Colorado Matters

Colorado’s head of prisons was murdered four years ago when he opened the door to someone dressed as a pizza delivery man. The killer stole the uniform from a man he’d gunned down earlier — Nathan Leon, a father of three from Commerce City. Today, Leon’s family is still seeking answers about the case, like if it was part of a larger conspiracy. Then, Teddy Roosevelt and the exceptional band of Westerners known as “The Rough Riders,” who helped win the Spanish-American war. And, history, hiking, and beer blend in a guidebook that’s up for a Colorado Book Award. It includes a hike to a waterfall near Great Sand Dunes National Park.

There are signs of a “Trump bump” in the energy sector in Western Colorado. During an economic slump that’s included low natural gas prices, the Grand Valley has worked to diversify, relying more on tourism and recreation. Then, the marijuana industry in Colorado and across the country is on edge. The new administration says it may intervene on recreational pot. And, how do you measure pain in a creature that can’t talk to you? Renowned animal scientist Temple Grandin, of Colorado State University has some ideas. She’ll be inducted this year in the National Women’s Hall of Fame.

A dozen schools and five districts are failing academically and the the state intends to step in. Colorado has intervened with another school before and the results were pretty rocky. Then, Denver failed to meet its 10-year goal to end homelessness, but now it’s trying a different approach. The heads of Denver’s new office of HOPE and the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative explain. Plus, the story of a Colorado man’s cross-country bike ride that’s more about the journey and less about cycling.

We ride along with a nurse in Colorado’s San Luis Valley who visits new and expectant mothers. For 40 years the program has delivered healthcare to help mothers and children break the cycle of poverty. Then, soldiers discharged from the military other than honorably may get more access to mental health care. And a new blues album called “Fantasizing About Being Black.” Boulder’s Otis Taylor sings about slaves, soldiers and civil rights.

Rural voters catapulted Donald Trump to the White House but Governor John Hickenlooper has a message for them: He thinks they could suffer under the president’s budget and trade policies. Hickenlooper also talks about the current budget challenges for Colorado at the state level in our regular conversation at the state Capitol. Then, long overdue celebrations in Colorado for veterans of the Vietnam war era. We’ll hear from some of those veterans who often feel forgotten. And, bestselling Denver author Peter Heller has a new suspense novel. It’s about an elegant older detective who’s based on his late mother.

Wim Hof, aptly named ” The Iceman,” told Denver author Scott Carney he could control his body’s reactions to extreme cold — and teach others to do the same. Scientific tests proved Hof correct and, in time Carney, who has previously exposed other so-called gurus as charlatans, became a believer himself. Then, a lab in Denver stores records on the atmosphere going back hundreds of thousands of years — in tubes of ice. And, a music program in a small Colorado town — which is also associated with a rare bird.

President Trump wants a $54 billion boost in defense spending, which he’d come up with by slashing other programs from ranging from diplomacy to the arts. We speak with Mayor John Suthers of Colorado Springs on what this means for the military town. Then, it was a great weekend for skier Michaela Shiffrin of Eagle Vail at the World Cup finals in Aspen. We talk with John Meyer of the Denver Post who covered her win. Plus, music inspired by the National Parks. And, a chef, an entire restaurant and an animal scientist– each from Colorado– are up for top food awards.

Big budget cuts will come to many federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, if the president gets his way. That worries some people in Colorado. We explore what a smaller EPA could mean for the state. Then, banjo great Béla Fleck has released a new classical concerto album recorded with the Colorado Symphony. It’s named after his son. And you know that crusty colorful stuff you see covering rocks and tree trunks? They’re lichens and there’s a park in Boulder full of them — including two newly identified species.