Your Neighbor Is on the Air!
KHEN is Salida's independent, nonprofit community radio station. For over 20 years, we've been part of the soundtrack of Salida and the Arkansas Valley, reflecting the people, voices, and stories of the place we call home. Your donation helps keep local voices on the air, music discovery alive, and community connections growing.
From handpicked music by local DJs to community announcements, local news, and public affairs, KHEN keeps our valley connected, informed, and tuned in to something new. We're a reflection of our community and a window into the world beyond it.
But KHEN is more than what's on the dial. We're a gathering place for local voices, ideas, and organizations. Through community events, partnerships, and accessible airtime, we help neighbors connect and important stories reach the people who need to hear them. Each Colorado Gives Day, we partner with the Chaffee County Community Foundation to turn over our airwaves to local nonprofits, giving them an opportunity to share their missions, tell their stories, and rally support for the work they do in our valley.
As Chaffee County's only community radio station, KHEN is locally rooted, listener-supported, and committed to keeping independent radio accessible to everyone. When you support KHEN, you're supporting more than a radio station. You're supporting a stronger, more connected community.
Tune in at 106.9 FM, listen online at KHEN.org, or download the free KHEN app. Help keep your neighbors on the air--make a donation to KHEN today!
"KHEN radio station is the true voice of Salida. No commercial motives taint the programming of music and community information offered on 106.9 FM. The strong effort to continue to expand Khen as a news and information source is an illustration of the radio station's Staff and Board's drive for constant improvement. Any help of any kind that can be offered to this community resource would be a great thing." - Chuck Rose, former Mayor of Salida 2007-2011
"We appreciate KHEN’s community spirit. And we enjoy how you never quite know what you’re going to be getting. Always grateful!" - Rand Hill
"Public radio is the best source for getting the community's voice heard." - Dana Wilson
"Love you guys almost as much as coffee!!!!! especially live DJ's!" - Clark Roberts
KHEN 106.9 FM is a volunteer-supported community radio station and media platform committed to:
Building community through programming, education, and engagement. Community Radio...You Belong!
On February 2, 2003, KHEN hit the airwaves in Salida, Colorado. After years of grassroots organizing, fundraising, and a whole lot of community determination, Chaffee County's first community radio station was born. Those early days were humble: a small office off an alley, 18 volunteer programmers broadcasting 12 hours a day, and an antenna perched on a rooftop along F Street.
More than two decades later, KHEN has grown right alongside the community it serves. Today, our signal broadcasts from atop Tenderfoot Mountain (our beloved "S" Mountain), with over 40 locally produced programs, 15 syndicated shows, and music, stories, and voices filling the airwaves 24 hours a day. Listeners near and far can tune in at 106.9 FM, stream at KHEN.org, or listen through the free KHEN app.
KHEN has become part of the soundtrack of Salida and the Arkansas Valley, reflecting the people and place we call home. In a world of algorithms and automated playlists, our volunteer DJs bring something different to the dial: handpicked music and shows full of heart, personality, and a little bit of everything in between. It's radio made by real people, for real people.
But KHEN is about more than music. We're a gathering place for local voices, ideas, and organizations. Our programming celebrates the people and stories of our valley through shows like School Zone, highlighting the accomplishments of local students and schools; Connecting Frequencies, exploring the music and personal stories that connect us; and From the Coop, bringing community conversations and local news to the airwaves.
KHEN also serves as a megaphone for the organizations and causes that keep our community strong. So far in 2026, we've aired more than 200 public service announcements over 3,000 times, helping local nonprofits, public agencies, and community groups spread the word about their work, resources, and events. Each Colorado Gives Day, we partner with the Chaffee County Community Foundation for a station takeover, inviting local nonprofits to share their missions and stories directly with listeners.
Our free weekly Live Music Calendar, created by volunteer DJ Jim Lofgren in 2021, helps connect local musicians, venues, and audiences while keeping Chaffee County's thriving live music scene on the radar for locals and visitors alike.
Behind the scenes, KHEN is powered by two full-time staff members, one part-time staff member, a volunteer Board of Directors, and a dedicated crew of volunteer DJs and community members who keep the station running. From the music on the air to the work happening off the dial, KHEN is a true community effort.
Locally rooted, independently minded, and powered by the people who call this valley home, KHEN is radio made by the community, for the community.
Visit KHEN.org to explore our programming, learn about community events, become a volunteer, or support the station.
Your Neighbor Is on the Air. And Everyone Belongs at Community Radio.
Organization name
KHEN Radio 106.9
other names
KHEN Radio
2003
Tax id (EIN)
80-0027824
Category
Public & Societal Benefit
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Address
123 E. 3rd StMailing
P.O.Box 596Chaffee County, CO, US