Local Motion

This week's edition is about programs that get Western Slope youth outdoors to enjoy the beautiful open lands that surround us. Such opportunities benefit kids, and their families, in many ways. KVNF's Jodi Peterson interviews various people who run these programs, and parents and kids who participate.

KVNF explores Equine-Assisted Therapy aka "Horse Therapy" at Dream Catcher Therapy Center in Olathe, CO. The therapy center houses over 50 rescued horses and works hand-in-hand with End of the Trail Rescue which rescues horses and cares for them until "the end of their lives." Equine therapy offers a different approach to trauma related therapy as well as physical and mental health treatment. Therapy programs are offered to ages two and up.

Thirty-three Western Slope immigrants became official citizens of the United States in September, during a ceremony at Colorado National Monument. KVNF's Jodi Peterson interviews several of them about their stories, and what becoming a naturalized resident means to them.  She also talks to federal and academic experts about the process of becoming a citizen, and why citizenship is important for our communities and the nation.

In this edition of Local Motion, we'll have discussion about two local ballot measures, the mill levy increase for Delta Schools transportation and the sales tax increase for public safety in Delta County. We'll also have a story about statewide ballot proposition DD. And on this Local  Motion, we'll have an interview with Hinsdale County's newest, history-making county commissioner. Also in this program is a story about agriculture in the San Luis Valley.

The Delta County Library District is asking for help to maintain current programs and add new technology, resources and materials. Delta County Public Library Ballot Issue 7A asks voters to approve a 2.7 mill levy increase on the November 5th ballot. Two library representatives and a longtime library patron speak with KVNF News to talk about the issue.

This week’s program is about oil and gas regulation, and a new Colorado law giving  communities greater control over drilling inside their borders.  SB 181 will result in a new set of state-wide regulations for oil and gas. It also lets local governments develop regulations that are more stringent than the states, if they choose, and many are doing so. Here on the Western Slope, communities are taking different approaches to regulating the industry.

KVNF celebrates 40 years on October 5th, 2019! On this special edition of Local Motion, Kori Stanton interviews many of the "OG's" of KVNF. That's "Original Gangstas". Kori speaks with her father and KVNF’s Founder, Campbell Stanton, orginal Program and Music Director, Patrick Webb, former GM, Sally Kane, Liz Lilien, Candy Pennetta, Danny Perkins, Don Foster, Betsy Marston, a previous interview with Ed Marston,  Bob Pennetta, Dea Jacobson and the one and only Felix Belmont.  Thank you for helping KVNF celebrate 40 Years!!

This edition of Local Motion focuses on mental health. Many Western Slope residents struggle with depression, anxiety, substance abuse and even thoughts of suicide. The Surgeon General of the U.S. has said that one in four people experiences some form of mental illness, and the rates of those illnesses are highest in the American West. Fortunately, resources ranging from therapists to treatment centers are available in many communities.  KVNF's Jodi Peterson interviews various mental health experts about what assistance is out there.

In the September edition of the Delta County Commissioners Report, Felix Belmont and Eric Goold for KVNF News speak with District 2 Commissioner Don Suppes. Much of their discussion is about the Commissioners' decision to repeal Delta County's oil and gas regulations in favor of state control.

Our Western Slope forests provide a home for birds, big game and other wildlife. They furnish timber for building and firewood. They hold soil in place and prevent erosion, and filter rainwater and snowmelt flowing into streams and rivers. But our forests are in trouble. In parts of the Western Slope, aspens have died out, and conifers have turned reddish brown. To find out what’s affecting these trees, KVNF's Jodi Peterson spoke with forestry experts from Colorado State University and the US Forest Service.

The month of August was tough on nonprofits and charities that serve the homeless and veterans in Montrose. KVNF News visited the Warriors Rest, which provides a family-style home for 10 veterans who are down on their luck. But the building's owner is now trying to sell it. Christ's Kitchen, a food service for the homeless, recently closed while Lighthouse Ministries and Shepherd's Hand were denied a zoning permit to open a homeless shelter. KVNF News interviews service providers who are looking for help.

Western Slope children are heading back to school. More and more of them, though, are attending charter schools, independent public schools that offer more flexibility and autonomy. In this edition of Local Motion, Jodi Peterson interviews the directors of three local charter schools, and talks to a parent and student about why they chose this alternative form of education.

Farmers on the Western Slope often struggle to find enough workers. More and more of them are turning to hiring foreign farmhands through a federal program, H-2A. This program provides a legal way for workers to come to the U.S., earn money on farms, and return home. KVNF's Kori Stanton talks to H-2A agent, Kim Noland from Palisade, CO to get a better understanding of the program, how farmers can apply and how she assists farmers and foreign workers through the entire process.

In the August edition of the Delta County Commissioners Report, District 1 Commissioner Mike Lane sits down with Felix Belmont and Eric Goold for KVNF News. Topics for discussion include possible county action on oil and gas regulations; local annexation issues; economic forecasts in the county; and, the Delta County Fair.

The Remote Area Medical Clinic, a non profit based in Tennessee, visited Colorado for the first time August 3rd and 4th at the Paonia Energy Tech building. Volunteer medical practitioners provided medical, dental and vision health care services at no expense. KVNF News visited with volunteers, board members and participants to get the story about this unique health services provider.

In the far-flung communities of the Western Slope, ambulance and emergency medical services are a vital lifeline for residents. In this edition of Local Motion, KVNF's Jodi Peterson interviews three experts to get an understanding of how rural ambulance districts operate and what challenges they face. She speaks with Randy Kuykendall, the director of health facilities and emergency medical services at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

In this edition of Local Motion, KVNF News brings you stories from the Rocky Mountain  Community Radio exchange. Topics include the Bureau of Land Management completing its Uncompaghre Field Office Resource Management Plan; Connecting the Drops stories about water management in Colorado; and a story about uranium fallout in Utah.

More than three-quarters of Western Slope residents say that affordable housing is a serious problem in their community, ranking it above crime and infrastructure as a concern. In this edition of Local Motion, we delve into the housing crisis, and talk about how it affects communities and families across the KVNF listening area. KVNF's Jodi Peterson interviews representatives of two local organizations -- Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans and Housing Resources of Western Colorado -- that help people with various aspects of affordable housing, mostly in Mesa County and Montrose County.

District 3 Commissioner Mark Roeber joins Eric Goold and Felix Belmont for KVNF News and the July edition of the Delta County Commissioners Report. Topics include water issues in the North Fork Valley, oil and gas development, a lawsuit against Delta County is dropped, and the Back the Badge Initiative.

Agritourism in Colorado is thriving and on this program KVNF's Kori Stanton talks with Wendy White from the Colorado Department of Agriculture and manager of the Colorado Proud program. KVNF also spoke with North Fork newcomers Jayme Henderson and Steve Steese of The Storm Cellar, Jeff Schwartz from Delicious Orchards and Big B's and the Young family from Mountain View Orchard & Winery.

In this edition of Local Motion, Jodi Peterson looks back at the Paonia water crisis, when the entire town lost its water supply for a week in February. And she looks forward at what the town can do to better manage its water system. Interviewed are Ken Knight, Paonia town administrator; Thomas Wills, editor of the North Fork Merchant Herald; Bill Brunner, former Paonia trustee; and Benet Duncan of the Western Water Assessment.

Mosquitoes aren't just annoying -- their bite can transmit diseases to humans and animals, including West Nile virus. West Nile is generally not dangerous, but in some cases can lead to serious complications and even death. In this episode, KVNF's Jodi Peterson interviews experts to learn more about West Nile, mosquito control in Western Colorado, and how to avoid getting bitten this summer.

Lake City in Hinsdale County has seen an historic avalanche season followed by a runoff that threatens floods. For KVNF News, Laura Palmisano interviews local editor and historian Grant Houston about the flooding situation in Lake City, both past and present. Emergency steps have already been taken, including moving the treasures and artifacts housed in the museum to safety.

"Be a student of fire." That's just part of the advice that Colorado's first all-female wildland fire crew received at a training camp in late May. This summer, the women will work on conservation projects and help fight forest fires in the area around Grand Junction.  KVNF spoke to several of the crew members, their instructors, and a couple of longtime female firefighters.

The 2018 Farm Bill was officially passed on December 20th, 2018. The '18 Farm Bill is extremely vast and covers many topics including Industrial Hemp. The farm bill descheduled some cannabis products from the Controlled Substances Act for the first time. KVNF's Kori Stanton sought out to learn how this new farm bill will affect our local farmers in Western Colorado.

Here in Western Colorado, we love our pets. More than 65% of us have at least one dog or cat. Many of our critters come to us from animal shelters, which not only find homes for unwanted pets, they also help reduce pet overpopulation and educate people on animal care. KVNF visited three local shelters, in Delta, Montrose and Ridgway, to find out what they're doing for pets and people.

In the May version of the Delta County Commissioners Report, Felix Belmont and Eric Goold from KVNF News speak with Delta County District 1 Commissioner Mike Lane. Topics include law enforcement, the marijuana black market, oil and gas issues in the North Fork Valley, economic development, and civil discourse.

KVNF News talks to local electric cooperatives about their efforts to bring power costs down and provide additional renewable energy. Delta-Montrose Electric Association is seeking to cut ties with the big wholesale energy supplier, Tri-State Generation and Transmission, so that it can pursue more affordable sources and develop more local solar and hydropower.  San Miguel Power Association is also looking at its options. Meanwhile, Tri-State says it's working to increase flexibility for its members.

KVNF News interviews Brian Lazar from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center about the historic avalanche season this past winter. For 12 days in March, large and very destructive avalanches fell across the state. We'll hear two reports from KBUT about the massive avalanches around Lake City. This Local  Motion also features two stories from the Rocky Mountain Community Radio exchange, about the sewer system in Denver and about a search for fossils in southeast Utah.