Tess Novotny
Producer for Colorado EditionEmail: tess.novotny@kunc.org
Twitter: @tess_novotny
As a producer for Colorado Edition, I pitch segment ideas, pre-interview guests, craft scripts and cut audio. I also write tweets, build web posts and occasionally host.
I focus on bringing rural voices and issues to Colorado Edition. I see a clear bridge between holding small town power accountable and building faith in our media and democratic institutions. I want to cross that bridge, and I want to bring everyone 鈥� big city isolates and small-town lifers 鈥� along, too.
Before coming to Colorado, I worked at Oregon Public Broadcasting where I was a producer for a live, daily radio talk show called 鈥淭hink Out Loud.鈥� I also spent a year reporting on crime and courts for The Klamath Falls Herald and 暗黑爆料 in rural southern Oregon.
I grew up in Portland, Oregon and graduated from the University of Oregon in 2018 with Bachelors of Arts in journalism and political science. I first dipped into radio by hosting a weekly music show as "DJ Nebulon" on my campus station, KWVA.
When I鈥檓 not producing, I am discovering local music venues, hiking with friends and reading novels on local brewery patios.
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It has been one week today since the Marshall Fire ignited in Boulder County, ripping through more than 6,000 acres and destroying around 1,000 homes and other structures. Residents and public officials of Louisville and Superior are reeling, but starting to talk about what recovery will look like. -
The Marshall Fire that erupted in Boulder County on Thursday quickly became the most destructive in state history. Officials estimate nearly 1,000 structures have been destroyed. It was a rare occurrence for December in Colorado, but many experts say similar events will become more common, fueled by extreme climate conditions. -
The Boulder County Disaster Assistance Center will help those who lost homes or were displaced due to the Marshall Fire by getting them immediate financial and food assistance, filing claims for lost property, connecting with mental health support and more. -
This week marks the one-year anniversary of COVID-19 vaccines becoming available in Colorado. Last year, frontline healthcare workers became the first group of people to be vaccinated against the virus. One of those workers is Marilyn Schaefer, director of respiratory therapy for UCHealth鈥檚 North Region. She joined us to talk about the year of vaccination, and the role she and other respiratory therapists have played in fighting the pandemic. -
Vaccines first became available in Colorado nearly one year ago, on Dec. 14, 2020. In the year since, despite millions of Coloradans getting vaccinated, the virus and its variants are still spreading. -
The COVID-19 vaccine rollout initially focused on those who were most at-risk, such as older adults and healthcare workers, and gradually expanded over the next few months to phase in more people. But barriers to access, as well as a lack of trust in the vaccine, were noted among some communities of color. To build access and trust and to help dispel misinformation, a group of medical leaders created the Colorado Vaccine Equity Task Force. -
Recent weather along the Front Range has been abnormally warm and dry, which can be hard on trees and other landscaping. For advice on how supplemental watering can help trees survive a dry Colorado winter, we spoke with Natalie McNeill, an ISA board-certified master arborist and district manager with Davey Tree Expert Company in Fort Collins. -
Colorado鈥檚 Front Range has been abnormally warm and dry this fall, heading into winter. Although some snowfall is expected later this week, many Coloradans are wondering what the rest of winter is going to be like. -
Last month, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced an emergency temporary standard mandating COVID-19 vaccines for employees at companies with more than 100 workers. The mandate was challenged by numerous lawsuits, which were consolidated into a single case now being heard by the Sixth Circuit court. -
Early childhood educators are leaving the field due to issues ranging from low wages to stress that were exacerbated by the pandemic. Now, it鈥檚 harder and more expensive for working parents to find spots for their young children.
