Luke Runyon
As KUNC’s reporter covering the Colorado River Basin, I dig into stories that show how water issues can both unite and divide communities throughout the Western U.S. I produce feature stories for KUNC and a network of public media stations in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, California and Nevada.
I love public radio because I know the power of hearing someone’s story in their own words, using their own voice. You can get a much better sense of who someone is and what their motivations are just by listening to how they speak, and that’s a big part of why I love public radio reporting.
Before covering water at KUNC I covered the agriculture and food beat for five years as the station’s Harvest Public Media reporter. I’ve also reported for Aspen Public Radio in Aspen, Colo. and Illinois Public Radio in Springfield, Ill. My reports have been featured on NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Here & Now and APM's Marketplace. I’m a proud graduate of the University of Illinois’ Public Affairs Reporting program.
My work has been recognized by the Society of Environmental Journalists, Radio Television Digital News Association, the Colorado Broadcasters Association and the Public Media Journalists Association.
When I’m not at the station you can usually find me out exploring the Rocky Mountains with either a pack on my back or skis on my feet (sometimes both at the same time).
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Becky Ravenkamp is a farmer who's taken on many roles to keep her Colorado farm town afloat. She thinks candidates this election year have largely overlooked rural America.
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Slaughterhouses, while safer than decades ago, are some of the country's most hazardous workplaces. They are fined by the government for safety violations, but those fines may not be big enough.
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Cows are being bred to be larger, hungrier, and more productive. But this drive to raise ever-larger, hulking Holsteins has some prominent livestock advocates ringing alarm bells.
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A judge ruled Monday that an Idaho law criminalizing undercover investigations of farms is unconstitutional. Seven other states have similar laws, but legal experts say they may not stand much longer.
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The fast-growing organic sector has no succinct motto like "Got milk?" A trade group wants growers to help pay for one, but the idea is splitting farmers, processors and marketers into factions.
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At farm shows across the country, drones have become as ubiquitous as tractors. Drone flights are mostly banned in the U.S., but on Sunday the FAA released long-awaited draft rules.
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Colorado law says the plant itself has to be grown indoors, but regulation and reluctant banks have made real estate hard to come by for pot entrepreneurs. The right property can go for millions.
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Similar measures calling for labeling genetically modified foods have failed in recent years in California and Washington, and Vermont is being sued for the labeling law it enacted earlier this year.
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Colorado is rolling out regulations for the edible-marijuana sector, including "emergency rules," which spell out serving sizes. But for now, most of the dosage education is falling to pot shops.
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As attitudes toward homosexuality shift in the U.S., many gay men say that's created not just more legal freedoms but also greater freedom to express their gender identities.