Bente Birkeland
Bente Birkeland has covered Colorado politics and government since spring of 2006. She loves the variety and challenge of the state capitol beat and talking to people from all walks of life. Bente's work has aired on NPR's Morning Edition and All Things Considered, American PublicMedia'sMarketplace, and she was a contributor for WNYC's The Next Big Thing. She has won numerous local and national awards, including best beat reporting from the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors. Bente grew up in Minnesota and England, and loves skiing, hiking, and is an aspiring cello player. She lives in Lakewood with her husband.
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The head of security for a voting equipment vendor speaks out from an undisclosed location where he's living after threats or harassment were directed to him and his family — even ex-girlfriends.
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Delaying session or meeting remotely aren't options that have necessarily appealed to Republican state lawmakers who, for the most part, aren't shy about gathering in large numbers in 2021.
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A Colorado state team has picked up a mock vaccine at Denver's airport to deliver to a remote mountain hospital to test the ability to maintain the vaccine's required temperature.
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The 130-year-old Capitol building where Rep.-elect David Ortiz will work isn't totally accessible. We examine what his victory means for disability rights, and what changes have to be made.
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NPR visits one politically divided married couple in Pueblo, Colo., as they debate politics ahead of the 2020 election.
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The Supreme Court vacancy is not at the top of the minds of the Colorado voters we spoke to this week, while health care and the pandemic are.
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Next week, Colorado voters will pick the Democrat to challenge GOP Sen. Cory Gardner. Former Gov. John Hickenlooper was the party's first choice for the nomination, but his campaign has hit snags.
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State coffers have been wiped out by a loss of income and sales tax revenue and the cost of fighting the coronavirus. States are begging the federal government to help with massive budget shortfalls.
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The coronavirus is forcing governors to ask how to balance public safety with the financial welfare of their states. We spent the day with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis as the pandemic tested his mettle.
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Governors are questioning how to balance public safety with states' financial welfare during the coronavirus outbreak. We spent the day with Gov. Jared Polis, Democrat from Colorado.