Today on Colorado Edition: A conversation with Gov. Jared Polis about health care, paid family leave and more. Plus, we explore the Colorado legislature's study on paid family leave. We also check in on KUNC's ski safety accountability investigation and hear from the town of Dillon, which is trying to decide whether or not ice castles are in the town's future.
A Conversation On Health Care With Gov. Polis
This is the first full week of Colorado’s legislative session and, as we heard in the State of the State address last week, Gov. Polis has an ambitious agenda for lawmakers.
KUNC’s state Capitol reporter, Scott Franz, had a chance to chat more in-depth with the governor about his stance on some of the issues that are up for debate, including the death penalty, vaping and paid family leave.
The Ins And Outs Of Paid Family Leave
Previous bills on paid family leave have failed in the statehouse multiple times. Last year, it happened again, but legislators called for a study to be conducted.
Jennifer Brown of the Colorado Sun joined us to talk about what we can learn from that study and how it would affect proposed family leave legislation in the coming session.
KUNC's Ski Lift Investigation Continues
Last February, a 6-year-old girl was injured after she fell to the ground from a ski lift at a Colorado resort, sparking an outcry for better safety from parents. There have been dozens of injuries like that one around the state, as KUNC investigative reporter Michael de Yoanna found last year. Moreover, in most of those cases, the resorts blamed the skiers — even in cases involving children.
After that investigation, safety advocates sat down for talks with the state and the ski industry about the hazards of riding chairlifts, among other issues. Now Michael has learned those talks resulted in nothing, leaving lingering questions from safety advocates. He joined us to explain.
Will Ice Castles Return To Dillon Next Year?
This year, a popular tourist destination is back in Dillon, Colorado: the ice castles. Giant towers, tunnels and structures carved entirely from ice. We spoke with Kerstin Anderson about the future of the attraction. She is the director of marketing, communications and economic development for the town Dillon.
Colorado Edition is made possible with support from our KUNC members. Thank you!
Our theme music was composed by Colorado musicians Briana Harris and Johnny Burroughs. Other music this week by Blue Dot Sessions:
- "Turning" by Lathe
- "Heartland Flyer" by The Balloonist
Colorado Edition is hosted by Erin O'Toole (@ErinOtoole1) and Henry Zimmerman (@HWZimmerman), and produced by Lily Tyson. The web was edited by digital editor Jackie Hai. Managing editor Brian Larson contributed to this episode.
KUNC's Colorado Edition is a daily news magazine taking an in-depth look at the issues and culture of Northern Colorado. It's available on our website, as well as on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can hear the show on KUNC's air, Monday through Thursday at 6:30 p.m.