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INNOVATE, Part III

Westerners have a knack for new and innovative thinking, such as: Redefining rancher politics, A rediscovered renewable, Creating public nooks and crannies and more.

by Marty Durlin, Ray Ring, Sandra Tassel, Sarah Gilman, Terray Sylvester, Jennifer Anderson , Mar 12, 2009
INNOVATE, Part II

Westerners have a knack for new and innovative thinking: Green detective, Healthcare for the hard up, Developing to stop development, Low carbon brews and more.

by Jodi Peterson, Ray Ring, Terray Sylvester, Jonathan Thompson, , Mar 10, 2009
INNOVATE, Part I

Westerners have a knack for new and innovative thinking, as this special issue of HCN shows.

by Ray Ring, Tom Beal, Emily Underwood, Terray Sylvester, Sarah Gilman, Mar 09, 2009
A desert poet takes his work inside

Poet Richard Shelton has run writing workshops in Arizona prisons for more than 30 years.

by Ray Ring , Mar 06, 2009
True tests of 'Stay and Defend'

Australia’s recent fires may have scorched “Stay and Defend,” a firefighting strategy American Westerners had thought of emulating. Also: Birds are shifting their winter range.

by Ray Ring , Feb 25, 2009
Red light, green light

After years of stalemate and fighting, enviros are gaining ground under Obama. Also: Unemployment rates are ranked in the Western states.

by Ray Ring, Feb 12, 2009
Don’t trust this Texas billionaire

T. Boone Pickens is now boosting alternative energy, but Ray Ring trusts him about as far as he could throw a modern-day wind turbine.

by Ray Ring , Jan 29, 2009
No news is bad news

The media’s economic crisis is hitting the West particularly hard, with major daily newspapers up for sale. Also: Chicago businessman watches nature via computer.

by Ray Ring , Jan 29, 2009
Political guns

Every winter, Yellowstone park rangers risk their lives dynamiting avalanches so snowmobile tourists can get across Sylvan Pass.

by Ray Ring , Jan 29, 2009
The West goes to Washington

Barack Obama is bringing Westerners to Washington, including Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano to run Homeland Security, and Cabinet picks Ken Salazar, Hilda Solis and Steven Chu.

by Ray Ring , Jan 19, 2009
Western wish list for Obama

Eleven key Westerners speak with HCN about their hopes and worries for an Obama administration.

by Ray Ring, Dec 22, 2008
On Obama's coattails

Western Democrats have reason to celebrate the 2008 election, but the old conservative West has not disappeared.

by Ray Ring , Nov 21, 2008
Prophets and politics

The Mormon Church works to ban gay marriage in California, even as gay people in places like Rexburg, Idaho, come out of the LDS closet.

by Ray Ring , Oct 20, 2008
Audio: Politics on planet Idaho

Just how bad or good are Idaho's environmental politics? On September 18, High Country News gathered Idaho politicians and environmentalists for a lively exploration of these questions.

by Ray Ring, Oct 07, 2008
Democrats borrow from Madison Avenue

Denver offers an iconic Western backdrop and the message that "this is not your father's party."

by Ray Ring, Aug 19, 2008
Obama's Western ace in the hole

Jim Messina, who hails from Montana, is the chief of staff for Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

by Ray Ring, Aug 11, 2008
A fractured party

The Grand Old Party will either find a new life – or court self-destruction – in the West today, where moderates and hard-liners are battling over conservation issues.

by Ray Ring, Jul 21, 2008
Solar flip-flops and fish stories

BLM flip-flops on solar and expedites oil and gas; Western Governors’ Association talks about energy; more fossil fuel risks; good (and bad) salmon news.

by Ray Ring, Jul 20, 2008
Bears saved from the 'burbs

Finding room for grizzly bears through the Montana Legacy Project.

by Ray Ring, Jul 18, 2008
Two weeks in the West

Bush administration finally acknowledges reality of global warming; Montana politics; Yucca Mountain 8,000-page application turned in; J.R. Simplot dies; Telluride wins fight over open space.

by Ray Ring, Jun 23, 2008