The Colorado news you need in 15 minutes a day, from Colorado Public Radio’s newsrooms. Get connected with your community and understand how the biggest stories in Colorado impact your life. Available each weekday morning at 6:00 a.m. with hosts Bazi Kanani and Arlo Pérez Esquivel. Follow this show, and consider donating to support future episodes at cpr.org .
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CORRECTION: In today's segment about Colorado's glaciers, we identified the expert voice throughout as Matthew Siegfried from Colorado School of Mines. However, the final two quotes are actually from Dan McGrath, associate professor of geosciences at CSU. We apologize for the error. The floods and mudslides in Nepal have horrified the world, and for some in Colorado, the pain is personal. Plus, while a collapsing glacier is being blamed for the devastation in Nepal, the things Colorado calls glaciers are quite different. Then, a family attacked by a Jeffco Sheriff’s K9 in their backyard says t
Colorado helped lead the lawsuit against Meta for practices the state says have harmed kids. So what will it get from the company’s big settlement? Then, doctors say fear over immigration enforcement is keeping some patients from seeking care, and it’s taking a toll on their providers, too. Plus, a Fort Collins teen may have found the most “Colorado” way possible to get to college. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: Read more on toxic algae blooms here CPR’s Caitlyn Kim on the 47-state settlement with Meta
Colorado election officials are vowing to maintain the state’s all-mail ballot system, even as the Trump administration moves forward with plans to restrict who can get ballots that way. Then, two state patrolmen were shot in Woodland Park Tuesday, unleashing a huge law enforcement response. Plus, we get a look behind the controls of a new adaptive race car, designed for people with serious spinal cord injuries. And Dolly Parton, remembered not just for her music, but as ‘the book lady.’ Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories i
From political football to actual football, Denver’s jockeying to host some big-name events in the coming years. Then, Gov. Polis requested federal disaster declarations for two of this year’s wildfires. But after denying similar requests last year, will the President agree? Plus, a new law puts banks on the front lines of fighting fraud against seniors. And how a historic sewer exposed weaknesses in Denver’s financial oversight. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: Vote for your favorite Fat Marmots here Den
A new plan from the federal government spares Colorado from having to send more water to downstream states, at least for now, and that means some unhappy neighbors. Then, you will likely find more than a dozen statewide initiatives on your ballot this fall — why has that become such a popular avenue to make policy? Plus, Colorado’s overall growth rate has slowed, but some areas are still booming. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: CPR’s Ishan Thakore on where Colorado stands in the new federal plan for the
Millions of tourists visit Glenwood Springs each year, many to visit the town's hot springs. But locals are concerned that plans to expand a nearby mining operation could forever alter that natural resource. Then, the federal government is rounding up around a thousand wild horses in the state this summer, reigniting the debate over how to manage this iconic, yet not-native species. And, bears! In our houses! In our parks! We put a bear behind the mic and ask him what's going on. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’
After weeks of back-and-forth, the state is going to court to try to force the private company running Aurora’s immigrant detention center to cooperate with a public health order. Then, why the end of the Roadless Rule won’t immediately impact Colorado’s National Forests. Plus, a look inside the massive emergency exercise at DIA Wednesday. And Waymo is inviting reporters to ride in its driverless taxis, as the service gets ready to start accepting customers. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: CPR’s John Dal
Republican leaders in Colorado are wondering, and sometimes worrying, about the larger-than-life political outsider their voters chose for the governor’s race. Then, a courthouse drama in a southern Colorado county, where prosecutors are accused of holding back evidence in dozens of cases. Plus, there are lots of things that make Rocky Mountain National Park one of a kind, and these days, that includes the rules for visiting it. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: CPR’s Bente Birkeland on Republicans’ mixed
Unpaid medical bills are piling up for the immigrant detention center in Aurora, which now owes the hospital run by the University of Colorado millions of dollars. Then, Colorado Parks and Wildlife says calls about bear encounters are spiking this year, as a poor natural food supply has them foraging in increasingly urban parts of the state. Plus, the recreation of Bent’s Old Fort in La Junta has brought history to life for generations of Coloradans, but its deteriorating condition means its future is now in doubt. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members
Colorado farmers are facing a deluge of challenges all at once. From drought to Congressional gridlock, we hear about what’s weighing on rural Colorado. Then, lawyers for Colorado say they found the “smoking gun” in their argument that the Trump administration acted illegally to punish the state as part of a pressure campaign to get Tina Peters out of prison. Plus, why the new State Historian wants you to learn about your family’s past. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: Find more of CPR’s agriculture cover
New rules for rideshare companies just went into effect in Colorado. We break down what they mean for riders and drivers, and why advocates wish they went further. Then, two stories on going green, from Denver winning a fight over electrifying buildings, to the state’s biggest brewer getting into the solar game. Plus, Arlo shares one last postcard from this year’s Telluride Jazz Fest, where younger musicians get an opportunity to develop their skills. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: The Associated Press
We’re learning a bit more about the five teens killed when their car went off a cliff this past weekend. Youth traffic fatalities are part of why Colorado’s death rate remains above pre-pandemic levels, but it’s not the only reason. We learn more about the latest numbers. Plus, a famous courtroom drama, staged inside the walls of a Colorado prison. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: CPR’s Stina Sieg on the teenagers killed in the crash in Mesa County The Denver Post’s Meg Wingerter on Colorado’s death rate
One of Colorado’s biggest school districts is trying to balance a potentially costly legal fight, with faltering finances. We get an update on why JeffCo Schools has gone to court to defend its policies for trans students. Then, a Western Slope sheriff is bowing to community pressure and cutting all ties with ICE. But he worries about what may come next. Plus, we take you on a tour to a golf course in Aurora that’s rethinking its place in the environment. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: Chalkbeat’s lates
Stop work orders keep piling up for a major data center project in Weld County, which appears to have been moving forward without the property zoning or permits, or a clear sense of its potential impact on nearby communities. Then, the Denver neighborhood of La Alma Lincoln Park has a long history. But with the Broncos planning to move in next door, some are worried for its future. Plus, as it approaches its 50th anniversary, the Telluride Jazz Festival wants people to rethink what they consider ‘jazz.’ Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more
Do the psychological assessments given to police department hires cross the line into discrimination? A federal complaint and lawsuit against the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s office could have wide implications in the state. Then, when people with opioid addictions are ready for treatment, it can still take months to get medication, but a new Denver clinic is speeding that up. Plus Denver musical artist sunstoney shares her thoughts on Waiting to Bloom, a song full of affirmation and vulnerability. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the s
The historic drought is putting pressure on the water supplies for cities and towns across the West. In Kremmling, those problems have been compounded by broken infrastructure and back-of-the-line water rights. Then, Colorado may have dodged the cyclosporiasis bullet, but salmonella-tainted jalapenos did trouble some restaurant-eaters last month. And we look back to a wild story of voter fraud, and the time Colorado went through three governors in one day. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: CPR’s Molly Crus
New details about the man killed by a jet on a DIA runway tell the story of a person who struggled with mental illness and clashed with law enforcement throughout his adult life. It also shows how Colorado’s mental healthcare system failed to keep him out of crisis. Then, an experiment in Southern Colorado investigates whether one big cash payment can help people achieve long-term stability. Plus, a film festival in Denver and Aurora tells the story of people on the move around the globe. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories
The primary victory of Melat Kiros and a vote on whether to cut American foreign aid to Israel show a changing stance from Colorado Democrats, both among voters, and the members of congress who answer to them. Then, we have updates on several recent stories you’ve heard on the podcast, from the Cargill lockout in Fort Morgan to Denver’s nightlife policies. Plus, the tiny Eastern Plains town of Hartman was recently declared “abandoned” by the state after every member of its local government resigned. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on t
The Colorado River makes life possible for communities from here to Southern California, but dividing it up is only getting harder. We hear how the federal government is stepping in. Then, homicide charges for an Aurora police officer who fatally shot a Black driver during a traffic stop last year. And, pull up a seat at a mile-long table that brings strangers together to build community. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: Find out more about Sundance’s call-out for volunteers here. Mountain West News Burea
Independent Shimon Blau has gathered enough signatures to be on the ballot to represent Denver in Congress, running against surprise Democratic primary winner Melat Kiros. What are his policies, and why did he enter the race? Then, new requirements for people buying high-powered rifles and shotguns took effect over the weekend, but what do they mean for Coloradans? Plus, we track down what happened to one of the oldest structures in Colorado. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: CPR’s Stina Sieg on the proces
After a record snow-drought, dry trees and other fuels could keep the major wildfires burning around Colorado active for months to come, despite monsoon rains. Then, meatpacking workers in Fort Morgan could potentially return to work after reaching a tentative agreement with Cargill earlier this week. Plus, one final batch of Colorado Postcards to tell the story of how Colorado became the state it is today. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: CPR’s interactive Colorado 150 Map CPR’s Molly Cruse on more Color
Colorado Springs has long been considered a conservative stronghold along the mostly-blue Front Range, but the race for the house seat that includes the Springs is looking very close as November approaches. Then, Waymo will begin passenger service in Denver before the year is up, so how has that gone in other cities? Plus, we look at the history of tiny towns in Colorado. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: Learn more about Fat Marmot Week The Colorado Sun’s Jesse Paul on the race to represent Colorado Sprin
Nearly two months after Tina Peters was released, Gov. Jared Polis continues to defend his decision, calling his censure by Colorado Democrats a troubling sign of free speech suppression. Then, the small town of La Veta in Southern Colorado is running dangerously low on water. Plus, take a bite out of Colorado history by learning about some of the state’s iconic foods. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: Takeaways from Ryan Warner’s interview with Gov. Polis KRCC’s Orion Cenkl on La Veta’s drought restrictio
A wildland firefighter passed away over the weekend from injuries sustained while fighting the Knowles fire in Colorado. The death puts a spotlight on the many risks of the work, and we hear from a journalist and former firefighter on how we can better protect their health. Then, in just 90 minutes, a Denver nonprofit gave out more than twenty ton of potatoes. Plus, learn about some lesser-known figures who shaped Colorado’s history. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: CPR coverage of the death of Nathan Mat
New limits on the hunting of animals like foxes and coyotes expose a divide over wildlife management in the state. Then, Colorado has a brand new medical school – with hopes to fill a gap in healthcare. Plus, ahead of the state’s big birthday this weekend, we share some of our favorite historical snippets. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members. Read more on the stories in today’s show: The Colorado Sun’s Tracy Ross on the new furbearer trapping limits Listen to Colorado Postcards here This episode of Colorado Today is hosted by Bazi Kanani. It’s edited
