Colorado News

Today on a special episode of Colorado Edition all about food: We’ll get the lowdown on high altitude baking and we’ll get tips for preparing a feast in the forest. We’ll also squeeze in some history and learn all about two different fruits, and we’ll hear about an uncommon, but still well-loved, hot beverage.

It's Thanksgiving, and that means the pandemic holiday season — a holiday season like no other — is officially underway. Those in need of some help coming to terms with this year’s scaled-back festivities can take a page from the Jewish community’s experience putting together virtual Passover seders last spring.

A COVID-19 vaccine could be distributed to Americans by mid-December, according to national health officials. But most Coloradans likely won't get a vaccine until next year. KUNC's Colorado Edition spoke with Jasjit Gill, a clinical pharmacist specialist and the co-chair of the vaccine subcommittee for UCHealth, to better understand what vaccine distribution could look like.

Today on Colorado Edition: We’ll take a look at how vaccines are typically distributed to better understand how the COVID-19 vaccine could be administered. We’ll also learn about the challenges facing Colorado’s contact tracing app, and we’ll hear about a group of business owners in Loveland who are refusing to follow COVID-19 restrictions.

Amid America’s racial reckoning spurred by the killing of George Floyd, a number of controversial historical monuments were torn down by protesters or removed by authorities this year, including some in the Mountain West.

As coronavirus cases across Colorado rose dramatically in recent weeks, so did deaths in nursing homes. Of the 624 confirmed fatalities in nursing homes since the pandemic first hit the state in March, about a fifth were in facilities that have active outbreaks, according to state data analyzed by KUNC.

Gov. Jared Polis declared November Colorado Apprenticeship Month in recognition of the role these programs play in helping people gain in-demand skills while earning a paycheck. Apprenticeships are even more important now as the economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic. This includes a new community college program and the industry it’s branching into.

Today on Colorado Edition: we’ll learn about COVID-19 outbreaks at nursing homes around the state. Plus, we’ll hear about apprenticeship programs, and get ideas for how to safely celebrate Thanksgiving this year.

In some ways, Logan County has been Colorado’s canary in the COVID-19 coal mine. It was home to one of the earliest, large-scale outbreaks. Then, months later, it was the first to move back on the state’s public health restriction “dial.” Now, it's one of 15 counties that have moved to the state’s new stricter, but pre-lockdown level. Area residents say living in a hotspot can be scary, stressful and divisive.

Today on Colorado Edition: We’ll learn more about the friction between city-level and county-level public health measures by taking a look at how the city of Greeley is managing the pandemic. Plus, we’ll hear about what it’s like living in Logan County, a COVID-19 hot spot. We’ll also get a preview of the state legislature’s special session, which starts Nov. 30, and we’ll get some ideas for making this Thanksgiving special.

Climate change and overuse are causing one of the Colorado River’s biggest reservoirs, Lake Powell, to drop. While water managers worry about scarcity issues, two Utah river rafters are documenting the changes that come as the massive reservoir hits historic low points.

A Note From Neil