The Daily Sun-Up

Today, we're bringing you a conversation on the Colorado gubernatorial race from the Purplish podcast. This week's episode features Colorado Sun Elections Editor Jesse Paul and Colorado Public Radio's Public Affairs Reporter Bente Birkeland and Investigative Reporter Ben Markus. Purplish is produced by CPR News and the Capitol News Alliance, a collaboration between KUNC News, Colorado Public Radio, Rocky Mountain PBS, and The Colorado Sun and shared with Rocky Mountain Community Radio and other news organizations across the state.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Colorado Sun business reporter Tamara Chuang breaks down layoffs at the state office of IT, the most recent Colorado job numbers and other labor-related news across Colorado. Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2026/05/27/colorado-overhauls-state-it-office-lays-off-employees/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Sun outdoors reporter Jason Blevins looks at how a state decision to change the Colorado search and rescue response structure has ruffled feathers in the Colorado Search and Rescue Association. Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/10/cpw-search-and-rescue/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author Tom Mowle sits down with the Sun's Kevin Simpson and describes his experience in the second Iraq war in "Chaos in the Green Zone"See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Colorado Sun rural reporter Tracy Ross has updates from Fort Morgan and the labor standoff at the Cargill meat packing facility, one of the largest employers in the area, and what it means for the town's coffers and national supply chain. Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2026/05/27/cargills-lockout-of-workers-sends-ripples-through-supply-chain/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Sun reporters Michael Booth and John Ingold talk about the threat to ponderosa pine trees in Colorado, as well as a state Supreme Court ruling on gender-affirming care Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2026/05/25/colorado-pine-beetles-ponderosa-2025-growth/ https://coloradosun.com/2026/05/18/childrens-hospital-colorado-supreme-court/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2026/05/23/colorado-front-range-foreclosures-housing/  Today, Colorado Sun business reporter Tamara Chuang discusses the uptick in foreclosures along the Front Range and the increase in the number of Colorado homebuyers struggling to pay their mortgage and asking for guidance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2026/05/22/arkansas-river-rafting-low-flows/ Today, Sun outdoors reporter Jason Blevins looks at the outlook for Colorado’s rafting season and how outfitters, especially along the Arkansas River, are adjusting as we come off the worst winter for snow in history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

G. Brown, director of the Colorado Music Experience, joins the Sun's Kevin Simpson to talk about the best songs of summer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Sun water reporter Shannon Mullane speaks to author Zak Podmore about his award-winning book, Life after Dead Pool, the future of the Colorado River, and the case retire one of its major reservoirs, Lake Powell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From speed cameras to vaccine policy to ketchup packets, which of the laws passed by the 2026 legislature will impact people’s lives five or 10 years from now? That’s the question Colorado Sun Political Reporter Jesse Paul and other guests of the Purplish podcast tackle today, less than a week after the 2026 Colorado legislative session wrapped up. This podcast is brought to you by the Colorado Capitol News Alliance, a collaboration between KUNC News, Colorado Public Radio, Rocky Mountain PBS, and The Colorado Sun.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we have a portion of our Colorado SunFest weather panel conversation with local meteorologists Chris Bianchi, Mike Nelson and Joel Gratz as they talk about how technology has changed and how AI is quickly changing forecasting.  Read more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Sun outdoors reporter Jason Blevins breaks down a big land acquisition for a Colorado mountain town that millions of people zoom past each year. With barely 200 residents, Silver Plume officials are buying up old mining claims, expanding the town’s mountain park to more than 750 acres.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today - Sun publisher Larry Ryckman chats with writer Kevin Simpson about his story on the moral courage of Silas Soule. Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2026/05/10/silas-soule-sand-creek-massacre-colorado-history/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today: The Sun's Tracy Ross talks with Dimity McDowell, a longtime runner who one day couldn't take the pain of it anymore, and began the difficult task of weaning herself from her runner's high -- a legitimate addiction. A former contributing editor at Runners World, McDowell chronicles that journey and more in her new book, The 27th Mile: How to Smooth the Rough Transition Out of Your Running Years, which she'll be reading from and speaking about at the Tattered Cover in Denver tonight. We start our conversation with Dimity explaining what a stress fracture is -- she had several over her running career and they were part of what led her to stop.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Today's Temperature newsletter podcast, Michael Booth interviews Sun health writer John Ingold about the notorious hantavirus cruise and what it may or may not have to do with the Colorado version of hantavirus.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Colorado Sun business reporter Tamara Chuang looks at the bills in the statehouse that will affect businesses and where they stand in the closing days of the Colorado legislature.  https://coloradosun.com/2026/05/09/colorado-legislature-swipe-fees-artificial-intelligence-centurylink-bills-laws/  https://coloradosun.com/2026/05/05/colorado-gas-prices-truckers-ride-sharing-drivers-uber-lyft/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Sun outdoors reporter Jason Blevins breaks down a few skier data sets from this season, including how the historically dry winter played out in on-mountain visits, and also the number of people who died on the hill. Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2026/05/05/us-skier-visits-drop-2025-26/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mariko Tatsumoto, author of "Blossoms on a Poisoned Sea", sits down with the Sun's Kevin Simpson to discuss her work of historical fiction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Sun is three weeks into our months-long Colorado 150 project celebrating 150 years of statehood. Today, Colorado Sun arts and culture reporter Parker Yamasaki and team editor David Krause talk about the first three top-10 lists and what’s coming in May. Read more: https://coloradosun.com/colorado-150/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we're featuring a conversation between Colorado Sun Politics and Policy Reporter Taylor Dolven, Colorado Public Radio Public Affairs Reporter Bente Birkland and Denver Post Immigration Reporter Seth Klamann about lawmakers' efforts to hold federal immigration officers accountable when they step outside of the law. Multiple bills are being considered in the Colorado legislature that would raise questions about the limits of state authority when it comes to how federal immigration agents behave within Colorado’s borders. This conversation first appeared on the Purplish podcast from Colorado Public Radio and is being shared with the Colorado Sun through the Colorado Capitol News Alliance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Colorado Sun education reporter Erica Breunlin breaks down the recent teachers strike that disrupted Sheridan School District for more than three weeks and what the resolution looks like, thanks to the governor’s office stepping in. https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/29/colorado-sheridan-school-district-consolidation-teacher-strike/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sun outdoors reporter Jason Blevins has been following the legal challenges to skier liability waivers for years, and today he breaks down another case before the Colorado Supreme Court questioning the language in those waivers. https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/27/ski-pass-waivers/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/colorado-jury-pushes-back-on-liability-waivers/id1744182140?i=1000725487892 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author Meg Wingerter joins the Sun's Kevin Simpson to discuss her debut novel, "The Silence that Remains".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Colorado Sun rural reporter Tracy Ross talks about why two of three people appointed by the governor to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife commission didn’t keep their seats and how the state agency is coming under more and more scrutiny. https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/24/one-colorado-parks-wildlife-commissioner-confirmed-two-resign/ https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/22/did-polis-stack-cpw-commission-with-anti-hunting-interests/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Sun reporter Jennifer Brown discusses how a leader of a nonprofit who was being investigated for theft but the attorney general's office got hired as a deputy commissioner for the state’s Behavioral Health Administration. https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/24/behavioral-health-deputy-commissioner-hiring-theft-scheme/ https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/22/casa-nonprofit-scheme-du-tuition/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Colorado Sun business reporter Tamara Chuang looks into the continuing drop in average rent in Denver and why it’s trending that way. Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/25/denver-renters-market-average-rents/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Sun outdoors reporter Jason Blevins looks at how a change in Telluride’s affordable housing rules has riled a folks in town. As housing continues to challenge mountain town workers, was it an overcorrect? https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/19/telluride-rent-regulations-renters-affordability-shandoka-sunnyside-voodoo-apartments/ https://coloradosun.com/2026/03/31/colorado-sunfest-2026-panel-housing-crisis-in-high-country/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Colorado Sun events specialist Kristina Pritchett previews our fourth annual Colorado SunFest, which is May 1 at the University of Denver, and how it’s evolved from an idea to a day of conversations and ways to make Colorado even better. https://coloradosun.com/colorado-sunfest/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

\Today, Colorado Sun arts and culture reporter Parker Yamasaki talks about our new Colorado 150 project to commemorate the Colorado 150th statehood celebration this year and what readers and listeners can expect with our series leading up to Aug. 1. https://coloradosun.com/colorado-150/ https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/22/colorado-150-scenic-drives-and-roadside-attractions/ https://coloradosun.com/2022/08/01/how-colorado-are-you-quiz/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ballots for Colorado's June 30 primary are just about set. Colorado Sun political reporter Jesse Paul joined Bente Birkeland and Caitlyn Kim of CPR News on the latest edition of the Purplish podcast to break down who's on it.  Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/11/scott-bottoms-gop-primary-ballot-colorado-governor/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Colorado Sun business and tech reporter Tamara Chuang looks at the surprising business filing numbers in Colorado for the first quarter, layoffs coming after the First Bank merger and her Colorado SunFest panel, which will include an AI robot demonstration. Panel: https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/09/colorado-sunfest-2026-panel-ai-in-our-lives/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we revisit our Dec. 15 episode when outdoors reporter Jason Blevins reviewed millions of dollars of high country housing projects coming to fruition and how Colorado mountain towns are focusing on short-term and long-term needs. Jason will host a Colorado SunFest conversation May 1 on high country housing solutions starting to take shape.  Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2025/12/15/steamboat-springs-billioniare-housing/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

G. Brown, director of the Colorado Music Experience sits down with the Sun's Kevin Simpson to put the just completed tax season to music.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we're interviewing Ann Schimke of Chalkbeat Colorado about a public Christian school in Pueblo County that has created a legal battle in the state, one that could escalate to the U.S. Supreme Court. Photo: Mark Reis, Special to The Colorado SunSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lawmakers finish drafting Colorado’s budget with final round of major cuts to address roughly $1.5 billion shortfall. Medicaid took the brunt of the final reductions, include a reimbursement rate cut for providers and a cap on Cover All Coloradans, which provides health care to immigrants who are children or pregnant. https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/01/colorado-budget-draft-billion-shortfall-2026/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New York Times editor Dean Baquet will be the keynote speaker at our fourth annual Colorado SunFest, which is May 1st at the University of Denver. He joins Colorado Sun publisher and co-founder Larry Ryckman to preview their SunFest conversation and talk about the state of media in America. https://coloradosun.com/colorado-sunfest/https://coloradosun.com/2026/03/13/colorado-sunfest-2026-keynote-speaker-new-york-times-dean-baquet/ Photo: Dean Baquet, former New York Times editor. (Courtesy)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Sun outdoors reporter Jason Blevins looks at the growing mental health concerns in Colorado’s mountain towns as communities come off the worst snow season in state history and the stresses that come with it. Drew Petersen 2024 SunFest conversation:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF-_J3rPWtcSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Denver judge Jacqueline St. Joan joins the Sun's Kevin Simpson to discuss her upcoming memoir, Your Verdict, and reflect on a life shaped by the law and personal loss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Devaki Murch survived Operation Babylift, when President Gerald Ford transported hundreds of Vietnamese children to America in 1975. This week, she's bringing adoptees, caregivers, veterans, and community members together in Boulder, to explore their shared past and reflect on what it means to be a refugee 50 years laterSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today - our Temperature newsletter reporters Michael Booth and John Ingold talk about a survey on how people are using legal psilocybin, and some shocking numbers showing how bad the Colorado drought really is.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finding a job in Colorado is difficult right now for a lot of folks, as employers are hiring but more cautiously. Today, Colorado Sun business reporter Tamara Chuang breaks down the latest job numbers and what those who are hiring and those who are looking for work are saying. Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/04/colorado-job-openings/ https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/01/colorado-business-leaders-negative-future-economy/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Sun outdoors reporter Jason Blevins looks at the ongoing battle between landowners and those who want to wade and float through the land on Colorado waterways. Is the state legislature ready to get involved?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author Mark Stevens talks with the Sun's Kevin Simpson about serial killers and his new thriller, "Two Truths and a Lie"See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Colorado Sun arts and culture reporter Parker Yamasaki discusses the big changes coming at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science as they prepare to close the popular gem and mineral hall for a major renovation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Medicaid is driving the $1.5 billion state budget shortfall Colorado lawmakers are trying to address this year. Colorado Sun reporter Jesse Paul joined Bente Birkeland of CPR News and Seth Klamann of The Denver Post on the latest episode of Purplish to explore why and what's being done to try to rein in spending on the health care program for low income Coloradans. Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2025/12/01/colorado-medicaid-spending-state-budget/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we’re checking in with Colorado Sun business reporter Tamara Chuang about Colorado companies are navigating the Supreme Court decision that the Trump administration’s tariffs are illegal. Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2026/03/30/colorado-importers-tariff-refunds/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Sun outdoors reporter Jason Blevins puts a bow on a challenging ski season with a check-in on the ever-changing closing dates for Colorado resorts, plus a new lawsuit challenging the Ikon and Epic mega passes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author Derek Lowstuter talks to the Sun's Kevin Simpson about his book "Fiddler on the Roof of Africa", detailing his experience as a Peace Corps volunteer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indigenous people have had serious health issues since forced assimilation onto reservations in the 1800s changed their food sources. Today, Sun rural reporter Tracy Ross talks about a program the Navajo tribe and doctors are using to change eating habits to address those health concerns.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.