Happy Friday from KUNC News! Here are a few of the most interesting stories from the week of June 23-27:
Greeley Stampede kicks off 12 days of rodeo thrills
One of Colorado’s most beloved rodeos kicked off with a parade of longhorns through downtown Wednesday.
In addition to classic rodeo events, this year’s edition features festivities from mutton bustin' to cowboy church. There's also music, carnival rides, and exhibits daily.
It’s also the 100th anniversary of Rattlesnake Kate's famous snake fight. The Stampede is tipping a hat to Kate with multiple activities planned at Centennial Village.
The Greeley Stampede runs through July 6.
In Boulder, scientists help with a ‘hail’ of a research project
Teams from CU Boulder and the National Center for Atmospheric Research are taking part in a landmark hail study this summer.
They’re among 70 scientists and students from across the country chasing storms to collect data. CU Boulder researchers are flying drones with cameras behind storms to document the hail left behind.
The cleverly titled ICE-CHIP study is funded by the National Science Foundation. It's looking to gain knowledge about hailstorms and how to improve forecasting models. The last major hail study in the U.S was carried out in the 1970s.
In case you were wondering: ICE-CHIP stands for “In-situ Collaborative Experiment for the Collection of Hail In the Plains.”
In Rifle, a peek at nuclear waste plans
Federal officials traveled to Northwest Colorado this week to discuss their search for a site to build a proposed nuclear waste storage facility.
The audience in Rifle on Wednesday included city managers and elected officials from a handful of counties bordering Utah. Marla Morales, who’s leading the Department of Energy’s search, says DOE will formally ask which communities are interested this fall. She said the first volunteer to host it could benefit by also getting a research lab, for example.
Nuclear waste was a hot topic for leaders throughout the region this week: A group of governors from western states approved a resolution Monday saying they should have the final say over where the nation builds new facilities to store it’s growing pile of nuclear waste
Pulling the plug on Brighton’s proposed battery factory
Plans for a massive electric vehicle battery factory are on hold in Brighton.
Amprius Technologies, which had planned to open the factory this year, told shareholders recently it no longer plans to move forward with the project. The company says it finished design work on the site, but its future depends on the impact of trade tariffs and demand for the batteries.
Gov. Jared Polis had touted the company’s plans for Brighton three years ago, saying the factory would bring more than three hundred jobs. The Colorado Sun reports the battery factory is the third major clean energy project in Colorado to face cancellation in recent years.
Celebrating Denver Pride, despite a decline in support from sponsors
Organizers of Denver Pride say they’ve seen their sponsors reduce funding support this year, and some sponsors who backed out entirely.
They say that’s in part due to economic concerns and shifting budget priorities, but also the federal rollback of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility programs.
Denver Pride, which happens Saturday and Sunday, is free to attend and also serves as the largest fundraiser of the year for LGBTQ+ community hub The Center on Colfax. Organizers said despite setbacks, they’re closing in on their fundraising goal.
Colorado lawmakers will post video of committee hearings
Colorado lawmakers are piloting a program to provide a public video feed of statehouse committee hearings.
Jeff Roberts heads the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition. He told the Colorado Capitol News Alliance he thinks it’s something the public will like – and that an audio-only feed can leave listeners wondering exactly which lawmaker is speaking during the hearing.
If legislative leaders want to make committee video feeds permanent, it would cost the state about $70,000 for the next legislative session.
Colorado is the only state in the country that only offers an audio feed, with no video, for legislative committee hearings. The Colorado channel currently provides video and audio of House and Senate floor proceedings
A breakout CSU basketball star is a first-round NBA draft pick
Former Colorado State University basketball standout Nique Clifford was selected in the first round of the NBA Draft Wednesday. Clifford was the 24th pick overall.
Clifford led the Rams to a Mountain West Conference tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament this past spring. Clifford is the second Ram in three years to be drafted in the NBA’s first-round and just the fourth player in program history to be selected in Round 1.
Clifford was initially drafted by the champion Oklahoma City Thunder before being traded to the Sacramento Kings.
A Loveland debate star shines on a national stage
A Loveland high school student has won a national debate trophy.
Caleb Waldron just completed his sophomore year and took first place in one category at the National Speech and Debate Tournament.
The “Big Questions” category asks high school students to answer philosophical questions rather than political or social ones.
Waldron advanced past 160 other debaters across 11 rounds. He told the Loveland Reporter-Herald that he loves the logic behind debate.
What “Big Question” led to Caleb’s victory? “Is creativity a more powerful force than intelligence?”
About The Catch-Up: Each week, KUNC collects and curates some of the more important stories of the week that have aired on our daily newscast. We know how busy life can be, and that it's not always possible to get your news on our airwaves (or from streaming us right here on our website). Fill in the gaps and catch up right here. No one enjoys the feeling of missing out!
