Colorado Matters

In natural disasters, people turn to social media to find out about conditions on the ground and to call for help. A Colorado company trains first responders to take advantage of that, aiding in the wake of hurricanes in the southeastern U.S. Then, a Colorado photographer who has vitiligo, which turns her brown skin white. She gets tattoos to track the changes on her body, and takes pictures of other people with the condition. And, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has revolutionized scientists’ understanding of Saturn, and this week it will burn up in the planet’s atmosphere. Also, a 155-year football rivalry in Pueblo.

The U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear what could be a pivotal case from Colorado — a baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. He’s fighting the appeals court order — that he had to either serve same-sex couples or stop making wedding cakes altogether. We’ll preview the arguments. Then, what Colorado’s Teacher Of The Year did on his summer vacation. Plus, how Colorado changed a pioneering artist named Helen Henderson Chain. And, the Colorado symphony’s new music director on his grunge-rock upbringing.

Deadly heroin overdoses are on the rise in Colorado. As far back as the 1980s, dealers from a small town in Mexico saw Denver as a land of opportunity. Also, amid a shortage of construction workers there’s a rush to train recruits. Plus, Denver’s Biennial of the Americas returns this week with some big events during the five-day festival but with a significant cut to smaller arts events held in past years. Then, a witness to 9/11 and her musical portrait of the tragedy.

Refugees face split-second decisions, life-threatening situations and long stints in crowded camps. For a sense of their experience, Colorado Matters toured a mock refugee camp set up in Boulder by international aid group Doctors Without Borders. Then, one local high school coach was fired for forcing a student to do splits, another is accused of moving a student’s car off campus to avoid a drug search. The head of Colorado’s high school athletic association talks about what can be done to avoid problems like that. Plus, a sculptor helps identify unidentified dead people by modeling their skulls to reconstruct what they might have looked like. And, American and Mexican pop culture often appear in the work of artist Tony Ortega, whose work is featured in a new show.

You can’t help but think of wildfires with the eerie haze that’s enveloped much of Colorado — a byproduct of fires burning in the West. Boulder environmental journalist Michael Kodas says we’re experiencing “a deadly epidemic of flame.” His new book is called “Megafire.” Kodas has fought fires himself in the past and one was raging in his own back yard as he wrote the book. Then, Durango may set up a sanctioned camp for the homeless. They’re following the lead of a similar project in New Mexico. And, the latest on the Jurassic surprise in Thornton. Crews were moving dirt for a new police station and found a triceratops.

The Trump administration has announced the end of DACA, the policy that protects immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children, and given Congress six months to figure out what’s next; we speak with Republican Rep. Mike Coffman. Then, it used to be if a Denver student entered a passcode to pay for a school lunch and the account didn’t have any money, they’d get a barebones meal. Why Denver has stopped that. Plus, they’re kind of like book clubs, except they make charitable donations. “Giving circles” have gone virtual. Next, the Pueblo city council is so frustrated with the local power company, Black Hills Energy, that it may end the city’s agreement with the utility. And, history will be made at the Broncos opener, not on the field but in the announcer’s booth.

Pot is legal in Colorado but driving under its influence isn’t. Still, there’s really no fast, reliable and readily available test for marijuana DUI. We’ll hear about researchers trying to crack that nut, and take you into a top DUI training program for law enforcement. Then, if the Trump administration eliminates a program to protects people brought illegally into the country as children, Metropolitan State University of Denver could be hit hard. The school has hundreds of DACA students. And who knew? Bacteria have a sense of touch. If scientists can block it, they may make a lot of headway in fighting disease. Plus, author Erik Storey has a second book out featuring his signature character, Clyde Barr. We spoke to him last year about the first book in the series.

Veering off a trail can put a hiker’s life in jeopardy, and threaten wildlife. So, with more people hiking Colorado’s mountains, trail design is as important as ever. Then, after focusing on improving the lives of women in Colorado, Swanee Hunt went to Rwanda to learn how women there have rebuilt a ravaged society. Also, sheep have been a part of Connie Theos’ life from day one, and now she’s been named “Colorado Woolgrower of the Year.”