KZMU News

The Mud Springs Trail System will be a ‘first’ for the Moab area, bringing roughly 10 miles of single-track south of town built with Class 1 e-bikes and adaptive cycles in mind. Today on the news, we speak with a planner from the Bureau of Land Management, who says the trail system will be inclusively designed for mountain bike riders of diverse skills and abilities. Plus, a preliminary report fou...

Is human trafficking a problem in Moab? Law enforcement and victim advocates say it's probably happening more often than we think. A recent human trafficking investigation at a Moab hotel drew new attention to the issue. //Photo: Highway 191 and Interstate 70 are both major corridors for drug and human trafficking, according to the Moab Police Department. Moab is close to the intersection of both...

It's Regional Roundup Monday! As censorship increases in the US, libraries are under growing pressure. We hear more from regional librarian and author Jamie LaRue, who wrote the new book "On Censorship: A Public Librarian Examines Cancel Culture in the U.S." Plus, we hear about the recent 'day without water' event and learn about hauling water in our region.

The 2023 Moab Area Affordable Housing Plan outlines the state of housing in our community. It’s an important document filled with data that will be used by local government and community organizations to set policy around this fundamental need. Today on the news, we speak with Moab Area Housing Task Force Chair Laura Harris about what’s new and different in the latest plan. // Plus, the Weekly New...

The BLM's recent decision to close a third of off-road vehicle trails in Labyrinth Canyon near Moab has caused a major controversy. The State of Utah and motorized recreation groups appealed the decision earlier this week. The appeals come just a few days after Utah Senator Mike Lee proposed a bill in protest of the closures. We also hear from KSJD about a new store on the Navajo Nation that sells...

Hear from local candidates before filling out your ballot! There are five candidates running for three seats on Moab's city council. Tune in for their thoughts on a number of important local issues, including water, housing, property tax, strategic planning and much, much more. KZMU's 2023 candidate debate was produced in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Southeast Utah.

Phil Lyman will challenge Governor Spencer Cox next year. Lyman currently represents Utah’s House District 69, covering the southeast corner of the state. He says his gubernatorial campaign will focus on several conservative pillars, including natural resources, infrastructure and election integrity. And later on KZMU News: Moab’s municipal voters should see their ballots in the mail soon. And, we...

Wildlife advocates filed a lawsuit against the state of Utah following changes to hunting laws that now allow for unlimited, year-round mountain lion harvest. We also hear from our partners at KSJD about a former president of the Navajo Nation who is now running for Congress in Arizona. Plus, we hear from Aspen Public Radio that Colorado will be receiving up to 10 gray wolves from Oregon for its w...

It's Regional Roundup Monday! In this episode, we hear about a sheepdog competition in Carbondale, Colorado. Plus, we hear about a controversy over a 600-acre solar energy proposal near Norwood, Colorado. We also hear about one Utah doctor working to improve maternal healthcare for Indigenous women.

Hi listener, we are away this week attending the Rocky Mountain Community Radio Coalition conference. We’ll be back on the podcast soon with fresh reporting (and a local candidate debate!) See you then and thank you for supporting KZMU, community powered radio.

It's Regional Roundup Monday! In this episode, an interview on the recent annular eclipse that captivated the Four Corners region. Plus, we hear from a regional author on his book 'Atlas of Wild America' and learn about the Maple Grove hot springs on the Utah/Idaho border.

Two Moab residents are under arrest for allegedly stealing over $1 million dollars of dinosaur bones from public lands in Southeastern Utah. Prosecutors allege the Moabites, along with two others, were involved in a conspiracy to steal, sell and export paleontological resources. In a press conference Thursday, a US attorney categorized this case as an environmental crime. And later, tribal advocat...

On Tuesday, Grand County commissioners made their first round of decisions for upcoming special events, including the Redrok Roundup, which would provide a weekend of guided tours to 380 UTVs. The organizer's Intent to Apply was approved by the county in a 4-3 vote. Plus, we hear from our partners at KUNC about the Department of Reclamation's recent report regarding Colorado River management. And...

Moab City recently paid out $429,879 to a company that manages the newly built Element hotel. The 116-room hotel was subject to the city’s workforce assured housing ordinance, which mandates that new overnight accommodations either build some workforce housing or pay a fee in lieu of that construction. The Element made the case that their original fee was too high, and the city agreed to settle. P...

Bluff, Utah, was expecting huge crowds of tourists for the eclipse last weekend. The mayor even told the Salt Lake Tribune, about tourists, "Don't try to come here." But the hype was a little overblown, and the small town received the same amount of visitors as it would on a typical fall day, according to one business owner. How did restaurants and businesses fare in terms of supply and demand? Pl...

It's Regional Roundup Monday! In this episode, an interview about the Sunset Mesa Funeral Home's body-brokering scam. And, we hear from the manager of a Salt Lake City bookstore that received a bomb threat over their drag queen story time. And later, reporting on new legal help available for immigrants in our region.

During a recent debate, the five candidates running for Moab’s city council were quizzed by the Chamber of Commerce about what they’ll do for local business. Although not all candidates are business owners themselves, they each played to their strengths. Plus, the state of Utah is suing TikTok, claiming the company intentionally encourages unhealthy social media use in children. And later, public...

KZMU partnered with Moab Arts for this year's Red Rocks Arts Festival to teach a workshop about telling stories with sound. Participants recorded sounds that remind them of Moab and described why those sounds are meaningful to them. Plus, we hear from our partners at the Mountain West News Bureau about conservation of a sacred fish at Pyramid Lake in Nevada. //Photo: KZMU's Emily Arntsen teaches a...

Bluff, Utah, is one of the only towns in the southeastern part of the state near the path of the upcoming solar eclipse. The town only has one gas station, limited cell service, and few restaurants. Plus, many of their Indigenous workforce will take the day off in observance of the astronomical event. Will the eclipse be a boon to the economy, or will it merely bring chaos to the small town? We al...

Last month was a banger for arts in Moab. New sculptures downtown. Two brand new murals. An arts-focused street festival. And, for a few days, an art installation called Junkyard Reverie invited us to imagine 200 years into the future. Today on the news, local artists explore the practices, rituals and meaning humans might create in a climate-altered world. Plus, our radio partners report on our r...

It’s Regional Roundup Monday! This episode features an interview with a regional reporter on the review of historic Native American boarding schools in Colorado. And, a report on efforts to return land to Native American tribes. Plus, an interview about the upcoming 'Ring of Fire' annular solar eclipse.

Artist Chip Thomas installed two murals in downtown Moab last weekend. Each mural features archival photos of historic Moab characters. We also hear from our partners at KOTO about Colorado's bountiful fruit season. Plus, the Weekly News Reel! Sophia Fisher of The Times-Independent discusses an investigation into a plane crash that killed a North Dakota state senator, his wife and two of their chi...

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park falls directly in the path of the upcoming solar eclipse on October 14. But the park will be closed due to staff shortages. We also hear from a ranger at Bryce Canyon National Park about what people can expect to see during the astronomical event. Plus, we have a report from KSJD about a program to get more indigenous employees working in the national park system...

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of a plane crash that killed a North Dakota state senator, his wife, and two youngest children outside of Moab. Douglas Larsen’s single engine aircraft crashed shortly after take-off Sunday night in a remote area bordering Moab’s airport. The NTSB is currently on scene at the airport, working on a preliminary report of the crash....

It’s Regional Roundup Monday! Medical debt affects millions of people and significantly impacts their lives. New legislation in our region aims to help them. Plus, a feature on the Fort Lewis Indian Boarding School and an interview with Wyoming author Craig Johnson about the latest Longmire book.