“Regional Roundup” is a weekly, half-hour collaborative news program from Rocky Mountain Community Radio that features local reporting from RMCR member stations.
episode 135
This week on the “Regional Roundup,” we’re checking in on how ski resorts across the region are making snow as winter gets off to a dry start. We also visit a village of tiny homes in Longmont, Colorado, where veterans are finding support and a sense of community.
Plus, we tag along with rock climbers in Moab, Utah, explore new reads with White River Books in Carbondale, and hear about Bookish Salt Lake City. We close out the show with a special poem marking the winter solstice.
episode 134
Last week on “Regional Roundup” was a holiday special. We explored unique Christmas traditions and shared advice on navigating grief during the holidays. We heard how Angel Trees are helping families in need, and we took a look at Hanukkah celebrations in Boulder at the location of a deadly antisemitic attack six months ago. We conclude the show by exploring the history and significance of Kwanzaa.
episode 133
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of December 8, 2025, we took a closer look at “Third Spaces.” These are places in our communities that aren’t home, work, or school, but still play a vital role in helping people connect. These are the spaces where we gather around shared interests, build relationships, and strengthen community ties.
We started in Utah, where researchers are studying why Third Spaces matter and how they can support community well-being. From there, we highlight two literary-inspired gathering spots: a thriving Book Swap in Longmont and a new nonprofit in Colorado’s North Fork Valley that’s creating space for book lovers to come together. We also visit two libraries offering unique forms of Third Spaces, one with a makerspace, another with a music library.
And we closed the show in the tiny town of Bedrock, Colorado, where new owners of the historic general store are working to transform it into a vibrant community hub.
episode 132
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of December 1, 2025, we heard a report on the recent West Slope Water Summit in Montrose, Colorado, where conversations were dominated by the growing crisis in the Colorado River Basin; a look at efforts in Lafayette to recognize roughly 200 unmarked graves in a local cemetery; a story from Telluride on a new community solar power project aimed at expanding access to renewable energy; and a report on the civilian drivers navigating danger and uncertainty in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Episode 131
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of November 24, 2025, we heard about a report on how Durango residents demanded accountability for ICE actions during a special city council meeting, and a two-way with Enrique Orozco Perez, co-director of Compañeros: Four Corners Immigrant Resource Center, about the family at the center of the protests. We also featured a story on the mental health impacts of increased immigration enforcement, an interview on rising bear activity in towns as they prepare for hibernation, and a report on how wildfire risk is driving up home insurance costs.
episode 130
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of November 17, 2025, we honored Native American Heritage Month. We heard about the unique sister-city relationship between Longmont, Colorado, and the Northern Arapaho of the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. Then, we turned to efforts in Boulder to more fully acknowledge the city’s role in the Sand Creek Massacre and what meaningful remembrance looks like today.
We also took you inside a powwow in western Colorado, and, to close the show, poet Crisosto Apache joins us to talk about their new collection, Is(ness), a reflection on identity, place, and the power of language.
episode 129
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of November 10, 2025, we heard about efforts in Jackson, Wyoming, to address the growing epidemic of male loneliness, and a report on an attempt to remove the 10-mile buffer that protects the land around Chaco Culture National Historical Park from future oil and gas drilling. We also heard about the Rocky Mountain Indigenous Dancers, and a program in western Colorado working to diversify the next generation of farmers. We finished the show with a sound-rich portrait of cottonwood trees and a story about how scientists are studying trees along the Crystal River to help strengthen protections for the river.
episode 128
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of November 3, 2025, we heard about a report on how Durango residents demanded accountability for ICE actions during a special city council meeting, and a two-way with Enrique Orozco Perez, co-director of Compañeros: Four Corners Immigrant Resource Center, about the family at the center of the protests. We also featured a story on the mental health impacts of increased immigration enforcement, an interview on rising bear activity in towns as they prepare for hibernation, and a report on how wildfire risk is driving up home insurance costs.
episode 127
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of October 27, 2025, we heard a story about a beloved carousel in Nederland, Colorado. It was built to honor veterans and continues to bring joy to the community as it recovers from a devastating fire. We heard from a group of Utah quilters who use their craft for activism, blending art and politics through “craftivism.” And finally, we heard about a new podcast, “Back from Beyond,” that shares powerful stories from search and rescue teams in southeast Utah.
episode 126
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of October 20, 2025, we heard reports from around the region on the No Kings rallies held October 18 in thousands of communities across the country, including Denver, rural Colorado, Wyoming and Utah. The program also included a story on the growing efforts to ban books in libraries, a report on the rise in immigration arrests in Western Colorado, and coverage of the Mountain Towns 2030 Climate Summit.
episode 125
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of October 13, 2025, we heard about a voter registration drive at a homeless shelter in Boulder, then we took a look at how human development is affecting the ability of wild animals to roam. We also heard from a Western Colorado chocolate maker bringing global flavors to a mountain town, and got an update from Denver Water on how wildfires impact local watersheds and their Forests to Faucets program.
episode 124
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of October 6, 2025, we heard a report from the recent Colorado River District’s Across Divides seminar. We visited the Snowmass Balloon Festival, and then we learned about a new exhibit celebrating the state’s 150th anniversary. We also looked at how invasive zebra mussels are threatening Colorado’s waterways, and met a theater troupe using first-person storytelling to amplify the voices of marginalized communities, and we heard how they recently lost tens of thousands of dollars in federal grants.
episode 123
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of September 29, 2025, there was a report on a crew of dogs helping to sniff out invasive weeds in Wyoming and a special quilting project honoring veterans in Western Colorado. PBS NewsHour science correspondent Miles O’Brien discussed the importance of science, and best-selling author Kevin Barry talked about the history of Irish miners migrating to the Rocky Mountain West in the late 1800s, the setting for his latest novel, “The Heart in Winter.”
episode 122
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of September 22, 2025, from Rocky Mountain Community Radio, we heard a report on the SUNday celebration of solar energy, one of hundreds that took place nationwide. We heard about the promise of solar energy from environmentalist Bill McKibben about the promise of solar. A story about Latino Conservation Week, and a look at a mobile food pantry serving the Western Slope. We rounded out this week’s show with a story about a new cookbook Cookin’ With Jazz from KVNF, which combines recipes, music, and community.
episode 121
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of September 15, 2025, from Rocky Mountain Community Radio, we’ll hear a conversation with student reporters from the University of Utah about the state’s new law allowing open carry on campuses, and a discussion on efforts to roll back the Public Lands Rule. We also hear from the Buffalo Field Campaign about their decades-long work to protect wild buffalo in Yellowstone National Park, along with a conversation about the new documentary This is Not a Drill.
episode 120
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of September 8, 2025, from Rocky Mountain Community Radio, we heard a report on efforts to roll back the federal roadless rule, and a feature on a quinceañera in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. There’s a story about a new app designed to keep residents better informed about wildfires, and a commentary on a notorious case of wolf cruelty in Wyoming that may be shifting public attitudes toward the animals. And finally, an audio postcard from Boulder, where birders are hoping to catch a glimpse of a rare tropical anhinga.
episode 119
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of September 1, 2025, from Rocky Mountain Community Radio, we explored how attitudes toward climate change differ across the Rocky Mountain West. We headed to Wyoming for the state’s only sailing regatta and took a closer look at the impacts of uranium mining in southwest Colorado. We also heard about efforts to make the great outdoors—including our National Parks—more inclusive, before we wrapped up with a look at the National Sports Center for the Disabled in Winter Park, Colorado.
episode 118
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of August 25, 2025, included a story on how the National Park Service is marking its 109th anniversary, and park advocates are using the milestone to call for more support at a time of budget cuts and staffing shortages. In Boulder, residents are working to establish a new sister city relationship with a community in Ukraine. We also heard about efforts to reduce wildlife–vehicle collisions across the West, and wrapped up with a conversation about the latest Bureau of Reclamation report on the Colorado River.
episode 117
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of August 18, 2025, Rocky Mountain Community Radio included a story about a Colorado teacher who spent her summer running a farmers market stand and brought her students along for the experience; A conversation on how wildfire smoke affects public health, and another conversation on how budget cuts are straining the country’s national parks. Plus, we checked in with an immigrant advocacy group on the impact of recent immigration raids on local communities.
episode 116
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of August 11, 2025, Rocky Mountain Community Radio took a look at efforts to commemorate the 140th anniversary of the massacre of Chinese workers in Rock Springs, Wyoming. We headed to a rural Colorado gymkhana, where riders of all ages showed off their skills. We listened in on an audio postcard capturing the birdsong of a Ponderosa pine woodland near Boulder, and we visited a bustling farmers market in Paonia, Colorado. We rounded out the show hearing from the author of Food Fight: Misguided Policies, Supply Challenges, and the Impending Struggle to Feed a Hungry World about the challenges ahead for feeding the planet.
episode 115
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of August 4, 2025, we included a report on how goats are being used as an eco-friendly solution for weed management. Hear a discussion on the history of Lincoln Hills, a once-thriving resort for African Americans just outside of Denver. We shared an excerpt from our recent regional call-in show on public lands. And we heard a conversation about how climate change is impacting tick populations.
Episode 114
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of July 28, 2025 we heard a story on the efforts to map extreme heat in Moab, Utah. The Bird Conservancy of the Rockies shared its work to protect birds and their habitats across the region. We visited the Montrose County Fair to meet 4-H students showcasing their animals, and investigative journalist Will Potter discussed his latest book, Little Red Barns: Hiding the Truth from Farm to Fable.
Episode 113
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of July 21, 2025, we featured a story about a family preparing for a quinceañera, a traditional 15th birthday celebration. From northwest Colorado, we met two seasonal camp hosts at Pearl Lake State Park. A story about a historic kayak journey by Indigenous youth along the Klamath River, retracing ancestral waterways, followed by a collection of voices from people enjoying the Arkansas River. We rounded out the show with a conversation with Andrea Gibson, Colorado’s poet laureate, who died earlier this month.
Episode 112
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of July 14, 2025, we revisit the award-winning series “Loved to Death,” which explores the complex relationship between tourism and the environment. Local communities are struggling to preserve natural landscapes while keeping their economies afloat. The series looks at the impact of social media influencers on local trails, a timed-entry system at Rocky Mountain National Park aimed at controlling crowds, and a historic railroad’s switch from coal to oil-powered engines after a wildfire. It also examines the threat of invasive species carried in by visitors.
EPisode 111
On the “Regional Roundup” for the week of July 7, 2025, it’s all about books and storytelling — from an independent bookstore in a mountain town to Colorado’s Western Slope poet laureate. The show also features a librarian pushing back against book bans and a community storytelling project in Utah that amplifies the voices of the unhoused.
episode 110
For the “Regional Roundup” during the week of June 30, we heard what people love about summer and how extreme heat is taking a significant toll on rural communities. Also, a Utah town embraces watermelon season, solar panels may help make farms more resilient, and Colorado researchers take part in a major national study on hail.
Episode 109
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of June 23, we heard about a new podcast that explores the ripple effect of gun violence. We heard from a right-leaning environmental group that says conservation is a conservative value. And we looked at the challenges facing pollinators and bees, and how a citizen science project is broadening our understanding of fireflies in the Rocky Mountain West.
episode 108
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of June 16, we heard from No Kings protests across the region, including a look at the fatal shooting of a bystander at the Salt Lake City rally. Also in this episode, we heard about Republican efforts to sell off public land, the impact of Medicaid cuts, and proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act.
episode 107
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of June 9, we heard about the Colorado Senior Games, where a 90-year-old javelin thrower stole the show. The Boulder County Courthouse celebrated its role in LGBTQ history with a new national designation. Bikepackers took on a grueling 350-mile route through the Rocky Mountains. And the Lavender Menaces — a queer brass band — marked Pride Month in Utah.
episode 106
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of June 2, 2025, we heard about the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Uinta Basin Railway and what it could mean for the future of environmental regulation. Then, History Colorado’s newly appointed Senior Director of Tribal and Indigenous Engagement brings a wealth of experience to his position. The attorney representing the three Colorado public radio stations that have joined NPR in a lawsuit against the Trump administration talked about what it means and what’s next. Author Craig Childs talked about his new book The Wild Dark: Finding the Night Sky in the Age of Light, and we payed a visit to the Jackson Hole Rodeo, a summer tradition in Wyoming.
episode 105
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of May 26, 2025, we looked at how planting trees in Grand Junction and Moab can help mitigate extreme heat. We brought you an audio postcard capturing the sounds of birds migrating through the region. We also looked at a program in Western Colorado that tries to keep more water in the Colorado River, without impacting irrigators, and a visit from Tibetan monks who offered a blessing to the North Fork River. We also explored a classroom approach to teaching consent to teenagers and heard about efforts to find safe housing for victims of domestic violence.
episode 104
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of May 19, 2025, we heard about Durango’s newly elected mayor, who has made history as the first Indigenous person to hold the position. We also took a look at a Queer prom that offered a safe and celebratory space for LGBTQ youth. We heard about a choir that uses choral music to spark important community conversations. Then, we tagged along on a field trip with some elementary students as they explored the Valley Floor near Telluride. And we heard from the author of Her Place on the Map: 18 Women and the Colorado Wonders Named for Them.
episode 103
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of May 12, 2025, Republicans in Congress want to use public lands for housing development, but a new study suggests that’s not a viable solution to the housing crisis.
We also heard about a water conservation program in Western Colorado and a horse rescue group working to save animals from auction and protect them from kill buyers.
Then, we heard about a Navajo community in southeastern Utah that recently got running water… for the first time.
episode 102
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of May 5, 2025, as the Trump administration moved to cut federal funding for public media, we looked at what’s at stake for community radio. We also reported on a recent prescribed burn in western Colorado and how land managers use fire to reduce the risk of future wildfires. Then, a closer look at the impact of untested rape kits on sexual assault survivors. And finally, we join a group of naturalists on the search for snakes.
episode 101
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of April 28, 2025, as the Trump administration considers shrinking the size of several national monuments, including Bears Ears in Utah, we hear why the area is sacred to many tribes. We also learn about a program helping workers in one resort community who can’t afford housing, and how federal immigration laws are affecting communities at the local level.
episode 100
Last week on “Regional Roundup,” we heard voices from the Hands Off! protests in Denver and Salt Lake City on April 19. We’ll learn about hazard mitigation planning in communities across the Rocky Mountain West — and how a now-canceled federal program has helped with those efforts. Then, a bill that would regulate social media in Colorado is facing a potential veto from the governor. Finally, we hear about partnerships with landowners in Colorado to conserve open space, and in Wyoming to help mitigate chronic wasting disease in elk.
EPISODE 99
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of April 14, we heard about a recent ski ballet event at Monarch Mountain, a potential solution to traffic congestion on Interstate 70, perspectives on overcoming political division, and a Denver restaurant helping lead a revival of Native American cuisine.
episode 98
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of April 7, we hear reports from across the region on the “Hands Off” protests, which drew thousands to the streets as part of a nationwide day of action against recent Trump administration policies.
We also recognize National Library Week with a visit to a unique library in Westcliffe, Colorado, and a report on the elimination of federal funding for libraries and other cultural institutions.
Plus, we break down NEPA, a cornerstone of environmental law, and close the show with a story about a recent powwow in Durango.
episode 97
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of March 31, we took a closer look at the Sundance Film Festival’s recent announcement that it will move from Park City, Utah—its home for 40 years—to Boulder, Colorado, starting in 2027.
We heard from a Colorado lawmaker sponsoring legislation to provide the festival with tax credits, as well as the director of the Utah Film Commission on what the move means for the state.
We also examined the carbon footprint of the food we eat and explored a new collection of essays that delves into the tension between growth and sustainability in the American West.
episode 96
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of March 24, we heard from civil rights icon Dolores Huerta who spoke about immigrant rights at a rally in Denver. A report on a nonprofit that supports immigrants in the Mountain West. Concerns about a mental health facility working with ICE in western Colorado, and we heard about a new podcast that looks at recreation economies in the region.
episode 95
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of March 17, we reported on a recent rally in support of fired federal workers and heard from a federal employee on the significance of public lands. We explored what Ramadan means to one Utah resident, delved into the history of a small-town newspaper in rural Colorado, and highlighted a key moment in LGBTQ history in Boulder, Colorado.
episode 94
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of March 10, 2025, there were reports on the latest wolf activity in Wyoming and Colorado. Also, how students, researchers, medical professionals, and community members across the region took part in ‘Stand Up for Science‘ events on March 7. And, a report on the significance of Ramadan, and how a nonprofit on Colorado’s Western Slope is supporting survivors of domestic abuse.
Episode 93
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of March 3, 2025, we discovered how researchers are studying the impact of recreation on public lands and the natural environment. An immigration attorney provided an overview of how new laws and executive orders are affecting immigrants, and high school students in Moab shared their preparations for a special prom.
EPISODE 92
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of February 24, we heard about a commemorative climb that honored the 10th Mountain Division and their role in blocking Hitler’s defensive Gothic Line in Italy during World War II. We dropped in on the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Mixed Doubles Curling that took place recently in Colorado, and we examined the high cost of housing in the region, and the problem of under insurance due to wildfire.
EPISODE 91
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of February 17, we hear from rallies that have taken place around the region this month in support of immigrants and in protest to executive orders by the Trump Administration.
Episode 90
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of February 10, in the light of the Trump administration slashing DEI programs at federal agencies, we heard why diversity is needed in climate research. We heard about two new films that premiered at the recent Sundance Film Festival in Utah, and we tagged along with some birders in Boulder, County, on the trail of hundreds of wild turkeys who are roosting in cottonwood trees.
Episode 89
On “Regional Roundup” for the week of February 3, we heard about the potential for geothermal energy in the Rocky Mountain West. A sociologist who studies gangs dispeled the myths around immigration and gang violence. And we heard from some young mushers at a recent dog sled tournament.
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