Magazine

September 3, 2012

Is Senate candidate Denny Rehberg of Montana really who he says he is? Also, looking into refinery safety, air pollution around gas fields, a closer examination of federal land swaps, and more.

Feature

Who is Denny Rehberg, really?

Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg has exploited his family's long Montana history to get where he is today, but his current campaign for Democrat Jon Tester's Senate seat is raising questions about his record and that history.

Ray Ring Sept. 3, 2012 From the print edition

Editor's Note

For Western politicians, roots matter

In the rural West, how deep a candidate's family roots go -- how long they've lived in the area -- sometimes matters more than his or her experience or political opinions.

Paul Larmer Essay Sept. 2, 2012 From the print edition

Current

The Bay Area Chevron explosion shows gaps in refinery safety

Oil refineries pose serious health hazards for nearby residents as well as workers, as the recent explosion in Richmond and other incidents, like one in Sinclair, Wyo., have made clear.

Jeremy Miller Sept. 5, 2012 From the print edition

(Don't) Let it burn

A "temporary" policy change requires Forest Service firefighters to put out fires they might have let burn in previous years, for fear of them raging out of control.

Emily Guerin Sept. 3, 2012 From the print edition

In rural California, a Liberian family finds an agricultural refuge

Guinda, California is home to an unusual multi-ethnic community with a rich African-American farming tradition.

Lauren Markham Sept. 7, 2012 From the print edition

Watching land swaps in Idaho and the West

Federal land exchanges have come under increased scrutiny over the past decade, both from citizen activists and the Government Accountability Office.

Neil LaRubbio Sept. 12, 2012 From the print edition

Cracking the ozone code in Utah's gas fields

Can gas drilling and clean air co-exist?

Cally Carswell Sept. 10, 2012 From the print edition

Essays

Gathering strength from the Continental Divide

A summer in the Rocky Mountains helps a child learn to stand up against the bullies in her life.

Jane Koerner Essay Sept. 14, 2012 From the print edition

Book Reviews

Book note: Valley of Shadows and Dreams

Melanie Light's thoughtful essays, accompanied by the evocative black-and-white photographs of her husband, Ken Light, portray a dark and yet hauntingly beautiful California in Valley of Shadows and Dreams.

Staff Sept. 3, 2012 From the print edition

Return to innocence: A review of Queen of America

In Luis Alberto Urrea's sequel to The Hummingbird's Daughter, the author continues his imagined story of his legendary Great-aunt Teresita, who was known as the Saint of Cabora.

Kathleen Yale Sept. 3, 2012 From the print edition

A parent lost and found: A review of Descanso for My Father: Fragments of a Life

Harrrison Candelaria Fletcher tries to trace his family history -- particularly the life of his father, who died when he was almost two, in his new book.

Jenny Shank Sept. 3, 2012 From the print edition