Crossing the Divide

The Tower Inferno examines the increasingly fast pace of modern society and its effects on the world of journalism with Rhema Zlaten, Assistant Professor of Mass Communications at Colorado Mesa University.  Zlaten's research focuses specifically on philosophy and media ethics in light of the shift to digital news dissemination.  Together we touch upon many factors pressuring newsrooms, including how social media influencer culture is forcing journalists to come out from behind the work they produce, igniting the walls of The Ivory Tower that once separated reporters from the readership they served.

This episode of The Daily Direct, We Gather Together, looks at the difficult task of managing wild mustangs on public lands and protecting the rangeland that sustains an array of animals both wild and domesticated, a task that involves the practice of wild horse gathers, viewed by some animal rights activists as a controversial and unnecessary process.  

An interview with former National Parks and BLM Ranger Wayne Hare about his adventures in the wilds of the American West.  He expresses pride at serving on many search and rescue teams and reminisces about the difficulty of bringing home the body of one of their own.  The New England native also reflects on why he calls the Colorado Plateau his home and happy place.  Hare is also the founder of The Civil Conversations Project.

In this episode of The Daily Direct, in the midst of a heated midterm election season, Daily Sentinel Audience Engagement Director Gretchen Reist sits down with Tim Sarmo and Dennis Kirtland, founding members of Restore the Balance, a local non-profit made up of voters from across the political spectrum working together to combat the rising tide of political extremism by encouraging voters to set aside candidates' political affiliations and vote country over party.Together, we discuss the current state of affairs and attempt to trace the path that got us where we are today, witnessing the seeming de-evolution of political life and discourse.

In our continuing series on journalistic challenges in a digital environment saturated with disinformation, we profile The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel's Dan West, the paper's newly-minted editorial page editor.  In addition to exploring Dan's past history in the industry, we examine the important role of the paper's dedicated Opinion section in a media climate where the line between reporting facts and expressing opinion has become increasingly blurred.

An interview with Citizens for Clean Air members Karen Sjoberg and Jerry Nelson about their organization's ongoing study into the potential use of biochar as an alternative to agricultural burning.

A conversation with 37-year Grand Junction Daily Sentinel photojournalist Christopher Tomlinson on the eve of his retirement from full time working life.

Part 2 of my conversation with Wayne Hare, founder of The Civil Conversations Project.  Where Part 1 focused on Wayne's personal history and racial awakening, Part 2 focuses on some of the more over-arching themes and consequences of racial division, such as the physical and emotional toll it takes on the human body and how to reconcile the history of a country not always as noble in deed as in word.  We also discuss his work through the Civil Conversations Project:  what prompted its founding and what he hope to achieve.

Part 1 of a conversation of being black in America with Wayne Hare, founder of the Civil Conversations Project.  Wayne's story is living proof that no group of people - black, white or otherwise - is monolithic and that eradicating racial inequality involves a process of recognizing the almost undetectable socialization that prolongs it.  

Travel the culinary world from the comfort of home with one of The Daily Sentinel's newest additions, Christine Gallagher, columnist of All Things Food.  In addition to reflecting on the bounty offered by Grand Valley growers, vintners and brewers, Christine shares her personal relationship to food and its ability to nourish the body and soul; gives guidance on how to manage the daily burden of the age-old chore of cooking; and provides a sneak peek of her cookbook, a decades-long pursuit that just recently bore fruit.  

The 3rd installment in this podcast collaboration between the Crossing the Divide media project and The Daily Sentinel, which provides an inside look at life behind the scenes at your local newspaper.  This episode, a Reader Feature, is a conversation with Sentinel reader Keith Vogt.  Not a local resident, Keith reached out to the Sentinel to reconnect with his childhood memories of spending summers in the Grand Valley with his father and uncle, picking peaches at Fred Harbert's Peach Ranch back in the late 1940s.  His reflections provide a window into life in the area from a bygone era.

This promo show, featuring excerpts from the full-length Pine Gulch Fire episode, focuses specifically on the role of human behavior in preventing wildfire outbreaks, protecting property from encroaching blazes and aiding firefighting efforts once crews are on the ground. This show originally aired on KAFM Community Radio in Grand Junction.

On July 31st of 2020, a lightning strike in a remote area north of Grand Junction, CO sparked what would later come to be called The Pine Gulch Fire. It would eventually blow up into the largest wildfire in Colorado history until The Cameron Peak fire on Colorado's Front Range exceeded it in October of the same year. Eric Coulter, Public Affairs Specialist for the Upper Colorado River District, and Jeremy Spetter, West Zone Fire Management Officer on the Upper Colorado Interagency Fire Management Unit, join me for an in-depth discussion of battling this historic wildfire and the logistics of fighting a blaze in the midst of a global pandemic.

The 2nd installment of Crossing the Divide's Season 4 feature, The Daily Direct, introduces Daily Sentinel Managing Editor Dale Shrull. Dale takes you inside the newsroom, tracing the journey of a local news tip as it transforms into a full-fledged news story and discusses the challenge of properly vetting facts before publication in a culture where audiences are predisposed to on-demand information.

Targeted Disinformation. Social Media. Section 230. Just a few of the threats facing traditional print media outlets in the 21st century. Crossing the Divide takes you behind the scenes at a small town newspaper, The Daily Sentinel, with frank and open discussions about the difficulties and importance of keeping local journalism alive in an age of digital propaganda. The 1st edition of this new monthly addition features Publisher Jay Seaton.

Transpersonal Counseling. Alchemical Hypnotherapy. Astrology. Radical Living. Part reflection, part projection. You've embarked on Season 4 of Crossing the Divide via Astrologer Dulce Bell-Bulley.

The Daily Sentinel Publisher Jay Seaton joins me for a sneak preview of a new feature for Season 4, The Daily Direct, an intimate look inside a newspaper industry in flux as it adapts to the pressures and realities of a digital DISinformation age. Look for the full podcast end of March.

If your wanderlust has been stifled during our Year of Covid, take a trip down Memory Lane as we recap all the amazing conversations we managed to eke out of an otherwise dismal period. If you need a reminder that despite the upheaval of 2020 good people were still busy doing good things, this one's for you. Season 4 coming soon!

An in-depth discussion about climate change in the Western Slope region with former National Weather Service forecaster, Joe Ramey. Roughly a decade ago, as the Climate Liaison at the Grand Junction office, Joe undertook his own regional climate study to better understand potential changes in climate occurring here on the ground and to inform the local community of the impacts of global warming in relation to its effects on their daily lives.

Crossing the Divide CMU Intern Lohgan McClung joins me at the KAFM studio to discuss her internship project, Deep Roots, available on our social media accounts in January. Deep Roots is an in-depth profile of Parachute, CO as told through several of its residents.

8 months into the year 2020 a global pandemic of COVID-19 continues to rage here at home and around the world. The United States, struggling to adopt a coherent national plan to combat the disease, faces another rise in cases and surmounting death toll as we enter our yearly flu season with the potential for a twindemic that could cripple our health care system. Mesa County Public Health Epidemiologist Andrew Tyler joins me for a deeper look at SARS-COV-2 and the illness known as COVID-19, the reasons behind our comparatively mild local outbreak, and how we must proceed to keep this disease in check and usher in a return normalcy.

Mesa County Public Health Epidemiologist Andrew Tyler joins me at the KAFM studio for a preview of our upcoming podcast, Pandemic! with a focus on proper cleaning and hygiene to help prevent the spread of illness during a pandemic.

Former National Weather Service Meteorologist Joe Ramey joins me in the KAFM studio to preview our upcoming podcast, "Climate Talks," detailing the process and results of a Western Slope climate study he undertook analyzing 100 years of weather data in Western Colorado and Eastern Utah. In this preview, we discuss the potential impact of climate change on the region's critical winter outdoor recreation industry. Joe is an avid alpine and nordic ski enthusiast and currently serves as President of the Grand Mesa Nordic Council.

A conversation with best-selling author and Colorado Mesa University Assistant Professor of History, Timothy Winegard, whose latest book, The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator examines the dramatic impact of a pesky but seemingly unassuming creature on the course of human existence. The release of this podcast coincides with the release of the book in paperback format.

This PREVIEW to our upcoming release, Mosquito, features excerpts from our conversation with New York Times bestselling author Tim Winegard on his most recent book highlighting the dramatic impact this disease-carrying foe has had on the course of human history. Our in-studio guest for this sneak preview is Tim Moore, Director of the Grand River Mosquito Control District, who brings a local focus to the battle against a pesky predator responsible for spreading West Nile virus across Western Colorado each summer. This show originally aired live on KAFM Community Radio on June 17th.

In an effort to document the unique Zeitgeist of the COVID-19 pandemic, Crossing the Divide has created a limited video series, Life Under Lockdown, where we interview individuals, businesses and organizations impacted by a society in limbo while the battle against an insidious disease rages all around us. How has a life under lockdown altered our realities and how will it continue to shape human existence moving forward? To keep our podcast listeners occupied while we channel efforts toward this video endeavor, we are releasing the audio track from this video, recorded via Zoom and available in video format on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Our 6th and final installment of Life Under Lockdown, "Dining In: The Hot Tomato" looks at the effects of lockdown on the restaurant industry in a conversation with The Hot Tomato owners Jen Zeuner and Anne Keller. Since its inception 15 years ago, The Hot Tomato has elevated the funky vibe of Fruita, CO and transformed into an appetizing example of capitalism with a social conscience. Jen and Anne share insight into the internal debate of how to restructure operations under a state of new normal; their decision to stick with a take-out model for the near future despite a statewide re-opening; and the unique opportunities presented by a chance to step back from the norm and re-evaluate priorities moving forward.

In an effort to document the unique Zeitgeist of the COVID-19 pandemic, Crossing the Divide has created a limited video series, Life Under Lockdown, where we interview individuals, businesses and organizations impacted by a society in limbo while the battle against an insidious disease rages all around us. How has a life under lockdown altered our realities and how will it continue to shape human existence moving forward? To keep our podcast listeners occupied while we channel efforts toward this video endeavor, we are releasing the audio track from this video, recorded via Zoom and available in video format on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Episode 5, "Tensions Rising: Domestic Abuse" spotlights the increased tension of lockdown on those living with domestic abuse and features Paige Cadman of Hilltop's Latimer House. While the Colorado Governor declares a state of "Safer at Home," what is the impact on people whose homes present the threat of violence and danger? How can survivors seek out the vital services when their abusers are now a constant presence?

In an effort to document the unique Zeitgeist of the COVID-19 pandemic, Crossing the Divide has created a limited video series, Life Under Lockdown, where we interview individuals, businesses and organizations impacted by a society in limbo while the battle against an insidious disease rages all around us. How has a life under lockdown altered our realities and how will it continue to shape human existence moving forward? To keep our podcast listeners occupied while we channel efforts toward this video endeavor, we are releasing the audio track from this video, recorded via Zoom and available in video format on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Episode 4 examines the challenges and surprising upsides of maintaining D51 student counseling and mental health support services during the extended school closure caused by the coronavirus outbreak. How is the district pivoting internally to more seamlessly provide remote learning and services in the future? And how can school districts bear the increasing demands placed on public institutions of learning? This episode features a group conversation with D51 Counseling Coordinator Shauna Hobbs; Suicide Prevention Specialist Gen Morris; and SEL Specialist Heather O'Brien.

In an effort to document the unique Zeitgeist of the COVID-19 pandemic, Crossing the Divide has created a limited video series, Life Under Lockdown, where we interview individuals, businesses and organizations impacted by a society in limbo while the battle against an insidious disease rages all around us. How has a life under lockdown altered our realities and how will it continue to shape human existence moving forward? To keep our podcast listeners occupied while we channel efforts toward this video endeavor, we are releasing the audio track from this video, recorded via Zoom and available in video format on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. In Episode 3, MCPLD: Enriching Lives Online, we check in with Mesa County Public Libraries' Associate Director Shana Wade, who fills us in on how and why the library moved so quickly to mitigate the spread of the infection and closed down facilities long before many other organizations. Shana details all of the services still available through the library's website and how teachers, students and workers on the hunt for new employment can rely on library services to keep life moving forward. Find out how the library will phase into in-person access and what we can expect in the months ahead.

In an effort to document the unique Zeitgeist of the COVID-19 pandemic, Crossing the Divide has created a limited video series, Life Under Lockdown, where we interview individuals, businesses and organizations impacted by a society in limbo while the battle against an insidious disease rages all around us. How has a life under lockdown altered our realities and how will it continue to shape human existence moving forward? To keep our podcast listeners occupied while we channel efforts toward this video endeavor, we are releasing the audio track from this video, recorded via Zoom and available in video format on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Episode 2: Pets and Pandemics features Roice-Hurst HumaneSociety Executive Director Anna Stout sharing insights into how the shelter's team mobilized for Colorado's Stay at Home order; why COVID-19 was on their radar months ago; and how the coronavirus pandemic could revolutionize the shelter system, an outdated concept designed to remove unwanted pets from city streets more so than assuring animals' long term health and well-being.

In an effort to document the unique Zeitgeist of the COVID-19 pandemic, Crossing the Divide has created a limited video series, Life Under Lockdown, where we interview individuals, businesses and organizations impacted by a society in limbo while the battle against an insidious disease rages all around us. How has a life under lockdown altered our realities and how will it continue to shape human existence moving forward? To keep our podcast listeners occupied while we channel efforts toward this video endeavor, we are releasing the audio track from this video, recorded via Zoom and available in video format on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. In Episode 1, we chat with Colorado Mesa University's Elaine Venter - our first ever podcast guest! - whose teaching emphasizes mass and emerging media with an interest in social media, gaming and media accessibility on the internet. We discuss how social distancing has altered how we utilize and interact on social media platforms and how the shift to minimalism in media production might well continue into the future.

Audience members of the 2019 Grand Junction Film Festival Filmmaker Panel follow up with their own questions about how to succeed in the production world.

Your Oscar awaits! Crossing the Divide brings you exclusive access to the Filmmaker Panel hosted in October 2019 by the Grand Junction Film Festival. This discussion features professionals from the film and television industry sharing their personal journeys on the path to successful media careers along with predictions for what lies ahead for viewers and creatives in a world beholden to technological advances in content consumption.

A preview of our upcoming release Breaking In: The GJ Film Fest Filmmaker Panel, which features actor, writer, producer and Grand Junction Film Festival Board member and panel moderator Arielle Brachfeld. Arielle shares her journey into the world of film and television production from her early years in Denver as a teen with a flair for the stage and discusses how cultural biases often lead women with an interest in production to pursue careers in journalism rather than arts and entertainment. This show originally aired on KAFM Community Radio.

Part 2 of Going Paleo features Stephanie Lukowski, Curator of Education for Museums of Western Colorado. Stephanie details what drew her to study the strange world of prehistoric mammals and her eventual decision to pursue science education. She addresses the struggles encountered as an aspiring scientist raised in a devout religious family and explains how someone who loves the cold left the alpine winters of Snowmass for the sun-baked, high desert terrain of extreme Western Colorado.

A discussion with Julia McHugh, Museum of the West's Curator of Palentology, about the importance of the Western Colorado region in shaping the future of paleontological study. In addition to providing an insider's perspective on this small but intriguing area of natural science, Julia reveals details of groundbreaking work in the study of Forgotten Fragments led by a local team of students and experts that uncovers the complex ecosystem of prehistoric decomposition.

A sneak peek at Part 2 of our upcoming episode, Going Paleo, features Museums of Western Colorado's Curator of Education Stephanie Lukowski riffing on how to approach science education; what makes the high desert region of Western Colorado the ideal place for finding hidden paleontologic treasure; and what to do should you come across an object of interest while recreating on the land.

This add-on to Ep 14 is a recording of the Q & A session between our live audience and panelists that followed our discussion.

In 2019, for the first time in our nation's history, power generated from renewable energy surpassed that of coal, the result of a continued downward trend in the demand for coal-fired electricity driven largely by market forces reducing the cost of renewable energy production. For rural communities built on extractive industries, the potential impacts of a renewable energy future could be devastating. On July 25th of this year, Solar United Neighbors, WeOwnIt and the Craig Chamber of Commerce partnered with Crossing the Divide to hold the first of many conversations to come about the realities of restructuring local economies to survive and thrive in the face of major changes on the horizon. This is the discussion that unfolded. Since our discussion, PaciCorps announced its intention to close the Craig Station power plant in 2026 rather than its previously disclosed date of 2034. Unit 1 is scheduled to be shut down in 2025 as part of its initial plan.

A preview of our upcoming podcast Renewed Energy: A Stop on the Rural Electric Listening Tour, a panel discussion sponsored by Solar United Neighbors, WeOwnIt and The Craig Chamber of Commerce about the demise of coal and its effect on communities economically dependent on the high paying jobs and tax base provided by coal-fired power.

Museums of the West's Curator of Paleontology Julia McHugh joins me in the broadcast studio at KAFM Community Radio for a preview of Part 1 of Going Paleo, an inside look at the field of Paleontology and how regional finds past and present and the unique geology of Western Colorado and Eastern Utah contribute greatly to the growing body of knowledge of creatures and landscapes that existed long before humans walked the earth.

Open spaces open minds and soothe the soul. Yet increasing demands on our time and continued economic disparity prevent many of us from enjoying the recreational offerings of our public lands. And a population disconnected from its natural landscapes is less likely to grasp the interplay between environmental health and human well-being. In 2010 Colorado Canyons Association was born with a vision of connecting kids to the outdoors, broadening diversity among recreationists and cultivating the next generation of caretakers of our public Conservation Areas. As the organization prepares to say goodbye to its Founding Director, we reflect on CCA's beginnings and its continued efforts to broaden public awareness and support for outdoor recreation and environmental education.

Killian Rush, Development Director for Colorado Canyons Association, joins me in the studio at KAFM Community Radio for a preview of our upcoming podcast about ongoing efforts to promote and protect local Conservation Areas.

If you've been harboring thoughts of major life changes, this conversation with Grand Junction philanthropist and entrepreneur Jen Taylor will give you the kick in the pants you need to make them happen. A master of re[invention], Jen has been carving out unique niches for herself on this earth since before she left home. It's a craft she continues to hone with her latest venture, El Jet's Cantina + Sky Outpost, part of the recently announced Dos Rios Riverfront Development. Travel back 15 years to Baja, California and the moment that inspired a vision that celebrates not just the confluence of the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers, but also the convergence of culture and community in a timeless atmosphere.

Part 2 of Development in Bloom/s/ features a conversation with Bennett Boeschenstein, who, in his former role as Community Development Director for the City of Grand Junction, was intricately involved in the planning and development of the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens. Bennett reflects on the poor state of the riverfront upon his arrival in the early 1980's and the critical flood mitigation and herculean clean-up efforts undertaken in the Watson Island area to accommodate the Gardens that helped ignite a fervent reclamation movement that continues to this day. Along with a cast of former players (John Schultz and Lee Lindauer) from the Gardens' 20+ year history, he'll recount the financial struggles and maintenance issues that threatened an institution whose visionary founders were undoubtedly ahead of their time. Featuring "Aquafunk," off local musician John Schultz's album Far Guitar.

Sue and John Harris remember their mother, Elizabeth Harris, founder of Grand Junction's Western Colorado Botanical Gardens and a visionary in the movement to reclaim the Colorado Riverfront from decades of pollution and neglect. They detail her passion for promoting our unique history and riparian habitat by connecting access to the river with the heart of downtown. This interview was recorded at Elizabeth Harris' former residence, a location that presented some audio challenges. To download a transcript of this podcast, visit https://bit.ly/2YOR973

Crossing the Divide's monthly sneak preview show features a behind-the-scenes look at our upcoming podcast with Grand Valley Visionary Jen Rieke Taylor whose contributions to outdoor rec on the Western Slope have been a boon to our quality of life and tourism industry. We talk career shifts, economic development, philanthropic capitalism and so much more in this preview to our full-length podcast "A Taylor-Made Life" where we'll get the full scoop on her latest entrepreneurial venture, El Jet's Cantina and Sky Outpost. This show was originally broadcast on 4/17/19 on KAFM Community Radio.

A sneak preview of our upcoming podcast on the development of our local Botanic Gardens, which helped kickstart the restoration and revitalization of the Colorado Riverfront still in progress today. The interview features Mayor Pro Tem Bennett Boeschenstein who helped guide the permitting process for the Gardens in his role as Community Development Director and later served as an active Board Member. Here we discuss the City's flood mitigation efforts along the waterfront and what we might expect in the face of a potentially torrential Spring runoff.

A profile of Hilltop's Latimer House program, Safe House features Program Director Jackie Sievers detailing the critical services provided to victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault throughout a four county region. Jackie sheds light on the scope and spectrum of domestic violence in our community and on the difficulties associated with leaving an abusive situation. She'll take us through the step-by-step process of how to identify the various forms of abuse and how to safely get out of an abusive relationship. We'll examine the many community partnerships and volunteer opportunities in place to help abuse victims with various needs throughout all stages of the process of transitioning to a life free from domestic trauma.

Short and sweet sneak preview of our upcoming release, Safe House. Safe House features a conversation with Jackie Sievers, Director of Hilltop's Latimer House, providing shelter and vital services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. This show was broadcast 2/20/19 on KAFM Community Radio.

Our final, full-length podcast on the Old Spanish Trail has arrived. Put on your hiking shoes, saddle up your horse or hop on your bike to travel the arduous lengths of the Old Spanish Trail. Old Spanish Trail Association President and Grand Junction local Vicki Felmee details fascinating aspects of a historic trade route that wends its way westward from Santa Fe, New Mexico through portions of Mesa County shaping the lives of a diverse set of travellers from thousands of years in the past and on into the present day thanks to contemporary researchers, preservationists and recreationists.