowboys, enforcing mask mandates while staying true to that Old West charm. We'll also travel back in time to revisit the Denver prohibition of 2020 – although it sounds more like the prohibition of the 1920s. Plus, we'll take a look at our changing climate with a story about what researchers are learning about drought by looking at soil, and a conversation about how an increased risk of wildfires could impact the future of Colorado's hemp producers.

Today on Colorado Edition: We get an in-depth look at the prevalence of racism toward Asian Americans in the West. We’ll also speak with the founders of Five Points Atlas, a new publication which serves the Black community of Colorado. Lastly, we’ll speak with retiring KUNC president and CEO Neil Best about his 48 years serving public radio in northern Colorado.

Today on Colorado Edition: We look at the impact of the pandemic on the women in the workforce, and see how it's playing out for one business owner in Denver. We'll also look at gradual changes in school operations around the state, from how vaccinated staff impact in-person learning to how schools will be using soon-to-come federal aid dollars. Lastly, we'll hear about tribal leaders in our region seeking assurance their perspectives will be heard in future management of the Colorado River basin.

Today on Colorado Edition: We explore what’s ahead for the changing Republican party in Colorado, which for the first time will be run by an all-female leadership team following recent party elections. We’ll also learn about a new bill that would ban paramedics from administering ketamine and similar drugs to people in situations involving police. Plus, we hear about the steps tribal governments in our region are taking that have put them ahead of the vaccination curve. And we check in with a museum in Boulder that is seeking to honor the lives of the 10 people who died during last week’s mass shooting at a King Sooper’s grocery store.

On today’s episode of Colorado Edition, we learn about how Colorado media outlets have evolved their method of covering mass shootings in the state. Then, we talk to CU Boulder men's basketball player D’Shawn Schwartz about taking to the court just hours after learning of Monday's tragic event in his college town. Plus, we hear about a re-introduced healthcare bill at the state Capitol that aims to lower cost of individual market insurance.

Today on Colorado Edition: We look at some of the unique factors influencing gun culture and violence in the Mountain West region, which has a higher per capita rate of gun violence that other regions in the U.S. We’ll also get a look at the response to Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte’s recent killing of a wolf in Yellowstone National Park. Plus, we hear about uncertainty in the lives of Colorado families with immunocompromised children who can’t yet receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and what progress is being made toward getting them safely vaccinated. Lastly, we’ll hear a review of a new film showing the work being done on the James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled to launch in October.