Four Corners Coronavirus Coverage
I’m reporting on the pandemic’s impact in the Four Corners region for KSUT Public Radio.
These stories previously aired on KSUT.
Some Libraries Begin Cautious Reopening
Visitors will see some changes when they stop by their local library. In many cases, only 10 patrons are allowed inside at a time. And the books and DVDs you return will be quarantined before they go back on the shelf.
Farmer’s Market Adapts to Keep Vendors and Patrons Safe
Local markets are enacting rules to keep people safe. And some small farmers and ranchers are using the internet to sell their products. I spoke with Melanie McKinney Gonzalez, market manager for the Durango Farmer’s Market to learn more.
Art Vending Machines Debut in Mancos as Artistic Expression Explodes During Pandemic
Mancos, Colorado-based blacksmith Alex Bond found a way to get art into the hands of customers using vending machines. He also spoke about the pandemic’s effect on creativity.
Business Boosters Talk Four Corners Economy, Jobs, Small Biz
COVID is having a big impact on local businesses. Some struggle, others thrive. Employees are caught in the middle. I checked in with two area business boosters to get a report on the state of the Four Corners economy.
A Report Card on Black Bears in Southwest Colorado
While you worried about the coronavirus, a familiar presence awoke from its winter slumber and went looking for dinner. I spoke with a Colorado wildlife official about the health of our ursine population and how to be more “bear aware.”
Bridging the Digital Divide on Native American Lands
Studies show that seven in 10 people on rural tribal lands do not have access to broadband internet. The lack of connection is especially dangerous during a pandemic. I spoke with Darrah Blackwater about her efforts to bring better broadband to Native lands.
An Exploration of Arizona Astronomy
A five-part audio series examining professional and amateur astronomy.
Explore Episodes
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
Making Mirrors
It takes years to cast a large telescope mirror at theSteward Observatory Mirror Lab. But the race to build ever larger “eyes” is leading to new discoveries in astronomy.
“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.
Author Byrd Baylor Celebrates the Desert
Author Byrd Baylor still writes by candlelight in her rural desert home. It’s just enough light, she says, to see the ink on the page.