Colorado Matters

Too much rain fosters growth of grasses and underbrush, and not enough rain makes everything dry out, raising the risk of wildfires. So, is there a "Goldilocks" amount of rain that's just right? That's just one thing we ask Denver7 chief meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo in our regular conversation. Plus, a Western Colorado University student on the challenges of forecasting weather in Gunnison. Also, Douglas County voters reject home rule. Then, what it takes to become a confidential voter in Colorado. Plus, the Boulder Comedy Festival, how to find Indie films in movie theaters, and celebrating Pride with the Local 303.

June is Pride Month, centered on acknowledging the accomplishments and the experiences of members of the LGBTQ+ community. And for one Colorado nonprofit, it’s also time to celebrate a big milestone and focus on the work left to be done. Then, Colorado author and history buff Samuel Marquis sets the record straight about his ninth-great-grandfather, the notorious pirate Captain Kidd, who was not at all the pirate legend might have you believe. 

The U.S. struck three Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend in what our guest calls “a watershed moment.” Now what? And how did we get here? Key questions Ryan asks the head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Denver, Micheline Ishay. Then, Purplish explores the debate over home rule as Douglas County holds a special election Tuesday. Plus, Denver's tall, zigzagging yellow sculpture celebrates 40 years; we revisit a Colorado Wonders question asking how it came to be. 

A major psychedelics conference wraps up in Denver today. Its mission is to get more people, especially policy makers, comfortable with what has been underground. We speak with the founder of MAPS, the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Science, about the science and what's left to learn as Colorado licenses psilocybin healing centers. Plus a company in clinical trials, and an awareness campaign about the potential risks. Then, nurse Tara Rynders used to hold in all the trauma of the job. But through music and movement, she's managed to change that for herself and for other practitioners. Now she has a one-woman show, "A Nurse is Calling."

Today is Juneteenth, a time to celebrate and reflect. We talk with people who took part in Denver's annual celebration and parade. Then we head to the Boulder History Museum where an exhibit called "Proclaiming Colorado's Black History" ends its three-year run in September. Plus, the perseverance of 101-year-old Tuskegee Airman Lt. Col. James Harvey of Centennial. And Denver singer JoFoKe shares her music, her message, and her family's musical legacy that goes back generations in Colorado. 

In her arresting new novel "Penitence," author Kristin Koval creates a plot in which forgiveness is difficult, yet inescapable. The storyline allows her to explore issues of gun safety and juvenile justice, as well. Koval, who lives in the Boulder area, joined us at the 20th annual Lit Fest for our reading series "Turn The Page with Colorado Matters." 

It's a changing of the guard for the group that guides the nation's vaccine policy. We spoke with a Colorado pediatrician who used to be on the panel about how that could reshape guidance and the concerns she has moving forward. Then, a Denver woman unravels the mystery of her mother's past after fleeing Nazi Germany, and the art her family left behind. Plus, "Cycling Without Age" offers freedom for people with mobility issues. We go on another ride for "Aging Matters on Colorado Matters."

The Justice Department wants Colorado's voting records. We ask the Secretary of State and the head of Colorado's County Clerks about the request and the reasons. Then, a new way to measure snowpack from the air could help waters planners make sure there's enough to go around. Plus, the debate over the sale of federal public lands, how the land is managed, and cuts to staffing. Also, Colorado Wonders about coal trains. And later, a whole bunch of Ryans will descend on Coors Field. 

About the same time a man shot flames at Jewish people in Boulder, Rabbi Caryn Aviv hit "send" on the final draft of her new book, “Unlearning Jewish Anxiety.” Aviv is the spiritual leader of Judaism Your Way in Denver and Boulder. Previously she taught Israel-Palestine studies at a university level. Rabbi Aviv is also Sr. Host Ryan Warner's rabbi. 

Candace Bailey, a civil rights advocate, joins author Rosalind Wiseman, aspiring documentarian Jevon McKinney, and retired judge Gary Jackson for a critical discussion on the future of diversity initiatives in Colorado. They reflect on the political backlash against DEI programs post-2020 and share personal narratives that underscore the importance of dignity in allyship. The conversation dives into the historical context of these initiatives and calls for youth engagement in pushing for equitable changes across schools and communities.