Colorado Matters

Each May, a Denver man celebrates what he calls his second birthday. It was this month — more than half a century ago — that US troops liberated Jack Adler during a Nazi death march. Adler survived the Holocaust, but the rest of his immediate family didn’t. Still, he’s able to find humor in his life. Then, author Diane Les Becquets on her novel “Breaking Wild,” which is set in the Colorado backcountry. The book follows a lost woman who discovers the scariest thing she faces are her own demons. And, a tiny, rural school in eastern Colorado has four seniors in the graduating class of 2017. They talk about their close-knit experience and what’s next.

Some of our favorite culinary conversations are the focus of our show today. First, did you know about BEANGATE? That’s when White House staff scrambled to find out what beans president Lyndon Johnson ate. It’s one of many stories that comes out in a new history of black chefs in the White House. Then, after making a fortune in the tech world with his brother Elon, Boulder’s Kimbal Musk wants to reinvent the chain restaurant. And, what does Coors Field do with leftover food? Well, a group that feeds the hungry gets their hotdogs and other unused food.

Schools and mental health care got a lot of attention from state lawmakers in the annual session that ended last week. There are important changes ahead for students and for Coloradans who struggle with mental illness. Then, it’s easy to lose count of the cranes on Denver’s skyline because of the construction boom. What’s it like to go to work in one everyday? Also, Uber, Lyft and their impact on Denver traffic. Plus, private bills for undocumented immigrants are being targeted by the Trump administration. And later in the show, there’s apparently big money in crafting these days.

They thought their work was done, but state lawmakers may be called back to the Capitol to deal with issues Gov. John Hickenlooper thinks are unresolved, like transportation funding. They found some new money for roads, but couldn’t reach an agreement for more funding — a deal party leaders thought was a sure thing just months ago. Today, we bring back Sen. President Kevin Grantham and House Speaker Crisanta Duran to talk about what succeeded and what failed during the past session. Then, a Boulder investor hunts for future entrepreneurs in an unexpected place: prison. He wants to bring an inmate training program now in California, New York and Nebraska to Colorado.

A drug called carfentanil, used as an elephant tranquilizer in China, has killed at least two people in Colorado and deepened the state’s opioid crisis. Then, the prospect of Trump- administration tax cuts has softened the market for tax credits that help finance affordable housing. And, architect Ed White made his mark on Colorado with building design and historic preservation work. He was also a friend of beat-generation writer Jack Kerouac. Plus, as spring fly fishing season begins, a Colorado angler’s book describes a Japanese technique known as Tekara. Also, two Denver moms plan a Mother’s Day version of their show “Pump and Dump” this weekend.

On the last day of action this year at the state Capitol, we speak with Governor John Hickenlooper about the key issues under the dome — and about the debate over health care in Washington. Also, a new play in Aurora — if you can call it that — takes its audience deep into the Lost Dimension, but exactly where is that dimension? Plus, how the state can stop oil and gas related accidents like the one that recently blew up a home in Weld County.

Homeowners in Colorado got something in the mail recently that may have made their eyes widen. It’s what local assessors think their properties are worth. In some parts of the state, the jump in value was as much as 35 percent. What that means for your community and your property taxes. Then, there’s a little known valley in Rocky Mountain National Park; it’s where you’ll find the headwaters of the Colorado River. The Kawuneechee Valley can tell us a lot about natural and human history. American Indians learned to live in its harsh winter climate, and later, miners established towns there. Also, how the Nederland folk act Elephant Revival keeps the peace.

The recent explosion of a home in Northwest Colorado — which killed two people — intensifies the debate over how close homes and oil and gas operations should be to each other. We’ll talk about what the event means for the industry, public safety, and government oversight. Then, how to turn a skyscraper into a solar power plant. And, Newbery Medal-winning children’s author Avi, of Steamboat Springs, was delighted to meet the sixth-grade reader who we brought in to help interview him about his new book. Then, artists who don’t let their disabilities limit them, including photographers who are blind.