KZMU News

This week on the News Reel, we speak to Andrew Christiansen, reporter at the Times-Independent, about some of the residents who lost their homes in Old La Sal during the Deer Creek Fire. We also discuss a free service to develop and support local businesses. - Show Notes - • Old La Sal residents recount losses, find resilience in the ashes of the Deer Creek Fire https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/...

This week’s Regional Roundup from Rocky Mountain Community Radio includes a story about the National Park Service celebrating its 109th anniversary as budget cuts destabilize the agency. We also hear from Boulder, Colorado, where residents are working to establish a new sister city relationship with a community in Ukraine. Plus, a story about efforts to reduce wildlife–vehicle collisions across th...

This week on the News Reel, we speak to Andrew Christiansen, reporter at the Times-Independent, about Utah’s role in an upcoming Colorado River agreement between upper and lower basin states. We also discuss the Grand County School District Superintendent Mike McFalls, who was put on administrative leave recently. Plus, a story about the county’s vote to decline a resolution to protect public land...

This week’s Regional Roundup from Rocky Mountain Community Radio includes a story about a Colorado teacher who spent her summer running a farmers market stand and brought her students along for the experience. We also hear conversations about wildfire smoke and its effects on public health, the impacts of budget cuts on the country’s national parks, and the repercussions of recent immigration raid...

Today on the News Reel, we speak to Doug McMurdo, editor of the Times-Independent, about the toll that new tariffs are putting on local restaurants. We also discuss Grand County’s new tourism advertising strategy. And we finish up with a story about discrepancies in income from two kinds of taxes that target tourists in the city and the county. - Show Notes - • Utah consumer sentiment is down near...

A burn area emergency response team recently finished their assessment of the Deer Creek Fire, which reached full containment on August 11 after burning more than 17,000 acres in the La Sal Mountains. The team evaluated the burn scar's flood risk, which they say is less severe than the aftermath of the Pack Creek Fire, which contributed to two major floods in Moab in 2022. - Show Notes - • U.S. Fo...

This week on the Regional Roundup, we hear a story about a herd of goats that are managing fire fuels in Colorado by grazing weeds. We also hear about the history of Lincoln Hills, a once-thriving resort for African Americans just outside of Denver. Plus, we share an excerpt from our recent regional call-in show on public lands, and we hear a conversation about how climate change is impacting tick...

Today on the News Reel, we speak to Doug McMurdo, editor of the Times-Independent, about possible sales tax increases in Grand County to cover the costs of local health services and a new public safety building. We also discuss the effects of funding cuts for a Moab program that helps immigrants become citizens. And we finish up with a story about a downtrend in tourism this year and the impact it...

This week on the Regional Roundup, we hear about a commemoration of the 140th anniversary of the massacre of Chinese workers in Rock Springs, Wyoming. We also hear about a rural Colorado gymkhana event, where riders of all ages show off their horseback riding skills. Plus, stories about woodland birdsongs near Boulder, a bustling farmer's market in Paonia, Colorado, and an interview with the autho...

Today on the News Reel, we speak to Andrew Christiansen, reporter at the Times Independent, about federal cuts to Medicaid and how these could affect services at Moab Regional Hospital. Plus, we talk about the recent filming of “Godzilla x Kong: Supernova,” which brought in an estimated $3.9 million for the local economy in 10 days of filming. - Show Notes - • SE Utah hospitals brace for long term...

This week on the Regional Roundup, we hear about efforts to map extreme heat in Moab, Utah. We also have a story about the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and the work the organization is doing to protect bird species across the region. Plus, we visit the Montrose County Fair to meet 4H students as they showcase their animals. And we finish off with an interview with investigative journalist Will...

Today on the News Reel, we speak to Doug McMurdo, editor of the Moab Times-Independent, about the city’s decision to hire a lobbyist to help secure federal funding for flood mitigation and other infrastructure projects, as well as the city’s plan to replace solar panels on city hall before the end of the year. We start off the conversation with a story about Glen Richeson, a longtime Moab resident...

This week on the News Reel, we talk to Andrew Christiansen, reporter at the Times Independent, about recent downtrends in tourism, and what the county and city are doing to adjust their budgets in response. We also discuss upcoming filming that will close down Main Street in Moab next week. - Show Notes - • Falling Grand County tax revenue forces nearly $2M budget transfer https://www.moabtimes.co...

On Monday, San Juan County Sheriff Lehi Lacy announced that an investigation by his department and the Utah Fire Authority identified a suspect responsible for the Deer Creek Fire. No additional information about the suspect has been released. The fire is more than 50 percent contained, and as of Tuesday morning, over 17,000 acres have burned, including 10 structures. Geyser Pass Road, Forest Road...

This week on the Regional Roundup, we revisit the award-winning series called “Loved to Death,” which explores the complex relationship between tourism and the environment. The series looks at the impact of social media influencers on local trails, a timed-entry system at Rocky Mountain National Park aimed at controlling crowds, and a historic railroad’s switch from coal to oil-powered engines aft...

In this week’s Regional Roundup, we hear about the different ways people are staying cool this summer, and how extreme heat is taking a significant toll on rural communities. We also hear an audio postcard from Green River, Utah, about the tradition of melon growing, and a story about solar panels that could make farms more resilient. We finish up with a story about the Colorado researchers who ar...

This week on the News Reel, we talk to Doug McMurdo, editor of the Times-Independent, about a financial program to subsidize utilities for city residents. We also discuss where and when residents can use fireworks this Fourth of July. And we finish with a quick update about a major water rights agreement for the Colorado River that is set to expire soon. - Show Notes - • Moab extends utility relie...

This week on the Regional Roundup, we hear about a new podcast that explores the ripple effect of gun violence after the King Soopers shooting in Boulder, Colorado. We also hear from a right-leaning environmental group that says conservation is a conservative value. And we finish up with two stories about insects in our region — the challenges facing pollinators in the West and a citizen science p...

This week on the News Reel, we talk to Andrew Christiansen, reporter at the Times-Independent, about a protest at the Velvet-Wood mine in San Juan County that took place on Saturday. The uranium mine is the first project in the country approved under a new federal process that drastically reduces the environmental review period. We also discuss the Kane Creek luxury housing development, now called...

This week on the Regional Roundup, we'll hear about No Kings protests across the region, including a look at the fatal shooting of a bystander at the Salt Lake City rally. Also in the episode, we'll hear about Republican efforts to sell off public land, the impact of Medicaid cuts, and proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act.

Today on the weekly News Reel, we talk to Doug McMurdo, editor of the Times-Independent, about changes to the city’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year. We also discuss the No Kings rally, which took place in Moab and in other cities nationwide, on Saturday. - Show Notes - • Council approves FY 2025-2026 budget http://moabtimes.com/articles/council-approves-fy-2025-26-budget/ • For the fifth time...

Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee is proposing a bill to sell off hundreds of millions of acres of public lands across the West, including 18 million acres in Utah. On Monday, an updated version of the bill was leaked, revealing changes that would mandate the sale of up to 3.3 million acres of Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service Land in the next five years. Sen. Lee has argued that this...

This week on the Regional Roundup, we'll hear stories about a 90-year-old javelin thrower who stole the show at the Colorado Senior Games, a grueling 350-mile bikepacking route through the Rockies, and a queer brass band from Salt Lake City that's celebrating Pride month.

This week on the News Reel, we speak to Andrew Christiansen, reporter at the Times-Independent. We start with a story about the recently announced candidates running for mayor and city council in the upcoming Moab election. Then, we discuss the latest updates on where things stand with funding for the Trail Ambassador program. And we finish with a quick story about which local businesses received...

This week on the Regional Roundup, we hear about the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Uinta Basin Railway and what it could mean for the future of environmental regulation. Then, a story about three of our partner stations that have joined NPR a lawsuit against the Trump administration for cuts to public media funds. Next, we hear from author Craig Childs about his new book The Wild Dark: F...