Mike Lee Wants to Sell Public Land. Some Conservatives Say No Way.
Utah Senator Mike Lee wants to sell off public lands in the West, but after fierce bipartisan opposition to his plans, he’s been forced back to the drawing board.
Jun 26, 2025•51 min
RadioWest
KUER’s award-winning interview show explores the world through deep thinkers who host Doug Fabrizio asks to think even deeper. Join writers, filmmakers, scientists and others on RadioWest: A show for the wildly curious.
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Episodes
Joseph Smith — The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet
There’s a new biography of Joseph Smith, and author John Turner’s approach is new in the world of books about Mormonism’s charismatic founder.
Jun 25, 2025•51 min
Sen. Mike Lee — Constitutional Scholar or Online Edgelord?
Minnesota lawmaker Rep. Melissa Hortman was murdered on June 14. The next day, Utah Sen. Mike Lee wrote on X, “This is what happens when Marxists don’t get their way.”
Jun 19, 2025•51 min
The Heat Will Kill You First
Jeff Goodell knows a thing or two about the climate crisis. He’s been writing about it for years. But it didn’t become personal until the heat nearly killed him.
Jun 18, 2025•51 min
When Dinosaurs Came to the Dinner Party
During the 1800s, the Victorians had the natural world pretty much figured out, or so they thought. Then a 12-year-old discovered the first dinosaur tracks.
Jun 12, 2025•51 min
The Case for Utah as the Next Battleground State
Last week, we discussed the possible revival of the Utah Democratic Party. Long time political observers told us that would take some heavy lifting. The political consultants and influencers Gabi Finlayson and Jackie Morgan are up for the task.
Jun 11, 2025•51 min
The Long Decline — and Possible Revival — of Utah Democrats
Utah Democrats minted a new leader in Brian King over the weekend. But with the party relegated to the political margins in a state dominated by a Republican supermajority, some are wondering if anyone can turn its fortunes around.
Jun 05, 2025•51 min
Robert Macfarlane on the Lives of Rivers
Is a river alive? That’s the animating question in Robert Macfarlane’s new book. And if the answer is yes, and rivers are living things, what do we owe them?
Jun 04, 2025•51 min
What Turns Siblings into Stars?
Some families seem to have the secret code to sibling success. How else to explain how an Olympic athlete, an award-winning novelist and a successful entrepreneur could all be raised under a single roof? The journalist Susan Dominus set out to answer this puzzle.
May 29, 2025•51 min
Why It's Still a Good Idea to Keep a Notebook
These days, you might type ideas into the Notes app. But that’s just a testament to the importance of history’s real creative titan: the humble notebook.
May 28, 2025•51 min
Great Salt Lake and the Politics of Patience
A recent article co-published by The New York Times and The Salt Lake Tribune raises the question of whether or not, as Great Salt Lake continues to dry up, the political will to save the lake is likewise evaporating. If so, what can be done to reinvigorate it?
May 22, 2025•51 min
The Real-Life Succession Drama in the Murdoch Media Empire
HBO’s “Succession” bears a strong resemblance to media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his children. But in a stranger-than-fiction moment, the show may have also influenced the actual Murdoch family — and its future.
May 21, 2025•51 min
Death and the Afterlife with Sebastian Junger
Sebastian Junger is no stranger to death. He covered the war in Afghanistan for years. But it was a medical emergency that brought him face to face with dying — and an afterlife.
May 16, 2025•51 min
Craig Childs' Quest to Find the Darkest of Dark Skies
For many people, the night sky is an afterthought, especially if you live in a big city, where all the artificial light drowns out the stars. But the nature writer Craig Childs wants to help us rediscover the dark heavens and consider what they show us about who we are and where we fit in the universe.
May 14, 2025•51 min
A Local Guide To Living — And Landscaping — In Harmony with Nature
Spring is brief in Utah, so there isn’t much time to get your garden and landscape dialed in for the year. To help, we brought sustainable landscape designer Daryl Lindsey back into the studio for some ideas on how to make our yards more beautiful and resilient before summer sets in.
May 08, 2025•50 min
What We Get Right (And Wrong) About The Bible’s Most Controversial Ideas
Here’s how many debates about contentious societal issues stall out: someone declares, “because the Bible says so.” End of story. But what does the Bible say?
May 07, 2025•51 min
QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family
You’d think that certain bonds couldn’t be broken by different beliefs, even strongly opposed convictions. But some conspiracies are just that powerful.
May 01, 2025•51 min
Does Utah Have the Right Stuff to Build its Way Out of the Housing Crisis?
The new book "Abundance," by journalists Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, argues that blue-led cities struggle with housing more than red-led cities. We'll spend the hour asking local housing experts how Utah and Salt Lake City are doing.
Apr 30, 2025•51 min
Mary Beard On The Emperors of Rome
Mary Beard is an expert on the Roman Empire, and her latest book is about the rulers who presided over it — 30 emperors in nearly three centuries.
Apr 24, 2025•50 min
What Comes After D.E.I. at the University of Utah?
In 2024, Utah lawmakers eliminated D.E.I. programs from the state’s public schools. Today, the University of Utah is trying a new approach.
Apr 23, 2025•51 min
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