In The NOCO

A bit of regional science news may have slipped past you last week. You could be forgiven if you missed the Trump administration's announcement that it's removing federal protections from a bird species known as the lesser prairie-chicken. It roams the southern Great Plains, including southeast Colorado. It makes a sound known as “booming” when it dances as part of its distinctive mating ritual. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s decision to remove threatened and endangered species protections for the bird comes after farming and oil and gas trade groups complained about those restrictions. Sometimes it can feel a little abstract when you hear about a threatened species having its protections downgraded. But today, we thought we'd offer a primer on what’s special about this unusual bird, and why its numbers have declined in recent decades. David Pavlacky is a senior research scientist with Bird Conservancy of the Rockies who studies and works to preserve lesser prairie-chicken populations. He joined Erin O'Toole to talk about the bird, and why many find it fascinating. This episode includes lesser prairie-chicken audio by Andrew Spencer, courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Macaulay Library. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Greeley has been one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country in recent years, according to U.S. Census data. Since 2000, the city has grown from around 76,000 residents to nearly 114,000. An ambitious, nearly billion-dollar plan to develop 800 acres on the west side of the city would have continued that growth streak. The project, known as Catalyst, would include homes, a luxury hotel, an indoor water park, and a new arena for the Colorado Eagles hockey team. City leaders pointed to new jobs and sales tax revenue the development would create – and also promised it would not raise taxes. But a group called Greeley Demands Better opposed the project and collected enough signatures to put it before voters. In a special election on Feb. 24, Greeley voters repealed the zoning for Catalyst. That stalled the project – and calls into question the city’s reputation for being friendly to developers. Reporter Dan England has covered the ups and downs of the project for the Colorado Sun. He joined Erin O’Toole to talk about how Greeley got to this point – and what it might say about growth along the northern Front Range. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Climate change is a threat to the state's ski industry. Warmer winters mean shorter seasons and less snow at resorts around Colorado – and presumably, less revenue for the companies that run them. But those companies take different approaches to advocating for measures that could slow climate change, or offset it. As Colorado’s ski industry limps through one of the driest winters in decades, today's guest recently reported on the different stances these companies have taken. Elise Schmelzer of the Denver Post wrote about businesses like Aspen Skiing Company that openly lobby for climate change legislation – and several ski companies who simply wouldn't talk about climate change on the record. Erin O’Toole talked with Elise about her reporting, which was part of a Denver Post series on climate change and the ski industry. Who should we interview next? We always like hearing suggestions and news tips from our listeners. If you have an idea for us, email [email protected]. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

We often think of destructive wildfires in terms of their size and the damage they cause: the number of acres burned or buildings destroyed. But emerging research says not all major wildfires belong in the same category. Some wildfires ignite and spread explosively. They move so swiftly that firefighting crews simply can’t keep up. The 2021 Marshall Fire, which scorched about a thousand homes in Boulder County, is one recent example of what experts call a “fast fire.” And this more destructive type of wildfire is becoming more common in a hotter, drier and more densely populated American West. Virginia Iglesias is an environmental scientist and director of Earth Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder. She studies fast fires. She joined Erin O'Toole to talk about what makes fast fires especially dangerous – and how we might respond differently to them. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

If you're a homeowner in Colorado, there are a few types of natural disaster that might threaten your home. One is wildfire. Another is a severe hailstorm. Hazards like these are the reason people buy homeowners insurance. But a new analysis released this month says that hailstorms and wildfires have very different impacts on what Coloradans pay for insurance. As you might expect, the threat of wildfires drives up premiums in areas prone to wildfire. The threat of hail, however, increases insurance costs just about everywhere in the state. And as real estate prices climb, the cost of insuring homes against hail damage is also soaring. The report by the Colorado Division of Insurance, which is a state agency, looks at what shapes your monthly premiums if you own a home – and it raises questions about what might help lower those costs. Rachel Cohen is KUNC’s Mountain West News Bureau correspondent. She joined Erin O’Toole to walk through the report, and some potential relief for homeowners that state lawmakers are working on. Homeowners’ insurance is just one element of life in Colorado that’s seeing rising costs. For more, check out the KUNC News series The Price of Paradise. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Listeners of a certain age: Do you remember how great Colorado’s craft beer scene used to be? The late 1990s and early 2000s saw hundreds of small breweries and taprooms spring up in communities across the state. But in the last five years, around 140 breweries, taprooms and brewpubs have closed -- including 40 that shuttered in 2025 alone. And while that still leaves more than 400 breweries across Colorado, the trend has many wondering if the market for craft beer is going flat. Our guest today views this as a sign of an industry maturing and settling into its next phase. Jeff York is a professor of entrepreneurship at CU Boulder's Leeds School of Business, and he co-hosts a podcast about craft beer called Creative Distillation. He joined Erin O'Toole to talk about how Colorado's local brewers can adapt to the changing landscape – and why it ultimately could be a good thing for beer lovers. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Even in a milder Colorado winter like this one, short days and cooler temperatures leave many people with the winter blues. In fact, it’s a medical condition. Seasonal affective disorder is a form of depression some people feel during the fall and winter months. Our guest today offers a form of relief for the winter blues – if we’re willing to step outside, give our phones a rest, and tune into our surroundings. Rachel Juritsch is a 4-H health and wellbeing specialist with Colorado State University extension in Adams County. In a recent article, she explores how sketching and writing in a “nature journal” can help us appreciate the coldest months a bit more. Rachel joined Erin O'Toole to talk about the benefits of a nature journal – and shared some tips on how to get started. For more advice on how to slow down and connect with nature, check out our recent conversation about the practice of forest bathing. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

In the late 1960s, a new movement of Black music grew out of the end of the civil rights era. Black artists proudly declared their Black power and rocked the airwaves with the sound of funk. Funk music was more than just a genre with excellent grooves. It had a deeper social and political meaning. Funk began as a reaction to tumultuous times and would ultimately lay the foundation for the hip hop and R&B we listen to today. That’s the argument Reiland Rabaka makes in his recently published book The Funk Movement: Music, Culture, and Politics. Rabaka is a professor of African, African American, and Caribbean studies at the University of Colorado Boulder. He is also the founder and director of the Center for African American Studies at CU, and hosts a podcast called The Cause. He spoke with Erin O'Toole last year about the importance of funk, and why it deserves respect for its singular impact on music and culture. We’re listening back to that conversation today. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

It’s a crisis that's quietly putting pressure on Colorado public school systems: The state's tight housing market has made it increasingly difficult in recent years for districts to hire teachers and other school employees. US News recently reported that Colorado ranks 48th in housing affordability – which means many teachers find it difficult to find a place to live if they accept a job in a Colorado school district with high real estate prices. Meanwhile, another trend has emerged for Colorado schools – and this one might help solve the housing crunch for educators. School districts have traditionally acquired more land than they need to address how their local population might grow in the future. But enrollment is dropping in many districts, and some districts are even closing schools. A state lawmaker has a proposal to address both of these trends. It would build housing for school employees on unused school property and rent it to the staff at affordable rates. State Sen. Jeff Bridges hopes to introduce the bill during the current legislative session. Colorado Sun education reporter Erica Bruenlin wrote about how school employees are feeling squeezed, and how this solution could help. For more on challenges making life in Colorado increasingly unaffordable, check out The Price of Paradise, a new series of stories from KUNC News. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

The 2026 Winter Olympics are beginning their final week in Italy. And it might surprise you to learn that some of those snowy race courses in the Italian Alps aren’t necessarily a product of natural snowfall. At lower elevations, where cross-country and many other events take place, what we’re seeing is large swaths of artificial snow. Warmer winters and less-predictable snowfall mean that winter sports must increasingly rely on machine-made snow. And while that makes it possible for the winter games to go on, the density and the feel of artificial snow is quite different from that of natural snow. That makes competing in events like downhill or cross-country skiing faster and – oftentimes – more dangerous. Keith Musselman is an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Boulder who studies mountain snow and the impact of warming winters. And Agnes Macy is a graduate student at CU Boulder and a former competitive skier. They wrote about how artificial snow is changing winter sports in a recent article for The Conversation. They joined Erin O’Toole to explain what makes machine-made snow different from natural snow, and how athletes and coaches are adapting. For more on Colorado and the Winter Games, check out our recent conversation about Steamboat Springs’ reputation for producing Olympic athletes; or our interview with Nikki LaRochelle, a skimo racer who’s providing commentary as the sport makes its Olympic debut. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Researcher Caitlin Clark has a job a lot of people would envy. Clark is a food scientist who oversees a laboratory devoted entirely to the study of chocolate – how it’s made, what makes it taste so good, and how to make new and better varieties of it. She and her team, based at the Colorado State University Food Innovation Center in Denver, work to dream up new confections that hopefully will end up on grocery store shelves or, maybe, in your box of Valentine’s Day chocolates. Clark talked with Erin O’Toole last year about her work in the laboratory, and how her expertise in fermentation helped pave the way for her to become a chocolate researcher. We’re listening back to that conversation today. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

A landscape in decline – and a surprisingly fast rebound. It’s a story that played out in the Kawuneeche Valley recently on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park. The willow groves and wetlands in that area had become so badly depleted that a park ecologist used the term “ecosystem collapse” to describe the surrounding environment. That collapse reversed itself quickly after crews installed an unusual feature – a series of artificial beaver dams along what’s known as Beaver Creek, near the headwaters of the Colorado River. And those artificial dams helped create flooding in early 2025 that appears to have had huge benefits for the surrounding area. Michael Booth of the Colorado Sun recently reported on the impressive rebound. He spoke with Erin O’Toole to explore how it came together and what it can teach scientists about repairing a habitat. Those artificial dams in the Kawuneeche Valley mirror a similar project on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park. Check out this recent episode about how manmade beaver dams could help repair an area damaged by wildfire. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Colorado has sent more athletes to the 2026 Winter Games in Italy than any other state. And nearly a third of those 32 Coloradans competing in events like snowboarding, slalom, or ski jumping hail from Steamboat Springs. About 100 Olympic athletes live or have lived in Steamboat Springs – more than any other town in the U.S. Which got us wondering: How did Steamboat foster an environment where young athletes are encouraged and equipped to pursue Olympic gold? Candice Bannister is executive director of the Tread of Pioneers Museum in Steamboat Springs, which has several history exhibits that highlight the town’s legacy of Olympians. She points to a century of skiing culture and tradition, as well as some modern-day programs that nurture young athletes. Candice joined Erin O'Toole to talk about Steamboat’s reputation as an Olympic powerhouse and why it’s a training ground for many of those American athletes in Italy right now. Listen to our previous conversation with Candice about Howelsen Hill and its role in shaping ski culture in Steamboat and around the state. For more on this year’s Winter Games, check out our conversation about ski mountaineering (or “skimo”) making its Olympic debut with Nikki LaRochelle, a longtime skimo racer who will provide commentary for the events from Italy. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

The first sanctioned walkout at a major American meatpacking plant in decades appears to be unfolding in Northern Colorado. It’s happening during a particularly tense moment for U.S. immigration policies. The workers at Greeley’s JBS meatpacking plant voted overwhelmingly last week to move forward with the strike. The workforce there, which is made up of a large number of Haitian refugees, are pushing for safer working conditions. The strike could begin in the next few days. The vote took place within days of a ruling by a U.S. District Court judge last week that halted plans to revoke the Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for thousands of Haitian refugees in the United States. Reporter Ted Genoways covered the situation for Mother Jones and the Food & Environment Reporting Network. He joined Erin O’Toole to discuss his reporting on the strike vote and the tenuous status of many of the refugee workers involved. After this interview was recorded, KUNC News received a statement from JBS, saying the company “has presented a comprehensive offer that reflects the national agreement reached with [the union] UFCW International and accepted at our other large processing facilities throughout the U.S.” Ted has appeared on In The NoCo previously to discuss his investigation into the lives of immigrant JBS workers in Greeley and the grueling, dangerous work they do. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Scenes of ICE agents on the streets of Minneapolis have dominated headlines and news footage in recent weeks. Those images also raise concerns about immigration enforcement in Colorado. The state saw a surge in arrests since President Trump took office a year ago – and some people are worried that what happened in Minneapolis might play out here. Today, we talk with an elected official who’s working to place stronger restrictions on how ICE operates in Colorado and nationally. Democratic Congressman Joe Neguse, and other lawmakers, are working to negotiate new rules for ICE agents. Rep. Neguse is also the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security about guaranteeing members of Congress access to ICE detention centers. He and Rep. Jason Crow made an unannounced visit to the ICE detention facility in Aurora on Thursday – a day after he spoke with Erin O’Toole about some of the reforms he’s pursuing. (The introduction to this episode was updated after it was initially published to add a mention of that visit.) This conversation was part of a longer interview with Neguse. On Thursday, he spoke about efforts to prevent the dismantling of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. Listen to that interview here. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

One of the world’s leading climate research institutions – the National Center for Atmospheric Research, or NCAR – has been headquartered in Boulder since the 1950s. Scientists there research everything from hurricanes and wildfires to how changing climate patterns affect our communities. NCAR's Mesa Laboratory in Boulder employs around 800 people. In December, the Trump administration ordered the National Science Foundation, which provides funding for NCAR, to explore how it might dismantle NCAR. This has raised alarms for members of Colorado's congressional delegation, especially in light of the Trump administration's targeting of other climate research, including NOAA and the National Weather Service. Colorado Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse, whose district includes Boulder, is leading efforts to keep NCAR intact – and the scientists who work there in their jobs. He joined Erin O’Toole to talk about his strategy to protect NCAR – and the political fight he says the Trump administration is picking with Colorado. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

A pretty major shakeup could be on the horizon for Colorado’s cannabis-related businesses – and their profitability. President Trump in December issued an executive order calling for the reclassification of marijuana, which is currently a Schedule I substance, to the less severe category of Schedule III. Cannabis is currently illegal according to federal regulators, even if states like Colorado say it’s legal to sell and use it. The current Schedule I status also creates major limitations for dispensaries and other cannabis-related businesses. Taxes and fees from those companies are a major chunk of Colorado’s economy – generating about a quarter of a billion dollars in revenue last year. So a shift in federal law could have big economic impacts on those taxes and fees in states like Colorado. University of Colorado law professor Sloan Speck examined the potential impacts in a recent essay in The Conversation. Sloan studies how tax laws change the way businesses operate. He joined Erin O’Toole to talk about some of the unusual ways that tax law and cannabis interact, and to dig into some big questions about what could be next. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

The 2026 Winter Olympics begin this week, and a growing winter sport is about to make its Olympic debut in the coming days. Ski mountaineering, often referred to as “skimo,” is a type of endurance racing that sees competitors ski uphill, climb uphill with skis on their backs, and then ski downhill multiple times in a race. Which sounds thrilling – and maybe exhausting, too. Nikki LaRochelle, who lives in Breckenridge, is one of skimo’s most visible ambassadors. She’ll provide commentary for ski mountaineering events during broadcast of the winter games from Italy. She’ll be heard on Olympic Broadcasting Services, which beams the different events around the world. Nikki was on the U.S. national skimo team about a decade ago. She joined Erin O’Toole to explain her passion for ski mountaineering, and what she’s excited to watch for in the upcoming Winter Games. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Maybe you’ve tried yoga to de-stress and found it’s not for you. Maybe you’ve tried foam stress balls. Or a hundred other ways to unplug or relax. Today, we’re talking about a practice that uses nature – and the five senses – to help people slow down and reset. Forest bathing is a restorative practice with roots in Japan that sends people into the woods to immerse themselves in nature. Darlene Rooney-Keller is the owner of Nature Heals Forest Therapy in Longmont. She’s a forest bathing guide who takes clients into nature for immersive, guided sessions. She spoke last November with Erin O'Toole about why she finds the practice restorative – and she shared some tips for newcomers who want to try it. And although winter is here, Darlene says you can use these techniques in any season – so we’re listening back to that conversation today. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

When someone decides they need help with a drug or alcohol addiction, or to leave an unsafe living situation, one obstacle they often face is this: While I’m getting help, who will take care of my pets? For many people, the bond with a dog or cat is a lifeline. But most in-patient treatment programs or domestic violence shelters can’t allow animals – which can force people to have to choose between recovery or their furry family members. This didn't sit well with a former veterinary technician named Serena Saunders. In 2021, she started an unusual nonprofit from her home in Denver called PAWsitive Recovery. She offered foster care for a few pets of people recovering from mental health issues, addiction or abuse. It's grown so popular, and the need is so great, that the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International is now working to expand it across the U.S. Serena joined Erin O'Toole to talk about what pushed her to create the PAWsitive Recovery program – and what it’s like to help people working to get their lives back. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Don't let last weekend's snowstorm fool you: Colorado is midway through an unusually dry and warm winter. And it's likely to continue. The National Weather Outlook publishes a drought outlook forecast that says the entire state is likely to be in a drought three months from now if these conditions persist. One major downside of a warm, dry winter is that it can damage or even kill the trees and shrubs outside your home. So we reached out to an expert who helps homeowners prevent that from happening. John Murgel is a horticulturist with the Colorado State University Extension. He told us before the interview that – spoiler alert – you can boil his advice down to one tip: Water your trees and shrubs. John shared tips on how to approach winter watering with In The NoCo’s Brad Turner. He also shared the CSU Extension’s list of recommendations if you want to plant trees better equipped to survive drier, warmer winters like this one. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

A position on the ski patrol at a Colorado resort is a dream job for many people. They get paid to spend their days on some of the best snow-covered terrain in the U.S. And they help thousands of skiers and snowboarders have a great time in the High Country. But that work can also take a toll. Aside from the physical demands of skiing as a full-time job, there are downright traumatic moments -- like when a patrol team responds to a skier who's badly injured or gone missing. Winter Park's ski patrol set out in recent years to make sure its patrol members are properly equipped to handle the toughest incidents. Working with a nonprofit called Reponder Alliance, they got their patrol team talking about stress and resilience. The story was featured in a recent Colorado Sun article. Zachary Akselrad is in his 16th season as a ski patrol employee, and he's assistant director of Winter Park's ski patrol. He talked with In The NoCo’s Brad Turner about how the new approach has made the patrol team better. * * * * *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'TooleExecutive Producer and Editor: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

An unusual production of one of the most popular musicals in history presents the final shows of its run this weekend in Boulder. More than a year ago, the show's director set out to stage the musical Fiddler on the Roof with the rabbi from one of Boulder's Jewish congregations playing the lead role of Tevye. Rabbi Marc Soloway of Congregation Bonai Shalom had trained and worked as an actor, before becoming a rabbi. And had always dreamed of playing Tevye, who wrestles with faith, tradition and persecution. But tragedy struck in the months between the initial planning and opening night. An anti-Semitic attack in Boulder last June saw a gathering of Jewish residents firebombed, leading to multiple injuries and one death. Many of the victims attend Congregation Bonai Shalom. Ultimately, the cast and crew moved forward with the Fiddler performances, and the show opened earlier this month. Rabbi Soloway – and the show’s director, Sarah Nowak – spoke with In The NoCo’s Brad Turner before the final shows this weekend. Those performances sold out within minutes of going on sale. * * * * *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'TooleExecutive Producer and Editor: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

It was a mystery that haunted Colorado search and rescue groups for almost two decades. In September 2005, a 35-year-old woman named Michelle Vanek went missing while hiking on Mount of the Holy Cross, a challenging fourteener in Eagle County. Vanek had been hiking with a friend, but they split up after Vanek grew tired and decided to take an easier trail down the mountain. She was never seen again, although hundreds of people searched for her in the days after she disappeared. All of that changed a few months ago. An all-women group of rescuers used new technology to revive the search. They used digital maps and drones that conducted searches from the air – and ultimately discovered her remains. Reporter Jason Blevins wrote about the search for the Colorado Sun. He spoke with Erin O'Toole in October about how searchers solved this mystery, and how their work could reshape the way Colorado's search and rescue teams approach similar cold cases. We’re listening back to the conversation today.

An idea borrowed from nature is helping people to rehabilitate some mountain landscapes devastated by wildfire. Crews installed a series of small, wooden dams in the foothills west of Fort Collins to repair wetlands following the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome wildfires. They’re essentially manmade beaver dams, built from logs and lumber to raise the water level and slow the flow of water in places. A team of researchers with the U.S. Forest Service and Colorado State University wanted to know how effective the dams have been at restoring mountain ecosystems. What they found so far is encouraging. Tim Fegel is one of the researchers studying the effects of the dams. He spoke with In The NoCo’s Erin O’Toole about how the areas are healing themselves in ways that wouldn’t happen without the manmade structures. * * * * *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'TooleExecutive Producer and Editor: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Denver composer Nathan Hall’s album of percussion music focuses on some unique instruments: They’re hand-carved from stone and date back several millennia. Lithophones are polished, resonant rocks shaped like baguettes. Archaeologists say that Indigenous people used the stones somewhere between 2,000 and 6,000 years ago near what’s now Great Sand Dunes National Park. Nathan wrote a series of pieces to be performed on the stones and recorded the music with a Colorado group called Perc Ens. The resulting album, called Gentle Worship, is out now. Nathan talked with In The NoCo’s Erin O’Toole last October about collaborating with Marilyn Martorano, the Colorado archaeologist who studied the lithophones. The music he wrote combines the ancient stone instruments’ sounds with modern instruments like woodblocks and timpani. We’re listening back to that conversation today. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Camping is one of the most popular ways to enjoy Colorado’s outdoors and breathtaking scenery.And there’s been a surge in demand for camping over the past several years, according to a recent report from the Center for Western Priorities. That demand makes it harder to try to snag a campsite during the peak summer months, when thousands of people are vying for a limited number of spots.But there’s another option: camping in winter.Patricia Cameron says with a bit of extra preparation – and the right mindset – winter camping can open up a whole new way to enjoy Colorado’s outdoors. Patricia is the founder and executive director of Blackpackers, an organization that specializes in introducing underrepresented and economically vulnerable groups to backpacking and the great outdoors. And she's become an expert on cold-weather camping over the years.“I know it's intimidating,” she told In The NoCo’s Erin O’Toole. “I know it can be kind of scary to think about what that looks like to be cold, but it's easier than people think it is. And you don't learn that until you go out and give it a go.”Patricia joined Erin to talk about what you need to plan your own camping trip this winter, and why she fell in love with camping in the cold.Read Patricia’s guide to winter camping in Colorado. Blackpackers also organizes trips for first-time winter campers and recently began offering classes on outdoor education topics like orientation and navigation.

Nearly every woman will go through menopause in middle age. That can bring on symptoms including sleep disturbances, hot flashes and night sweats, mood changes, and brain fog. Drug companies have worked to ease those symptoms. But for more than two decades, warning labels discouraged women from using some hormone therapy treatments that contained estrogen – even if many doctors thought these products could help people during menopause. That changed in November, when FDA commissioner Dr. Marty Makary announced the agency was doing away with the "black box” warnings from estrogen-related products. Genevieve Hofmann is a women's health nurse practitioner at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, and a certified menopause clinician. In a recent article published at The Conversation, she explored tangible ways that fewer restrictions on hormone therapy could make women's lives better and possibly longer. She says that while not every woman has a hard time with menopause, those who can benefit from estrogen treatment deserve access to it. Genevieve spoke with Erin O’Toole about why she supports the new guidelines – especially at a time when many people are skeptical of the federal government's shifting stances on health policies like childhood immunization and nutrition. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Could money from sales of skis, snowboards and other sporting goods be used to help protect Colorado communities from increasingly devastating wildfires? It’s an idea proposed by several conservations groups that could go before voters later this year. Colorado law requires that most state tax revenue in Colorado be refunded when the state runs a surplus. But a new proposal calls for the state to keep the surplus money collected from outdoor gear sales, and to use it to fund wildfire prevention and watershed conservation efforts. Supporters say as wildfire seasons in Colorado grow longer and more destructive, it’s crucial to find new money for prevention – especially when federal funding hinges on shifting priorities in Washington. Colorado Sun reporter Jason Blevins recently wrote about the proposal. He spoke with Erin O’Toole about what it would mean for Colorado's forests and open spaces, and how it might show up on the November ballot. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

It was a major story in Colorado: A hiker was found dead on New Year's Day, after a suspected mountain lion attack in Glen Haven, in the foothills west of Loveland. The Larimer County Coroner later confirmed that 46-year-old Kristen Marie Kovatch of Fort Collins had died as a result of the mountain lion attack. State wildlife officials responded by euthanizing two juvenile mountain lions in the area, and found that one had human DNA on its paws. Since the attack, news reports have indicated that other hikers have encountered mountain lions in that area. All this leads to larger questions about how state wildlife officials manage mountain lions through hunting and other methods. For instance, does an attack like this impact the way that they manage these animals? Erin O'Toole talked with Kara Van Hoose, a spokesperson with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, for insights into mountain lion behavior, and the agency’s response to the recent attack. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Experts at History Colorado have been thinking of different ways to help commemorate Colorado’s 150th birthday this year. One idea they pursued was to track down the earliest known photograph of Colorado. And what they uncovered is striking: It’s a daguerreotype from 1853, taken during an expedition across the West more than 20 years before Colorado became a state in 1876. The image depicts a Cheyenne village with two people facing the camera, near what is now Lamar, Colo. For the curators at History Colorado, the photo also revealed the fascinating story of the photographer – a man named Solomon Nunes Carvalho, who traveled the West with a bulky camera and captured some of the earliest photos of the region. Erin O’Toole spoke last fall with Sam Bock, History Colorado’s director of Interpretations and Publications, to learn more about the search for the oldest photo and what it tells us about Colorado’s early history. We’re listening back to that conversation today as part of a week of special episodes kicking off Colorado’s sesquicentennial year. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

In an era of high-speed gondolas and sprawling ski resorts, it's easy to forget how some of Colorado's smaller mountains shaped ski culture as we know it today. Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs is one of those mountains. It's a fraction of the size of the resorts in Aspen or Vail – or the bigger resort across town. But Howelsen Hill made a huge impact when it opened back in 1915. The hill bears the name of its founder, a champion ski jumper from Norway named Carl Howelsen. Over the years, Howelsen Hill got more people skiing, and eventually served as the training ground for dozens of future Olympians. Candice Bannister is the executive director of the Tread of Pioneers Museum in Steamboat Springs, which has plenty of Howelsen-related artifacts in its collection. She talked with Erin O’Toole about Howelsen’s legacy – and why Howelsen Hill is still an important place today. It’s part of our weeklong look at some of the people and places who shaped Colorado, as the state kicks off its 150th birthday year. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Colorado's Rocky Mountains have always drawn tourists. But for Black Americans in the 1920s and 30s, segregation and discrimination severely restricted where they could travel and take a vacation. Which is why, in 1922, Lincoln Hills emerged as a mountain resort created by and for African Americans. It sits near Rollinsville, northwest of Denver, and was the largest resort of its kind west of the Mississippi River. It drew visitors from all over the country until the 1960s. And it offered a rare opportunity for Black Americans to feel safe and welcome in the outdoors, during a time when access to such spaces was often limited because of racial discrimination. History Colorado in Denver recently unveiled a newly expanded exhibit called Lincoln Hills: Mountain Sanctuary. It features photographs, displays of recreational clothing, and recently collected oral histories. Erin O’Toole spoke with Acoma Gaither, History Colorado’s assistant curator of Black history, in June to learn more about what made Lincoln Hills so important during an era of segregation. We’re listening back to that conversation today – as we continue to share fascinating stories from Colorado history to mark the state’s 150th birthday year. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

In 1895, Leadville city leaders faced a dilemma. The silver mining industry had made the town quite wealthy. But then the silver market crashed, and the city's fortunes cratered right along with it. Residents were leaving in droves to seek better opportunities. So, city leaders came up with an unusual idea to draw tourists to Leadville, entice people to live there, and give the remaining residents a sense of pride: They decided to build a giant palace of ice. What followed is a remarkable story of innovative engineering that drew visitors from thousands of miles away – at least for a few winter months, until the inevitable spring melt. Windsor-based author Afton Rorvik paints a vivid picture of all of this in her book for kids and adults, The 1896 Leadville Ice Palace. Her research drew from the collections of the Heritage Museum and the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum in Leadville. She spoke with Erin O’Toole recently about why she finds this history fascinating – and why the story of the Ice Palace still resonates today. We’re listening back to that conversation today to mark the start of Colorado’s 150th birthday year. We’ll share more fascinating stories from Colorado history later this week on In The NoCo. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

For centuries, the Arapaho have called Colorado and Wyoming home. The tribe gave names to places like the Kawuneeche Valley, the Never Summer Mountains, and Mount Blue Sky. But the language the Arapaho have spoken for centuries is at risk of disappearing, as fewer members of the tribe have learned the language. A team of language experts at the University of Colorado Boulder is working to change that. They’re compiling an online database that includes recordings of the Arapaho language and can be used as a learning and teaching tool. Andrew Cowell is a linguistics professor at CU, and faculty director of the Center for Native American and Indigenous studies. He helped launch this project more than two decades ago. He joined Erin O’Toole to talk about how he hopes the digital database helps future generations learn and continue to speak the Arapaho language. You can access the Arapaho Language Project here. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Somewhere in the vast reaches of the universe, there may be an Earth-like planet that could be a second home for humanity. Although that may sound like science fiction, astronomers at the University of Colorado Boulder are part of a new project designed to help find that planet. And their efforts will soon get a major boost, as researchers from CU Boulder, in collaboration with NASA, prepare for a new space telescope to come online. The telescope, called the Habitable Worlds Observatory, is expected to launch in the 2030s. Kevin France is a professor of Astrophysics and Planetary Sciences at CU and was recently appointed to the project. He spoke earlier this year with Erin O’Toole about how this new observatory could help us reimagine our place in the universe. We’re listening back to that conversation today. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Colorado’s wolf reintroduction program has been contentious from the start. It’s seemingly created a divide between rural ranchers worried about their livestock, and urban Front Range voters who supported reintroduction. But there’s one effort that might help bridge that divide. It’s a specialty Colorado license plate with a drawing of a wolf, and a tagline that says “Born to Be Wild.” The idea for the plate came from an advocacy group called the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project. They wanted to get ahead of the inevitable conflicts between wolves and the ranching community by raising funds to help pay for nonlethal services that prevent wolves from preying on livestock. That includes range riders, who patrol ranchland on horseback to scare away wolves that might attack sheep or cattle. Colorado Sun reporter Tracy Ross says the license plates have raised just over $1 million since they became available in January 2024. She joined Erin O'Toole to talk about how this specialty plate has taken off, even in areas that voted against wolf reintroduction at the ballot box. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

With the holiday season here, we’re right in the middle of a very busy time at Denver International Airport. But the airport isn’t just busy – it's also noisy. And that can be tougher for travelers than you might realize. Research suggests that exposure to noise can trigger stress in a traveler’s brain and body, which doesn’t help people already tense from trying to get through those crowded security lines. Which is why, earlier this year, Denver airport officials launched a campaign to turn down the noise. The goal is to create a calmer and more peaceful airport experience. Jamie Banks is a health and environmental scientist, and the founder and president of Quiet Communities, an organization that works to reduce noise pollution – from restaurant interiors to noisy neighborhoods. She joined Erin O'Toole to talk about how a quieter airport might help tame some of the anxiety of travel. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Owls are symbols of wisdom, and heroes of literature – from Greek mythology to Harry Potter. But a leading conservation agency says owls are in trouble along Colorado’s Front Range. They’re losing critical habitat as cities and suburban areas expand. The Bird Conservancy of the Rockies recently launched what it calls the Urban Owl Nest Box program. It’s an unusual project that asks Front Range residents to create nesting spaces for eastern screech owls in their backyards. Marion Clément is a senior avian ecologist with the Bird Conservancy. She spoke with Erin O'Toole about why owls are so important to our ecosystem, how to get involved and why the organization says it’s prioritizing these nocturnal birds with the new program. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

It's December in Colorado. Snowflakes are flying. And ski resorts are open in the High Country. If you're like a lot of skiers and snowboarders, you’ve been eagerly anticipating that first trip to the mountains this winter. But you might not have put much energy into staying in shape during the off-season. My guest today specializes in helping people stay in shape for the ski slopes — and avoid, or recover from, injuries. Sherrie Ballantine-Talmadge is a primary care sports medicine doctor with the CU Sports Medicine and Performance Center in Boulder. And she says a little prep work might help prevent some of the injuries she often sees at her clinic. She walked In The NoCo’s Erin O’Toole through some of her best advice – including helpful exercises, proper hydration and how to ease into that first day on the slopes. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Every December, Santa Claus literally does the impossible – delivering presents all over the world with a team of flying reindeer. So when someone becomes a stand-in for Santa at your local mall, or work party, those are big boots to fill. But as it turns out, being Santa is a teachable skill. Susen Mesco founded Professional Santa Claus School in Denver in 1983. She says more than 5,000 Santas have attended over the years. And that means she has decades of expertise in getting your local Santa acting and looking his best. Susen got started when her event planning business got an offer to train and manage some Santas at local malls. And she saw a lot of room for improvement. "I went around spying on my competitor, and what I actually found was everything not to do,” she said. "So I went to work, writing kind of a manual.” Susen joined Erin O’Toole last December to talk about what makes a great Santa, the extensive training her school offers, and how she trains Santas to answer particularly tough questions from kids. We’re listening back to that conversation today. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Imagine traveling from Denver to Pueblo in just 20 minutes. And instead of sitting in traffic on Interstate 25, you'd make the journey through a sealed tube moving almost at the speed of sound. That’s the vision behind Hyperloop – an innovative transportation technology that’s being tested right here in Colorado. The Hyperloop works like this: You fill a specialized pod with people, or stuff you want to transport from one place to another. Then you shoot those pods at very high speeds through miles of giant metal tubes. A Switzerland-based company called Swisspod is operating in Pueblo to make this form of travel commercially viable. Last month, they performed a successful trial run that generated a lot of buzz, using a pod the size of a mini car. Reporter Sue McMillin wrote about it for The Colorado Sun. She joined Erin O'Toole to talk about the technology and how this work could reshape the economy in southern Colorado. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Scromiting refers to an intense form of illness – a mix of screaming and vomiting – brought on by overindulging in cannabis. CNN recently reported that scromiting is on the rise and quoted one female patient who described the pain as “worse than childbirth.” The New York Post noted that misdiagnosis is common because many doctors don’t know about the condition. The CDC and World Health Organization recently gave official diagnostic codes for cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, which is the official term for scromiting. It turns out that emergency room doctors in Colorado have seen their share of this condition in patients since the state became one of the first to legalize recreational marijuana in 2012. Dr. Sam Wang is one of those physicians who has seen and treated cases of scromiting. Wang practices pediatric emergency medicine and specializes in medical toxicology at Children's Hospital Colorado. He joined Erin O’Toole to share more about this unusual illness. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

A unique retelling of the holiday classic The Nutcracker explores the history and cultural importance of Denver's Five Points neighborhood. The Five Points Nutcracker replaces the story’s traditional characters with significant figures from Denver’s African American community. Five Points was once known as the “Harlem of the West.” Duke Ellington’s jazz version of the music is the backbone of the production, and was the inspiration for the show’s director, Larea Edwards. The production, which is now in its third year, features actors and dancers from the performing arts group LuneASeas. Musicians from Denver jazz artist Tenia Nelson’s band will perform the Ellington score. Larea Edwards spoke with Erin O’Toole last December about the production. We’re listening back to that conversation today. Performances take place Dec. 26 – 28 at the Savoy Denver. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

A diagnosis of chronic depression or bipolar disorder can be scary. These conditions can come with feelings of sadness or despair, or intense mood swings. But a researcher at the University of Colorado says we might be thinking too simplistically about these disorders. June Gruber is a professor of psychology and neuroscience who runs the Positive Emotion and Psychopathology Lab at CU Boulder. She specializes in research around happiness. She recently looked into silver linings — or side benefits — of some common mood disorders. And what she found is encouraging — both for folks with these conditions, and those close to them. June and her research team found those potential advantages can include a greater ability to cope with life's stresses, a tendency toward creativity and a richer social life. June joined Erin O’Toole to talk about her research, which was partly inspired by watching her father deal with life with bipolar disorder. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out this previous interview with June on her tips for living a happier life. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

The CU-Anschutz medical campus in Aurora recently agreed to pay $10.3 million to settle a lawsuit over vaccine mandates during the pandemic. A group of 18 students and faculty claimed that the school violated their religious liberties by requiring them to receive COVID vaccinations to be on campus in person. CU ultimately settled the case through mediation. The Thomas More Society, which specializes in religious liberty cases, represented the students and staff. The organization says this is one of the only cases in the country so far in which a defendant paid out money in a lawsuit over COVID vaccinations. So, why did CU settle? And what does the case say about vaccination policies in Colorado going forward? Reporter John Ingold covers public health and wrote about this settlement for The Colorado Sun. He joined Erin O’Toole to unpack those questions. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Writer Cassondra Windwalker’s new horror novel uses fiction to highlight a real-life crisis that often goes ignored. Ghost Girls and Rabbits touches on the thousands of unsolved cases of Indigenous American and Alaska Native women who were missing or murdered. More than 4,000 cases fit that description, according to the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. The novel tells the story of two Indigenous American women: one who has lost her daughter, and the other who has herself been kidnapped. Windwalker is originally from Oklahoma, spent time in Alaska and now lives in Berthoud. Ghost Girls and Rabbits was released on May 5, which is also a day of awareness to call attention to the issue. Windwalker spoke with Erin O'Toole earlier this year about her influences, and how she hopes the book raises awareness about an urgent problem. We’re listening back to that conversation as part of In The NoCo’s Holiday Book Club – our annual look back at some of the year’s most fascinating titles by Colorado authors. Find more information and links to the 2025 collection of author interviews here. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

When Colorado writer X. Ho Yen was a kid, he loved to read science fiction. X. Ho Yen is autistic. He liked how some sci-fi stories, like the Star Trek series, depicted a more enlightened future society where neurodivergent people were treated equally. Eventually he began writing his own science fiction novels. His newest release is titled Space Autistic Author’s Puzzling Innerverse. It’s different from his other books: It’s a series of puzzles that reveal the plot of a story as you solve them. X. Ho Yen spoke with ITN’s Erin O’Toole earlier this year about the new book, and how science fiction resonated deeply with him as a child. We’re listening back to that conversation as part of In The NoCo’s Holiday Book Club – our annual look back at some of the year’s most fascinating titles by Colorado authors. Find more information and links to the 2025 collection of author interviews here. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Kindergarten teacher Ellen Javernick has published over twenty illustrated children’s books. The Loveland resident’s first book, What If Everybody Did That? has sold more than a million copies. She just published her newest book titled Awesome of the Day. It tells the story of a boy named Andrew who has one bad day after the next – until he learns to change his outlook. Ellen teaches at Garfield Elementary School in Loveland. She says she wants her books to inspire positive behavior in kids without getting overly sappy. She joined Erin O’Toole earlier this year to talk about what inspired her newest book and how – at age 87 – she continues to find energy that matches that of her young students. We’re listening back to that conversation today as part of In The NoCo’s Holiday Book Club – our annual look back at some of the year’s most fascinating titles by Colorado authors. Find more information and links to our 2025 list of books here. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

In February of 1942, not long after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the U.S. military removed thousands of Americans of Japanese descent from their homes. Most of them were full citizens who had been born and raised in the United States. Families had only a few days to get their affairs in order before reporting to relocation centers, mostly in Western states. Roosevelt’s order affected about 120,000 Japanese Americans, including 17,000 children. Writer and poet Brandon Shimoda, who is fourth-generation Japanese American, says the impact of incarceration didn’t end with the war. Shimoda, who lives in Colorado Springs and teaches at Colorado College, is a descendant of several family members who were incarcerated in internment camps. He says his family’s stories helped inspire his newest book, The Afterlife Is Letting Go. He spoke with Erin O’Toole in February about the legacy of Japanese American incarceration, and why the impacts still resonate today. We’re listening back to that conversation as part of the In The NoCo holiday book club – our annual look back at some of the year’s most fascinating titles by Colorado authors. Find more information and links to the 2025 collection of author interviews here. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like 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'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.