In The NOCO

As much as 40 percent of the homes in some Colorado mountain resorts sit unoccupied for much of the year. And housing is in such short supply in communities like Breckenridge or Steamboat Springs that many workers find themselves living in hotels, rather than a house or apartment.Leaders in a coalition of ski towns called the Colorado Association of Ski Towns, or CAST, are asking lawmakers for a new tool to address the housing shortage. They want the ability to discourage those homeowners, who let their properties sit empty, from doing so.And one way they might do that is by taxing those unoccupied homes.Revenue from those taxes could then fund affordable housing programs and cut down on vacant homes.Host Erin O’Toole spoke with Colorado Sun reporter Jason Blevins, who has been covering this story.* * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

The 2024 Olympics are underway in Paris. And for the first time, breaking is an official part of the Games. Breaking (or breakdancing as it’s sometimes called) originated in the Bronx during the 1970s, growing within the larger spectrum of hip-hop culture. But it’s more than just the music, the rhythms, and the athletic, visually stunning moves. There's a deep history and culture that surrounds the art - and sport - of breaking. Rennie Harris is an artist-in-residence at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he’s the co-director of Hip-hop Studies. He spoke with host Erin O’Toole about what makes breaking such a unique and dynamic art form... and about what to watch for when 32 B-boys and B-girls from around the globe compete for Olympic gold. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Coloradans in recent weeks have seen a barrage of evacuation notices and news updates about four major wildfires along the Front Range. Beyond the ever–changing tallies of acres burned or the latest containment numbers, we wanted to see a wildfire from a fire chief’s perspective – from the first visible plumes of smoke, to when evacuees return home. Rob Stumpf leads the Lyons Fire Protection District. He and more than 200 firefighters spent days working to contain the Stone Canyon fire near Lyons. That blaze, which sparked on July 30, triggered evacuations, burned five structures and is linked to one death. The cause of the wildfire is under investigation. On Sunday, crews announced they had fully contained the blaze. Stumpf has worked on many wildfires in his 27 years as a firefighter. And while the temperatures were brutal, he noted the unusual terrain was a large part of what made the Stone Canyon Fire so dangerous. He spoke with host Erin O’Toole by phone from the firehouse in Lyons. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Geothermal is having a moment in the spotlight. It hasn’t gotten the attention that wind and solar have as the ‘powerhouses’ of Colorado’s electric grid. But energy officials say it’s time for the state to start building up other sources – including tapping the heat that’s under our feet. The state is offering grants and tax credits to support research into new geothermal projects, with the goal of bringing some small- and large-scale projects online in the coming years. Some projects already underway, such as the geothermal system at Colorado Mesa University, are expanding. With all this activity happening, we wanted to understand more about why geothermal has the potential to help reduce energy costs and stabilize the electric grid. Will Toor is Executive Director of the Colorado Energy Office, which oversees the state’s geothermal energy grant program. He spoke with host Erin O’Toole about why the state is upping its investments in this renewable energy source. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Four major wildfires burned along the front range in the last week. One person reportedly died in the Stone Canyon Fire. Hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes and dozens of structures were lost in the four fires. While fire is a normal part of the ecosystem of the mountain west, fires that push into urban areas are destructive to those landscapes. The effects of urban fires, known as urban conflagrations, can have long-term effects on our waterways' local ecology. Host Stephanie Daniel speaks with Dr Lauren Magliozzi, PhD candidate in the University of Colorado Boulder’s Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research and Civil and Environmental Engineering. They discuss what we should be looking for in the water after a major wildfire. Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Ash is a cute yellow lab with a very big job. She is Colorado’s newest employee in the Division of Fire Prevention & Control. Ash started on July 1 as the Division’s newest accelerant detector tool -- meaning she can sniff out if something suspicious was used to start a fire. Her powerful nose can help determine a fire’s cause, often more effectively than a mechanical device. And right now, she’s the sole canine detection tool for the entire state’s fire prevention division. Host Erin O’Toole sat in on a training session and sat down to talk with Ash’s handler, Matt Morgan, who is also a fire investigator with the Division of Fire Prevention and Control. They discussed Ash’s training, her apt ability for detecting scents, and her role as a therapy dog for fire victims.

Colorado is home to world class skiing, with dozens of public resorts open to skiers of all levels -- and incomes. Private ski resorts – which tend to cater to the ultra-wealthy – are practically nonexistent here. But a newly proposed private resort could add to Colorado’s short list. Stagecoach Mountain Ranch would create an exclusive enclave of multi-million dollar luxury homes in Routt County. The area, near Steamboat Springs, was once home to a small ski area back in the 1970s. Now, an Arizona-based developer wants to turn those 6,600 acres into a private ski area and golf course. This concerns some nearby residents, who worry the project will change the nature of their quiet community. Host Erin O’Toole spoke with Jason Blevins, who covers the ski industry and the outdoors for The Colorado Sun. They discussed the history of private resorts in the West and whether this development might open the floodgates for more of these private ski areas in Colorado. Jason mentioned ghost ski areas across Colorado. Read more here. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Architecture can provoke a powerful emotional response in us. Perhaps you've stopped on a sidewalk to stare up in wonder at a massive skyscraper... or stepped inside a beautifully designed building and felt a sense of peace or inspiration. But the reaction to a building isn’t always positive -- particularly for people who have experienced trauma. Buildings that resemble schools, hospitals, or jails – can make a person feel helpless or anxious. A relatively new movement in architecture considers this throughout the creation process. ‘Trauma-informed’ design thoughtfully incorporates elements that help people feel welcomed and safe. And it’s a key component in a new youth shelter opened by Denver nonprofit Urban Peak. The ‘Mothership,’ as it’s called, will serve young people between the ages of 12 and 24 experiencing homelessness. The 136-bed facility offers not only a place to sleep, but supportive amenities like a garden, computer lab, and a full-service kitchen that will offer cooking lessons. And the building itself is designed to help its residents feel empowered. Chad Holtzinger is the founder of Shopworks Architecture, the firm behind the facility’s innovative design. He joined host Erin O’Toole to share more about the roughly $38 million project -- which is set to start welcoming youth in early to mid- August. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Many people in Colorado bought homes or refinanced during the pandemic, when interest rates were at historic lows. Now, they feel trapped by that low mortgage rate. They might want to sell and move, but can’t afford to buy elsewhere, with interest rates at much higher levels than four years ago. The problem has been dubbed 'mortgage handcuffs.' This dilemma isn’t unique to Colorado, but it appears the problem is worse here than in any other state in the country, according to a recent article in the Denver Post. Host Erin O’Toole sat down with Libby Levinson-Katz - chair of the Denver Metro Association of Realtors market trends committee, and a realtor with Kentwood Real Estate out of Denver - to explain how we got here and where we might be headed. * * * * * Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Of all the insects that could turn up in your yard, the Japanese beetle is one of the nastiest. Its larvae chew up the roots of your grass, while the mature version of the beetle eats just about every plant in your yard. And worst of all, it’s tough to eradicate. Japanese beetles are an invasive species that turned up across Colorado’s Front Range in the early 2000s. Recently, a new infestation appeared in the Grand Valley, which has peach growers in Palisade worried. Host Erin O’Toole talks with Whitney Cranshaw, a retired insect expert with Colorado State University Extension, about how to contain outbreaks like this one. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science recently made an exciting announcement: A new species of cave-dwelling pseudoscorpion had been discovered in the foothills outside Boulder. Researchers named it Larca boulderica – a nod to the city of Boulder – and say the only place on the planet where you’ll find it is in just two caves near the Boulder Flatirons. We reached out to David Steinmann, the research associate with the Museum of Nature and Science who found the new species. We thought he’d want to talk about his once-in-a- lifetime discovery. Instead, he told us that for him, it wasn’t a once-in-a-lifetime event at all. In fact, he kind of specializes in hunting for new species, and thinks he’s found at least fifty of them. He attributes that to his family's lifelong love of exploring caves to search for tiny creatures. Steinmann joined host Erin O’Toole to talk about his unusual work... what exactly a pseudoscorpion is... and whether we should have nightmares about them.* * * * * Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

You might be getting lots of push notifications this summer – from ozone action day alerts and air quality alerts, to heat and wildfire smoke advisories. So far this summer, we've seen more than 25 days with highs over 90 degrees. And federal air quality regulators say Front Range cities have racked up multiple ozone violations this year, according to the Colorado Sun. But how do you know which alerts to pay attention to, and what to do when you get them? In today’s episode host Erin O’Toole talks with Kaiser Permanente Community Health Consultant Lisa Romero about whether you should change your plans, and how to stay healthy this time of year.

A new Colorado law that took effect on July 1st ensures that pregnant people on Medicaid will have access to doula services. Doulas can offer support and advice before, during, and after birth that complements a doctor’s guidance. Joy Twesigye is a trained women’s health nurse practitioner and says this new law could make a huge difference for people on Medicaid. Lower-income patients who rely on Medicaid coverage often have the most to gain by working with a doula. Joy Twesigye is vice president of health systems integration at Colorado Access, a nonprofit that works for better healthcare for marginalized populations.

Two years ago, Jordan Sarazen lived a comfortable, perhaps even mundane life, working in an office as a financial planner. Then one day, he decided to make a change. He set out to fulfill a dream of managing a goat herd and renting their services to landowners. Today, Jordan and his wife Toni own 300 goats, and a company called Goat Bros. They travel around the Front Range and let the herd graze on vegetation for cities like Longmont, Northglenn, and Superior. And the goats provide a form of wildfire prevention by clearing out weeds and dense brush growth from open space land. Using goats to clear out dry vegetation isn’t a new idea in Colorado, but its popularity has picked up in recent years, including after the 2021 Marshall Fire burned through neighborhoods in Boulder County. The Sarazens live in a fifth-wheel camper that they park near where the herd is grazing. Jordan spoke with ITN host Erin O’Toole from a grazing spot near Superior. * * * * * Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

$70 million is the amount a utility company will pay to a community in Northwestern Colorado when it shuts down a coal plant that drives a large part of the local economy. Tri-State Energy plans to close its coal-fired power station, and all three coal mines, in Craig by 2028. The closure comes as Colorado moves to do away with coal-fired power and reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. The $70 million payment to Craig and Moffat County sets a precedent. It’s the first time a utility company that closes a coal plant will pay money to address the hole that’s left behind in the local economy. Host Erin O’Toole talked with Eli Pace, editor of the Steamboat Pilot & Today and the Craig Press, about how the settlement come together. He’s been covering the settlement and talked about how it creates a blueprint for Colorado communities facing similar shutdowns.

On November 1, 1955, a man planted a bomb aboard a United Airlines plane shortly before it departed from Denver. The plane exploded in midflight over beet fields in Weld County, killing all 44 people aboard. It was a mass murder that grabbed headlines across the country. And viewers saw footage of the trial on TV – which was unusual then. If you've never heard of this crime, though, you're hardly alone. There's no marker at the site of the crash, near what is now Firestone. A local nonprofit group hopes to change that. The Flight 629 Memorial Committee wants to create a memorial to honor the lives lost in the tragedy, as well as the nearby residents who turned up to try to search for survivors. They hope to complete it before the 70th anniversary, which will happen in 2025. Andrew J. Field is a retired Staff Attorney for the Colorado Supreme Court, where he specialized in criminal law. He’s the author of Mainliner Denver: The Bombing of Flight 629. He spoke with host Erin O’Toole about the bombing and its legacy for modern air travel. The Flight 629 Memorial Committee plans to hold a number of fundraising events leading up to the 70th anniversary, including a concert at the Rialto Theater in Loveland on August 3. Read more in the Greeley Tribune here. Donations can be made to the committee’s GoFundMe page. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Boulder, like many cities in Colorado, has an ongoing shortage of housing for the middle class – which means many people who work in Boulder can’t afford to live there. One local group is proposing an unconventional solution: They want to decommission Boulder’s municipal airport and turn that city-owned land into a neighborhood with around 2,000 homes. At least half of those homes would be designated affordable. That group, the Airport Neighborhood Campaign, organized the two initiatives that, if approved, would put this plan into action. They’ve collected enough signatures to place them on the November ballot, although the idea faces opposition from organizations like the Boulder Chamber. Laura Kaplan, one of the group’s organizers, sat down with host Erin O’Toole to discuss what they want to accomplish by repurposing the municipal airport. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Summer in Northern Colorado means the return of an old-school mode of transportation -- in the form of a ride on the Fort Collins Trolley. Electric streetcars were once a common sight in the streets of Fort Collins, at least until the early 1950s, when car ownership rose and fewer people relied on public transportation. In the late 1970s, a group of dedicated volunteers began to restore the aged trolley cars and to reinstall the track. This season marks 40 years since the restored trolley began once again to take passengers on a leisurely journey along Mountain Avenue into Old Town. Host Erin O’Toole hopped on board earlier this year, where she learned some of the trolley's quirky history – including the time the old depot became a victim of the CU-CSU football rivalry… and how a group of people opposed to bringing the trolley back nearly derailed the restoration. You can learn more about the trolley's history and find schedule and fare information here. Thanks to depot agent Kathy Mabry and conductor Kevin Mabry for sharing their stories. They co-authored and illustrated a children's book about the trolley (available at the depot). And a huge thank you to motorman Bethany O'Brien for sharing both her historical knowledge and her expert driving skills. * * * * * Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Adjusting streetlamps and other exterior lights to allow the stars to shine more brilliantly – that's part of the process for becoming a certified Dark Sky community. More than 200 places in 22 countries around the world have this designation. Advocates say limiting light pollution helps preserve expansive views of the night sky, and helps nocturnal creatures thrive. And the Colorado Tourism Office believes the Dark Sky designation helps attract visitors. Town leaders in Grand Lake recently took the first steps toward becoming an official Dark Sky community. They would join five other towns in Colorado that already have that designation. About two dozen more Dark Sky places are in the pipeline, including communities and parks across the state. Aaron Watson is with the group DarkSky Colorado. He joined host Erin O'Toole to discuss the problem with light pollution, and why a growing number of Colorado towns are taking this idea of dark skies so seriously. We’re listening back to that conversation, recorded in May. Read more about the overview effect that Watson mentions near the end of the conversation. And check out a list of great places to stargaze in Colorado here. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Colorado has some of the best camping in the country, and Coloradans love their weekends in the wilderness. But does a night in the outdoors become daunting when kids are in the picture? Boulder author Helen Olsson doesn’t think so. She just rereleased her book The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids. It’s full of unexpected tips on things like how to curb whining, along with fun anecdotes from her own family adventures. In The NoCo host Erin O’Toole spoke with Olsson about being in the wilderness with her brood and why she thinks more families should embrace camping.

Not that long ago, some doctors would use lobotomies as a treatment for mental illness... or insomnia... or severe headaches. That wouldn’t happen now. But modern medicine has taken some weird, often tragic turns to get to where it is now. Author Wesley Marshall argues that there’s a similarity between the science behind our transportation systems and these outdated practices in medicine and psychiatry. And, he says it’s time for a wakeup call. Marshall, who teaches civil engineering at the University of Colorado Denver, thinks the way our streets and highways are designed contributes to tens of thousands of unnecessary crashes and deaths each year. He recently published his research and ideas in a provocatively titled book, Killed By a Traffic Engineer. * * * * * Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News

People who come to Estes Park marvel at the sights they see... Longs Peak on the horizon... the Stanley Hotel above town... herds of elk just about everywhere. And on Elkhorn Avenue in the heart of downtown, curious onlookers gather on the sidewalk to watch the hypnotic movements of the mechanical taffy puller in the window of The Taffy Shop. Now, more people are checking out the iconic shop after it was named Best Candy Store in the country by USA Today in June. The independent, family-owned store has essentially made one type of candy since it opened in 1935. The original saltwater taffy recipe is a closely guarded secret -- and is still used today, said Mark Igel, who bought the business in 2014 from the original owners. “It’s funny, because my first impression was, how can there be a saltwater taffy shop in a Colorado mountain town?” Igel recalled about his first visit to the store as a customer. “Until you know what saltwater taffy really is, and that we can have the best saltwater taffy in the country, here in Colorado. It’s not salt or water, it's not the ocean; it's the way that you make the candy.” Mark Igel joined host Erin O’Toole to share more about what it's been like to be recognized nationally... and why tradition is such an important ingredient in everything they do. We mention The Taffy Shop’s online taffy cam at the end of the episode – you can find that soothing livestream here. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Rodeo is a popular sport all summer long across Colorado and the West. There are large events like the Greeley Stampede or Cheyenne Frontier Days in June and July. And lots of other towns have their own rodeos, from Estes Park to Granby to Steamboat Springs. Of course, anyone can buy a ticket and head to the rodeo – but what else should you know if you’re new to this world? To help answer that question, we reached out to Abe Morris. Abe is a former professional bull rider who lives in Denver. He also spent nine years as a broadcast commentator for Cheyenne Frontier Days. And he encourages people who are on the fence to just go and experience the rodeo – no cowboy boots or hat needed. “I think once you go to a rodeo and you see a good bull riding event or something like that, you're going to keep going. You're going to become a fan for life.” Abe Morris joined host Erin O’Toole to share his perspective and insights on rodeo culture. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

For many veterans, Independence Day can be a hard day. Celebrating America’s birthday typically comes with booming, colorful blasts of fireworks. We don’t talk about it a lot, but for veterans with PTSD, that can be a struggle. It can remind them of combat or other traumatic experiences from their time in the military. “We often have veterans who describe, regretfully, dreading this time of year,” says Dr. Mandy Rabenhorst-Bell, PTSD program manager with the VA healthcare system serving Eastern Colorado. “Although they love the celebration and maybe used to find this a very joyful time of year, now they don't -- and find that they no longer kind of approach it with the same sense of joy and wonder as they once did.” She joins host Erin O’Toole to give a glimpse at what the Fourth of July is like for those with PTSD – and how friends, family and neighbors can help support them. Find more information and resources for PTSD from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs here.

Limiting the carbon emissions of a new home or office, long before anyone lives or works in it -- that’s the goal of a key piece of Boulder’s new energy code that will take effect later this year. Typically, people looking to reduce the carbon footprint of their home might install a heat pump or add solar panels. But those improvements could take years to substantially reduce a building’s carbon output. That’s why Boulder officials looking to fight climate change are embracing a concept called ‘embodied carbon.’ Embodied carbon looks at the components that make up a new building or major renovation project -- things like concrete foundations and insulation. And the concept considers the carbon emissions created by manufacturing and delivery of those materials. Boulder City Council member Lauren Folkerts is an architect who pushed for the new guidelines. She joined Erin O’Toole to discuss the impact she hopes they’ll have in Boulder – and on a larger scale. Read more about the embodied carbon incentives from the Boulder Reporting Lab here. Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

There’s no getting around it: it’s really, really hot on Colorado’s Front Range right now. According to the National Weather Service, the Denver metro area typically sees about 45 days each summer when the temperature hits 90 degrees or hotter. And that’s when many homeowners wish for a more resilient lawn. Allisa Linfield is a horticulturist with Colorado State University extension. She and the other lawn and garden experts there spend a lot of time researching the science of creating a more drought-tolerant yard. A lawn makeover is a daunting project for most homeowners to tackle all at once, so Allisa joined ITN’s executive producer Brad Turner to share some guidelines for creating a more resilient yard – one small step at a time.

There are dozens of climbing routes on the famous Flatirons in Boulder. Until recently, all of the routes on those monumental rock formations were installed, or mapped out, by men. That changed recently when two female climbers collaborated to install a new route on a section of the Flatirons known as The Maiden formation. Lynn Hill and Sasha DiGiulian are at very different points in their climbing careers, but they came together to create this unprecedented route.The route, and why it matters to the climbing community, is also explored in a new documentary called Here to Climb, focused on DiGiulian's developing career.DiGiulian began her career in climbing gyms when she was six and quickly began winning many competitions at a young age. Lynn is a veteran climber, who became famous as the first person – male or female – to scale an area on Yosemite's El Capitan called The Nose, unassisted.

Who is allowed to vote in a resort town’s election when a large chunk of the town’s homeowners are not full-time residents? And how does it change the equation if many of the town’s homes are owned by private companies, rather than individuals? These are questions that periodically come up in resort areas like Aspen or Vail. And leaders in Mountain Village, located above Telluride, are debating these issues now. The town’s charter already allows people who own property in Mountain Village, but don’t live there year-round, to vote in municipal elections. It’s currently the only town in Colorado that lets nonresidents have a say in local races on issues like new regulations or taxes. Now the town board is studying whether Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) – which own hundreds of homes in Mountain Village – should also get to vote. Jason Blevins has been covering the debate for The Colorado Sun. He joined host Erin O’Toole to unpack the issue – and what it says about the tension between residents in resort towns and the tourism business that traditionally shaped the local economy.

You’ve probably seen 3D printing used to create objects out of plastic – things like toys or chess pieces. A company that recently moved its headquarters to Greeley thinks that one day your new home might be created with 3D printing. And they want Greeley to be a major global hub for this approach to construction.Alquist 3D was founded by Zack Manheimme. Alquist is the first company in the U.S. to build a lived-in 3D printed home. They use a process called concrete printing construction, meaning they build houses one thin layer of concrete at a time. Alquist says it’s faster, and should eventually cost less, than traditional homebuilding, which makes it a potential strategy to reduce housing shortages. Alquist already has a location in Greeley. Starting in August, the company will partner with Aims Community College on a new program to train students in the design and manufacturing of concrete printing construction. Zack Mannheimer spoke with host Erin O'Toole about his company’s unique construction process, and how his creative background led him to think about solutions to the housing crisis.

Fifty years ago in June, a small group of friends and activists from the gay and lesbian community gathered in Denver's Cheesman Park to be together and celebrate their identity. It was the first iteration of what's now known as Denver PrideFest. The event has evolved over the years, growing during good times but also during times of adversity and challenge for the LGBTQ community. This weekend, Denver PrideFest celebrates its 50th year. To help put those five decades into perspective, we spoke with Phil Nash, a longtime journalist, LGBTQ activist, and author of the new history book LGBTQ Denver. Find a schedule of events for Denver Pride’s 50th anniversary here.

When she’s onstage, comedian Zoe Rogers talks about what she knows best: her kids. Her standup centers around her identity as a mom. She jokes about the difference between the proper mom etiquette she carefully displays to her children, and her internal monologue. Offstage, Zoe appreciates a standup routine that’s a genuine reflection of the comedian’s perspective. So, in addition to her own standup act, Zoe focuses on booking comedy shows in Boulder that bring in comedians from all different backgrounds.Zoe organizes the The Dairy Arts Center’s monthly comedy performances and the annual Boulder Comedy Festival. This year’s festival kicked off on Wednesday, June 18 and continues through Sunday, June 23.

An exhibit at the Museum of Boulder illuminates the stories of Black Coloradans, highlighting their influence on the region's history and their impact on the future. Proclaiming Colorado's Black History centers on places like the once-bustling farming community of Dearfield; and notable people like businessman Barney Ford and philanthropist Julia Greeley, a formerly enslaved person who is presently a candidate for Catholic sainthood.It's about sharing the lives and stories of people who aren't necessarily in Colorado's history books, said Adrian Miller, co-Project Director and lead curator for the exhibit."It's important because we're in a time now, across the country, where Black history is actually being vanished, where there are laws being passed and other things to discourage giving a more comprehensive view of our history," said Miller.The project was several years in the making, and was shaped with a lot of community input and collaboration, Miller said. It includes a variety of installations, collections of oral histories, and an art display that delves into Afrofuturism. The exhibit will be open through September 2025. Miller joined host Erin O'Toole ahead of the exhibit's launch. We're listening back to that conversation today, in celebration of Juneteenth - also known as Freedom Day.If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like our conversation with CSU Professor Ray Black. He led a Juneteenth bike ride in Fort Collins to illuminate and celebrate the city's Black history. This is an encore of our podcast from Sept. 28, 2023.

In Colorado, about 3,000 people go missing each year, according to the state's Search and Rescue Association. And when someone goes missing in the backcountry, every hour counts. Cold, dehydration and exposure to the elements make a person's survival less likely as time ticks by. Rescuers also deal with rugged mountains, steep canyons, dense tree cover, and extreme temperatures at high elevations. All this makes it more difficult to locate someone quickly.But now, a new technology could give search and rescue teams a powerful new tool. It's called Lifeseeker – and it effectively turns a helicopter into a moving cell phone tower, able to detect a missing hiker’s mobile phone.A Durango-based company, Colorado Highland Helicopters, is testing the new technology as it seeks FCC approval in the United States. Dr. Tim Durkin coordinates search and rescue programs for them. He joined host Erin O'Toole to explain how Lifeseeker works, and the potential impact it could have in Colorado.

Juneteenth commemorates the day in 1865 when the last of the enslaved people in our country learned of their freedom. It has been a federal holiday since 2021 – and a state holiday since 2022 – observed on June 19. People celebrate Juneteenth in different ways. Some head to music festivals – like this long-running celebration in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood. Some go to community gatherings – including a three-day event in Fort Collins. Others make a point to frequent Black-owned businesses. An associate professor teaching African American studies at Colorado State University will host a unique celebration this Saturday morning. Dr. Ray Black leads a bicycle ride through a historic Black neighborhood in Fort Collins. He joined host Erin O’Toole to share more about the meaning and significance of Juneteenth... and why a bike ride is a perfect way to experience history. Professor Black says the bike ride is a relatively easy 5-mile route and open to anyone. It begins at 7:30 Saturday morning at Lee Martinez community park and ends at Foothills Mall where Fort Collins’ Juneteenth community celebration takes place this weekend.

The Patton Veterans Project is a three-day film workshop designed to give veterans, who may be suffering from PTSD or depression, a communal space to process their trauma. Vets who participate learn a “narrative therapy” approach to dealing with emotional trauma. At the end of three days, these vets walk away having made a short film about their personal story. The latest three day workshop included veterans from the Greeley, area. Their films will be screening tonight, Thursday, June 13 at 6 p.m. in the Aims Community College Welcome Center. The Patton Veterans Project was created by Benjamin Patton, grandson of the famous World War II General George S. Patton. Patton joined us along with Mike Leeman, Veteran Coordinator and former participant, to talk about the program.

If you listen to music at all in 2024 it’s clear that female artists are a dominant force. From Taylor Swift to Beyonce, Dolly Parton to Billie Eilish, women are some of the top-selling artists in the business. But behind the scenes? It’s a different story. Statistics show only a small fraction of people in the music industry are women – not on the performing side, but in behind-the-scenes jobs like engineering and production. A new nonprofit called Project Traction has a mission to create opportunities for women and non-binary music producers. It was founded by Jim Eno – the drummer for the band Spoon. He hopes to boost the number of women in these important industry roles by providing mentorship and hands-on studio experience. And the latest iteration of Project Traction is focused on Northern Colorado. Briana Harris, a singer and saxophonist in Greeley, is one of the musicians participating in Project Traction. She got to fine-tune her studio skills alongside Eno, producing a new music track from Denver-based indie rock band Barbara. She joined host Erin O’Toole to discuss the project – and why it’s important to elevate women in all roles across the music industry. Project Traction Volume 2 is accepting applications until Friday, June 14, 2024. Hear Briana Harris’ solo work here – and check out her work with The Burroughs here. “For Good Measure,” the Barbara track Briana co-produced is out now. Listen here: Barbara: "For Good Measure" (co-prod. Briana Harris) - KUTX

The future of the Colorado River is in the hands of seven people who represent the states that use its water. And right now, they can’t agree on a set of new rules to share the shrinking supply - despite a quickly approaching deadline. Those negotiations typically happen behind closed doors, rather than in a public setting. But last week, representatives from Wyoming to California met at the University of Colorado Boulder for an annual water law conference. About 300 people with an interest in the future of the Colorado River were in the audience to hear what leaders had to say. KUNC's water reporter Alex Hager was there, too. He joined host Erin O'Toole to share some details from that conference.

Pets give us companionship and keep us healthier. They can give us a reason just to get out of bed in the morning. Unfortunately, some people have had a difficult time being able to keep their pets in recent years. The cost of housing is up. Inflation makes it harder to afford veterinary care, pet food and other supplies. Eviction moratoriums and financial assistance programs that helped people during the pandemic have largely gone away. As a result, many shelters are at or near capacity. Now the people who run those shelters are turning to creative ways to help keep pets in their homes – with their owners. To learn more about these approaches, host Erin O'Toole talked with Mouse Jewell, a client intake specialist with the Longmont Humane Society, and Judy Calhoun, CEO at NOCO Humane, which serves Larimer and Weld counties.

Fifty years ago, in 1974, a pair of car bombings in Boulder killed six people. Five of the six were University of Colorado students and alumni who had been part of a Chicano student activist group on campus called UMAS. Their names were Una Jaakola,Reyes Martínez, Neva Romero, Florencio Granado, Heriberto Terán and Francisco Dougherty. They were known as Los Seis de Boulder. At the time, the police said the activists likely blew themselves up with their own explosives – a claim that’s still met with skepticism today. The case remains unresolved. City officials recently unveiled a memorial in downtown Boulder. Artist Jasmine Baetz designed it to commemorate the tragedy. We spoke to Baetz about how she learned of Los Seis, and the artwork she created.

When we see weeds start to pop up in the yard or the garden, the first instinct for many of us is to figure out how to get rid of them. But here's the thing: Many plants we might regard as ugly or invasive are, in fact, edible. Orion Aon learned this in his early years growing up in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He would go on camping trips with family and friends – who gave him some of his first lessons in finding food in the wild. Today, he is the owner of Forage Colorado. He began the business in 2015, initially as a way to create a community with fellow foragers to share stories and knowledge. "It turns out that there weren't that many people doing that, at least online, and sharing about it at the time," Aon says. "So it quickly turned into me teaching other people what I knew."Now, he shows clients how to connect with nature by finding and and preparing wild foods like dandelions, tumble mustard, and curly dock. Here at In The NoCo, we like to talk to folks with unique businesses. Orion was kind enough to take host Erin O'Toole out on a foraging lesson along a trail in her neighborhood.You can read Orion's tips on harvesting and preparing lambsquarters; aka wild spinach. In 2023, he spoke with KUNC about the potential harm from AI-written foraging guide books, which you can read here.

There is a deeper link between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease than doctors may have previously understood.New research at the University of Colorado could point the way to changing how, and when, doctors screen for Alzheimers. Dr Allison Shapiro, assistant professor of Pediatric Endocrinology at CU’s Anschutz Medical Campus, led a study that looked for biomarkers that are typically found in older adults with Alzheimer's, in young people with diabetes - specifically people in their teens and twenties. The results were surprising, but also confirmed the deep connection between brain and body.

The sugar beet industry began in Colorado right around 1900. Today it's only a small part of the state's economy, but through the early part of the 20th century, beets were the most significant agricultural product grown here. They were so important to the economy that people referred to sugar beets as 'white gold.' During this time, thousands of Hispanic and Mexican people came to Northern Colorado to work in the beet fields. Many of them eventually settled in Fort Collins - predominantly in what would come to be called the Tres Colonias – three neighborhoods that surrounded the Great Western Sugar Company.Betty Aragon-Mitotes is something of an expert on the legacy of the families who settled in this area. She has been a longtime community leader, advocating for Hispanic and Latino communities. She co-founded a cultural center spotlighting the Tres Colonias neighborhoods, and is the founder and president of the nonprofit Mujeres de Colores, which educates and provides support to working-class and low-income families. Last October, she was awarded the 2023 Polly Baca Raíces Fuertes Community Leader Award from Rep. Joe Neguse in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.She sat down with host Erin O'Toole to share more about the people who settled in the Tres Colonias – and their indelible contributions to Northern Colorado history. We're listening back to that episode, which originally aired Dec. 1, 2023.Betty's foundation runs several charitable events every year in the Tres Colonias, including The Backpack Program which helps provide school supplies to students from working-class and low-income families. This event takes place the first Tuesday in August.

It was a shocking crime.In January, thieves in Wichita, Kansas allegedly stole and destroyed a bronze statue of Jackie Robinson, the trailblazing baseball player and civil rights hero. Only the statue's bronze shoes were left behind. The statue had stood near ballfields used by League 42 – a youth baseball league named after the number on Robinson’s uniform. News of the crime generated an outpouring of support, including more than half a million dollars in donations to replace the statue. And the work to create the new statue is happening in Loveland. Art Castings of Colorado, which was started in 1972, specializes in bronze sculptures. The company worked on the original Jackie Robinson statue. Now, the staff at the foundry is creating the replacement, which League 42 plans to dedicate later this year.. Art Castings owner Tony Workman joined host Erin O'Toole to share what makes the statue so special.

A tiny parasite is an emerging threat to honeybees globally. And a scientist at the University of Colorado is sounding the alarm. Dr. Samuel Ramsey is an entomologist, someone who studies insects. Dr. Sammy, as he is also known, is assistant professor of entomology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado Boulder and talks about science on his YouTube channel.The tropilaelops mite -- or as Ramsey likes to call them, tropi-mites -- have devastated bees in Asia and are spreading to Europe. Ramsey is studying how we might prevent this species from spreading to North America and becoming a honeybee pandemic. Ramsey is a gay, Christian, Black scientist who attributes much of his research success to his unique perspective. We talked with him about what tropilaelops could mean for honeybees, as well as how a diversity of viewpoints makes for better scientific research.

Each spring, the Front Range endures miller moth season. Even in relatively mild years like this one, the tiny winged visitors enter our homes, annoy us and even frighten us. But they’re also fascinating.So we asked Karim Gharbi – an insect expert and horticulture specialist with Colorado State University Extension – to help us unpack the mysteries of the miller moths. Where do they come from? Where do they go when they leave? Are they dangerous? And why does Erin’s dog seem to love the taste of them? The answers may surprise you – just like a miller moth darting out of your medicine cabinet first thing in the morning.

For many of us, Memorial Day is the first day of the year we get to fire up the grill. We make hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks - all foods that taste good with a bit of a char and that added smoky flavor. They’re also all meats. So what if you want a plant-based Memorial Day cookout, but you don’t want that frozen veggie patty from the grocery store? Today on the show: some easy ideas for a meat-free or vegetarian-friendly barbecue. To help with those plans we spoke with Justice Marcellus, owner and manager of The Mighty Vegans - a food truck serving all plant-based options. The Mighty Vegans just had their grand opening in Longmont this week. You can see Justice’s recipe for her Smokin’ Herb Burger on our website at KUNC.org.

The phrase "gardening season" may bring a few images to mind: large beds of colorful wildflowers… rows of neatly staked tomato plants… big bags of mulch stacked up against the side of the house. Or perhaps your mental image of gardening looks a little more modest. As in, potted herbs growing on a windowsill. That's the case for KUNC digital producer Natalie Skowlund. She recently decided to research and write an introduction to gardening for novices. And she lives in an apartment, so she wanted to focus on the benefits of starting small as you work on your green thumb. She joined In The NoCo host Erin O'Toole to commiserate over all the basil plants they've allowed to die over the years... and to share some of the tips she's learned – including why it's important to branch out when choosing drought-tolerant plants.

Adjusting street lamps and other exterior lights to allow the stars to shine more brilliantly – that's part of the process for becoming a certified Dark Sky community. More than 200 places in 22 countries around the world have this designation. Advocates say limiting light pollution helps preserve expansive views of the night sky, and helps nocturnal creatures thrive. And the Colorado Tourism Office believes the Dark Sky designation helps attract visitors.Town leaders in Grand Lake recently took the first steps toward becoming an official Dark Sky community. They would join five other towns in Colorado that already have that designation. About two dozen more Dark Sky places are in the pipeline, including communities and parks across the state.Aaron Watson is with the group DarkSky Colorado. He joined host Erin O'Toole to discuss the problem with light pollution, and why a growing number of Colorado towns are taking the idea of dark skies so seriously.Read more about the overview effect that Watson mentions near the end of the conversation.

Danielle SeeWalker is a Húŋkpapȟa Lakȟóta artist living and working in Denver. Her work incorporates traditional Native American materials and themes. This past January, SeeWalker was approached and offered a residency by the town of Vail. The residency would have included SeeWalker creating a public mural. However, on May 9, town officials backed out on that plan. They stated a concern about the politicization of their public art program. Vail officials pointed to SeeWalker’s recent social media posts sharing a painting she had created, called "G is for Genocide." The piece is a statement on the conflict in Gaza. The painting depicts a person wearing a keffiyeh – a traditional Palestinian scarf – as well as a braid, a feather and other traditional Native American imagery.The rescinded offer became a social media firestorm for both SeeWalker and the town. Vail released another statement on May 14. They apologized for inconveniencing SeeWalker. But they also defended their decision, saying they could not “support messaging that targets one group of residents or guests over another.”SeeWalker spoke with host Erin O’Toole about why she painted “G is for Genocide,” her ideas for the mural she had planned for Vail and whether this experience will change her approach to art.

One of the most definitive signs that spring has arrived is the sound of lawnmowers filling the neighborhood. But this month, that rumble may be a little quieter than usual. That's because of a recent trend in yard care called "No Mow May." The idea is simple: wait until June to mow to allow flowers like dandelions and clover to grow and support bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. The concept was started in 2019 by Plantlife, a UK-based conservation organization, in response to declines in pollinators and their natural habitat. It's since become a popular movement among some gardeners and conservation advocates in the U.S. – propelled, perhaps, by the catchy name and the #NoMowMay social media hashtag. But is it a good idea for our region?Before you decide whether to break out your lawnmower this weekend – or leave it idle – we asked for advice from our friends at Plant Talk Colorado at CSU. Extension professor of horticulture Alison O’Connor joined us to explain whether No May May is backed up by science. If you have questions about plants or yard care that you’d like us to ask our friends at Plant Talk Colorado, send us an email at [email protected].