Rocky Mountain Community Radio

Federal money for solar projects, especially for smaller rural farms, could be at risk as Congress attempts to pass a federal budget through reconciliation. Small farms in the Mountain West could lose out on those benefits.

Agriculture in the Rocky Mountains is shaped by a short growing season, semi-arid climate, and severe weather events. Human-caused climate change is making these challenges even more difficult for farmers. Some farmers are looking to solar power as part of the solution, installing panels directly alongside their crops. While this could make farms more resilient, the costs can be too steep for some, especially family farms.

A Republican proposal to sell off public land may not make the final budget bill. The measure had drawn criticism from Democrats and environmental groups. But some conservatives were also opposed to it. Isaiah Menning with the American Conservation Coalition, a conservative environmental group, says conservation is a conservative value.

Erika Mahoney's father, Kevin, was one of 10 murdered in the King Soopers shooting in Boulder in 2021. She has produced a new podcast, "Senseless," to explore the impact of grief and to tell the stories of survival.

No Kings protests took place in communities around the country, including across the Rocky Mountain West.

A Trump Department of Justice opinion says that presidents have the authority to revoke or shrink national monuments—bucking over 100 years of legal precedent.

The Colorado Senior Games were held June 6–8, 2025, in Colorado Springs. Athletes age 50 and older competed in events including track and field, pickleball and bowling.

Fifty years ago, a same-sex marriage license was issued—decades before same-sex marriage became legal nationwide.

Millions of acres across 11 Western states would be up for sale. Republicans say it will help solve the affordable housing crisis, but environmental advocates say it's not a serious solution.

In 2023, several western Colorado counties put moratoria on utility- or large-scale solar developments while they drafted land-use rules. Montrose County commissioners recently voted to extend their ban to August, despite having regulations drafted.