Shows
In The NOCOColorado Edition: Lawmakers vs. the Office of Gun Violence Protection, a wet start to winter, and a remake of a Japanese filmFeatured SegmentsUpdates on the office to prevent gun violence: Colorado lawmakers are growing increasingly frustrated with an office they created a year and a half ago to prevent gun violence. They’re demanding answers and vowing to create a new oversight panel because they say the office has made little progress. KUNC Investigative reporter Scott Franz has been covering the ongoing story and has more on how lawmakers are trying to turn things around.Is snow news is good news? The Western U.S. has been slammed by wet weather so fa...
2023-01-2015 minIn The NOCOColorado Edition: EV chargers in rural areas, access to abortion pills, and the film 'Women Talking'Featured SegmentsAn EV charger in a place where there aren’t a lot of electric vehicles? Policymakers in Colorado envision a future with close to a million electric cars on the road by 2030. But before all those electric cars can hit the roadways, we’ll need a way to charge them. That includes in rural areas, not typically electric vehicle hotbeds.KUNC’s Rae Solomon spent the day at an EV fast charging station in rural Colorado to learn more.Expanded access to abortion pills: Major drug stores will soon b...
2023-01-1315 min
In The NOCOColorado Edition: The Marshall Fire one year laterIntro: You’re listening to Colorado Edition from KUNC. I’m Yoselin Meza Miranda. It’s Friday January 6th. In our first episode of 2023 we are looking at the legacy of the Marshall Fire. The fire destroyed more than one thousand homes and damaged at least 150 more. The cost of the fire is estimated to top 2 billion dollars. In December, just before the Marshall Fire anniversary, KUNC Reporter Leigh Paterson produced a three-part series that featured personal stories about the fire. In this first installment, Leigh checks in with a firefighter who was on scene. FIRST FEATURE ...
2023-01-0613 minIn The NOCOColorado Edition 2022 Highlights: Recovery residence, norovirus in the Grand Canyon and John DenverFeatured SegmentsRecovery residence: Early in the year, KUNC’s Stephanie Daniel visited a Greeley home where a small group of women are supporting each other to stay substance-free. They call it a “recovery residence.”And as Stephanie reported, they’re growing in numbers as more people choose to live in substance-free environments.This story was produced in February.Grand Canyon norovirus: KUNC’s Luke Runyon leads our Water Desk coverage. In September, he brought us this story about a nasty stomach bug usually associated with cruise ships and buffets — the norovirus.The virus can si...
2022-12-3115 minIn The NOCOColorado Edition: Questions about the Office of Gun Violence and Prevention, and the shrinking Ogallala AquiferFeatured SegmentsSlowdown at the Office of Gun Violence and Prevention: Some Colorado lawmakers are upset with the state’s new Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Legislators created the office almost two years ago in an effort to save lives by focusing on firearm safety and using the state’s new red flag law to take guns away from those flagged as dangerous.KUNC reporter Scott Franz has found the office has done little of that work, leaving lawmakers with questions.The Ogallala Aquifer drying up: The Ogallala Aquifer is a vast, underground water supply that...
2022-12-2311 minIn The NOCOColorado Edition: Grim news for Glen Canyon Dam and dealing with grief and loss during the holidaysGlen Canyon Dam: New forecasts for the Colorado River paint a grim picture. Climate change and steady demand are shrinking the water supply for 40 million people.At the nation's largest dams, that means the ability to generate hydropower could soon be under threat. KUNC's Alex Hager introduces us to the Glen Canyon Dam. What was once a mighty piece of Western infrastructure is now possibly unable to function.This story is part of ongoing coverage of the Colorado River, produced by KUNC and supported by the Walton Family Foundation.Holiday grief: The holiday...
2022-12-1613 minIn The NOCONext steps for 'magic mushrooms', and no return home for some Marshall Fire survivorsFeatured SegmentsPsilocybin's next steps: Proposition 122 was one of the ballot measures approved by voters last month. It decriminalizes the psychedelic substance psilocybin for personal use and mental health treatment. But as KUNC's Lucas Brady Woods reports, Coloradans won't see clinics offering psychedelics quite yet.No return for some Marshall Fire survivors: It's been nearly one year since the Marshall Fire destroyed more than 1,000 homes in Boulder County.However, there's another group of affected homeowners — their houses are still standing, yet they don't feel safe returning home due to issues such as smoke damage.The st...
2022-12-0912 minIn The NOCOHome repairs one year after the Marshall Fire and Colorado forcing farmers to reduce irrigationFeatured segmentsWind repair: While the Marshall Fire was burning down over 1,000 houses last December, the 100-mile-an-hour winds that day were also damaging nearby mobile homes.Roofs, siding, windows and doors were blown off and smashed. In the freezing days that followed, pipes burst. KUNC's Leigh Paterson reports on the rush to finish repairs almost a year after the fire and before winter arrives.Eliminating acres of irrigated land: Colorado Parks and Wildlife has pledged to eliminate thousands of acres of irrigated agriculture in a focused region on the eastern plains as a...
2022-12-0211 minIn The NOCOFront row seats to the Colorado River crisis, and the Colorado River Compact turns 100On this episode of Colorado Edition, we focus on water. We have two stories from our ongoing coverage of the Colorado River: Checking in with the people who have a front row seat to the crisis, and seeing if the Colorado River Compact is still working.Front row seats to the Colorado River crisis: The Colorado River is drying up, and the communities that rely on it are already feeling the pinch.While many large cities throughout the Southwest are well-positioned to weather the coming crisis, the threat of losing their water supply is no longer hypothetical...
2022-11-2811 min
The Colorado DreamColorado Edition: Midterm election debrief and the fight to preserve one of Fort Collins’ oldest Mexican restaurantsMidterm Election Debrief: The midterm elections were held just last week. KUNC’s Statehouse Reporter Lucas Brady Woods talks about the results and how things shook out post-election.Pobre Pancho’s: One of Fort Collins’ oldest Mexican restaurants — Pobre Pancho’s — closed last spring. The owner wants to sell the property to a fast food change planning to knock the building down.But reporter Mickey Capper says the family who ran the restaurant for decades is now fighting to preserve the building and its history.CreditsColorado Edition is hosted by Yoselin Meza Miranda and produced by the KUNC...
2022-11-1814 min
In The NOCOMidterm election debrief and the fight to preserve one of Fort Collins’ oldest Mexican restaurantsMidterm Election Debrief: The midterm elections were held just last week. KUNC’s Statehouse Reporter Lucas Brady Woods talks about the results and how things shook out post-election.Pobre Pancho’s: One of Fort Collins’ oldest Mexican restaurants — Pobre Pancho’s — closed last spring. The owner wants to sell the property to a fast food change planning to knock the building down.But reporter Mickey Capper says the family who ran the restaurant for decades is now fighting to preserve the building and its history.CreditsColorado Edition is hosted by Yoselin Meza Miranda and produced by the KUNC...
2022-11-1814 minThe Colorado DreamColorado Edition: Green roofs, a tap water taste test and pedometers on dairy cowsGreen Rooves: A researcher in our region is looking at a new way to grow vegetables and flowers at home, but as KUNC’s Emma VandenEinde reports, it might be more difficult than anticipated.Tap Water Taste Test: There’s nothing quite as refreshing as a cold glass of water straight from the tap — but it takes a lot of work to make your water clean and tasty.City water providers from all over the Mountain West put their supplies to the test at a recent event in Colorado. KUNC’s Alex Hager was invited to judge.This story is...
2022-11-1416 min
In The NOCOGreen roofs, a tap water taste test and pedometers on dairy cowsGreen Rooves: A researcher in our region is looking at a new way to grow vegetables and flowers at home, but as KUNC’s Emma VandenEinde reports, it might be more difficult than anticipated.Tap Water Taste Test: There’s nothing quite as refreshing as a cold glass of water straight from the tap — but it takes a lot of work to make your water clean and tasty.City water providers from all over the Mountain West put their supplies to the test at a recent event in Colorado. KUNC’s Alex Hager was invited to judge.This sto...
2022-11-1417 minIn The NOCOExplaining Proposition FF; and an interview with State Attorney General Phil WeisnerVoting is underway in Colorado, and ballots are due on Election Day by 7 pm. As a reminder, Election Day is Nov. 8, which is less than two weeks away.Proposition FF: If approved, Proposition FF would raise the money needed to provide free school lunches at all public schools in Colorado.Phil Weiser, Colorado Attorney General Incumbent: Colorado voters are deciding this election whether to keep incumbent candidate Phil Weisner in the State Attorney General seat or bring in challenger John Kellner. KUNC's Beau Baker spoke with Weiser about what he's been doing on the job...
2022-10-2814 minIn The NOCOWhat to expect on your 2022 midterm election ballot; Colorado’s gubernatorial raceWhat to expect on your ballots: Ballots for the November election are hitting mailboxes this week, and there’s a lot at stake. Not only will Coloradans decide who will represent them in Congress and at the state House, but there are also 11 statewide questions that could affect everything from how much people pay in taxes to where they can buy wine.Colorado’s gubernatorial race — Heidi Ganahl: Colorado’s governor ticket is expected to be one of the most heated races on the ballot. Republican Heidi Ganahl is hoping to replace incumbent Jared Polis in the governor...
2022-10-2121 minIn The NOCOAssessing wildfire risk; helping first-generation college students; 'Rocky Mountain High'On this episode of Colorado Edition, we listen to KUNC's three-part series "Fire Risk", which examines how the Marshall Fire prompted changes in building homes and how people are evacuated. Also, how can homeowners protect their existing homes? We meet a first-generation college student helping others like her through social media. Finally, John Denver's iconic "Rocky Mountain High" turns 50. Featured SegmentsEvacuating in an emergency: As the threat of wildfire grows in Colorado, so does the likelihood of mass evacuations. Perhaps no one knows this better than the survivors of last year’s Marshall Fire. In...
2022-10-0828 minIn The NOCOClimate change and the economy; the norovirus outbreak in the Grand Canyon; and a Colorado Sun recapClimate change and the economy: Climate change and the economy are becoming more and more inseparable. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, climate-related disasters have caused an average of $3 billion in damage in Colorado over the last several years.Some view transitioning to a greener economy as meeting climate priorities and saving money. KUNC’s Beau Baker spoke with Bob Keefe, executive director of the advocacy group, Environmental Entrepreneurs and author of Climatenomics: Washington, Wall Street and the Economic Battle to Save Our Planet.Norovirus outbreak in the Grand Canyon: Norovirus is a na...
2022-09-3014 minIn The NOCOUpdates on the Clear Creek County police shooting; water scarcity in the Mountain WestOn this week’s Colorado Edition, we hear updates on the police shooting of a young man in Clear Creek County. Then, we travel to Nevada to hear how water scarcity is affecting one ranching community in a real way. Finally, we check in with the Colorado Sun and discuss what news they’re following.Featured Segments Updates on Clear Creek County police shooting: The parents of a young man shot and killed by police in Clear Creek County in June are demanding answers and accountability. Boulder resident Christian Glass, a 22-year-old white man...
2022-09-2417 minIn The NOCOMushroom scientists, recycling wastewater, Oath Keepers, and a Telluride Film Festival recapOn this episode of Colorado Edition, we check out a group of citizen scientists who are passionate about studying mushrooms in the mountains and find new species. We examine how cities in the West are trying to reuse water as the Colorado River dries up. We hear about concerns that elected officials, law enforcement officers, and military members are on the Oath Keepers roster. Finally, a recap of the Telluride Film Festival and its respect for both old and new films.Featured SegmentsMushroom science: Despite ongoing drought in parts of Colorado, it...
2022-09-1724 minIn The NOCO‘Newcomers Welcome’ episode 5On this special episode of Colorado Edition, we highlight the new season of The Colorado Dream podcast called “Newcomers Welcome.” The series explores the Black immigrant experience in Colorado as told through the eyes of one African immigrant and Aurora, as the city - and its residents - strive to become an inclusive home for all.Featured Segment - Episode five of The Colorado Dream: Newcomers Welcome. Aurora is home to immigrants and refugees from around the world. To help them succeed, the city created an integration plan, one of the first local gover...
2022-09-1427 minIn The NOCOColorado River gets popular on TikTok; tackling truancy; new CU president; Telluride Film FestivalOn this episode of Colorado Edition, we check out how a river guide is turning information about the Colorado River drought into digestible TikToks. We speak with the new president of the University of Colorado. From Chalkbeat Colorado, we hear how one school district is trying to get students back in the classroom. Finally, we hear about this year’s Telluride Film Festival and what keeps the festival great.Featured SegmentsTikToking through the Colorado River drought: A 25-year-old river guide from Colorado is racking up hundreds of thousands of views on Ti...
2022-09-0917 minIn The NOCO‘Newcomers Welcome’ episode 4Featured Segment - Episode four of The Colorado Dream: Newcomers Welcome. Episode Four - Newcomers Welcome: IdentityThe Black immigrant population in Colorado is growing faster than anywhere else in the U.S. They come from Africa, the Caribbean and beyond and many settle in Aurora, where about one in five residents is foreign born. What does it mean for these immigrants, and their kids, to be Black in America?“There's a tension between the African immigrant and the Black community. Why? Because of misconception and assumption from both (parties).” said Papa Dai, foun...
2022-09-0727 minIn The NOCOVeteran outreach; bear encounters; student loan forgiveness; Ethiopian coffee ceremoniesOn this week’s Colorado Edition, we learn about a new mobile outreach unit to connect veterans experiencing homelessness with resources. As bear encounters get more common, we hear how one community is looking to reduce bear-human interactions. We get a breakdown of how the student loan forgiveness plan will affect Coloradans. Finally, we learn about Ethiopian coffee ceremonies happening in Aurora.Featured SegmentsThis week, the Veterans Community Project of Longmont launched a brand new mobile outreach unit. The van will connect veterans experiencing homelessness in rural parts of northern Colorado with resources li...
2022-09-0223 minIn The NOCO'Newcomers Welcome' episode 3On this special episode of Colorado Edition, we highlight the new season of The Colorado Dream podcast called “Newcomers Welcome.” The series explores the Black immigrant experience in Colorado as told through the eyes of one African immigrant and Aurora, as the city - and its residents - strive to become an inclusive home for all.Featured Segment - Episode three of The Colorado Dream: Newcomers WelcomeEpisode Three - Newcomers Welcome: Education English is the “language of opportunity.” That’s a line from Aurora’s 10-year Immigrant Integration Plan. Before creating this...
2022-08-3127 minIn The NOCOIndigenous water management; deep rattlesnake lore; ‘Spin Me Round’ reviewOn this week’s Colorado Edition, we hear about efforts to elevate indigenous approaches to water management to conserve Colorado River water. We set out into the brush to learn more about rattlesnakes. We also check in with our colleagues at the Colorado Sun, and hear a review for Spin Me Round from our resident critic.Featured SegmentsThe seven western states in the Colorado River Basin are still looking for a way to conserve an unprecedented amount of water after failing to meet a federal deadline for a plan. The river’s two...
2022-08-2621 minIn The NOCO‘Newcomers Welcome’ episode 2On this special episode of Colorado Edition, we highlight the new season of The Colorado Dream podcast called “Newcomers Welcome.” The series explores the Black immigrant experience in Colorado as told through the eyes of one African immigrant and Aurora, as the city - and its residents - strive to become an inclusive home for all.Featured Segment - Episode two of The Colorado Dream: Newcomers Welcome. Episode Two - Newcomers Welcome: IntegrationAurora is one of the most diverse cities in Colorado. In fact, about one in five resi...
2022-08-2426 minIn The NOCOCreating a more diverse outdoors; Colorado River cuts; state of evictionsOn this week’s Colorado Edition, we learn about grants aimed at helping people of color feel more comfortable in Colorado’s outdoors. Also, the Colorado River has hit an important deadline and cuts are impending. We hear more about the future of water in the states affected. Finally, we learn more about evictions in Colorado and what some are doing to protect people from them.Featured SegmentsColorado’s trails, campgrounds and parks are getting more crowded, but surveys show the droves of visitors are overwhelmingly white and wealthy. A new initiative launching this s...
2022-08-1916 minIn The NOCO'Newcomers Welcome'On this special episode of Colorado Edition, we highlight the new season of The Colorado Dream podcast called “Newcomers Welcome.” The series explores the Black immigrant experience in Colorado as told through the eyes of one African immigrant and Aurora, as the city - and its residents - strive to become an inclusive home for all.Featured Segment - Episode one of The Colorado Dream: Newcomers Welcome.The Black immigrant population in Colorado is growing faster than anywhere else in the U.S. They come from Africa, the Caribbean and beyond, and many settle in Auro...
2022-08-1726 minIn The NOCODesalination to water the West; Yuma County Fair’s focus on farmersOn this week’s Colorado Edition, we look into the potential of turning the ocean into drinking water for the ever-drying West. We also visit the Yuma County Fair and what it’s doing to promote farms and farmers. We also hear from our colleagues at the Colorado Sun, and get a look at the latest episode of The Colorado Dream.Featured SegmentsFor users of the Colorado River, all signs are pointing to a future where they get less water. But cutting back is hard work. That makes finding a new source for the...
2022-08-1215 minIn The NOCO5K’s first nonbinary winner; Lake Powell’s historic low; wheat farmer’s pest problemSports are often divided by gender: women or girls on one team, men or boys on another. Trans people face barriers to joining the team that matches their gender, and there are few options for people that aren’t one of the binary genders. This year, the FireKracker 5K in Fort Collins decided to do things differently. They offered participants the options to sign up as male, female, or nonbinary. KUNC’s Yoselin Meza Miranda spoke with FireKracker 5K’s first nonbinary winner, Steph Campbell. For decades the Colorado River filled Glen Canyon to the brim. T...
2022-08-0621 minIn The NOCOAbortion attitudes in Weld; fixing smoke damage; queer people’s impact in NoCoOne month ago, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending the constitutional right to an abortion.Some in Colorado are working to expand access, while others are trying to push back. KUNC’s Beau Baker spoke to reporter Leigh Paterson about efforts and attitudes in Weld County. A wildfire tore through Superior in December, destroying hundreds of homes before the fires were extinguished the next day. But the fire left its fingerprints on homes all over town. Months later, residents whose homes were unscathed by the fire had a smoky taste and smell in thei...
2022-07-2918 minIn The NOCOAbortion demand rises; urgent need to cut water; safe spaces for LGBTQ+ teensMany in Colorado are working to protect reproductive rights in a post Roe America. Providers in Mountain West states are juggling a sharp rise in demand from out-of-state patients. KUNC’s Robyn Vincent reports some are facing desperate circumstances.The seven Colorado River basin states have until mid-August to drastically cut their water use. Federal officials say it’s necessary to keep the river’s giant reservoirs from going empty. If state leaders fail to come up with a plan, they could be facing a federal crackdown. KUNC’s Luke Runyon has more on what tha...
2022-07-2217 minIn The NOCOMonkeypox; Roe v. Wade reactions; mental health response programsThousands gathered in Boulder on Saturday to protest the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Moments of sadness, anger and hope filled Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall. KUNC’s Robyn Vincent was there. Colorado has recorded 9 monkeypox cases over the last three months, but health officials are worried the virus could spread fast if unchecked. To learn more, KUNC’s Beau Baker spoke with Dr. Michelle Barron. Barron is the senior medical director of infection prevention and control with UC Health. You can find vaccine clinics, resources and the latest information from the state on m...
2022-07-1516 minIn The NOCOMarshall Fire memories and destruction; first all-Black team climbs Mount EverestWhen the Marshall Fire burned over 1,000 homes in Boulder County in December, it also destroyed possessions: couches, children’s toys and family heirlooms. Since then, many fire victims have dug through the rubble to find anything that might be salvageable. In the final part of our series From The Ashes, Leigh Paterson brings us a story about salvaged objects that contain memories. Hundreds of people summit Mount Everest each year. But before this year, fewer than 10 of them were Black. In May, the first all-Black team of climbers successfully reached the summit as part of the...
2022-07-0815 minIn The NOCORoe v. Wade in Colorado; salvaging memories from the Marshall Fire; the Greeley Stampede's 100th yearColoradans are still processing the Supreme Court’s historic decision to end federal abortion rights. Some residents are joining together to protest, while others are making plans to protect — or challenge — access to abortion here. KUNC’s Scott Franz has more on the early reactions to the ruling, and what it might mean going forward.KUNC's Beau Baker spoke to Dr. Warren Hern, director of the Boulder Abortion Clinic. He's been providing access to care since 1975, and says that the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade could impact abortion services in Colorado.In the mont...
2022-07-0118 minIn The NOCORecovering from the Marshall Fire; how beavers are reshaping rivers and streams; 10 years of DACAThe Marshall Fire ripped through Boulder County at the end of last year. Many fire victims took almost nothing with them that day. But they went back to sift through the debris in the months that followed. In the KUNC series From The Ashes, Leigh Paterson brings us the stories of how they salvaged objects to help families process what they lost.Climate change is reshaping the natural world, but one animal is doing its part to fight back. A new study lays out all the ways that beavers are helping reshape rivers and streams. As Alex...
2022-06-2420 minIn The NOCO''What a community theater should be:'' Loveland's historic Rialto Theater celebrates a century of the performing artsA landmark of the northern Colorado art scene is turning 102 years old this year. The historic Rialto Theater in Loveland originally planned to celebrate its true centennial in 2020, when it would have turned 100. Because of the pandemic, though, those festivities had to be postponed – until now. Visitors from all over Colorado flocked to the Rialto this week to share memories and to marvel at the lovingly restored building. Guests enjoyed silent film screenings and special behind-the-scenes tours that took them through winding, cramped passageways below the stage and into the bright, newly designed community spaces.
2022-05-2007 min