In The NOCO

Colorado State University held its annual International Symposium last month. As part of that, Colorado Edition’s Erin O’Toole moderated a keynote discussion on politics, polarization and the state of journalism, here and abroad, with former NPR journalist and Weekend Edition Sunday host Lulu Garcia-Navarro.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear why Colorado kindergarten enrollment is increasing after plummeting due to the pandemic last year. We also learn why the way we understand the impact of snow totals on drought is changing. And, we listen back to a conversation with Wilma Webb, the first Black first lady of Denver, as her husband and former mayor Wellington Webb is set to be honored with a sculpture.

Today on Colorado Edition: We hear from members of Colorado’s Ukrainian community who gathered for a church service over the weekend. We also examine Colorado’s move to add a public option insurance program and what lessons we can take away from Washington’s public option rollout; and we revisit a conversation about the history and future of Black cowboys in the American west.

On today’s Colorado Edition: There’s a long history of people creating guides to help others find inclusive spaces. In the 20th century, Black travelers used The Green Book to navigate safely. Now, two Colorado women have created a new tech startup that aims to do something similar.

Today on Colorado Edition: We hear how Coloradans working in our elections system are grappling with misinformation and threats to their safety. And we explore the ongoing youth mental health crisis with the head of mental health at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Today on Colorado Edition: we explore the history of racist media coverage in Colorado, and the racism still present in media today, with a group of journalists and community members who have been working to understand and correct systemic harm of traditional local media.

Today on Colorado Edition: We check in on several wildfire related bills lawmakers are working on this legislative session. We’ll also hear about the reopening of the Table Mesa King Soopers in Boulder, and we’ll speak with the disaster recovery manager for the city of Louisville.

Today on Colorado Edition: Experts have suggested that eyewitness accounts to identify potential suspects are often inaccurate, given the trauma of seeing a crime take place. Stephanie Daniel explores how the misidentification and wrongful arrest of a Black teen led to a grassroots effort in Colorado to change the practice of using showups.

Nelson Holland, known on social media as fatblackandgettinit, is uniting the majesty of Colorado's outdoors with his own sense of humor and uplifting nature in his channel. He joins Colorado Edition to talk about his journeys and social media fame.

Today on the show, we’ll hear about encampments being assembled to provide temporary shelter for people experiencing homelessness, and we explore the work of John Johnson, an early 20th century photographer, who documented the lives of African Americans living in the Great Plains.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear why schools across the state are starting to loosen COVID safety protocols. We also hear how advocates are looking to address chronic homelessness as donations have poured in for those who lost homes in the Marshall Fire. And, we listen back to a conversation about the history of Denver’s Blair Caldwell African American Research Library.

On today’s show, we hear from two Colorado scientists who recently discovered one of the oldest female infant burial sites in a cave in Europe. We’ll hear their analysis, and what they think life may have been like for the child and her family.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear about an effort by state lawmakers to allow patients at least one visitor even during a pandemic. We also talk with David Sirota, the Denver-based co-creator of the Academy Award-nominated film “Don’t Look Up”.

Today on Colorado Edition, we speak to Deborah Winking about her new book, Capable: A Story of Triumph for Children the World has Judged as 'Different,' a deeply personal account of raising a child born with a rare genetic syndrome.

Today on Colorado Edition, we get an update on the current state legislative session. We also hear how new technology might help agriculture producers use less water. We listen back to a conversation on the history of lynchings in Colorado. And, we preview the upcoming annual Denver Jewish Film Festival.

Today on Colorado Edition: We check in with KUNC’s Leigh Paterson, who has been speaking with survivors and experts on the ground in the recovery of the Marshall Fire. And we catch up with two teachers to hear how differences in COVID policies in Colorado schools are impacting both rural and urban students.

Today on Colorado Edition, we learn about the growing number of recovery homes, where residents live in a substance-free environment. We also cover the hurdles tribal communities face accessing clean water in their homes. Plus, we hear how Arizona is responding to major federal water cutbacks. And, we talk with a member of the Little Rock Nine.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear how a volunteer for a nonprofit that helps people navigate insurance after disaster is working with Marshall Fire survivors. We also listen back to a conversation about the history of avocados.

Today on Colorado Edition, we listen back to our favorite stories about two Fort Collins homes with important historical legacies. One is the home of Virgil Thomas, the first known African American to graduate from a Fort Collins high school. The other is an adobe-style home that belongs to the Cordova family, who have lived in Fort Collins for 100 years.

Today on Colorado Edition, we see what recovery is looking like for a Louisville family one month after their home became severely damaged and rendered uninhabitable in the Marshall Fire. We also hear about an organization in Colorado that’s working to fund girls and women of color, a group that’s critically under-funded when it comes to charitable giving, even in an era of unprecedented donations. And we continue our series on the Republican River with a look back at the history of how it got its name.

Today on Colorado Edition, we see what recovery is looking like for a Superior family one month after losing their home in the Marshall Fire. We also hear how some survivors are struggling through insurance inventories of everything they lost in the fire. And, we listen back to a story about Barney Ford, who helped with the Underground Railroad and lobbied for African American rights in Colorado.

Today on Colorado Edition, we explore the unlikely intersection of our state’s natural wonder and beauty with the online environment of TikTok.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear why Nebraska is staking a claim to more water from the South Platte River. We also learn why some methods to test drugs for fentanyl in the West are illegal. And, we talk about a new apprenticeship program for restaurants in Colorado.

Throughout the last year, we had more than 350 conversations with Coloradans across the Front Range and beyond. Producers Henry Zimmerman and Tess Novotny joined host Erin O’Toole to talk about some of our favorite segments of 2021.

Today on Colorado Edition, we get an update on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s recovery efforts for Marshall Fire survivors in Boulder County. We also hear about a $40 million plan to save a fork in the Republican River. And, we talk about the effects of a freeze on new building permits in Severance.

Today on Colorado Edition, we speak to Deborah Winking about her new book, Capable: A Story of Triumph for Children the World has Judged as 'Different,' a deeply personal account of raising a child born with a rare genetic syndrome.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear how omicron is impacting students and teachers in classrooms across the state. We also travel to the fields of central Arizona, where farmers are grappling with federal water cutbacks. And, we talk with the Bureau of Reclamation's new deputy regional director for the lower basin.

Today on Colorado Edition: In 2020, the Almeda Fire became Oregon’s most destructive wildfire, destroying nearly 2,600 homes and claiming three lives. We hear how the affected town of Phoenix has progressed through its recovery, and how it could inform recovery in Louisville and Superior. And with extensive legal battles threatening abortion access nationally, state lawmakers may consider a bill this session that would help secure reproductive rights. We’ll learn more about what’s in the prospective bill and the state of abortion access in Colorado.

There is a long history of people creating guides to help others find inclusive spaces. In the 20th century, Black travelers used The Green Book to navigate safely. Now, two Colorado women have created a website that aims to do something similar

With water flow declining in the Republican River, fresh ideas are cropping up to save it from depletion. We explore the pivot some farmers are making to alternative growing methods and crops less dependent on water. And, the art of drag performance has grown in visibility and popularity over the last few years, opening the door for a series of local classes on drag for teens and tweens. We hear more about the class and how attitudes about drag have changed over time.

Risk factors for domestic violence are complex and varied, but some research suggests that incidents increase in the wake of natural disasters, including pandemics and wildfires. We explore the connection between the two here in Colorado. And as we head into the third year of the pandemic, college and university students are heading back to classes. We hear how COVID is impacting the day-to-day at the University of Northern Colorado.

Today on Colorado Edition: We hear about a final push underway in the U.S. to destroy stockpiles of chemical weapons at two Army bases, including at the Army’s Chemical Depot in Pueblo. We also hear from a mother and daughter who created the Shining Beautiful series about living with disabilities. And, we revisit an exhibit at the Greeley History Museum on the power of voting.

Today on Colorado Edition, we speak to Jenny Shank about her book, Mixed Company, that celebrates diverse voices and perspectives in the city of Denver.

Today on Colorado Edition: Experts have suggested that eyewitness accounts to identify potential suspects are often inaccurate, given the trauma of seeing a crime take place. We hear how the misidentification and wrongful arrest of a Black teen led to a grassroots effort in Colorado to change the practice of using showups.

Today on Colorado Edition: We speak with the head of public health in Boulder County about surging COVID-19 cases and recovery from the Marshall Fire. We also hear how the closure of a Louisville hospital is impacting community health care. Plus, we explore how current strikes in the West could impact workers rights in the future. And, we head back in time to the early days of the Republican River’s water management to understand how managers today are grappling with dropping river flows.

There is a long history of people creating guides to help others find inclusive spaces. In the 20th century, Black travelers used The Green Book to navigate safely. Now, two Colorado women have created a website that aims to do something similar.

Today on Colorado Edition, we preview what state lawmakers are planning to pursue in the new legislative session that kicks on tomorrow. We also learn about the possibility of new technology to help farms use less water. And, we hear why higher populated communities are becoming more vulnerable to wildfire.

Today on Colorado Edition: We examine the connection between devastating wildfires in our region and the climate crisis happening on a global scale. We also hear from a Marshall Fire survivor about how her family is navigating recovery with a home that’s still standing, but uninhabitable due to smoke and soot damage.

The latest official estimates of the Marshall Fire’s toll put the number of structures destroyed at 1084. Today on Colorado Edition, we talk with four people who evacuated and lost homes in the fire.

Today on Colorado Edition: We check in with the mayor of Superior to hear how the community is processing the aftermath of the Marshall Fire. And, we hear how water shortages in the Republican River are affecting agricultural producers in eastern Colorado and downstream.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear how residents in northwestern Colorado are reacting to their new congressional district. We also hear why some Arizonans are relying on water stored underground amid federally mandated water usage cutbacks. Plus, we get an update on surging COVID cases in the high country. And, we learn about a new Facebook group to facilitate housing for Marshall Fire survivors.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear how a disaster assistance center opened in Boulder County this week is helping people displaced by the Marshall Fire. And, we check in with Boulder Valley School District’s superintendent on plans to return to school this week.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear how extreme climate conditions and drought set the stage for last week’s devastating winter wildfires. And, we listen back to a story on a campaign to stop stigma against opioid addiction treatment.

Throughout the last year, we had more than 350 conversations with Coloradans across the Front Range and beyond. Producers Henry Zimmerman and Tess Novotny joined host Erin O’Toole to talk about some of our favorite segments of the year.

Today on Colorado Edition, we hear what issues Latino voters in the state’s new 8th Congressional District are thinking about. We also listen back to a conversation with teachers helping young students adjust to in-person school. And, we learn how long-term residents of mountain towns across the West are being priced out of their communities as home prices soar.

Today on Colorado Edition: We hear how higher education institutions that displaced communities for the development of Denver’s Auraria campus are expanding their promise of scholarships for affected families. We also explore how financial aid can impact degree attainment for Hispanic women in Weld County. And, we hear how upcoming mandatory water cutbacks could impact farmers across the West.

Today on Colorado Edition: We speak with a Fort Collins-based writer and poet about her work in an anthology of writings at the intersection of the climate movement and feminist thought, and we explore the work of a trans photographer in Paonia who documented the early days of his transition in a recent photo essay.

Today on Colorado Edition: Every month, the RiNo Mural Program in Denver’s River North Art District pays local artists to create community installations. In celebration of Native American Heritage month, three Indigenous artists in Colorado have painted works exploring cultural representation and identity. We speak with the artists about their murals, and the connection between artistic expression and social change.

Today on Colorado Edition, we explore the impact of college attainment disparities for Hispanic men. We also dig into the definition of drought. And, we listen back to the story of a World War II-era bomber crashing into one of the Colorado River’s biggest reservoirs in 1948.

Today on Colorado Edition: We hear how a slow start to the winter season is intensifying climate concerns about the future in our region. We also get an update on ongoing discussions over the allocation of water from the Colorado River. Plus, we talk with a respiratory therapist about how her life changed during the pandemic, and after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.