KZMU News

In southeastern Utah, mule deer fawns are dying at unusually high rates, and researchers are trying to understand why. A collaborative study in the La Sal and San Juan mountains has found signs that Chronic Wasting Disease may be affecting deer much earlier in life than previously thought, possibly even before birth. As infection rates climb in the Moab area, scientists say the disease could be playing a growing role in the region’s struggling deer populations.

This week on the Regional Roundup, we hear a report on the growing outdoor recreation economy, a look at an abortion doula program supporting patients in Western Colorado, and a feature on youth activists rallying at the Utah legislature in support of efforts to save the Great Salt Lake. The show also features a story about a new mobile food bank serving rural communities in Colorado, and explores free speech and censorship: from a Durango bookstore’s lawsuit to block police from accessing a customer’s book purchase records, to a conversation with a Colorado librarian featured in the documentary The Librarians, which examines the rise of book bans and challenges to libraries.

Today on the News Reel, we speak to Andrew Christiansen, reporter at the Times-Independent, about construction on the bike path on River Road, WabiSabi’s new building, and a recent decision to allow Class 1 e-bikes on certain Moab-area bike trails.

- Show Notes -

• Colorado River Trail Gap construction begins March 9

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/colorado-river-trail-gap-construction-begins-march-9/

• WabiSabi makes huge strides on its relocation project

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/wabisabi-makes-huge-strides-on-its-relocation-project/

• Moab area trails open to Class 1 e-bikes on about 190 miles of singletrack

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/moab-area-trails-open-to-class-1-e-bikes-on-about-190-miles-of-singletrack/

At their next meeting, Grand County commissioners will make a recommendation to the U.S. Department of Transportation about which airline they hope will serve Moab for the next four years. The county's current contract with Contour Airlines expires in September. In the meantime, the airline plans to add a second daily flight to Denver starting in April. Contour is one of four airlines in the running for the contract with Canyonlands Regional Airport. Residents can submit comments about the decision online or during the upcoming commission meeting.

- Show Notes -

Agenda for Grand County Commission Meeting - 3.17.26

https://grandcountyut.portal.civicclerk.com/event/2922/overview

Photo by Emily Arntsen/KZMU

This week on the Regional Roundup, we hear about an animal sanctuary in Wyoming that looks after animals who used to spend their days in laboratories. We find out what happens to patients when a rural health facility closes. Then we meet a Navajo basket weaver who is keeping the tradition alive for the next generation. We round out the show with a story about a recent community event on Colorado's Western Slope to educate young community members about the reality of drought and water conservation.

This week on the News Reel, we speak with Andrew Christiansen, reporter at the Times-Independent, about the responses from local business owners about the end of timed entry at Arches. Plus, we give a preview of Stoopfest, a performing arts festival that will take place in Moab this weekend.

- Show Notes -

• Moab's stoops becomes stages at new performance arts festival

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/moabs-stoops-become-stages-at-new-performance-arts-festival/

The Moab Police Department is investigating two recent scams that cost local victims more than $100,000. One case involved a business that lost a third of its cash reserves after a scammer impersonating a bank employee convinced a bookkeeper to transfer funds. Police say these kinds of scams are difficult to investigate because the perpetrators are often overseas, and they urge residents to contact their bank directly if they receive calls about suspicious account activity.

This week on the Regional Roundup, we hear from Colorado State University professor Michael Childers about how ski resorts may need to adapt to increasingly dry winters. We visit Salida, to hear about Monarch Mountain ski resort’s expansion during a historically dry season. Then we travel to the small mountain town of Nederland, where a low-snow winter is raising climate concerns among residents and local businesses. We hear the latest on avalanche danger in the backcountry, and we round out the show with a conversation with Park City resident Tom Bickner, father of Team USA ski jumper Kevin Bickner, about what it takes to be an Olympic ski jumper.

Today on the News Reel, we speak to Andrew Christiansen, reporter at the Times-Independent, about the end of the timed entry system at Arches National Park and what that means for Grand County’s economic assessment of the reservation system, which will cost the county $60,000.

- Show Notes -

• Arches National Park drops timed entry reservations for 2026

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/arches-national-park-drops-timed-entry-reservation-for-2026/

• Residents question communication and transparency on Arches timed entry economic study

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/residents-question-communication-and-transparency-on-arches-timed-entry-economic-study/

Visitors no longer need a reservation to enter Arches National Park. The National Park Service announced last week that the timed entry program is discontinued for 2026. In a press release, federal officials said the decision is intended to “expand public access,” and similar reservation systems have ended at Glacier, Yosemite and Mount Rainier national parks as well. The change aligns with the goals of some Moab officials, who argue the reservation system caused visitor numbers to drop and harmed the local economy. Today, we speak with a former Arches park ranger about the benefits of timed entry.

- Show Notes -

• National Park Service timed entry press release

https://www.nps.gov/arch/learn/news/news02182026.htm

Photo: A crowd of tourists wait in long lines at the entrance to Arches. Photo courtesy of the NPS.