Kunc's Colorado Edition

On today’s episode of Colorado Edition, we hear from residents in the Boulder community, who are mourning the deaths of 10 people who died in Monday’s mass shooting at a Boulder King Soopers. We speak with a woman who lost her daughter in the 2012 Aurora theater shooting, about how she is helping to support the survivors of Monday’s deadly attack. We’ll also learn about the history of anti-Asian discrimination in the West and look at the ways it continues today. Lastly, we’ll get a look at Arizona’s effort to set its own water quality standards, following the Trump administrations rollback on part of the Clean Water Act last summer.

Today on Colorado Edition: We talk about the national spike in reported incidents of domestic violence during the pandemic. Plus, we get an update on unemployment and job opportunities in Colorado. We also hear why efforts to repeal the death penalty in Wyoming have become more bipartisan despite lawmakers defeating the most recent repeal proposal. And, we learn about a new app called “Write On” that helps you collaborate on stories with loved ones and strangers.

Today on Colorado Edition: We get an update on the state’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout, as more doses are set to arrive and the number of ways to get an appointment is increasing. We also explore a looming showdown for states that rely on drinking and irrigation water from the Colorado River. And, we hear from two agricultural producers about the backlash to the governor’s declaration of March 20 as a meat-free holiday.

Today on Colorado Edition: We speak with researchers at Children’s Hospital Colorado, who recently published a study looking at how marijuana use in breastfeeding parents can affect breastmilk. We also hear about updates to federal flood plain maps, which impact flood insurance rates. Plus, we learn more about a women’s basketball team in Wyoming making history, and we hear from listeners around the state about what they think of American football and the dangers of traumatic brain injuries.

Today on Colorado Edition: We hear a story of an unexpected upside to the pandemic: an improved and tightened bond between parents and teachers at an elementary school in Denver. We’ll also check in on the world of college basketball, and speak to a CU Boulder men’s basketball coach ahead of the team's appearance in this week’s NCAA March Madness tournament. Plus, we hear the story of two Colorado women making history through their podcast, one of whom may be the first non-verbal podcaster in the world. And, we hear a conversation with the author of a new book about the history of drive-in theaters here in the state.

Today on Colorado Edition: We look at how the recent snowstorm could impact the region’s snowpack and drought conditions around the state. Plus, we hear about a new bill moving through the legislature that would make it easier for cities to adopt ranked choice voting. We’ll also explore the ethical arguments for and against cloning animals to save them from extinction, and we’ll hear a review of Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland.

Today on Colorado Edition: We look at the declining rates of COVID-19 found in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Next, we learn about how Special Olympics Colorado is navigating the pandemic to provide safe events. Then, we talk to a Special Olympics athlete about what the community has meant to him over the years.

Today on Colorado Edition: We learn what childhood immunization rates can and can't tell us about COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. We’ll also hear how Loveland is trying to spruce up its downtown, and we’ll explore a pop-up museum in Denver for Black girls. Plus, we get insight to the emerging profession of end-of-life doulas.

On today’s episode of Colorado Edition, we speak to Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse about his initiatives to protect public lands and grow the outdoor recreation economy. Then, we’ll learn about a new bill that would provide in-state tuition at higher education institutions for Indigenous people with historical connections to Colorado. Plus, we’ll discuss the impact of last year’s budget cuts to Colorado public colleges and universities, and the new cost-saving proposals on the table. And finally, we'll dive into upcoming negotiations over the management of the Colorado River.

Today on Colorado Edition: We explore how funding cuts related to the pandemic are affecting programs designed to keep people with unmet mental health needs out of the criminal justice system. We’ll also learn about a new software upgrade to a long-neglected state website that allows you to follow the more than $30 billion Colorado’s government spends each year. Plus, we’ll learn more about how COVID-19 can affect our senses of hearing and smell, and we get the latest on the state’s efforts to secure more resources for fighting wildfires, such as water- and retardant-dropping planes and helicopters.

This week marks one year since the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Colorado. On today's episode of Colorado Edition, we reflect on the ways the pandemic has changed our lives in the past year and consider what lies ahead. We hear how a Spanish music radio station transformed into a center for community resources. We also check in with an emergency room doctor about an incredibly difficult year for health care workers, and we get advice on how to grieve the losses we’ve experienced, both large and small. Finally, we get insight into how plans were made to ensure the most equitable distribution of the coronavirus vaccine.

Today on Colorado Edition: We’ll learn about a unique program at the University of Northern Colorado that’s helping college students with intellectual and developmental disabilities prepare for life after graduation. We'll hear about the third major retail center along the Front Range to face foreclosure in just the last few months. And, we look at how pandemic-induced revenue shortfalls are renewing conversations about whether states should exempt menstrual products from sales tax.

Today on Colorado Edition: We look at how transportation has and hasn’t been factored into states’ vaccine distribution plans, and what transit options exist for residents of rural areas to access far-away vaccination sites. We’ll also take a look at how the vaccine rollout is going for educators. Plus, we’ll hear from a local high school leader on racial equity and the importance of recruiting more teachers of color, and we learn more about CTE, a degenerative brain disease commonly found in athletes.

Today on Colorado Edition: We’ll get the latest on how Colorado’s congressional districts are set to change as an independent commission redraws districts based on numbers from the 2020 census. We’ll also remember the life and legacy of former NFL wide receiver Vincent Jackson, and look back at his time as a football player in his home state of Colorado. Plus, we hear about an annual art exhibit involving Lakewood’s internationally-known Casa Bonita restaurant.

Today on Colorado Edition: We explore the history and contributions of Black cowboys in the West, and how Black cowboy culture lives on in rodeos today. We’ll also revisit a conversation with Denver-based artist Narkita Gold about her project Black In Denver, and we get the story behind a historic baseball tournament in Colorado, later dubbed “The Little World Series of the West.”

Today on Colorado Edition: We speak with Elijah McClain’s mother, Sheneen, about her son and the recent independent investigation into his death in Aurora. We’ll also get more details about an investigation into coronavirus safety measures in the country’s largest meatpacking plants, including JBS USA in Greeley, which was launched this week by federal lawmakers. Lastly, we check in on basketball at the University of Northern Colorado, which is back to playing games following a recent COVID-19 outbreak.

On today’s Colorado Edition: Whether students should take standardized tests or not during a pandemic is a thorny issue. We explore how state lawmakers are handling that and other education-related matters. We also look back in time to see how the state legislature handled the 1918 flu pandemic at the Capitol building. We’ll learn how the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library documents and displays Black history of Colorado and the American West. And, we hear from a Burmese community organizer in Colorado about his hopes and fears around the political situation in Myanmar.

Today on Colorado Edition: We examine Colorado’s existing power grid and winter contingency plans to see whether a large-scale failure could be possible here. We’ll also hear how Larimer County’s reserve officers training program is addressing growing mental health issues among its ranks. Plus, we hear from Front Range Community College’s new executive director of equity and inclusion about the issues in the current system and what it will take to change them. And we hear a report on food insecurity in the Mountain West region.

Today on Colorado Edition: We hear more about one lawmaker’s push to ban or rein-in paramedic’s use of ketamine, following the death of Elijah McClain, and more than 900 other ketamine sedations in the state. We’ll also visit a church in Aurora that’s trying to close the gaps in vaccine distribution. We’ll also speak with a local activist about the last year of protests, where she occasionally tended to protesters in Denver as a street medic, and we’ll hear a review of the new film Minari.

Today on Colorado Edition: We get the latest from Wednesday’s state of the state address by Gov. Jared Polis. We’ll also take a look at where the state is at in its economic recovery. Plus, we’ll learn more about how Colorado is moving forward in helping victims of recent unemployment fraud, and we hear about the Equal Justice Initiative, which works with community organizations throughout the country to help resurface the lost stories of lynchings.