KZMU News
1,411 episodes - English - Latest episode: 17 days ago - ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsKZMU News features grassroots, independent journalism broadcast from the heart of Moab, Utah. A daily newscast with reliable coverage, local voices, and reporting that empowers community.
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Episodes
Monday May 30, 2022
May 30, 2022 20:26 - 9 minutes - 8.3 MBGovernor Spencer Cox was born and raised largely in rural Sanpete County, well outside the political power center of the Wasatch Front. He often attributes this experience as a reason his office focuses on rural issues. The Governor was in Moab last week presenting an award to the multicultural center and spoke with KZMU News about his position on rural matters. Plus, prolonged drought and extremely dry vegetation means fire restrictions for Southeastern Utah. And, leaders from the Navajo Nat...
Friday May 27, 2022
May 27, 2022 21:11 - 27 minutes - 24.8 MBIt’s been nearly a decade since the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources released mountain goats in the La Sal Mountains. And throughout that same decade, critics have consistently called for their removal, saying they are damaging a federally protected alpine ecosystem. Just this week, the U.S. Forest Service released data outlining their concerns about potential impacts from mountain goats, recreation and climate change. Today on the news, why a conservation advocate calls the Forest Service...
Thursday May 26, 2022
May 26, 2022 20:34 - 8 minutes - 8.16 MBAuthorities have charged bear-hunting guide Wade Lemon with illegal baiting during a 2018 trip with Donald Trump Jr. in Carbon County. Today on the news, we speak with an official at Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources about the enforcement situation in bear country. Plus, the Interior Department will commit $33 million to plug orphaned oil and gas wells on public lands, including here in Moab. And, as the nation reels after the second deadliest school shooting in Texas this week, survivors...
Wednesday May 25, 2022
May 25, 2022 19:00 - 8 minutes - 7.45 MBA butterfly living in the high elevation wetlands on the Colorado Plateau is under threat. Their only food source grows near water, which is in short supply in a region with a warmer climate and reduced snowpack. Today on the news, a report on the ‘butterfly effect’ of climate change as the US Fish and Wildlife Service considers listing the silverspot as officially threatened. Plus, federal research is beginning to prevent and treat ‘long’ COVID. And, as Utah braces for another COVID-19 surge...
Tuesday May 24, 2022
May 24, 2022 18:39 - 8 minutes - 7.87 MBQuitobaquito Springs is a natural water source and sacred site to a southern Arizona tribe near the US-Mexico border in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Today on the news, a report on the race to save this tiny desert oasis. Plus, plans to build a new desalination plant in Southern California were rejected after more than 20 years of debate. The decision has implications for the future of the Colorado River Basin. And, a federal judge has vacated a plan for drilling and fracking on Color...
Monday May 23, 2022
May 23, 2022 21:05 - 10 minutes - 9.88 MBOver the past decade, the amount of people needing emergency medical services in the Moab area has doubled. People need medical attention in the backcountry, on the highway and downtown. And as the need for emergency medicine grows, so have the needs of Grand County's local service. Today on the news, a tour through the brand new EMS facility. Plus, drought conditions fueling the spread of bark beetles aren’t easy to address. // Show Notes // Photo: The ambulance bays at Grand County EMS’ ...
Friday May 20, 2022
May 20, 2022 21:27 - 24 minutes - 22.8 MBEvery year a number of Moabites injure themselves doing activities they are passionate about. Paying for medical bills and possibly dealing with trauma can be difficult. But there’s a growing number of options for help, from grants for medical bills to therapists dedicated to post-accident trauma. Plus, a nationwide formula shortage is affecting parents and their children across the country, including Southeastern Utah. // Plus, the Weekly News Reel where we check in with reporters on their...
Thursday May 19, 2022
May 19, 2022 19:15 - 9 minutes - 8.98 MBConcerned about more gentrification in the valley, Grand’s planning commission did not support a rezone request for property adjacent to the Moab Golf Course and Steel Bender OHV trail. Red Rock Development group had planned to bring 54 single-family houses and recreational amenities like pickleball and a pool to the area. But this month, officials indicated they are not interested in approving development without guarantees of workforce housing. Plus, as winter comes to a close in our region...
Wednesday May 18, 2022
May 18, 2022 19:24 - 8 minutes - 7.68 MBA leaked draft opinion indicates the Supreme Court is set to overturn Roe v Wade – which for nearly 50 years has made abortion a right in the U.S. Over the weekend, thousands marched across the country to protest the opinion and share their support for reproductive rights. Our radio partners report from a march in Telluride, Colorado. Plus, a new report shows that public land conservation has lagged over the past decade in Western states, and the number of acres protected in our region varies...
Tuesday May 17, 2022
May 17, 2022 21:56 - 9 minutes - 8.32 MBOne week into his role as Moab City Police Chief, Jared Garcia is doing a lot of listening. The former Utah Department of Public Safety Officer steps into this leadership role after a tumultuous time for local police. He calls this leadership change an opportunity and fresh start both for the department and the community. Plus, a new congressional analysis highlights the economic barriers Native Americans continue to face. Photo: Moab City Police Chief Jared Garcia Full interview with Chief...
Monday May 16, 2022
May 16, 2022 19:36 - 10 minutes - 9.68 MBIf you spend enough time in Moab, you might notice something about the leadership here. From local business to nonprofits and elected positions – women hold a lot of the top jobs. This caught the eye of freelancer Holly Lammert, who set out to interview women working in a variety of roles in our community. Today on the news, an audio essay on the opportunities and challenges around being a woman in leadership in Moab. // Show Notes: // Photo: (from top right) Women featured in today’s audi...
Friday May 13, 2022
May 13, 2022 19:29 - 28 minutes - 26 MBSan Juan County has long-simmering political tension, which can erupt even when trying to fill a temporary county attorney position. Today on the news, the fight over the interim job has led to a lawsuit and bitter feelings. Plus, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced a new round of funding for water projects. And, an announcement! KZMU’s five-part miniseries, Lift Up: LGBTQ+ Visibility, has been honored with a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award. Our series won in the category ‘Excellenc...
Thursday May 12, 2022
May 12, 2022 19:03 - 8 minutes - 8.08 MBThe Grand County Sheriff’s Office identified Adam Pinkusiewicz as a suspect in the double homicide of Kylen Schulte and Crystal Turner. This major development comes nearly nine months after the Moab couple’s remains were found at a campsite in the La Sal Mountains. Authorities are still looking for information about Pinkusiewicz, who died by suicide in September 2021. Plus, a new report by the US Interior Department is sharply critical of the Indian boarding school system. And, a group of Ind...
Wednesday May 11, 2022
May 11, 2022 19:17 - 10 minutes - 9.17 MBUtah’s trust lands administration is looking to obtain more developable land across the state. This so-called ‘SITLA land swap’ has made the local and statewide news in recent weeks. That’s because the agency wants to trade about 140,000 acres currently within the boundaries of Bears Ears National Monument for valuable land in other counties. Including Grand. And local commissioners aren’t exactly excited about it. Today on the news, we speak with county commissioner Sarah Stock to get the la...
Tuesday May 10, 2022
May 10, 2022 18:38 - 10 minutes - 9.24 MBThe Navajo Nation police department wants to triple its number of officers in the next five years. That’s meant to help communities like those in southern Utah where residents report high crime and few resources. Today on the news, we speak with officers from the Navajo Nation and Utah about challenges and solutions to policing in this rural area of our state. Plus, federal officials ordered limits last week on how much water is released by Glen Canyon Dam in order to maintain sufficient leve...
Monday May 9, 2022
May 09, 2022 20:05 - 9 minutes - 8.86 MBMotorists traveling northbound on Highway 191 will now see a billboard seeking information in the deaths of local couple Kylen Schulte and Crystal Turner. Nearly nine months after the couple’s homicide, grassroots organizers are hoping the billboard will bring more visibility on the case and garner tips leading to an arrest and conviction. Plus, protests have been breaking out in small Western towns over a leaked draft Supreme Court opinion suggesting that Roe. vs. Wade could be overturned. A...
Friday May 6, 2022
May 06, 2022 19:33 - 27 minutes - 25.4 MBAfter re-broadcasting a few of our favorite audio portraits in celebration of our community this week, we could not resist putting together a fresh one! Today we speak with Annie Thomas, the founder and executive director of Our Village Community Center. The nonprofit stewards an orchard that once belonged to the late Ray Alger. We speak with Thomas about their orchard revitalization project and connecting Moab’s historic past to its future. // Plus, the Weekly News Reel, where we check in...
Thursday May 5, 2022
May 05, 2022 20:30 - 7 minutes - 6.5 MBOur celebratory audio portrait week continues! After a historic radiothon fundraiser, KZMU News is highlighting a few of the many voices that make this town, region and station so great. This next portrait takes us to the Aneth Point Downs racetrack with horse trainer Broderick Lee. // Show Notes // If you have an idea for a future profile, please reach out to [email protected]. // Broderick Lee Audio Portrait Original Broadcast https://www.kzmu.org/thursday-february-10-2022/ // Music in tod...
Wednesday May 4, 2022
May 04, 2022 20:13 - 10 minutes - 9.21 MBThe celebration of our community after a historic radiothon fundraiser continues today! KZMU News is featuring a few of the many voices that make this town, region and station so great by broadcasting audio portraits. Today we head to Sand Flats Recreation area with employee Sonja Nicolaisen. //Show Notes //If you have an idea for a future profile, please reach out to [email protected]. //Sonja Nicolaisen Audio Portrait Original Broadcast https://www.kzmu.org/friday-april-2-2021/ //Music in ...
Tuesday May 3, 2022
May 03, 2022 21:27 - 10 minutes - 9.52 MBIn celebration of our community after a historic radiothon fundraiser, KZMU News is highlighting a few of the many voices that make this town, region and station so great. It's a celebratory audio portrait week! Today we hear our most recent audio portrait, with sculptor Ekaterina Tatarovich. // Show Notes // If you have an idea for a future profile, please reach out to [email protected]. // Ekaterina Tatarovich Audio Portrait Original Broadcast https://www.kzmu.org/tuesday-march-1-2022/ // ...
Monday May 2, 2022
May 02, 2022 18:24 - 10 minutes - 9.31 MBIn celebration of our community after a historic radiothon fundraiser, KZMU News is highlighting a few of the many voices that make this town, region and station so great. It's a celebratory audio portrait week! We start off with our very first non-narrated profile of outdoor guide Blaine Reniger. // Show Notes // If you have an idea for a future profile, please reach out to [email protected]. // Blaine Reniger Audio Portrait Original Broadcast https://www.kzmu.org/friday-february-26-2021/ ...
Friday April 29, 2022
April 29, 2022 22:19 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBAn anti-camping ordinance in Grand County was meant mostly to stop homeowners from renting out their yards and parking lots to tourists. But so far it’s impacted some of the town’s most vulnerable and needed residents. The county is kicking river guides off private land long used as a workers’ camp. Said one person close to the issue, “all these little hidey holes that the seasonal workers have had - they’re gone. They're just not here anymore.” More in today’s news. // Plus, the Weekly New...
Thursday April 28, 2022
April 28, 2022 19:54 - 9 minutes - 9.1 MBCamping on BLM land in the North Klondike Bluff area is now officially limited to a new developed campground. The agency’s representatives say this improvement will help reduce impacts on resources like vegetation and fossil sites. Today on the news, we check in with Jennifer Jones, assistant field manager for BLM Moab’s recreation division about this years’ long effort and other developed camping plans in the area. Plus, the USDA announced it will invest millions of dollars in the San Juan N...
Wednesday April 27, 2022
April 28, 2022 19:50 - 8 minutes - 7.88 MBBetsy Quammen is a historian and writer who documents conflict in Western states. Her last book was American Zion. In it she documented the roots of the Bundy family’s fight over public lands. Today on the news, we speak with the author about her upcoming book and how the West has changed since Covid.
Tuesday April 26, 2022
April 26, 2022 23:18 - 9 minutes - 8.78 MBWhen visiting the Navajo Nation, it's not hard to notice the large number of dogs roaming the rural region. There’s currently an estimated 250,000 stray animals. But, that could be changing. Today on the news, a report on a pop-up animal clinic on the reservation. Plus, a new study finds that low-producing oil and gas wells make up about half of the methane emitted from all well sites in the US. And, a report on plans to monitor oil and gas wells using airships. Photo: An Underdog Animal Res...
Monday April 25, 2022
April 25, 2022 20:47 - 9 minutes - 8.5 MBOn any given nice day in Moab, you’re likely to run into lots of different activity at the town boat ramp. “It runs the full gamut of user groups, and it can get pretty crowded sometimes,” said Tony Mancuso with Utah DNR. He and many other local stakeholders are hoping to improve boater safety and user experience with a new ramp. Plus, the federal government’s pandemic response program to fund free school meals for all students is set to expire at the end of June. And, a USU study is looking ...
Friday April 22, 2022
April 22, 2022 20:31 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MBToday on the news, another radiothon tradition – reflecting on this very program. Moab Public Radio executive director Serah Mead takes the host chair to interview the KZMU News team, Molly Marcello and Justin Higginbottom. The duo discuss their approach to broadcast journalism, the topics and people they cover and building a legacy of quality, thoughtful and ‘importantly quirky’ reporting. // Plus, the Weekly News Reel where we check in with reporters on their latest stories of the Moab ar...
Thursday April 21, 2022
April 21, 2022 20:26 - 10 minutes - 9.87 MBBackcountry flying is taking off in the country. And a small but growing number of pilots are helping upkeep the historic dirt runways that dot Southeastern Utah. Today on the news, we take to the skies to report on this hobby. Plus, Record Store Day is this Saturday, and our radio partners have a report on the increasing regional interest in vinyl. // Show Notes // Photo: Gary Hilley flying his Super Cub backcountry plane on Wednesday, April 21, 2022. He spends his free time maintaining h...
Wednesday April 20, 2022
April 20, 2022 18:28 - 13 minutes - 12.3 MBLake Powell is in crisis. So reports KUNC’s Alex Hager, who covers the Colorado River – the most important water body for 40 million people across the Southwest. He says the nation’s second largest reservoir is strained by more than two decades of drought. Just last month, water in Lake Powell dipped below its target elevation. Today on the news, we speak to Hager about region-wide implications. Plus, sanctions and supply disruptions due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are sure to have ripple...
Tuesday April 19, 2022
April 19, 2022 23:01 - 9 minutes - 8.47 MBThe US Department of the Interior announced late last week that it will resume offering leases on public lands for oil and gas production – with changes. Today on the news, a report on what this reform means for Utah. Plus, Utah is seeing record housing prices for homeowners and renters alike, especially in tourism-heavy economies. Our radio partners report on the situation in Kanab, a small community between the region's biggest National Parks. // Show Notes // Photo: Energy development o...
Monday April 18, 2022
April 19, 2022 00:24 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MBIt’s been eight months since local couple Kylen Schulte and Crystal Turner were found murdered near their campsite off the La Sal Mountain Loop Road. Law enforcement say they have ‘persons of interest’ in the case but have not yet identified a suspect. A grassroots effort is hoping a billboard will collect evidence for a breakthrough. The 15-foot vinyl sign will soon hang along Highway 191 with some important dates, phone numbers and a photo of the couple to jog memories of passerby and bring...
Friday April 15, 2022
April 15, 2022 18:28 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MBFor the past three decades, this wild and woolly radio station has provided the soundtrack to the Moab experience, kept listeners informed and fostered connections to community. There are so many people who have helped the station grow, create, change and thrive, including every person listening right now! So on the first day of our spring radiothon, we check in with executive director Serah Mead. We’ll hear about celebrating of 30 years of KZMU and how to vision for the next three decades. ...
Thursday April 14, 2022
April 14, 2022 21:02 - 9 minutes - 8.31 MBResidents of Moab aren’t the only ones dealing with an affordable housing crisis. It’s a problem across the country – especially in the West. Utah Senator Mike Lee has introduced a bill that he thinks will help. Today on the news, a proposal to privatize public land to provide more space for housing. Plus, Utah Highway Patrol captain Jared Garcia will become Moab’s next chief of police as Carly Castle officially takes the helm as city manager. Later, the U.S. Department of the Interior is con...
Wednesday April 13, 2022
April 13, 2022 18:25 - 9 minutes - 8.36 MBThe Radiation Exposure Compensation Act was first passed in 1990. It provides benefits to those impacted by the nuclear weapons industry, including uranium mine workers and those downwind of atomic testing. But the act will expire on July 10th of this year, and there are people still alive who qualify but haven’t yet collected. Proponents are racing to pass a new bill that would expand coverage. Today on the news, we hear from those impacted by radiation exposure about the support they’re hop...
Tuesday April 12, 2022
April 12, 2022 21:41 - 8 minutes - 8.06 MBOn a recent cool morning, a small crew of volunteers hoisted what looked like an oversized metal volleyball net across Pack Creek. They were installing steel netting to capture sediment during big monsoon events, with the goal of raising the channel's elevation over time. “It’s essentially analogous to a beaver dam,” said an onsite Forest Service hydrologist. Funded through a local t-shirt campaign for restoration work in the aftermath of the Pack Creek Fire, the project will be repeated in o...
Monday April 11, 2022
April 11, 2022 18:51 - 11 minutes - 10.2 MBAs USU-Moab exits their downtown campus for a new building across town, they’re creating an opportunity for another organization – the Moab Free Health Clinic. The nonprofit has plans to turn the three-acre downtown property into a one-stop shop for community health. Said the clinic’s executive director, “with this campus, we have the opportunity to bring in other socially oriented nonprofits…all in one place.” Plus, our radio partners report on a growing music festival in our region attempti...
Friday April 8, 2022
April 08, 2022 20:03 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MBWhat’s the perfect thing that you could come across by accident at night driving down a two-lane highway? For fans of folklore its Desert Oracle Radio – created / written / produced / and performed by the one Ken Layne. His home desert is Joshua Tree, California but KZMU listeners may have caught him live here in Moab over the weekend. The writer visited canyon country to share stories live in person and over the airwaves. Today on the news, we hear some thoughts on community radio from this ...
Thursday April 7, 2022
April 07, 2022 20:06 - 10 minutes - 9.6 MBA conservationist air force takes journalists and policy makers on trips above sensitive areas. Their latest flight looked at the country’s last uranium mill, located in southeastern Utah. Today on the news, we take to the skies with the organization. Plus, it’s the first week of reservations at Arches National Park. We hear from visitors about their experiences. // Show Notes // Photo: Tim Peterson, cultural landscapes director of Grand Canyon Trust boards a flight over the White Mesa Mil...
Wednesday April 6, 2022
April 06, 2022 20:56 - 9 minutes - 8.42 MBEvery year, Utah Division of Wildlife officials collect fish for a breeding program. Their goal is the Tiger muskie – the division’s secret weapon in managing fish populations throughout the state. Today on the news, we spend time fishing. Plus, a National Park Service program aims to recruit interns from diverse backgrounds historically underrepresented at the federal agency. // Show Notes // Photo: Calvin Black, Utah Division of Wildlife's assistant aquatics manager, catches Northern Pik...
Tuesday April 5, 2022
April 05, 2022 21:51 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBMoab City needs housing for the local workforce. If the current trend of rising cost and limited availability continues, Moab City staff say the workforce population required for the community to function will be eliminated. To help counter this trend, elected officials want a certain percentage of new multi-family developments in certain zones set aside for workforce housing. Although this requirement seemed likely to pass last week, it hit a snag – concerns from statewide realtors and polit...
Monday April 4, 2022
April 04, 2022 21:04 - 9 minutes - 8.95 MBUtah State University celebrated the completion of their brand-new Moab campus with a ribbon cutting on Friday. The facility on Aggie Boulevard is the first net-zero building in the USU system. USU representatives are excited about the building –but they’re also excited about solidifying a pathway to higher education for locals. // Show Notes // Photo: USU-Moab students cut the ribbon at the new campus on Friday, April 1st with campus staff, supporters and donors in the background. The ne...
Friday April 1, 2022
April 01, 2022 19:25 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBRenewable energy projects like solar are expanding on the Navajo Nation, an important step for the reservation to create sustainable power. The latest project is a solar farm on the Utah side of the Navajo Nation. But just because it’s renewable, doesn’t mean it’s without controversy. Today on the news, a report on fight over land in the area. // And later, the Weekly News Reel, where we check in with reporters on their latest local coverage. Sophia Fisher of The Times-Independent discusses...
Thursday March 31, 2022
March 31, 2022 20:45 - 8 minutes - 8.11 MBAlthough the SCIC has shelved a proposed highway through the Book Cliffs for now, Grand County officials want their thoughts on conserving land to be clear for the future. They’re currently at work on a Small Area Plan for the Book Cliffs region. Plus, a regional paleontologist says overall damage to Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite was ‘minor’ but fractures could have formed when BLM-approved construction crews drove heavy equipment around the fossils. An assessment says filling vacant paleont...
Wednesday March 30, 2022
March 30, 2022 20:50 - 8 minutes - 8.13 MBNew Census data on county-level population changes have some surprising results for Grand County. While most of Utah saw an increase in population due largely to migration, other counties did not grow – at least not in terms of residents. Today on the news, we speak with a demographer about what happened in our area. Plus, low-income residents of rural towns in our region are finding it difficult to stay housed. // Show Notes // Photo: New affordable residential housing in development at A...
Tuesday March 29, 2022
March 29, 2022 21:50 - 10 minutes - 9.16 MBWhat do you want for the future of the Moab community? Moab City wants to know. A community-wide visioning process is happening now, and will eventually set up a framework for future economic, social and environmental decisions. Today on the news, we hear from acting city manager Carly Castle on this months-long process and opportunities for the public to engage. Plus, firefighters are battling a blaze near a national research facility in Colorado, where the memories of the most destructive f...
Monday March 28, 2022
March 28, 2022 20:53 - 10 minutes - 9.23 MBUtah lawmakers have banned transgender athletes from girls’ sports. This move overrides Governor Spencer Cox’s recent veto of the legislation. LGBTQ rights organizations are calling the ban ‘cruel and discriminatory’ and are preparing to fight in court. Expecting this legal challenge, state lawmakers set aside $500,000 for the ban’s defense. Plus, the Manti-La Sal National Forest Service is conducting prescribed burns to reduce the risk of wildfire spread. // Show Notes // Photo: Demonstra...
Friday March 25, 2022
March 25, 2022 20:23 - 29 minutes - 27 MBIn 2018, a murder shocked a small Navajo community just south of Bluff. Federal agents arrested a suspect later that year. But since then the victim’s family has lived without closure – and in fear. Said one family member, "I am scared. I live with that scare of having to look over my shoulder wondering who's going up the road. I have that every day.” Today on the news, we report from Mexican Water on the Navajo Nation. // And later, the Weekly News Reel where we check in with reporters on...
Thursday March 24, 2022
March 24, 2022 22:08 - 10 minutes - 9.61 MBFresh signs are popping up in Moab neighborhoods with a message: ‘We Support Quiet Streets.’ The sign campaign comes from a group of concerned citizens aiming to lend visual support for ongoing efforts to quiet down the town. Meanwhile, ATV businesses with the help of an advocacy organization are posturing to challenge Moab policy makers over local noise ordinances. Plus, Governor Cox recently vetoed a bill that would ban transgender students’ participation in high school sports corresponding...
Wednesday March 23, 2022
March 23, 2022 22:18 - 7 minutes - 6.64 MBFor some locals, warmer weather means one thing – skate season. Skate Moab recently held their first event of the season and has big plans to bring the ‘joy of skating’ to the local community the rest of the year. Today on the news, an audio portrait of the person leading Skate Moab events this year, Jazmine Duncan. And later, a new documentary tells the story of the Mojave Desert tortoise as Washington County officials plan to put a road through protected habitat. And, tribes rebuilding biso...
Tuesday March 22, 2022
March 22, 2022 22:45 - 9 minutes - 9.08 MBNearly one third of some 100,000 archaeological sites in Utah have been damaged over the last few decades. This year, the Utah State Historic Preservation Office is trying to share conservation tips to as many people as possible. Today on the news, we speak with an archeologist on the ‘Pledge to Protect the Past’ initiative aiming to educate visitors on best practices around these sensitive areas. Plus, an electrified roadway in Utah could provide a major steppingstone for electric vehicles. ...