Colorado Matters

Hosted by Ryan Warner and Chandra Thomas Whitfield, CPR News' daily interview show focuses on the state's people, issues and ideas.

Colorado Matters is a news podcast hosted by Ryan Warner and Chandra, with 600 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Ryan Warner and Chandra hosts Colorado Matters, a news show with 600 episodes published.

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  Colorado Matters

  August 18, 2026: Could rye help farmers weather the drought?; State law targets rideshare safety

  Aug 18, 202649 min

  The San Luis Valley grows many of Colorado’s potatoes, barley and wheat. But there's another crop that could help farmers weather the drought. We'll explore the Rye Resurgence Project. Then, rideshare companies have new rules they have to follow in Colorado to keep riders safe. We get context from Purplish. Plus, answering a Colorado Wonders question about what drew Nicola Tesla to the state in 1899.

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  Colorado Matters

  August 17, 2026: Victor Marx and a divided state GOP; Converting a coal mine into a solar farm

  Aug 17, 202649 min

  Republicans in Colorado are divided over their gubernatorial nominee Victor Marx and over the party's general direction. Then, did White House officials brainstorm ways to punish Colorado? Also, Molson Coors reimagines its coal mine in Keenesburg as a solar farm. Then, the urgent effort to save Bent's Old Fort in the San Luis Valley. And we re-share radio poems with David Rothman.

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  Colorado Matters

  August 14, 2026: History Colorado marks the state's 150th with a nod to the Women's Bank of Denver

  Aug 14, 202649 min

  Not that long ago, women seeking a loan or line of credit faced invasive questions from bankers: "Are you planning on having children?" "What type of birth control are you using?" "Where's your husband?" Against that backdrop, in the 1970s, The Women's Bank of Denver was founded, changing financial lives for generations. Their story is now showcased at History Colorado to celebrate the sesquicentennial, with items that include the bank's opening day financial ledger. Senior Host Ryan Warner spoke with financial journalist Grace L. Williams , author of "Give Her Credit: The Untold Story of a Women's Bank That Empowered a Generation" last year at History Colorado Center. We're resharing that conversation as part of the state's 150th birthday.

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  Colorado Matters

  August 13, 2026: New state historian; Next chapter for neighborhood of proposed Broncos; Mark Stevens' latest thriller

  Aug 13, 202648 min

  Nicki Gonzales, Colorado’s new state historian has deep roots in Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico. It’s one reason she’s forged an expertise in the history of the American West. Particularly interested in race relations and social and political movements, Gonzales has plans for what she hopes to accomplish during her year-long tenure. Then, the neighborhood next to where the Denver Broncos want to build their new football stadium has seen a lot of changes over the years; recently, the area has housed immigrants from around the world, white-collar workers, and a significant Latino population. But Denverite reports that its next chapter has some longtime residents worried. Also, a conversation with one of the first companies in the state to produce mushrooms for psilocybin-assisted therapy. And, Colorado-based writer is back with the second chapter of his Flynn Martin trilogy, "Two Truths and a Lie."

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  Colorado Matters

  August 12, 2026: A protest that helped launch a movement

  Aug 12, 202648 min

  You can draw a line between a protest in Denver and the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A half century later, the fight for access continues. Today we share some of that history with NPR's podcast, "The Sunday Story," hosted by Ayesha Rascoe with guests Joseph Shapiro from NPR and CPR's Stephanie Wolf, and we look ahead at the current challenges. Then, the world premiere of a play at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts inspired by the movement, called "504: The Musical." Director Ben Raanan and actor Jolee Harston from Phamaly Theatre Company spoke with CPR's Alejandro Alonso Galva for our series "Raise the Curtain."

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