Local Motion

Donald Trump’s unlikely run for the presidency has upset America's political apple cart. Trump’s ridicule of Republican Party leaders, his calls for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and for a ban on Muslim immigration, and the vitriol and violence evident at his rallies raise major questions about our nation and our democracy. But how are they playing out in the West? In this episode of West Obsessed, the writers and editors of High Country News discuss Trump's run for president and the impact its having in the region.

KVNF looks at the recent Draft Resource Management Plan (called an RMP) released by the BLM Uncompahgre Field Office in June.  Alex Johnson, Director of the Western Slope Conservation Center,  Dana Wilson, Acting Field Manager at the BLM Uncompahgre Field Office and Bill Day of Western Colorado Congress, break it down. 

As part of KVNF’s 2016 election coverage,  we bring to you 5 minute speeches from all the Delta County Commissioner candidates  and District 61 State Representative candidates. In Delta County’s district 2, Republican Don Suppes, Independent Mark Eckhart and Democrat Travis Mills.  In Delta County’s district 3 race,   Republican Incumbent Mark Roeber and Democrat Jere Lowe. We also hear speeches from District 61 House of Representative candidates,  Incumbent Democrat Millie Hamner and Republican Bob Schutt.

For something as important as food, many communities in the West struggle. That's because agricultural systems aren't really geared for the communities that harvest the food. In this episode of West Obsessed, the writers and editors of High Country News discuss some of the most interesting challenges--and solutions--to rural food supply.

Across the West, rural communities struggle with access to good health care. In this episode of West Obsessed, the writers and editors of High Country News discuss how some towns are finding innovative solutions to fill in the gaps.

The National Parks have been called America's best idea. But 100 years into that idea, the edges are starting to fray. The National Parks face myriad challenges if they are going to make it to their next centennial, ranging from climate change, funding woes and even a lack of diversity in park visitation. In this episode of West Obsessed, the writers and editors of High Country News discuss those challenges and possible solutions.

How will Delta County move forward now that one of its main economic drivers is gone?  A new alliance of local organizations is working to strengthen and diversify Delta County’s economy.   Pete Kolbenschlog of the Colorado Farm and Food Alliance, Marla Korpar from Solar Energy International and Trish Thibodo of Delta County Economic Development talk about opportunities they see to move the local economy forward.   

In the Southwestern United States, thing seem to be looking up for a population of Mexican wolves. After years of struggle, their population has rebounded, reaching more than 100 for the first time in 2015. But trouble lurks for the wolves. They are dangerously inbred and in desperate need of new blood to recovery. In this episode of West Obsessed, the writers and editors of High County News discuss the future for these endangered wolves... and how mismanagement and turf wars isn't helping them.

An in-depth look at the issues explored in a blog titled “What It’s Like to be a Student with a Brain in the Delta County School District."   The blog, written by Grand Junction resident Ann Landman of the Western Colorado Atheists and Freethinkers, chronicles Cidney Fisk’s senior year at Delta High School, where Cidney says she was punished for speaking out about what she felt were violations of Separation of Church and State at the school and their decision to spend money on a new gym floor instead of books.

Shavano Valley outside of Montrose, Colorado contains petroglyphs drawn by hunters and gatherers, Ute Indians and other indigenous people. Archaeologist Carol Patterson has studied these drawings for over a decade. Through the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose she leads guided tours of the rock art site. This week on Local Motion, we'll go on that tour with Patterson. 

The public lands are one of the West's most precious resources. But an ongoing investigation by High Country News reveals that sexual harassment, discrimination and abuse are widespread through the agencies we rely on to protect the public land. In the latest episode of West Obsessed, the magazine's editors and writers discuss what is--and isn't--being done to protect women employees in public lands agencies.

KVNF's Felix Belmont speaks with district 2 commissioner Bruce Hovde.

The Grand Junction non-profit Operation Revamp is one of just a handful of organizations in the U.S. that provide healing arts for war veterans.  KVNF's Ali Lightfoot visited their Veterans Art Center to speak with the founder of the organization, Wendy Hoffman and talk to several veterans participating in the program.

Montrose-based Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans is marking several milestones including its 25th anniversary and 50th home built.

Ali Lightfoot speaks with Elizabeth Marro, author of a new novel called “Casualties,”   which explores life after war.   The author will be signing books at a fundraiser for  Operation Revamp,  an organization in Grand Junction dedicated to helping veterans heal through art.  

Curtis Martin, author of the book Ephemeral Bounty talks about wickiups and the final years of the Autonomous Ute.    Recent archeological studies by the Colorado Wickiup Project have discovered that many native peoples remained on their traditional homelands in Western Colorado long after originally thought. 

Knowledge of the land can help us plan a road or know where to plant an orchard, but the rocks also tell a story of this place - a story millions of years in the making.

Thirty-five years ago this month, an explosion at the Dutch Creek No. 1 Mine outside of Redstone, Colo. killed 15 coal miners. Rob Mulford worked at the mine. He wasn't there that day, but the weight of the tragedy is still with him. Mulford now lives in Alaska, but he recently came back Colorado, to honor his friends and fellow miners who died. He joined KVNF's Laura Palmisano in the studio to talk about the tragedy and a book he's writing.

Students from Mrs. Simpson's 2nd grade class at Paonia Elementary share stories about the things they love to do in their community.

In recent years there has been a rise of Native American producers and scriptwriters, working to offer audiences a new perspective on Native culture.    Alan 'Stands Alone' Bryant has spent many years portraying Native American characters in film, as a model and now as a writer.   Here, he shares his perspective on how the story is changing.

For the Spring 2016 pledge drive, the production team decided to focus on local artists and the stories they tell with their medium.

So often, those stories are rooted in place. Art doesn’t come from a vacuum, and KVNF’s Jake Ryan talked to Paonia photographer Ben Lehman about how his work is shaped by the people and the nature of the North Fork Valley.

For our spring edition of the show – we chose the theme The Birds and the Bees.   True stories about birds, bees, spring, nature, sex, coming of age, first love, birth, rebirth are shared in one of the most intimate of storytelling events to date.   Part 1 includes stories from Steve Cassard, Dana Stovern, Dakin Henderson and Diane Sylvain.

Elyse Mische is a mixed-media illustrator from the Midwest. She's in Paonia, Colo. for a three-month artist residency at Elsewhere Studios. The organization brought her to town as the first-ever recipient of its fashion designer residency. She's designing a line for the upcoming Paonia Fashion Show, taking place May 20-21. In this segment, Mische talks about her line and creative process. 

Three local authors share excerpts and talk about their self published books.  Joseph Colwell discusses his book of essays and poems - Canyon Breezes –Exploring Magical Places in Nature.   Steve Lyons talks about exploring the Black Canyon with his book Black Canyon of the Gunnison Explorer’s Guide.  Laura Lee Yates talks about her new historical novel Bound for the Western Sea: The Canine Account of the Lewis & Clark Expedition.

On this episode: Phenology, the timing of nature. We’ll talk about what’s going on right here in the North Fork and worldwide, answering some of the questions you brought us here at the station and at iseechange.org.

If you're a rancher who deals with predators, you probably know a lot about Wildlife Services. But for many people, this federal agency remains obscure. In the upcoming episode of West Obsessed, writers and editors from High Country News discuss the practice of predator killing--and it's non-lethal alternatives. 

This week on the program, we'll hear interviews with three Democratic state lawmakers who recently came to Paonia for a constituent meet-and-greet. KVNF's Laura Palmisano spoke to Colorado House Majority Leader Crisanta Duran, Rep. Millie Hamner and Sen. Kerry Donovan at the event. They discussed the current legislative session and bills the lawmakers are sponsoring. 

West Obsessed is the show where High Country News editors and eriters discuss the region’s most important stories. On this episode, host Brian Calvert explores current movements of so-called 'constitutional sheriffs'.  These are law enforcement officials who believe that the federal government has no jurisdiction over their counties. Brian is joined by writers Jonathan Thompson and Tay Wiles to discuss the movements around the country led by sheriffs who are part of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officer's Association.

Last year, two nuns from Pakistan visited Paonia. Sister Samina Iqbal and Sister Maria Daniel came to the North Fork Valley to take more classes at Solar Energy International. Through the nonprofit school, the nuns with the Sisters of Loretto have learned how to install and troubleshoot solar systems. Samina and Maria say they are the only women in Pakistan doing solar installation. And, they’ve set up systems at missions, schools and homes.

Alyssa Pinkerton and Amy Deluca discuss their Paonia  production of Eve Ensler’s "The Good Body". The play explores women's body issues through two acts of monologues merging cross-cultural explorations with Eve’s own personal journey coming to terms with her “less-than-flat, post-forties stomach.”