Rachel Cohen
Rachel Cohen is the Mountain West News Bureau reporter for KUNC. She covers topics most important to the Western region. She spent five years at Boise State Public Radio, where she reported from Twin Falls and the Sun Valley area, and shared stories about the environment and public health.
As a National Science Health and Environment Reporting Fellow (SHERF), she studied the intersection of these topics and examined how climate change affects human health.
Her favorite part of working in public radio is getting to meet interesting people and talk about what matters to them. When not working, she enjoys hiking, skiing, checking out coffee shops and watching women’s soccer.
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The most common reasons for being interested in cannabis were as an alternative to pharmaceutical medications and because the respondent had exhausted other options. -
More than 80 places in the Mountain West have been certified by the nonprofit DarkSky, including over two dozen in Utah. Colorado hopes to draw tourists to its own clear night skies with a new map. -
That includes expanded opportunities at places like Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge, as well as entirely new locations. It's part of wider efforts to remove barriers to hunting on federal lands. -
Veterans, and research, say getting outdoors helps their physical and mental health. A new report aims to find ways to expand these opportunities. -
Ranching and energy groups were excited for former congressman Steve Pearce, while conservationists were worried he'd sell public lands. In the end, the Senate voted on party lines to approve him. -
In Colorado, visits dropped about 8% in the first year after wildfires. But recreation stayed flat or even increased after low-intensity prescribed fires. -
A new analysis of public federal workforce data shows there are about 5,800 fewer workers at public lands agencies in 2025 compared to 2024 because of layoffs, retirements, and reassignments. -
There have been multiple federal efforts to sell public lands for housing, including by Utah lawmakers. Some housing and conservation groups argue these proposals need to ensure affordability. -
Wildfires and hailstorms are driving up home insurance costs in the Mountain West. Colorado's proposed solution? Give residents grants to protect their homes, which could mean fewer claims. -
Traffic deaths declined overall in 2025, but some Mountain West states had increases. The new plan would focus on boosting the role of law enforcement, as well as tracking impaired drivers.
