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KUNC's Colorado Edition: Buddy Now We've Been Shut Down

Denver International Airport
Scott Franz
/
Capitol Coverage
Security lines were moving smoothly through Denver International Airport on Monday. That wasn't the case in some other airports across the country due to staffing shortages during the partial government shutdown.

On this week's Colorado Edition, we hear from people in Colorado impacted by the partial federal government shutdown. Other stories this week include a look at the role of so-called dark money in 2018's midterm elections and some tips on how to put down our phones and detach from social media.

The partial shutdown of the federal government began Dec. 22. It's now the longest shutdown ever, and it's affecting the lives of hundreds of thousands of people who have been told to stay home, or who are working without pay.

Colorado is far from Washington, D.C., but the impacts of the shutdown are hitting the state's workforce as well. Matt Bloom brings us stories from furloughed federal employees and contractors in northern Colorado.

The already stressful world of air travel is also feeling the pinch from the shutdown. Scott Franz speaks with Josh Waggener, president of Denver's National Air Traffic Controllers Association, to learn why air safety at Denver International Airport may be compromised if the shutdown continues.

Control of the U.S. House of Representatives came down to a small number of races in last year's elections. And in those contests, campaign funding from special interests set a new record, including one race in Colorado. Leigh Paterson and Michael de Yoanna talk about the impact of super PACS and dark money groups on elections.

Thousands are expected to fill the streets of Denver for the 2019 Womxn's March on Saturday. It's the third year for the worldwide event; the first was mostly a response to the election of President Donald Trump. Since then, it's grown from a one-day march into more of a movement. Kyra Buckley speaks with organizer Angela Astle about what's different this year, starting with the march's name.

Do you struggle with your phone habits and addiction to social media? Life coach Elsie Storm shares her tips for a digital detox, which include:

  • No phone in the bedroom, at the table during meals, or for the first and last hours of the day
  • Set your phone on silent while working to eliminate distractions
  • Turn off all app notifications besides texts and calls
  • Know which app is the most addictive and spend no more than 30 minutes a day on it
  • Keep a schedule for checking social media and create posts in batches, not in real time

The International Film Series at the University of Colorado campus in Boulder has been running since before most of us can remember. For KUNC film critic Howie Movshovitz, it celebrates the entirety of the world of the movies.

In the headlines:

  • Gov. Jared Polis outlined his plans for the state budget, including $227 million for full-day kindergarten. He also proposed funding for five new oil and gas inspectors, and to allow the state to import prescription drugs from Canada.

Colorado Edition is made possible with support from our KUNC members . Thank you!

Our intro music is "Remember Me" by Colorado musician Kalatana. Other music this week by Blue Dot Sessions:

  • "Lamplist"
  • "Palms Down"
  • "Dash and Slope"
  • "The Cornice"
  • "One Little Triumph"
  • "Partly Sage"

This episode was hosted and produced by assistant news director Erin O'Toole and Stephanie Daniel. Digital editor Jackie Hai handled the web. News director Catherine Welch and managing editor Brian Larson contributed to this episode.

KUNC's Colorado Edition is a weekly look at the top stories from our newsroom. It's available every Friday on our website, as well as on iTunes , Google Play , Stitcher or wherever (RSS) you get your podcasts. You can hear it on the air every Sunday at 9 p.m. on KUNC.