In this week's Colorado Edition, we look at what's inside the oil and gas bill state lawmakers just approved and explore legal uncertainties in the hemp industry. Plus, a Guns & America report on schools arming teachers and staff around the country, and a look behind the scenes at a Colorado theatrical production about the transition from life into death.
State lawmakers this week gave final approval to the contentious Senate Bill 181. The measure gives local governments more control over oil and gas regulations. The changes are welcomed by those concerned that state rules haven’t kept up with the industry's growth, but as Matt Bloom reports, many still feel left out of the conversation.
There are at least 31 states that allow some teachers or staff to carry guns in schools. That figure has grown since the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, but there’s no standard training or national set of policies to help states govern this trend. From Guns & America, Matt Richmond has more.
It’s been just over three months since the federal government legalized industrial hemp with the 2018 farm bill. Investors and entrepreneurs clamoring to get in on the hemp industry may be disheartened to learn many legal barriers still exist around making and selling hemp products. Esther Honig visited the 6th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo in Denver to get the story.
Sometimes the venue of a show is just a backdrop. Other times, it plays a starring role. In Denver's Globeville neighborhood, a new pop-up production is taking its temporary location to heart — by exploring themes of death and mortality in a former slaughterhouse. Stacy Nick takes us there.
The celebrated filmmaker Agnès Varda has died at the age of 90. Her groundbreaking work as filmmaker, photographer and installation artist is known all over the world. She was also a close friend to our critic Howie Movshovitz, who teaches film and television at CU-Denver.
In the headlines:
- Colorado Democrats have dropped an effort to repeal the death penalty after the bill's sponsors couldn't rally enough support in the state Senate.
- Leading up to the 20th anniversary of the school shooting at Columbine High School, current Columbine students have started #MyLastShot, a controversial campaign to raise awareness of gun violence with teens placing a sticker on put on their ID or belongings that says, "In the event I die from gun violence, please publicize the photo of my death."
- NASA is beginning testing on habitation prototypes for their Lunar Outpost project, one of which was designed in Colorado. Sierra Nevada's Space System division in Louisville created LIFE, a Large Inflatable Fabric Environment that inflates in space — the prototype will be sent to Johnson Space Center for testing in a few weeks.
Colorado Edition is made possible with support from our KUNC members. Thank you!
Our intro music is "Remember Me" by Colorado musician Kalatana. The midshow break is "Bling Bong" by Robbie Reverb. Other music this week by Blue Dot Sessions:
- "Lamplist"
- "Silver Lanyard"
- "Stretch of Lonely"
- "Silent Flock"
- "The Poplar Grove"
- "Gatinha Rosa"
This episode was hosted and produced by assistant news director Erin O'Toole and Karlie Huckels. 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.