Colorado Today

Republican leaders in Colorado are wondering, and sometimes worrying, about the larger-than-life political outsider their voters chose for the governor’s race. Then, a courthouse drama in a southern Colorado county, where prosecutors are accused of holding back evidence in dozens of  cases. Plus, there are lots of things that make Rocky Mountain National Park one of a kind, and these days, that in...

Unpaid medical bills are piling up for the immigrant detention center in Aurora, which now owes the hospital run by the University of Colorado millions of dollars. Then, Colorado Parks and Wildlife says calls about bear encounters are spiking this year, as a poor natural food supply has them foraging in increasingly urban parts of the state. Plus, the recreation of Bent’s Old Fort in La Junta has...

Colorado farmers are facing a deluge of challenges all at once. From drought to Congressional gridlock, we hear about what’s weighing on rural Colorado. Then, lawyers for Colorado say they found the “smoking gun” in their argument that the Trump administration acted illegally to punish the state as part of a pressure campaign to get Tina Peters out of prison.   Plus, why the new State Historian wa...

New rules for rideshare companies just went into effect in Colorado. We break down what they mean for riders and drivers, and why advocates wish they went further. Then, two stories on going green, from Denver winning a fight over electrifying buildings, to the state’s biggest brewer getting into the solar game. Plus, Arlo shares one last postcard from this year’s Telluride Jazz Fest, where younge...

We’re learning a bit more about the five teens killed when their car went off a cliff this past weekend. Youth traffic fatalities are part of why Colorado’s death rate remains above pre-pandemic levels, but it’s not the only reason. We learn more about the latest numbers. Plus, a famous courtroom drama, staged inside the walls of a Colorado prison. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org . Colorado Toda...

One of Colorado’s biggest school districts is trying to balance a potentially costly legal fight, with faltering finances. We get an update on why JeffCo Schools has gone to court to defend its policies for trans students. Then, a Western Slope sheriff is bowing to community pressure and cutting all ties with ICE. But he worries about what may come next. Plus, we take you on a tour to a golf cours...

Stop work orders keep piling up for a major data center project in Weld County, which appears to have been moving forward without the property zoning or permits, or a clear sense of its potential impact on nearby communities. Then, the Denver neighborhood of La Alma Lincoln Park has a long history. But with the Broncos planning to move in next door, some are worried for its future. Plus, as it app...

Do the psychological assessments given to police department hires cross the line into discrimination? A federal complaint and lawsuit against the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s office could have wide implications in the state. Then, when people with opioid addictions are ready for treatment, it can still take months to get medication, but a new Denver clinic is speeding that up. Plus Denver musical art...

The historic drought is putting pressure on the water supplies for cities and towns across the West. In Kremmling, those problems have been compounded by broken infrastructure and back-of-the-line water rights. Then, Colorado may have dodged the cyclosporiasis bullet, but salmonella-tainted jalapenos did trouble some restaurant-eaters last month. And we look back to a wild story of voter fraud, an...

New details about the man killed by a jet on a DIA runway tell the story of a person who struggled with mental illness and clashed with law enforcement throughout his adult life. It also shows how Colorado’s mental healthcare system failed to keep him out of crisis. Then, an experiment in Southern Colorado investigates whether one big cash payment can help people achieve long-term stability. Plus,...

The primary victory of Melat Kiros and a vote on whether to cut American foreign aid to Israel show a changing stance from Colorado Democrats, both among voters, and the members of congress who answer to them. Then, we have updates on several recent stories you’ve heard on the podcast, from the Cargill lockout in Fort Morgan to Denver’s nightlife policies. Plus, the tiny Eastern Plains town of Har...

The Colorado River makes life possible for communities from here to Southern California, but dividing it up is only getting harder. We hear how the federal government is stepping in. Then, homicide charges for an Aurora police officer who fatally shot a Black driver during a traffic stop last year. And, pull up a seat at a mile-long table that brings strangers together to build community. Email us...

Independent Shimon Blau has gathered enough signatures to be on the ballot to represent Denver in Congress, running against surprise Democratic primary winner Melat Kiros. What are his policies, and why did he enter the race? Then, new requirements for people buying high-powered rifles and shotguns took effect over the weekend, but what do they mean for Coloradans? Plus, we track down what happene...

After a record snow-drought, dry trees and other fuels could keep the major wildfires burning around Colorado active for months to come, despite monsoon rains. Then, meatpacking workers in Fort Morgan could potentially return to work after reaching a tentative agreement with Cargill earlier this week. Plus, one final batch of Colorado Postcards to tell the story of how Colorado became the state it...

Colorado Springs has long been considered a conservative stronghold along the mostly-blue Front Range, but the race for the house seat that includes the Springs is looking very close as November approaches. Then, Waymo will begin passenger service in Denver before the year is up, so how has that gone in other cities? Plus, we look at the history of tiny towns in Colorado. Email us at coloradotoday...

Nearly two months after Tina Peters was released, Gov. Jared Polis continues to defend his decision, calling his censure by Colorado Democrats a troubling sign of free speech suppression. Then, the small town of La Veta in Southern Colorado is running dangerously low on water. Plus, take a bite out of Colorado history by learning about some of the state’s iconic foods. Email us at coloradotoday@cp...

A wildland firefighter passed away over the weekend from injuries sustained while fighting the Knowles fire in Colorado. The death puts a spotlight on the many risks of the work, and we hear from a journalist and former firefighter on how we can better protect their health. Then, in just 90 minutes, a Denver nonprofit gave out more than twenty ton of potatoes. Plus, learn about some lesser-known f...

New limits on the hunting of animals like foxes and coyotes expose a divide over wildlife management in the state. Then, Colorado has a brand new medical school – with hopes to fill a gap in healthcare. Plus, ahead of the state’s big birthday this weekend, we share some of our favorite historical snippets. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org . Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members . Read more...

The U.S. Department of Justice is suing the state of Colorado over a law that offers in-state tuition rates to undocumented college students, arguing the policy is unfair to citizens from other states. Then, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston called for an expansion of affordable housing and universal childcare in his recent State of the City address, but with a single year left in his current term, those...

ICE and the GEO Group are staying tight-lipped about the health of detainees at their Aurora processing center, as state officials continue to push for information on a case of tuberculosis within the center. Then, a video is circulating online of a woman being arrested by immigration officials in the boarding area of a Southwest Airlines flight at DIA. And Phil Weiser, the Democratic candidate fo...

Moisture is good for a drought, but some parts of Colorado are getting too much rain, far too fast, causing mudslides and flash floods. Then, new survey results give a window into how Coloradans feel about the state and nation’s big birthdays. Plus, Denver is moving to let bars and clubs stay open later, but a recent shooting has delayed those plans. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org . Colorado To...

With the state in the grip of a severe drought, people have been asked to majorly cut back their water use. Now that we’re well into the summer, the utilities in Denver and Aurora are starting to get a sense of whether they’ve answered the call. Then, the opening of a new office-to-apartments conversion in the Denver Tech Center shows why repurposing an old building for new purposes is far from ea...

We have the latest on the non-fatal shooting of a woman outside the ICE facility in Aurora last week; a man who works at the detention center was arrested shortly after the incident. Then, with federal support for domestic violence services drying up, the state thought it had found a way to step in. But the solution has so far fallen short, leaving centers struggling to stay open. And in Denver, o...

A new lawsuit claims the local power utility is to blame for the massive Aspen Acres fire. Then, we get a first hand look at the fire’s devastation, as residents from Beulah return home. Plus, we all know Colorado is an expensive place to live, but a new report suggests it could also be having an impact on our broader economy. And we take you on a stroll inside an adobe labyrinth in the San Luis V...

A Denver-based immigration judge who was fired by the Trump Administration last month is speaking out about the system. Plus, state health officials say they’re being blocked from investigating a possible tuberculosis outbreak at the immigrant detention center in Aurora. And we visit a community movie night in Western Colorado that’s taken on a deeper resonance with this year’s fires. Email us at...