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
KZMU News: Monday August 26, 2019
August 26, 2019 19:00 - 6 minutes - 5.86 MBShake-ups in the U.S. Department of Interior and the Bureau of Land Management could have far-reaching effects on public lands in the West. Our partners at KDNK sat down with Chris Saeger, director of the Western Values Project, a public lands watchdog group based in Montana, to talk about some of these issues. [Photo: The Book Cliffs, a series of desert mountains and cliffs in eastern Utah and western Colorado]
KZMU News: Friday August 23, 2019
August 23, 2019 19:00 - 10 minutes - 9.76 MBKZMU welcomes Doug McMurdo, associate editor of The Times-Independent, for a discussion on the paper's latest coverage. This week - the USGS releases a long-anticipated and informative report on water in the Moab Valley, a local woman contracts West Nile virus, and Grand County places additional requirements on next year's Rally on the Rocks event. Plus, an update on the Solid Waste District. Tune in.
KZMU News: Thursday August 22, 2019
August 22, 2019 19:00 - 8 minutes - 8.24 MBThe Utah Legislature’s ‘task force’ on tax reform met at the statehouse Monday to begin reviewing their options. Lawmakers say Utah’s current 80-year old tax structure is not catching up with a modern economy. As the state considers adjusting sales tax, resort communities like Moab are watching – and vocalizing their concerns. Today’s news is all about tax reform, including how education fits into this puzzle as well. Tune in.
KZMU News: Wednesday August 21, 2019
August 21, 2019 20:00 - 7 minutes - 6.65 MBRally on the Rocks, a UTV and Side-By-Side event criticized for noise and traffic by some residents every spring, has received county approval on next year’s event with certain conditions. The Grand County Council made a list of requirements – including that participants sign a pledge committing to reducing noise levels across town and that they not ride in residential areas before 7am or after 9pm. And later in the newscast, our radio partners report on the Colorado River’s low reservoirs as...
KZMU News: Tuesday August 20, 2019
August 20, 2019 19:00 - 5 minutes - 4.69 MBThe U.S. Geological Survey recently released a long-anticipated report showing thirty to forty percent less groundwater in Moab than previously estimated. Scientists spent years collecting data from wells, springs, and streams to better understand groundwater resources throughout the Spanish Valley watershed. Not only was the USGS able to update Moab’s water budget, but they also have a better understanding of how water flows throughout the watershed. Today on the news, KZMU News speaks with ...
KZMU News: Monday August 19, 2019
August 19, 2019 19:00 - 8 minutes - 8.15 MBEarlier this summer, the Bureau of Land Management released its final draft resource management plan for the Uncompahgre Field Office, encompassing nearly 900,000 acres of public lands across six Colorado counties. The Colorado Department of Natural Resources has since submitted a formal letter of protest, claiming that the draft plan does not adequately balance wildlife protection with energy extraction. According to Ken Rait, Project Director for Pew Charitable Trusts, this plan is one of s...
Get An Earful - Native Bees with Mary O'Brien
August 17, 2019 18:05 - 18 minutes - 16.6 MB*Saturday Extra* Utah is home to some of the most diverse native bee populations in the nation with 1,128 recorded in the state. These species pollinate flowers and plants essential to our native ecosystems. But some experts say that native bees are vulnerable, especially in light of a potential plan that would store private honey bees on Utah’s National Forests, including the Manti-La Sals. They say the honey bees will outcompete and displace native bees in their habitat, changing the ecosys...
KZMU News: Friday August 16, 2019
August 16, 2019 19:00 - 8 minutes - 7.84 MBKZMU welcomes Carter Pape, staff writer for The Times-Independent, for a rundown of their latest coverage. This week - three incumbents and three challengers will face off in the Moab City Council election, Grand County's change of government study committee finalizes their recommendation, and Moab City passes a dark sky ordinance. Plus, the Utah DWR hosts a public event all about local bats. Tune in.
KZMU News: Thursday August 15, 2019
August 15, 2019 19:00 - 7 minutes - 7.21 MBStudents at the Moab Charter School may notice a few changes on campus during their new school year. This year, kids will exchange their plastic cutlery for reusable metal forks and spoons in the lunchroom. MCS staff say switching from plastic to reusable utensils will reduce the school’s impact on the environment and save money. And later in the newscast, our partners at Utah Public Radio talk about the unique geology of the Colorado Plateau.
KZMU News: Wednesday August 14, 2019
August 14, 2019 19:00 - 5 minutes - 4.95 MBThe preliminary results from Tuesday's Moab City Council primary are in – incumbents Tawny Knuteson-Boyd, Rani Derasary, and Kalen Jones will all advance to the November general election. Challenging their seats will be Bryon Walston, Kenneth Minor, and Kendall Jenson. Later in the news, the black bear that injured a 13-year-old boy in Moab was recently found and killed by wildlife officials. Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources has no conclusive theory on why the bear might have been in the...
KZMU News: Tuesday August 13, 2019
August 13, 2019 20:32 - 9 minutes - 8.71 MBToday on the news, our partners at Rocky Mountain Community Radio take us back to the 90s, when the EPA actually vetoed the construction of the Two Forks dam in Colorado. They’ll tell us more about how the dam’s legacy influences current water projects, and how communities, environmental groups, and water utilities all fit in to this puzzle.
KZMU News: Monday August 12, 2019
August 13, 2019 14:28 - 5 minutes - 4.99 MBA boy camping at Dewey Bridge along the Colorado River was injured by a bear while sleeping Friday. The 13-year-old victim suffered bites to his right cheek and right ear, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. The child described the bear as “about his size” with black fur, so officials are assuming it was a smaller animal, likely around two years old. And later in the news, Public Lands Corner delves into the proposed changes on how the U.S. Forest Service conducts environmen...
KZMU News is taking a summer break!
August 06, 2019 18:11 - 38 seconds - 669 KBKZMU News is taking a summer break this week! We’re off preparing the next several months of stories, so if you’ve got something you’d like us to cover, drop a line to [email protected]. KZMU News will return on Monday August 12th. In the meantime, check out our extensive archives at kzmu.org. And thanks, for all your support.
KZMU News: Friday August 2, 2019
August 02, 2019 19:00 - 11 minutes - 10.1 MBKZMU welcomes Doug McMurdo, associate editor of The Times-Independent, to the studio for a discussion on the paper's latest coverage. This week - the change of government study committee reaches some decisions, with the majority favoring a 5-member council form of government. Then, Judge David Tubbs is retiring from justice court, Moab City mails ballots for primary election, and a reflection on last week's Veterans Charity Ride. Tune in.
KZMU News: Thursday August 1, 2019
August 01, 2019 19:00 - 5 minutes - 4.85 MBOne hundred and fifty years ago, a group of explorers led by civil war veteran John Wesley Powell set out to document the canyons of the Green and Colorado Rivers. To commemorate the journey, a group of scientists have been retracing his steps this summer. Our partners at Rocky Mountain Community Radio spoke by phone with the trip’s leader during one of their stops. [Photo: The confluence of the Green River and the Yampa in northwestern Colorado was on Powell's route. Powell named the spot ...
KZMU News: Wednesday July 31, 2019
July 31, 2019 19:00 - 5 minutes - 4.73 MB- Bans in place, Grand County and Moab City move forward on development standards for new overnight accommodations - Utah's medical cannabis industry draws lawsuit from grower, expert says there may be more - New study finds groundwater wells dug 'deeper and deeper' in West
KZMU News: Tuesday July 30, 2019
July 30, 2019 19:00 - 8 minutes - 8.27 MBSan Juan County paid nearly $500,00 to a New Orleans-based law firm to lobby for the reduction of the original Bears Ears National Monument, according to a new report from Salt Lake Tribune writer Zak Podmore. He says San Juan’s past legal battles – in addition to this lobbying effort – threaten to deplete the county’s general fund. And later in the news, the Bureau of Land Management released their proposed management plans for Bears Ears last week. The plans drew criticism from a number of ...
KZMU News: Monday July 29, 2019
July 29, 2019 19:00 - 8 minutes - 8.1 MBWhen it comes to water infrastructure development, many communities across the West are demanding more local control. Our neighbors in Colorado have a system called 1041 powers, which actually gives cities and counties a seat at the table with regard to water development. But right now, multiple water projects are battling this local process. Our partners at Rocky Mountain Community Radio have the story. [Photo: The Thornton Water Project proposes the transfer of water from a reservoir in La...
KZMU News: Friday July 26, 2019
July 26, 2019 19:00 - 12 minutes - 11.3 MBKZMU wraps up the news week with Doug McMurdo, associate editor of The Times-Independent. This week - Moab City passes it's own prohibition on new overnight lodging, following the county's vote last week. City officials say the move is temporary as they create new development standards for overnight accommodations. Then, the change of government study committee favors a five person legislative body, although they're not yet in agreement whether that should be a commission or council. Tune in ...
KZMU News: Thursday July 25, 2019
July 25, 2019 19:00 - 6 minutes - 6.43 MBImmigration continues to be a major topic of conversation across the United States. While the main focus is widely concentrated on border states, other areas are affected too. Our partners at Rocky Mountain Community Radio report on one man’s experience with ICE, and the greater impacts on the community in a rural mountain town in Southwest Colorado.
KZMU News: Wednesday July 24, 2019
July 24, 2019 20:00 - 7 minutes - 7.27 MBAs of Tuesday night, both Moab City and Grand County have prohibitions in place on new lodging development. The bans are the result of a six month planning process, one intended to respond in some way to the impacts of the lodging industry, including negative effects on long-term affordable housing, economic diversity, and water use. And later in the newscast, our partners at Rocky Mountain Community Radio highlight the argument for “big, bold actions” when it comes to balancing the southwest...
KZMU News: Tuesday July 23, 2019
July 23, 2019 19:11 - 5 minutes - 5.32 MBNew overnight accommodations - with some exceptions – are now prohibited in Grand County, after a special meeting last week. Council members also approved an overnight accommodations overlay map, which safeguards existing overnight rentals, a few parcels with viable takings claims, and includes certain parts of Crescent Junction, Thompson Springs, and Cisco. Moab City will consider a similar ordinance restricting overnight lodging at their meeting Tuesday July 23rd. And later on the newscast,...
KZMU News: Monday July 22, 2019
July 22, 2019 20:45 - 7 minutes - 6.67 MBA fire sparked by lightening last week has now burned over 150 acres in the Dark Canyon Wilderness of the Manti-La Sal National Forest. U.S. Forest Service officials say that the Peavine Canyon Fire is cleaning up “nature’s kitchen” by removing vegetation littering the forest floor. And later on the news, Public Lands Corner receives insights into the meaning of wilderness from a kid fresh from an outdoor adventure. [Photo: The Peavine Canyon Fire in the Manti-La Sal National Forest. Credit ...
KZMU News: Friday July 19, 2019
July 19, 2019 19:00 - 10 minutes - 9.82 MBKZMU welcomes Doug McMurdo, associate editor of The Times-Independent to discuss the paper's latest coverage. This week - in a special meeting, Grand County's council members removed overnight accommodations as a use by right. Their 5-0 decision was made after failing to take action earlier in the week. Then, an update on West Nile mosquitoes in the county and a fatality hits the skydiving community. Tune in.
KZMU News: Thursday July 18, 2019
July 18, 2019 19:00 - 8 minutes - 7.95 MB“I had the feeling that it wasn’t good. I didn’t know just being a child, [but] I thought ‘why would they do that? Why would they send things up in the air?” These are the memories of Bonnie Deem, who lived through the era of nuclear testing in the 1950s. Her story, along with many others, is archived at the University of Utah, in a project called “Downwinders of Utah.” Through oral histories and interactive data, the archive documents the fallout – in all forms of the word – of nuclear radia...
KZMU News: Wednesday July 17, 2019
July 17, 2019 19:00 - 6 minutes - 6.29 MBA study in 2016 showed that lawns are the largest irrigated crop in America. There are over 40 million grassy acres in the continental U.S., and they take a lot of water to thrive. But in the West, where rainfall is less plentiful, many water providers have been offering rebates to residents willing to tear out turf and replace it with drought tolerant plants. The programs are working and thousands of gallons of water are being saved. So why are two major cities punting on the idea? Our partn...
KZMU News: Tuesday July 16, 2019
July 16, 2019 20:00 - 7 minutes - 6.93 MBU.S. Senator Cory Gardner announced yesterday that the Bureau of Land Management’s national headquarters will move to Grand Junction, Colorado. Gardner has argued for years to move the public lands agency’s top officials closer to the communities affected by their decisions. However, critics are calling this announcement little more than political theater. And later in the news, oil and gas lobby group Western Energy Alliance fundraises for maintenance projects at Canyonlands National Park. T...
KZMU News: Monday July 15, 2019
July 16, 2019 19:30 - 8 minutes - 7.5 MBAs their respective six-month moratoria on new overnight lodging developments draw to a close, Grand County and Moab City are nearing decisions with new zoning ordinances. Both city and county planning commissions have made recommendations focused on regulating overnight development. Local officials have said they’re considering such regulations due to the lodging industry’s impacts to residential housing, quality of life, and economic diversity. And later in the broadcast, Public Lands Corne...
KZMU News: Friday July 12, 2019
July 13, 2019 20:00 - 9 minutes - 9.05 MBKZMU News welcomes Doug McMurdo to the studio for a discussion on The Times-Independent's latest coverage. This week - mosquitoes are showing signs of decline with recent fogging efforts, but local officials recently detected West Nile virus in the population. Also, Arches National Park becomes dark sky certified, local government receives criticism from a state rep for considering overnight lodging restrictions, and two long-term housing developments get approval from the county's planning c...
Get An Earful - Moab Sun News' Native American Series
July 13, 2019 19:25 - 10 minutes - 9.49 MB*Saturday Extra* The Moab Sun News often comes across interesting issues in the course of their regular reporting. Earlier this year, when managing editor Ashley Bunton attended the Nourishing Traditions gathering circle, she met Indigenous people living in Moab who had more than just one story to tell. So she wrote a series of articles about the unique issues facing some Native Americans in our community today. On KZMU’s extended newscast we discuss this series, spending time on one particul...
KZMU News: Thursday July 11, 2019
July 11, 2019 19:00 - 6 minutes - 5.89 MB- Moab City considers stricter idling ordinance and new 'idle free' signage - Colorado weighs re-introducing gray wolf population - Robotic sage grouse help researchers understand species
KZMU News: Wednesday July 10, 2019
July 10, 2019 19:47 - 8 minutes - 7.83 MBGrand County and the Moab Mosquito Abatement District have scheduled an aerial spray of larvicide for 300 acres in the wetlands on Sunday July 14th. The county says the aerial operation – at a cost of roughly $72,000 – is an effort to prevent more mosquitoes from hatching. And later in the news, we get the latest on the Moab Area Travel Council’s “Do It Like A Local” initiative, which publicly launched during the July 4th celebrations in the park last week. “My philosophy is that we like that...
KZMU News: Tuesday July 9, 2019
July 10, 2019 00:37 - 5 minutes - 4.66 MBFor nearly two weeks this winter most of the faucets in the town of Paonia, Colorado ran dry. A combination of crumbling infrastructure and dwindling supplies left the town’s residents without drinking water. Months later, the water is flowing again, but the problems facing Paonia are emblematic of small towns throughout the West, where water crises like these can pop up overnight. Our partners at Rocky Mountain Community Radio the story.
KZMU News: Monday July 8, 2019
July 08, 2019 21:00 - 6 minutes - 6.32 MBArches National Park is now officially certified as an International Dark Sky Park, a place recognized for its quality night skies and commitment to protecting natural darkness. With the addition of Arches, all four parks in the Southeast Utah Group – Canyonlands, Hovenweep, and Natural Bridges – are now certified under the dark sky program. We speak with an Arches representative to learn more, and also head to Public Lands Corner where host Chad Niehaus explores permit acquisition for runnin...
KZMU News: Friday July 5, 2019
July 06, 2019 00:00 - 10 minutes - 9.69 MBKZMU welcomes Doug McMurdo, associate editor of The Times-Independent to the station for a discussion of the paper's latest coverage. This week - the county approves an emergency purchase of larvicide for an aerial drop over the sloughs, as the Mosquito Abatement District changes their plans on fogging. Also, the county council gets public comment on removing overnight lodging as a protected use, the Utah Court of Appeals will hear the Lionsback lawsuit in Moab, and a plane crash kills two pa...
KZMU News: Thursday July 4, 2019
July 04, 2019 19:00 - 6 minutes - 5.6 MBSummer's in full-swing, and that means vacation time. More visitors than ever are flocking to resort towns throughout the West. But that’s adding pressure on a housing crunch that already has local residents scrambling. Today on the news, we’re broadcasting a story from KUER in collaboration with KZMU and the Moab Sun News, about what this dynamic looks like in Moab.
KZMU News: Wednesday July 3, 2019
July 03, 2019 19:00 - 5 minutes - 5.32 MB- Grand County makes emergency purchase of mosquito larvicide for aerial drop over sloughs - Heritage railroad between Durango and Silverton faces $25 million dollar lawsuit for igniting the devastating 416 fire last year - Proposal to re-name Grand Junction's rookie league baseball team to "Humpback Chubs" stirs up internet controversy [Photo: Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve, where the county will aerial drop mosquito larvicide in the near future]
KZMU News: Tuesday July 2, 2019
July 02, 2019 20:02 - 7 minutes - 7.2 MBCommunity members overwhelmed in recent weeks by aggressive mosquitoes voiced frustration with the Mosquito Abatement District’s decision not to fog local neighborhoods during a public meeting Monday evening. The District says they are strapped for resources – low staff numbers, failing equipment, and a small budget. They say they need to prioritize what little resources they have to attack disease-carrying mosquitoes which will likely appear later in the season. Hear more on today’s news.
KZMU News: Monday July 1, 2019
July 01, 2019 22:30 - 6 minutes - 5.82 MBCrews located an aircraft on the northern end of San Juan County this morning, which went missing from Moab June 30th. Law enforcement says both passengers - Moab resident Kevin Carroll and Lindon resident Jay Camberlango – are deceased. Also on the news, a follow up on the earthquake caused by the Paradox Valley Salinity Control Facility earlier this year.
Get An Earful - Moab City Talks Challenges
June 29, 2019 18:00 - 16 minutes - 15.2 MB*Saturday Extra* Civic leaders from Moab, Park City, and St. George testified before the state's Political Subdivisions Interim Committee last week about development challenges in resort communities. City council member Karen Guzman Newton told lawmakers about Moab’s issues with housing, transportation and infrastructure. On Get An Earful, we’ll hear Guzman-Newton’s entire exchange with the committee. Tune in.
KZMU News: Friday June 28, 2019
June 28, 2019 19:00 - 11 minutes - 11 MBKZMU welcomes Doug McMurdo, associate editor of The Times-Independent, to the studios for a discussion of the paper's weekly coverage. This week - mosquitos! Why are there so many of them and what happened with the fogging this week? Also, the city council votes to give themselves a raise and Moab's wet weather means a lot of fuel this fire season. Tune in.
KZMU News: Thursday June 27, 2019
June 27, 2019 19:00 - 5 minutes - 4.83 MBFour states – Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico – have watched shares of their water from the Colorado River flowing downstream for nearly a century. But now they want to claim that promised water with a massive water pipeline in southwestern Utah. Today we hear the final installment of the series “The Final Straw,” from our partners at Rocky Mountain Community Radio. [Photo: Gary Turner uses his turf harvester to peel 2-by-5-foot strips grass at his Washington City farm. He says the la...
KZMU News: Wednesday June 26, 2019
June 26, 2019 21:19 - 7 minutes - 7.14 MBIn response to an incredible mosquito year – coupled with incredible public pressure – Moab’s Mosquito Abatement District plans to spray chemical fog near the wetlands tonight around 9pm. Because fogging kills all kinds of insects, not just mosquito larvae, local beekeepers have been notified and plan to protect and cover their hives. The district's director says they do not plan to fog neighborhoods tonight. Learn more about mosquitoes on today’s news, as well as a contemplation on silence a...
KZMU News: Tuesday June 25, 2019
June 25, 2019 19:00 - 8 minutes - 7.71 MBCivic leaders from Moab, Park City, and St. George recently gave the Political Subdivisions Interim Committee a rundown of the many challenges facing resort communities. The committee heard about housing, infrastructure, and transportation – issues that are straining economic development in Utah’s tourism hubs. “We are a city of five thousand, and we are carrying capacities of three million – that’s the same population of the state of Utah,” city council member Karen Guzman-Newton told lawma...
KZMU News: Monday June 24, 2019
June 24, 2019 19:00 - 5 minutes - 5.24 MBToday, it's all about rivers in the West. First, a new study shows that groundwater pumping is reducing the amount of water that flows through rivers and streams. Then, Public Lands Corner floats into the rich topic of competition - and cooperation - along river corridors. Tune in.
Get an Earful - Graffiti on Public Lands
June 22, 2019 14:59 - 17 minutes - 16.5 MB*Saturday Extra* Earlier this week, KZMU News broadcast a story about increasing graffiti and vandalism on our local public lands. Today on Get An Earful, we’ll return to this conversation with some longer field interviews. We head to a historic site at Sand Flats Recreation Area, where regional history is in danger of becoming overrun with new graffiti. Two experts in graffiti removal – Sue Baril and Don Montoya – discuss repairing injuries on public lands, it’s importance, and why we need a...
KZMU News: Friday June 21, 2019
June 21, 2019 19:00 - 10 minutes - 9.74 MBKZMU welcomes Doug McMurdo, the associate editor of The Times-Independent, to the studios for a discussion on the paper's latest coverage. This week, it's all about the Moab Area Travel Council. Their advisory board and the Grand County Council discuss marketing – and why the county council wouldn't approve a recent request to advertise Moab in new markets. Then, the travel council unveils a new "Do It Like A Local" initiative that they're dubbing a "movement." Also, learn how you can help in...
KZMU News: Thursday June 20. 2019
June 20, 2019 19:00 - 5 minutes - 5.1 MBThe state of Wyoming is moving forward on building and expanding several reservoirs on the Green River, a main branch of the Colorado. This would help ranchers prepare for worsening droughts as climate change escalates. But more dams could actually contribute to global warming. Today we hear the second installment in the series “The Final Straw,” from our partners at Rocky Mountain Community Radio. [Photo: The Green River is a main branch of the Colorado River. Melodie Edwards / Wyoming Pu...
KZMU News: Wednesday June 19, 2019
June 19, 2019 20:00 - 11 minutes - 10.2 MBAs visitation rises exponentially in the Moab area, so does graffiti and vandalism. Those who spend their time helping repair these injuries to public lands, often feel as though they’re chasing their tails. For every one incident of vandalism they fix, it seems another three appear. What we need, they say, is a change in behavior. Today on the newscast, we hear from regional experts about the importance of leaving no trace on our shared landscapes. Tune in. [Photo: Sand Flats Recreation Are...
KZMU News: Tuesday June 18, 2019
June 18, 2019 19:00 - 8 minutes - 7.83 MBAlthough Moab has experienced a wet spring, it’s no stranger to fire – both natural and human caused – in recent weeks. After the one-year anniversary of the June 12 Cinema Court Fire last week, another structure fire broke out south of town. The Moab PD are currently investigating the incident as arson. And just yesterday, lightening-caused fire incidents ranged from Canyonlands to the Kokopelli trail and the La Sal Loop Road. In light of these fires, we return to a conversation with Heather...