Beyond the Headlines

Colorado was shaped by the people who fed it. In this documentary, Scott Perez traces the agricultural history of the region from its earliest roots — from the orchards that sprang up near Hermosa Creek in the 1870s to serve hungry miners, to the ditch irrigation systems first developed by indigenous communities and later adapted by American settlers, to the narrow gauge railroads that opened new...

Scott Perez grew up in farm country and spent nearly 50 years as a working cowboy. But it was his passion for oral history that led him to dig deeper into the agricultural past of Southwest Colorado — poring over old journals, talking to longtime residents, and uncovering the small, vivid details that bigger histories tend to overlook. In this episode, Scott shares what drew him to write for the P...

Long before the roads came to Southwest Colorado's high country, the San Juan Mountains were shaped by the labor and lives of Hispano and Basque sheepherders who drove their flocks through these rugged passes each season. In this video, Peggy Montaño reflects on that deep legacy through her own written words — one that runs through her own family across multiple generations. Drawing on oral h...

Southwest Colorado's mountains are celebrated today as a playground — but for Peggy Montaño, they have always meant something more. As a descendant of Hispano sheepherders with deep roots on both sides of her family in northern New Mexico and the Ignacio area, Peggy grew up understanding these peaks as a place of labor, sacrifice, and identity. In this podcast episode, she reflects on why she...

High on the slopes of Galena Mountain at 12,500 feet, the Old Hundred Mine's 1908 boarding house stood as a testament to the audacity of Colorado's early miners — until decades of heavy snow and neglect brought two-thirds of its roof caving in. In 1996, Beverly Rich and a consortium of partners launched what they called "extreme preservation," airlifting supplies by helicopter...

Beverly Rich was born in Silverton in 1950 and has been involved with the local Historical Society since she was 14 — making her one of the most dedicated keepers of San Juan County's storied past. In her article, Rescuing Relics: Extreme Preservation and the Old Hundred Boarding House, she reflects on what made Silverton remarkable from the very beginning. Few people realize that Silverton i...

Southwest Colorado spans dramatic terrain from desert floors to towering mountain peaks — and the wildlife that call it home have a story as compelling as the landscape itself. By the late 1800s, bighorn sheep, elk, deer, turkeys, and native trout were pushed to the brink of vanishing entirely. What followed was one of the most extraordinary conservation turnarounds in the American West. Today, Co...

Retired Colorado Parks and Wildlife manager Patt Dorsey spent 28 years protecting the wildlife of Southwest Colorado. Now, in honor of Colorado's 150th birthday, she's telling the region's untold wildlife story — digging through old biological reports and vintage archives to uncover history that even surprised her. Her core message: wildlife needs people. Without public connection a...

Native historian Johnny Valdez sheds light on a largely untold chapter of Colorado's history — the Brunot Agreement of 1873 and the treaties that transferred Ute ancestral lands to the United States government. Writing for the U.S. 250/Colorado 150 Power of Place Magazine , Valdez draws on both his formal education and his heritage to reveal what most Colorado schoolchildren were never taught...

How do we get to where we are — and how important is every little story? Native historian Johnny Valdez reminds us that we are each the product of a hundred generations, and that any one of those stories going differently means we wouldn't be here at all. That perspective, he says, is exactly what makes listening to someone else's story so powerful — because in their story, you find your...

Karen Tarango and Camille Kropf run an Instagram page dedicated to documenting their quest to eat at every restaurant in the Four Corners. 

Rotem Ishay is a multiple-time cycling National Champion. Now retired, he's passing down his years of professional experience to the next generation.

Tami Graham is the Executive Director at KSUT Public Radio in Ignacio, Colorado. KSUT is one of the radio stations joining the NPR lawsuit of the Trump administration over the President's order to freeze funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Pete Tabor and Joe Washburn own Fun Center Cycles in Durango, Farmington and Cortez. Fun Center specializes in power sports of all kinds, from on & off road motorcycles, to snowmobiles, watercraft and more!

Under Charles Leslie’s leadership, world class artists like Terrance Blanchard and Christian McBride have graced the FLC Community Concert Hall stage in recent years. The concert hall opens its new season in June.

Al Harper owns the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. He considers himself and his family guardians of the train rather than owners. 

Amy & Michael Testa opened Advantage Physical Therapy & Wellness with the goal of giving patients better care. 21 years later they are succeeding in their mission with the help of Alpine Bank. 

Since 2011, Durango Outdoor Exchange has been the hub for second hand outdoor gear in Durango. Owners Jen & Chase Lacroix have prioritized giving back to local non-profit organizations that contribute to the vitality of the community.

The College Drive Cafe is a Durango institution. Aaron Seitz and Leah Evers purchased the restaurant in 2011. Soon they'll move the cafe to Historic Downtown Durango and change the name to College Cafe.

Like Alpine Bank, Four Corners Stoves & Spas is celebrating it's 20th anniversary in 2025. Owner Marc Mata discovered the value of working with Alpine Bank quickly.

From Angel Fire to Bentonville , Hogan Koesis brings decades of experience to Durango Mesa Park Project.

Ska Brewing celebrates 30th anniversary in 2025. 

New Mexico native and Durango-raised Ross Anderson is reflecting on his first year as a member of the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame . His recent honors include the Indigenous Athletic Hall of Fame and a New Mexico Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Matt Martensen is trying to change the paradigm of internet monetization. His tech startup, User Cooperative , is a user-owned internet browser structured as a member-governed cooperative.  He says trillions of dollars and our well-being are on the line. 

Gary Barnett led the Fort Lewis College Skyhawks football team to multiple wins over his two seasons as the Fort Lewis College Head Coach. After coaching the Skyhawks, Barnett led the Northwestern Wildcats and Colorado Buffaloes to high-level bowl games. He was named the top college football coach in the country in 1995. In 2001, Barnett’s Colorado Buffaloes beat the number-one-ranked Nebraska Cor...