Today on Colorado Edition: We’ll look at what the historic drop in oil prices means for the industry in our state. Plus, Colorado’s schools will be closed for the rest of the year. We also look at what a rural hospital can tell us about COVID-19. Finally, in celebration of Earth Day, we’ll look at the impact of COVID-19 on CO2 emissions, and learn about a frog’s unexpected recovery.
What The Drop in Oil Prices Means for Colorado
U.S. oil prices are recovering after Monday’s historic crash. After briefly dipping into negative territory, a barrel of oil now costs about the same as a large Starbucks latte — which means drilling in Colorado is nowhere near profitable.
That also means operators in Weld County are bracing for a tough year ahead. KUNC’s Matt Bloom covers the industry and joined us to break down what’s going on.
Colorado Schools Close For Rest Of School Year
What has the closure of schools, and the transition to remote learning, meant for school districts around our state? Erica Meltzer, bureau chief of Chalkbeat Colorado, joined us with the latest in education.
A Warning for Rural Hospitals
What can we learn about COVID-19 from a rural town in Montana? Nate Hegyi reports on one community in the region that could be a canary in a coal mine for the rural west.
A Frog Makes A Come-Back Only To Face New Threats
It looked like Columbia spotted frogs might go extinct in the mountains above Salt Lake City three decades ago because of a dam. InsideClimate News Reporter Judy Fahys went looking for spotted frogs not too long ago and found they’ve survived -- only to face new manmade hazards and an uncertain future.
CO2 Emissions and COVID-19
The way we celebrate Earth Day this year will probably look different because of the coronavirus and the state’s stay-at-home order. Which made us wonder: How is COVID-19 impacting the environment?
Kris Karnauskas, associate professor in the Dept. of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science and the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at The University of Colorado Boulder, joined us to talk about the impacts that COVID-19 has had on our climate.
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.
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 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., with a rebroadcast of the previous evening's show Tuesday through Friday at 9:30 a.m.