Legislature Approves State Owned Tanker Fleet; No Funding Attached

On May 7, 2013 By

A bill authorizing the creation of a state firefighting air tanker fleet is on its way to the governor. But as KUNC’s Nathan Heffel reports, there’s no guarantee the fleet will be in the air anytime soon.

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Statewide Wildfire Preparedness Day of Service is Saturday

On May 3, 2013 By

This Saturday marks the first statewide Wildfire Preparedness Day of Service. As KRCC’s Eliza Densmore reports, one of the more regional projects involves fuel mitigation in Black Forest.

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Seminars in Chaffee County to Address Wildfire Preparedness

On May 1, 2013 By

Residents of Chaffee County are invited to Wildfire Preparedness Seminars, put on by Colorado State Forest Sevice, Salida District. The meetings are expected to focus on topics including this year’s wildland fire forecasts, homeowner mitigation tips, and evacuation plans during an incident. Tonight’s meeting is at the Salida Steam Plant Annex. Tomorrow’s meeting takes [...]

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Flash Point: Living with Wildfire

On April 27, 2013 By

In the wake of last year’s destructive wildfires, Colorado’s residents, scientists, and government officials have been working hard to manage the ongoing threat. We’re not only mitigating our landscapes; we’re adapting our very understanding of what it means to reside within reach of mountain forests. Join KRCC News for “Flash Point,” a special series [...]

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Flash Point: Wildfires and Climate Change Perception

On April 26, 2013 By

After Superstorm Sandy ravaged the East Coast last fall, climate change was a ubiquitous cover story, spurring a national conversation about current and future effects. Though wildfires have also been connected to climate change, megafires like Waldo Canyon have been slower to raise concern about the effects of increased warming. KRCC’s Michelle Mercer reports.

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Flash Point: The Double Bind, Forest Treatment In The Age of Megafires

On April 25, 2013 By

The devastating 2002 wildfire season generated public discussion about the need for treatments to fix our dangerously overgrown forests. Ten years later the Front Range was hit with another destructive fire season, which has a lot of Colorado residents wondering why more of that treatment hasn’t happened. KRCC’s Michelle Mercer looks into the status [...]

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Flash Point: The Wildland Urban Interface, Where the Wilderness Meets Civilization

On April 24, 2013 By

For many, the notion of the Wildland Urban Interface, or WUI, may conjure up images of sparsely populated regions of cabins in the woods. That’s only part of the picture. In Colorado Springs, nearly a quarter of the population lives in neighborhoods classified as part of the WUI, and it stretches into some unexpected [...]

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Flash Point: Waldo Canyon Fire Victims, Recovering Without Rebuilding

On April 23, 2013 By

News of the Waldo Canyon Fire recovery has sounded an almost unanimous refrain, championing the efforts to rebuild in Mountain Shadows. But as KRCC’s Michelle Mercer reports in today’s Flash Point piece, that tells only part of the recovery story.

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Flash Point: The Nature of Emergency Management

On April 22, 2013 By

Colorado Springs officials recently released their Final After Action Report, detailing the city’s response during the Waldo Canyon Fire. Authors studied hours of dispatch tape, personal accounts, and logs to assess what the city did right, and what needs improvement. KRCC’s Andrea Chalfin begins this series with a look at the nature of Emergency Management.

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Flash Point: Living with Wildfire

On April 22, 2013 By

In the wake of last year’s destructive wildfires, Colorado’s residents, scientists, and government officials have been working hard to manage the ongoing threat. We’re not only mitigating our landscapes; we’re adapting our very understanding of what it means to reside within reach of mountain forests. Join KRCC News for “Flash Point,” a special series produced by Andrea Chalfin and Michelle Mercer on how wildfire is changing life in Colorado. Click here for an interactive timeline, stories, and additional web content.

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Flash Point: The Aftermath of Wildfire

On March 25, 2013 By

The story of wildfire doesn’t end after the flames are gone. Wide ranging effects are ongoing such as the the possibility of flooding, victims’ recovery efforts, changes to building codes and more.

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Crews Make Progress on Fire Near Fort Collins

On March 18, 2013 By

Despite fierce winds in and around Fort Collins, fire crews continue to make progress battling the Galena Fire in the foothills northwest of town.

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Colorado Senator Michael Bennet visits the Flying W Ranch to highlight the need for federal Emergency Watershed Protection funding.

Senator Bennet Visits Flying W Ranch to Highlight Need for Federal Funding

On February 22, 2013 By

Colorado Senator Michael Bennet visited the site of flood mitigation efforts at the burned Flying W Ranch in Colorado Springs today to highlight the need for emergency watershed protection funding after last year’s devastating fire season. KRCC’s Andrea Chalfin reports.

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Round-Up: Gov. signs wildfire executive orders; Sen. Udall pushes for air tanker acquisition; Chinooks arrive at Fort Carson

On January 31, 2013 By

Governor John Hickenlooper announced new initiatives yesterday to try and make Colorado better prepared for wildfires…Colorado Democratic Senator Mark Udall is urging the US Forest Service to accelerate their acquisition of eight new firefighting air tankers ahead of this year’s wildfire season…Three Chinook helicopters have been delivered to Fort Carson for a new combat aviation brigade.

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Governor Signs Wildfire Executive Orders

On January 30, 2013 By

Governor John Hickenlooper announced new initiatives today to try and make Colorado better prepared for wildfires. State officials say they’re also planning for a drought this summer and a potentially bad fire season. Bente Birkeland has more from the state capitol.

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Bark Beetles not Major Player in Large-Scale Wildfires

On January 24, 2013 By

A new study suggests that, despite popular opinion, bark beetles do NOT play a major role in large-scale wildfires in Colorado and other western regions.

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Audio: Wildfire Awareness & Emergency Preparedness Neighborhood Meeting

On January 15, 2013 By

Colorado Springs officials held a neighborhood meeting Tuesday night, highlighting wildfire awareness, mitigation, and emergency preparedness. Speakers included Bret Waters, head of the city’s Office of Emergency Management, Christina Randall and Fire Marshall Bret Lacey with the Colorado Springs Fire Department, and Bob Cutter of Colorado Springs Together. This is the audio of the [...]

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AM Round-Up: CS Council approves oil & gas regs and panhandling ban; HAMET training begins at Fort Carson; and more

On November 28, 2012 By

Colorado Springs City Council yesterday gave initial approval to regulations concerning oil and gas drilling within city limits…Council also voted in favor of a ban on panhandling in the downtown area…Fort Carson is hosting nearly 300 soldiers and 30 helicopters from Fort Riley in Kansas for high altitude training…Firefighters battling the Fern Lake Fire in Rocky Mountain National Park have ordered more resources to help contain the blaze.

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AM Round-Up: Early voting numbers; CS Mayor seeks pension sustainability; Conservation continues to be important to hunters and anglers; and more

On October 30, 2012 By

With the election now only one week away, nearly a quarter of Colorado voters have already cast their ballots…Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach has announced the formation of what he’s calling the Pension Solutions Team…El Paso County Health officials are reporting the first hospitalized flu patients this season…The National Wildlife Federation recently released the results of their Hunters and Anglers survey…and, more.

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Round-Up: Wetmore Fire 100% contained; El Paso County sees first flu-related hospitalizations; Sandy’s impacts on regional airports

On October 29, 2012 By

The Wetmore Fire is 100% contained as of this afternoon…El Paso County Health officials are reporting the first hospitalized flu patients this season…Hurricane Sandy may be thousands of miles away from Colorado, but it has led to flight cancellations.

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#WetmoreFire: 65% contained, Disaster Resource Center Open

On October 26, 2012 By

Officials continue to estimate the fire at 2100 acres with 65% containment. Overnight fire activity was minimal, and the cold front brought 1-3 inches of precipitation over the burn area. All residents outside the fire perimeter are allowed home, while evacuations within the fire perimeter remain in place. Roads within the fire perimeter also [...]

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Waldo Canyon Fire Progression Map June 23rd-July 1st.

After Action Report: Waldo Canyon Fire

On October 24, 2012 By

Colorado Springs city officials released their initial After Action Report on the response to the Waldo Canyon Fire yesterday. KRCC’s Andrea Chalfin was at the press briefing and has this report.

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Click on the image for an interactive map of the Wetmore Fire from the Colorado Office of Emergency Management.

Wetmore Fire Information

On October 23, 2012 By

Update, 7:30pm, Thurs 10/25/12

The Wetmore Fire remains at about 2100 acres, and is 65% contained. Around 240 personnel are working the fire, and with lower temperatures and higher humidity, crews made significant progress today. People may see light smoke in the interior of the burned area, but evacuations orders for all residences outside the fire perimeter have been lifted. Greenwood Subdivision remains under evacuations orders while firefighters assess the safety of the area’s infrastructure. All roads within the fire perimeter remain closed, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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News

Prominent Pakistani Politician Shot, Killed On Re-Election Eve
May 18, 2013 | NPR · The PTI party chairman, Imran Khan, blamed Zahra Shahid Hussain’s death on a rival party. Police told Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper that she was killed during an armed robbery.
 

mrenzovic/youtube.com
Spaniard’s Song Brings YouTube Fame … And Maybe A Job
May 18, 2013 | NPR · Enzo Vizcaíno looks like a busker, strumming away on his ukulele as he roams a Barcelona metro car. But he sings of his bachelor’s degree and postgrad diploma. “I’m the King of Microsoft,” he croons. He’s not looking for a handout. He just wants a job. And his creative approach may be paying off.
 

AFP/Getty Images
Bashar Assad: A Political Solution In Syria Is ‘Unreal’
May 18, 2013 | NPR · The Syrian president also left no room for his departure. “The captain of a ship doesn’t flee when faced with a storm,” he said during an interview with an Argentine newspaper.
 

Arts & Life

Courtesy Paramount Pictures
New ‘Trek’ Goes ‘Into Darkness,’ But Not Much Deeper
May 18, 2013 | NPR · NPR’s Bob Mondello says J.J. Abrams’ latest Star Trek film knows how to make the sparks and feelings fly, but doesn’t bother making the sparks and feeling matter very much.
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Three-Minute Fiction Reading: ‘Plum Baby’
May 18, 2013 | NPR · NPR’s Susan Stamberg reads an excerpt of one of the best submissions for Round 11 of our short story contest. She reads Plum Baby by Carmiel Banasky of Portland, Ore.
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AP
‘Waiting To Be Heard’ No More, Amanda Knox Speaks Out
May 18, 2013 | NPR · Less than two months into her study abroad program in Italy, Amanda Knox was accused and eventually convicted of murdering her roommate, Meredith Kercher. After her conviction was overturned, Knox returned home to Seattle — and now faces a potential retrial. Knox tells her story in a new memoir.
 

Music

Getty Images
Draco Rosa: A Pop Survivor Returns From The Brink, With Friends
May 18, 2013 | NPR · In the 1980s, he was Robi Rosa, the lead singer of Menudo at the boy band’s peak of popularity. Rosa went on to write hits for bandmate Ricky Martin and develop a solo career. When Rosa was diagnosed with cancer several years ago, some of the biggest names in Latin music assembled to support him.
 

After Health Issues, Influential Conductor Back At Met Opera
May 18, 2013 | NPR · Host Scott Simon speaks with New York Times classical music critic Anthony Tommasini about conductor James Levine’s return to the Metropolitan Opera after a series of health problems kept him away for two years.
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Courtesy of the artist
Ana Popovic Shreds The Belgrade Blues
May 18, 2013 | NPR · The Serbian guitarist fell in love with American blues music as a kid — well before she could understand the words.
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