Justin Higginbottom

Today we hear from four Rocky Mountain Community Radio reporters. Governor Jared Polis visited with firefighters in Rico yesterday, as KSJD's Lucas Brady Woods reports. Demonstrators gathered at the state capitol on Sunday to call for action on rising rents, as KGNU's Luis Licon reports. A new study looks at spending in communities nearby national parks where visitation boomed last year, as KZMU's Justin Higginbottom reports. Plus, in the face of the Big Lie, pushed by disgraced former president Donald Trump and his devotees, a new documentary explores how Colorado has led the way in secure voting by mail, as RMCR's Maeve Conran reports.

In his new book, "Tracing Time: Seasons of Rock Art on the Colorado Plateau" local author Craig Childs takes readers on a journey deeply examining certain rock art panels in the region. Reporter Laura Palmisano interviews Childs, whose home is in Norwood. Plus, federal agencies and five tribes signed a historic co-management agreement for Bears Ears National Monument last month. KZMU’s Justin Higginbottom reports.

Dinosaur fossils usually get the limelight in southeastern Utah. But the area also has a treasure trove of Jurassic-era mammals. KZMU’s Justin Higginbottom visited a quarry to speak with archeologists excavating human’s earliest ancestors. Plus, in March, Bluecorn Cafe and Mercantile opened for the first time at the new Bluecorn beeswax candle factory in Montrose. The space features over 25,000 square feet for candle production, distribution, and retail, along with a cafe now open, and a music venue coming soon. Owner Jon Kornbluh walked me around on opening day.

The latest podcast distributed by Kaya Wright and Alicea Manzanares, students from the Paw Print at Delta High School, offers a glimpse into summer plans. Plus, backcountry flying is taking off. And a small but growing number of pilots are helping to upkeep historic dirt runways that dot southeastern Utah. Justin Higginbottom takes to the skies to learn about the growing hobby for Rocky Mountain Community Radio.

The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act was first passed in 1990. It provides benefits to those impacted by the nuclear weapons industry. That includes uranium mine workers and those downwind of atomic testing. But the act will expire on July 10th of this year. And there are many alive that still qualify but haven’t collected. A new bill expanding coverage is in Congress. Proponents are in a race to pass it. Justin Higginbottom speaks to those impacted by radiation exposure about the support they’re hoping for.

As the snow melts, big game comes near roadways for food. Kate Redmond reports Colorado Parks and Wildlife has tips on avoiding deer and elk collisions. Plus, reporter Justin Higginbottom from KZMU speaks with the founder of Four Corners K-9 Search and Rescue about what she and her two dogs find in the desert, while helping Native families locate missing loved ones.

As the snow melts, big game comes near roadways for food. Kate Redmond reports Colorado Parks and Wildlife has tips on avoiding deer and elk collisions. Plus, reporter Justin Higginbottom from KZMU speaks with the founder of Four Corners K-9 Search and Rescue about what she and her two dogs find in the desert, while helping Native families locate missing loved ones.

County Clerks from Delta, Montrose, and Ouray Counties are participating in a panel discussion tomorrow hosted by the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of the Uncompaghre Valley. They’ll discuss this year’s elections, including changes to precincts, election security, and how vote tabulation works. Carol Howe, VP of the local League, talks to Gavin Dahl about why they're convening this panel. Plus, the northern skies of the Navajo Nation are clearer after the closure of the coal-powered Navajo Generating Station. But the region also lost jobs and tax revenue. For Rocky Mountain Community Radio’s series on fossil fuel transitions, KZMU’s Justin Higginbottom reports on the legacy of Navajo Nation coal power and what comes next, a proposed hydropower plant. *Correction: Gavin mistakenly said Ouray County Clerk Michelle Nauer is a Democrat. She is unaffiliated.*

County Clerks from Delta, Montrose, and Ouray Counties are participating in a panel discussion tomorrow hosted by the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of the Uncompaghre Valley. They’ll discuss this year’s elections, including changes to precincts, election security, and how vote tabulation works. Carol Howe, VP of the local League, talks to Gavin Dahl about why they're convening this panel. Plus, the northern skies of the Navajo Nation are clearer after the closure of the coal-powered Navajo Generating Station. But the region also lost jobs and tax revenue. For Rocky Mountain Community Radio’s series on fossil fuel transitions, KZMU’s Justin Higginbottom reports on the legacy of Navajo Nation coal power and what comes next, a proposed hydropower plant. *Correction: Gavin mistakenly said Ouray County Clerk Michelle Nauer is a Democrat. She is unaffiliated.*

A new online driver's ed company has set out to update the dull training manuals for new drivers. Kate Redmond reports. Plus, coal-producing Emery County is one of the only regions in Utah to see a drop in population in the last decade. Those who remain have lost good paying jobs as the state transitions away from coal. A new research facility would bring back revenue and jobs by experimenting with a number of new technologies. For our Rocky Mountain Community Radio reporting collaboration on fossil fuel transition, Justin Higginbottom looks at a type of nuclear reactor some think could be the future of power.