As methamphetamine moves into the small, isolated towns of
the rural West, the waste left by its manufacture pollutes the
environment while the drug's abuse and the traffic in it strain the
resources of local law enforcement and social services.
Magazine

August 14, 2000
As methamphetamine moves into the small, isolated towns of the rural West, the waste left by its manufacture pollutes the environment while the drug's abuse and the traffic in it strain the resources of local law enforcement and social services.
Feature
Sidebar
In his own words, Erec Hopkins describes how he started
injecting - and selling - methamphetamines.
Mike LaScoula, the Spokane County Health District's
chemical and physical hazards advisor, describes the toxic hazards
created when a house is turned into an illegal methamphetamine
lab.
Uncommon Westerners
With the recent untimely death of Marc Reisner, the West
loses a man of independence and integrity, as well as a writer
whose book "Cadillac Desert" helped to change the nation's view of
Western water and water projects.
Essays
A Telluride, Colo., woman, irked by the way some New Age
whites cannibalize Indian spirituality, has taken on the name of
"White Dork" and the totem animal weasel.
In all the hoopla of magazines touting "adventure travel"
and ecotourism, the writer wonders why folks don't consider just
staying home for a change.
Book Reviews
Mary Taylor Young's book, "On the trail of Colorado
Critters," teaches children about how to watch and understand wild
animals.
An EPA report reveals that some children of Washington
state farm workers show elevated levels of pesticide
exposure.
Robert Michael Pyle's book, "Chasing Monarchs: Migrating
with the Butterflies of Passage," follows the colorful insects from
Canada, down to Mexico, and back up to the California coast on
their amazing yearly migration.
Mike Kahn is riding his bike from California to Maine, and
using his laptop computer along the way to educate children about
the natural world that he sees on his journey.
The journals and paintings of four artists who explores
the West after Lewis and Clark will be featured in Idaho.
Forest activists gather for a rally Sept. 15-17 in
Romayor, Texas.
Land protection is the focus of a conference about the
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah on Sept.
15.
Northwest authors will teach their secrets at the Nature
Writers Retreat in Leavenworth, Wash., Sept. 24-27.
Heard Around the West
Narcisse, Canada: home to 70,000 snakes; man regrets
climbing into outdoor potty; Indian tribe plans bowling alley
instead of casino; unscrupulous photographers use technology to
track wolves and bears; Sequim, WA, elk wear collars to alert
m
Dear Friends
Why HCN is writing about meth; good news from HCN's
Writers On The Range and online archives; two HCN parties coming
up: September board meeting in Boise and 30th anniversary in
Boulder.
News
The ski town of Telluride, Colo., is fighting a
developer's plans to build up the Valley Floor, 857 acres of
pasture and wetlands that are currently open space on the highway
leading into town.
Western wildfires rage; Rosebud Sioux Tribe cuts its
planned giant hog farm by half; Dick French is ousted from job in
charge of cleaning up Hanford Nuclear Reservation; Clinton
withdraws support for a Great Sand Dunes National Park.
At Ted Turner's Montana ranch, biologists are trying to
train wolves to stay away from cattle by using shock collars that
jolt the animals when they get too close to a cow or
calf.
Idaho's Grouse Creek Mine was once hailed as
environmentally friendly, but now the mine is closed, and
environmentalists fear the company's plans for draining a leaking
tailings pond may harm fish in the Salmon River.
Due to lead poisoning, Grand Canyon California condors
have been recaptured until officials can track down the
source.
Local farmers are fighting a proposed gravel mine on 550
acres of fertile farmland near the Willamette River north of
Eugene, Oregon.
Visitors to the Snake River in Wyoming avoid the fee-demo
program by donating to the Snake River Fund; the Forest Service
gets the money only after local river-users approve the agency's
river projects.
Southern California is trying to reduce diesel emissions
by turning to cleaner-burning energy sources for public
vehicles.
Near Virginia City, Mont., and throughout the West, small
mines face minimal regulation and oversight, and private landowners
and the state are often left with huge cleanup costs and polluted
streams.
The federal Fish and Wildlife Service is allowing a
Tucson, Ariz., developer to build in habitat critical for the
endangered cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl.
California has cut its landfill waste by 40 percent, and
some give composting the credit.
On Arizona's Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge,
managers are caught between desert bighorn sheep advocates, who say
the animals need human-made waterholes, and others who say that
hauling water by authorized motorized vehicles harms the
wilderness.
National forests across the country are cash-strapped and
hard-pressed to get everyday work done because a greater percentage
of the agency's budget is staying in Washington, D.C.
The Jackson Hole Airport near Grand Teton National Park
has decided to allow some helicopter flights, despite fierce local
objections.
The owners of a golf course at the base of Oregon's Mount
Hood are trying to restore endangered salmon to the stream that
runs through it, the Wee Burn.
Letters
Featured stories
-
DESCHUTES LAND TRUST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Deschutes Land Trust, based in Bend, Oregon, seeks a collaborative and strategic Executive Director to lead us in pursuing our mission: to conserve and care...
-
DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Job Title: Development Manager Supervisor: Senior Director of Development Effective Date: May 17, 2021 Job Status: Full-time (40 hours/week), exempt Location: Within the Colorado Plateau...
-
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT FRIENDS OF CEDAR MESA - The Land, History, and People of the Bears Ears Region - The Bears Ears and Cedar Mesa region is one of the most beautiful,...
-
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Job Title: Executive Director Reports To: Board of Directors Compensation: $75,000 to $80,000, plus generous benefits and paid leave. Funding for relocation expenses available. Classification:...
-
WATER DIRECTOR Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Application review will begin on April 2, 2021 and will continue until the position has been filled....
-
CLIMATE JUSTICE FELLOW High Country News, an award-winning magazine covering the communities and environment of the Western United States, seeks applicants for a climate justice fellowship. The fellowship...
-
VIRGINIA SPENCER DAVIS FELLOWSHIP High Country News, an award-winning magazine covering the communities and environment of the Western United States, is offering a fellowship for early-career journalists interested in...
-
COLORADO WILD PUBLIC LANDS VIDEO CONTEST Please submit your video of 30 seconds or less, taken on public lands, to [email protected] by May 15th for a chance to win in one...
-
WMAN NETWORK COORDINATOR WESTERN MINING ACTION NETWORK (WMAN) CONTRACT OPPORTUNITY CLOSING DATE: Feb. 19, 2021 WMAN is seeking a team member to coordinate the various network activities to...
-
FRIENDS OF THE INYO IS HIRING TRAIL AMBASSADORS FOR THE SUMMER OF 2021 Friends of the Inyo's Trail Ambassadors (TAs) support the Inyo, Sierra, & Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forests and other partners by providing positive public service, outreach, interpretation,...
-
LAND & CABIN ON CO/ UT LINE 18 ac w/small solar ready cabin. Off grid, no well. Great RV location. Surrounded by state wildlife area and nat'l parks.
-
MANAGER PERMACULTURE LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR Permaculture / Landscape Company Manager / Site Lead Red Ant Works, Inc. - 20+ year landscape construction and horticultural care company seeks manager and site...
-
CANYONLANDS FIELD INSTITUTE Field seminars for adults in natural and human history of the Colorado Plateau with lodge, river trip and base camp options. Small groups, guest experts.
-
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER San Juan Citizens Alliance is looking for a passionate, dynamic, organized, and technology-savvy communications professional to help grow our membership and presence in the Four...
-
ENERGY AND CLIMATE PROGRAM ASSOCIATE San Juan Citizens Alliance seeks an Energy and Climate Program Associate to focus on public outreach, education and organizing to advance campaigns to mitigate climate...
-
REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST This position provides professional real estate services and is responsible for managing and completing real estate projects utilizing a project management database that is designed...
-
WILDFIRE MITIGATION SPECIALIST The Wildfire Mitigation Specialist is responsible for delivering wildfire risk mitigation information, recommendations and programmatic resources to wildland urban interface homeowners, community members and partners....
-
DEVELOPMENT POSITIONS Thorne Nature Experience is hiring for a Development Director and Senior Individual Giving Manager. Individuals will work collaboratively with Thorne's Executive Director to develop and...
-
WESTERN NATIVE SEED Native plant seeds for the Western US. Trees, shrubs, grasses, wildflowers and regional mixes. Call or email for free price list. 719-942-3935. [email protected] or visit...
-
THE LAND DESK: A PUBLIC LANDS NEWSLETTER Western lands and communities--in context--delivered to your inbox 3x/week. From award-winning journalist and HCN contributor Jonathan P. Thompson. $6/month; $60/year.