Purplish

Flock cameras, and other license plate reader systems, are installed all over Colorado. The technology gives law enforcement access to a new level of tracking, a reach they say has helped them solve all kinds of terrible crimes and made the state safer. But community fears that law enforcement could misuse the data and invade people’s privacy, and share it with federal immigration authorities, are mounting — and getting the attention of state lawmakers. 

CPR’s Bente Birkeland and Denverite’s Andrew Kenney dig into how this kind of surveillance tech has changed in recent years, the arguments for and against it and how some Colorado lawmakers hope to restrict how law enforcement can access this data. 

Catch up on our latest coverage:

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. Funding for the Alliance is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Purplish’s producer is Stephanie Wolf. Hazel Feldstein assistant produced this episode. Additional reporting from Denverite’s Kiara DeMare and Kyle Harris. Megan Verlee is the executive producer. Sound design and engineering by Shane Rumsey. The theme music is by Brad Turner.

For a lot of farmers in Colorado, and across the country, insecticides known as neonicotinoids, or neonics, have been a game changer. But what’s been a breakthrough for some has been a nightmare for others. Neonics are being blamed for die-offs in domestic bees and native pollinators, and there’s growing concern over their potential impacts on human health as well. This year, some Democratic lawmakers proposed a bold step to reduce the chemicals’ use in Colorado; they wanted farmers to get something like a prescription to be allowed to use neonic-treated seeds.

CPR’s Bente Birkeland and Rae Solomon discuss what those lawmakers tried to do, and why they faced such fierce opposition from the get go.

Read our coverage:

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. Funding for the Alliance is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Purplish’s producer is Stephanie Wolf. Sound design and engineering by Shane Rumsey. The theme music is by Brad Turner. Megan Verlee is the executive producer.

Data centers, the infrastructure underpinning the artificial intelligence boom, are popping up in communities all across the country, including in Colorado. And with each new build, come more questions from residents about what these structures mean for their utility bills and quality of life. At the State Capitol, lawmakers are choosing between two competing visions of how Colorado should approach data centers — with incentives plus some guardrails, or strictly with regulations.

CPR’s Sam Brasch, The Colorado Sun’s Taylor Dolven and KUNC’s Lucas Brady Woods dig into the competing data center bills, one that offers tax breaks to lure centers here and another that requires them to mitigate their impacts. They also discuss the local backlash against these buildings when they start going up in communities, and the politics of it all. 

Catch up on our latest coverage:

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. Funding for the Alliance is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Purplish’s producer is Stephanie Wolf. Megan Verlee is the executive producer. Sound design and engineering by Shane Rumsey. The theme music is by Brad Turner. Additional editorial support on this episode provided by Tegan Wendland.

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this episode misstated the square footage of the CoreSite data center under construction in Denver. The facility is 180,000 square feet. The audio has been updated.

Again and again, President Trump has made it known he has a beef with Colorado, whether it's anger over his presidential portrait that was displayed at the State Capitol or the state’s policies on immigration, artificial intelligence and voting. And it’s not simply talk. Since Trump has returned to the White House, Colorado is losing a military command, and a major scientific research center is in jeopardy, as are hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding.

Democrats say Trump’s actions add up to retaliation. Others, particularly on the right, say this is a situation the state has brought upon itself due to its policies. Regardless of the political lens you look through, Trump has made it clear he doesn’t like a lot of things about this blue state. 

CPR’s Bente Birkeland, The Colorado Sun’s Taylor Dolven and CPR’s Caitlyn Kim look at the president’s different actions against the state, how Colorado leaders are responding to those actions and how some are pushing back.

Catch up on our latest coverage:

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. Funding for the Alliance is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Purplish’s producer is Stephanie Wolf. Megan Verlee is the executive producer. Sound design and engineering by Shane Rumsey. The theme music is by Brad Turner.

In his first seven years in office, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis had a lot of challenges and tragedies to contend with: the COVID-19 pandemic; the 2021 Marshall Fire and other climate disasters; shootings in Boulder, Highlands Ranch, Colorado Springs and Evergreen. These events defined his governorship, as did, what he’s heralded as, some big-ticket policy wins: free full-day kindergarten and universal preschool, cutting the income tax, and wooing the Sundance Film Festival to Boulder. But during his final State of the State address this month, Polis made it clear there’s still work to be done in his lame-duck year. 

CPR’s Bente Birkeland, KUNC’s Lucas Brady Woods and The Colorado Sun’s Jesse Paul discuss what’s on the governor’s to-do list, how policy clashes with his own party could play out this session and the pressures from a White House that seems bent on punishing Colorado. 

Catch up on our latest coverage:

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. Funding for the Alliance is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Purplish’s producer is Stephanie Wolf. Megan Verlee is CPR News’ executive producer of podcasts. Sound design and engineering by Shane Rumsey. The theme music is by Brad Turner.

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this episode erroneously stated that Gov. Polis wants Colorado to reach 100% renewable energy by 2030. The governor's desired target is actually 2040, while the state's current target is 2050. The audio has been corrected.

From another big budget shortfall to unsettled business over artificial intelligence to other pressing policy issues, like housing, the environment and surveillance, the 2026 legislative session kicks off in less than a week and Colorado lawmakers already have a lot on their to-do lists. 

Plus, while Democrats continue to hold a wide majority in both legislative chambers, tensions between the more progressive and more moderate factions of the party threaten to bubble over. On top of all of that, a big election year that will deliver new leaders for the state. 

CPR’s Bente Birkeland, KUNC’s Lucas Brady Woods and The Colorado Sun’s Jesse Paul dig into the politics, the policy and the pressures expected to shape a new session. 

Catch up on our latest coverage:

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. Funding for the Alliance is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Purplish’s producer is Stephanie Wolf. Megan Verlee is CPR News’ executive producer of podcasting. Sound design and engineering by Shane Rumsey. Purplish’s theme music is by Brad Turner. Additional reporting for this episode from Taylor Dolven of The Colorado Sun and CPR’s John Daley.

Colorado, like the rest of the country, is experiencing more, and worse, climate disasters, wreaking havoc on people’s homes — and their homeowner’s insurance rates. 

In the wake of devastating hail storms and massive wildfires, Coloradans face rising premiums, less choice and availability, and in some cases, getting dropped by insurers altogether. The state is now one of the top ten most expensive in the country for homeowners insurance. And escalating the issue is climate change. 

CPR’s Bente Birkeland and Rocky Mountain PBS’ Andrea Kramar look at what’s happening with the home insurance market in Colorado, and what state lawmakers are trying to do to make sure that, when the flames approach or the hail falls, Coloradans don’t lose everything.

Plus stay tuned for a full-length documentary on this reporting. “Undercovered” airs on Rocky Mountain PBS Thursday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. MST, and will be available to stream on the free RMPBS+ app and Youtube.

Purplish is produced by listener-supported 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. Funding for the Alliance is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Purplish’s producer is Stephanie Wolf. Sound designed and engineered by Shane Rumsey. Theme music is by Brad Turner. CPR’s executive producer of podcasts is Megan Verlee.

In statehouses across the country, the political playing field is being redrawn, as states wade into the murky waters of midcycle redistricting. 

President Donald Trump kicked off this effort, when he urged Republicans in Texas to draw new Congressional maps, years ahead of schedule. Then came Missouri and North Carolina, and earlier this month, California voters agreed to put aside their independently drawn map and give Democrats more seats. 

Colorado — a blue state with its congressional seats split evenly between the parties — is a tempting target as Democrats look to further offset Republican gains.

But not so fast. 

CPR's Bente Birkeland and Caitlyn Kim dive into the guardrails Colorado voters put in place years ago to keep politics out of the state’s redistricting process — and why changes to the process could be slow and costly. They’re joined by NPR’s Larry Kaplow, who has been covering this issue on the national level. 

Read and listen to our redistricting coverage:

Purplish is produced by listener-supported 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. Funding for the Alliance is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Purplish’s producer is Stephanie Wolf. This episode was edited by Megan Verlee , and sound designed and engineered by Shane Rumsey. Theme music is by Brad Turner. Big shout out to Rachel Estabrook, who has led the audio projects team this past year and is leaving CPR at the end of the month. Thanks for your leadership!

Editor's note: This episode has been updated to remove an inaccuracy about the current partisan split in the U.S. House of Representatives.

On Purplish, our focus is usually on exploring the politics of the moment. But for Veterans Day, we're offering something different -- a chance to experience a defining moment in World War II from one of the last remaining veterans to live through it.

The battle of Iwo Jima was one of the toughest in Marine Corps history. Nearly 7,000 Marines lost their lives taking the volcanic island from its Japanese defenders.

80 years on, few remain who served in that grueling conflict. One of them is Jim Blane of Denver.

It took Blane decades after the war ended to begin to talk about his time in combat. But as he prepares to celebrate his 101st birthday this month – just as the U.S. Marine Corps marks its 250th anniversary – the veteran says when it comes to the war and Iwo Jima, he’s now wide open. Blane recently shared his story with CPR’s Bente Birkeland.

Purplish is a production of member-supported Colorado Public Radio and the Colorado Capitol News Alliance. The CCNA is a collaboration between KUNC News, Colorado Public Radio, Rocky Mountain PBS and the Colorado Sun, with support from news outlets throughout the state. Funding for the Alliance is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. I’m Bente Birkeland.

Purplish’s producer is Stephanie Wolf and the story editor is Megan Verlee. Sound design and engineering by Shane Rumsey – with additional sound design support on this episode from Stephanie Wolf and Megan Verlee. Our theme music is by Brad Turner. CPR News’ executive producer of podcasting is Rachel Estabrook. 

Special thanks to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans for assisting with archival sound used in this episode, and the Library of Congress for its archive of images. 

Anti-hunger advocates and education groups did a victory dance election night, celebrating the passage of Props. MM and LL, two statewide ballot measures to increase funding for Colorado’s universal free school meal program. 

CPR’s Jenny Brundin joins Purplish host Bente Birkeland to talk through what voters thought of these measures and what it means for the programs' future. They also dig into the results of school board races around the state. 

Then, a pivot to look ahead at the 2026 midterms, and the big races on the horizon, including the fight for control of Congress and the candidates who hope to win the governor’s office. The Colorado Sun’s Jesse Paul, KUNC’s Lucas Brady Woods and CPR’s Caitlyn Kim are on the podcast this week to preview what they're watching for on as the state gears up for a big election year.

If you're enjoying the show and want everyone to know it, email us at [email protected] and we'll send you a Purplish sticker to thank you for being an awesome listener!

Purplish is produced by listener-supported 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. Funding for the Alliance is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Purplish’s producer is Stephanie Wolf. This episode was edited by Megan Verlee and Rachel Estabrook, and sound designed and engineered by Shane Rumsey. Theme music is by Brad Turner.