KZMU Public Affairs

In the first episode of a 6 part podcast series, This Week In Moab features a deep dive into the topic of Public Lands with "On Common Ground: An American Inheritance", produced by Sarah Hedden, and hosted by Bill Hedden and John Leshy-former Solicitor of the U.S.Department of the Interior.

Also heard in this episode:

Host Christy Williams - Dunton talks with Dr. Kathy Williams and Lisa Monson Potter, director of Grand County Hospice, who share some perspectives on end of life planning, and invited the public to reserve a spot at the free event Death Over Dinner, Spetember 28th at Easy Bee Farm.

On this episode of This Week in Moab, host Celia Alario talks with the Youth Garden as they celebrate 30 years with a Harvest Festival event, we hear from Kayley Boddy about the festivities. Also, Nature Conservancy’s Colorado River Program Director discusses the latest developments in the emerging management policies for the Colorado River. Finally we hear from Cassady Jones, Senior Visitation Program Manager at the National Parks Conservation Association about their role supporting our regional parks.

Hosts Jessie of Grand County Public Library and Olivia from Back of Beyond Books are joined by special guest Meg, an avid reader of memoirs. Join us for a discussion spanning publishing news, recent reads, the pros and cons of pedantic children’s literature and favorite childhood books.

Beyond the Glittering World: An Anthology of Indigenous Feminisms and Futurisms ed. Stacie Shannon Denetsosie et al. Never Whistle at Night: Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology ed. Shane Hawk et al.

The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins

Whidbey by T. Kira Madden

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Whistler by Ann Patchett

Smashed: The Story of a Drunken Girlhood by Koren Zailckas

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

Ambition Monster: A Memoir by Jennifer Romolini

Make Believe: on Telling Stories to Children by Mac Barnett

Olivia by Ian Falconer

Goosebumps series by R. L. Stine

Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz

The Guardians of Ga’hoole series by Kathryn Lasky

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis

On this episode of This Week in Moab, host Celia Alario speaks to Dawn Kish and Richard Jackson about the Glen Canyon Exposed photo exhibit, in its final weeks at the John Wesley Powell River Museum in Green River, Utah, and about a closing celebration September 3rd, 2026 with author Craig Childs. In the second half of the show, Bart Miller, Healthy Rivers Director for Western Resource Advocates offers the first in a series of perspectives on the state of the Colorado River water use planning process, and what recent recommendations from the US Department of Reclamation mean for the arid West. Find the initial interview with Dawn and Richard from the installation of the exhibit here: https://www.kzmu.org/this-week-in-moab-glen-canyon-exposed-exhibit-and-living-rivers/ and learn more about Western Resource Advocates here: https://westernresourceadvocates.org/

On this edition of This Week in Moab, host Christy Williams-Dunton speaks with Lauren Heson, Executive Director of the Bears Ears Intertribal Coalition. Then, Williams-Dunton revisits a public hearing in Blanding in 2016 where then Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewel spoke and listened to attendees about the creation of the Bears Ears National Monument.

On this week's Regional Roundup, we'll hear about some of the fires burning in the region, we'll hear from evacuees from the Aspen Acres fire, we pay a visit to the incident command post for the Gold Mountain Fire in Western Colorado to hear what it takes to support the hundreds of firefighters battling the blaze, and we'll hear about the ecological impact of the Ferris Fire in southwest Colorado. Then, we hear about concerns over efforts to open up the Roan Plateau to oil and gas drilling, and we visit a boxing class for people living with Parkinson's. We round out the show with a visit to Wyoming, where a new nonprofit hopes to provide afterhours emergency veterinarian care for local pets.

A report on the monsoons which are forecast for the region later in July. (RMCR)

A report on the Renaissance Weekend gathering at Jackson Lake Lodge in Grant Teton, Wyoming. (KHOL)

A report on evacuees from the Aspen Acres Fire. (KLZR)

A feature on the Gold Mountain Fire Incident Command Post. (KVNF)

A feature on the ecological impacts of the Ferris Fire in southwest Colorado. (KSJD)

A feature on the Roan Plateau and opposition to proposals to open it to drilling. (KDNK)

A feature on a boxing class for people living with Parkinson's. (RMCR)

A feature on a new nonprofit in Jackson, Wyoming, to offer afterhours emergency veterinarian care to local pets. (KHOL)

On this episode of This Week in Moab, we hear breaking news of the White House press event for the signing of the Executive Orders gutting Grand Staircase Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments, and get response from Scott Braden of SUWA. Additionally, we get updates on the fire from Karl Hunt, PIO for the crew fighting the Babylon Fire in Bears Ears, as well as insights into restoration from Kara Dohrenwend of Rim to Rim Restoration.

On this episode, Jessie from Grand County Public Library, and Nat and David from Back of Beyond Books are joined by special guest Amelia to discuss this summer’s blockbuster novel and share thoughts on other various books we’ve been reading.

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Fierce Country by Heather Hansman (publication date 7/14/2026)

The Python’s Kiss: Stories by Louise Erdrich

The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi

The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

The Typing Lady and Other Fictions by Ruth Ozeki

Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell

Wakara’s America by Max Perry Mueller

Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins

Whidbey by T. Kira Madden

Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel (publication date 9/15/2026)

It's all about Water and our world on this edition of This Week in Moab. Host Christy Williams talks to guest John Weisheit about his life as a renowned river keeper, conservationist on behalf of all waters. He is the subject of the world premier of "Where The Hell am I: A Cataract Canyon Story, produced by Cody Perry of Rig To Flip Productions to be debuted this week, April 24th at the John Wesley Powell Museum in Green River.

In this episode of This Week In Moab, it's all about the ancestors, dragonflies, a new lecture series in Castle Valley and Moab's monthly Death Cafe. Host Christy Williams speaks with Brooke Williams about his upcoming presentation on the enduring wonder of the Dragonfly, and about reenchantment through the manifold lens of this ancient species. They are said to be messengers from an ancestor, which led into our next topic.

A monthly Death Cafe is planned as a free monthly informal gathering on the last thursdays of every month. Grand County hopsice workers, LCSW Terry Galen and Hospice Nurse Rachel Bloxham join Christy in the KZMU studios to discuss the crucial things we tend to put off talking or even thinking about when it comes to end of life, loss, and some of the resources there for us all here in Moab.