Overview:
The Bucket List Community News radio show reflects on Denver’s defining stories of 2025 and the big questions shaping the city in 2026.
As Denver turns the page on 2025, the January episode of the Bucket List Community News radio show offers a moment of reflection and a clear-eyed look at what lies ahead. Originally airing on New Year’s Day at 3 p.m. on KGNU, the episode brings together Bucket List editor Toni Tresca, publisher Vicky Collins and radio show editor Ryland Scholes for an extended conversation about the stories, pressures and possibilities that shaped the city over the past year.
Toni opens the show by describing 2025 as a year of sharp policy shifts, community wins and deeply felt losses, all of which highlight why hyperlocal journalism is more important than ever.
From there, the trio digs into the Bucket List stories that resonated most with readers. Among them: Cassis Tingley’s explanation of skyrocketing egg prices, Dominick Zangara’s reporting on community opposition to the reopening of 2900 Larimer Street, and major developments such as Sundance’s arrival in Boulder, widespread labor strikes across Colorado and the effects of development on Denver’s transportation.
Vicky connects those headlines to a larger throughline: the impact of national politics on everyday life in Colorado. Immigration, affordability, food insecurity, health care costs and education all felt the weight of decisions made far beyond Denver. She notes that some of Bucket List‘s most meaningful work came from listening carefully to neighborhood-level stories that reveal how policy debates land in real life.
That national-local tension becomes even sharper when the group discusses the Trump administration’s influence in 2025. Federal actions, including the clawback of National Endowment for the Arts grants affecting organizations like Phamaly Theatre Company and Motus Theater, had immediate consequences for Colorado’s arts ecosystem. Vicky also describes a growing chilling effect, with many community members hesitant to speak publicly out of fear due to damaging rhetoric.
Ryland adds another layer of concern: eroding trust in journalism itself. As leaders increasingly dismiss factual reporting that challenges their narratives, he argues that community-based outlets play a crucial role in maintaining accountability and connection.
Looking ahead to 2026, the conversation shifts toward the unresolved questions Denver faces. Changes to health care as ACA subsidies expire, rising costs of living, a strained city budget, transportation safety, the rollout of the Vibrant Denver bond and the arrival of Denver Summit FC all loom large. With midterm elections on the horizon, the stakes feel especially high.
The episode closes by turning inward. Toni, Vicky and Ryland reflect on where Bucket List Community News is headed in the new year, including expanding mentorship, deepening community partnerships and building a sustainable, community-supported model for local journalism. Toni concludes the episodes by thanking listeners, the Bucket List team, an anonymous donor who made a significant donation to support the radio show in memory of broadcaster and Vicky’s late husband, Darrell Ewalt, and KGNU for their support.
The next episode of the Bucket List Community News radio show airs Thursday, February 5, at 3 p.m. on KGNU. Listen to all of our previous Bucket List radio show episodes here.
