No Kings protests planned for March 28th
A third round of No Kings protests will be held across the country on Saturday. Western Slope towns, including Montrose, Telluride, Paonia, and Grand Junction, will see rallies and marches opposing President Trump’s policies. No Kings organizers say that this could potentially be the largest protest in American history. This weekend’s events follow an October protest joined nation-wide by seven million Americans across all 50 states. According to No Kings, this amounted to 14 times the attendance of both of Trump’s inaugurations combined.
Local businesses express support for GORP Act
The Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act was first introduced to Congress in 2024 by Colorado’s U.S. senators, Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper. The act would protect more than 730,000 acres of public land on the Western Slope through various public land management tools. It languished in Congress, but last May Representative Jeff Hurd introduced the legislation in the House. This week, the GORP Act coalition released a letter from 112 businesses across the region supporting the Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act and affirming that conservation and public lands are an asset for Western Colorado. The letter states that “The GORP Act reflects more than a decade of local collaboration by the people who live, work, and recreate in and around the Gunnison Basin. It protects the public lands, clean water, wildlife, and wide-open spaces that are central not only to our quality of life, but also to our economy. As a result of that extensive work, it is no surprise that the GORP Act is broadly supported by six counties, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, several municipalities, members of the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative (GPLI), and a number of non-profit recreation and conservation organizations.” To learn more about the GORP Act, check out KVNF's Local Motion episode on the topic.
Paonia Books announces official launch of non-profit arm
A new non-profit, Paonia Literary Project, has announced their official launch in Delta County. The project, which operates as a non-profit arm of Paonia Books, aims to create and prese cultural and community spaces centered around reading and writing, while expanding access to books—especially for local youth. According to a press release, the organization has been operating in Delta County for the past nine months and has given away more than 600 books to local schools and at community events. You can learn more about the project and upcoming events at paoniabooks.com.
Colorado lawmakers weigh concerns about environmental and economic impacts of data centers
Artificial intelligence and cloud computing are fueling rapid growth in data centers across the nation. Eric Galatas speaks to University of Michigan professor Jean Hardy about the importance of location in building the centers.
Chronic Wasting Disease threatens deer population
It’s almost fawning season across parts of the Rocky Mountain West. By mid-May, mule deer will begin giving birth, and if all is well, most will have twins. But new research suggests survival rates for young deer may be declining in some areas. For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, KZMU’s Emily Arntsen reports.
