Anthony Cotton

A young man gets up on stage at an open mic night in Denver– and forgets the words to his song. That’s a scenario that’s probably played out hundreds, if not thousands of times in Colorado. But this night – this song, is different. Jacob Garrett spoke with Youth on Record about how music helped him cope with being a survivor of the 2012 Aurora Theater shooting, as well as his troubled home life.

Almost everyone talks with their hands, a form of communication whose roots can be found in ancient history — like way, way, way back. At least that’s the theory proposed by Metropolitan State University of Denver archeology professor Rich Sandoval. Sandoval says sign language may go back as far as the late 700s, among the Mayan people. He spoke with Colorado Matters about his “hands-on” experience working with the ancient ruins that led to his discovery.

It may seem a little counterintuitive, given the blazing heat that’s being forecast, but let’s talk snowpack. It’s an ongoing concern in Colorado as it melts into water, perhaps especially during summer. But the way we measure exactly how much water is out there and available is changing.

Part of the beauty of film is being immersed in sound that transports you directly into a scene; movies like “Gladiator” and “Interstellar” are regarded as masterclasses in sound design. But the work — and time — involved in creating those finished products are often incredibly labor intensive. Isaiah Chavous hopes to change all that; the University of Colorado Boulder grad is the co-founder and CEO of Noctal, a startup that says it uses ethically-sourced artificial intelligence to automate the sound design process for content creators and filmmakers.

March Madness reached its pinnacle Monday with the men’s championship game and Sunday with the women’s. But with all the hoopla has come pressure far beyond the court.

In the novel “Pinch Hitting,” Harold Fungo goes from the maintenance staff where a local minor league team plays, to becoming a star player, moving all the way up to the major leagues. As it turns out, the unlikely climb is all a figment of the imagination of Joe — who has no idea of how he’s writing the fantastical tale. Morris Hoffman, a retired district court judge, is the author of the book.

No creature says “Colorado” like the bighorn sheep — after all, it’s been the state’s official animal for more than 60 years. Their regal presence has been a visual marvel and a mainstay here – and Colorado Parks and Wildlife wants to make sure that’s the case for decades to come.  Andy Holland, CPW’s Big Game manager, says the organization is working to combat a spate of disease run off — with the infections coming from an unlikely source: domesticated sheep.

It took a lot of work for the Historic Park Theater in Estes Park (and yes, that’s the actual name) to claim the title of the oldest single screen movie theater in the United States — just as it takes more than a little effort to run the joint.

Boycotts have long been a way for the disenfranchised to make their voices heard — think the Boston Tea Party, or the refusal of Blacks to ride on buses in Montgomery, Alabama. Today, that tradition continues, with consumers being asked not to buy from major corporations — to protest the rollback of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives by the federal government as well as some big name stores. We speak with Michelle Jackson, who hosts the podcast, “Your American Money.”

If you’re hungry for neighborhood goings-on – from government to bake sales – you might be delighted that a newsletter focused your community has arrived in your inbox. But might your enthusiasm be tempered – if you found out the content you crave was being generated by one man. In New York City. Via Artificial Intelligence. That scenario’s playing out across the country – including in Colorado. Reporter Andrew Deck, of the Nieman Journalism Lab discusses the implications of the startup.