KZMU News

On the news reel today, we talk to Doug McMurdo of the Times Independent about the city’s plans to change parking, traffic lights and more on Main Street. Plus we cover the city’s discussions about what to do with the Walnut Lane Property where they promised to build affordable housing. We finish up with a story about the county’s new stance on the timed entry system at Arches National Park. This...

State lawmakers will discuss possible changes to Utah's vote by mail system during the 2025 legislative session, which begins on Jan. 21. Criticism of the mail-in ballot process has followed the release of a recent audit that found five potential cases of voter fraud in Utah in 2023. Supporters say the changes could increase election security, while opponents argue the new rules would diminish vot...

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court tossed out Utah's public lands lawsuit that would have challenged the federal government's control of over 18 million acres across the state. The lawsuit was just one effort Utah officials have made in recent months as part of a larger campaign to wrest control of public lands from the Bureau of Land Management. Public land advocates have called the state's attemp...

On the News Reel today, we talk to Andrew Christiansen, reporter at the Times-Independent, about the Grand County Commission’s newly elected chair and vice chair. We also talk about the Moab Music Festival’s new director and give an update about the missing parrots in Moab. Plus, we highlight a quick story about a 26,000-year-old fox that was discovered in Utah recently. - Show Notes - • Winfield...

This week on Regional Roundup, as Colorado prepares to reintroduce another pack of wolves, we hear from biologist Diane Boyd, who recounts four decades of wolf research in her new memoir "A Woman Among Wolves." We also hear a story on how immigrant rights groups are battling misinformation and bracing for a second Trump administration. And finally, we hear from Aspen author Auden Schlender, who as...

Cases in the U.S. District Court of Utah can now be heard in Moab and Monticello. The change is intended to cut down travel times for law enforcement involved in hearings and citizens selected for federal jury duty. Plus, a new management plan for Bears Ears National Monument allows rock climbing, prohibits base jumping, and continues on with the status quo for grazing in the area.

In December, 28-year-old Moab resident Kara Bard bought the site of a former artist residency in Cisco, Utah, called Home of the Brave. The program was started by the previous owner Eileen Muza, who spent nearly a decade rebuilding old structures on the ghost town property. Today on the show, we talk to Muza about the history of Home of the Brave and the challenges they faced as a queer artist in...

This week on Regional Roundup, we hear from Utah author Elizabeth Smart, who has been a tireless advocate for abuse survivors since her kidnapping at age 14. We also explore how a smaller-sized piano at CU Boulder is helping musicians avoid injury, hear a fire spotter’s story, and learn one film critic’s top five movies of 2024.

On the News Reel today, we talk to Doug McMurdo, editor of the Times-Independent, about a sergeant with the Grand County Sheriff's Office who won Investigator of the Year for his work against internet crimes. We also discuss a new state law that requires the county to review subdivision applications within 160 days, among other changes. We finish up with a quick forecast of what’s to come for the...

This week on Regional Roundup, we hear from a new podcast about the ripple effects of gun violence in communities across the West. We also share water stories from an Indigenous perspective, produced by Tribal Water Media Fellows at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. Finally, we examine how immigrant communities across the region are bracing for a second Trump administration.

Today we hear from our partners at Rocky Mountain Community Radio about a lawsuit against the state of Utah regarding public lands. We also hear from the Utah News Connection about the state's shortage of foster homes. Plus, we hear from the Mountain West News Bureau about the role beavers play in fire mitigation.

Today we hear from partners at KSUT about a public lands celebration in Mancos, Colorado, following a recent land grab attempt. We also hear from the Mountain West News Bureau about women who work in construction and their attempts to usher in a new generation of female construction workers.

Today we hear from partners at KUER about the state's initiative to save water by helping farmers install efficient sprinklers. We also hear from the Mountain West News Bureau about rural movie theaters that are keeping the popcorn flowing.

As the year comes to a close, we reflect on some of our favorite stories from 2024. Today we hear about a local ultramarathon that took runners on a 240-mile loop from Moab to Indian Creek, up into the Abajos, into the La Sals, and back to town. Most runners average about 90 minutes of sleep per night, and the extreme exhaustion causes many of them to hallucinate. We talk to runners about the phys...

As the year comes to a close, we reflect on some of our favorite stories from 2024. Today, we hear an annual race at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah among some of the world's fastest drivers. We speak to the next generation of young racers who face an uncertain future for the sport as conditions on the speedway deteriorate from decades of mining in the area. This story originally aired on 9-11-2...

On the News Reel today, we talk to Doug McMurdo, editor of the Times-Independent, about the top stories from the first half of 2024. We discuss public lands issues, from OHV road closures to new mining claims near Moab. We also discuss the city's new property tax and the resolution of a 51-year-old cold case. - Show Notes - • The year that was https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/the-year-that-was/

As the year comes to a close, we reflect on some of our favorite stories from 2024. Today, we hear about an especially resonant music venue in Colorado. Echoes last up to 40 seconds in this 65-foot steel cylinder, making it a unique sonic experience and a destination for musicians from around the world. This story originally aired on 11-1-24. - Show Notes - • The Tank, Center for Sonic Arts tankso...

This week on Regional Roundup, we learn how one festive treat — chocolate — may be good for our health but dangerous for our pets. Then, we explore some local Santa schools that prepare mall Santas and their helpers.

On the News Reel today, we talk to Doug McMurdo, editor of the Times-Independent, about the city’s assessment of this summer’s flood damage. We also discuss the city’s new initiative to lower energy costs in municipal buildings. Plus, we hear about the county’s decision to deny a zoning appeal regarding the Kane Creek property, opting to uphold the current zoning. - Show Notes - • One Mill Creek f...

Reports of mysterious drones have raised concern across the country this week, including at an air force base in Utah, where residents reported seeing unidentified lights in the night sky over the weekend. Officials from the Hill Air Force Base near Salt Lake City said in a statement on Monday that the reports don’t pose a threat to public safety, but authorities are investigating the drones in qu...

Today we speak with Moab Mayor Joette Langianese and Grand County Commission Chair Jacques Hadler about some of the biggest projects and changes from the past year. We discuss the status of the city’s flood repairs, Moab’s new property tax, future plans for the UMTRA site, new safety precautions on Highway 191 and more.

This week on Regional Roundup, we hear how one mountain community came together to feed firefighters during a wildfire in August. Tag along with birdwatchers taking advantage of winter conditions to spot a variety of species. A range rider is featured in a film of the same name chronicling his efforts to reduce human-wolf conflict. Plus, a commentary on how nature is becoming increasingly unreliab...

On Thursday, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources passed a new deer management plan, which will inform hunting regulations until 2030. One major change approved in the plan involves how the state will manage areas with high numbers of chronic wasting disease, such as the La Sal Mountains and Castle Valley. Targeted hunts will occur in these areas to cull sick deer. - Photo: The new plan also su...

On the News Reel today, we talk to Andrew Christiansen, reporter at the Times-Independent, about the county’s search for a 1992 zoning map for Kane Creek development property. We also discuss the final steps Grand County must take to resolve the state’s audit report. Plus, we talk about the county’s proposed 2025 budget, which will be approved before the end of the month. - Show Notes - • Watch gr...

On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments regarding the Uinta Basin Railway. The case has turned into a much larger legal debate about the bounds of the National Environmental Protection Act after approval for the railway was revoked in August due to an insufficient environmental impact analysis. Photo: This map shows where the Uinta Basin Railway would connect to the Union Pacific Railwa...