In this week’s Local Motion we have a Regional Roundup from Rocky Mountain Community Radio's Managing Editor, Maeve Conran. It's a vibrant audio postcard of summer in the Mountain West—featuring seasonal favorites like watermelon, heat-beating hacks, and even solar panels on a farm in Hotchkiss.
Host Maeve Conran kicks things off by checking in with people from across Colorado to learn what they love about summer—and how they stay cool. From riding horses in the mountains to sipping iced tea in the shade, listeners hear real voices sharing small joys. But summer in the Rockies isn’t all sunshine. It’s also bringing more extreme heat and, at times, destructive hail.
Reporter Caroline Llanes highlights the ways extreme heat is uniquely hard on rural communities. In older homes without air conditioning and for outdoor workers—like farmers, ranchers, and recreation guides—the rising temperatures are more than uncomfortable; they’re dangerous. One new study found that rural residents face added health risks and often lack resources to adapt.
In Utah’s Green River, melon season is something to celebrate. Listeners get a delicious taste of that region’s pride in its crisp, sweet watermelon harvest, thanks to Green River Soundscapes by KZMU’s Molly Marcello. Longtime melon growers describe the hands-on labor behind the region’s famous fruit and the generations of family farmers who’ve made it possible. The community’s annual Melon Days festival honors that legacy—and offers a juicy slice of joy.
From produce to power, Caroline Llanes returns with a feature on agrivoltaics in Hotchkiss: a growing movement where solar panels are integrated into working farms. At Thistle Whistle Farm in Hotchkiss, farmer Mark Waltermire is hoping to install five acres of solar arrays directly above his vegetable crops and animal pens. The panels would offer shade, reduce water needs, and generate clean energy. But the project’s high price tag—over $2 million—is a serious obstacle. Despite community support and interest from scientists, uncertain federal funding has left Waltermire and others searching for solutions. Still, he sees promise in the model, not just for his own farm, but for rural economies across the region.
Of course, extreme heat isn’t the only threat farmers face. Colorado is no stranger to hail—and summer storms can cause millions in damage to crops, cars, rooftops, and solar panels. NCAR scientist Andy Heymsfield discusses ICE CHIP, a new national research project focused on hail formation. The goal? Better real-time forecasting to help protect people and property before a storm hits. Heymsfield says Colorado’s elevation and dry air make it especially prone to damaging hailstones. With better science and early warnings, communities may be able to take more steps to reduce losses.