Kunc's Colorado Edition

Ask a teacher about the hardest part of their job, and you might expect them to cite long hours or low pay.  But there’s another, less visible challenge that educators face: exposure to student trauma. Students may confide in a teacher about not having enough to eat at home, or an abusive family member.  And exposure to those problems takes a serious toll on teachers.  According to a new study out of the University of Northern Colorado, about 9 in 10 teachers and other classroom educators deal with what’s called secondary traumatic stress from helping students with their problems, or simply hearing about them.  And of those teachers, 42 percent had secondary traumatic stress that was considered severe.  Breanna King, a graduate student in UNC’s School Psychology program, designed and led the study. She spoke with Erin O’Toole about how high levels of secondary traumatic stress may contribute to teachers leaving the field – and she shared ideas about how to help teachers cope. * * * * *Sign up for the In The N

In 2025, many of us are on social media – and lots of us are hunting for a new job.  If that sounds like your situation, a University of Colorado researcher says be thoughtful about what you post online. Because what you do on Facebook or Threads or BlueSky can change your odds of landing that new gig. Jason Thatcher has been studying how hiring managers use social media to make decisions about candidates. And he found 60 percent of hiring managers decide who to interview or who to hire, in part, by checking out applicants’ social media accounts.  So how do your Facebook posts about politics affect your chances of landing your dream job? And is there anything you can do to make your social media accounts more appealing to a hiring manager? Thatcher recently spoke with Brad Turner about what he’s observed. We’re listening back to that conversation today. You can also check out his previous In The NoCo interview on how to keep “technostress” from driving you crazy at work.  * * * * * Sign up for the In The NoC

Researcher Caitlin Clark has a job a lot of people would envy. Clark is a food scientist who oversees a new laboratory devoted to the study of chocolate – how it’s made, what makes it taste so good, and how to make new and better varieties of it. She and her team, based at the Colorado State University Food Innovation Center in Denver, work to dream up new confections that hopefully will end up on grocery store shelves or, maybe, in your box of Valentine’s Day chocolates.  Clark talked with Erin O’Toole about her work in the new laboratory, and how her expertise in fermentation helped pave the way for her to become a chocolate researcher. Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot Sessi

In February of 1942, not long after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the U.S. military removed thousands of Americans of Japanese descent from their homes. Most of them were full citizens who had been born and raised in the United States.   Families had just a few days to get their affairs in order before reporting to relocation centers, mostly in Western states. Roosevelt’s order affected about 120,000 Japanese Americans, including 17,000 children.  Writer and poet Brandon Shimoda, who is fourth-generation Japanese American, says the impact of incarceration didn’t end with the war.   Shimoda, who lives in Colorado Springs and teaches at Colorado College, is a descendant of several family members who were incarcerated in internment camps. He says his family’s stories helped inspire his newest book, The Afterlife Is Letting Go.  He spoke with Erin O’Toole about the legacy of Japanese American incarceration, and why the impacts still resonate today. Brandon Shimoda will be part of a discussion on untold histories,

In the late 1960s, a new movement of Black music grew out of the end of the civil rights era. Black artists declared their “Black power” and rocked the airwaves with the sound of funk.    Funk music was more than just a genre with excellent grooves. It had deeper social and political meaning. Funk began as a reaction to tumultuous times and would ultimately lay the foundation for the hip0hop and R&B we listen to today. This is the argument in the new book by Reiland Rabaka, called The Funk Movement: Music, Culture, and Politics.  Rabaka is a professor of African, African American, and Caribbean studies at the University of Colorado Boulder. He is also the founder and director of the Center for African American Studies at CU, and hosts a podcast called The Cause. He joined Erin O'Toole to talk about the importance of funk, and why it deserves respect for its singular impact on music and culture.     * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us:

If you grew up in the 80s, you might remember a famous anti-drug public service announcement from TV. There was a frying pan, a sizzling egg and an ominous warning:  “This is your brain on drugs.” Josh Gowin, a researcher with the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, remembers that ad quite well. Anti-drug PSA's like that one inspired him to study the effects of marijuana use on the brain and find out if that fried egg analogy is accurate.  Gowin, a neuroscientist, looked at more than 1,000 scans of people’s brains. And he saw something notable in the brains of frequent cannabis users: a reduction in their working memory, which is the brain function that helps people keep track of what they’re doing.  Gowin recently published his research. He joined Erin O’Toole to explain what his findings mean for cannabis users – and what kinds of tasks might suffer if someone’s working memory deteriorates. Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUN

A vaccine against weight gain could be on the horizon, according to new research from the University of Colorado Boulder.  The research shows that a particular strain of bacteria known as M. vaccae could help prevent obesity by reducing inflammation.  Chris Lowry is a professor of integrative physiology at CU and led the research. His study found that he could prevent mice from becoming overweight even when they were raised on the equivalent of an all-McDonald’s diet. When his team injected mice with M. vaccae, the junk food mice gained no more weight than mice with healthy diets.   Lowry spoke with Erin O’Toole about this research, and why he thinks it’s a promising solution for weight gain. Correction: An earlier version of this episode gave the incorrect last name for Chris Lowry’s colleague who helped with the research. The colleague’s name is Luke Desmond.* * * * * Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.org Like what you're hearing? He

Travelers making their way through Denver International Airport can experience a colorful, distinctive new art exhibit.  The project, called “It’s Not What You Take, It’s What You Bring Back,” was created from 183 pieces of used luggage, suspended over a walkway in Concourse B. They’re painted in the vibrant colors of the Colorado sky – turquoise, baby blue, ruby red – and they form a shape resembling the infinity symbol.  That painted baggage is part of a new installation by Colorado artist Thomas Evans, better known as Detour. He’s well known around Denver for his colorful murals of local sports legends like Denver Nuggets Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic.  Detour talked with Erin O’Toole about what inspired his new art at DIA – and some of the stories behind the luggage. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Ho

For many people, being stopped by police can produce a wave of anxiety. But that sense of stress and uncertainty is even worse for people with conditions like autism spectrum disorder, hearing loss, Tourette’s syndrome, or dementia.  Boulder’s Police Department recently rolled out a new initiative called the Blue Envelope Program to help people with disabilities communicate when they encounter an officer.  It allows a person to get an official blue envelope and fill it out with information that an officer might need to know to communicate with them. Then if they’re stopped by Boulder Police, they hand over the envelope. The program is used by agencies in a handful of states, but Boulder’s Blue Envelope Program is the first in Colorado. Alistair McNiven, Chief of Staff for Boulder Police, helped launch the program in January. He spoke with Erin O’Toole about why he thinks the envelopes may be a transformative tool for law enforcement. McNiven said people can email BlueEnvelope@bouldercolorado.gov to request an

If you visit the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge northwest of Denver, you see different types of wildlife, miles of hiking and biking trails and acres of rolling prairie.  But you don’t see any trace of the astonishing history of what happened there during the Cold War: Rocky Flats was the site of a plant that made plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons until it was shuttered in the early 1990s.  Officials removed later removed the buildings used in processing plutonium and cleaned up the area. And after a series of sometimes contentious public hearings, the wildlife refuge opened to the public in 2018. Filmmaker Jeff Gipe explores that history in a new documentary, Half-Life of Memory: America’s Forgotten Atomic Bomb Factory. Gipe grew up in nearby Arvada. His father worked at the plant in the 1980s.  Gipe says he made the film to remind people of the hazards buried beneath the wide-open spaces of the wildlife refuge, and to share the voices of workers whose lives were affected by the dangerous material

You likely haven’t heard the word ‘bipartisanship’ used much lately when it comes to news out of Washington. Republicans control the presidency and both chambers of Congress – and they’re making big policy moves. But Democratic Congressman Jason Crow still sees value in members of the two parties working together. Crow represents Colorado’s 6th District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which includes Aurora and parts of the Denver metro area.  He has served for six years on the For Country Caucus – a group of Republican and Democratic military veterans in the House – and recently wrapped up a two-year term as the group’s co-chair.Rep. Crow spoke with Erin O’Toole to share what he sees happening in Washington – and why he thinks the veterans caucus is an important group in Congress, particularly in this moment.   Looking for more In The NoCo interviews with Colorado lawmakers? We recently spoke with Rep. Brittany Pettersen about her effort to change strict in-person voting rules for new parents in Congres

Manipulating the clouds to make it rain or snow sounds like the stuff of science fiction. But the technology behind cloud seeding is nothing new: It dates back to the 1940s. That science got a new look recently when lawmakers ordered the Government Accountability Office to re-examine the possibilities of cloud seeding as water becomes a more precious resource in the U.S. The newly published report calls cloud seeding promising, but also says more research is needed. That got Alex Hager – KUNC's in-house water reporter -- thinking about how cloud seeding might affect what’s probably the biggest water story in the nation: the drought-stricken Colorado River. Alex wrote about it recently, and joined In The NoCo’s Erin O’Toole to talk about what he learned.  For more on the Colorado River, check out KUNC’s award-winning podcast Thirst Gap. Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo b

JBS is one of the largest meat producers in the world. The company – which is headquartered in Greeley – reportedly earned $76 billion last year.   And the company relies on immigrant labor to keep their meatpacking plants, like the one in Greeley, operating.   A new story from the Food and Environment Reporting Network and the investigative journalism show Reveal offers a look at the community of immigrant workers at the Greeley plant. Many of them are Haitian, and many of them are here legally under what’s called TPS, or temporary protected status. Now, their future is uncertain as President Trump’s administration plans to take a harder line on immigration issues.   Investigative journalist Ted Genoways reported the new audio documentary for Reveal. He spoke with Erin O’Toole to share insights about the lives of JBS workers in Greeley, and the grueling work of slaughtering hundreds of cattle per hour on what Ted calls the “disassembly line.” The Reveal episode hits podcast feeds this Saturday, and airs Sund

The recent news stories about wildfires in California seem all too familiar to Coloradans. We see homes destroyed by wildfires here every year.  But we’ve also been hearing reports of a second, slower-moving disaster in news reports out of California: insurance companies pulling out of high-risk areas, leaving thousands of homeowners with no ability to get coverage.  That kind of crisis is something Colorado lawmakers are working to avoid here. Democrat Kyle Brown represents House District 12, which includes Louisville and Superior, in the state house. He knows about natural disasters firsthand, since that area saw hundreds of homes destroyed by the Marshall Fire three years ago. Brown and other legislators are working on ways to limit these insurance problems in Colorado – even as natural disasters become more common and severe. He joined host Erin O’Toole to discuss some of the bills he’s introducing at the state Capitol.  * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? S

Clinicians who treat patients with eating disorders have endured a perfect storm of challenges in recent years.  Specialists say the pandemic, and the years that followed, saw more people developing eating disorders and often taking longer to seek help. On top of that, treatment for these conditions is expensive. At the same time, lawmakers have heard terrible stories of patients being mistreated at clinics in Colorado.  Jennifer Brown has been covering this issue for the Colorado Sun. She remembers hearing from parents who tried to help their kids by finding a clinic where they could get help. "It was just heartbreaking to hear from these moms saying that they thought they were doing the best they could for their kid, and, come to find out, their kid was feeling abused,” she said.  So how does Colorado – a national hub for this kind of treatment – address these issues?  Erin O’Toole spoke with Brown about the severity of these problems and how new measures might offer patients better care in Colorado. Sign u

Parents worry about getting parenting right: limiting screen time, teaching responsibility, helping with homework.  It’s a lot of pressure. Author Deborah Winking is an elementary school educator in Fort Collins. And she found her fears about raising a well-rounded child magnified after one of her children, Jack, was diagnosed with Sotos syndrome,  a rare neurological disorder. Doctors weren’t optimistic that Jack would be able to live a full life.  But Deborah figured out how to support her son through childhood and school. Along the way she developed some guidelines for what it means to be a supportive parent.  Her newest book, Raising Capable Kids, distills years of her research and experience into a set of 12 habits for parents. She wrote it with families of neurodivergent kids in mind, but says she hopes her book is useful to any parent or teacher who wants their kids to grow into strong, curious and independent human beings.  Deborah spoke with host Erin O’Toole about some of the advice she offers to pa

A new vending machine opened for business recently in Boulder.  Instead of snacks or soda, customers who visit the machine can grab safe containers for needles ... fentanyl testing strips... or condoms. And all the items are free. Health officials call it a "harm reduction vending machine." It’s funded by restitution money from lawsuits against manufacturers of prescription opioids. Supporters hope it reduces the spread of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, and helps prevent overdoses. Amanda Wroblewski with Boulder Community Health works with people who deal with opioid addiction and chronic pain. She helped set up the machine, which is the first of its kind in the Boulder area. Amanda spoke with host Erin O’Toole about the vending machine, which opened to the public in November.* * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast

Members of Congress are required to show up in person to vote on any measures. That creates challenges for representatives who are in the final weeks of pregnancy, or who just gave birth.  U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Democrat from Lakewood, understands these rules from experience. And she says they’re unfair. She’s due to give birth to her second child in a few days – which means she’s under travel restrictions, and unable to be in Washington to cast votes.  But Pettersen -- and several other representatives -- have proposed a solution. Pettersen wants the House of Representatives to pass a resolution that would allow new or expectant parents to vote by proxy when they can’t be in Washington. That means they’d appoint another person to vote in their place.  But there’s been some pushback to the plan – including from House Speaker Mike Johnson, who says the proposal is unconstitutional. Pettersen talked to host Erin O’Toole from her home in Lakewood about being an expectant mother in Congress – and the det

As President Donald Trump begins his second term, one of his promises to supporters has been to carry out what he calls the largest deportation in U.S. history. This has a number of Colorado communities on edge, especially in places where immigrants without legal status make up a large part of the population.  It has also prompted education leaders across Colorado to prepare for how their students might be affected by immigration enforcement. The effort took on new urgency this week, after the Trump administration cleared the way for immigration arrests at schools and other sensitive locations, like churches.  Steve Joel was the superintendent of schools in Grand Island, Nebraska, when immigration officers raided a meat packing plant there in 2006, detaining about 250 workers without legal status.  Those arrests in Grand Island rattled the community. And the experience taught the now-retired administrator many lessons, which he recently shared with education leaders at a conference of the Colorado Association

Old firehoses. Used forklifts. Two-thousand sheets of acrylic plastic. These are the kinds of things you can find at repurposedMATERIALS in Lafayette. The company acquires discarded industrial materials and products and resells them instead of sending them to a landfill.  Damon Carson founded the business in 2011 after running two trash companies. The repurposedMATERIALS location in Lafeyette is one of six locations across the country where he stores his unusual inventory and then ships it off once he finds the right buyer.  Damon Carson talked with In the NoCo’s Brad Turner about how he built the company. Check out a recent profile of the business in The Denver Post. Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: NOCO@KUNC.orgLike what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAddi