April 5, 2021: Guns & Colorado Law; Memorial Poem; State’s First Muslim Lawmaker
CPR investigative reporter Ben Markus answers questions about gun laws in Colorado. Then, Rep. Iman Jodeh on her priorities and on being the state’s first Muslim lawmaker. Plus, preserving the memorial in Boulder and a special poem. Also, voting on marijuana in Grand Junction. And the other time masks and social distancing were part of life in Colorado.
Poem About Tulips Honors Suzanne Fountain After Boulder Shooting
Among the people who’ve placed flowers at the memorial outside a Boulder grocery store is poet Valerie Szarek of Boulder. She lost a friend in the shooting, Suzanne Fountain. Szarek was thinking about the tulips she placed. About the job she was asking them to do. The weight they’d carry. And she wrote a short poem about them — in three parts.
April 2, 2021: Tom Vilsack On Ag Trade And Climate Change; A Country Music Pandemic Escape
Tom Vilsack on agricultural issues facing Colorado, including broadband access and wildfire support. Then, business leaders are optimistic about the future. Also, a Colorado woman honors her nephew with a name change. Plus, we remember former Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Mullarkey. And, some country to round out your pandemic escape playlist.
Denver Woman Changes Name In Honor Of Her Nephew, Brother, As She Reflects On Gun Violence
Vikki Strong, of Denver, never felt connected to her middle name, Andrea.
March 30, 2021: The Pandemic Economy, From Black Women Entrepreneurs To Theaters & Tourism
The discussion about the pandemic’s economic impact continues today, with perspectives from Makisha Boothe, founder of Sistahbiz Global Network in Denver, which supports Black women entrepreneurs, and from the owner of an Aurora wellness center. Plus, Michael Querio from Rocky Mountain Repertory Theater and Colorado tourism director Cathy Ritter.
March 29, 2021: From Restaurants To Museums, A Pandemic Economic Reality Check
The pandemic has reshaped the economy in ways that could last a while. Today, we begin a series of conversations about this financial moment. Stories of struggle and reinvention, from restaurants to museums to closing streets to encourage walk-up business.
March 26, 2021: Reengaging The Gun Policy Debate; Selecting A New State GOP Chair
Rep. Joe Neguse talks about gun policy after the shooting in Boulder which is in his district. We also hear from Coni Sanders, who lost her father, Dave, at Columbine, and Shannon Watts, founder of “Moms Demand Action” who used to live in Boulder. Then, choosing the new state GOP chair. And, undocumented immigrants in Durango find help during the pandemic.
March 24, 2021: Frank DeAngelis Reflects On Another Mass Shooting; Remembering The Victims
Former Columbine High School Principal Frank DeAngelis talks about being a resource for mass shooting survivors and the community. Then, loved ones remember some of the victims of Monday’s shooting. And, Boulder resident Christine Chen reflects on a day of tough conversations. Plus, G. Brown documents decades of music in a new book series “On Record.”
‘A Heavy Thing To Bear’: An Asian-American’s Family Conversations On Violence Flanked By Atlanta, Boulder Shootings
On the same day that Christine Chen wanted to speak to her parents about the rise in hate against people of Asian descent, a gunman opened fire on the King Soopers near her Boulder home.
March 22, 2021: Two Nurses’ Pandemic Lives; Dementia During Isolation
We circle back with two nurses whose lives have taken very different paths in the pandemic. Then, how the pandemic affects people with dementia and their caregivers. Plus, the challenge to find doctors in rural Colorado. And, a return to Room 132 as in-person learning resumes.
Anti-Asian Hatred Has A Long History In The US, And In Colorado
So far, investigators have not yet determined if hate crime charges will be filed against the suspect in the shooting in Atlanta.
March 19, 2021: The Vaccine Selfie Debate; The Reality Of Hate Toward Asian-Americans
While some people post selfies in celebration of getting the COVID-19 vaccine, others are hesitant, worried about backlash. And, real stories about hate toward Asian-Americans and ways to try to address it. Also, using the courts to fight viral misinformation about elections. Plus, a new water idea for the Front Range, and preserving a Colorado archipelago.
Post A COVID Vaccine Selfie Or Not? Here’s What You Told Us
Many Coloradans told CPR News that encouragement — especially to communities of color who are underrepresented in vaccinations — was a big reason they posted selfies to social media.
March 17, 2021: A Candid Conversation With Two Black Female Law Professors
We talk with two law professors on the cutting edge of civil rights litigation. Fighting police brutality, pay gaps, and climate change. Suzette Malveaux, of CU, and Catherine Smith, of DU, are the only full professors at their law schools who are Black women. Also today, artist Jasmine Dillavou from Colorado Springs on reshaping the arts in the pandemic.
