Colorado Matters

With so many people addicted to prescription painkillers, doctors across the state are experimenting with other ways to manage pain. The physician leading this effort got involved because he realized he was part of the problem. Then, health reporter John Daley on alternatives to opiates in the dentist’s office. Later in the show: It’s easy to lose count of the cranes on Denver’s skyline. Find out what it’s like to work in one every day.

There used to be neighborhoods in Denver where you could not get a home loan. The policy, called redlining, was racist, but it still affects Denver’s neighborhoods.. Then, only two animals have ever been protected by Congress by name. The first was the bald eagle and the second was the wild horse. Investigative journalist Dave Phillips shares his journey into “Wild Horse Country,” which is also the name of his new book. And, warm and sunny one day, snow the next…Colorado weather has fascinated Russ Schumacher since his days as a graduate student at Colorado State University — now he’s the state climatologist. Schumacher discusses the factors behind Colorado’s diverse weather.

Fans of John Denver are gathering in Aspen to celebrate his life. Denver died 20 years ago this week. His song about Colorado, “Rocky Mountain High,” was a hit and eventually became the state’s second song. Today, Colorado Matters follows John Denver’s rise to stardom and the frustration felt by some Coloradans that his song led too many people to come to the state. We’ll also meet Denver’s longtime bodyguard and meditation instructor.

A temporary village has popped up near Denver International Airport, with completely solar homes built by college students and sponsored by the federal government. A team from the University of Denver built a home with a wall covered in moss. Then, with the possibility of snow hitting the Front Range by Monday, a meteorologist offers a ski season forecast. And, a Coors heir was killed in a botched kidnapping in 1960. A new book tells the tale of the manhunt for his brilliant but bumbling murderer. Plus, CPR’s OpenAir remembers rock legend Tom Petty, who passed away this week at the age of 66.

You may think twice about squishing bugs after hearing today’s show. Denver science writer David MacNeal says insects help people solve murders, cure diseases and design better buildings. His appreciation runs deep: MacNeal fed his blood to bed bugs in the name of science. Then, the metro area’s booming population leads to a fight over growth in a Denver suburb. And, The Denver Post’s food writer scoffs at the sheer number of food holidays, but she got a new one created in honor of an iconic Colorado dish.

Mexico and the United States may not agree on a border wall, but the countries did just sign a historic agreement over water. A water resources expert says what it means for Colorado and for conservation in Mexico, which lags way behind. Then, during the Cold War, Rocky Flats made plutonium triggers for nuclear bombs, and property values for nearby residents plummeted. Now, those residents are getting compensation for their financial loss. And, we remember a poet from Denver who had Down Syndrome and later developed Alzheimer’s Disease. Her family donated her brain to the University of Colorado Medical School at the Anschutz Medical Campus so scientists can study the link between the two conditions. Also, the debate over using marijuana in social settings.

Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act begins in less than a month, at a time when the future of Obamacare is uncertain. We get the long view from the Republican lawmaker who helped create Colorado’s insurance exchange. Then, what happened when the daughter of a Focus On The Family executive came out of the closet. And, scientists brought in beetles to get rid of a pesky plant called the tamarisk that invades riverbanks. Now, the beetles have spread beyond where they were expected to be. Also, the number of boys playing high school football in the United States has dropped. Some coaches attribute those declines to parent’s concerns about the risks of football.

As many Puerto Ricans try to flee the U.S. territory after Hurricane Maria, a Denver woman plans to move back to help with recovery. Then, Colorado businesses are sick of congested roads, according to the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. They want a new source of funds, and say they won’t wait for the state legislature any longer. What voters across Colorado might get if they vote to raise the sales tax. Plus, what makes this week’s special session of the legislature, special? And, a support group for people who hear voices. Then, a poem from the Western Slope’s new poet laureate.