Erin O'Toole
Host & Senior Producer, In the NoCoEmail: erin.otoole@kunc.org
As the host of KUNC’s new program and podcast In the NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and fast-growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation spots. It’s a privilege to find and share the stories and voices that reflect why NoCo is such an extraordinary place to live.
One of the things I love most about public radio is that it embodies and encourages many of the values I hold dear: integrity, civility and curiosity. I’ve been with KUNC since 2009, minus a brief break where I focused exclusively on a Denver-based podcast. I’ve served in a number of roles here: Morning Edition Host, Assistant News Director, and as host and senior producer for Colorado Edition. My work has been recognized by the Associated Press, the Colorado Broadcasters Association, PRNDI, RTNDA, and the Society for Professional Journalists.
I began my career at a country radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio, where I was a traffic reporter, newscaster, sidekick, and finally a morning show host (yes, it’s true that my name was Coyote Kim!). I later relocated to southern California where I served as Morning Edition host and reporter for KVCR in San Bernardino. I was selected as a USC/Annenberg Health Journalism fellow in 2008.
When I'm not at work, you can usually find me hiking with my two dogs, noodling around on my bass, cooking, or enjoying the sunshine and a cold brew on a patio somewhere.
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If you’ve ever wanted to have just one more conversation with a loved one who has died, that possibility is now closer than ever, thanks to generative AI. But would that experience be moving — or unsettling? We hear from a CU researcher who’s exploring the potential of “generative ghosts." -
An insect called the emerald ash borer has been spreading around the Front Range for years. It infects and kills ash trees, and recently spread to Denver. Learn how to prevent the spread of this insect, and protect your ash trees from this tiny green pest. -
How does a community heal from the shock and grief of a mass shooting? Journalist Erika Mahoney explores that question in a deeply personal new podcast series. Erika’s father died in the 2021 mass shooting at a Boulder King Soopers. We’ll hear why she made the podcast, and how she moved forward after the tragedy. -
The question of whether the federal government should sell off some public lands has been debated in Congress in recent weeks. Leaders in Western towns will consider a more focused version of that controversial idea in the months ahead: They’ll look at how places with severe housing shortages – like many mountain towns in Colorado – might buy or lease nearby federal land and use it for housing. -
See-through solar panels that can filter out certain frequencies of light to help grow bigger, tastier crops. Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden have been experimenting with a new kind of solar panel. And they say it could revolutionize farming. -
Fourth of July celebrations usually entail loud, colorful blasts of fireworks. But for veterans and others with PTSD, that can make the day a struggle. Today on In The NoCo, a PTSD specialist with the V-A in Aurora shares advice for people coping with trauma – and for friends and family who want to support them. -
Colorado artist Detour is known for his colorful murals all around Denver. But a recent installation in Concourse B at Denver International Airport is a different type of experience. -
Three moose attacks were reported in three days recently. And with the warm weather more people are venturing out into moose territory. So what are you supposed to do if you spot a moose in your path – or worse yet, get charged by a moose? -
Colorado leaders passed an unusual law in 2024: It placed polling places inside every jail, in every Colorado county, on Election Day. The results were striking: Turnout inside the state’s jails increased by a factor of 10. Today on In The NoCo, we look at the reasons why, and hear why other states may soon follow Colorado’s lead. -
In the late 1800s, silver mining made Leadville a wealthy city. But after the silver market crashed, city leaders faced economic hardship. So they decided to try an unusual idea to draw tourists to Leadville: They built a massive palace made out of ice. We’ll hear the story of the historic Leadville Ice Palace today on In The NoCo.
