Gretchen King

The dismantling of the Forest Service - High Country News The Trump administration’s plans would remake the agency and public lands. The deadline to comment is Sept. 30.

You might have gripes with the @forestservice.bsky.social but it looks like the Trump administration has more with plans for radical overhauls. You have until 9/30 to comment. @landdesk.bsky.social analyzes what's going on for @highcountrynews.org www.hcn.org/articles/tru...

How a Utah wildfire created its own tornado - High Country News Firefighters were caught in a pyro-vortex last month on the Deer Creek Fire.

You know you want to know about 🔥firenandos🔥 @thatsmohrlikeit.bsky.social looks into what created one in Utah for @highcountrynews.org complete with WILD VIDEO www.hcn.org/articles/how...

Who controls food in the West? - High Country News Consolidation, shifting politics, water rights and the myth of the cowboy all play into the region’s ability to feed itself.

Buckle up for an in-depth overview about who controls our food (& you wondered why it was so expensive) w/amazing of #infographic by @jbrookelarsen.bsky.social & Nick Underwood for @highcountrynews.org www.hcn.org/issues/57-9/...

#journalists: what in-article newsletter signup widget don't you hate? You know, it encourages folks to sign up, but doesn't interrupt the story too much? Screenshots appreciated 🙏

In rural New Mexico, kids paint a sonic portrait of their ghost town - High Country News Madrid was once a booming coal town. At radio camp, its youngest inhabitants had big questions about its past — and present.

Can I sing the praises of @annierosenthal.bsky.social more? Yes, yes I can. This story will make your heart grow 3X 💓 💓 💓 complete w/ wonderful youth and audio (for @highcountrynews.org). www.hcn.org/articles/in-...

The race to protect homes from speculators post-wildfire  - High Country News Around the West, community land trusts are helping people recover from disaster — and prepare for the next one.

How can Altadenans & those displaced from LA's wildfires protect their communities from opportunists? @annierosenthal.bsky.social provides a community land trust 101 for @highcountrynews.org
www.hcn.org/articles/the...

@sammyroth.bsky.social I live within spitting distance of the Taylor! I'm sorry I didn't know you were here, but I may know your raft guide. Great convo with @landdesk.bsky.social too

The West's data centers suck (water and power) - High Country News From simple searches to chatGPT, the big digital buildup threatens the grid and water supplies.

You know what sucks? Data centers. I mean, they do... @landdesk.bsky.social analyzes why for @highcountrynews.org www.hcn.org/issues/57-8/...

Western states step up to save their wetlands - High Country News The West’s vital wetlands are in trouble — but states are working to safeguard them.

aaaand the link: www.hcn.org/issues/57-7/...

In stressful times, what do the plants and animals have to say? - High Country News The time-honored tradition of humans looking to the natural world can help us survive difficult times.

Sometimes you should just stand like an Oregon white oak or embrace the coyote's vocal self. Anna V. Smith looks into how Western wildlife might help humans cope in these times for @highcountrynews.org GORGEOUS illios too
www.hcn.org/articles/in-...

Mass layoffs can move forward, with devastating impacts for conservation and science - High Country News ‘Shortsighted’ cuts could eliminate bird banding program, federal bee research and much more.

Federal layoffs are likely to move ahead quickly, with major impacts on conservation and science.

buff.ly/XieVRNB

Senate Republicans want to sell 3 million acres of public land - High Country News The majority of public land is too fire prone and far away from communities to even make sense for housing, research shows.

Public lands sales in vogue again www.hcn.org/articles/sen...

What defunding public media would mean for the West - High Country News Data show that rural, tribal and Western stations would be the most impacted by Trump’s attempt to cut CPB funding.

Hover over your state to see what Trump's request to cut >$1B from public broadcaster funding might mean. @annierosenthal.bsky.social & @chadebradley.bsky.social report for @highcountrynews.org #infographic www.hcn.org/articles/wha...

‘Nobody wants a robot to read them a story!’ The creatives and academics rejecting AI – at work and at home Is artificial intelligence coming for everyone’s jobs? Not if this lot have anything to do with it

“Whenever you look anything up now you’re basically torching the planet.” Emine Saner has been covering AI for @theguardian.com very well, and this piece nails it. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

USGS’ biological research arm could vanish next week - High Country News Trump is on a multipronged mission to eliminate a science agency that conservationists, toxicologists, universities and more call irreplaceable.

Scientists at USGS don't know if they'll have jobs on Monday. The Bee Lab, Bird Banding Lab, national maps showing where contaminants are and many other important research is at risk. Sarah Trent reports for @highcountrynews.org www.hcn.org/articles/usg...

New alfalfa strain sucks your soul away alongside all Colorado River water - High Country News Your weekly Westy reality check.

I knew the plant was bad but … www.hcn.org/articles/new...

My husband requires that his college students write BY HAND in class for exams now. It can be even be open book, but they can't cut-n-paste. At least something's getting in...

The toll of Bozeman’s housing crisis - High Country News At the small city’s only emergency shelter, demand is higher and the work is harder than ever.

At the small city’s only emergency shelter, demand is higher and the work is harder than ever. “If you build it, they will come. And come, and come.”
@thesundaylongread.bsky.social www.hcn.org/issues/57-5/...

Joshua Powell, 41, lives in his car even during sub-zero weather. Here, he uses his car door to clear away snow so he can climb into and out of the vehicle. Photo by Will Warasila for High Country News

Hard but important #longread from @nickbowlin.bsky.social about Bozeman, Montana. "We see the culmination of a mental health crisis, housing crisis, a wage crisis, a drug crisis.” For @highcountrynews.org www.hcn.org/issues/57-5/...

The Cybertruck is all tricks and no truck, a musky Tesla fail - High Country News The Cybertruck is nothing but a baking sheet on wheels that's riding to recall lane toward a dead end.

The Cybertruck "voids the deeper truck experience, severing the vital connections that bond truck-driving humans: wood hauls, fishing and camping trips." Enjoy a laugh w @shaun505.bsky.social latest for @highcountrynews.org www.hcn.org/issues/57-5/...

Immigrants feel hope, hate and hunted - High Country News Under the Trump administration, immigrants across the West worry for their safety.

The simple act of trying to take your son to the park has immigrants worried about their safety. @jankcurbelo.bsky.social shares his experiences in this chilling essay for @highcountrynews.bsky.social www.hcn.org/articles/imm...

Hi! #journorequest here: For HCN, I'm looking to speak with #federal scientists from the West who are preparing for #fieldwork this upcoming season. How has the federal chaos affect your planning?

I'd be happy to offer anonymity. You can reach me at shien.kim@hcn.org or via Signal @shienkim.1721.

The subversive power of Spanish-language radio - High Country News For decades, immigrant communities have used the airwaves to educate and protect themselves in times of crisis.

For @highcountrynews.bsky.social, I wrote about the long history of Spanish-language radio as a subversive tool for protecting immigrant communities in the U.S. — from Depression-era Los Angeles to rural Washington State in the 1980s and Arizona today.

www.hcn.org/articles/the...

The murder, the museum and the monument - High Country News How the discovery of a long-lost monument shattered trust between a Japanese American community and the museum built to preserve its history.

A patch of dusty land and a few stones, half-buried, set the stage for a dramatic, emotional story about unearthing the past. But as @korisuzuki.com points out, this is no Indiana Jones tale. It's far more real. @jacobfeldman.bsky.social's favorite www.hcn.org/issues/57-4/...

The horses and mules that moved mountains and hearts - High Country News U.S. Forest Service stock animals are indispensable to trail work on public lands in the West. Trump’s radical upheaval is accelerating the death of a dying art.

Mules & horses have long been partners w/ @forestservice.bsky.social, especially for use in wilderness areas. With recent DOGE chaos, it's not clear what will happen to the animals. @goesbykim.bsky.social reports for @highcountrynews.bsky.social www.hcn.org/articles/the...

I understand that "-ai" is a good option too

Learned today: If you also hate how google automatically puts AI search results up top, you can get rid of it! Just add "no ai" as part of your search. (for ex, "what is the farm bill" vs "what is the farm bill no ai")

LIFE CHANGING

h/t Emily Benson 💚

How U.S. guns fuel violence south of the border - High Country News As Trump pressures Mexico to address drugs and migration, an expert says "border security" goes both ways.

Lots of talk about border security, but there's one big issue often left out of the convo: guns. @annierosenthal.bsky.social talks w/anthropologist Ieva Jusionyte about the current SCOTUS case & much more for @highcountrynews.bsky.social www.hcn.org/articles/how...

📣 Starting now, @HighCountryNews will provide free digital access to all of our reporting to any federal employee, including those who have recently lost jobs due to government layoffs. 📣

The Trump administration is trying to fire the ‘backbone’ of wildland firefighting - High Country News Last month’s terminations cut employees who serve critical support roles on fires.

You thought fighting wildfire was tough before? With Trump terminations, it's gonna be a whole lot harder. @thatsmohrlikeit.bsky.social reports for @highcountrynews.bsky.social www.hcn.org/articles/the...