Jackson Unpacked

Where does the fall of the Freedom Caucus leave Wyoming’s GOP? And is the Cowboy State a model for what other red states could see next? We partner with the Jackson Hole News&Guide to dig into how, despite the Teton County, Idaho, sheriff’s office lacking a formal agreement with ICE, enforcement tactics tell a story of collaboration. A $105 million gift from a data center developer to Yellowstone National Park is raising questions over optics, but it could be a boon to a park facing a whittled-down workforce and budget. 

Featuring the song “Heaven,” by Jackson-native singer-songwriter Missy Jo. 

Jackson Unpacked airs locally at 89.1 FM or via live stream Sundays, Mondays and Fridays at 12:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Support Jackson’s only nonprofit newsroom by becoming a member of KHOL today.

Dedicated fish-lovers use electric currents to stun the critters for their own good. We see what rising grocery prices look like on local shelves. Voters will decide if they want one more property tax cut when November arrives. And for all the statewide and federal contested races, we team up with Wyoming Public Radio to offer interviews. Find the full audio voter’s guide online. 

Featuring the song “Kansas Tornado” from New York City band BAILEN. 

Jackson Unpacked airs locally at 89.1 FM or via live-stream Sundays, Mondays and Fridays at 12:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Support Jackson’s only nonprofit newsroom by becoming a member of KHOL today.

The MLB has backed off from building a baseball field in Grand Teton National Park. Wyoming leaders built, and are now trying to dismantle, federal land protections. A Jackson native writes a prize-winning song about exorbitant housing costs. And as early voting kicks off: Why have no Latinos run for local office in Jackson Hole? 

Featuring the song “The House on Cherry Street” performed by Clay Humphrey, @yourhumphrey. 

Jackson Unpacked airs locally at 89.1 FM or via live stream Sundays, Mondays and Fridays at 12:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Support Jackson’s only nonprofit newsroom by becoming a member of KHOL today.

Jackson Hole’s only community college gets its own building after 50 years bouncing from kitchen to kitchen. Despite some ranches selling off, one near Grand Teton National Park is among many that persist. And as tensions around Flock cameras rise, we hear how another mountain town is considering its surveillance contract. 

Featuring the song “Beer Barrel Polka” performed by Jackson’s Hof Band. 

Jackson Unpacked airs locally at 89.1 FM or via live stream Sundays, Mondays and Fridays at 12:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Support Jackson’s only nonprofit newsroom by becoming a member of KHOL today.

We visit the Tetons’ first ranch to control herds by satellite. Jackson Hole’s affordable housing czar, April Norton, has some advice for her successor. And Delta Lake, a darling of TikTok and AI recommendations, gets a much-needed makeover.  

Featuring the song “Phases of the Moon” by Jackson band Inland Isle. 

Jackson Unpacked airs locally at 89.1 FM or via live-stream Sundays, Mondays and Fridays at 12:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Support Jackson’s only nonprofit newsroom by becoming a member of KHOL today.

The KHOL newsroom reacts alongside Jackson voters and the rest of Wyoming to a somewhat surprising primary election full of upsets and landslides. A curious creature found in the high alpine can be a sign of climate stress. A Jackson filmmaker probes inclusivity in adventure films for a new festival. Another mountain town envisions a future where thin winters become more common and what that means for the local economy.  

Featuring the song “Geodes” by Zach Freidhof, a Victor, Idaho songwriter. 

Jackson Unpacked airs locally at 89.1 FM or via live-stream Sundays, Mondays and Fridays at 12:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Support Jackson’s only nonprofit newsroom by becoming a member of KHOL today.

Teton Pass drivers don't want to wait for government solutions to make one of the steepest commuter highways in the lower 48 safer. A former park ranger is speaking out about what she believes is a federal effort to censor exhibits at national parks. And a conversation with WyoFile’s Maggie Mullen about controversy surrounding the Wyoming Republican Party’s first pre-primary endorsements. 

Featuring the song “Don’t Be That Guy” by Logan, Utah-based band Jonny Ranger.

Jackson Unpacked airs locally at 89.1 FM or via live-stream Sundays, Mondays and Fridays at 12:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Support Jackson’s only nonprofit newsroom by becoming a member of KHOL today.

Wyoming’s upcoming election changes take aim at a rare record of voter fraud. A measles outbreak in Grand Teton National Park could be linked to a cultural shift of 30 years ago. Electricity comes to more homes on the Wind River Reservation. 

Featuring the song “Smokestack” by Kitchen Dwellers. Catch the KHOL and Snow King Gondie Session on YouTube. 

Jackson Unpacked airs locally at 89.1 FM or via live-stream Sundays, Mondays and Fridays at 12:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Support Jackson’s only nonprofit newsroom by becoming a member of KHOL today.

One organization is trying to ease the stress for pet owners dealing with after-hours emergencies. Parenting in the age of AI. And a deep dive on how part-time Jackson Hole resident Yvon Chouinard built a fortune with his company, Patagonia, and gave it away. 

Featuring the song “Control” by Francis Ambrose. 

David Gelle’s book is “Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave It All Away.”

Jackson Unpacked airs locally at 89.1 FM or via live-stream Sundays, Mondays and Fridays at 12:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Support Jackson’s only nonprofit newsroom by becoming a member of KHOL today.

Congresspeople from Wyoming and Utah and the Trump administration have announced goals to dismantle the 25-year-old National Forest “Roadless Rule.” That protects some 3 million acres around Wyoming from additional road-building. 

Any one of three threats could open up nearly 60 million acres across the nation to timber extraction and other degradation, according to the Wyoming Wilderness Association’s Peggie dePasquale. The administration says the regulations prevent adequate wildfire response and limit resource extraction potential. State of Jackson cohost Frederick Reimers sits down with the former national forest ranger to hear how local advocates are parsing and opposing the push to dismantle the Roadless Rule. 

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