Tess Novotny
Producer for Colorado EditionEmail: tess.novotny@kunc.org
Twitter: @tess_novotny
As a producer for Colorado Edition, I pitch segment ideas, pre-interview guests, craft scripts and cut audio. I also write tweets, build web posts and occasionally host.
I focus on bringing rural voices and issues to Colorado Edition. I see a clear bridge between holding small town power accountable and building faith in our media and democratic institutions. I want to cross that bridge, and I want to bring everyone — big city isolates and small-town lifers — along, too.
Before coming to Colorado, I worked at Oregon Public Broadcasting where I was a producer for a live, daily radio talk show called “Think Out Loud.” I also spent a year reporting on crime and courts for The Klamath Falls Herald and News in rural southern Oregon.
I grew up in Portland, Oregon and graduated from the University of Oregon in 2018 with Bachelors of Arts in journalism and political science. I first dipped into radio by hosting a weekly music show as "DJ Nebulon" on my campus station, KWVA.
When I’m not producing, I am discovering local music venues, hiking with friends and reading novels on local brewery patios.
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On recent Sundays, at Transfiguration of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church in northwest Denver, congregants have prayed for their country and loved ones back home. Whether they moved from Ukraine themselves or were born in the United States, they share the same concern over the future of their homeland. -
In Colorado, a growing number of young people are in a dire state of mental health crisis. Dr. K. Ron-Li Liaw, the chief of mental health at Children’s Hospital Colorado, says we are experiencing a state of emergency for pediatric mental health. -
A group of Colorado journalists and community members of color called The Voices Initiative has been working to understand and correct racism in traditional local media. Today, we talking about the findings of initiative so far, and about the racist past of newspapers. -
As we approach two months since the Marshall Fire, community leaders are still working to understand the breadth of destruction from the flames. One of those people is Peter Gibbons, the new disaster recovery manager for the city of Louisville. -
As local public health officials end mask mandates across the state, many school districts are following suit. Districts are also stopping COVID-19 contact-tracing policies. Last week, health officials said that schools could soon treat the virus as a routine disease, like flu or norovirus. -
Since students returned to classrooms in early January, there have been lots of changes to COVID policies in Colorado schools. Some districts have adjusted or dropped their mask requirements as more counties have done so. With changes to rules around COVID testing, quarantines and sick time, it can be challenging for staff to keep up with the latest. -
The process of recovering from the Marshall Fire looks different for each person affected. For those who were insured, working with their provider to file claims and compile detailed inventories of belongings has become part of day-to-day life. But not all insured residents have enough coverage to make up for the costs of losing a home. -
Bronwyn Brewer is a Louisville resident and single mom of three whose home was severely damaged in the Marshall Fire. She joins us to share how recovery is going one month later. -
Back in January, we spoke with Marshall Fire survivor Stephen Boatright. He and his family evacuated from their Superior home during the fire on Dec. 30. We’re checking back in to hear what recovery is looking like a month later. -
In a press conference earlier this week, Gov. Jared Polis shared details on the state and federal response to the Marshall Fire. We spoke with Rossyveth Rey from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for an update on how they are helping Marshall Fire survivors.
