Good Morning, Colorado, you’re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It’s Tuesday June 15th. 

 

Today - As Colorado enters another summer of high temperatures ranchers face the issue of dry soil among other problems. So how are they coping?

 

But before we begin, let’s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett’s book “Colorado Day by Day”:

 

Today, we’re taking you back to June 15th, 1941 - the date of the inaugural concert at Red Rocks amphitheater. The New York Times reported that nothing in the US could equal the beauty and scenery of the outdoor theater. Early concerts at Red Rocks featured classical music at the insistence of parks director George Cranmer. 

 

Now, our feature story.

 

Colorado is entering yet another summer of high temperatures, parched soil and dry, dead grass. And that’s a big problem for Colorado ranchers. When there isn’t enough river water to flood pastures or groundwater for hay meadows, ranchers are forced to buy hay, ship their livestock elsewhere for grazing or even sell off cattle. Reporters Michael Booth and Thy Vo talk about how Colorado ranchers are coping with yet another year of drought.

 

To read more reporting from Michael Booth, Jennifer Brown and Jason Blevins about how the state’s extreme drought is affecting Colorado ranching and agriculture, visit coloradosun.com.

 

And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today:

 

Adams 14 school district will not offer online learning for elementary school students and will make only 300 spots available for remote learning by middle and high school students. The north metro district says remote learning is expensive and difficult to execute, and that elementary school online learners lagged in academic progress last year compared with peers who returned to the classroom full time.

 

Prosper Colorado, an arm of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, says the minimum a person needs to earn to be self sufficient is $45,000. The group’s goal is to get most people living in metro Denver to earn that amount or more. Currently, almost 40 percent of metro Denver workers earn less than $40,000.

 

Rocky Mountain forests are more flammable now than during any period in the last two thousand years, researchers looking at materials preserved in the bottom of mountain lakes found. The records of past fires preserved in the sediment of 20 lakes in the central Rocky Mountains showed that areas that used to burn once every 230 years now can be expected to burn every 117 years. The researchers from Montana and Wyoming cite climate change, human activities, forest fire suppression and insect killed trees for the increase in flammability.

 

For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. And don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow.

 

The Colorado Sun is non-partisan and completely independent. We're always dedicated to telling the in-depth stories we need today more than ever. And The Sun is supported by readers and listeners like you.

 

Right now, you can head to ColoradoSun.com and become a member. Starting at $5 per month for a basic membership and if you bump it up to $20 per month, you’ll get access to our exclusive politics and outdoors newsletters. Thanks for starting your morning with us and don’t forget to tune in again tomorrow.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning, Colorado, you&rsquo;re listening to the Daily Sun-Up with the Colorado Sun. It&rsquo;s Tuesday June 15th.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Today - As Colorado enters another summer of high temperatures ranchers face the issue of dry soil among other problems. So how are they coping?
&nbsp;
But before we begin, let&rsquo;s go back in time with some Colorado history adapted from historian Derek R Everett&rsquo;s book &ldquo;Colorado Day by Day&rdquo;:
&nbsp;
Today, we&rsquo;re taking you back to June 15th, 1941 - the date of the inaugural concert at Red Rocks amphitheater. The New York Times reported that nothing in the US could equal the beauty and scenery of the outdoor theater. Early concerts at Red Rocks featured classical music at the insistence of parks director George Cranmer.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Now, our feature story.
&nbsp;
Colorado is entering yet another summer of high temperatures, parched soil and dry, dead grass. And that&rsquo;s a big problem for Colorado ranchers. When there isn&rsquo;t enough river water to flood pastures or groundwater for hay meadows, ranchers are forced to buy hay, ship their livestock elsewhere for grazing or even sell off cattle. Reporters Michael Booth and Thy Vo talk about how Colorado ranchers are coping with yet another year of drought.
&nbsp;
To read more reporting from Michael Booth, Jennifer Brown and Jason Blevins about how the state&rsquo;s extreme drought is affecting Colorado ranching and agriculture, visit coloradosun.com.
&nbsp;
And Before we go, here are a few stories that you should know about today:
&nbsp;
Adams 14 school district will not offer online learning for elementary school students and will make only 300 spots available for remote learning by middle and high school students. The north metro district says remote learning is expensive and difficult to execute, and that elementary school online learners lagged in academic progress last year compared with peers who returned to the classroom full time.
&nbsp;
Prosper Colorado, an arm of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, says the minimum a person needs to earn to be self sufficient is $45,000. The group&rsquo;s goal is to get most people living in metro Denver to earn that amount or more. Currently, almost 40 percent of metro Denver workers earn less than $40,000.
&nbsp;
Rocky Mountain forests are more flammable now than during any period in the last two thousand years, researchers looking at materials preserved in the bottom of mountain lakes found. The records of past fires preserved in the sediment of 20 lakes in the central Rocky Mountains showed that areas that used to burn once every 230 years now can be expected to burn every 117 years. The researchers from Montana and Wyoming cite climate change, human activities, forest fire suppression and insect killed trees for the increase in flammability.
&nbsp;
For more information on all of these stories, visit our website, www.coloradosun.com. And don&rsquo;t forget to tune in again tomorrow.
&nbsp;
The Colorado Sun is non-partisan and completely independent. We're always dedicated to telling the in-depth stories we need today more than ever. And The Sun is supported by readers and listeners like you.
&nbsp;
Right now, you can head to ColoradoSun.com and become a member. Starting at $5 per month for a basic membership and if you bump it up to $20 per month, you&rsquo;ll get access to our exclusive politics and outdoors newsletters. Thanks for starting your morning with us and don&rsquo;t forget to tune in again tomorrow.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Welcome to The Colorado Sun's daily podcast, The Daily Sun-Up. Every day we’re sharing an in-depth look at one of our top stories, followed by a quick summary of important things happening in our state. For more visit us at https://coloradosun.com/.

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