Erin O'Toole
Host & Senior Producer, In the NoCoEmail: erin.otoole@kunc.org
As the host of KUNC’s news program and podcast In The NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and fast-growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation spots. It’s a privilege to find and share the stories and voices that reflect why NoCo is such an extraordinary place to live.
One of the things I love most about public radio is that it embodies and encourages many of the values I hold dear: integrity, civility and curiosity. I’ve been with KUNC since 2009, minus a brief break where I focused exclusively on a Denver-based podcast. I’ve served in a number of roles here: Morning Edition Host, Assistant News Director, and as host and senior producer for Colorado Edition. My work has been recognized by the Associated Press, the Colorado Broadcasters Association, PRNDI, RTNDA, and the Society for Professional Journalists.
I began my career at a country radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio, where I was a traffic reporter, newscaster, sidekick, and finally a morning show host (yes, it’s true that my name was Coyote Kim!). I later relocated to southern California where I served as Morning Edition host and reporter for KVCR in San Bernardino. I was selected as a USC/Annenberg Health Journalism fellow in 2008.
When I'm not at work, you can usually find me hiking with my two dogs, noodling around on my bass, cooking, or enjoying the sunshine and a cold brew on a patio somewhere.
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Fall is a great time to enjoy camping and hiking in Colorado. But fall is also a time when many wild animals are either fattening up for winter or looking for a mate – which can make a run-in with an elk, moose or bighorn sheep especially dangerous. Hear tips from a wildlife expert on how to stay safe in the outdoors this season. -
Taylor Swift’s new album arrives Friday -- and if you can’t get enough Taylor Swift right now, In The NoCo found a local story about her that might surprise you. It’s about a course at CSU that uses Swift’s lyrics to teach students the art of translating English into Spanish. We talk to the professor who created the course, and hear some Spanish-language versions of Swiftie favorites. -
It’s tough to confront uncomfortable emotions like anxiety or shame. But a Denver artist has created an immersive exhibit that she hopes will encourage visitors to do just that – with the help of some giant, cuddly monsters made entirely of yarn. We hear more about her exhibit at the Denver Art Museum, and the psychology behind it. -
Running a family farm on Colorado’s Eastern Plains takes passion, good business sense, and deep commitment. On the new season of KUNC's award-winning podcast The Colorado Dream, we learn about farming in Colorado from a family that’s been doing it for several generations. Hear a preview of the new season, and the reporting that went into it. -
Fall is a great time to enjoy the outdoors in Colorado. But it’s also a time to be extra cautious around wildlife – especially bears, which are more active and potentially aggressive as they prepare for winter hibernation. Hear tips from a wildlife expert on coexisting with bears – and what to do if you run into one in the wild. -
The Colorado Rockies are wrapping up their worst season in franchise history. So it might be time to try something different at Coors Field. Here's how a proposal to use baseballs with thicker seams could make playing at Coors Field a little more successful for future Rockies lineups. -
This time of year in southeast Colorado, hordes of tarantulas set out on their annual migration across the grasslands in search of a mate. The event draws plenty of tourists who are eager to witness the sight. Ahead of this weekend’s Tarantula Fest, we talk with an expert to learn what makes tarantulas so fascinating. -
There’s a growing shortage of workers in the ski industry – including the people who keep ski lifts across the country operating safely. Colorado Mountain College hopes to fix that by training future lift mechanics at its Leadville campus, with a program designed around a newly donated ski lift. -
Text messages and videos sent by students at Evergreen High School during last week’s shooting incident give a powerful sense of what students there dealt with. And they hint at some of the feelings they’ll carry forward. -
Kevin France, a professor of astrophysics at the University of Colorado Boulder, discusses the Habitable Worlds Observatory, a new space telescope that could help us find new worlds.
