Local History Thursday: Former Officer Janielle Westermire’s Unique Perspective on Black Lives Matter

As a former sheriff’s deputy and an African-American woman involved with community and educational efforts through Black Citizens and Friends, Janielle Westermire has a unique and very personal perspective on race relations, and on the Black Lives Matter protests that gripped the United States following the 2020 death of George Floyd. In her interview with […]

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Local History Thursday: Evoking Grand Junction’s History with Radio History Theater

In 1981, coinciding with Grand Junction’s centennial celebration, the Mesa County Oral History Project (MCOHP) produced forty-eight radio plays about local history. Over forty-eight weeks, these plays aired on radio stations KSTR, KREX-AM, KREX-FM, and KMSA, with the last play broadcasting on August 21, 1982. Now, the Radio History Theater plays have been digitized and […]

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Applications accepted for Mesa County Libraries Board of Trustees openings

Applications are being accepted to fill upcoming openings on the Mesa County Public Library District’s Board of Trustees. The seven-member volunteer board adopts and oversees the budget, bylaws, and policies of the library district; conducts long-range planning; and prepares an annual financial report to the Mesa County Commissioners. Board terms are for five years, and […]

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Photo of Rachel Campbell Osborne

Illustrator Rachel Campbell Osborne is new 970West Artist in Residence

Illustrator and graphic designer Rachel Campbell Osborne is the new Mesa County Libraries 970West Artist in Residence. Campbell Osborne’s residency begins May 24 and lasts through Aug. 30, 2021. During that time, she will teach programs focusing on different kinds of painting, and she will host weekly Meet and Greets at the Mesa County Libraries […]

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Contributions sought for anthology about pandemic experience

From May 1-June 1, 2021, written and artistic contributions will be accepted for possible inclusion in an upcoming anthology about the community’s experience with the coronavirus pandemic. The anthology will accept submissions from writers, poets, photographers, and artists who live in Mesa County or attend Colorado Mesa University. The anthology’s theme, “In This Together,” represents […]

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Local History Thursday: David Combs Discusses the Movement for Social Justice in Mesa County

In his second interview with the Social Justice Archive at Mesa County Libraries, David Combs turns his attention to the death of George Floyd (who died at the hands of recently convicted Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin). As an African-American from Minneapolis, Combs gives unique and powerful perspectives on ethnic relations in that city, and on […]

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