Local Motion

In this episode of West Obsessed, the writers and editors of High Country News take a look at Adelanto, California, a desert town that has embraced the incarceration economy--a corner of our justice system that keeps innocent people, including asylum-seekers, behind bars.

KVNF's Felix Belmont speaks with Jeffrey Wright, who serves as Delta County's Emergency Manager. Emergency Management works with County departments, local governments, volunteer organizations and the private sector across Delta County to develop disaster preparedness plans and provide training and exercise activities.

Aiya, Ellie, Julian and Jackson share the stories and interviews they produced during the 2017 Youth Radio Camp.

HopeWest is a non-profit hospice, palliative care and grief support organization serving western Colorado.   Here, Deb Horowitz and Nancy Hovde of HopeWest discuss the work of the organization with Ali Lightfoot. 

Zoe, Carmen, Alyster and Liza share the stories and interviews they produced during the 2017 Youth Radio Camp.

On Earth Day, thousands of scientists, students and advocates gathered on the National Mall in Washington D.C. to call on the Trump administration to support science and evidence-based policy. Noted scientists including Bill Nye gave speeches in D.C. Satellite marches took place in major metropolitan areas like Los Angeles and Boise. But smaller marches and rallies also took place in places like Grants Pass, Oregon, and Silver City, New Mexico.

Theo, Hannah,  Otus and Lena share the stories they produced during KVNF's Spring 2017 Youth Radio Camp.

Host Felix Belmont welcomes Don Suppes, the newest member of the Delta County Board of County Commissioners, for his first appearance on KVNF's monthly Delta County Commissioners Report.

Wildfire season is getting longer and longer across the West, and fires are burning bigger and hotter than ever. In this episode of West Obsessed, the writers and editors of High Country News discuss the newest fire research--and its dark link to the fire bombings of Germany in World War II.

KVNF's Eric Goold and Ali Lightfoot speak with the editors and publishers of three local newspapers.  Jay Seaton of the Daily Sentinel, Randy Sunderland of the Delta County Independent and Thomas Wills of the Merchant Herald discuss fake news, the first amendment and what's news-worthy in rural western Colorado.

In this episode of West Obsessed the writers and editors of High Country News discuss the landmark investigation that  unraveled a Washington timber-poaching gang.

In a typical issue of High Country News, they are primarily concerned with the facts and forces that shape the American West: the landscapes, water, people and wildlife that make this region unique. In the travel issue, however, they take a different tack. In this episode of West Obsessed, we imagine the region as though we were new to it, and in doing so, we see it with fresh eyes.

High Country News Assistant Editor Paige Blankenbuehler spent the last year reporting on the drug epidemic in Craig, Colorado. In this episode of West Obsessed, she discusses her reporting and where Craig fits into the national drug addiction story.

We all know that nature is good for us. But how good? And why? In her new book, The Nature Fix, journalist and author Florence Williams sets out to learn what nature does to the brain. In this issue of West Obsessed, High Country News Managing Editor Brian Calvert discusses the book with the author, including a river trip she took with nine women veterans suffering from the trauma of war. 

KVNF News Host & Reporter Eric Goold takes a look at 2 Delta County outreach programs for seniors: A Little Help and the Senior Meals Program.

Presenters at this year's Western Colorado Food and Farm Forum speak with Ali Lightfoot .  Drew Smith of the Rodale Institute talks about a food trial comparing the nutritional value of organic and conventionally grown vegetables.   Maureen West of the Colorado Department of Agriculture discusses the state's hemp industry.  Kate Greenberg of the National Young Farmer's Coalition talks about resources for beginning farmers.  

Host Felix Belmont bids farewell to district 2 commissioner, Bruce Hovde.   They talk about Hovde's accomplishments during the past 8 years and his hopes for the future of Delta County.

Obama’s environmental and conservation record reflects an inclination toward the center in the West: He designated over two dozen national monuments, more than any other president. He oversaw surges in oil and gas production, but embraced clean energy and tackled greenhouse gas emissions. Obama may be remembered as the first leader to seriously address climate change, perhaps the foremost environmental issue of our times. And that has drawn deep opposition from the fossil fuel industry along the way.

2016 saw the end of one economic driver in Delta, coal mines, and the beginning of another, broadband. As 2017 begins, Delta looks to the future.  KVNF's Eric Goold speaks to Delta’s new police chief, Delta’s city manager, a board member for DMEA, a longtime Delta County public servant and an economic forecaster about their hopes for the future.

Locals who went to Standing Rock share their stories about how the movement is organized,  what the goals are and what can be done now to support and organize similar movements locally and beyond. 

A new program called "A Little Help" was launched in the North Fork Valley this summer. Elder members of the community are connected with their neighbors who provide a little help with work around the house and yard, transportation, caregiver respite and social engagement.   Here, local volunteers and members talk about the organization.

Board members and residents of Abraham Connection Homeless Shelter in Delta talk about the organization.   Abraham Connection provides emergency overnight shelter,  winter housing and meals to homeless families and individuals in Delta County.

In this brief special episode of West Obsessed, Managing Editor Brian Calvert speaks with investigative reporter and HCN Associate Editor Tay Wiles about the situation on the ground at Standing Rock.

As the U.S. transitions from a labor- to a knowledge-based economy, rural communities face a huge challenge. In this episode of West Obsessed, the writers and editors of High Country News discuss how rural schools will be at the forefront of that challenge. 

The election of Donald Trump to the presidency took a lot of people by surprise. And given the nature of the election, it's hard to tell what a Trump administration will actually look like. In this episode of West Obsessed, the writers and editors of High Country News discuss some of the ramifications of a Trump presidency, from coal and other extractives to public land management and climate change.

KVNF's Felix Belmont and Commissioner Bruce Hovde discuss the BLM's Draft Resource Management Plan and recap Hovde's 8 years as district 2 commissioner for the county.

KVNF's Felix Belmont and Commissioner Doug Atchley discuss how the county maintains its debt- free status and look into a new program that finances energy improvements called "C-Pace."

In southern Utah, a coalition of tribes is pushing for nearly 2 million acres of land to be designated a national monument. That's raising huge questions about homelands, public land management, and Western history. In this episode of West Obsessed, the editors and writers of High Country News discuss the complexities of the Bears Ears national monument proposal.

The North Fork Storytellers gathered at the Wisehart Springs Inn this September to tell true stories about "falling down."