Colorado Matters

Students across Colorado return to the classroom as soon as this week. We check in on one district, Pueblo 70, about its decision to make masks optional. Then, a restaurant group will require employees and patrons to be vaccinated. And, military life, racism & rap; we revisit our conversation with Denver writer Steven Dunn.

What will the $1 trillion bill to address the country’s crumbling infrastructure, both physical and nontraditional, mean for Colorado? Then, it’s a great year for mushrooms heading into the Mushroom Festival in Telluride next week. Plus, as Indoor Sport Climbing debuts at the Olympics, we revisit our conversation about making the sport more inclusive.

Businesses that rely on I-70 through Glenwood Canyon are assessing their supply chains, including Timberleaf Teardrop Trailers. Then, we get the long view from a former CDOT engineer who led the canyon highway project. Plus, an encore conversation with two authors who corresponded across The Contintental Divide about the pandemic, politics, and place.

The Wild Animal Sanctuary rescues large carnivores from captivity. Then, how to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower at its peak. And, a first-person account of a mudslide that hit Glenwood Canyon last week. Plus, the search for graves at an Indian School near Grand Junction. Finally, a musical exchange between two of Colorado best-known acts.

Simone Biles has thrown a bright spotlight on athletes’ mental health; we speak with a local psychologist about the pressures they face. Then, “Back to School” takes on new meaning for one family. And, Colorado is considering one idea to keep more water in the Colorado River.

The closing of I-70 in Glenwood Canyon after mud and debris flows affects businesses that rely on the corridor for shipping. Then, meet the US’ first female Olympic gold medalist in Taekwondo. Later, working to stop water from leaking out of irrigation canals. And a new plant species discovered in Rocky Mountain National Park.

CDOT’s chief engineer, Steve Harelson, joins us to talk about what it will take to reopen I-70 in Glenwood Canyon and to make the highway safe from mud and debris flow. Then, licensed psychologist Rick Ginsberg on dealing with the anxiety of trying to return to normal at this stage in the pandemic. Plus, a bike opera! And, working to preserve Camp Amache.

Former Gov. Richard “Dick” Lamm, who died last week, spent his 60-year career on issues still in the spotlight. We share excerpts from his past Colorado Matters interviews and a friend’s memories. Then, the perilous situation in Glenwood Canyon shows what communities grapple with for years after wildfire.