Blooms can still be found in the West’s news desert.
Washington
Posted inDecember 24, 2018: Good news, bad news
Where the news is drying up — and where it’s not
Rural areas can be hit hardest, but many small-town papers persevere.
Posted inArticles
Native Americans are under-reported in opioid overdose data
Misclassification of race on death certificates underestimated opioid and heroin overdose deaths among Native Americans by 40 percent in Washington state.
Posted inDecember 10, 2018: Critical Mass
There’s no easy fix for our nuclear past
At Washington’s Hanford nuclear site, failing infrastructure and make-do plans as the West prepares for a new round of radioactivity.
Posted inArticles
The Tulalip Tribes bet big on beavers
In western Washington, a nation looks to rodent restoration as a natural, ecological engineer.
Posted inNovember 26, 2018: Follow the fish
Reproachful roommate; a deceased politician is victorious; helpful hiker
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Posted inNovember 12, 2018: Old Wests, and new
A push for inclusivity in Seattle’s book publishing scene
‘The books are only as valuable as the community around them.’
Posted inNovember 12, 2018: Old Wests, and new
A voice for the overlooked
Writer Jonathan Evison flips the American Dream narrative upside-down.
Posted inNovember 12, 2018: Old Wests, and new
Reforestation and remeandering in Leopold’s bootsteps
A new book follows a family’s mission to heal the land.
Posted inArticles
In the West, climate action falters on the ballot
While climate-focused candidates won key races in the region, ballot initiatives to limit fossil fuels’ effects failed.
Posted inOctober 29, 2018: When your neighborhood goes BOOM
Elaborate hoaxes; respect in Rifle; lost lovers
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Posted inArticles
The impermanence of wonder and whales
A writer comes to grips with the plight of the Puget Sound orca.
Posted inArticles
Guest farmworkers find their voices in Washington state
Will a string of strikes by agriculture’s ‘most vulnerable workers’ end in new common ground or a crackdown?
Posted inArticles
Interior Department issues order to avoid settlements
Critics say the decree will slow down the implementation of enacted laws.
Posted inArticles
Reckoning with History: When we overcame political division
50 years ago, a functional Congress enacted four important conservation bills.
Posted inOctober 29, 2018: When your neighborhood goes BOOM
Volunteer scientists study flowers to battle climate dread
The data they’re collecting is helping researchers evaluate how ecosystems change.
Posted inArticles
Activists want to remove Seattle’s iconic totem poles
Opponents say the art fixtures misrepresent the local Native community.
Posted inArticles
Citizens put renewable energy on this year’s ballots
Across several states, voter-driven initiatives rein in oil-and-gas development while promoting wind and solar.
Posted inSeptember 17, 2018: The Pioneer of Ruin
A toilet project; carpet-bombing trout; the ick factor
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Posted inAugust 31, 2018: The Big Threat to Bighorns
A thirsty bear; salmon snafu; gastropod wranglers
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.