- For inmates with artistic inclinations, there’s a lot of spare time in prison to paint, sketch, bead and write poetry. But the public doesn’t always get to see the artwork prisoners create. A few years ago, a group of defense attorneys and social workers started an event to showcase what they saw as the extraordinary talent of their clients. They collected inmates’ artwork from prisons across Colorado and in 2015, held the first "Chained Voices" exhibition in Denver. One of the inmates whose work has been featured at the event is Jeff Johnson, who was released from prison a year ago. Now that Johnson's out of prison, he'll be able to attend "Chained Voices" for the first time. The former inmate, who did a lot of beadwork while he was incarcerated, says making art was a way to escape from the prison environment and get lost in an activity. Ashley Ratliff, one of the defense attorneys who started the program says people make a lot of assumptions about prisoners, and she wanted to find a way to show the community how gifted many of them are. The exhibition takes place Friday and Saturday at the Denver Art Society.
- Josephine Baker was perhaps the most famous singer of her time, but many Americans today are unfamiliar with her. Pablo Picasso and Ernest Hemingway raved about her and musicians from Diana Ross to Beyonce have cited her as an influence. Baker was also a champion of the American Civil Rights movement and spoke at the March on Washington in 1963. Now, Denver singer and composer Erica Papillion Posey has written a new cabaret show “Reclaiming Josephine,” in which she stars as Baker. It debuts Thursday night at the Vintage Theatre in Aurora.
- Colorado College in Colorado Springs is one of the latest schools to adopt a test-optional admissions policy. That means students aren't required to submit scores on tests like the SAT and ACT, but they can if they want. Colorado College's Vice President for Enrollment Mark Hatch says the school determined that a student’s performance in high school is a much better predictor of college success than standardized tests and that wealthier students have an advantage on the tests. He also says they can distract students from more important things like extra-curricular activities. We also speak with Akil Bello, who founded Bell Curves, a test prep company. Bello has studied the benefits and drawbacks of standardized tests.
- More people are dying from methamphetamine overdoses in recent years, but there is hope for recovery. There's a promising treatment with a medication that's actually intended for something else. We also hear about one man's journey from addiction to addiction counselor.
- Medication-assisted treatment is standard care for people addicted to opioids, but practitioners are only just starting to use it for methamphetamine.
- The patients arrive at the hospital with a fever, gasping for breath and vomiting. Some have been put on a ventilator to breathe. Researchers say they’re all suffering from a mysterious lung illness linked to vaping. There are about 200 cases nationwide, including at least two in Colorado and a death in Illinois. A recent article by New York Times reporter Matt Richtel examines what we know and what we don’t know about the condition.
- More police officers die by suicide than from job-related injuries in the United States. From school shootings to child abuse to car crashes, officers are expected to remain calm while responding to gruesome scenes. But the memories can linger and have devastating effects. It's why places like Douglas County, south of Denver, are trying to get ahead of the problem. Detective Dan Brite is wellness coordinator for the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. He was shot on the job and nearly died. Now he works to help other officers cope with the stress and trauma that come with being in law enforcement.
- As a kid, Golden author Rebekah Crane didn't like to read. Now, she writes novels for young adults. Her sixth, called Postcards for a Songbird, was just released. Crane calls the story, about a teenager named Wren, an "Ugly Duckling" story. She spoke with CPR's Andrea Dukakis.
The San Luis Valley in southern Colorado is vast, bigger than some states. And in recent years, it has attracted newcomers seeking land, stunning views, and self-determination.
- There are a lot of stories about the Apollo 11 moon landing 50 years ago. But what happened after Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon, and what did it take to return to Earth? Gene Kranz, who was the flight director at mission control at the time, recounts this moment in history.
- There's a radical new way to pay for college. The gist is that students become investments. The Department of Education has floated the idea and members of congress are debating it. Plus, a handful of schools, including one in Colorado, are trying it.
- And he'll likely be spending the rest of his life there ... plus 30 years.
- The Americans have a good chance at competing in the sport in Tokyo at the 2020 Olympics.
- Waterways like the High Line Canal have gone from tools of agriculture to popular spots for outdoor recreation.
- The 39-year-old was sentenced to life without parole at age 15. Today, he enjoyed a burger and fries and a look out the car window.
- A month-long job training at DU for immigrants, including newly arrived refugees from Iraq, Afghanistan, Burma and other countries, embedded them with university students to prepare both groups to work in the hospitality industry.
