Mancos CO

A television 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.

Novelist Chuck Greaves, who lives southwest of Cortez, and director, Félix Enríquez Alcalá, a recent transplant to Mancos, both say they want to showcase the region's diverse beauty in the show, called “Badwater.”

Artists find themselves in a unique position during the coronavirus pandemic. Galleries and museums have been shuttered for months, cutting off a large part of the art market. But staying home has also led to a creative outpouring for many artists. People are looking for ways to channel their anxiety and other emotions. Mancos-based blacksmith Alex Bond came up with a way to get small pieces into the hands of art lovers using vending machines.

Every week, Montezuma County resident Rena Wilson drops by the Valley Inn Nursing Home in Mancos. She's there to visit her longtime friend, Mac Neely, who is 99 years old. During the coronavirus pandemic, their visits are separated by a window. Their relationship endures, even during tough times. So far, there have been no COVID-19 cases at Valley Inn, unlike at other assisted living facilities. KSUT Reporter Mark Duggan spoke with Rena Wilson about how she and Mac Neely stay close - even through a pane of glass.  

The pandemic has been particularly hard on small businesses. But some are relying on their regular customers and government loans to weather the storm. 

KSUT's Mark Duggan talks to two business owners in the Four Corners about the challenges of keeping the doors open:

A number of businesses in the Four Corners have stepped up to make face masks and other supplies during the coronavirus pandemic. KSUT's Mark Duggan profiles their efforts.