Colorado Matters

Congress has slashed foreign aid and funds for public media. We talk through how Colorado’s delegation voted, the politics and ramifications with our Washington, D.C. correspondent Caitlyn Kim. Then, he survived the Aurora movie theater shooting at age 12; now he’s sharing his recovery story through music with “Youth on Record.” Plus, would a boycott help Colorado Rockies? And, celebrate 719 Day with us!

An estimated 100,000 Coloradans stand to lose health coverage next year amid a 28 percent hike in premiums; Governor Polis holds Congress responsible. We ask about that along with wildfire resources, immigration, and the proposed bridge outside the State Capitol. Then, for Marcus Weaver, surviving the mass shooting inside an Aurora movie theater 13 years ago, was life-changing in ways he never expected. Also, Indie 102.3 host and local music director Alisha Sweeney joins us to spotlight musicians on Colorado’s indie scene ahead of the Underground Music Festival.

Wildfires churn on Colorado’s Western Slope, leaving evacuees to wonder and worry. Then, in a rare move, a paramedic is charged with manslaughter in Boulder. Plus, nurse-turned-comedian Nancy Norton on “playing with your pain.” Also, an invitation to “Turn the Page” with David Baron, author of “The Martians.” And, Colorado Wonders about how to pronounce places, and DIA clears its free concert series for takeoff!

Gov. Jared Polis is pushing back against what he calls President Trump’s “reckless tariff policy.” Meanwhile, state lawmakers regroup after federal budget cuts and tax changes. Also, hear from a summer camp operator about wildfire and flood safety. Then, we remember Colorado’s poet laureate, Andrea Gibson, who died Monday at age 49 of ovarian cancer. And later, a CU graduate hopes to revolutionize audio with ethical AI.

Colorado Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen sees little value in the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ and is bracing for the impact on everything from healthcare to immigration. Plus, the “skinny’ Farm Bill continues to leave farmers and ranchers in limbo. Then, a Metro State anthropologist has discovered what may be the world’s oldest sign language. And finding harmony in the workplace.

Republican Rep. Jeff Hurd answers questions about how the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” now federal law, will affect people in Grand Junction, Pueblo, and more rural parts of his district. Plus, his high hopes for new drilling and border security under ICE. Then, author Paolo Bacigalupi marks a 10-year milestone with “The Water Knife” which has proven more accurate than he hoped. Plus, drought and demand are tapping aquifers in Southeastern Colorado, where tens of thousands of people rely on well water. And a Grand Junction baseball team adopts a rare alter ego.

Trauma can be a shared experience, but the journey to process it and overcome is often silenced. A new podcast by journalist Erika Mahoney hopes to change that and create connection. Her father Kevin was killed in a mass shooting at a Boulder grocery store in 2021. Then, rebates for EVs will soon be scaled back. And the Colorado Black Arts Festival returns for a 39th year this weekend!

As the Creede Repertory Theatre celebrates a milestone — 60 years of performances — it grapples with federal funding cuts to the arts. We also breakdown how the “One Big Beautiful Bill” may impact healthcare in Colorado including Medicaid. Then, what to do about the Emerald Ash Borer, a tiny green beetle that’s killing trees along the Front Range. And, an arctic adventurer from Carbondale shares his first-hand view of climate change at the top of the world.