Purplish
Purplish is a podcast about politics and policy and how they shape Coloradans’ lives, hosted by Colorado Public Radio’s public affairs reporter Bente Birkeland and reporters from the Colorado Capitol News Alliance.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 4
- Latest publication
- Sep 4, 2026
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- Earliest in this view
- Jul 3, 2026
Latest episodes
What the ‘Buc’? Buc-ee’s back in Colorado headlines (opens the original)
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For years, Buc-ee’s has been eyeing a parcel of land off Interstate 25 at Monument Hill to build its second Colorado location. The travel plaza chain, in late August, made a significant step toward realizing that ambition. Following a packed and, at times, heated public hearing, county commissioners helped set the stage for Buc-ee’s to build on that parcel of land. The story of Buc-ee’s, Monument Hill and Palmer Lake has been through many twists and turns. The Purplish team updates you on where
Rideshare safety in the spotlight and now on the books in Colorado (opens the original)
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A state lawmaker shared her harrowing account of an alleged sexual assault during a Lyft ride. Her personal experience inspired legislation in 2025 to further regulate ride-hailing companies like Lyft and Uber in the state. Other survivors came to the State Capitol to share their stories and support the legislation. That bill did not become law after the governor’s veto. But lawmakers tried again the following year, and parts of the pared-down version take effect this month. Uber has publicly sa
Colorado turns 150 and it’s always been a little bit ‘purple-ish’ (opens the original)
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Since it became a state 150 years ago, Colorado’s political identity has always been hard to pin down. It’s been a lot of things at once, a place of contradictions that, at times, puts the state at the forefront of change including women’s suffrage and civil rights. At other times, political power rested with those interested in turning back the clock. As the state marks its 150th statehood anniversary, CPR’s Bente Birkeland and Arlo Pérez Esquivel examine two significant chapters in Colorado’s
Did Colorado get hit with an anti-incumbent wave on primary night? (opens the original)
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Progressives sailed through Colorado’s primary elections in late June, including a once-in-a-generation upset for a Democratic Socialist who ousted a longtime incumbent in Denver in a race that grabbed national headlines. There was an upset of a different kind in the Democratic race for governor with a U.S. Senator losing to the state’s Attorney General, while the GOP race was too close to call on primary night. In a big election year, with all of the top statewide elected offices up for grabs,
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