Today on Colorado Edition: we look at the impact of COVID-19 on employment and unemployment in our state.
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment reports anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 new claims are being filed each day amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
And while some businesses are staying open, it’s also increasingly important that those businesses are providing safe workspaces, so essential workers can limit possible exposure to the coronavirus.
Conditions were called into question at a food processing plant here in Greeley earlier this week, as hundreds of workers at the JBS plant called off work after other employees reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. KUNC’s Luke Runyon has been reporting on the meatpacking industry and worker protections for KUNC, and he joined us to explain what happened.
Local journalism has never been more important as communities are anxious for real information about coronavirus, including how many cases are in a particular county, or how people can get tested.
At the same time, local newspapers across the country are losing advertising revenue as businesses shut down. That’s creating a dilemma – how do you cover the news when you have no money? As part of the public media initiative America Amplified, Mountain West News Bureau’s Nate Hegyi takes us to one small town where this is playing out.
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 in the show by Blue Dot Sessions:
- “That River Wide” by Sketchbook
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.