Why there’s so much rain on Colorado’s Front Range and Eastern Plains
After days of being under flood advisories, Colorado’s Front Range is starting to emerge from what has seemed like endless rain.
By Ryan Warner
May 10, 2023: Case claims ‘Kansas Two-Step’ targets Colorado drivers; Wildfire outlook
A trial is underway that could put a stop to a law enforcement tactic known as the “Kansas Two-Step,” which appears to target people from states where cannabis is legal. Then, a wildfire season preview. And as climate change and overuse parch the Colorado River, how’s this for a solution? Bring in water from another river– like the Mississippi. CPR’s podcast “Parched” explores that idea.
By Ryan Warner
May 8, 2023: A very special rose; Adding up the cost of new laws
Clippings from the rose bush at Colorado’s Camp Amache are now in the ground at Denver Botanic Gardens. A survivor’s daughter pays the plant a visit. Then, in Purplish, as state lawmakers pass hundreds of bills– many with elusive pricetags, they must also balance the budget. Plus, Pueblo through the lens of a Japanese photographer.
By Ryan Warner
An extraordinary bloom looms at Denver Botanic Gardens
Clippings from a rose bush at Colorado’s Camp Amache are now in the ground at Denver Botanic Gardens. Buds and blooms could come soon. Kelly Takaya King, whose father was incarcerated at Amache, visited the Gardens’ Steppe Collection all the way from Maui. We were there for her moving meeting with horticulurist Mike Bone.
By Ryan Warner
May 5, 2023: How to communicate on the moon; Denver’s ‘great fire’ reshaped the city
As the pandemic emergency officially ends, the state is sending notices to people whose Medicaid benefits could end. Then, a new space race ushers in new types of businesses, like a communications provider on the moon. Also, how the “great fire” of 1863 reshaped Denver. And Denver singer/songwriter Travis McNamara’s debut album is full of surprises.
By Ryan Warner
May 2, 2023: Denver mayoral candidate Mike Johnston on homelessness, housing and policing
Candidate Mike Johnston wants to ensure that Denver’s teachers, nurses and firefighters can afford to live in the city where they work. In an interview with Ryan Warner, Johnston outlines his solutions for renters and homebuyers, and explains how he’d approach public safety. Then, Colorado Wonders digs into the numbers assigned to political districts.
By Ryan Warner
May 1, 2023: Denver mayoral candidate Kelly Brough on housing and reviving downtown
Kelly Brough, former CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, faces former state lawmaker Michael Johnston in the June 6 runoff. In an interview with Ryan Warner, Brough outlines her plans for dealing with housing, homelessness and a downtown revival.
By Ryan Warner
April 28, 2023: Polis vows to limit impact of property tax increases; Supreme Court ethics
Governor Jared Polis says he’ll work to limit the impact of property tax increases, and will continue to push for housing density across Colorado to increase affordability. Then, a Supreme Court justice from Colorado sold a mountain property to a prominent lawyer. We speak with the investigative reporter at Politico who broke this story about ethics on the nation’s highest court. And “My Story So Far” reflects on life after the Marshall Fire.
By Ryan Warner
April 26, 2023: Debate over trains carrying crude oil; Indigenous tribes face water crisis
Colorado politicians want to halt a plan that would transport oil by train along the Colorado River from Utah’s Uinta Basin. They say an oil spill would endanger local communities. Then, years ago, settlers took control of the Colorado River from Indigenous tribes. Now, as the river dries up, Indigenous tribes are working to back their rights.
By Ryan Warner
April 24, 2023: In Trinidad and at the Capitol, efforts to deal with the housing crisis
In Trinidad, a month-long program allows people to train in construction while they work to rehabilitate long-vacant homes. Then, our Purplish podcast tackles the state’s housing woes by re-envisioning land use.
By Ryan Warner
April 21, 2023: eTown’s mission of music and eco-mindedness; Mosquitoes are our deadliest predator
From a converted church in Boulder, a radio show and podcast beams out live music and eco-conscious conversation. Nick Forster is co-host of eTown. For Earth Day, we’ll talk musical legends, climate change and everyday environmental heroes. Then, Denver7 Chief Meteorologist Mike Nelson on fire danger and spring runoff. Plus, what to know about mosquitos. And new music from “Kathleen.”
By Ryan Warner
Fires and floods. It’s spring in Colorado
In our regular weather & climate chat with Denver7 Chief Meteorologist Mike Nelson, we discuss how red flag fire warnings pop up at the same time as floods.
By Ryan Warner
Earth Day is a birthday for eTown, the eco-minded music show in Boulder
On Earth Day 32 years ago, a one-of-a-kind radio show hit the airwaves– a mix of live music, interviews, and meditations on the environment. eTown co-host and bluegrass musician Nick Forster walks us down memory lane at eTown Hall in Boulder.
By Ryan Warner
April 19, 2023: Snowmelt spells sandbags in Dolores, CO; Winery adjusts to a changing climate
Spring runoff is the lifeblood of Colorado’s rivers. It’s also sandbag season in the town of Dolores, in the southwestern part of the state. Today: snowpack, snowmelt, flooding, and climate change. Then, winemakers in Palisade confront climate change.
By Ryan Warner
April 17, 2023: Online stalking or free speech?; Dominion v. Fox News
Where’s the line between stalking, as defined by state law, and protected speech under the First Amendment? The U.S. Supreme Court this week takes up a Colorado case. Then, the case of Dominion Voting Systems, based in Denver, against Fox News. Plus, the pending grocery store merger. And answering a Colorado Wonders question about “The Dry.”
By Ryan Warner
April 14, 2023: Where is the war in Ukraine headed? We ask foreign policy experts in Colorado Springs
When Russia invaded Ukraine, many thought the war would only last a few days. Now, just over a year later, there’s no end in sight, and the role of outside influencers, like China, is evolving. This week, the World Affairs Council in Colorado Springs gathered experts to offer context. CPR’s Southern Colorado Reporter Dan Boyce moderated the discussion.