Jackson Unpacked

This week on Jackson Unpacked [Sept. 17]: Could Vancouver’s vacancy tax on homes left vacant for more than half the year serve as a model for Western mountain towns looking to address affordable housing crises? Jackson musician Aaron Davis discusses how the pandemic influenced his latest EP. And KHOL interviews the new mayor of Tlaxcala, Mexico--the state where most local Latinos trace their roots...

This week on Jackson Unpacked, we’re bringing you a one-on-one conversation with Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon. Gordon held a public forum in Jackson on Aug. 31, during which he answered questions about the state’s COVID-19 response, climate change and tourism. But KHOL wanted to talk more specifically about Teton County, so we invited the governor into our KHOL studios to discuss the local housing cri...

This week on Jackson Unpacked [Aug. 27]: KHOL reports on a University of Wyoming team that’s been studying elevated E. Coli levels in Teton County creeks this summer. New 2020 Census data gives us better insight into local growth -- or does it? A look at how one Colorado mountain town is raising money for affordable housing projects, and a Spanish-language story about DIYDocs, which is going inter...

This week on Jackson Unpacked [Aug. 20]: KHOL speaks to WyoFile reporter Angus Thuermer, who broke the story about Patagonia’s decision to pull its products from Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. The legal tug-of-war between the Biden administration and the fossil fuel industry continues. A Spanish-language story explores the impact of a new summer employment program for local Latino youth. Plus, KHOL...

This week on Jackson Unpacked [Aug. 13]: Less than three weeks away from the first day of school, Teton County parents are sharply divided on whether or not the district should require masks. A climate reporter reflects on how 30 years have changed the experience of rafting through the Grand Canyon. KHOL speaks to the founder of the new Wydaho Adventure Film Festival. Plus, KHOL’s roundup of this...

Justin Farrell is a social scientist, Yale University professor, native Wyomingite and the author of "Billionaire Wilderness: The Ultra-Wealthy and the Remaking of the American West." KHOL News Director Kyle Mackie interviewed Farrell while he was in Jackson last week for his first local talk since the book was published in March 2020. Listen to hear their full conversation about how mind-boggling...

This week on Jackson Unpacked [Aug. 6]: KHOL speaks to "Billionaire Wilderness" author Justin Farrell about how mind-boggling wealth is transforming Teton County. A new class of Teton County Search and Rescue volunteers is in the thick of training, and local musician Chris Archuletta discusses his new punk rock project Box Elder. Plus, KHOL’s new roundup of this week’s headlines.   Jackson Unpacke...

This week on Jackson Unpacked [July 30]: KHOL speaks to two authors of a new report that shows the tremendous extent to which climate change has transformed the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem since 1950. All of Teton County is now in Severe or Extreme Drought. Jackson-based musician Jake Dulln reflects on how his time in the U.S. Army and traveling around the country influences his sound. Plus, KHO...

This week on Jackson Unpacked [July 16]: The proposed expansion of Grand Targhee Resort in Alta, Wyoming, which is accessible only through Teton Valley, Idaho, is raising concerns among local residents and community leaders. A new survey of Colorado mountain towns shows that many pandemic-era changes are likely here to stay. Plus, a look at the health risks of wildfire smoke and an in-studio perfo...

This week on Jackson Unpacked [July 9]: KHOL reports on the fallout of a conservative scheme that infiltrated several progressive political groups across Wyoming. A new effort in Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley aims to connect people with housing assistance. The Colorado River is tapped out. Plus, Thin Air Shakespeare is back at the Center for the Arts in Jackson this week and modernizing “Much Ado...

This week on Jackson Unpacked [June 30]: Several town governments across the Mountain West, including Jackson, are trying something new to help local workers purchase homes: offering down payment assistance. A school superintendent on the Wind River Indian Reservation discusses how the legacy of federal Indian boarding schools continues to affect Indigenous students today. Plus, KHOL Spanish-langu...

In this bonus episode of Jackson Unpacked, KHOL's Will Walkey talks with Mike Koshmrl of the Jackson Hole News&Guide about human-bear conflict on Jackson Hole roadways, and the choice by Wyoming Game & Fish to haze famed grizzly "Felicia."   A full transcript of this interview is available here . A shorter version of Walkey and Koshmrl's conversation was also featured in a recent Jackson U...

This week on Jackson Unpacked [June 23]: A first-of-its-kind nuclear power plant is coming to Wyoming. Is it safe, and what does it mean for the state? Jackson Hole News&Guide reporter Mike Koshmrl discusses his recent reporting on the hazing of Grizzly Bear 863, aka Felicia, on Togwotee Pass. A Jackson botanist is using citizen science to track the impact of climate change on local plant spec...

This week on Jackson Unpacked [June 16]: Local businesses from restaurants to the Rec Center are struggling to find employees this season -- so much so that some might have to shut down entirely. The concert series Music on Main in Victor returns this week after a year of forced hiatus. Plus, a regional look at how severe drought conditions are impacting the mental health of farmers and ranchers a...

In this bonus episode of Jackson Unpacked, KHOL shares a recent special edition of "Wildcard" from our friends at KVNF in Paonia, Colorado. Host Gavin Dahl rounds up some of the best recent stories from across the Rocky Mountain Community Radio coalition, which KHOL is a member of. Listen now to hear about the first year of Colorado's red flag law from KSJD Cortez, the infestation of Front Range t...

This week on Jackson Unpacked [June 9]: Rendezvous Park is now home to the latest public art project in Teton County: a larger-than-life troll statue named Mama Mimi. KHOL interviews two of the organizers of Jackson’s first month-long celebration of LGBTQ Pride this June. Plus, KHOL Spanish language correspondent Alicia Unger reports on how health officials are trying to overcome COVID-19 vaccine...

This week on Jackson Unpacked [June 2]: The Jackson Hole real estate market shattered records last year and appears on course to do the same in 2021. A failed education bill in the Wyoming State Legislature reflects the growing national debate on how American youth should learn about American history. Plus, a conversation with a local music therapist, GPS moose collaring in Wilson and more. This w...

This week on Jackson Unpacked [May 26]: Both the Teton County Board of Commissioners and the Town of Jackson recently passed unanimous bans on commercial air tours over Grand Teton National Park, but scenic helicopter tours out of the Jackson Hole Airport aren’t likely to stop anytime soon. KHOL interviews a conservative conservationist who supports the Biden administration’s pause on new oil and...

This week on Jackson Unpacked [May 19]: Rep. Liz Cheney is in hot water with some Teton County Republicans, as well as the national GOP. A new mindfulness training program is showing promising results for a wide range of local community leaders. Plus, a conversation with the Jackson indie folk-rock band Inland Isle about their debut album, "Time Has Changed Us." Jackson Unpacked airs locally at 89...

This week on Jackson Unpacked [May 12]: Wyoming’s disinvestment in mental health services could end up costing the state down the line. KHOL music director Jack Catlin talks with the local twang funk band Strumbucket about the making of their upcoming debut album. Plus, a conversation with a Colorado woman who was recently evacuated from Myanmar, or Burma, after a military coup threw the country i...

Jackson Unpacked brings you a diverse mix of the can't-miss local and regional stories affecting the Jackson Hole region. Subscribe now to our weekly, half-hour show featuring the best interviews and in-depth reporting from KHOL. 

This week on Jackson Unpacked [May 5]: KHOL interviews the 2021 Wyoming Principal of the Year (of Jackson) about a near return to full in-person learning after a year of academic upheaval. Wyoming is a regional outlier with one of the nation’s lowest population growth rates, according to initial 2020 U.S. Census Data… but does it even want to grow? Plus, one local family’s experience in the U.S. i...

This week on Jackson Unpacked: KHOL speaks to State Sen. Mike Gierau of Jackson about the recently-concluded state legislative session. Activists in Boulder, CO, are fighting an occupancy law similar to Jackson’s Housing Ordinance 473. Plus, some local DACA recipients worry about the program as the Biden administration takes over immigration policy. Jackson Unpacked airs locally at 89.1 FM or via...

This week on Jackson Unpacked: Wyoming tops the list of U.S. states that appear to be the most hesitant to take the COVID-19 vaccine. KHOL talks to the new leadership of the Teton County Democrats and Republicans about party values and strategies for 2022. Plus, a conversation with Colorado College student Anya Steinberg, one of the grand prize winners of the 2021 NPR Student Podcast Challenge. Ja...

This week on Jackson Unpacked: A conversation with Jackson resident, writer and longtime paramedic Kevin Grange about his new memoir, “Wild Rescues.” KHOL music director Jack Catlin aka “KnewJack” is interviewed on the InFOCUS Podcast. Plus, meet the caretaker of Jackson’s beloved Granite Hot Springs. Jackson Unpacked airs locally at 89.1 FM or via live-stream  Wednesdays at 7:30 a.m. and Fridays...