Colorado Matters

During her time in the military, Elba Barr grew accustomed to fighting — still, some battles have nonetheless been rather unexpected.

On Memorial Day, stories of Coloradans who served in extraordinary conditions. Then, a piece of the U.S.S. Arizona, in Aurora, preserves the memories of Coloradans killed at Pearl Harbor. And, how fallen U.S. service members came to be buried in American cemeteries abroad.

A new play that immerses the audience in elaborate, layered soundscapes at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts asks the question, "Where Did We Sit on the Bus?" for Latino Americans during a time of segregation. Actress Satya Chavez joins us along with Ramon Del Castillo, a retired professor of Chicana Studies at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Today we talk with Karlya Shelton-Benjamin, one of “The Swans of Harlem,” a Denver native featured in a new book about these pioneering ballerinas and their effort to make sure their history is not overlooked or forgotten. Then, Denver's iconic Cleo Parker Robinson sees her dream come true.

Free syringe exchange programs are now outlawed in Pueblo. The city council passed the ban last week. We'll talk about what's changed and why the debate is ongoing. Then, a new state law allows wolverines to be reintroduced to Colorado, but it won't be an easy task. And Judy Collins is back in Colorado for a sold-out concert. We revisit our conversation with the folk singer who grew up in Denver.

Colorado's putting a lot of stock into the idea of ADUs, Accessory Dwelling Units, to help ease the housing crunch. We'll talk about the potential impact and how similar programs are working in other states. Then, Denver native Karlya Shelton-Benjamin is among a pioneering group of ballerinas known as the Swans of Harlem. Plus, how one Pueblo educator is making sure students don't get left behind when it comes to technology.

They're known as the Swans of Harlem and they've performed for the Queen of England, Mick Jagger, Stevie Wonder, at the White House, and beyond. Karlya Shelton-Benjamin, a Denver native, was among them, and she's featured in a new book about this pioneering group of ballerinas.

He's spent 50 years at the University of Colorado Boulder, including the last 15 as chancellor. Now Phil DiStefano is stepping down. He discusses how to add more value to a liberal arts degree, the challenges facing higher education, and the importance of what he calls, "humble leadership." Then, we remember a champion for pedestrian safety in Denver, Phyllis Mack.

Daily life has been disrupted in Gunnison by the ongoing closure of an important bridge, from high school athletics, to timber, to health care. What might a fix look like? And what's the timeline? Then, geomagnetic storms test Boulder's Space Weather Prediction Center. Plus, Steve Wozniak, a co-founder of Apple, speaks at the commencement for CU Boulder, where he once was a student. Plus, words to live by from 102-year-old Bill Powell of Fort Collins.

It's a state law that's supposed to weed out police officers and sheriff's deputies who are dishonest. But is it working? We'll discuss the results of a special investigation through the Colorado News Collaborative. Then, as Colorado gets older, what are the changing needs and resources? And the first KlezKolorado Festival hopes to find harmony in music.