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
- Meet the influencer of the California condor world
- Cultural extraction at the edge of the abyss
- Gold country: A precious metal, a mining mega-corp and a captive workforce
- Indigenous feminism flows through the fight for water rights on the Rio Grande
- Building equity into the renewable energy transition
Featured stories
-
UNIQUE, ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOME ON ACREAGE NEAR MOSCOW, IDAHO Custom-built energy-efficient 3000 sqft two-story 3BR home, 900 sqft 1 BR accessory cottage above 2-car garage and large shop. Large horse barn. $1,200,000. See online...
-
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE BUSINESS FOR SALE Missoula Outdoor Learning Adventures (MOLA) - established and profitable outdoor adventure & education business in Missoula, Montana. Summer camp, raft & climb guide, teen travel,...
-
STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR Join Skagit Land Trust (the Trust), a not-for-profit conservation organization based in Mount Vernon, Washington, and help protect land for people and wildlife. Skagit Land...
-
2022 SEASONAL SCIENCE EDUCATOR The Mount St. Helens Institute Science Educator supports our science education and rental programs including day and overnight programs for youth ages 6-18, their families...
-
POLICY DIRECTOR Heart of the Rockies Initiative is seeking a Policy Director to lead and define policy efforts to advance our mission to keep working lands and...
-
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Self-Help Enterprises seeks an experienced and strategic CFO
-
CONSERVATION SPECIALIST - LAND PROTECTION FOCUS View full job description and how to apply at
-
RIVER EDUCATOR & GUIDE River Educator & Guide River Educator & Guide (Trip Leader) Non-exempt, Seasonal Position: Full-time OR part-time (early April through October; may be flexible with start/end...
-
LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION DIRECTOR The Land and Water Conservation Director is a full-time salaried position with the Mountain Area Land Trust in Evergreen, CO. The successful candidate will have...
-
FOOD SYSTEMS ENVIRONMENTAL FELLOWSHIP If you were to design a sustainable society from the ground up, it would look nothing like the contemporary United States. But what would it...
-
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust (RiGHT) is seeking an Executive Director who will lead RiGHT toward a future of continued high conservation impact, organizational...
-
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER 
Help protect Montana's water quality, family farms and ranches, & unique quality of life. Work hard, meet good people, make the world a better place!...
-
VERDE RIVER PROJECTS TECHNICIAN The Verde River Projects Technician (VRPT) provides technical assistance to Verde River Program staff in implementation of the Verde River Streamflow Monitoring Protocol. This consist...
-
8 FIELD PROJECT SPECIALISTS (POSITION FORMERLY TITLED TRAIL CREW TECHNICAL ADVISOR) Are you passionate about environmental conservation and connecting people to the outdoors? The Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) is looking for someone with outdoor leadership...
-
SOUTHWEST REWILDING ADVOCATE WildEarth Guardians is seeking a full-time advocate in our Wild Places Program to advance a new paradigm of forest management and protection based on the...
-
NEW BOOK: True Wildlife Tales From Boy to Man. Finding my voice to save wildlife in the Apache spirit. 365+ vivid colorful pictures. Buy on Amazon/John Wachholz
-
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER with Rural Community Assistance Corporation. Apply here: https://www.marcumllp.com/executive-search/chief-operations-officer-rcac
-
CARPENTER WANTED CARPENTER WANTED. Come to Ketchikan and check out the Rainforest on the coast, Hike the shorelines, hug the big trees, watch deer in the muskeg...
-
WATER PROJECT MANAGER, UPPER SAN PEDRO (ARIZONA)
Based in Tucson or Sierra Vista, AZ., the Upper San Pedro Project Manager develops, manages, and advances freshwater conservation programs, plans, and methods focusing on...
-
WADE LAKE CABINS, CAMERON MT A once in a lifetime opportunity to live and run a business on the shore of one of the most beautiful lakes in SW Montana....
