Colorado Today
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The Colorado news you need in less than 15 minutes a day, from Colorado Public Radio’s newsrooms. Get connected with your community and understand how the biggest stories in Colorado impact your life. Available each weekday morning at 6:00 a.m. with hosts Bazi Kanani and Arlo Pérez Esquivel. Follow this show, and consider donating to support future episodes at cpr.org.
Colorado Public Radio 2025
The Colorado news you need in less than 15 minutes a day, from Colorado Public Radio’s newsrooms. Get connected with your community and understand how the biggest stories in Colorado impact your life. Available each weekday morning at 6:00 a.m. with hosts Bazi Kanani and Arlo Pérez Esquivel. Follow this show, and consider donating to support future episodes at cpr.org.
Colorado Public Radio 2025
Hundreds of homes were evacuated as water surged through the streets of Pagosa Springs.
Immigration agents used aggressive tactics this week to try to disperse protesters in Durango who were upset about the detention of a family near a school.
President Trump’s own energy goals could be hurt by his decision to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in funding in Colorado.
A group of bystanders shot by an officer were awarded millions of dollars, but the police department says it’s not liable and won’t pay the money.
Farmworkers here have been part of an effort for decades to get their kids to local colleges. But the budgets for some of these programs are now zeroed out.
A new stage in the federal government shutdown means you may want to be prepared for changes at the airport. Then, there’s a week to go in the election. Do you know where you stand on the most contentious issues? Plus, in this week’s Colorado Wonders, where you could encounter a ghost in Denver. And, a heads up about an act of vandalism over the weekend at an LGBTQ center.
If you’re in Denver, you could be spotted by license plate surveillance cameras, against city council’s objections.
Local governments and aid organizations are sounding the alarm that food stamps for 600,000 Coloradans will be delayed in November.
State prisons have run out of rooms and are pushing inmates onto county jails. What that means for inmates and communities.
Sheriff’s deputies at Denver’s jail say staffing levels are so low they’re now dangerous for staff and inmates.
You’ll hear the sounds of the No Kings rallies across the state on Saturday. Then, Colorado is banding together with like-minded states on public health, to further separate themselves from Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s federal health agency. You’ll hear what it could mean for you. Plus, the games going on this season where the athletes quickly learn to look tough, and play rough.
New fundraising disclosures for the candidates who want to represent you in Congress, and the big check Mike Bloomberg is writing in the governor’s race.
The 18-year-old who was shot at Evergreen High School last month has finally been released from the hospital, and his family is revealing more about what he’s been through.
This episode is full of stories about what AI means for our lives.
You have two big questions on your November ballot regarding food aid programs. We’ll explain what they would do.
With workers not getting paid and delays at DIA, Coloradans are feeling the government shutdown.
Federal workers are left uncertain about back pay after the shutdown, and you’ll hear from the families who are affected.
Why teachers in Colorado Springs are striking today. Plus, an app where you can now download hundreds of books for free that have been banned elsewhere.
Hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to create better solar panels, cut down on methane from oil and gas operations, and more is being cancelled.
You’ll get the backstory on a local case that will be heard at the U.S. Supreme Court tomorrow about whether counselors can engage in conversion therapy. Then, President Trump plans to charge employers $100,000 to get visas for some foreign workers. But some of those employers here are schools who cannot afford that fee. And, the popular Mexican band Maná plucked a musician from Denver’s streets to open at Red Rocks.
ICE claims assaults on its agents are way up. CPR’s investigations team looks for evidence.
The 14-year-old victim of the Evergreen school shooting is out of the hospital.
Boulder gave hundreds of residents some extra cash every month. The results of this experiment are in.
A major cultural festival that usually brings artists from all over Latin America to Denver is having to pivot because of stronger immigration policies.
The second student wounded at Evergreen High School is 14 years old, and his family says he confronted the shooter. Then, what a federal government shutdown would mean for you in Colorado. Plus, RTD may make it harder to access a service that people with disabilities have come to rely on. And, what could possibly be the explanation for a Colorado airport to be named Happy Butt?
Two large school districts are trying to protect their high school games from gun violence, and testing new approaches.
Xcel Energy plans to pay more than half a billion dollars to avoid a trial over its role in the state’s most destructive wildfire.
CU scientists have a plan to collect stardust.
First, a brief update on Evergreen High School’s reopening. Then, fewer students from abroad are coming to Colorado universities.
RFK Jr’s new vaccine panel and physicians make different recommendations for what shots you, your kids, or your parents should get. Find out how the changes could affect families here. Then, a mom working in construction was held by ICE along with her seven-year-old boy. Theirs is one of many stories about how immigration enforcement has changed. Plus, a restaurant where you can pay whatever you want to pay.
Charlie Kirk has been scheduled to speak in Fort Collins. Instead, mourners gathered last night. Then, wildland firefighters are getting sick.
An uncle of one of the victims in the Evergreen high school shooting shares more on the student’s condition in the hospital. Plus, an extremism researcher explains what he worries about when it comes to the suspect's online activities.
Colorado’s safest Democratic congressional seat has been held by the same person for 30 years. A new, high-profile challenger says it’s time for a change.
The top Republican at the statehouse resigns, citing a “toxic” environment. Then – you’ll hear from a Front Range community trying to prevent fracking underneath their water supply.
The latest on the investigation into the shooting at Evergreen high school, and what students said when they walked out of class in solidarity. Then, with immigration detentions happening on the streets, Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations are changing. Plus, the Mormon church built a new, gleaming temple on Colorado’s western slope. But some people in the community plan to steer clear.
You’ll hear new information on the shooting at Evergreen High School, including what we know about the victims and the teen shooter, and the response from law enforcement and a grieving community.
Students were shot at a high school in Evergreen on Wednesday. You’ll hear what happened.
Your choices for governor just got more interesting, with a prominent Republican joining the race. Then, the Broncos have announced plans to build a new stadium.
A jail commander is charged with invading inmates' privacy by watching strip search videos. Now, more than a dozen of the victims are suing, and the jail leader faces criminal charges.
The state estimates tariffs are costing Colorado a quarter billion dollars, and the governor explains why he thinks this will mean a significant hit to the economy. Then, the prospect of a new Buc-ee’s mega travel plaza on the I-25 corridor is dividing a small town, and prompting an election this week. Plus, Denver is trying something new to get you to read a book for fun.
A girl fell from a ski lift, and a jury is awarding her 12 million dollars. This historic payment changes the liability for you and for ski areas.
The state limit on law enforcement cooperation with ICE is subject to a court challenge, and it’s related to the sheriff’s deputy who tipped off ICE.
Colorado Springs faces another likely drain of good paying jobs, as President Trump decides to move Space Command to Alabama.
Governor Polis wants to speed up the approval process for new clean energy projects before federal tax credits expire.
Six workers died at a dairy in Weld County. Now other workers in the industry say they’re fearful it could happen again.
Lawmakers become the first in the country to fill the budget hole created by the Big Beautiful Bill.
Hundreds of thousands of Coloradans already faced food insecurity before recent cuts to federal food aid.
A coroner is facing accusations of mishandling remains, raising concerns that this case may point to a troubling trend in the state.
CEOs of Colorado’s biggest companies reveal to investors the real impact of tariffs on themselves and customers.
There’s an effort underway in Colorado to shore up health insurance access for thousands of people before it goes away or costs rise and force people to drop their coverage.
This year’s rollout of fall vaccines is leaving some providers and parents confused. We’ll answer your questions.
The state board of education will vote tomorrow on new science standards, and students are pushing for more lessons about climate change.
A lawsuit attempts to stop a new state law meant to protect kids from overusing social media.
In Northern Colorado right now you might see a rabbit that looks like it has horns or tentacles. We’ll explain the crazy images of bunnies online.
Denver City Council will vote on whether to require businesses, events and apartments to compost.
A youth violence prevention program could lose funding… Just as new research shows kids may have easier access to guns than many parents realize.
Denver International Airport’s proposal for a possible nuclear power plant on its grounds gets tripped up before the starting line.
A new wildfire is burning near Pagosa Springs. Also, Colorado’s sports betting revenue reaches a record high.
Coal may be staging a comeback in Colorado, as energy demand skyrockets. We’ll tell you about a coal plant that could be open longer than expected.
ICE agents fired at a car — then obscured details of what happened. How does this incident fit into the broader picture of shootings by federal immigration officers?
A group of Colorado lawmakers is under fire over a photo they took of a colleague without her consent, and the group chat and social media posts that followed.
You may notice the skies look hazy today as wildfires continue to burn in Colorado. We’ll bring you an update.
Denver’s rent is more affordable, but evictions are still climbing.
We find out what happens when someone who can’t legally buy a gun tries anyway.
State lawmakers have to close a billion dollar budget shortfall… Again.
Calls to Colorado’s mental health line are climbing — and more than half are from men.
Denver is spending $3 million dollars to convince you to take responsibility for climate change.
We take a closer look at a personal story Congressman Gabe Evans has shared on the campaign trail — and why it’s now facing scrutiny.
In a new order President Trump aims to force many Colorado cities to take a different approach to homelessness. You’ll hear how the strategies could change, and who stands to gain and lose. Also, Colorado’s largest Pride event lost sponsors after attacks on DEI. You’ll hear whether they made up the difference, and what direction the Rocky Mountain region’s largest LGBTQ organization goes in now. Plus, the game of bowling meets the great outdoors in this week’s Colorado Wonders. You could get in on the century-old tradition of lawn bowling.
Denver considers using $140 million dollars to fix some roads. But is this proposal really about getting a new stadium to keep the Broncos in Denver, and out of the suburbs?
Jared Polis scraps his pedestrian walkway project, siding with big public backlash to it, and says he’ll chain himself to the Capitol plaza to prevent his own idea’s implementation.
Several Colorado law enforcement agencies are also being investigated.
A new pathway for immigrants to live here legally is being sponsored by an unlikely source: Republican Congressman Gabe Evans.
The Trump administration is trying to force Colorado to keep its coal plants open, over state objections. Then, Denver’s mayor hopes to ask voters for almost a billion dollars in bonds. But it’s already drawing pushback, and comes as the city plans to cut jobs. Plus, how public radio and television plans to stay on the air without federal funds. And, those tunnels you get stuck at on I-70? Have you ever considered their names?
Will Colorado tax your overtime pay and tips, even with the federal pause?
The Rockies are on track to lose more games than any other team in over a century. Could a fan boycott change that?
Wildfires have threatened neighborhoods this week, and closed a national park. You’ll get the info you need on the fires across the state.
Planned Parenthood tells thousands of people it can’t legally serve them anymore. We’ll explain why, and what that means for patients.
An elections office in southern Colorado was attacked with a Molotov cocktail by someone who distrusts Dominion Voting machines.
With Trump’s new tax law in effect, Colorado lawmakers have to figure out how to rewrite the state budget – and if they’ll try to make up for cuts to healthcare.
Your chances to get a big subsidy to buy an electric car or truck are fading fast, which could also affect Colorado’s emissions goals.
Local disaster experts say the tragedy unfolding in Texas can be a wake up call, particularly about the risks of flash flooding here.
Expanding health insurance used to be a priority in Washington. It’s not anymore.
Congress’ and President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill is now law. We’ll explain what it means for Coloradans. Then, a regent who criticized research from her own university system has been censured, for only the second time in the system’s history. Her authority as a regent has been cut back as a result. Plus, a new area code for Colorado phone lines.
Lakshmi talks about her life, her career, and how her outlook on news has changed in recent years.
As you prepare for the Fourth of July weekend, you’ll hear the outlook for West Nile virus in Colorado, and what makes someone more likely to be bitten by mosquitoes.
Congress’ Big Beautiful Bill targets wind and solar energy – two industries that have been booming in Colorado.
Federal immigration officials are eyeing Colorado for a second detention center, which would open in the southern part of the state.
A green menace to watch out for in your yard, and your neighborhood, which could eat up Front Range trees.
Some Colorado mountain towns are trying to attract visitors, but lately, numbers are dropping.
A state mandate to track police uses of force was meant to bring clarity and empower Coloradans — but the data is falling short. Then, a controversial proposal could put federal public lands on the market for housing. Plus, results from a closely watched special election. And, a few ideas to help you plan your weekend, including comedy in Boulder.
The state official suing Gov. Polis over an immigration information-sharing order takes the stand in court.
Barry Morphew was just arrested for his wife’s murder for a second time, in a case about prosecutorial misconduct, true crime podcasts and rural investigations.
Denver says layoffs could help fix a looming budget crisis — but workers say the city isn’t being transparent, and now the union is stepping in. Then, climate change is making it harder to cool down at night — especially in Colorado’s cities. Plus, a beloved book program from Dolly Parton hits a funding snag, putting some local chapters at risk.
Colorado lawmakers bolster against CDC overhaul.
A new executive order changes staffing and technology to fight wildfires.
Leaders of conservative Douglas County want voters to give them more authority.
Plus, we explain cuts to the National Park Service.
The U.S. Justice Department made an unprecedented demand for all of Colorado’s election data from the past two elections. We’ll explore why.
Protests over immigration enforcement that sprang up in Los Angeles over the weekend have now spread to Colorado.
Denver claims a historic drop in unsheltered homelessness. We fact check the claim.
Just a few years ago Coloradans voted to fund free meals at schools, but the program is running out of money already.
A whistleblower is suing Governor Jared Polis, because Polis told him he needed to hand over information about unaccompanied immigrant children to federal officials.
The latest on measles in Colorado, Boulder firebomb attacker in court, transgender protections challenged, Puerto Rican festival
Renters may be particularly annoyed at a veto from Governor Jared Polis, which rejected an attempt to guard against alleged price fixing.
Why the state euthanized a wolf for the first time since it reintroduced the endangered species.
MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell is on trial in Denver for the Big Election Lie.
What we’ve learned about an attack on peaceful demonstrators in Boulder on Sunday afternoon.
Supreme Court oil train ruling, Denver’s downtown renovation, scientists want your house gunk
Colorado is near the top in the country for road rage, and the reaction could be anything from cars colliding to menacing with a gun.
From tree planting to e-bikes, how President Trump is cutting back on environmental projects in Colorado aimed at people who are most harmed, to the tune of $25 million.
What the Republican changes to Medicaid mean for all Coloradans and our pocketbooks.
The Trump administration is creating a list of migrant children in Colorado and their locations. They say it’s for the kids’ wellbeing, but advocates wonder if it’s also a veiled attempt to deport them.
Five years after George Floyd’s death, we talk to an organizer about what’s happened to the Black Lives Matter movement in Colorado.
Three decades ago, in one of the biggest criminal cases in Grand Junction history, a man was sent to prison for bombings because of a pair of wire cutters. Now that evidence is under scrutiny.
We survey the damage from tornadoes that touched down on Colorado’s Eastern Plains.
Governor Jared Polis puts new pressure on cities and towns that resist state law on affordable housing.
Air traffic controllers in Colorado temporarily lost communications with pilots flying into Denver International Airport.
The Supreme Court considers birthright citizenship today. It’s one of 20 cases Colorado is participating in to try to stop Trump’s agenda.
Denver has decided to switch where it will buy asphalt material for roads, rejecting the local refinery. They call it a moral decision, but it may not be better for the environment.
A Colorado lawsuit moves forward to hold Exxon Mobil and Suncor responsible for disasters like wildfires made worse by climate change.
Whether Colorado actually gets a professional women’s soccer team may hinge on how the Denver City Council votes tonight. We’ll explain what taxpayers have at stake.
The biggest stories from across the state in under 15 minutes.
A plan is speeding forward for new passenger trains to take you farther into the mountains from metro Denver.
It feels like we’re getting plenty of rain this week, but what’s happening to the snow is causing concern.
Research and development for renewable energy took a hit yesterday with 114 layoffs at NREL in Golden.
Colorado lawmakers have just three days left to finalize their work, which could include controversial regulations on rideshare companies.
Colorado has a plan for high-speed passenger rail to connect its cities, but two of the state’s members of Congress are speaking out against it.
Democrats in Colorado have been trying to pass a labor law that would make it easier to unionize, but it’s one of the major things still undone with one week to go in the legislative session.
A hundred days into his term, we’re learning more about Trump’s plan to punish Denver with funding cuts, which have already started.
A hundred people were detained at a nightclub in Colorado Springs.
Lawmakers and the governor are having an unusual showdown at the state Capitol over social media regulation.
Colorado news headlines in under 15 minutes.
Images generated by AI are getting so real that child safety advocates say our laws aren’t keeping up.
Colorado's top new stories in under 15 minutes each day
A new target of federal budget cuts is AmeriCorps, the community service organization.
Hear Colorado's top news stories in under 15 minutes.
Alabama lawmakers push for a move of Space Command headquarters from Colorado to their state.
Social media giants like Meta would have to do more to protect kids online under a bill with broad support, but Gov. Polis may veto it.
A new memorial is approved for the state Capitol grounds, to help Colorado acknowledge its colonial past and heal relationships with Native people.
Trump’s proposed funding cuts would cost more than 11,000 Colorado kids access to early education.
At least two of Colorado’s biggest names in politics will face off in a primary for governor.
Colorado’s new immigrants face a tough new question about whether to keep paying their taxes if it could lead to deportation.
Proposed changes in Washington could reshape life in Colorado’s San Luis Valley.
Bus drivers and train operators in metro Denver get a new contract. This is what it means for riders.
Colorado could switch to carbon-free electricity sooner than you would think, and Gov. Polis is pushing for a last-minute bill in the legislature to accelerate the change.
Immigrants escaping slavery who were detained by ICE in Colorado.
Would Uber and Lyft rides be safer for drivers and passengers if every ride was recorded on video and audio?
Several international students are told they can no longer study at universities in Colorado.
Colorado has its first measles case in years. Experts explain the risk and how you can protect yourself.
A proposal to restrict guns with detachable magazines is meant to make up for past policy failures.
We answer a question about why Colorado’s school year is the shortest in the country.
Colorado-based researchers trying to prevent HIV have lost their federal funding
Colorado is losing hundreds of millions of dollars for public health at a time when the state is already a billion dollars over budget.
Colorado’s hot springs operators are sweating a green energy campaign.
It’s budget week for the state, when lawmakers have to make final decisions on how to cut $1.2 billion.
Hundreds of families in Denver are still living in their cars despite millions spent to address homelessness.
There may be little left of the federal Department of Education after President Trump’s executive order directing his education secretary to close it.
Colorado is going nuclear if lawmakers get their way. The new reactors appear safer than in the past, but there’s always a risk of meltdown.
Your local school may be closed tomorrow, because teachers will be busy protesting over the budget.
Medicaid is on the chopping block and some Coloradans have a lot to lose, including their independence.
An about-face in the government’s plan for electric vehicles means some EV chargers are getting turned off
Colorado’s governor commits to trade with Canada amid the trade wars.
Colorado has the money to help you buy new appliances for your home, but there’s a delay in getting it out to homeowners.
Thousands of Coloradans have lined up around the block to see their members of Congress.
The Supreme Court will hear a challenge to a Colorado law that bans conversion therapy for young LGBTQ people.
We have good news for homebuyers in Colorado, and advice for dealing with atypical weather.
Denver Restaurant Week kicks off today amid a contentious debate over how restaurant workers in Colorado should get paid.
Denver’s mayor faces accusations he broke federal law in sheltering immigrants. Plus, a decades-long western conservation success story faces a new threat.
Denver is spending thousands of dollars preparing its mayor to appear before a congressional committee today.
Going up and down the Front Range by train may actually be possible soon, 20 years after it was promised.
Weather forecasting is hit by layoffs, and Colorado companies plan for tariffs.
Get the statewide news you need in less than 15 minutes each weekday.
October 14, 2025: AI air pollution from data centers, Flood and fire updates, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Banana Ball
October 14, 202514min 56sec
Hundreds of homes were evacuated as water surged through the streets of Pagosa Springs. Meanwhile, residents in Nederland search for answers after a devastating fire. Then, we head to Denver where residents aren’t happy with a new neighbor—AI. And you’ll hear sound from two Indigenous Peoples’ Day events on the Front Range.
Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members.
Read more on the stories in today’s show:
- CPR’s Tom Hesse and Rachel Estabrook on the floods in Southwest Colorado
- Denverite’s Kiara DeMare on Banana Ball!
- CPR’s Sandy Battulga on Nederland’s fire recovery.
- KRCC’s Andrea Chalfin reporting from the top of Pikes Peak on Indigenous People’s Day. And Denverite Kyle Harris from just a Mile High in City Park.
This episode of Colorado Today is hosted by Mateo Schimpf. It’s edited and produced by Alejandro A. Alonso Galva, Mateo Schimpf, Stephanie Wolf and Tyler Bender. The executive producer is Rachel Estabrook. Theme music by Pedro Lumbraño.