KZMU News

After a 4-3 vote from Grand’s commissioners last night, law enforcement can now cite slackliners for attaching ropes between bridges, communication towers, and any other essential infrastructure on public lands in the county. Encouraging others to engage in any illegal activity on public lands would also violate the county’s newly refined code. Commissioners were divided on the latter provision, as some worried it would have unintended consequences. Plus, the cost of housing has been rising in towns and regions across the West, including the Roaring Fork Valley in Colorado. Our partners at KDNK report on a new effort to connect locals to assistance.

Show Notes:

Photo: Slacklining/Creative Commons via Volker Stetter

Title 17, Slackline Revision in Red

https://www.kzmu.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/3-Exhibit-A-Title-17-Slackline-revision-REDLINE-APPROVED-07.06.21.pdf

Utah Code: Criminal Responsibility for Conduct of Another

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tUez8D2yeK-m-XZruPa9d3_oi2ECrnTh/view

E-Bike Areas in the Moab Field Office

https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/documents/files/BLMUtahEbikeOpportunities.pdf

KDNK: Helpline Fills Gaps in Local Housing Assistance

https://www.kdnk.org/post/helpline-fills-gaps-local-housing-assistance

After burning 9,000 acres in the Manti-La Sal National Forest and destroying several homes and structures, fire managers report that the Pack Creek Fire is now 100 percent contained. The blaze started on June 9th in the Pack Creek day use area, reportedly from an abandoned campfire. Work is still ongoing and closure orders on many recreation areas are still in place. Plus, the Colorado River’s two main reservoirs are at historic lows. Our partners at KDNK spoke with the Colorado River Water Conservation District Manager about the realities of climate change on this important resource.

Show Notes:

Pack Creek Fire Updates

https://www.kzmu.org/pack-creek-fire-updates/

and

https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=c47831feb81d4aed940fcd234fc929cd

KZMU This Week in Moab: La Sal Recreation Recovery

https://soundcloud.com/user-921179167/6-28-21-molly-with-brian-murdock-abby-leighton-and-laura-borichevsky

We Love The La Sal Mountains (Fundraiser)

https://www.bonfire.com/we-love-the-la-sal-mountains/

KDNK: Valley Voices – Andy Mueller & the State of the Colorado River

https://www.kdnk.org/post/valley-voices-andy-mueller-state-colorado-river

Deb Haaland recently announced the launch of a new effort to investigate the loss of human life and lasting impact of former federal Indian boarding schools. Our partners at KHOL spoke to educator Frank No Runner, an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Nation, about the generational trauma inflicted by the schools. Plus, an off-roading advocacy group is warning campers about road closures on public lands. And, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a pair of Arizona ‘voter security’ laws that have experts worried about voter suppression efforts region-wide.

Show Notes:

Photo: St. Stephens Indian School is a former federal Indian boarding school that now operates under the control of the Bureau of Indian Education and the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes. Courtesy of St. Stephens Indian School

KHOL: ‘Healing Needs to Take Place’ – Wind River Superintendent on Legacy of Indian Boarding Schools

https://891khol.org/healing-needs-to-take-place-wind-river-superintendent-on-legacy-of-indian-boarding-schools/

KUER: Do Road Closures Hurt Campers? An Off-Road Advocacy Group Thinks So And Wants Them To Fight Back

https://www.kuer.org/health-science-environment/2021-07-01/do-road-closures-hurt-campers-an-off-road-advocacy-group-thinks-so-and-wants-them-to-fight-back

As firefighting work nears completion on the Pack Creek Fire, another team is analyzing the severity of the burn. Today on the news, we speak with Jess Clark from the Forest Service’s Burned Area Emergency Response team. In recent days, this multidisciplinary team made an initial assessment of the Pack Creek Fire and he tells us what they found.

Plus, our Weekly News Reel where we speak to reporters about their latest stories of our local area. The Times-Independent’s Doug McMurdo (12:30) has some anecdotes from locals on noise impacts, the Independence Day celebration at Swanny City Park, and a harrowing ‘Tails of Trails’ piece. The Moab Sun News’ Anastasia Hufham (21:30) covers the intersection of wildfire and outdoor recreation and breaks down the fireworks restrictions this holiday weekend.

Show Notes:

Photo: The aftermath of the Pack Creek Fire includes burned out stumps and holes where trees used to be. Fire crews call the holes ‘ankle breakers’ and say they’re one reason to respect any continued closure orders. Courtesy Jess Clark.

Pack Creek Fire Updates

https://www.kzmu.org/pack-creek-fire-updates/

Weekly News Reel Mentions –

The Times-Independent: Has the drone of OHV’s noticeably subsided?

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/has-the-drone-of-ohvs-noticeably-subsided/

The Times-Independent: Independence Day celebration

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/independence-day-celebration-2/

The Times-Independent: The time I almost killed a friend on the Whole Enchilada

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/the-time-i-almost-killed-a-friend-on-the-whole-enchilada/

Moab Sun News: Cutting it close – Fire affects outdoor recreation and related businesses

https://www.moabsunnews.com/news/article_6c8fe3bc-da19-11eb-855e-ab6a945cd633.html

Moab Sun News: Fireworks restricted on the Fourth – Agencies across Utah raise fire restrictions due to drought, holiday weekend

https://www.moabsunnews.com/news/article_136f2e4e-da16-11eb-b62a-d38fee6bde56.html

Governor Spencer Cox and other elected officials are pleading with Utahans to forgo personal fireworks during the July holidays. The Governor says if he had the legal authority to ban personal fireworks in Utah entirely – he would. Some communities in Utah have already done so, in lieu of action from the state Legislature. Plus, Moab City is running into problems with the contractor slated to build the first phase of the affordable Walnut Lane Apartments. And, as the demand to live in Western towns continues to explode, the housing crunch for local workers is more dire than ever. Our partners at KHOL report that some town governments are offering down payment assistance for some of those workers to buy homes.

Show Notes:

Photo: Governor Spencer Cox held a press conference on Wednesday to urge Utahans to go without personal fireworks during their July celebrations.

Gov Spencer Cox: How Utahans Can Celebrate Safely This Summer

https://www.facebook.com/govcox/videos/381034886786825

City of Moab Fireworks Restrictions

https://moabcity.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=350

Statewide Fire Restrictions

https://utahfireinfo.gov/fire-restrictions/

Moab City: Walnut Lane Apartments

https://moabcity.org/571/Walnut-Lane-Apartments

Special City Council Meeting 6/30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BPc3L0SamI

KHOL: From Vail to Jackson Hole, Down Payment Assistance Tries to Keep More Workers Housed

https://891khol.org/from-vail-to-jackson-hole-down-payment-assistance-tries-to-keep-more-workers-housed/

The school district’s free summer lunch program is offering meals to all kids in Grand County through the end of July. The district’s nutrition director hopes more kids and parents take advantage of the program, which is available to families regardless of income levels. Plus, the State Flag Task Force met for the first time to discuss the redesign of Utah’s flag. And, the Interior Department is asking Congress for 17.6 billion dollars next year – that’s about $2.5 billion more than this year.

Show Notes:

Grand County School District: Free Summer Lunch Program Info

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12BZJbYKTcmoaqn4QEWuAg3Y6LBhQuy-2/view

Utah Public Radio: Why A State Flag Redesign? Some Thoughts on Vexillology

https://www.upr.org/post/why-state-flag-redesign-some-thoughts-vexillology

Mountain West News Bureau: Drought, Drilling Top Of Mind As Lawmakers Press Haaland On Interior’s Spending Priorities

https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/environment/2021-06-25/haaland-interior-budget-biden-administration

In neighboring Colorado, Mesa County is making headlines as the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 increases local infection and hospitalization rates. According to Mesa County Public Health data, hospital beds are nearly full and the overwhelming majority of hospitalized COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated. Our radio partners spoke with a Grand Junction-based watchdog who says misinformation around vaccines within the local right-wing culture has contributed to this situation. Plus, our partners report that high school and elementary students in Monument Valley recently published a book of oral histories about life on the Navajo Nation.

Show Notes:

Photo: Grand Junction, Colorado is the largest city in Mesa County, where the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 is increasing infection and hospitalization rates.

Mesa County Public Health Data

https://health.mesacounty.us/covid19/datadashboard/

Mesa County Public Health: (June 9) Local Public Health Alert – Mesa County Experiencing Widespread Transmission of Highly Contagious Delta Variant of COVID-19

https://health.mesacounty.us/local-public-health-alert-mesa-county-experiencing-widespread-transmission-of-highly-contagious-delta-variant-of-covid-19/

KVNF Regional Newscast: June 25, 2021

https://www.kvnf.org/post/kvnf-regional-newscast-june-25-2021#stream/0

Ann Landman Blog (Opinion): Mesa County’s pervasive right-wing culture is damaging our public health and economy

https://annelandmanblog.com/2021/06/mesa-countys-pervasive-right-wing-culture-is-damaging-public-health-and-the-economy/

Grand County Vaccination Data

https://www.seuhealth.com/covid-vaccine-dashboard

CDC Vaccination Data

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations

Utah COVID-19 Case-Count Data

https://coronavirus.utah.gov/case-counts/

KUER: Navajo Students Capture Oral Histories In New Book About Life In Monument Valley

https://www.kuer.org/arts-culture-religion/2021-06-28/navajo-students-capture-oral-histories-in-new-book-about-life-in-monument-valley

Moab’s mountain biking community is feeling the effect of the Pack Creek Fire, which has closed popular trails like portions of the Whole Enchilada. Reporter Ashley Bunton has a brief on how some are coping with the impact. Plus, as firefighting crews increase containment of the Pack Creek Fire, another team is assessing impacts of the burn scar. We speak with the new fire information officer about this multidisciplinary analysis.

Show Notes:

Photo: A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team is completing an analysis of the Pack Creek fire and its impact to humans, property, and critical natural resources. Credit USFS/Mark Atwood.

Manti La Sal National Forest Closure Order

https://utahfireinfo.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Pack-Creek-Fire-Order-2-2.pdf

Pack Creek Fire Closure Area (Map)

https://www.kzmu.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Pack-Creek-Fire-Closure-Area.pdf

Pack Creek Fire Updates

https://www.kzmu.org/pack-creek-fire-updates/

Utah Statewide Fire Restrictions

https://utahfireinfo.gov/fire-restrictions/

A local water official says a clogged diversion gate caused portions of Mill Creek to temporarily dry to a trickle last week. The gate was lowered to allocate more water to Ken’s Lake for firefighting resources. After an investigation this week, Utah biologists could not find evidence of wildlife damage due to low water flows. Plus, a community collaborative is making several recommendations to mitigate heavy visitor use in the Mill Creek area. They include moving the primary parking area for Mill Creek’s waterfalls to Potato Salad Hill. And, Colorado River water managers could be pulled back to the negotiating table to keep its biggest reservoirs from declining further.

Plus, our Weekly News Reel where we speak to reporters about their latest coverage. Times-Independent editor Doug McMurdo talks taxes (9:00), and Moab Sun News publisher/editor Maggie McGuire (17:00) discusses suicide prevention and public lands management.

Show Notes:

Photo: A helicopter accesses water resources from Ken’s Lake to fight the Pack Creek Fire. Courtesy Great Basin Team 4.

Mill Creek Below Sheley Tunnel, Near Moab, UT

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/09183600/#parameterCode=00060&period=P30D

Mill Creek Community Collaborative: Recommendations for Mill Creek Canyon 2021

https://moabcity.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/3785?fileID=4912

Weekly News Reel Mentions –

The Times-Independent: Property tax question comes into focus

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/property-tax-question-comes-into-focus/

The Times-Independent: San Juan property taxes rise 41%

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/san-juan-property-taxes-rise-41/

The Times-Independent: Two-day bash planned for the Fourth of July

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/two-day-bash-planned-for-the-fourth-of-july/

Moab Sun News: Learning how to help – Health department, hospital host suicide prevention workshop

https://www.moabsunnews.com/news/article_f982d7fc-d49c-11eb-abfb-df75453603c3.html

Moab Sun News: Rock climbers organize – Climbing advocates survey Indian Creek climbers ahead of management planning

https://www.moabsunnews.com/news/article_15a9ab90-d4a2-11eb-8d3d-273fbe95404c.html

Moab Sun News: Hundreds of firefighters continue work on Pack Creek Fire – Fire over 60% contained, officials say

https://www.moabsunnews.com/news/article_70027242-d49e-11eb-ab98-f3fd2f4ff5f1.html

As we reported on Wednesday, things are wrapping up for the Great Basin team on the Pack Creek Fire. With 73 percent of the fire contained, the team will hand leadership back to the Manti-La Sal National Forest on Friday. In our final update with fire information officer Nick Howell, we get the latest on what resources and crews will remain. Plus, our partners at KHOL report on how climate change is affecting wildflowers and consequently the birds, butterflies and bears that rely on them for food.

Show Notes:

Photo: The Manti-La Sal National Forest resumes leadership on the Pack Creek Fire on Friday, with a majority of the fire contained. Credit Great Basin Team #4

Pack Creek Fire Information

https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=c47831feb81d4aed940fcd234fc929cd

and

https://www.kzmu.org/pack-creek-fire-updates/

Great Basin Team #4: Fuels Treatments Ease Fire Behavior in Pack Creek

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/8c47d93f4ee94a0d878e866e6495e418

KHOL: Local Citizen Scientists Stop and Observe the Flowers

https://891khol.org/local-citizen-scientists-stop-and-observe-the-flowers/