Colorado Matters

Colorado Public Radio
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Apr 3, 2026 • 49min

April 3, 2026: Mesa County DA on Peters' ruling; Measles preparedness; Legacy of women ranchers

He prosecuted former clerk Tina Peters. We'll get perspective from Mesa County District Attorney Dan Rubenstein on the resentencing the Colorado Court of Appeals just ordered. Then, measles lingers in the air for hours. It's why vaccination rates must be really high for herd immunity. They no longer are. Plus, the voices of women who ranch on the Western Slope will be preserved at The Library of Congress. 
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Apr 2, 2026 • 49min

April 2, 2026: Decision in Tina Peters appeal; RiNo arts district future; Library connects book lovers and nature

The Colorado Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters but ruled she was improperly sentenced and has ordered a new sentencing hearing. Then, Denverite asks if artists will still have a place in the RiNo arts district as it's restructured amid growing popularity. Also, a new library project in Adams County connects book lovers with nature. And, with Artemis II rocketing towards the moon, we revisit a conversation with the first Native American to fly into space who grew up in Colorado. 
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Apr 1, 2026 • 49min

April 1, 2026: Former lawmaker on conversion therapy free speech ruling; A bittersweet farewell to Karla Walker

The Supreme Court calls Colorado’s conversion therapy ban an “egregious assault” on the First Amendment. We get reaction from the former state lawmaker who sponsored the ban. Plus, AAA on gas prices amid the war in Iran and seasonal fuel changes. Then, a bittersweet farewell to CPR Classical's Karla Walker. Also, Colorado Wonders about the iconic Colorado Trail. And we revisit one of the most peculiar places to watch a movie: The Movie Manor in Monte Vista re-opens for the season Friday.
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Mar 30, 2026 • 49min

March 30, 2026: State Medicaid program faces the budget cutting axe; 'Local 303' celebrates Women's History Month

State lawmakers must cut $1.5 billion to balance the budget. That may come at the expense of  Colorado's Medicaid program. Purplish gets into the complexities. Then, the Democrats' primary ballot is coming into focus after their state assembly. And, for Women's History Month, our colleagues at Indie 102.3 share some sensational musicians in the "Local 303."
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Mar 27, 2026 • 49min

March 27, 2026: Cooldown makes way for more dry heat; the Dems vying for AG; 'Appalachia' in the San Juans

Today's cooldown will be short-lived, ushering in more dry, unseasonably warm weather. We get the impact and the outlook in our regular conversation about weather and climate with Denver7 chief meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo. Then, ahead of the state assembly, the four Democrats who want to be attorney general. And Western Slope singer/songwriter Emily Scott Robinson's new album, "Appalachia." 
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Mar 26, 2026 • 49min

March 26, 2026: Marking Women's History Month with remarkable Colorado women

March is Women's History Month, a time to celebrate the accomplishments of women. And what better way to do so, than with a conversation with three remarkable women who've been inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame. Velveta Golightly Howell, Jill Tietjen, and Dusti Gurule have shaped our state through activism, community building, and fierce advocacy. Then, when Monica Márquez was sworn-in as the new Chief Justice on the Colorado Supreme Court in 2024, she made history as the first Latina to take on that role. And we also sit down with former state lawmaker and First Lady of Denver, Wilma Webb, who has worked in public service for most of her life. 
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Mar 25, 2026 • 49min

March 25, 2026: How magic mushrooms are made; Courts rule on vaccine guidance; restricting gambling

A healing experience with psychedelic mushrooms changed a Colorado woman's life and career. We speak with Rhonda DeSantis, the CEO and founder of Psylutions, one of the first companies to grow and manufacture mushrooms for psilocybin-assisted therapy. Plus, should there be regulations to control noise? Then, the courts push back on the Trump administration's vaccination agenda, but doctors in Colorado say the confusion's already taken hold. Plus, some state lawmakers want to restrict some types of gambling; we look at the debate and the realities of gambling addiction. Also, Colorado Wonders about a long-neglected park. 
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Mar 24, 2026 • 1h 28min

March 24, 2026: The state of women in the workplace: from leadership to pay inequity, working to break barriers

For Women’s History Month, the state of women in the workforce in Colorado. Even as the state ranks relatively strong for female entrepreneurship, new data shows persistent pay gaps, workforce losses and barriers for growth. We talk with Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce CEO, Simone Ross, about what’s driving the trends and what the chamber says employers must do now to help retain and advance women in the workplace. Then, Louise Myrland with the Women's Foundation of Colorado discusses a statewide report on pay inequity that shows women in Colorado earn 81 cents for every dollar earned by men. And we revisit how to be a "changemaker" with CEO and Denver author Danaya Wilson. 
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Mar 23, 2026 • 49min

March 23, 2026: Colorado's prisons are nearly full but is more space the solution?; 'Prison Journalism Project'

Colorado's prisons are close to capacity. That's been the case for some time now. It raises a host of concerns, not the least of which, is safety. But is the solution to build more prisons? We look into state lawmakers' debate with Purplish. Then, the Pueblo Star Journal's "Prison Journalism Project" marks five years as it trains and publishes writers who are incarcerated. 
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Mar 20, 2026 • 50min

March 20, 2026: Choir taps music memory in the face of dementia; Spring allergies in full bloom

Second Verse is a new choir for people with dementia. The choir's also for caregivers. We listen in on a rehearsal for Aging Matters as music taps into long-term memory. Then, the state Republican party is in disarray ahead of the state assembly. Also, Denver renames its park and city holiday that had honored César Chávez. Plus, options for relief with allergies getting an early start on this first official day of spring. And we re-share our conversation with professor Carol Anderson, author of "One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression is Destroying Our Democracy" as Congress debates the SAVE America Act. 

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