Colorado Matters

CPR News is tracking stories about Coloradans who stand to lose or gain under President Trump. Today, a hear from small businesses who say the future looks bright. Then, from a hailstorm so bad it shut down a shopping mall to temperatures so high planes were grounded, the West has seen some intense weather lately. How much of that is connected to climate change? And, the sounds of red dirt country music will fill the small town of Limon this weekend. Lincoln County hopes the first Colorado Prairie Music Festival will boost tourism. Plus, six months after Denver began enforcing new rules on short-term rentals, listings on sites like Airbnb and VRBO has dropped dramatically.

Rats can get depressed. Some pigs are extroverted and others are introverted. A conversation with two scientists who say animals have rich inner lives. Then, 100 ways to reverse global warming, ranked in order. Some are unconventional and others can be achieved in your backyard. Plus, Denver walks the line between a fearful immigrant community and federal immigration law. The debate over Denver as a sanctuary city. Also, a professional drone pilot who says racing makes him feel like superman.

Staffing shortages are so severe at the Colorado Mental Institute at Pueblo that the federal government has threatened to pull money because of worries about patient safety. Then, 9News Anchor Adele Arakawa is retiring after 24 years in Denver. She’s headed to Tucson — she’s not quite as sure where her industry is going next. Next, artificial intelligence could revolutionize the recycling industry, with a robot named Clarke leading the way. And, can a $4 million marketing campaign get kids off their screens and into the Colorado outdoors?

An infectious disease expert from Colorado has resigned in protest from the President’s HIV/AIDS advisory panel. She’s disturbed about the new health care bill being debated in Congress. Then, we speak with CPR’s government reporter Allison Sherry about the crowded field of candidates who have joined next year’s gubernatorial race in Colorado. She says the election will work unlike any other in state history because unaffiliated voters can cast ballots in the primary. And, slam poet and Denver native Theo Wilson has a new book in which he explains what makes him tick. Plus, an outdoor writer offers ideas on where to hike on the Western Slope and puts Black Canyon of the Gunnison at the top of his list.

The news media are under the microscope. It felt like a good time to lift the veil on how CPR’s and NPR’s newsrooms operate — in terms of ethics. On a stage at the University of Denver’s Newman Center, we confronted the dilemmas that reporters and editors face: When can a journalist call something a lie? What about the use of anonymous sources? Officials from NPR and CPR News answer questions.

The fallout from a Title IX controversy at the University of Colorado Boulder, where university officials were recently punished for mishandling allegations of domestic violence against a former assistant football coach. Then, coal rolling is when people tweak their engines to belch black smoke. Some do it to be funny; others as a form of political protest. Colorado lawmakers recently passed a bill to crack down on it. Also, a death penalty scholar on Colorado’s execution history. Last, a deaf singer who was on Colorado Matters years ago is making a splash on ‘American’s Got Talent.’

Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb talks about his work on a national committee trying to unite the Democratic party and avoid the mistakes of the 2016 election. Then, bands can face up to a five-year wait to book a concert at Red Rocks. We asked listeners about the best performances they’ve heard at the mountain amphitheater. Plus, Coloradan Hal Walter coaches his son, a middle-school runner, who has autism. Writing about the experience, Walter says his son has taught him a new definition of winning. Also, a hip-hop gardener celebrates Juneteenth with vegetables.

Colorado congressman Mike Coffman says this morning’s shooting in the Washington D.C. area should force Congress to reevaluate how it deals with off-site security. Then, people and bears are often at odds and with more people moving to Colorado, understanding bear behavior is critical. We speak with a scientist who has crawled into dens to study bears. And, does political polarization necessarily mean gridlock? Colorado’s highly polarized legislature has some lessons. Also, the Telluride Bluegrass Festival kicks off this week and each day begins with an odd ritual called “Revenge of the Tarps.” We speak with a member of the band Dispatch which will play at the festival. The group has a new album that focuses on big social issues and personal loss.