
Colorado Matters
Hosted by Ryan Warner and Chandra Thomas Whitfield, CPR News' daily interview show focuses on the state's people, issues and ideas.
Latest episodes

Sep 13, 2023 • 51min
Sept. 13. 2023: Gauging the 3rd Congressional district; A rec center decades in the making
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.

Sep 12, 2023 • 51min
Sept. 12, 2023: Rebuilding after the flood; How economics could save the rainforest
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.

Sep 8, 2023 • 50min
Sept. 8, 2023: Laying the tracks for Front Range rail; Folsom at 100; A literary Colorado road trip
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!

Sep 7, 2023 • 52min
Sept. 7, 2023: New effort to keep Trump off 2024 state ballot; Five generations of farmers
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.

Sep 6, 2023 • 52min
Sept. 6, 2023: Photo Ark’s mission to document animals; Making yards water-wise
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.

Sep 5, 2023 • 47min
Sept. 5, 2023: Blair-Caldwell preserves Black history and rethinks libraries
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.

Sep 4, 2023 • 49min
Sept. 4, 2023: ‘The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden’
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.

Sep 1, 2023 • 50min
Sept. 1, 2023: Big changes may come for cannabis; The scourge of early-onset colorectal cancer
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?

Aug 31, 2023 • 49min
Aug. 31, 2023: A retired Denver judge honors her mother’s March on Washington
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.

Aug 30, 2023 • 47min
Aug. 30, 2023: Pearl Harbor relic now in Colorado; A Holocaust survivor’s story
A relic from the attack on Pearl Harbor has arrived in Colorado, its new permanent home. The piece of metal comes from the USS Arizona, the final resting place for 32 Colorado sailors. Then, an encore presentation of our interview with Oscar "Osi" Sladek, who survived the Holocaust and found success as a folk musician.