Stephanie Maltarich

Mountain towns in Colorado have seen an influx of development in recent years. Much of it has been concentrated in luxury tourism or housing, which has driven up costs and pushed out many locals. One town near Telluride on Colorado’s western slope has largely avoided that fate, and is proud of it. But, as KSJD and Rocky Mountain Community Radio’s Lucas Brady Woods reports, a new land sale could change that. Emma Gibson of the Mountain West News Bureau looks into a recent poll that asked Mountain Westerners in swing states about land issues and the outdoors. Their answers indicate their votes may follow candidates supporting the environment.

KGNU's Shanon Young speaks with author Heather Mundt about her new book about getting outside in Colorado with kids. Sometimes finding family-friendly outdoor activities requires additional research despite the state's abundant options. There’s a guide for that now, Colorado Family Outdoor Adventure; An All-Ages Guide to Hiking, Camping, and Getting Outside. KGNU’s Shannon Young spoke with author Heather Mundt about her new book. Plus, a Teton County judge blocks a Wyoming trigger law that prevents most abortions and the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture announces an expansion of high-speed internet in rural areas.

KVNF freelance reporter Lisa Young takes us to the dry adobe hills near the base of Grand Mesa in Delta where nutrient-rich composting material is being created. Tina Peters raises funds and requests a recount of the June primary elections. Peters and another GOP candidate are raising unfounded claims of voter fraud. Plus, the Ute Games returned to Southwest Colorado this week after a pandemic hiatus.

Aridification in the West is putting pressure on drinking water supplies. Add in a water main break and the situation can be catastrophic. Caitlin Tan reports for the Mountain West News Bureau on one area that’s already under water restrictions. And Justin Higgenbottom from Moab about why The U.S. Department of Energy is building up the country's strategic uranium reserve.

Rocky Mountain Community Radio, Aspen Public Radio’s Halle Zander reports on a house roundup in northwest Colorado. The BLM recently started rounding up wild horses on land between Rangely and Meeker. The ongoing round-up, or what the BLM calls a gather, was originally set for September. But BLM officials announced in June they were moving the event up two months. The BLM cited the poor condition of the wild horses, and the high numbers of horses roaming in the 190-thousand-acre Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area. The federal agency is seeking to remove 1,050 wild horses from the area. But wild horse advocates say the horses are not in poor condition, and that cattle are causing more problems on the range than the horses. The Mountain West News Bureau's Emma Gibson reports on climate change and cannabis.

A fire broke out at the Hoover Dam on Tuesday. GOP gubernatorial candidate picks a running mate. And reporter Matt Hoisch from KOTO in Telluride speaks with Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser about some of those recent rulings and his approach to issues facing many Coloradans.

Justin Higginbottom for KZMU in Moab reports on a partnership between governmental agencies and university researchers has modern-day trappers searching the state for beavers. But they aren’t after pelts. Instead, they’re using the large rodent to lessen the effects of drought. And The Mountain West News Bureau reports on a new water infrastructure plan from the Department of the Interior.

Journalist Stephanie Maltarich will be producing KVNF Regional Newscasts for a few weeks while the station hires our next news director. A new project at Western Colorado University in Gunnison wants to help Ukrainians charge their cellphones -- something that can be challenging without proper equipment. Christopher Biddle from KBUT has the story. Plus, Caitlin Tan from the Mountain West News Bureau reports on how inflation prices are affecting farmers in the West.

As mines close, they leave behind a troubling legacy: leaking methane. Methane is a greenhouse gas, about 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide. In November, over 100 countries committed to taking the problem more seriously, pledging to cut methane emissions 30 percent by 2030. North Fork Valley entrepreneur Chris Caskey is already a step ahead, using his business, Delta Brick and Climate Company, to address methane emissions while tackling other environmental problems. For Rocky Mountain Community Radio’s series on fossil fuel transition, KVNF’s Stephanie Maltarich reports.