Colorado Matters

Colorado is set to pay more than $3.5 billion in TABOR refunds next spring, one of the largest paybacks the state has ever returned to taxpayers. Then, why Grand Junction's latest move to address homeless is drawing attention. Also, what do monthly employment numbers say about Colorado's economic health? Then, researching long COVID. And Colorado Wonders about tornadoes.

It's called a "ring of fire" eclipse, or an annular eclipse. It's coming soon, and astronomer Doug Duncan has all you need to know. Then, a new public radio call-in show, "The Middle," explores the middle of the country, the middle class, and the middle ground of politics.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, focused on raising awareness about the alarming number of people who take their own lives each year. It’s also an opportunity to have important conversations about the stigma that surrounds suicide. Jacquie Abram of Aurora is an author and DEI consultant. She shares her personal journey back from the brink.

U.S. Rep. Jason Crow on a suit claiming Donald Trump is ineligible for Colorado’s 2024 ballot. Then, some Kaiser health care workers may strike soon. And, testimony starts in the trial of Aurora police officers charged in the death of Elijah McClain. Also, Denver begins to house its homeless, but do the numbers add up? Plus, scientists bring part an asteroid down to Earth.

We talk about the fall colors and how weather and climate affect them, with Denver7 chief meteorologist Mike Nelson, plus the weather outlook for fall and winter. Then, Vic Vela shares his personal journey "Back from Broken" in the podcast's third season finale. And, two Colorado students report from Ukraine.

Elijah McClain's death brought about reforms for law enforcement in Colorado. And the Aurora Police Department was put under state oversight, to stop a pattern of racist policing. As the trial of the officers charged in his death begins, a special Colorado In-Depth report looks at how we got here and explore what McClain's death has taught Colorado, and the country, about police oversight.

In a cemetery in Leadville, there's now a statue of an Irish miner-- a tribute to the many immigrants who died during the silver rush of the late 1800s. Plus, alumni from Colorado Mesa University help with fire recovery in Maui. Also, the head of the Colorado Education Association on what teachers face in the classroom. Then, looking for methane leaks from space. And honoring a Colorado beer pioneer.

Historically, there have been a lot of Black players in the NFL, but not as many Black quarterbacks. Marlin Briscoe was the first when he started for the Denver Broncos in 1968. We talk with John Eisenberg who wrote, "Rocket Men: The Black Quarterbacks who Revolutionized Pro Football." Then, CDOT is changing how it sets speed limits. And the story of the Peace Corps.

A capsule full of asteroid dust is set to land in the Utah desert on Sunday. We speak with the mission ops manager in Littleton. Then, programs to save four Western fish species could end if Congress doesn’t act soon. Plus, she pinches, she pleats, she folds, she turns. Denver chef Penelope Wong on her love of wontons and family. And, a garden serves as a classroom in Montbello.

"Go As A River," by Gunnison educator Shelley Read, is set in Iola, Colorado. The town was wiped off the map in the 1960s to make way for the state's largest reservoir, Blue Mesa.

As the death toll nears 3,000 after the earthquake in Morocco, Wendy Rubin, a Colorado educator now living in Casablanca, has watched her students organize a major relief effort. Then, esteemed dancer, choreographer and community advocate Cleo Parker Robinson, and noted DEI scholar, author and educator Dr. Brenda J. Allen, discuss the evolution of Colorado's arts scene and culture wars.

Both Republican and Democratic challengers want to unseat incumbent Rep. Lauren Boebert in Colorado's 3rd Congressional district. Then, Grand Junction will finally get its first rec center. And, frustration as the city closes a park frequented by unhoused residents.

Flash flooding decimated Jamestown ten years ago. One resident shares how the community pulled together to rebuild. Then, migrant arrivals are increasing again in Denver. Plus, Colorado Mesa University is competing to save the rainforest. Also, new guidelines to help with childhood obesity. And a new play set at a city council meeting is filled with both comedy and mystery.

Voters may be asked to help fund a new passenger rail line along the Front Range next year. We answer listener questions about the proposal and what it entails. Then, Folsom Field marks 100 years as the CU Buffs' season kicks off Saturday. And your next road trip through Colorado could be a literary one!

There’s a new effort to try to keep former president Donald Trump off the ballot in Colorado next year. A lawsuit, filed in the federal district court for Colorado, argues that Trump can’t hold office because he has committed insurrection against the United States. Then, what kind of sustainable choices are people willing to make? Also, "Centennial" farms, toads, and the first day of preschool.

Many species that are on the brink of extinction live in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries, which is why National Geographic has a project called “The Photo Ark.” And, now is a good time to make yards water-wise. Plus, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is working with Indigenous communities to prevent deaths and injuries. Later, expanding broadband in Colorado, and the state's new weather record.

The Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library is reopen after a $2.8 million renovation project to make it more accessible and user-friendly. It's one of only five African American research libraries in the United States attached to a major public library system. Chandra Thomas Whitfield takes a tour with branch supervisor Jameka Lewis.

In “Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden,” author Camille T. Dungy tries to bloom where she’s planted as the pandemic shuts down the world. The Distinguished Professor at Colorado State University weaves a tale of plants, parenting and politics.

The federal government puts cannabis in the same category as the world's most dangerous drugs. That could change under a new recommendation. What it might mean in Colorado. Then, a young Denver woman loses her battle with colon cancer. She and her husband were both diagnosed with the disease. Doctors say younger people are increasingly vulnerable. And later, one-time Denverite Ethel Merman... does disco?

It was a journey 60 years in the making, to honor her mother. Retired Denver County Court Judge Dianne Briscoe recently went to Washington, D.C.. for the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington. She spoke with us about what's next in the fight for civil rights, amid the stark reality of racial violence in the U.S. today. Then, predatory towing enters a new phase. And, yaks in Colorado.