Kunc's Colorado Edition

On today’s Colorado Edition: We’ll learn about the state’s efforts to boost the number of adults pursuing higher education to help meet modern workforce demands. And we’ll hear from the president of Metropolitan State University of Denver, who’s working to close a funding shortfall for some higher education institutions. We’ll explore how one Colorado school district is using Indigenous identity and culture to stop drug use among teenagers. And, we’ll meet Time Magazine’s first-ever Kid of the Year, Gitanjali Rao.

Today on Colorado Edition: As we approach a year of COVID-19 in Colorado, we explore the ins and outs of pandemic fatigue. We’ll also learn more about recent drug overdose data, which shows overdose deaths in Colorado more than doubled in 2020 from the year before. Plus, we’ll look into Greeley’s interest in – and the opposition to – the Terry Ranch project, which would provide a new water source for the city. And we get a lesson in baseball history from the president of the Negro League Baseball Museum.

In this podcast exclusive, we feature an extended interview with Dr. Melba Pattillo Beals, one of nine African American students who in 1957, integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Dr. Beals discusses how her life has been shaped by her experiences as one of the Little Rock Nine, the role of youth activism in addressing racial issues in the U.S., and the current age of misinformation. Our conversation with Dr. Beals first aired on February 9, 2021.

As districts work to get educators vaccinated, schools across northern Colorado are slowly welcoming back students for full-time, in-person instruction. We’ll talk with two teachers about what it’s like getting back to the classroom during the pandemic. We’ll hear about the unexpected flood of betting on an unlikely sport: table tennis. We talk with artist Narkita Gold about her project highlighting Denver’s growing Black community. And we’ll hear a review of the new movie Supernova.

Today on Colorado Edition: We speak to a professor who is using the second impeachment of Donald Trump as a learning opportunity about American democracy. We’ll also hear about the successes and shortcomings of co-responder models in law enforcement, which entails sending mental health professionals on emergency calls along with police officers. Plus we’ll check in on the wolf reintroduction process, which Coloradans voted in favor of last November. And we hear about a new comedy club opening in Fort Collins.

On today’s Colorado Edition: As COVID-19 vaccines are rolled out across the state, health experts are noting disparities in communities of color. We’ll hear about the work of a statewide vaccine equity task force, and a group in the Roaring Fork Valley, working to change that by broadening the message around the safety of the vaccines. And we’ll hear from Dr. Melba Patillo Beals, one of the members of the Little Rock Nine, about her experience integrating Central High School in 1957 and the ongoing fight against racism today.

Today on Colorado Edition: At least two variants of COVID-19 have been discovered in Colorado, originating from the United Kingdom and South Africa respectively. We speak to the state’s leading disease expert about the variants and what it means for our state’s fight against the virus. We also learn about the regional origins of right-wing group federal officials says took part in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Plus, we get the latest on avalanche danger following the deadliest week for avalanche deaths in the U.S. in more than a century. We’ll also hear the story of one of Colorado’s most famous dinosaurs.

Today on Colorado Edition: Because of the pandemic, an annual survey of people experiencing homelessness has been called off. We get a closer look at what that means for advocates who rely on the data. We'll also hear from former members of law enforcement about how they are approaching the issue of police violence. We dig into the recent trade of Rockies star player Nolan Arenado, and what it means for fans of the team. And we get a glimpse into life in the Yampa Valley from our My Colorado essay collection.

Today on Colorado Edition: With COVID-19 cases on the rise in Routt County, we hear from their public health director about what’s leading to the increase in cases. We’ll also hear about the COVID-19 research that could be used in the future to help fight other diseases. Plus, we visit a Western town where some activists say police are getting things right, and we hear about a new museum here in the state that lets you get close with things that go bump in the night.

On today’s Colorado Edition: We look at the long, bumpy road to getting essential workers, such as those in grocery stores, factories and food production plants vaccinated against COVID-19. We explore data that shows Indigenous people in the Mountain West are much more likely than whites to be killed in encounters with police. We analyze current drought conditions in the Colorado River basin, and we’ll hear how the pandemic may be spurring school districts across the state to finally update their aging ventilation systems.

Today on Colorado Edition: We get an update from the mass vaccine drive held over the weekend and look at how the model might be expanded to other parts of the state. We’ll also learn about the creative solutions local health officials are coming up with in rural communities in order to get around vaccine distribution bottlenecks. Plus, we’ll get an update on a program in Longmont that provides safe parking for people who live in their car, and we’ll hear the first part in a series on police violence across our region.

Today on Colorado Edition: We hear about vaccine distribution among Colorado nursing home and assisted living facility staff, some of whom are choosing to skip the vaccine. We’ll also explore the mental health challenges facing first responders in northern Colorado. And, KUNC’s film critic reviews Simon Stone’s 2021 film The Dig.

Today on Colorado Edition: We explore what impact the Biden administration’s recent executive actions will have on Colorado’s energy industry. Plus, we learn more about a map that highlights pollution disparities in our state. We’ll also hear from a team of recent MBA graduates who are taking a different approach to banking, and we’ll look at how some businesses are viewing the year ahead.

Today on Colorado Edition: Coronavirus vaccine efforts are underway, but data suggests the doses aren’t quite reaching rural communities and people of color. We’ll hear from the head of a large community health provider about how they’re working to change that. As Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert wraps up her first few weeks in office, we’ll explore whether there’s a place in the post-Trump era for her divisive political style. We’ll also check in on how the return to in-person learning is going for students in the Greeley-Evans school district, and for Denver Public Schools.

Today on Colorado Edition: We explore President Joe Biden’s reversal of the ban that kept transgender people from joining the military. We’ll also hear about Colorado’s shrinking middle class and the state budget’s role in it. We’ll also meet grocery workers who are turning to their union for help as they face the risk of contracting COVID-19, and we’ll check in with the Loveland valentine remailing program to see how it’s keeping things moving during the pandemic.

Today on Colorado Edition: We’ll get the latest on pandemic relief for unemployed Coloradans and small businesses, including how fraud has mired the process for some. We explore why the pandemic-induced recession has been particularly hard on women. We’ll hear about efforts in Lamar to rethink a racially insensitive school mascot. And we’ll learn about the life and legacy of Denver’s first Black woman physician, Dr. Justina Ford.

Today on Colorado Edition: We learn more about a recent grant the Colorado Community College System is using to rework their police training programs. We’ll also hear about the fight against extremist radicalization and explore what experts have to say about the next possible pandemic. And we'll learn about the city of Greeley’s plan to acquire water rights on a property called Terry Ranch, located in northwest Weld County.

On today’s Colorado Edition: We explore why our politics are so polarized, and what can be done to bridge the divide. We examine how the state’s Extreme Risk Protection Order law has been used in its first year. We look into what’s driving the recent surge in home prices across the state. And, we listen back to a conversation with a former state lawmaker about her work to make Martin Luther King, Jr. Day a recognized holiday in Colorado.

Today on a special episode of Colorado Edition: We feature reporting from the KUNC newsroom that focuses on the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Weld County's Latino communities. The series was produced by KUNC's Stephanie Daniel, Leigh Paterson, and Adam Rayes. You can find more on the series, "Over-Infected, Under-Resourced," including versions of the story in Spanish, by clicking here.

Today on Colorado Edition: We explore newly released climate data that shows the last seven years have been the seven warmest years on record. We learn about the unexpected bond some people have formed with their pets – of the feathered kind. We talk with the hosts of NPR’s narrative history show Throughline about how we can understand today’s news by journeying back in time. And our film critic reviews a new movie about a young woman coping with grief.