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KUNC's In The NOCO is a daily look at the stories, news, people and issues important to you. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show explores the big stories of the day, bringing context and insight to issues that matter. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we explore the lighter side of news, highlighting what makes this state such an incredible place to live.
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An unusual production of one of the most popular musicals in history presents the final shows of its run this weekend in Boulder. More than a year ago, the show's director set out to stage the musical Fiddler on the Roof with the rabbi from one of Boulder's Jewish congregations playing the lead role of Tevye. Rabbi Marc Soloway of Congregation Bonai Shalom had trained and worked as an actor, before becoming a rabbi. And had always dreamed of playing Tevye, who wrestles with faith, tradition and persecution. But tragedy struck in the months between the initial planning and opening night. An anti-Semitic attack in Boulder last June saw a gathering of Jewish residents firebombed, leading to multiple injuries and one death. Many of the victims attend Congregation Bonai Shalom. Ultimately, the cast and crew moved forward with the Fiddler performances, and the show opened earlier this month. Rabbi Soloway – and the show’s director, Sarah Nowak – spoke with In The NoCo’s Brad Turner before the final shows this weekend. Those performances sold out within minutes of going on sale. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleExecutive Producer and Editor: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
It was a mystery that haunted Colorado search and rescue groups for almost two decades. In September 2005, a 35-year-old woman named Michelle Vanek went missing while hiking on Mount of the Holy Cross, a challenging fourteener in Eagle County. Vanek had been hiking with a friend, but they split up after Vanek grew tired and decided to take an easier trail down the mountain. She was never seen again, although hundreds of people searched for her in the days after she disappeared. All of that changed a few months ago. An all-women group of rescuers used new technology to revive the search. They used digital maps and drones that conducted searches from the air – and ultimately discovered her remains. Reporter Jason Blevins wrote about the search for the Colorado Sun. He spoke with Erin O'Toole in October about how searchers solved this mystery, and how their work could reshape the way Colorado's search and rescue teams approach similar cold cases. We’re listening back to the conversation today.
An idea borrowed from nature is helping people to rehabilitate some mountain landscapes devastated by wildfire. Crews installed a series of small, wooden dams in the foothills west of Fort Collins to repair wetlands following the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome wildfires. They’re essentially manmade beaver dams, built from logs and lumber to raise the water level and slow the flow of water in places. A team of researchers with the U.S. Forest Service and Colorado State University wanted to know how effective the dams have been at restoring mountain ecosystems. What they found so far is encouraging. Tim Fegel is one of the researchers studying the effects of the dams. He spoke with In The NoCo’s Erin O’Toole about how the areas are healing themselves in ways that wouldn’t happen without the manmade structures. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleExecutive Producer and Editor: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
Denver composer Nathan Hall’s album of percussion music focuses on some unique instruments: They’re hand-carved from stone and date back several millennia. Lithophones are polished, resonant rocks shaped like baguettes. Archaeologists say that Indigenous people used the stones somewhere between 2,000 and 6,000 years ago near what’s now Great Sand Dunes National Park. Nathan wrote a series of pieces to be performed on the stones and recorded the music with a Colorado group called Perc Ens. The resulting album, called Gentle Worship, is out now. Nathan talked with In The NoCo’s Erin O’Toole last October about collaborating with Marilyn Martorano, the Colorado archaeologist who studied the lithophones. The music he wrote combines the ancient stone instruments’ sounds with modern instruments like woodblocks and timpani. We’re listening back to that conversation today. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
Camping is one of the most popular ways to enjoy Colorado’s outdoors and breathtaking scenery.And there’s been a surge in demand for camping over the past several years, according to a recent report from the Center for Western Priorities. That demand makes it harder to try to snag a campsite during the peak summer months, when thousands of people are vying for a limited number of spots.But there’s another option: camping in winter.Patricia Cameron says with a bit of extra preparation – and the right mindset – winter camping can open up a whole new way to enjoy Colorado’s outdoors. Patricia is the founder and executive director of Blackpackers, an organization that specializes in introducing underrepresented and economically vulnerable groups to backpacking and the great outdoors. And she's become an expert on cold-weather camping over the years.“I know it's intimidating,” she told In The NoCo’s Erin O’Toole. “I know it can be kind of scary to think about what that looks like to be cold, but it's easier than people think it is. And you don't learn that until you go out and give it a go.”Patricia joined Erin to talk about what you need to plan your own camping trip this winter, and why she fell in love with camping in the cold.Read Patricia’s guide to winter camping in Colorado. Blackpackers also organizes trips for first-time winter campers and recently began offering classes on outdoor education topics like orientation and navigation.
Nearly every woman will go through menopause in middle age. That can bring on symptoms including sleep disturbances, hot flashes and night sweats, mood changes, and brain fog. Drug companies have worked to ease those symptoms. But for more than two decades, warning labels discouraged women from using some hormone therapy treatments that contained estrogen – even if many doctors thought these products could help people during menopause. That changed in November, when FDA commissioner Dr. Marty Makary announced the agency was doing away with the "black box” warnings from estrogen-related products. Genevieve Hofmann is a women's health nurse practitioner at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, and a certified menopause clinician. In a recent article published at The Conversation, she explored tangible ways that fewer restrictions on hormone therapy could make women's lives better and possibly longer. She says that while not every woman has a hard time with menopause, those who can benefit from estrogen treatment deserve access to it. Genevieve spoke with Erin O’Toole about why she supports the new guidelines – especially at a time when many people are skeptical of the federal government's shifting stances on health policies like childhood immunization and nutrition. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
Could money from sales of skis, snowboards and other sporting goods be used to help protect Colorado communities from increasingly devastating wildfires? It’s an idea proposed by several conservations groups that could go before voters later this year. Colorado law requires that most state tax revenue in Colorado be refunded when the state runs a surplus. But a new proposal calls for the state to keep the surplus money collected from outdoor gear sales, and to use it to fund wildfire prevention and watershed conservation efforts. Supporters say as wildfire seasons in Colorado grow longer and more destructive, it’s crucial to find new money for prevention – especially when federal funding hinges on shifting priorities in Washington. Colorado Sun reporter Jason Blevins recently wrote about the proposal. He spoke with Erin O’Toole about what it would mean for Colorado's forests and open spaces, and how it might show up on the November ballot. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
It was a major story in Colorado: A hiker was found dead on New Year's Day, after a suspected mountain lion attack in Glen Haven, in the foothills west of Loveland. The Larimer County Coroner later confirmed that 46-year-old Kristen Marie Kovatch of Fort Collins had died as a result of the mountain lion attack. State wildlife officials responded by euthanizing two juvenile mountain lions in the area, and found that one had human DNA on its paws. Since the attack, news reports have indicated that other hikers have encountered mountain lions in that area. All this leads to larger questions about how state wildlife officials manage mountain lions through hunting and other methods. For instance, does an attack like this impact the way that they manage these animals? Erin O'Toole talked with Kara Van Hoose, a spokesperson with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, for insights into mountain lion behavior, and the agency’s response to the recent attack. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
Experts at History Colorado have been thinking of different ways to help commemorate Colorado’s 150th birthday this year. One idea they pursued was to track down the earliest known photograph of Colorado. And what they uncovered is striking: It’s a daguerreotype from 1853, taken during an expedition across the West more than 20 years before Colorado became a state in 1876. The image depicts a Cheyenne village with two people facing the camera, near what is now Lamar, Colo. For the curators at History Colorado, the photo also revealed the fascinating story of the photographer – a man named Solomon Nunes Carvalho, who traveled the West with a bulky camera and captured some of the earliest photos of the region. Erin O’Toole spoke last fall with Sam Bock, History Colorado’s director of Interpretations and Publications, to learn more about the search for the oldest photo and what it tells us about Colorado’s early history. We’re listening back to that conversation today as part of a week of special episodes kicking off Colorado’s sesquicentennial year. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
In an era of high-speed gondolas and sprawling ski resorts, it's easy to forget how some of Colorado's smaller mountains shaped ski culture as we know it today. Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs is one of those mountains. It's a fraction of the size of the resorts in Aspen or Vail – or the bigger resort across town. But Howelsen Hill made a huge impact when it opened back in 1915. The hill bears the name of its founder, a champion ski jumper from Norway named Carl Howelsen. Over the years, Howelsen Hill got more people skiing, and eventually served as the training ground for dozens of future Olympians. Candice Bannister is the executive director of the Tread of Pioneers Museum in Steamboat Springs, which has plenty of Howelsen-related artifacts in its collection. She talked with Erin O’Toole about Howelsen’s legacy – and why Howelsen Hill is still an important place today. It’s part of our weeklong look at some of the people and places who shaped Colorado, as the state kicks off its 150th birthday year. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
Colorado's Rocky Mountains have always drawn tourists. But for Black Americans in the 1920s and 30s, segregation and discrimination severely restricted where they could travel and take a vacation. Which is why, in 1922, Lincoln Hills emerged as a mountain resort created by and for African Americans. It sits near Rollinsville, northwest of Denver, and was the largest resort of its kind west of the Mississippi River. It drew visitors from all over the country until the 1960s. And it offered a rare opportunity for Black Americans to feel safe and welcome in the outdoors, during a time when access to such spaces was often limited because of racial discrimination. History Colorado in Denver recently unveiled a newly expanded exhibit called Lincoln Hills: Mountain Sanctuary. It features photographs, displays of recreational clothing, and recently collected oral histories. Erin O’Toole spoke with Acoma Gaither, History Colorado’s assistant curator of Black history, in June to learn more about what made Lincoln Hills so important during an era of segregation. We’re listening back to that conversation today – as we continue to share fascinating stories from Colorado history to mark the state’s 150th birthday year. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
In 1895, Leadville city leaders faced a dilemma. The silver mining industry had made the town quite wealthy. But then the silver market crashed, and the city's fortunes cratered right along with it. Residents were leaving in droves to seek better opportunities. So, city leaders came up with an unusual idea to draw tourists to Leadville, entice people to live there, and give the remaining residents a sense of pride: They decided to build a giant palace of ice. What followed is a remarkable story of innovative engineering that drew visitors from thousands of miles away – at least for a few winter months, until the inevitable spring melt. Windsor-based author Afton Rorvik paints a vivid picture of all of this in her book for kids and adults, The 1896 Leadville Ice Palace. Her research drew from the collections of the Heritage Museum and the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum in Leadville. She spoke with Erin O’Toole recently about why she finds this history fascinating – and why the story of the Ice Palace still resonates today. We’re listening back to that conversation today to mark the start of Colorado’s 150th birthday year. We’ll share more fascinating stories from Colorado history later this week on In The NoCo. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
For centuries, the Arapaho have called Colorado and Wyoming home. The tribe gave names to places like the Kawuneeche Valley, the Never Summer Mountains, and Mount Blue Sky. But the language the Arapaho have spoken for centuries is at risk of disappearing, as fewer members of the tribe have learned the language. A team of language experts at the University of Colorado Boulder is working to change that. They’re compiling an online database that includes recordings of the Arapaho language and can be used as a learning and teaching tool. Andrew Cowell is a linguistics professor at CU, and faculty director of the Center for Native American and Indigenous studies. He helped launch this project more than two decades ago. He joined Erin O’Toole to talk about how he hopes the digital database helps future generations learn and continue to speak the Arapaho language. You can access the Arapaho Language Project here. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
Somewhere in the vast reaches of the universe, there may be an Earth-like planet that could be a second home for humanity. Although that may sound like science fiction, astronomers at the University of Colorado Boulder are part of a new project designed to help find that planet. And their efforts will soon get a major boost, as researchers from CU Boulder, in collaboration with NASA, prepare for a new space telescope to come online. The telescope, called the Habitable Worlds Observatory, is expected to launch in the 2030s. Kevin France is a professor of Astrophysics and Planetary Sciences at CU and was recently appointed to the project. He spoke earlier this year with Erin O’Toole about how this new observatory could help us reimagine our place in the universe. We’re listening back to that conversation today. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
Colorado’s wolf reintroduction program has been contentious from the start. It’s seemingly created a divide between rural ranchers worried about their livestock, and urban Front Range voters who supported reintroduction. But there’s one effort that might help bridge that divide. It’s a specialty Colorado license plate with a drawing of a wolf, and a tagline that says “Born to Be Wild.” The idea for the plate came from an advocacy group called the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project. They wanted to get ahead of the inevitable conflicts between wolves and the ranching community by raising funds to help pay for nonlethal services that prevent wolves from preying on livestock. That includes range riders, who patrol ranchland on horseback to scare away wolves that might attack sheep or cattle. Colorado Sun reporter Tracy Ross says the license plates have raised just over $1 million since they became available in January 2024. She joined Erin O'Toole to talk about how this specialty plate has taken off, even in areas that voted against wolf reintroduction at the ballot box. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
With the holiday season here, we’re right in the middle of a very busy time at Denver International Airport. But the airport isn’t just busy – it's also noisy. And that can be tougher for travelers than you might realize. Research suggests that exposure to noise can trigger stress in a traveler’s brain and body, which doesn’t help people already tense from trying to get through those crowded security lines. Which is why, earlier this year, Denver airport officials launched a campaign to turn down the noise. The goal is to create a calmer and more peaceful airport experience. Jamie Banks is a health and environmental scientist, and the founder and president of Quiet Communities, an organization that works to reduce noise pollution – from restaurant interiors to noisy neighborhoods. She joined Erin O'Toole to talk about how a quieter airport might help tame some of the anxiety of travel. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
Owls are symbols of wisdom, and heroes of literature – from Greek mythology to Harry Potter. But a leading conservation agency says owls are in trouble along Colorado’s Front Range. They’re losing critical habitat as cities and suburban areas expand. The Bird Conservancy of the Rockies recently launched what it calls the Urban Owl Nest Box program. It’s an unusual project that asks Front Range residents to create nesting spaces for eastern screech owls in their backyards. Marion Clément is a senior avian ecologist with the Bird Conservancy. She spoke with Erin O'Toole about why owls are so important to our ecosystem, how to get involved and why the organization says it’s prioritizing these nocturnal birds with the new program. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
It's December in Colorado. Snowflakes are flying. And ski resorts are open in the High Country. If you're like a lot of skiers and snowboarders, you’ve been eagerly anticipating that first trip to the mountains this winter. But you might not have put much energy into staying in shape during the off-season. My guest today specializes in helping people stay in shape for the ski slopes — and avoid, or recover from, injuries. Sherrie Ballantine-Talmadge is a primary care sports medicine doctor with the CU Sports Medicine and Performance Center in Boulder. And she says a little prep work might help prevent some of the injuries she often sees at her clinic. She walked In The NoCo’s Erin O’Toole through some of her best advice – including helpful exercises, proper hydration and how to ease into that first day on the slopes. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
Every December, Santa Claus literally does the impossible – delivering presents all over the world with a team of flying reindeer. So when someone becomes a stand-in for Santa at your local mall, or work party, those are big boots to fill. But as it turns out, being Santa is a teachable skill. Susen Mesco founded Professional Santa Claus School in Denver in 1983. She says more than 5,000 Santas have attended over the years. And that means she has decades of expertise in getting your local Santa acting and looking his best. Susen got started when her event planning business got an offer to train and manage some Santas at local malls. And she saw a lot of room for improvement. "I went around spying on my competitor, and what I actually found was everything not to do,” she said. "So I went to work, writing kind of a manual.” Susen joined Erin O’Toole last December to talk about what makes a great Santa, the extensive training her school offers, and how she trains Santas to answer particularly tough questions from kids. We’re listening back to that conversation today. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
Imagine traveling from Denver to Pueblo in just 20 minutes. And instead of sitting in traffic on Interstate 25, you'd make the journey through a sealed tube moving almost at the speed of sound. That’s the vision behind Hyperloop – an innovative transportation technology that’s being tested right here in Colorado. The Hyperloop works like this: You fill a specialized pod with people, or stuff you want to transport from one place to another. Then you shoot those pods at very high speeds through miles of giant metal tubes. A Switzerland-based company called Swisspod is operating in Pueblo to make this form of travel commercially viable. Last month, they performed a successful trial run that generated a lot of buzz, using a pod the size of a mini car. Reporter Sue McMillin wrote about it for The Colorado Sun. She joined Erin O'Toole to talk about the technology and how this work could reshape the economy in southern Colorado. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks! Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
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