Ariana Brocious

Yesterday an unusual sight greeted many on their way around town in Paonia–a small demonstration in support of the area’s coal mines. KVNF’s Ariana Brocious has more.

The Hotchkiss Fire Protection District has been busy this year. They’ve already sent crew members out to major fires around the state: Sunrise Mine, Lower North Fork, High Park and Pine Ridge. But they’re busy close to home, too. KVNF’s Ariana Brocious spoke to Hotchkiss Fire Chief Doug Fritz about fires and fire danger, as the toll on lives and homes in Colorado continues to grow.

Local governments and federal agencies are upping the fire restrictions across much of the Western Slope. KVNF’s Ariana Brocious reports that continued hot, dry and windy weather, low humidity and several large fires already burning within the state have caused fire managers to effectively ban anything that might cause a spark.

Hugh Carson is the deputy air operations branch director on the High Park Fire, and also a KVNF DJ. Carson is responsible for aviation assets, strategy and tactics on this fire. KVNF’s Ariana Brocious spoke with Carson yesterday about his operations so far.

For those who aren’t aware, in 1994 the lightning-sparked Wake fire burned more than 3800 acres of pinion-juniper about four miles northeast of Hotchkiss.

Local farmers in the North Fork Valley are recovering from the hard freeze that took many by surprise this Memorial Day weekend. For iSeeChange, KVNF’s Julia Kumari Drapkin takes a look at how people made out.

KVNF’s iSeeChange project wants to know, how is your garden growing this year? Paonia gardener Amy Hayutin has one answer.

Springtime came a tad fast this year. KVNF’s iSeeChange project has been talking to citizens and scientists about early blossoms across the Western Slope. Julia Kumari Drapkin has this story.

Paonia resident Thea Deley is debuting her one-woman show, “One Nation Divided Over God: One Woman’s Journey from Believer to Blasphemer” (now titled, "Jesus Loves You! (but hates me)" at the Paradise Theater in Paonia on October 14th. KVNF’s Ariana Brocious talked to Deley about the inspiration for the show, and her personal experiences with religion.