KZMU News

On the Weekly News Reel today, we talk to Doug McMurdo, editor of the Times-Independent, about the state’s audit of Grand County, which found that over $1 million in tourism-related funding was misused. We also discuss the status of a sexual battery case involving former elementary school teacher, Bruce Hucko, and a 12-year-old student.

- Show Notes -

• State audit finds Grand County misused, misreported TRT money

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/state-audit-finds-grand-county-misused-misreported-trt-money/

• Charges dismissed against former HMK art teacher

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/charges-dismissed-against-former-hmk-art-teacher/

Grand County has multiple alert systems to warn residents and tourists of local emergencies. On Friday, all cellphones within the identified high-risk area were pinged with a flash flood warning from the county. Residents not within the high-risk area did not receive the notification, leading some to believe the warning system failed, an issue the county ran into during the last major flood in August of 2022. But Cora Phillips, emergency management director for Grand County, said the system worked as planned, despite receiving inaccurate updates from the National Weather Service, which only predicted .5 inches of precipitation compared to the 1.02 inches Grand County received in just 15 minutes.

- Show Notes -

• MyAlerts App:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/myalerts/id1102847004

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.AlertSense.PublicApp&hl=en_US&pli=1

• Grand County Alert Sense:

https://public.alertsense.com/signup/?regionid=1367

• Grand County Emergency Management Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/GCSOEM

Photo by Emily Arntsen/KZMU

On Monday, Grand County Search and Rescue began looking for two individuals who were reported missing following Friday's flash flood. Their car was found near the Steel Bender off-roading area, and soon after, GCSAR found an abandoned UTV associated with the missing man and woman. The search is still ongoing.

The incident follows another recent flood-related rescue. On Friday, 20 hikers were evacuated from Grandstaff Canyon after getting trapped by high water. According to Grand County Search and Rescue commander Brad Hines, flooding caused the shallow creek in Grandstaff Canyon to surge to over 15 feet deep in some areas. Grand County Search and Rescue safely evacuated everyone after the six and a half hour operation, and no one was injured.

Photo courtesy of the Grand County Sheriff's Office.

On Friday, Moab received over one inch of rain in just 15 minutes, triggering a severe flash flood that overflowed onto multiple roads in town. We speak with Moab City Manager David Everitt about the city's clean up plan and how prior mitigation techniques held up during this emergency.

Photo by Emily Arntsen/KZMU.

Today on the Regional Roundup, we hear a feature on why a landslide has resulted in the catastrophic failure of a major thoroughfare connecting Westering Wyoming and Eastern Idaho, from KHOL. We also hear a short feature on the impact on drivers of the ongoing U.S. 50 closure, from KVNF. Plus, a story from Writers on the Range commentary on what resort towns can learn from Aspen, from KVNF. We finish off with two way on the need to have Pride celebrations in rural communities from KBUT, and a feature on a self defense class in honor of Pride month from Aspen Public Radio.

On the Weekly News Reel today, we talk to Doug McMurdo, editor of the Times-Independent, about the hostile work environment that prompted Grand County Administrator Mallory Nassau to resign. We’ll also talk about an upcoming rate increase for trash collection in Moab City and changes to how residents will have to recycle glass. We finish off with an update from Lena Pace, the National Park Service Superintendent for southeastern Utah, about timed entry and possibly going cashless for park admittance.

- Show Notes -

• Citing improper actions by Winfield, Nassau resigns

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/citing-improper-actions-by-winfield-nassau-resigns/

• City, solid waste district agree to new contract

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/city-solid-waste-district-agree-to-new-contract/

• Pace outlines her goals for area parks, monuments

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/pace-outlines-her-goals-for-area-parks-monuments/

Today we hear from our partners at the Utah News Connection about getting people of color access to public lands. We also hear from KGNU about a rally of janitors in Denver who came out to protest unfair wages and commemorate the anniversary of a violent janitor's protest that happened in California in 1990.

Today we hear from our partners at Aspen Public Radio about replanting native species after a fire in western Colorado. We also hear from KDNK about a new program to engage kids outside with augmented reality.

Today we hear from our partners at KUER about wildfire risks despite heavy precipitation in Utah the last two years. We also hear from KSUT about a federal program to remediate coal mines on the Navajo Nation. And we finish with a story from Aspen Public Radio about cuts to the music departments at Carbondale schools.

Today on the Regional Roundup, we hear a two way with the author of Killdozer: The True Story of the Colorado Bulldozer Rampage, about the twentieth anniversary of the armored tank rampage in Granby, Colorado, and the disinformation that persists, from KFFR. We also hear a feature on increasing tree canopy in one Denver neighborhood, from KGNU. Plus, a feature on an all-female wild land fire fighter crew, from Aspen Public Radio.