Overview:
The October episode of Bucket List radio show on KGNU covers Palantir protests, DIA upgrades, Halloween and Chicana artist Arlette Lucero.
The October edition of the Bucket List Community News radio show aired this week on KGNU, offering another wide-ranging look at the people, places, and policies shaping Denver life. Hosted by me, Toni Tresca, and produced by our team of student and early-career reporters, the fourth episode dives into local activism, infrastructure upgrades, cultural rebirth and a celebration of the spooky season.
We begin with a story that places Denver at the center of global controversy. Reporter Cassis Tingley recaps protests outside Palantir’s headquarters, where activists called attention to the tech company’s contracts with ICE and the Israeli military. Palantir, which relocated to Denver in 2020, has long been accused of enabling surveillance and human rights abuses, from immigration raids to AI-assisted military targeting. With the company now preparing to move its offices to Cherry Creek and launching a new ImmigrationOS platform for ICE, opponents argue that Denver must grapple with the ethics of hosting such a powerful—and secretive—corporation.
From downtown to the airport, reporter Daniel Montoya takes listeners inside Denver International Airport’s $2.1 billion Great Hall Program. Touring the newly opened East security checkpoint, Montoya found shorter wait times and high-tech screening equipment aimed at easing passenger stress. Travelers like Franco Ruscitti praised the smoother flow, while workers such as bartender Ricardo Sanchez noted new challenges in navigating the terminal. With major elements still under construction, the renovation is transforming how the airport welcomes millions each year.
The show also turns to neighborhoods, where issues of access and equity are front and center. Rowen Kennedy reports on CU Denver’s first-ever Psychedelic Facilitator Training Program, created after Colorado voters approved regulated psilocybin use. Through coursework and clinical experience, the program aims to train guides for this emerging field of mental health care.
On the arts and culture front, October brings both history and Halloween. Publisher Vicky Collins covers the reopening of the long-vacant Federal Theatre, a 1920s movie house reborn as a live events venue with music, comedy, and community programming. And for seasonal thrills, Kennedy guides listeners through haunted houses, bar crawls, zoo celebrations and trunk-or-treats across the metro area.
The episode closes with a conversation with Chicana artist and educator Arlette Lucero, whose paintings and mentorship have shaped Denver’s cultural landscape for decades. Lucero reflects on her awakening as a young artist, the spiritual symbols woven through her work, and the future of Chicano art in the city.
Together, the October show captures both the tensions and celebrations that define Denver today. Listen to the full episode now and join us again for our November edition, airing Thursday, November 6.
