Featured Stories
Four Corners Edition, 1/14/21: Lawmakers begin the 2021 session; a COVID update from Indian Country
Colorado lawmakers gavel in for another legislative session. We’ll preview some early bills and Gov. Jared Polis’ State of the State Address. And we hear from Dr. Loretta Christensen, Chief Medical Officer for Indian Health Service. She gives us an update on COVID-19’s impact on Native and Indigenous communities in the Four Corners.
An embarrassment of riches: My top music picks for 2021
It was a thrilling year to be a deep listener. The musical richness seemed to spring from every genre.
Four Corners Edition, Dec 24: Backcountry responders under pressure; inside the first all-Black ascent of Mt. Everest
On this week's show: The volunteers who respond to backcountry emergencies are under increasing pressure. A battle may be brewing over new redistricting maps recently approved in San Juan County, Utah. And KSUT's Tami Graham introduces us to the Cortez man who’s...
Latest Stories
Four Corners Edition, November 4, 2021: Affordable housing projects start in Ouray and Ridgway; wildfire smoke threaten bird migrations
On this show: A new study shows wildfire smoke is affecting bird migration habits. We learn more about projects in Ridgway and Moab to create more affordable housing. And the audio storytelling project Native Braids returns for a new season, as part of National Native...
Four Corners Edition, October 15, 2021: Wetlands in crisis, Jonathan Thompson on ‘Sagebrush Empire’
Among the stories you'll hear on this week's show: Wetland habitats across the West are in trouble due to human impacts and climate change. Author Jonathan Thompson talks about his newly released book “Sagebrush Empire,” set among the volatile politics of San Juan...
Mancos Common Press continues letterpress tradition
A photo slideshow of images from the printing museum and working shop.
Four Corners Edition debuts: Native women speak out on MMIW coverage; CO offers COVID tests
This is the debut episode of Four Corners Edition, a weekly newsmagazine produced for KSUT Four Corners Public Radio. Among the stories on the inaugural show: Colorado to offer free, at home Covid-19 tests to all Coloradans What two Native American women say about the...
A Look at COVID Data Trends From January to June
Here’s a look at positive case counts, statewide and by selected county. Also included is Colorado’s rate of full vaccination.
In Photos: La Plata County Vaccine Clinic, March 20, 2021
A selection of photos from a vaccine clinic in Durango, Colorado.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Special Series
Collecting Light: An Exploration of Arizona Astronomy
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.
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.
Smuggling Tunnels Proliferate Under Nogales
The DeConcini Port Of Entry at Nogales, Ariz. is a busy place. But only part of the activity happens above ground.
Tree Workers a Tight Community of Serious Competitors
Arizona tree workers test their climbing skills at an annual competition. In the mock rescue drill, climbers are graded on safely getting an injured co-worker to the ground. But the competition is also about having fun.
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.
Scientists Driving Bark Beetles Crazy With Their Own Sounds
Forestry scientists at Northern Arizona University have figured out how to anger a bark beetle. By making them listen to themselves. It could be a new way to control one of the West’s worst pests.
