Kunc's Colorado Edition

Colorado lawmakers head back to the state capitol on Thursday for a special session to fix a $750 million hole in the state budget.   If this feels like deja vu – it is, in a way. Earlier this year, state legislators addressed a $1.2 billion shortfall during the regular session -- and balanced the state budget.   But President Trump recently signed into law the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” passed by Republicans in Congress. That bill’s rewriting of the federal tax code punched a hole in Colorado’s budget, creating an instant, $750 million-dollar shortfall for the state.   State lawmakers now face tough decisions as they try to close this gap, while they try to minimize the impact on Coloradans’ daily lives.  KUNC state capitol reporter Lucas Brady Woods joined Erin O’Toole to explain how Colorado lawmakers got here, and how they might fix the problem.  Legislators may also try to squeeze in a few other issues to the session, which is expected to last five days. That could include a pause on Colorad

A small menace is invading the river that supplies water to 40 million people in southwestern states. Zebra mussels are tiny freshwater shellfish. They’re about the size of your thumbnail, with a striped shell. Since the late 1980s, they’ve spread to 30 states across the country, including Colorado.  Now, Colorado Parks and Wildlife says they’ve been found in the Colorado River near towns like Grand Junction and Glenwood Springs. Zebra mussels wreak havoc on water infrastructure and devastate ecosystems. And they are difficult – if not impossible – to eradicate from rivers.  We wanted to learn more about why this species is so damaging and what Colorado Parks and Wildlife plans to do about them. Erin O’Toole spoke with Robert Walters, who oversees the agency’s Aquatic Nuisance Species Program.  If you spot a zebra mussel you can report to Colorado Parks and Wildlife using this online form. You can also email invasive.species@state.co.us or call 303-291-7295.  

After several years of record-setting numbers, Colorado's mountain towns are experiencing an unexpected summer slowdown in tourism.  A drop in international visitors is a significant factor. This year, European visitors to mountain towns in Colorado and six other Western states are down 39 percent compared to 2024. Canadian visitors dropped 58 percent from last year.  The trend has state and local officials concerned about the challenges this creates for mountain communities where visitor spending drives the economy.   Colorado Sun reporter Jason Blevins recently wrote about the summer tourism sag. He spoke with Erin O’Toole about what’s driving the decline and how it's impacting local businesses. For more on the Colorado economy, check out recent In The NoCo conversations with Jason about how the Trump administration’s tariffs are affecting Colorado’s outdoor businesses and how a new AI-powered commentator and referee could transform how we watch sports. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit

Demon rabbits. Frankenstein bunnies.  Zombie cottontails. Phrases like those went viral this week after photos were published of rabbits near Fort Collins that appeared to have horns or tentacles on or around their heads.   Wildlife officials say the unusual-looking rabbits aren't a cause for concern. The rabbits suffer from a relatively common virus that's harmless to humans, called rabbit or shope papillomavirus. And although the growths caused by the virus can look gruesome, they often clear up on their own. All the attention got us wondering how these cottontails caught this odd disease, why it causes such spooky-looking growths, and how the condition may have inspired the myth of the “jackalope.”  Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson Kara Van Hoose joined Erin O’Toole to dispel some myths about the mostly harmless virus.  * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The

The goo and gunk you find in your dishwasher, or in the drip tray underneath your refrigerator, could hold secrets to fighting climate change or reducing pollution. That’s according to James Henrickson, a research scientist from Colorado State University. He says your hot water heater, washing machine, and shower are similar to hot springs or volcanic vents on the ocean floor. James studies creatures that can survive in these harsh environments.  James has traveled the world in search of these organisms, which scientists call extremophiles. Extremophiles can survive by consuming carbon dioxide or toxic chemicals.  So, James is on a search for new extremophiles that might make the planet healthier. He started a campaign with CitSci, an organization that lets citizen scientists upload their observations and share them with researchers.  Erin O’Toole spoke with James back in May, and we’re listening back to that conversation today. They discussed how the public might be able to help in the search for extremophil

An innovative cancer therapy inspired by the gripping power of geckos might be on the horizon.   Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder studied the microscopic structures on gecko toes that allow the tiny reptiles to climb walls and cling to slippery surfaces like windows.  That work inspired the development of a new material that could help chemotherapy drugs cling onto tumors, enabling less frequent and more effective treatment – potentially with less discomfort and fewer side effects for patients. The technology is described in the journal Advanced Materials. The research began with a focus on bladder cancer, which affects about 85,000 people in the U.S. each year. It’s been in the headlines recently after CU football coach Deion Sanders announced that he’d been treated for it. Wyatt Shields is assistant professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at CU Boulder, and part of the team that developed the gecko-inspired material.  Wyatt spoke with Erin O’Toole about the material, and its potenti

The world’s largest wildlife overpass will soon be open for use in Colorado.  Wildlife overpasses allow animals to safely cross over highways. And Western states are building more of them to cut down on the number of crashes between vehicles and animals.   This new overpass is being constructed over a section of I-25 between Denver and Colorado Springs, just north of Monument. Some 80,000 drivers pass through this area daily. But elk, mule deer, and pronghorn also use that area to move between the mountains and the plains. And this stretch of highway averages one vehicle crash involving wildlife every day.   So, how could this overpass help reduce these dangerous and costly crashes?   Nicki Frey is a wildlife specialist with Utah State University Extension. She studies wildlife overpasses in the West, but was not involved in planning this one. She joined Erin O’Toole to explain how they work – and why they’re important to wildlife in the ecosystem.  Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuesti

Colorado teachers say their students are missing something that helps determine their academic success. They call it grit.  If a student who struggles with math studies hard and performs well on their math test, that’s grit. If they complete a homework assignment that was tough to finish, that's also grit.   Erica Breunlin covers education for The Colorado Sun. Since the pandemic, she says teachers have told her they’re seeing less of this core life skill in the classroom – and that’s leading to lower test scores for K-12 students.  Erica recently wrote about grit, and the strategies some educators and parents have developed to build more of it in their kids. She spoke about it with Erin O’Toole in January. With the new school year starting for many Colorado students this month, we’re listening back to that conversation today. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo

After the death of President Jimmy Carter last December, many of the tributes mentioned his environmental legacy and push for energy-efficient development. And one unusual part of his plan was focused here in Colorado.  Carter’s administration had backed the design of some experimental homes along the Front Range. They were warmed by the sun and fueled by renewable sources – an exciting idea in the late 1970s.  John Avenson was paying attention back then, and wanted to live in one of those homes. He got the plans, hired a contractor and built his very own Carter home in Westminster in 1981 – even as Carter’s successor in the White House, President Ronald Reagan, scaled back renewable energy development.  Avenson still lives in that home today. It’s featured in an episode of the PBS series Heart of a Building, which focuses on innovative building construction.   Erin O’Toole spoke with Avenson and Heart of a Building host Paul Kreischer in February to learn about life in one of Colorado’s first energy-smart ho

Colorado is known as a very dog-friendly state. A recent study by Colorado State University noted that if you’re a pet owner in this state, there’s an 80 percent chance that pet is a dog.    Colorado is also known for being one of first states to legalize cannabis.  But the high number of dog lovers plus the state’s long history of legal weed appear to have created a growing trend that worries veterinarians. As cannabis has become more widespread – and more potent – there's been a significant uptick in veterinary emergency calls for dogs who have ingested marijuana. The problem is complicated by edibles – which can be very enticing to a dog.  Boulder-based journalist Kate Ruder recently wrote about this for the Colorado Sun. She joined Erin O’Toole to discuss the symptoms to watch for, and what veterinarians advise if you think your dog may have eaten cannabis. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? He

For many people, being stopped by police can produce a wave of anxiety. But that sense of stress and uncertainty is even worse for people with conditions like autism spectrum disorder, hearing loss, Tourette’s syndrome, or dementia.  Earlier this year, Boulder’s police department rolled out a new initiative called the Blue Envelope Program to help people with disabilities communicate when they encounter an officer.  It allows a person to get an official blue envelope and fill it out with information that an officer might need to know to communicate with them. Then if they’re stopped by an officer, they simply hand over the envelope. Boulder was the first in Colorado to implement the program. Since then, law enforcement agencies in other communities have rolled out Blue Envelope programs, including Fort Collins Police, who launched theirs in July.  Alistair McNiven, Chief of Staff for Boulder Police, spoke with Erin O’Toole in February about the program and why he thinks the blue envelopes may be a transformat

Scientists say they’ve identified a sort of massive dance floor that some dinosaurs used as part of their mating rituals millions of years ago. The area is at Dinosaur Ridge, an active paleontology site in Morrison that’s also open to the public. Researchers there found dozens of places where a dinosaur species called Magnoavipes would scrape patterns into the rock – a telltale sign of the creatures’ unique mating rituals.  So, what does this discovery tell us about how dinosaurs lived 100 million years ago in what’s now Colorado? And what does it reveal  about dinosaurs’ similarities to modern species like birds?  To better understand those dinosaur dance parties, Erin O’Toole talked with Amy Atwater, the Director of Paleontology at Dinosaur Ridge.  

Immigration arrests in Colorado have quadrupled since President Trump returned to office in January. Under Trump, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say they’re focused on deporting violent criminals who are in the U.S. illegally – what the President calls “the worst of the worst.” But in Colorado, that promise doesn't line up with who is actually being detained by immigration enforcement.  A new analysis by the Colorado Sun and the Wyoming news organization WyoFile found that during the first five months of this year, about 60 percent of people arrested by ICE in Colorado and neighboring Wyoming had no criminal convictions when ICE detained them.  Of those, only a small fraction had been convicted of a violent crime such as assault.  Colorado Sun reporter Taylor Dolven has been covering politics and immigration under the Trump administration. She joined Erin O'Toole to talk about their findings, and why they wanted to take a closer look at these arrests.  * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsl

Colorado has an abundance of mountains named after famous men – think Long’s Peak, Mount Wilson, or Pikes Peak. Since childhood, Sarah Hahn Campbell has been fascinated by the people behind place names. But she discovered little to no information on peaks, lakes or trails named after women.  So, in 2017, the Denver-based author and high school teacher set out to research the mysterious women behind the names of some of Colorado’s landmarks. That culminated in Sarah's new book, Her Place on the Map: 18 Women and the Colorado Wonders Named for Them. It’s part trail guide and part history lesson, exploring 18 Colorado trails, mountains and lakes, while highlighting the stories of the women for whom these places were named. Sarah spoke with Erin O’Toole in May about her book, and how challenging it was to learn about the real women behind the names. To celebrate Colorado Day, which marks the day 149 years ago that Colorado became a state, we’re listening back to that conversation. * * * * *Sign up for the In The

A drive through the mountains of Colorado comes with breathtaking views, occasional glimpses of wildlife – and plenty of steep, winding roads. Sometimes that becomes deadly, especially for truck drivers. Even in good weather, mountain highways like I-70 can be uniquely challenging for professional truck drivers. And there’s no specialized training required for them to drive in the mountains.   That didn’t sit well with professional drivers Joe Trussell and Scott Maurer. A few years ago, they founded CDL 303, a trucking school based in Commerce City. They’re the only commercial driver’s license school in the country that offers a training program focused on mountain safety.   They spoke with Erin O’Toole about how they train drivers to understand the unique physics of mountain driving, and how to make the journey safely.   For more, check out our conversation with a retired Amtrak conductor with an unusual idea to help get semis safely through Colorado’s mountains – by loading them onto a train.* * * * *Sign u

A new kind of commentator made its debut during the snowboarding competition at this year’s Winter X Games in Aspen. It's called The Owl AI – and it’s powered by artificial intelligence.   The Owl AI demonstrated its ability by predicting the snowboarding half-pipe podium lineup, announcing in a cool male voice: “Third place Ayumu Hirano. Second Yuto Totsuka. And for the top spot Scotty James.”  The prediction turned out to be exactly right.  This new technology is being promoted by Boulder resident and X Games CEO Jeremy Bloom. In addition to predicting athlete performance, Bloom says The Owl AI will help make sports more fair by improving judging and refereeing. He recently launched a business to bring the technology to all kinds of sports.    Colorado Sun reporter Jason Blevins recently wrote about The Owl AI, how it was used in The X Games, and how it might be transformative for other sports.  Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLi

New research suggests planting aspen groves could slow the spread of wildfires in Colorado’s forests. It’s an idea that could help some mountain communities seeing increasing threats from wildfires.  A recent study looked at data from more than 300 wildfires in Western states. It found that large aspen groves often slowed the spread of forest fires. That’s partly because aspen contain more moisture than other trees in mountain forests.  So, should mountain communities across Colorado plant aspens on the outskirts of town?  To find out, Erin O’Toole talked to Camille Stevens-Rumann. She’s a professor of forest and rangeland stewardship at Colorado State University and was the principal investigator on the study.  For more on aspen trees, listen to this episode about why aspen trees rarely thrive when planted in yards.  Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show

The Colorado Rockies have some of the most loyal fans in all of baseball. And that might be part of their problem. The Rockies, as you may have heard, are having one of the worst seasons in Major League Baseball’s modern history. And yet the fans still show up – on average, about 30,000 of them attended each home game so far this season.  It's been the story of the Rockies for years: The team struggles. The fans keep coming. And the steady ticket sales mean ownership has little incentive to build a better team So what’s behind the unflinchingly loyal baseball fans here in Colorado? To find out, we turned to Kevin Simpson of the Colorado Sun. He’s been a season ticket holder since the Rockies’ very first season. Today we're revisiting an interview between Kevin and In The NoCo’s Brad Turner from a few weeks back. KUNC is holding its first-ever emergency fundraiser because Congress recently clawed back public broadcasting funds. That’s funding we rely on to cover local news, report on critical issues, and brin

Colorado recently hit a milestone: The first licensed psychedelic therapy clinic opened in June after voters here said magic mushrooms should be legal. So lots of reporters have written about the licensing process, interviewed therapists, and written about whether psychedelic mushrooms have real value in helping people recover from trauma, PTSD or other issues.  Our guest today is one of those reporters, but he took things a bit further.  Robert Sanchez is a longtime writer for 5280 in Denver. He decided to try out psychedelic mushrooms and see if what the experts said about their therapeutic value held up.   Robert walked through his journey with In the NoCo’s Brad Turner. Read Robert’s full article from 5280. KUNC is holding its first-ever emergency fundraiser because Congress recently clawed back public broadcasting funds. That’s funding we rely on to cover local news, report on critical issues, and bring you conversations with Coloradans on In The NoCo. You value this journalism. You know it matters. Help

Trails on several of Colorado’s fourteeners are getting a facelift this summer.  Mount Democrat, Mount Bierstadt, Mount Blue Sky, and Mount Shavano are some of Colorado’s most popular mountains for hikers, but some of the trails on them are in rough shape.  A nonprofit called the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (CFI) is working this summer to update trail routes on those and other mountains to eliminate erosion and generally protect the surrounding tundra. Crews move boulders, install steps, and even restore plant life. Workers grapple with smashed fingers, dehydration, and altitude sickness.  Tom Cronin is the Field Programs Manager for CFI and he has lots of experience managing these trail projects. He joined Erin O’Toole to talk about what the work is like and how these eroding trails fell into disrepair in the first place. KUNC is holding its first-ever emergency fundraiser because Congress recently clawed back public broadcasting funds. That’s funding we rely on to cover local news, report on critical is