‹‹ Colorado Today

Jan. 30, 2026: General strike, congressional hecklers, prison funding reversal, ideas to increase teacher diversity

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A man in a blue coat attempts to pass a younger man who is yelling right in his face. Behind them is a large crowd.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
A man who declined to give his name shoves a middle finger into the face of U.S. Senator and Colorado gubernatorial candidate Michael Bennet, as Bennet attempts to greet people on Lincoln Street protesting the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Jan. 25, 2026.

On Friday, teachers in Denver and other districts are expected to join the general strike against the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. It's another sign that Colorado’s political climate is growing more intense, with protests and public confrontations adding new pressure to its members of Congress.

Then, a second fatal crash this winter involving a youth sports team. And Democratic lawmakers approve roughly 800 new prison beds despite no progress on a plan to reduce the state’s inmate population. Plus, most Colorado teachers are white, while most of their students are kids of color. That has one classroom asking whether representation matters… and what could change.

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Read more on the stories in today’s show:

This episode of Colorado Today is hosted by Arlo Pérez Esquivel. It’s edited and produced by Bazi Kanani, Arlo Pérez Esquivel, Mateo Schimpf, Megan Verlee and Tyler Bender. The executive producer is Megan Verlee. Theme music by Pedro Lumbraño.