The Public Media Journalists Association awarded KZMU first prize in the category of Long Documentary for a story on the impacts of the housing crisis and worker shortage in Moab. Judges reviewed over 1500 entries. Only 221 awards were given to 101 organizations. And for the first time KZMU is one of those winners.

The piece is called “Welcome to Moab: A Service Story.” It was first aired last November and it shows how the housing crisis turned worker shortage is gutting employment sectors at every level in Moab. The story zeroes in on restaurants, which are arguably the most public-facing businesses in our service industry.

In this sample you'll hear from restaurant employees working in Moab during a pandemic and in the busiest, longest, most harrowing of seasons. And business owners will tell you how they struggle to keep the doors open.

Many thanks to Ann, Jen, Natali, Alex, Wes, Bella, Mardee, Ruth, Louis, Meghan, Jacqueline, and Cozy for sharing their stories on our airwaves and illustrating how restaurants help keep communities vibrant.

Find the whole story in the notes below.

//Show Notes

//PMJA 2022 award winners
https://pmja.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-Awards-List-Final.pdf

//Full version of “Welcome to Moab: A Service Story”
https://www.kzmu.org/welcome-to-moab-a-service-story

Note: This special contains language that has been un-beeped for the podcast.

//Music and other sounds heard in today’s special:
Crowded Park by TravieDoodle
bar chatter by SoundsExciting
FunkBox by Ketsa
Way-to-West by Ketsa
Chillflow (makaih.com) by Makiah Beats
The Journey by Audiobinger
Happy-Chappy by Ketsa