Western Skies, December 5, 2010: "Retrospective"

This month we’re going to spend the hour looking back at some of the topics we covered since kicking off the revival of Western Skies in June. There was a lot of overlap, stories that could have appeared in multiple episodes, and themes that kept popping up from topic to topic. Here are some of the conversations that took place this year in Western Skies.

You can listen to or download the full episode here:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

You can also head to the individual segments for full audio and available photos by clicking on any of the links below:

Roundtable: Tourism in the Pikes Peak Region
Our Libertarian Past: The Freedom School and Rampart College
4H Celebrates 100 Years
Crestone: Living a Spiritual Life in a Remote Town
A Day in the Life at Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site
Professional Baseball in Colorado Springs ca. 1902

Western Skies is a collaboration between KRCC News and The Big Something.

Roundtable: Tourism in the Pikes Peak Region

Producer Noel Black hosts a round table discussion about the past, present and future of this vital industry with Terry Sullivan, CEO and President of Experience Colorado Springs, Leah Davis Witherow, Archivist at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, and Susan Wolbrueck, Board President of the Manitou Springs Business Improvement District.
Download: Tourism Roundtable

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Complete Interview:Western Skies 6.6.2010 Roundtable

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

From “Tourism,” in June.



Our Libertarian Past: The Freedom School and Rampart College

With a large Libertarian contingency here, some might wonder how the ideals took root in Colorado Springs. Part of the answer may come from a recent New Yorker article titled “Covert Operations” by Jane Mayer about Tea Party funders Charles and David Koch. It referred to a now-defunct Colorado Springs-based libertarian institution called The Freedom School. With the help of the Colorado College and Pikes Peak Library District Special Collections, Noel Black and Craig Richardson created this portrait of the Freedom School, which later became Rampart College.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the Rampart College campus was sold in November of 1968. Rampart College remained open in Santa Ana, California until 1975. Many thanks to Jen Newman, Mike Procell, Jeff Bieri, Vicky Gregor and Craig Richardson for lending their voices to this piece.

From “Politics & Elections,” in October.

4H Celebrates 100 Years

[nggallery id=3]

4H has been in Colorado for 100 years, and the organization has come a long way during the last century in this state. Most people associate 4H with agriculture, but their mission of teaching life skills is a little more philosophical than the actual means. KRCC’s Shanna Lewis spent a few days at the state fair to see how the group is evolving.

Download the piece here, or listen online:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

From “Agriculture,” in September.