KZMU News

A surge of people visited Arches National Park during the Thanksgiving holiday week. This visitation coincided with an increase in hand-drawn graffiti along the trail to Balanced Rock. Today on the news, we check in with park staff who say graffiti and vandalism at Arches is a constant challenge. And, when the town of Crested Butte declared a housing emergency last summer, it opened the door to new and unique solutions. The first action item on the list was to purchase a local bed and breakfast that was then converted to housing for seasonal workers. Our radio partners report on the growing trend of 'hotel to housing' conversion.

Show Notes:

Photo: Fresh, hand-drawn graffiti on the trail to Balanced Rock at Arches National Park. Staff says graffiti is always a challenge at Arches, which experiences high visitation over the holidays. Credit Ashley Bunton

Arches National Park: Graffiti-Free Zone

https://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/graffiti.htm

KBUT News: Mountain towns use a ‘quiver of solutions’ to address affordable housing, including converting old hotels

https://www.kbutradio.org/local-news/mountain-towns-use-a-quiver-of-solutions-to-address-affordable-housing-including-converting-old-hotels/

The era of large-scale uranium mining around Moab is over for now. But there is still a market for the ore on a much smaller scale. Today on the news, a conversation with modern-day prospectors about who’s buying their radioactive wares. And, two scientists tracking the numbers on drought share thoughts on dryness in the Colorado River Basin. Plus, one Native American tribe is proposing a novel solution to combat climate change.

Show Notes:

Photo: Zack Slizewski sifts through rocks near Moab. His company, United Nuclear, uses Geiger counters to measure radiation and collect uranium ore. Screen capture from video.

KUNC: These four metrics are used to track drought, and they paint a bleak picture

https://www.kunc.org/environment/2021-11-24/these-four-metrics-are-used-to-track-drought-and-they-paint-a-bleak-picture

It’s a KZMU radio special! Welcome to Moab - A Service Story. On today’s menu is the housing crisis served with a side of worker shortages. Comes with free burnout.

It’s clear that the housing crisis turned worker shortage is threatening to gut employment sectors at every level in Moab. In this special, we zero in on our local restaurants, arguably the most public-facing businesses in our service industry. You’ll hear from restaurant employees across different types of eateries talk about their experience working in Moab at this moment. They’re working in an ongoing pandemic, in the busiest longest most harrowing of seasons. A season where there’s more business than ever but business owners themselves are worried about keeping the doors open as everyone struggles to find and keep housing. You’ll hear how local independent restaurant owners are scraping it together and their thoughts on the future. And you’ll hear a bit about mental health, too.

Many thanks to Ann, Jen, Natali, Alex, Wes, Bella, Mardee, Ruth, Louis, Meghan, Jacqueline, and Cozy for sharing your stories on our airwaves and illustrating how restaurants help keep communities vibrant.

Show Notes:

Ghost Town, A Film By Passenger Media:

www.gofundme.com/f/ghost-town-pro…_source=customer

Work in the local restaurant industry? Want to share your experience with the Ghost Town filmmakers? Contact:

Jen Zeuner

970-216-3768

Music and other sounds heard in today’s special:

Crowded Park by TravieDoodle

bar chatter by SoundsExciting

FunkBox by Ketsa

Way-to-West by Ketsa

Chillflow (makaih.com) by Makiah Beats

The Journey by Audiobinger

Happy-Chappy by Ketsa

Note: this special contains language that has been un-beeped for the podcast.

The Grand County Local Homeless Council is launching Project SOL (Safe Outdoor Living) this holiday season. The project will serve as a repository of supplies aimed at making people experiencing homelessness safer and slightly more comfortable, like sleeping pads, campstoves, and grocery gift cards. Today on the news, we speak with a representative from the homeless council who says homelessness in Grand County is very complex and very real. Plus, this weekend marks the official start of the ‘holiday shopping season’ in the US. Our radio partners report on a worldwide movement to stop spending lots of money on things we don't need.

Show Notes:

Photo: Representatives and a volunteer from the Grand County Local Homeless Council during the annual homeless point in time count in January 2021. The council is launching Project SOL (Safe Outdoor Living) to provide much-needed supplies to people experiencing homelessness in Grand County.

Project SOL (Safe Outdoor Living) Wish List:

https://www.dreamlist.com/list/ceeksj5esadrldzfpkspfff5ze?fbclid=IwAR2hvicJyoJbCBw9Q-vPdSlY80bN8ti-0KPuE1egCKgAbSHvLtc1EPIhyMA

Moab Valley Multicultural Center:

https://moabmc.org

KDNK: Buy Nothing Day – A Fresh Start to Holiday Shopping

https://www.kdnk.org/post/buy-nothing-day-fresh-start-holiday-shopping

Adbusters #BuyNothingDay

https://www.adbusters.org

Labor shortages and supply chain issues have caused inflation across the country, hitting meat products hard. Today on the news, we speak with a local butcher who’s feeling the pinch. And, the Great Salt Lake continues to shrink but online maps have been slow to catch up. A new effort aims to raise awareness of declining lake levels. Plus, dozens of natural landmarks bear the names that highlight our nation’s racist history. There are signs of change, but government action can be slow.

Show Notes:

Utah Public Radio: Weather map update highlights shrinking Great Salt Lake

https://www.upr.org/post/weather-map-update-highlights-shrinking-great-salt-lake#stream/0

Mountain West News Bureau: Across the West, racist place names ‘tell us we don’t really belong’

https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/news/2021-11-24/across-the-west-racist-place-names-tell-us-we-dont-really-belong

Documentary filmmakers have spent over ten years following a changing community on the Utah-Arizona border, once governed by the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-day Saints. Today on the news, a conversation with the makers of the soon-to-be-released film ‘Keep Sweet.’ They speak about the lessons they learned from reporting in a divided community. Plus, a new multimillion-dollar road improvement project has been approved by the Navajo Nation Council. And, our radio partners report on ‘eco-anxiety,’ a term describing persistent worries about the future of life on Earth.

Show Notes:

Photo: Loretta Barlow and family on a hillside. The documentary ‘Keep Sweet,’ about a changing community on the Utah-Arizona border will be released this week. Credit 44 Blue Productions. Courtesy discovery+

H20 Radio: Dread, Fear, and Anger – The Rising Feelings of ‘Eco-Anxiety’ and How to Cope

https://h2oradio.org/EcoAnxiety.html

Organizations say collaboration is key to the ongoing Pack Creek Fire recovery work. Just last week dozens of volunteers gathered to help the Forest Service and Rim to Rim Restoration hand-seed native grasses and wildflowers in burned areas of the Pack Creek watershed. And, a workshop last month reflected on how coordination helped the initial response to the fire and managing its aftermath. Plus, with rents at mobile home parks rising across the West, some residents are taking matters into their own hands to keep prices down.

Show Notes:

Photo: Volunteers recenty joined staff from the U.S Forest Service and Rim to Rim Restoration to increase diversity and improve post fire vegetation recovery through seeding. Courtesy Kara Dohrenwend/Rim to Rim Restoration

KSJD: Coloradans have been purchasing their own mobile home parks to keep them affordable. But the resident-owned model also comes with significant challenges and limitations.

https://www.ksjd.org/podcast/ksjd-local-newscasts/2021-11-16/coloradans-have-been-purchasing-their-own-mobile-home-parks-to-keep-them-affordable-but-the-resident-owned-model-also-comes-with-significant-challenges-and-limitations

Rim to Rim Restoration

https://www.revegetation.org

Moab Sun News: Recovering from fire – USU holds workshop on Pack Creek Fire recovery efforts

https://www.moabsunnews.com/news/article_4a0ea018-3837-11ec-bbd8-0b1bacd6c9fb.html

The group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility says the Bureau of Land Management ignores damage to public lands caused by overgrazing. They say some 40 million acres fail to meet the federal agency's own health standards for water and vegetation. While wild horses contribute to habitat degradation, they’re pointing out another culprit – livestock. Plus, an Indigenous protestor awaits sentencing over a 2020 border wall demonstration. And, supply chain issues are impacting the availability of goods around the world, including winter sports equipment in our region.

And, the Weekly News Reel, where we speak with reporters about their latest stories of the Moab area. Doug McMurdo of The Times-Independent discusses a local search allegedly yielding 1,500 fentanyl pills, Moab City’s election recount and a new series featuring bonding with dogs. Alison Harford of The Moab Sun News has reflections from local candidates on ranked choice voting, plus information on WabiSabi’s Thanksgiving meal delivery and the Grand County High School production of ‘Freaky Friday: The Musical.’

Show Notes:

Photo: Cattle grazing on a public lands allotment. Credit Greg Shine, BLM.

PEER: Interior Wild Horse Focus Ignores Cattle Impacts

https://peer.org/interior-wild-horse-focus-ignores-cattle-impacts/

Cow mooing sound

https://freesound.org/people/Benboncan/sounds/58277/

KJZZ: Indigenous protestor stands trial over 2020 border wall demonstration

https://fronterasdesk.org/content/1730675/indigenous-protester-stands-trial-over-2020-border-wall-demonstration?_ga=2.212493910.398394308.1636999579-294039926.1631040151

Weekly News Reel Mentions –

The Times-Independent: Woman on no-bail hold after search yields 1,500 alleged fentanyl pills

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/woman-on-no-bail-hold-after-search-yields-1500-alleged-fentanyl-pills/

The Times-Independent: City to recount ballots in council election

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/city-to-recount-ballots-in-council-election/

The Times-Independent: No surface connection – What it takes to bond with a feral dog

https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/no-surface-connection-what-it-takes-to-bond-with-a-feral-dog/

Moab Sun News: Dec. 7 recount planned for Moab City Council seats – Grand County voter turnout at 57.13%; candidates weigh in on ranked choice voting

https://www.moabsunnews.com/news/article_6b5ae334-48c3-11ec-8373-df4050457383.html

Moab Sun News: WabiSabi will deliver Thanksgiving to your door – The organization partnered with Sweet Cravings and The Synergy Company

https://www.moabsunnews.com/get_out_and_go/article_9220b4c0-48ce-11ec-ab1f-870a796d710e.html

Moab Sun News: Getting Freaky

https://www.moabsunnews.com/get_out_and_go/article_831c80e2-48d0-11ec-a8b8-9badd14bc8b4.html

President Joe Biden recently signed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill into law. This legislation includes funds for Utah and the Navajo Nation, where many residents currently lack running water. Plus, a one-vote margin is triggering a recount for Moab’s city council race. And, a Wyoming city hopes a new nuclear plant can ease their transition away from coal.

Show Notes:

Photo: Boundary marker of the Navajo Nation near Cameron, Arizona. New federal funding provides more than $200 million to bring running water to areas of the Navajo Nation.

2021 Moab General Election Statistics

https://www.kzmu.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Final-Moab-Election-Stats.pdf

Moab Elections

https://moabcity.org/236/Election-Information

Governor Spencer Cox approved the state Legislature’s new election boundaries, signing into law state house and state senate districts. But it was the approval of new congressional districts that drew the most pushback from the public. And, Grand County’s commission plans to decide new local election district boundaries before the end of the year. Plus, today the humpback chub moves from an endangered species to a threatened species. And, our radio partners profile some unique research helping wildlife managers better preserve Wyoming’s iconic moose.

Show Notes:

Photo: Grand County is now part of state house district 69. Grand’s commissioners asked the state Legislature to keep the county whole during the redistricting process.

HB 2005 Utah State House Boundaries Designation

https://le.utah.gov/~2021S2/bills/static/HB2005.html

SB 2006 Utah State Senate Boundaries and Election Designation

https://le.utah.gov/~2021S2/bills/static/SB2006.html

HB 2004 Congressional Boundaries Designation

https://le.utah.gov/~2021s2/bills/static/HB2004.html

Princeton Gerrymandering Project

https://gerrymander.princeton.edu

Grand County Public Comment Portal: Redistricting 2021

https://portal.utah-mapping.org

KHOL: Working Dogs Learn New Tricks in Search of Ticks

https://891khol.org/working-dogs-learn-new-tricks-in-search-of-ticks/