This segment takes a look at one fun story (the Pikes Peak Derby Dames) and several stories that weren’t fun to report on: obituaries for U.S. soldiers. [LISTEN] [TRANSCRIPT]
As Western Skies’ inaugural year draws to a close, we take a look at some memorable stories from the past twelve months. This segment reviews stories about energy development and renewable energy. [LISTEN] [TRANSCRIPT]
Eric Whitney talks with Paul Larmer, Executive Director of High Country News about new agricultural trends in the west. [LISTEN] [TRANSCRIPT]
If you pay any attention to the media, it’s been kind of hard to ignore the assertion from a certain segment of the political spectrum that there is a “war” on Christmas. But one local media player isn’t buying it. Noel Black edits the monthly humor and opinion publication The Toilet Paper, and has these thoughts on Christian persecution. [LISTEN] [TRANSCRIPT]
Back in August, Western Skies reported on the installation artists Christo and Jeanne Claude’s plans to turn several segments of the Arkansas River into an artwork by draping industrial fabric over it. The Bureau of Land Management has scheduled several public meetings for January, and both supporters and opponents of the project are getting ready. Stephen Raher talked to one local activist and has this report. [LISTEN] [TRANSCRIPT]
A left-leaning Colorado think tank recently released a report on the state’s charter schools, saying that they’re becoming more diverse, but still lag behind most other states in the percentage of students of color. Sam Fuqua of KGNU in Boulder recently interviewed Andrew Rotherham, a senior fellow at the think tank, who is also co-director of Education Sector, a non-partisan research institute. [LISTEN] [TRANSCRIPT]
Brian Larson has an update on the debate in Greeley over the possibility of a new federal immigration office. Victor Locke reports on the impact a new California law may or may not have on a coal-fired power plant being proposed in New Mexico. Eric Whitney has the story of the federal government’s efforts to encourage wind power. And Stephen Raher looks into the controversy brewing in Oklahoma over whether that state should adopt a taxpayers’ bill of rights. [LISTEN] [TRANSCRIPT]
The Colorado Freethinkers are a social group that speak out and act to preserve the separation of church and state. Molly Adams finds them at a party, where they talk about what Christmas looks like to them, and why they’ve chosen the spiritual path they have. [LISTEN] [TRANSCRIPT]
Of course not everyone in southern Colorado celebrates Christmas. We’ve got a couple of stories now about people for whom the whole winter holiday frenzy is largely a spectator sport. We start with this piece from Victoria Rios, who tuned in to what Christmas looks like from the local Muslim perspective. [LISTEN] [TRANSCRIPT]
Next, we visit the oldest Catholic parish in Colorado, Our Lady of Guadelupe in the San Luis Valley. It was established in 1858 and is still a vital part of the largely Hispanic community. Shanna Lewis visited the parish recently for its annual Our Lady Of Guadelupe Festival and brought back this audio portrait. [LISTEN] [TRANSCRIPT]
