Colorado Matters

Stubborn heat will be with us for a while. Today, our regular chat about weather and climate with Denver7's Mike Nelson and why the Front Range is so prone to heat and smog. Then, a prominent Black political organizer on how women are rallying around Kamala Harris. Plus, a player talks about rebuilding Team USA's 3X3 Men's Basketball just in time for the Olympics. Also, why some books and authors are more likely to be banned. And Marble welcomes rock sculptors.

Bianka Emerson says President Joe Biden's decision to not seek a second term and endorsing vice president Kamala Harris to replace him, has energized a moribund Democratic campaign. Emerson, president of Colorado Black Women for Political Action, participated in a recent conference call that featured more than 40,000 women and raised more than $1 million. Emerson spoke of the challenges Harris -- and Black women as a whole -- are facing in the upcoming election.

In our regular climate and weather chat, Denver7 Chief Meteorologist Mike Nelson explains why the Front Range especially is prone to heat and smog. Plus, important lessons about storm spotting from the blockbuster, "Twisters."

In Colorado and across the nation, emergency departments at pediatric hospitals are overflowing with kids who need intensive mental health treatment. We talk with Children's Hospital Colorado's Mental Health in Chief, Dr. Ron-Li Liaw. Then, perspectives on living with Alzheimer's with Rebecca Chopp. Plus, a program to find homes for wild mustangs. The growing popularity of flag football. And centenarian Nancy Tipton of Centennial!

Nancy Tipton says all her life, she's been blessed. The 101-year-old great-grandmother lives at Holly Creek in Centennial. As a young woman, she worked as a codebreaker and at the Pentagon, before moving to Colorado where she worked as a columnist for the Denver Post.

In Colorado and across the nation, emergency departments at pediatric hospitals are overflowing with kids who need intensive mental health treatment. Many of these young people are essentially boarding at hospitals because there aren't enough other treatment options.

The feeling of the wind in your hair. That's the freedom the nonprofit "Cycling Without Age Littleton" works to give older Coloradans as a way to combat loneliness and stay active. Then, the fight to ensure inclusivity in Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts. And tracing the history of a long-forgotten amusement park in Denver.

The stated mission of the Boy Scouts, now known as Scouting America, is to "prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law." But what happens when an organization founded on those principles is accused of turning its back on an entire group of people, leading to a legal battle for change?

Colorado’s top Democrats are lining up behind Vice President Kamala Harris after Joe Biden announced he’s leaving the presidential race. That includes U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, who joined Ryan Warner in-studio Monday afternoon. Then, African Grill in Lakewood cooks up 20 years of cuisine, culture, and camaraderie. Later, ensuring a pivotal moment in Colorado and U.S. history is not forgotten, nor repeated.

Colorado's top Democrats have high hopes for Kamala Harris. We speak with Erik Clarke, a delegate from Denver who'll be at the convention, about the path ahead. Then, as he marks one year in office, is Denver Mayor Mike Johnston fulfilling his campaign promises? And a former Olympian, in recovery from an eating disorder, has advice for commentators and spectators.

With Donald Trump's first post-assassination speech, the Republican National Convention is a wrap. There was much to learn away from the main stage this week, says University of Denver political scientist Seth Masket. Then, we celebrate Southern Colorado with 719 Day! And Denver is home to one of the country's only treatment centers for elite athletes with eating disorders.

We are celebrating Southern Colorado with our colleagues at KRCC. They dreamed up 719 Day. That is the region's area code and today's date, July 19. Indie host Shawn Lucero, who got her start in radio in Colorado Springs two decades ago, is our guide to the 719's rockin', funky music scene.

Step away from the main stage of the Republican National Convention, and there was much to learn about today's Republican party. That is what Seth Masket did. The University of Denver political scientist speaks with us from Milwaukee after interviewing delegates, and discussing their work with local parties. Masket's Substack, Tusk, is a kind of first draft of a book he is working on.

The headlines may sound alarming: at least six human cases of bird flu in Colorado. We'll get some context about what that means. Then, Colorado is unique in the nation when it comes to teaching preschoolers outdoors. We'll hear why that can improve their ability to learn. Plus, embracing wellness at a farmer's market that works to eliminate food deserts. And we go on a stravage to benefit the body and the mind.

This year's 14th annual farmer's market is open every Saturday through October 12 at the Charles Cousin Plaza next to the Blair Caldwell African American Research Library in Denver's historic Five Points neighborhood.

As Republicans move forward with Donald Trump as their nominee, Democrats remain in disarray over their presidential pick. CPR’s public affairs team has been listening to Coloradans. We'll share what they've heard. Then, the political divide inspired a Denver man to visit every U.S. county. Plus, researchers go airborne to get a better grasp on summer smog. And how one particular piano inspired Lumineer Jeremiah Fraites.

The University of Colorado Boulder has a new chancellor for the first time in 15 years. Justin Schwartz talks about the challenges and opportunities ahead at the state's flagship university. Then, three players with ties to Colorado lead Team USA's 3X3 Men's Basketball team. And the 41st annual Winter Park Jazz Festival is back! We revisit how it's become a multi-generational summertime tradition.

It's become a summer ritual for many Coloradans. More than four decades of music, emanating through the crisp mountain air. The 41st Annual Winter Park Jazz Festival returns this weekend, featuring artists Anthony Hamilton, Stokely, Average White Band and Lalah Hathaway, to name a few. Becky Taylor is the longtime emcee and arguably the face of the fest. Tracy and Stephanie Williams, sisters who live in Aurora, have been faithful attendees for years.

Families are complicated -- and writing about family secrets even more so. In her new novel, "Candlelight Bridge," Cara Lopez Lee tells the story of clans living amidst the Chinese and Mexican revolutions of the early 1900s, who eventually come to America. Once there, actions are taken that reverberate through centuries.

Politicians from both parties decried the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump and called for cooler rhetoric. CPR’s Washington correspondent Caitlyn Kim talks about what it might mean for the polarized state of U.S. politics.