
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

Feb 26, 2025 • 30min
February 26, 2025: The search for water on the Moon; A Colorado teacher's poem is on the space station
The Colorado-built Lunar Trailblazer will try to find water on the Moon. Then, a sixth-grade science teacher in Longmont's poem is displayed on the International Space Station. Plus, students in a small school district explain why they think cell phones should not be banned from the classroom. And, as DIA marks its 30th anniversary, a chance to tour the old airport's air traffic control tower which still stands and is now home to a brewery and restaurant.

Feb 25, 2025 • 28min
February 25, 2025: What to do when aging in place is no longer possible; Elevating Colorado's Black history
Independent living, assisted living, memory care -- the terminology alone can be overwhelming. We wade through the many senior housing options when aging in place at home is no longer an option, with our conversation from January for Aging Matters on Colorado Matters. Then, for Black History Month, we revisit an exhibit at the Museum of Boulder that showcases Colorado's Black history. It runs through September.

Feb 24, 2025 • 29min
February 24, 2025: Vail Resorts grapples with changing market, labor, and expansion; Debating tipped wages
Bumps for the ski industry. Or moguls as it were. Vail Resorts says for the first time, it sold fewer Epic passes than the year prior. Yet Vail's rapid expansion continues, as we'll hear from a Wall Street Journal travel reporter. Then, passionate testimony at the state legislature over what to pay people who get tips. And survivors, descendants and family of people incarcerated at Camp Amache in Colorado denounce denounce the Alien Enemies Act.

Feb 21, 2025 • 29min
Feb. 21, 2025: Brrr makes way for balmy; 'Yes in God's Backyard' a solution for affordable housing?
Colorado is going from brrr to balmy. In our regular weather and climate chat with Denver7 Chief Meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo, we also check in on the snowpack and discuss how federal cuts might affect weather data. Then, are churches a solution to affordable housing in Colorado? And, how changing DEI policies are affecting scholarships, colleges, and universities.

Feb 20, 2025 • 28min
Feb. 20, 2025: Colorado students 'trash the runway' in the name of sustainability; Diversifying snow sports
Students across Colorado are getting ready to "Trash the Runway"... on purpose. They're learning about fashion and sustainability by using the stuff we throw out to create high-end design. They're also learning critical problem solving and confidence at the same time. Then, thousands of skiers and snowboarders of color are hitting the slopes of Keystone starting this weekend, to support diversity in snow sports and to support future Olympians.

Feb 19, 2025 • 29min
Feb. 19, 2025: United's Denver expansion; 10th Mountain Division marks historic battle
United Airlines has a huge presence in Denver. DIA is the carrier’s second-busiest hub behind Chicago. All its pilots train here. And United bought a chunk of land near the airport last year that it plans to develop. The question is: might its headquarters move to Denver? Then, 80 years ago, the 10th Mountain Division fought a battle that was pivotal to winning World War II. Colorado was the training ground for troops.

Feb 18, 2025 • 41min
Feb. 18, 2025: Colorado's billion dollar budget hole; Amphitheater CEO on success, noise complaints
State lawmakers have to close a potentially billion dollar budget gap; Purplish explores how Colorado got here and possible solutions. Then, the CEO of VENU, which built the Ford Amphitheater in Colorado Springs, answers questions about its success, and the noise complaints it's generated. Plus, we salute a 101-year-old Tuskegee airman in Colorado for Black History Month.

Feb 17, 2025 • 49min
Feb. 17, 2025: 'Give Her Credit' is the story behind The Women's Bank of Denver
Not that long ago, women seeking a loan or line of credit faced invasive questions from bankers. "Are you planning on having children?" "What type of birth control are you using?" "Where's your husband?" Against that backdrop, in the 1970s, The Women's Bank of Denver was founded--changing financial lives for generations. Sr. Host Ryan Warner speaks with financial journalist Grace L. Williams, author of "Give Her Credit," at History Colorado Center.

Feb 14, 2025 • 49min
February 14, 2025: 'Aha Moments' for treating alcohol use disorder; 'Sustained' empowers Indigenous culture, art
Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic could reduce the urge to drink. It’s one of several novel approaches Colorado researchers are studying for alcohol use disorder. Then, Colorado firefighters return home after helping in California. Also, if today's world feels more anxious, a doctor has ways to decompress. Plus, a new exhibit at the Denver Art Museum elevates the Indigenous viewpoint. And for Valentine's Day, "Pitch a Friend."

Feb 13, 2025 • 49min
February 13, 2025: Help for sex trafficking survivors; Colorado Wonders about potholes
Sex trafficking is a growing problem in Colorado -- the state now ranks 10th for the most reported cases. We hear from a survivor who shares how she took back control of her life. Then, imagine driving along a rough road when two of your tires pop. It happened to one Colorado driver -- and he wanted the state to pay for the damage. Also, her mother marched on Washington more than 60 years ago with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We'll re-share her daughter's journey back to D.C. And History COLORADO incorporates works by living artists -- to connect past and present.