Claire Cleveland


Colorado Public Radio •

As Colorado lawmakers work to expand abortion protections, pregnancy resource centers’ advertising under scrutiny

One woman, who didn’t want to use her name, visited the Alpha Center in Fort Collins years ago when she was a high school student. She had a pregnancy scare and didn’t want to tell her parents. She saw an ad in her high school newspaper for the center.

As an unemployed 17-year-old, she said she didn’t know how to go about getting a pregnancy test, let alone an abortion.

“We were handling this on our own, and that resource was just presented to us via this advertisement in the school newspaper.
Colorado Public Radio •

A Colorado mother and daughter share their abortion stories, 50 years apart

Today there are parallels to their stories to what people in Colorado and across the U.S. are experiencing when they need abortion care.

'It was not right for me'

Claire Shaffer became unexpectedly pregnant in 2020. At first, she was excited, but the pregnancy exposed some issues in her relationship.

“My gut was screaming, but there was also this side of me that really wanted to have a child. And so I definitely had this internal conflict,” she said. CPR News is using her middle name to prote
Colorado Public Radio •

10 years of recreational cannabis research: What we’ve learned and what’s still unknown

Researchers have been studying its impact on health, public safety and the economy, but there’s still so much more to learn. In some ways, the cart came before the horse, as in legalization came well before the research.

On Colorado Matters, Angela Bryan, a professor of psychology, and Brian Keegan, an assistant professor of information science, both at the University of Colorado Boulder, talked about some of what’s currently known and unknown about cannabis. They also busted a few long-standin
Colorado Public Radio •

Kaiser Permanente to offer abortion services in response to long Planned Parenthood wait times

Kaiser Permanente in Colorado is now offering expanded abortion services to its patients in response to long wait times at abortion clinics.

In a statement, the healthcare provider said that in the past, patients were referred to external partners, including Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, for care. But when neighboring states passed restrictive abortion laws after Roe v. Wade was overturned, the wait times at those clinics have become longer, limiting options and creating complicati
Colorado Public Radio •

Out-of-state patients seeking abortions arrive in Colorado in record numbers

As of September, 2,477 people from out of state have received abortion care in Colorado, according to provisional data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, which is nearly 1,000 more people than Colorado saw last year. It’s the highest number of out-of-state patients Colorado has seen since in recent years. In 2019, for example, fewer than 1,000 out-of-state patients received abortion care in Colorado.

In fact, with the exception of January, every month of 2022 has see
Colorado Public Radio •

5 years into Colorado’s medical aid-in-dying programs, access is still an issue and researchers say educating doctors could help

Escobar met Ekdahl through the faith community, The Refuge, which she founded and worked as a pastor. Ekdahl had little money or resources, so throughout their friendship Escobar helped advocate for him to get better housing, access to better health care and navigate his complicated health situation.

So when it came time, she attended the meetings Ekdahl had with the Denver Health medical aid-in-dying team and offered financial assistance for the program because he couldn’t afford the $800 cost
Colorado Public Radio •

At home rapid COVID tests: how to use them and why they may mislead you if you don't have symptoms

During the holidays, lots of Coloradans relied on rapid COVID-19 tests to determine whether they should gather for parties, visit with friends and family or stay home. But those tests weren’t widely available at local pharmacies. And when they were, the prices could be exorbitantly high.

Dr. Richard Zane, director of emergency services at UCHealth, said he gets asked a few times a week about finding at-home tests and how often his patients should test themselves for COVID-19, especially as the
Colorado Public Radio •

Colorado wants to give out free KN95 masks at your local library. But maybe call ahead first to see if they have them

After Gov. Jared Polis announced the state’s mask giveaway on Tuesday, multiple library systems said they did not have masks available to distribute or were not participating. While distribution did indeed begin Wednesday at some library systems, others say they may delay the start of distribution.

Denver Public Library — the state’s largest library system — notably issued a quick response on Twitter saying it would not be distributing masks immediately. That tweet has since been deleted.

But,
Colorado Public Radio •

Two COVID-19 testing companies have been ordered to stop operating in Colorado. Here’s a list of their 11 locations

Two private COVID-19 testing companies have been ordered to stop testing by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

A CDPHE investigation found that the Center for COVID Control and Macagain Corp., which operate a combined 11 testing sites in Colorado, have failed to report test results and cases to the state, according to a statement released by Weiser’s office.

Both companies received cease and desist letters from the state on Jan.
Colorado Public Radio •

‘I want something to be proud of’: On the road to recovery, he reconnected with his family and now aims for more

Bontrager joined the program after being arrested for breaking and entering in Fort Collins last June. He was sleeping in an abandoned frat house.

“Oh, it was so embarrassing,” he recalled. “I wouldn't be sleeping in a frat house if I wasn't, you know, on drugs or in a dire situation.”

He’d been drinking and using drugs since college at that point. He grew up in Limon, which he said was boring as a teenager, and was in trouble for shoplifting and vandalism in high school.

In 2008 when he went
Colorado Public Radio •

Disaster Assistance Center opens in Lafayette as a ‘one-stop shop’ for recovery resources

People impacted by the fires and interested in receiving direct financial funding can visit the Center at 1755 S. Public Road, Lafayette. It is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“Regardless of whether you are in financial need or not, it is important for you to connect with Boulder county staff whenever you can,” Hernandez said. “So that we can in partnership with them better understand your needs, current and future.”

The Disaster Assistance Center opened Monday. By Tuesday, 250 pe
Colorado Public Radio •

Is it COVID or a cold? Here’s what to do if you feel sick, and how to stay safe during the holidays

In early November, I started feeling sick. I felt tired and had a really bad cough and sore throat. I thought it was COVID-19.

I live with people who are over 75 years old, so I was worried about exposing them.

We’re all vaccinated. In fact, I had just gotten my booster shot and flu shot a few days before getting sick. I decided to get tested at a local urgent care. The test came back negative. A relief, but still, I felt more sick than when I had strep throat a few years ago. I lost my voice,
Colorado Public Radio •

Christmas came early — and on wheels — for kids at a bike giveaway in Boulder

On a cool December Saturday morning, 9-year-old Veran and 4-year-old Van excitedly waited in the back of their parents' minivan at the annual Community Cycles Kids Holiday Bike Giveaway in Boulder.

Veran wanted a yellow bike and Van said he wanted a purple one. The boys plan to ride their bikes to school next year, and their mom, Xixi Shen from Lafayette, decided they needed new bikes and helmets.

Since 2006, Community Cycles has hosted its annual bike giveaway, giving away hundreds of bikes t
Colorado Public Radio •

Omicron in Boulder wastewater indicates community spread of newest COVID variant

The omicron variant of COVID-19 was detected in Boulder’s wastewater, the state announced today, indicating community spread of the new variant.

“We're unable to quantify how many cases that detection in the Boulder municipal wastewater system represents,” said state epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy at a press conference, “but we believe it's likely more than one case, probably some low level of community transmission.”

There are two confirmed cases of Omicron in the state so far, in Arapahoe
Colorado Public Radio •

Thanksgiving served with a side of grace at the Denver Rescue Mission

For the first time, Dwayne Washington didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving with his family or friends. Instead, he did so at the Denver Rescue Mission.

“Never thought I'd find myself in this situation,” Washington said. “But it's good that people treat you with respect -- and they love on you here. So yeah, I'm pretty happy.”

Washington is among many who are experiencing homelessness for the first time -- a number that's doubled in Denver after the pandemic began, according to one study.

The nonprof
Colorado Public Radio •

A shooting at an Aurora school Friday unfolded as an anti-violence event happened just a few miles away

A few miles away, Aurora’s clergy and community leaders gathered at an elementary school for an anti-violence event. The gathering, planned earlier this week, was supposed to be a march, but with what had just happened at Hinkley High, Wilson asked organizers to rally on the grounds of an elementary school instead.

Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman was at the gathering and became emotional when he learned of the shooting.

"There is just an escalation of youth violence. There are so many questions. How
Colorado Public Radio •

How Aurora plans to address racist policing, negative public interactions in agreement with Colorado AG

Updated at 3:56 p.m. with reaction from local activists and more details about agreement

Aurora and the state Attorney General have agreed on a framework for reforms of the city’s police and fire departments.

Tuesday’s announcement comes ahead of a formal signing of a consent decree which will stay in place for “about the next five years,” according to the Attorney General’s office, and be overseen by an outside monitor.

“The hard work ahead is aimed at building trust in law enforcement,” sai
Colorado Public Radio •

‘Because it helps me.’ Colorado Springs clinic starts vaccinating children against COVID-19

Claire McKinley, 7, first picked out a Band-Aid with Elsa from the movie “Frozen.” She got quiet and nervous as the nurse at the Colorado Springs clinic started to rub her arm with an alcohol wipe on Saturday. Then while Claire coughed 10 times into her elbow toward her little brother, Reece, 5, the nurse gave Claire her first Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Children ages 5 to 11 are now eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19. In Colorado and nationally, people 18 years old and younger make up 25
Colorado Public Radio •

Children are now eligible for the Pfizer COVID Vaccine. Here’s what you need to know

This week federal regulators approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11.

For months, COVID-19 cases in children have been on the rise. In August and September, cases climbed 400 percent. According to the state, there’s a one in four chance of being exposed to the virus by a child at home.

The number of children hospitalized also increased. Colorado is one of the worst COVID-19 hotspots in the country, with medical facilities nearing capacity. Getting vaccinated is the best
Colorado Public Radio •

‘Our culture is so rich here’: Celebrating Dia De Los Muertos in Brighton as a push for inclusivity

In matching Mexican traditional dresses embroidered with flowers and their faces painted like skulls, Trina White and her granddaughters, 1-year-old Amari and 2-year-old Laila, are celebrating Dia De Los Muertos for the first time.

“My granddaughter Laila, she loves ‘Coco,’ and so just to kind of teach her what the movie is about I think is a good thing for us to just show her that it's real,” White said. “I'm hoping to carry on the tradition with my granddaughters.”


White’s son, daughter-in
Colorado Public Radio •

For one Colorado trans woman, long-term care was her only option for housing — but getting in was an eight-month struggle

This is part of a series by Colorado Public Radio News about housing instability in Colorado. In October 2020, 68-year-old Lisa Oakley went to the emergency room at Memorial Hospital in Craig for elevated blood sugar and complications with her diabetes. In the past, she would get her levels under control and go home, but this time was different. She was struggling with bladder issues and needed a wheelchair instead of the walker she had been using. Her doctor recommended she go into a long-term
Colorado Public Radio •

For Polis, a Cheyenne name for a mountain is too hard to pronounce. Indigenous groups disagree.

Gov. Jared Polis is getting pushback after saying the new recommended name for a mountain in Clear Creek County, Mestaa’ėhehe (pronounced mess-taw-HAY), is too hard to pronounce as written.

Polis made the remarks to the state’s Geographic Naming Advisory Board, which he created last year to re-name offensive places and landmarks, and urged members to consider an alternate spelling.

“There's a reason why our languages are now going extinct. And it's because of this exact same thing,” said Danie
Colorado Public Radio •

New CU School of Medicine portrait exhibit presents real people behind the letters LGBTQ+

Around 1979, Dr. Nancey Johnson Bookstein was outed by a fellow faculty member on the quad of the CU School of Medicine. The woman asked her “Well, how’s it like to be gay?”

“We weren’t alone, and I hadn’t told her. And I was mortified. And I was actually afraid of losing my job,” Johnson Bookstein said at the opening reception of Eye to Eye: Portraits of Pride, Strength, Beauty at the same school where she went on to work as an associate professor of physical therapy for 38 years.

She and oth
Load More