Overview:
August’s radio show previews Sundance, examines the rise in dog attacks on mail carriers and features an interview with author Dr. Pius Kamau.
The August episode of the Bucket List Community News radio show on KGNU looks ahead to the Sundance Film Festival’s arrival in Boulder while examining the dangers facing Denver mail carriers and highlighting the mentorship behind Bucket List’s community reporting. Hosted and produced by me, Bucket List editor Toni Tresca, the episode originally aired on Thursday, Aug. 6.
We begin the show with an extended interview I conducted with Cris Jones, Boulder’s director of strategic partnerships and the city’s lead for Sundance preparations. The influential independent film festival will make its Colorado debut from Jan. 21 through Jan. 31, 2027, bringing screenings, premieres, panels and industry events to venues across Boulder.
Jones explains why Boulder competed to become Sundance’s new home and what the city expects in return for the roughly $34 million in incentives committed by Boulder and its partners. The conversation also addresses some of the festival’s biggest unresolved questions, including high lodging prices, Boulder’s limited hotel inventory, regional transportation and the challenge of ensuring that local businesses, workers, students and residents benefit from the event.
The show then turns to a workplace hazard affecting Denver mail carriers. Reporter Linus Loughry discusses his investigation into the 45 reported dog attacks on local postal workers in 2025, which placed Denver third among cities nationwide.
Loughry shares the experience of Joseph Sorich, a carrier who has been bitten five times in six years, and explains how even pets that owners consider friendly may become territorial when someone approaches their home. The segment explores the tools carriers use to protect themselves, and Loughry also suggests practical steps residents can take to reduce bites.
In the arts and culture segment, I spoke with Denver surgeon and author Dr. Pius Kamau about his memoir, “Running With Lions.” Kamau reflects on growing up under British colonial rule in Kenya, living through the Mau Mau Rebellion and overcoming racial and economic barriers to pursue an education and career in medicine.
Publisher Vicky Collins then joins the show to explain Bucket List’s student mentorship mission. Since 2019, the publication has worked with more than 100 high school and university journalists. Collins also shares information about our back-to-school fundraiser, which supports its free community reporting and mentorship programs.
The episode closes with a story from “On Our Minds,” produced by teens with PBS News Student Reporting Labs. Student journalist Theo Bonavita reflects on growing up and rediscovering childhood memories while driving through Colorado on his own.
The next Bucket List Community News radio show airs Thursday, Sept. 3, at 3 p.m. on KGNU. You can listen to all previous episodes by clicking here.
