Items by John Mecklin

An improbable candidate runs in Arizona
An improbable candidate runs in Arizona
You've probably never even heard of John Dougherty, the dauntless Democratic journalist who hopes to challenge John McCain for U.S. Senate.
John Mecklin Opinion Essay Aug. 17, 2010
Bordering on crazy
The ill-conceived attempt to fence as much as possible of the U.S.-Mexico border will have disastrous impacts on wildlife, including Arizona’s elusive jaguars.
John Mecklin Opinion Oct. 15, 2007 From the print edition
Effluent, effluent everywhere
A recent turbidity crisis in Paonia resulted in the issuance of a “boil order,” which reminded us locals how precious clean water is in the arid West.
John Mecklin Opinion Sept. 17, 2007 From the print edition
Letter imperfect
Some of the more heated responses to Ray Ring’s gun story show a certain ignorance of general constitutional principles, but HCN loves letters and is already looking forward to readers’ reactions to the current issue’s story on carbon sequestration.
John Mecklin Opinion Sept. 3, 2007 From the print edition
Ready, aim, compromise
With this issue on guns in the West, High Country News hopes to encourage people across the political spectrum to talk about sane gun policy rather than indulge in rabid rhetorical gunplay
John Mecklin Opinion Aug. 6, 2007 From the print edition
Global charming
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s belief that he can save the planet through hydrogen power is much like one of his movie performances – entertaining, charismatic and ultimately unrealistic
John Mecklin Opinion July 23, 2007 From the print edition
Cow feed from Planet 9
Genetically modified crops may not be the sci-fi monsters their foes believe, but it makes sense for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to begin to regulate them seriously
John Mecklin Opinion June 11, 2007 From the print edition
A common problem
There’s a great diversity among American Indians, but the tribes share some of the same tragic ills that plague the rest of society – particularly those caused by methamphetamine abuse
John Mecklin Opinion May 28, 2007 From the print edition
Offline
President Bush’s No Child Left Behind policy is generally a good thing, but it needs to take into account the growing number of often-inadequate and under-supervised online schools
John Mecklin Opinion April 30, 2007 From the print edition
It tolls for us
The energy boom in the Rocky Mountain West has been shadowed by a much darker boom: a frightening rise in death and serious injury
John Mecklin Opinion April 2, 2007 From the print edition
Have bee, will travel
This issue of High Country News features Hannah Nordhaus on the challenges facing a Western migratory beekeeper and his hives of pollinating bees.
John Mecklin Opinion March 19, 2007 From the print edition
We're Honored
HCN’s Ray Ring wins the 2006 George Polk Award for Political Reporting for his story, “Taking Liberties.”
John Mecklin March 5, 2007 From the print edition
Border Patrol Whack-a-Mole
The United States needs genuine immigration reform instead of the politically motivated shouting match that has taken the place of reasonable debate.
John Mecklin Opinion Feb. 19, 2007 From the print edition
Against the current
For a long time, the West used water as if the supply were endless, but nowadays environmentalists are finding that too much efficiency causes problems of its own, especially in fragile ecosystems like the Colorado River Delta.
John Mecklin Opinion Feb. 5, 2007 From the print edition
Dear Friends
HCN hosts panel discussion in Berkeley about the West’s political future; notes from readers Mark Salvo and Michael Green.
John Mecklin and Erin Halcomb Feb. 5, 2007 From the print edition
Schooling, fish
Judge Jim Redden is right to push the Bush administration on salmon restoration, but fish may end up faring as poorly in courtrooms as San Francisco’s schoolchildren did after well-intentioned decisions on busing.
John Mecklin Opinion Jan. 22, 2007 From the print edition
Whistling in the park
Whistleblowing is not as romantic as Woodward’s "Deep Throat" makes it sound, but the retired public servants who make up the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees are doing valuable work, blowing the whistle for the sake of the national parks
John Mecklin Opinion Dec. 11, 2006 From the print edition
Doing something about 'anything'
In this issue, Ray Ring offers a top 10 list on the midterm elections and reminds Westerners that the newly empowered Democrats in Congress are still not the sole arbiters of environmental policy
John Mecklin Opinion Nov. 27, 2006 From the print edition
High Country News Classifieds