One of the ‘greatest athletes of all time’ gets his Olympic recognition decades later
He’s considered one of the greatest athletes of all time. But the International Olympic Committee didn’t remember it that way, until now. This month, the IOC reinstated Jim Thorpe as the sole gold medalist in the 1912 Olympic decathlon and pentathlon. The reinstatement comes after decades of petitions. Thorpe was Indigenous, and when the IOC stripped him of his medals for violating amateurism rules, many claimed it was motivated by racism.
Ietef ‘DJ Cavem’ Vita and Soul Food Scholar Adrian Miller talk about diversifying top culinary award
The James Beard Awards are one of the top prizes in the culinary world. This year’s ceremony included a recommitment to upholding “racial and gender equity, community, sustainability and a culture where all can thrive.” Denver culinary ambassador Ietef “DJ Cavem” Vita, a vegan chef and rapper, was one of this year’s judges. He joins us along with Denver’s Soul Food Scholar and culinary historian, Adrian Miller, who won an award for “reference and scholarship” for his book, “Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue.”
The evolving preservation of Colorado’s historic endangered places
Colorado Preservation, Inc. is accepting nominations for next year’s endangered places list. Nominations must be submitted by August 22 for consideration.
April is one of the driest on record so far in Colorado
This April is one of the driest on record so far, dating back to 1880, according to Denver7 Chief Meteorologist Mike Nelson. He joined us for our regular conversation about the interplay between weather and climate in Colorado. And, as the wildfire danger continues, so does the outlook for warm and dry weather. Plus, Nelson explains why it’s been so windy recently.
Rep. Jason Crow says U.S. military response in Eastern Europe sends a message to Russia
The congressman recently traveled to Eastern Europe, where he got an update on the war in Ukraine and the refugee crisis. He also visited troops overseas.
In Colorado’s snowiest season, dry conditions still fuel wildfires
March and April are among Colorado’s snowiest months, but in the last few days authorities have ordered evacuations in Boulder and near Estes Park as they’ve fought wildfires. What’s going on? Mike Nelson, chief meteorologist at Denver7, joins us for our regular update on weather, climate and climate change.
Reflections about coming ‘Back from Broken’
In the words of CPR’s Vic Vela, “When we can meet each other with empathy and compassion, we can find hope.” That’s at the heart of his podcast “Back from Broken.” It’s about people who’ve emerged from the hardships of addiction, mental illness, or physical injury. The third season is now available.
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow helps bid farewell to CPR’s Jo Ann Allen
CPR All Things Considered Host Jo Ann Allen retires Friday. Sort of. She will continue her independent podcast “Been There Done That.” We dip into the latest episode in which she reflects on journalism and her own career with friend and former colleague Rachel Maddow, of MSNBC. Then, Jo Ann spends a few minutes with Ryan Warner reminiscing about her radio-filled childhood.
The convergence of weather, climate, and wildfire risk
The two month anniversary of the Marshall Fire in Boulder County is almost here and we still don’t know how it started. Today, though, a closer look at why — the conditions that turned it into a fire storm and what the spring and summer may hold. Denver7 Chief Meteorologist Mike Nelson has been a leader in bringing climate change to local TV weather forecasts and he’ll join us regularly on Colorado Matters for conversations about weather and climate.
Colorado’s Most Endangered Places list reflects BIPOC and rural heritage
The Most Endangered Places list features locations with historical significance that are most in need of preservation.
As rules change, the do’s and don’ts of when to wear masks
This week, some mask mandates are starting to disappear in Colorado, including in cities like Denver and Glenwood Springs and in Adams and Arapahoe counties. But questions remain about where and when people should continue to wear masks. We put those questions to Dr. May Chu, who is a clinical professor in the department of epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health.
Could the once-thriving town of Dearfield become a national park?
In the early 1900s the little farming community of Dearfield on the plains east of Denver embodied the dreams of the Black people who homesteaded there. Now, U.S. representatives Joe Neguse, who’s a Democrat, and Ken Buck, a Republican, are co-sponsoring a bill to explore making the town site a national park.
James Webb Space Telescope reaches its final destination a million miles away from Earth
SA’s $10 billion mission that could transform our knowledge of the universe achieved a critical milestone this week. The James Webb Space Telescope reached its final destination and entered into an orbit around the sun. The telescope is now about a million miles away from Earth. It launched into space a month ago. That’s when we spoke with Makenzie Lystrup about the mission. She’s an astrophysicist from Colorado-based Ball Aerospace, which built the telescope’s unique optical system.
Tremaine Jackson reflects on coaching, racism, and social justice
He was the first Black head football coach at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction. And after just two successful seasons, Coach Tremaine Jackson is moving on. His tenure coincided both with the pandemic and the protests over police brutality — issues that made it into locker rooms and onto playing fields. Jackson is moving on to Valdosta State in Georgia. He spoke with Nathan Heffel from his new home there to reflect on his time on the Western Slope.
Denver Mayor Hancock on affordable housing, public safety & the pandemic
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock is in Washington, D.C. for the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He’s meeting with other city leaders to discuss a wide range of ideas, from the pandemic to public safety to affordable housing.
Purplish explores what’s ahead when the legislature returns
It’s beginning to look a lot like… politics. With the Colorado state legislature set to return on January 12, the Purplish team takes a look at what lies ahead.
