Despite the recent tragedy in Tucson, a sense of community blooms in the West, often in unlikely soil.
Items by Ray Ring
High Country News reporter Matt Jenkins gets his boots muddy writing about California's crazy water politics in the Bay Delta.
Oklahoma Republican Sens. Tom Coburn and Jim Inhofe have a way of riding roughshod over the West's environmental politics.
Oklahoma isn't part of the West, but its two Republican senators have an enormous influence on the region.
Wyoming's popular Democratic Gov. Dave Freudenthal is carefully staying out of the race between his wannabe successors, Leslie Petersen and Matt Mead.
Right-wingers ousted wilderness-dealmaker Sen. Bob Bennett in the Republican primary, and now anti-wilderness Mike Lee will probably take his place in the Senate.
A Montana populist, Ken Toole, tries to keep his seat on the Public Service Commission, while other key races involve wealthy hunters and the state Supreme Court.
The West has known extremist politics before, but we usually seem to end up tacking pretty close to the center.
Pro-business, semi-green Democratic Rep. Walt Minnick has a good chance of keeping his seat, while Idaho's Republican Party fractures over a loyalty oath.
A number of recent books warn of the deadly consequences of climate change.
High Country News' founder, Tom Bell, marks our 40th anniversary with a grim prediction: The West -- and the world -- are doomed.
They're in a national movement to guarantee profits on milk.
A pro-wolf ruling by Montana Judge Don Molloy provokes accusations that he's a "nutzoid" greenie, but he doesn't always side with environmentalists.
Young people dressed in graduation caps and gowns protest for immigration reform.
Brief descriptions of some notable arson wildfire cases in the West in the last 50 years.
Most Western wildfires today are caused by humans, either accidentally or deliberately.
High Country News will continue to cover important Western issues, and yet make room for lighter pieces about the region's culture and communities.
During the Western Governors' Association meeting in Whitefish, Mont., journalists and dignitaries flew over the threatened landscape around Glacier National Park.
The toll of the asbestos disaster in Libby, Mont., keeps growing.
Western eccentrics are found underwater as well as in the high country.
The tragic BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico could help the environmental movement, if greens act wisely.
'Top two' ballot measure may reduce power of hardliners in each party.
A decade-old Yellowstone management plan isn't doing much for wandering bison, or for the ranchers it's meant to protect.
Determined ideologues are hijacking Western politics, but some reformers are trying to change that.
A couple of hitherto-unknown bees are discovered in Nevada -- just two of the many new species found every year.
High Country News remembers Stewart Udall, the legendary Interior secretary.
The West leads the way on medical marijuana.
Many environmental groups are seeing a changing of the guard, epitomized by 38-year-old activist Mike Brune's new job as head of the Sierra Club.
The Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States isn't as reasonable as it appears.
The Supreme Court's precedent-overturning ruling allowing more corporate money in politics raises the possibility that it plans to tackle the Commerce Clause next.
Featured stories
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COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH ASSOCIATE Communications and Outreach Associate Position Opening: www.westernlaw.org/communications-outreach-associate ************************************************* Location: Western U.S., ideally in one of WELC's existing office locations (Santa Fe or Taos, NM, Helena,...
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FREELANCE GRAPHIC DESIGNER & PROJECT COORDINATOR (REMOTE) High Country News (HCN) is seeking a contract Graphic Designer & Project Coordinator to design promotional, marketing and fund-raising assets and campaigns, and project-manage them...
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FILM AND DIGITAL MEDIA: ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF INDIGENOUS MEDIA, CULTURAL SOVEREIGNTY AND DECOLONIZATION (INITIAL REVIEW 12.1.21) Film and Digital Media: Assistant Professor of Indigenous Media, Cultural Sovereignty and Decolonization (Initial Review 12.1.21) Position overview Position title: Assistant Professor - tenure-track Salary...
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REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST 
To learn more about this position and to apply please go to the following URL.
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ENVIRONMENTAL GEOPHYSICS "More Data, Less Digging" Find groundwater and reduce excavation costs!
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RARE CHIRICAHUA RIPARIAN LAND FOR SALE 40 acres: 110 miles from Tucson: native trees, grasses: birder's heaven::dark sky/ borders state lease & National forest/5100 ft/13-16 per annum rain
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CENTRAL PARK CULTURAL RESOURCE SPECIALIST Agency: Oregon Parks and Recreation Department Salary Range: $5,203 - $7,996 Position Title: Central Park Cultural Resource Specialist Do you have a background in Archaeology...
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STAFF ATTORNEY Come live and work in one of the most beautiful places in the world! As our Staff Attorney you will play a key role in...
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ARIZONA GRAZING CLEARINGHOUSE
Dedicated to preventing the ecological degradation caused by livestock grazing on Arizona's public lands, and exposing the government subsidies that support it.
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OPERATIONS MANAGER Position Summary: Friends of the Inyo (friendsoftheinyo.org) is seeking a new Operations Manager. The Operations Manager position is a full-time permanent position that reports directly...
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WATER RIGHTS BUREAU CHIEF
Water Rights Bureau Chief, State of Montana, DNRC, Water Resources Division, Helena, MT Working to support and implement the Department's mission to help ensure that...
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The Amargosa Conservancy (AC), a conservation nonprofit dedicated to standing up for water and biodiversity in the Death Valley region, seeks an executive director to...
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DEVELOPMENT & OUTREACH ASSOCIATE Southeast Alaska Conservation Council is hiring! Who We Are: The Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (SEACC) is a small grassroots nonprofit based out of Juneau, Alaska,...
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DESERT LANDS ORGANIZER Position Summary: Friends of the Inyo seeks a Desert Lands Organizer to assist with existing campaigns that will defend lands in the California desert, with...
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IDAHO CONSERVATION LEAGUE Want to help preserve Idaho's land, water, and air for future generations? Idaho Conservation League currently has 3 open positions. We are looking for a...
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LUNATEC ODOR-FREE DISHCLOTHS are a must try. They stay odor-free, dry fast, are durable and don't require machine washing. Try today.
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EVENTS AND ANNUAL FUND COORDINATOR The Events and Annual Fund Coordinator is responsible for managing and coordinating the Henry's Fork Foundation's fundraising events for growing the membership base, renewing and...
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EDUCATION DIRECTOR Position Description: The Education Director is the primary leader of Colorado Canyons Association's (CCA) education programs for students and adults on the land and rivers...
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10 ACRES OF NEW MEXICO HIGH DESERT
10 Acres of undeveloped high desert land in central NM, about 45 minutes from downtown Albuquerque. Mixed cedar and piñon pine cover. Some dirt roadways...
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WATERSHED RESTORATION DIRECTOR $58k-$70k + benefits to oversee watershed restoration projects that fulfill our strategic goals across urban and rural areas within the bi-national Santa Cruz and San...
