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Lincoln Roch

Versatile features, sports and enterprise reporter based in Boulder, CO

My Favorite Clips

Sko Buffs Sports •

Slurs and harassment at BYU game alienate Mormon CU students

The University of Colorado freshman was at Folsom Field for the first time as a student last Saturday to watch the matchup against Brigham Young University. With plenty of BYU alumni in her family, a week of trash talk made it a battle she needed the Buffs to win.“That was the first time I was in a place where I was Mormon, and I was genuinely a little bit concerned that somebody was going to try to fight me, like hurt me,” she said. CU was fined $50,000 by the Big 12 on Tuesday for chants of “F...
The Colorado Sun •

As Lee fire continues southward, crews are fighting and residents are praying Colorado 13 holds as a fire line

RIFLE — The hummingbirds have gone silent on Moe Disney’s 32 acres in Garfield County. Disney bought the land in 2018 to settle down in retirement, where more than 100 hummingbirds have spent their summers enjoying nine birdfeeders on the property.

On Sunday, smoke from the Lee fire had gotten so bad that Disney, who is the primary caretaker for her disabled husband, realized they needed to leave their home.

The area where the property sits is currently in ready status of the “ready, set, go”...
The Colorado Sun •

The women’s soccer stadium in Kansas City has been a big economic success. Can Denver replicate that?

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When players walk from the locker rooms to the field at CPKC Stadium on the banks of the Missouri River, they pass 37 words tiled on a wall.

No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

Those words, Title IX, apply only to educational institutions, but they triggered a decades-long revolu...
The Colorado Sun •

Trump's withholding of transit funds could shrink CDOT's bus expansion plans on Federal Boulevard

Plans to enhance bus service on Denver’s Federal Boulevard could be scaled back as the Trump administration pauses new grants for transit projects. 

Colorado transportation planners have embraced upgraded bus service, known as bus rapid transit, or BRT, in an attempt to reduce congestion in Front Range commuter corridors. The concept mimics some features of train service, like upgraded stations and more frequent service, but with a significantly lower price tag than building rail lines. 

The D...
Sko Buffs Sports •

In week 4, an entire state of fans getting priced out of the NIL era

In the union's least populated state – where the largest city is smaller than my college town – one university reigns supreme. Because it's the only university. Coming from every corner of the state, the War’s tailgate alley — the parking lot outside — is filled with cars and lots and lots of trucks that have driven hundreds of miles to get here. I’d made the 131-mile trek from Boulder in my Subaru Outback that day for the home opener against the Northern Iowa Panthers. Not to watch the Pokes ba...
The Colorado Sun •

Psilocybin enters the chat: Coloradans have a new psychiatric treatment option

Ryan Chrapko ate some psilocybin half an hour ago. He’s been staring at the same tree now for 10 minutes. It wasn’t a lot of mushrooms, only about a quarter of a gram. It’s just enough to unlock a sense of childlike wonder in his psyche at this particular moment. 

It’s almost like he’d never seen an evergreen before, with its infinite number of thin needles pointing up toward a clear blue sky. 

“It’s funny that I’m talking into this microphone right now while looking at that. It’s really the r...
Sko Buffs Sports •

College sports have changed forever. Here’s how CU is tackling the House settlement

The department has also looked to cut its budget wherever possible. In January, George said that there were no plans to lay off employees, but that they were certainly on the table. Then, in early June, two track coaches had their positions eliminated. According to George, certain positions have also gone unfilled after staff departures.

The department has also looked to cut its budget wherever possible. In January, George said that there were no plans to lay off employees, but that they were c...
The Minnesota Star Tribune •

Why are Minnesotans giving up their pets at record rates?

Julie Koch has seen 31 dogs come and go from her Minneapolis home over the last four years. She’s a foster for Ruff Start Rescue, which cares for animals across Minnesota.Right now, she’s caring for a lovable 6-year-old white German Shepherd named Stone. He came to her from Texas in 2021 and was adopted in 2022. But in August, his family had to give him back.“He didn’t get surrendered because he was a bad dog, or he was full of issues,” Koch said. “He got surrendered because they were having a h...
Drake Mag •

When The Cameras Leave

On Dec. 30, 2021, a cold front brought 110-mile-per-hour winds to Boulder County, Colorado. Those winds sparked The Marshall Fire, which in less than 12 hours, burned 1,084 structures in the nearby towns of Superior and Louisville

The next day, reporters from outlets like NBC News and CNN flooded the towns as the fire dominated national newscasts as the biggest story in the country. But, by day five, those reporters had packed up, and the national media had moved on.
The Colorado Sun •

The unconventional race that could decide the direction of Colorado’s legislature

About six years ago, an idea popped into Jillaire McMillan’s head: maybe someday she’d run for office. 

The idea wasn’t a big leap. In high school, she was voted most likely to be the first female president. McMillan, a mom of four who lives outside Longmont, had also served as the parent-teacher association president at her kids’ elementary, middle and high schools. And in the first weeks of the Trump administration, she joined a Facebook group founded by a lifelong Republican upset by Donald...

Full Portfolio

Sko Buffs Sports •

In week 4, an entire state of fans getting priced out of the NIL era

In the union's least populated state – where the largest city is smaller than my college town – one university reigns supreme. Because it's the only university. Coming from every corner of the state, the War’s tailgate alley — the parking lot outside — is filled with cars and lots and lots of trucks that have driven hundreds of miles to get here. I’d made the 131-mile trek from Boulder in my Subaru Outback that day for the home opener against the Northern Iowa Panthers. Not to watch the Pokes ba...
Colorado Public Radio •

As CU football launches its season, the school is wrestling with how to pay its athletes

Peter Curtis has been a fan of the University of Colorado Buffaloes since he was 8. He was 12 when the team won its first, and only, national championship in 1991.“I remember that game vividly, and I remember just the elation of kids in our neighborhood that were just screaming and running around outside after the game ended,” said Curtis, who grew up in Littleton. “My hands were tied. I was a Buff immediately after that for life.”As fans pack Folsom Field for tonight's University of Colorado fo...
Sko Buffs Sports •

Colorado Buffaloes to honor Coach McCartney with uniforms at season opener

On Tuesday, head coach Deion Sanders announced that the team will wear the Buffs’ classic uniform configuration and a patch against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to honor Hall of Fame coach Bill McCartney, who died in January. The team will don gold helmets, black jerseys, gold pants, white socks, and black cleats. The combination was Colorado’s primary uniform during McCartney's tenure from 1982 through 1994, which saw three consecutive Big Eight titles and the program's first national champi...
The Colorado Sun •

Crews gain containment on Lee fire as Colorado governor issues disaster declaration for wildfires across state

GRAND JUNCTION — Good news arrived to the Western Slope. While the Lee Fire continues to grow in acreage, containment has gone up and the fire lines have held. 

A new executive order issued Thursday by Gov. Jared Polis also expanded current disaster declarations to the entire state, which has lost 185,000 acres to wildfire so far this year, much of it in western Colorado.

The Lee fire, burning in Rio Blanco County, reached 133,841 acres Friday morning while containment increased to 12%, up 9 p...
The Colorado Sun •

As Lee fire continues southward, crews are fighting and residents are praying Colorado 13 holds as a fire line

RIFLE — The hummingbirds have gone silent on Moe Disney’s 32 acres in Garfield County. Disney bought the land in 2018 to settle down in retirement, where more than 100 hummingbirds have spent their summers enjoying nine birdfeeders on the property.

On Sunday, smoke from the Lee fire had gotten so bad that Disney, who is the primary caretaker for her disabled husband, realized they needed to leave their home.

The area where the property sits is currently in ready status of the “ready, set, go”...
The Colorado Sun •

Firefighters brace for “extreme fire behavior” as weather intensifies around Lee fire in northwestern Colorado

RIFLE — Firefighters are preparing for extreme fire behavior Wednesday as the Lee fire expands south between Meeker and Rifle. By Tuesday night, the fifth-largest fire in Colorado history grew to 120,650 acres and its containment dropped.

Forecasts call for temperatures to reach the high 80s or low 90s Wednesday, while humidity could drop to the single digits, according to Rocky Mountain Incident Command public information officer Bethany Urban. 

While smoke that has plagued Rifle will shift n...
The Colorado Sun •

Denver Summit FC announced as NWSL expansion team’s name

After nearly six months of anticipation, Denver’s National Women’s Soccer League expansion team has a name. The Denver Summit FC moniker was announced Tuesday by the league’s 16th franchise. 

The announcement comes after fans voted on five possible team names in February. While the team claims Denver Summit FC won the contest with 15,000 votes and suggestions, it wasn’t an option. 

A similar name, the Colorado Summit FC, was on the list along with Colorado 14ers FC, Denver Peak FC, Denver Elev...
The Minnesota Star Tribune •

New Minnesota law regulates minors’ roles in social media content

Heidi Keller doesn’t think she’ll ever be rich — and she doesn’t want to be. “I’m a single mom. It’s never going to happen. But we are so blessed in our experiences, and that is true wealth,” Keller often tells her two daughters.Since 2020, she’s taken them on the road to countless public lands including two dozen American and Canadian national parks where they’ve explored some of the continent’s most awe-inspiring landscapes. All were made possible by Keller’s work travel writing and running an...
Sko Buffs Sports •

Colorado student-athletes will provide content for subscription-based fundraising program

A new fundraising program offers a glimpse into how the University of Colorado plans to utilize its athletes' Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in exchange for direct payments. Athletes with revenue-sharing contracts with the university will be expected to contribute their name, image and likeness to the program.Buffs Premier will have three tiers of pricing, starting at $39.99 a month. Prices for the higher-tiered levels were not provided in the announcement. Subscribers to the program will recei...
The Minnesota Star Tribune •

Green Line disruption during Minnesota Yacht Club festival upsets St. Paul officials

A service disruption on the Green Line light rail line could cause issues for music lovers planning to attend the Minnesota Yacht Club festival later this month in St. Paul. Buses will replace the light rail across St. Paul, to the frustration of city officials as downtown prepares to host nearly 100,000 festivalgoers during the rail closure.From July 11 to 21, the line will undergo scheduled maintenance, with service to 13 stations from Raymond Avenue to Union Depot replaced by bus shuttles. Th...
The Minnesota Star Tribune •

Cyclists in Minneapolis celebrate freedom from pants on Independence Day

They rode for freedom — freedom from pants. Hundreds of bicyclists, most of them dressed in their underwear, took to the streets and trails of Minneapolis Friday on an annual ride that offered a unique way to celebrate the Fourth of July.It was the Freedom From Pants Ride, which began in June 2007 when someone on a Twin Cities cycling internet forum organized an underwear ride to escape the summer heat.Garrick Yoong, who participated in that first ride, said they decided to stage a sequel on Ind...
The Minnesota Star Tribune •

Why are Minnesotans giving up their pets at record rates?

Julie Koch has seen 31 dogs come and go from her Minneapolis home over the last four years. She’s a foster for Ruff Start Rescue, which cares for animals across Minnesota.Right now, she’s caring for a lovable 6-year-old white German Shepherd named Stone. He came to her from Texas in 2021 and was adopted in 2022. But in August, his family had to give him back.“He didn’t get surrendered because he was a bad dog, or he was full of issues,” Koch said. “He got surrendered because they were having a h...
The Minnesota Star Tribune •

Kitties take center stage during annual Minneapolis cat tour

Feline aficionados flooded the streets of Lowry Hill East on a wet Thursday, cheering as cats appeared in windows, on front porches and across lawns.The Wedge Live Cat Tour, an annual guided walk across the neighborhood, showcased dozens of cats for the hundreds who showed up, all within a few hours.The event kicked off at Mueller Park, where parking was scarce for blocks in each direction. Rain had postponed the event Wednesday, and showers continued most of the day Thursday. But as the eventgo...
The Minnesota Star Tribune •

For their first job, these teen brothers started a hot dog cart

It all started with the pickles. A jar had been sitting in the back of the fridge untouched for some time when Sam and Janna Fischer’s youngest son, Viggo, decided to put them to good use. He made relish — three different kinds — and it was good. Really good.“It was like all distinct different flavors, and I just kind of said ‘If we can this stuff, we can get a cottage food license and you guys can go sell it at farmers markets,” said Sam Fischer.Sev Fischer, 15, and his brother Viggo, 14, both...
The Minnesota Star Tribune •

Anchor and reporter Pauleen Le announces departure from WCCO

WCCO anchor and reporter Pauleen Le announced Wednesday that she is leaving the station, with her last show airing Friday at noon.Le grew up in Eagan and interned at the Twin Cities television station while attending the University of St. Thomas. She spent time working in Fort Wayne, Ind., La Crosse, Green Bay and Milwaukee, Wis., before returning to WCCO in 2022.She reports for the morning newscast starting at 5 a.m. and anchors the 8:30-9 a.m. show on the CBS News Minnesota steaming service. I...
Sko Buffs Sports •

College sports have changed forever. Here’s how CU is tackling the House settlement

The department has also looked to cut its budget wherever possible. In January, George said that there were no plans to lay off employees, but that they were certainly on the table. Then, in early June, two track coaches had their positions eliminated. According to George, certain positions have also gone unfilled after staff departures.

The department has also looked to cut its budget wherever possible. In January, George said that there were no plans to lay off employees, but that they were c...
The Minnesota Star Tribune •

Parents scramble to find cheap supplies for grad parties after Party City closures

Tracy Berkovitz had a chaotic Friday morning. She was in the final stretch of a marathon effort to plan her son’s high school graduation party and still needed a tablecloth and other last-minute supplies.“I have hit up two different Walmart’s. I’ve looked at Michaels. I’ve been to Cub. I’ve looked at Target. I looked online at different places. I’ve ordered from Amazon,” said Berkovitz last week, right before her son’s graduation from Rosemount High School. “So I’ve gone to multiple different pl...
Estes Valley Voice •

Pro baseball player at bat in Bogey’s Sports Bar

Sandwiched between two houses off of Ivy Street and Moraine Avenue sits a trio of red shipping containers. Inside lies a fully functional sports bar, owned by former professional baseball player Terry Bogener, his son Cam, and wife Carolyn Newberry. Bogey’s Sports Bar gets its name from Terry’s playing days. While at the University of Oklahoma, he was given the nickname Bogey, a riff from his last name. His path to playing Division I ball, then in the Big Eight Conference, actually came from a d...
The Colorado Sun •

A Colorado pole vaulter survived cancer — and is now setting a high bar with her resilience

LONGMONT — Connor Westphal coaches pole vault for every high school in Denver Public Schools. He’s never worked with a vaulter quite like Lauren Sankoff.

“Lauren has, by far, out of any of the schools and any of the students I’ve had the best already, and she’s just a sophomore,” Westphal said, baking in the sun on the track at Longmont High School on Friday.

He was there to coach Lauren as she vaulted in the Hoka St. Vrain Invitational, one of the state’s most elite high school meets. Hundred...
The Colorado Sun •

Colorado skiing legend Mikaela Shiffrin joins NWSL Denver ownership group

The greatest alpine skier of all time is stepping onto the soccer field, as an owner. Colorado’s own Mikaela Shiffrin is joining the ownership group of the National Women’s Soccer League’s Denver expansion team, the team announced Tuesday. 

With 101 World Cup victories, two Olympic gold medals and eight world championship titles, Shiffrin is widely considered the most decorated alpine skier in history. Born and raised in Vail, she started competing on the World Cup circuit at age 16. 

Shiffrin...
The Colorado Sun •

The women’s soccer stadium in Kansas City has been a big economic success. Can Denver replicate that?

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When players walk from the locker rooms to the field at CPKC Stadium on the banks of the Missouri River, they pass 37 words tiled on a wall.

No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

Those words, Title IX, apply only to educational institutions, but they triggered a decades-long revolu...
Sko Buffs Sports •

Former Buff credits Colorado for path to leading NWSL Denver expansion

When Jen Millet left the Golden State Warriors for Bay FC, she made a leap of faith. It was 2022, and the explosion of popularity for women’s sports, captained by Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, had not yet reached its boiling point. That decision paid off tenfold last week when Millet was selected as the first President of Denver’s NWSL franchise, its first hire.She's the youngest of six and was often the new kid at school as her family hopped around the country. So when she arrived at the 3,600...
Estes Valley Voice •

LGBTQ+ residents find community and acceptance in Estes Park

On a snowy February night, about 20 people gathered at The Stanley Hotel for a monthly night of cocktails and camaraderie. They call themselves the GLEE Club – gays, lesbians, and everyone else. In May, the group will mark their third anniversary.In a destination town for retirees like Estes Park, it might be easy to think that old prejudices might move in, too. But, for many of the town’s out LGBTQ+ community members, they’ve received a reprieve in Estes from places they’ve moved from. The GLEE...
Estes Valley Voice •

New tax credit expected to stimulate state and local film festival industry

Less than two weeks after the Sundance Film Festival announced its 2027 move from Utah to Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis signed HB25-1005, a new refundable tax incentive bill that will support the film industry in Colorado.The bill creates two refundable tax credits. One will provide the Sundance Film Festival with $34 million in incentives doled out over the next decade. The other will provide $500,000 annually to support small film festivals in the Centennial State.In 2024, nearly 73,000 people at...
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