Where some see a ‘rural neighborhood watch’ that saves money, others worry about liability and ties to extremism.
In rural Washington, a ‘constitutional sheriff’ and his growing volunteer posse provoke controversy
Befriending wildfire
A new book from Obi Kaufmann illustrates the reciprocal connection between California ecosystems and fire.
The Forest Service is cutting its seasonal workforce and public lands will suffer
Temporary employees warn that important work will go undone all over the country.
The mother-daughter duo fighting fossil fuels in Colorado
How Madhvi and Lalitha Chittoor teamed up against a proposed oil and gas development.
What to read next about Latinos in the 2024 election
Five stories we think you should make time for.
Will exploratory lithium mining continue near a sacred hot spring?
A judge will decide the fate of Ha’Kamwe’ as the Hualapai Nation fights the drilling in court.
On the road with Latino organizers in the swing states of the West
In Nevada and Arizona, Latinos make up nearly a third of all voters. What are they thinking this election year?
El voto indeciso latino
De gira con organizadores en Arizona y Nevada.
Latino voting power is building in Yakima
Activists in central Washington focus on informing voters and getting them to show up to the polls.
Poder latino
En el centro del estado de Washington, los organizadores latinos están promoviendo el voto y eligiendo a sus propios candidatos
The Native vote dilemma
Every election year, Indigenous people grapple with whether and
how to engage in electoral politics.
What the Bundy Bunkerville standoff foreshadowed
Ten years after the impasse between the Bundy family and the BLM, the doctrine of white oppression is widely embraced.
The downballot issues driving the West’s 2024 elections
From climate and public lands to shifting political allegiances, the region faces critical choices at the ballot box.
Wildfires could devastate Butte’s water supply
How officials are working to get ahead of disaster.
Explaining invasive species to toddlers
And involving them in a murderous task.
‘Speaking your truth is difficult’
#iamthewest: Giving voice to the people that make up communities in the region.
Dancing goats, fallen arches, runaway reptiles and a ‘Renaissance Faire Bear’
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Election blues and reds and greens
Democracy lessons from the high country.
