GJ Sentinel Daily REWiND Podcast

This week, we look at the surprise guilty plea in the case of a security guard who shot and killed two men on North Ave. in 2024, the bizarre case of a head and hands found in a freezer on private property that’s one in a string of high-profile cases from around the Grand Valley, state legislators wrestling with strained budgets as the 2026 session begins, and, it’s back to the future for the Museums of Western Colorado as they contemplate consolidating their many entities.

Our usual local focus takes a bit of a detour in light of a very busy national newscycle as we reflect on ramifications of the Venezuelan military operation and the Seaton family’s legacy of promoting press freedom in South America; the Trump administration’s recent freeze on federal funding for child welfare programs in Colorado and other blue states as well as denial of FEMA funds for areas ravaged by last summer’s wildfires and veto of a funding bill for a crucial Arkansas Valley water pipeline, seen by many as retribution for Tina Peters’ imprisonment; and a look at Spirit Engineering’s rollout of the SE-1 airplane developed and manufactured right here in Grand Junction.

This week, we examine the controversy over the Mesa County Commissioners’ most recent appointees to the library board known for espousing conservative views, overlooking the applications of current board members with a good record of service, CMU’s latest proposal for building a team facility at Stocker Stadium after outcry over an initial proposal that included removing the Lincoln Park Barn, and Rep. Jeff Hurd’s refusal to caucus with Democrats on a discharge petition to bring an ACA tax credit extension to a vote after drafting legislation that would have extended them.

Is banning the sale of nonstick cookware containing PFAS another example of government overreach? Will winter make a return appearance? Should singles put up Christmas trees? Are induction stoves the electromagnetic wave of the future? Is high school athletic travel over two passes to the Front Range worth the risk? How did previous generations survive free-range and lap belt car rides? How are local residents faring during an identifiable loneliness epidemic? Editorial Page Editor Andy Smith and Audience Engagement Director Gretchen Reist debate the biggest topics of the day.

This week, we look back on the tenure of the outgoing public health director Xavier Crockett, who took over an agency in upheaval and brought stability to an environment in flux; discuss a shocking murder case that unfolded in an otherwise sleepy Fruita community; debate the merits of continued coverage of the ongoing Tina Peters saga; and talk about our favorite Thanksgiving sides.

This week, we examine Tuesday’s election results, which saw the re-election of incumbent Andrea Haitz and the election of newcomer Kaci Cole and Angela Lema's challenger, Vicki Woods, whom the editorial board touted as “the strongest school board candidate we’ve ever talked to,” discuss possible solutions to the homelessness crisis, set to worsen with the closure of the North Avenue shelter next year, and look at the editorial board’s blessing of Jeff Hurd as a possible future Speaker of the U.S. House.

This week, we look at the recent cyberattacks impacting both Family Health West and a critical Sentinel vendor, evaluate the effectiveness of the recent “F.U.” ad promoting CMU, and the addition of Stella’s schnitzel-adjacent Iowa pork tenderloin to the local restaurant scene.

Andy and Gretchen praise the organizers and protestors from last week’s No Kings Rally for keeping things peaceful and achieving a street fair vibe that caught the attention of well-known historian Heather Cox Richardson, discuss the Editorial Board’s recent school board endorsements and the reasons behind them, recount a recent visit to GJHS to advise their newspaper and yearbook staff, and look at how our readers view some of today's most pressing issues according to the results of our recent online polls.

Our first Daily REWiND LIVE! features renowned ransomware negotiator and author Kurtis Minder, who sheds light on the most dangerous corners of the dark web, where corporate and personal data is offered up to willing buyers at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars to the U.S. economy. He also explains the rise of cyber scams and sextortion, and how AI is reshaping the landscape. Minder, a Grand Junction resident, has been touring the U.S. promoting his first book, Cyber Recon: My Life in Cyber Espionage and Ransomware Negotiation. An audience Q&A follows the interview.