Researchers study black swifts in Glacier National Park, Montana, in 2018. Cuts to the Park Service means the parks are missing out on species monitoring data. This story was originally published by High Country News and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk Collaboration. Stories of struggle flow unceasingly from our public lands…
Read more
False hope from the Epstein battle Re: “Trump slams his supporters over Epstein ‘hoax’,” July 17 news story If there’s one thing everyone ought to know by now, it’s that President Donald Trump never suffers for his infidelities and other misconduct. There’s no doubt in my mind that Elon Musk is orchestrating the current coup…
Read more
This story was originally published by Grist and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. For 25 years, a group of the country’s top experts has been fastidiously tracking the ways that climate change threatens every part of the United States. Their findings informed the National Climate Assessments, a series of congressionally…
Read more
Government leaders need to get off wrong side of history and gain new perspective In the book “Mark Twain” by Ron Chernow, I found the perfect explanation for why many people conformed to “the terrifying power of the environment to shape and distort human behavior.” He was referencing the justification of slavery by so many…
Read more
Too fragile to understand our history? Re: “Signs posted seen as threats to ‘whitewash’ dark side of history,” June 28 news story The term “snowflake” is often used to insult political liberals. With the power invested in me as a U.S. citizen, I nominate President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Bergum our Snowflakes in…
Read more
Sisters Emilee and Natalee De Santiago sit together on the front porch of what remains of their home on January 19, 2025, in Altadena, California. In the wake of the record-breaking wildfires in Los Angeles in January — some of the most expensive and destructive blazes in history — one of the first things California…
Read more
A home along the Broad River that was ripped apart by Hurricane Helene’s floodwaters. HENDERSON COUNTY, North Carolina — Once again, I found myself staring at a crack in a large rock on the side of a mountain. It was June, and rainy, and I was searching for a glossy amphibian called the Hickory Nut Gorge…
Read more
The humane choice: Assisted suicide was a blessing for brother Re: “Disabled people in the state need support, not a prescription to die,” July 6 commentary I’ve always been a proponent of assisted suicide, but after reading Krista Kafer’s opinion on it, I can’t help but wonder if she’s ever actually had any real-life experience…
Read more
CU Regents need to commit to priorities Re: “University of Colorado: Following investigation, board censures Regent Wanda James,” July 3 news story Having spent 19 of my 30-plus years advocating for access to higher education, I am deeply troubled by the University of Colorado Board of Regents’ decision to censor Regent Wanda James. This action…
Read more
Disappointment in lawmakers expressed after ‘The One Big, Beautiful Bill’ passage Re: “GOP milestone: House gives final approval in tight vote to Trump’s big tax bill,” July 4 news story While Republicans claim that their “The One Big Beautiful Bill” will strengthen Medicaid by eliminating the usual waste, fraud, and abuse, it is more telling…
Read more