Aurora mayor sleeping at homeless shelter; the San Luis Valley’s unlikely DA, Denver Pride preview

June 24, 2026: Primary races go negative, DNA scientist plea deal, sorbet pop-up shut down

Colorado’s airwaves are starting to fill up with negative ads, as Democrats in particular duke it out in some bitter primaries. What do the attacks say about the state of those races, and how are voters making up their minds? Then, former CBI forensic scientist Missy Woods has taken a plea deal that could put her in prison for several years. And the story of how a popular free sorbet pop-up in Englewood ran afoul of regulators and found itself iced out.  Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org [coloradotoday@cpr.org]. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members [https://donate.cpr.org/give]. Read more on the stories in today’s show: * Find primary election coverage [https://www.cpr.org/category/politics/] from CPR’s Bente Birkeland [https://www.cpr.org/author/bente-birkeland/] and Caitlyn Kim [https://www.cpr.org/author/caitlyn-kim/] * CPR’s Primary Voter Guide [https://www.cpr.org/2026/05/29/vg-2026-colorado-primary-election-voter-guide/] * CPR’s Ava Kian on Missy Woods’ plea deal. * Colorado Matters’ Chandra Thomas Whitfield talks with Jeremiah Daniel and his parents about his role in ‘Color Book’ [https://www.cpr.org/2026/06/19/netflix-movie-aurora-teen-down-syndrome/] This episode of Colorado Today is hosted by Arlo Pérez Esquivel. It’s edited and produced by Mateo Schimpf, Stephanie Wolf, Arlo Pérez Esquivel and Tyler Bender. The executive producer is Megan Verlee. Theme music by Pedro Lumbraño.

Aurora mayor sleeping at homeless shelter; the San Luis Valley’s unlikely DA, Denver Pride preview

Every Friday, when the official work is done, Aurora mayor Mike Coffman heads to the city’s 600-bed homeless shelter, where he volunteers and sleeps in order to keep a closer eye on one of his administration’s signature efforts. Then, after complaints forced out the San Luis Valley’s last district attorney, his replacement on the job is someone no one saw coming. And, from location to length, this weekend’s Denver Pride festival is a break from the past. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org [coloradotoday@cpr.org]. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members [https://donate.cpr.org/give]. Read more on the stories in today’s show: * CPR’s primary election guide [https://www.cpr.org/2026/05/29/vg-2026-colorado-primary-election-voter-guide/] * Listen to interviews with the candidates for top primary races on our series: Who’s Gonna Govern? [https://www.cpr.org/podcast/whos-gonna-govern/] * Denverite’s Kyle Harris on Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman’s weekly stays at a homeless shelter [https://denverite.com/2026/06/18/aurora-mayor-mike-coffman-sleeping-in-homeless-shelter/]. * CPR’s Ava Kian on San Luis Valley DA, Ann Kelly [https://www.cpr.org/2026/06/18/anne-kelly-district-attorneys-office-alamosa/]. * Denverite’s Kiara DeMare on the changes to Denver Pride this year [https://denverite.com/2026/06/05/how-to-celebrate-pride-in-denver-2026/]. * Details on Sunday’s Pride events here [https://denverpride.org/]. This episode of Colorado Today is hosted by Arlo Pérez Esquivel. It’s edited and produced by Mateo Schimpf, Arlo Pérez Esquivel, Megan Verlee and Tyler Bender. The executive producer is Megan Verlee. Theme music by Pedro Lumbraño.

Doctors fear resuming gender care, Mesa County clerk primary, mile high marker on the move

The legal fight over the gender-affirming care clinic at Children’s Hospital has taken another twist; the hospital says it’s ready to follow a court order and resume care, but its doctors are afraid they’ll face federal sanctions. Then, in Mesa County, the Republican primary for clerk could put an election denier in the office once filled by Tina Peters. And detailed new elevation calculations mean the official mile-high mark in Denver is about to move, again. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org [coloradotoday@cpr.org]. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members [https://donate.cpr.org/give]. Read more on the stories in today’s show: * The Colorado Sun’s Jennifer Brown reports on the latest legal developments with Children’s Hospital Colorado’s gender-affirming care clinic [https://coloradosun.com/2026/06/16/transgender-gender-affirming-care-childrens-hospital-colorado/]. * CPR's Tom Hesse on the Republican clerk's primary in Mesa County [https://www.cpr.org/2026/06/20/tina-peters-supporter-runs-for-mesa-county-clerk/]. * Denverite’s Sandy Battulga on the Capitol’s mile high marker move [https://denverite.com/2026/06/16/denver-mile-high-marker-moving/]. This episode of Colorado Today is hosted by Arlo Pérez Esquivel. It’s edited and produced by Mateo Schimpf, Hazel Feldstein, Jack Armstrong, Stephanie Wolf, and Tyler Bender. The executive producer is Megan Verlee. Theme music by Pedro Lumbraño.

Xcel can't quit coal plant, Cargill lockout drags on, relocating cremains, Juneteenth celebrations

Rising demand and troubles with other power plants have Xcel asking regulators to keep the Comanche II plant open in Pueblo longer, and to approve other fossil fuel projects, all of which could end up on customers' bills. Then, it's been more than a month since Cargill locked workers out of its plant in Fort Morgan, and the picketers are losing patience. And, when a congregation in Denver sold its church building, it ran into an unusual dilemma: what to do with the cremains in its columbarium. Plus, Juneteenth celebrations around the state this weekend.  Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org [coloradotoday@cpr.org]. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members [https://donate.cpr.org/give]. Read more on the stories in today’s show: * Denver Zoo and Conservation Alliance birth announcement for its as-yet unnamed baby orangutan [https://denverzoo.org/zootales/baby-bulletin-hestys-baby-is-here/]. * CPR’s Ishan Thakore on Xcel Energy asking Colorado regulators to extend an aging coal plant [https://www.cpr.org/2026/06/17/xcel-aging-coal-plant/]. * Denverite’s Kiara DeMare on what’s happening with the cremains from St. Paul Lutheran Church [https://denverite.com/2026/06/18/st-paul-lutheran-church-denver-cremains/]. * Denverite’s Kyle Harris on Juneteenth in Denver [https://denverite.com/2026/06/11/denver-juneteenth-music-festival-expands-in-five-points/]. * Plus Juneteenth events in Colorado Springs [https://www.visitcos.com/events/annual/juneteenth-colorado-springs/] and Grand Junction [https://www.visitgrandjunction.com/event/juneteenth-celebration/2133/]. This episode of Colorado Today is hosted by Arlo Pérez Esquivel. It’s edited and produced by Hazel Feldstein, Arlo Pérez Esquivel, Stephanie Wolf, Megan Verlee and Tyler Bender. The executive producer is Megan Verlee. Theme music by Pedro Lumbraño.

New rules when cities 'buy and dry'; clinic serves female genital cutting survivors; quirky store thrives in Del Norte

When Colorado’s growing cities look to farms along the Arkansas River to meet their thirst, they'll now have to leave that in better shape for the future. Then, we learn about a clinic that’s trying to help women from East Africa and parts of Asia with a taboo health topic: female genital mutilation and cutting. Plus, in the tiny San Luis Valley town of Del Norte, a quirky store offers everything from vinyl records, to tinned fish, to touring musical acts. Email us at coloradotoday@cpr.org [coloradotoday@cpr.org]. Colorado Today is supported by CPR’s members [https://donate.cpr.org/give]. Read more on the stories in today’s show: * Colorado Matters goes inside the Yuan Wonton kitchen [https://www.cpr.org/show-segment/inside-the-yuan-wonton-prep-kitchen-with-penelope-wong-at-the-start-of-mile-high-asian-food-week/], with chef Penelope Wong * KRCC’s Shanna Lewis on “Buy and Dry” in the Arkansas River Basin [https://www.cpr.org/2026/06/09/new-water-rights-transfer-law-arkansas-river-basin/]. * CPR’s Elaine Tassy on the clinic supporting female genital cutting survivors. [https://www.cpr.org/2026/06/17/denver-female-genital-multilation-cutting-clinic/]  * CPR's Dan Boyce with the story behind Trade & Post in Del Norte [https://www.cpr.org/2026/06/14/del-norte-record-tinned-fish-store-marks-three-years/]. This episode of Colorado Today is hosted by Arlo Pérez Esquivel. It’s edited and produced by Madilyn Rose, Hazel Feldstein, Stephanie Wolf, Megan Verlee and Tyler Bender. The executive producer is Megan Verlee. Theme music by Pedro Lumbraño.