In The NOCO

Colorado has played a leading role in many films. The state’s western landscapes can be seen in movies like The Hateful Eight and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.   Then there’s the famous scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in which Paul Newman and Robert Redford leap off the edge of a cliff into the rushing river below. That scene was filmed near Durango, above the Animas River.   Robert Redford famously spent a lot of time in Boulder. And actors like Don Cheadle and Pam Grier have all come from Colorado.    This summer, the first-ever Colorado 150 Film Festival will celebrate these movies and actors with screenings of 150 films being shown in 35 independent theaters across the state. It’s also a celebration of the state’s 150th anniversary on Aug. 1.  One of the festival’s organizers, Rob DuRay, spoke with Erin O’Toole about the festival and where Colorado’s film industry might go from here.  The Colorado 150 Film Festival begins this weekend and continues through November. View the full lineup of films and venues. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!  Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner  Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

With the summer travel season here, it’s a very busy time at Denver International Airport. But it's also noisy at the airport. And that can be tougher for travelers than you might realize.  Research suggests that exposure to noise can trigger stress in a traveler’s brain and body, which doesn’t help people already tense from trying to get through those crowded security lines. Which is why last summer, Denver airport officials launched a campaign to turn down the noise. The goal is to create a calmer and more peaceful airport experience. Jamie Banks is a health and environmental scientist, and the founder and president of Quiet Communities, an organization that works to reduce noise pollution – from restaurant interiors to noisy neighborhoods. She spoke with Erin O'Toole in December to talk about how a quieter airport might help tame some of the anxiety of travel. We’re listening back to that conversation today. * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!  Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner  Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

More Colorado ranchers are using satellite technology to manage their livestock across vast, rugged landscapes — without having to put up miles of physical fence.  Virtual fencing uses GPS-enabled collars to allow ranchers to guide their cattle and keep them within invisible boundaries, using a mobile phone or computer.  Ranchers who use virtual fencing say it’s relatively cheap and helps them keep tabs on their herds. And it may help ranchers coexist with wolves and other predators. So, are ranch hands – and fence posts – endangered in the West? Tracy Ross of The Colorado Sun interviewed several ranchers about the technology. She talked with Erin O’Toole about how virtual fencing works and why it appeals to ranchers.* * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!  Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner  Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

Some uninvited guests are coming for a visit.  The warm, dry weather in recent months led many insects to emerge early this spring. And for your plants, that’s bad news – because plants are especially vulnerable to damage when moisture is scarce.  So, as Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, today’s guest will introduce you to some of the bugs who are coming for your plants. Karim Gharbi is a horticulture specialist with CSU Extension who also studies insects and how they interact with plants. And he’s a frequent In The NoCo guest. He spoke with Erin O’Toole onstage at a recent In The NoCo live episode taping, and shared a few simple strategies to help protect your plants. CSU Extension has information and helpful resources on Japanese beetle, Emerald Ash Borer and other insects that harm trees and plants.  * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!  Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner  Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

A small nuclear reactor proposed by the Pentagon may be a reality soon in Aurora.  The proposed microreactor would power Buckley Space Force Base and give the site a steady source of electricity.   But it would look different – and operate at a smaller scale – than the nuclear reactors built a few decades ago. Rather than a large energy plant with cooling towers that jut into the sky, this small reactor would fit inside a semi-trailer.   The Buckley project is one of three microreactors proposed for military bases around the country. Even so, nuclear energy, and the radioactive byproducts associated with it, make many people uneasy.  So we reached out to Thomas Albrecht for some context. He's a professor at Colorado School of Mines who studies the chemistry of nuclear materials and the long-term storage of nuclear waste. He spoke with Erin O’Toole about how microreactors operate, and why nearby Aurora residents shouldn’t be worried.  * * * * *Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.org Questions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] Like what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!  Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole Executive Producer: Brad Turner  Theme music by Robbie Reverb Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.