Latest Stories
The Legendary Colorado Orange Apple Returns
An apple varietal long thought to be extinct is coming back to life in Colorado. Next stop: your grocery list.
Biden Admin “Pauses” Public Land Lease Sales, Putting One Drilling Proposal in Southwest Colorado in Limbo
The administration is putting the brakes on new oil and gas leases on public lands. The move is being met with cheers from conservation groups and legal threats from the fossil fuels industry.
In Photos: La Plata County Vaccine Clinic, March 20, 2021
All photos by Mark DugganI’m reporting on local and regional news in the Four Corners region for KSUT Public Radio. Stories and audio previously were aired and published by KSUT. Stories are archived at Open Range News.Explore Recent...
Data Dashboard: COVID Vaccination and Case Counts as of April 1
Here are the latest figures for vaccination rates in Colorado and coronavirus case counts in both the state and region, as of April 1, 2021. Colorado opened COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to every Coloradan 16 years and older on April 2. I’m reporting on local and...
Small Town, Internet Company Partner to Bring Wi-Fi to City Park
Getting fast and reliable high-speed internet was a challenge for many people in the Four Corners even before the pandemic. But now as more adults and schoolchildren work remotely, communities and private businesses are stepping up to fill in some of the gaps.
Officials Hope Remote-Controlled Avalanches on Lizard Head Pass Will Help Keep Vital Byway Open During Snow Slide Season
A new Swiss-designed avalanche control system on the pass southwest of Telluride aims to make it safer for crews to trigger slides. The remote-controlled system uses elevated towers to drop ordnance on snow-loaded slopes.
Navajo Water Project Brings Running Water to Off-Grid Households on Navajo Nation
Many people take hot and cold running water and a flush toilet for granted. But for some residents of the Navajo Nation, it's a luxury they don't get to enjoy at home. Now, several organizations are trying to bridge what's known as the “water gap.”
A TV Tale of “Badwater,” to be Filmed in Montezuma County
A TV show pilot that will be shot in Montezuma County this fall aims to put the area on the filmmaking map. It's also an opportunity for the show's creators to revel in the Four Corners backdrop they call home.
Citizen’s Group Makes Inroads on Mine Cleanup, Despite Lack of Federal Action
Little has been done at the congressional level to clean up abandoned mines in southwest Colorado. But members of one community advisory group say they're making progress with the federal government.
Self-Contained Hand Washing Stations Help Navajo and Hopi Families Who Lack Running Water
Up to a third of the households on the Navajo and Hopi Reservations lack access to clean running water. One organization is installing self-contained hand washing stations to help.
Gold King Mine Spill: Five Years on, Are We Any Closer to Cleaning up Old Mines?
Five years ago, the Gold King Mine spill ignited hope that old and abandoned mines around Silverton, Colorado would finally be cleaned up. But progress is moving slowly.
Special Series | Collecting Light: An Exploration of Arizona Astronomy
Special Series | Copper at the Crossroads
Copper: The Miracle Metal
Copper mining in Arizona is a tale of both fortune and failure. A look at the past, present and future of an industry at the crossroads.
“I’m Not a Miner, I’m a Provider”
Onofre Tafoya spent 40 years moving the earth in an underground copper mine near Tucson. But it was more than hard work. It was the place where, as he says, he “became a man.”
Some Thrived, Some Died
Tracking the history of Arizona's boom and bust towns. Bisbee and Globe survived, Helvetia and Ruby didn't.
Stories From the Archives
Craig Childs: Correspondent From the Cataclysm
An interview with adventurer and author Craig Childs. His latest book, Apocalyptic Planet: A Field Guide to the Planet Earth, is about how the earth is falling apart. And always has been.
Living Among the “Methane Hot Spot”
Durango, Colo. - A giant, concentrated plume of greenhouse gas hovers over the San Juan Basin region of the Four Corners. Scientists first noticed it 2009. It's mostly comprised of methane gas and is centered over an area that includes the Colorado towns of Ignacio...
The Reincarnation of Os Mutantes
A conversation with Sergio Dias of the legendary Brazilian band.
Making Mirrors
It takes many years to cast a large telescope mirror at the Steward Observatory Mirror Lab. But the race to build an ever-larger celestial "eye" is leading to new discoveries in astronomy.
Arizona Cotton ‘A Successful Business,’ Despite Challenges
Arizona is still part of the Cotton Belt, with about 259,000 acres devoted to the crop. But it's not easy to grow it in the desert. I talked to two cotton farmers about the challenges they face and how technology has changed the business.
“The Kinds of Things He Believed, He Tried to Live…”
Gordon Hirabayashi objected to the way Japanese-Americans were treated in World War II. His fight took him from the Supreme Court to a prison camp in Arizona.
Tom Russell and the Vanishing Poetry of ‘The Old, Weird America’
Tom Russell writes songs about champion fighting cocks, Edward Abbey, the Watts riots, Nina Simone, and the day Frank Sinatra played Juarez. For him, it's all part of a grand tradition of American storytelling.
Re-enacting the Civil War in the Southwest
The Battle of Picacho Pass on April 15, 1862 was the western-most engagement of the Civil War. Some say it was just a "skirmish," but each year it's brought back to life a dedicated group of re-enactors.
A Kartchner Caverns Tour With Gary Tenan
Most people see Kartchner Caverns as part of a tour guided by a volunteer docent. The experience is a little different for the man who discovered the cave.