Cindy Wu

How the government shutdown affects national parks The federal government shutdown overnight after Republicans and Democrats failed to reach an agreement to avoid a funding lapse ahead of an Oct. 1 deadline.

“The National Parks Conservation Association warned that national parks will lose up to $1 million in fee revenue for every day the shutdown lasts, and communities outside of the parks could lose up to $80 million in spending from tourists.”

Did a Brooklyn Couple Kill a Neighbor’s Trees for a Better View in Maine?

Did a Brooklyn Couple Kill a Neighbor’s Trees for a Better View in Maine?

“Stephen Antonson, a Brooklyn home furnishings artisan, and his wife, Kathleen Hackett, an interior design writer, are fighting accusations that they poisoned trees on the waterfront property of their 95-year-old neighbor...”

Save Our Signs Campaign Has Amassed Nearly 5,000 Photos Of National Park Signs Tidbits and details of American history, captured in nearly 5,000 photographs, have been amassed in a grassroots campaign launched to memorialize interpretation in the National Park System against the...

Do you have a photo of an interpretive sign you think is at risk for elimination by the Trump administration? If so, please submit it to the Save Our Signs project.

Utah national parks and their gateway towns are feeling a summer tourism slump Visitation is down at all of Utah’s parks, driven by a decline in international visitors. Economic uncertainty and political rhetoric may be keeping them away, with big implications for local economie...

Gateway towns to public lands are feeling the pinch as Trump’s policies scare international visitors away.

“The downturn at Utah’s parks is part of a broader travel trend this summer. It appears to be driven by a dip in international tourism….”

Immigration Agents Arrest Firefighters in Middle of Battling Wildfire Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown is becoming more disturbing by the day.

"For Border Patrol to arrest two firefighters battling a growing wildfire shows once again that President Trump’s immigration crackdown has never been about the dangerous, hardened, criminal murderers he rants about. It’s about keeping America white and free of immigrants from south of the border."

Trump Shrank Staffing of National Parks. See How Many Are Struggling.

The National Park Service has bipartisan support, and yet, the Trump administration has made all these budget cuts and intends to cut even more next year.

'A direct attack': Yosemite employees furious over firing of scientist SJ Joslin is now considering a wrongful termination lawsuit.

NPS employee who hung a transgender pride flag on El Capitan is fired.

The Strange Beauty of New York’s Bodega Ramps

An ode to an everyday object

University of Virginia President Resigns Under Pressure From Trump Administration

University of Virginia President Resigns Under Pressure From Trump Administration

In Joyful Speech, Mamdani Vows to Work for ‘Each and Every New Yorker’

In Joyful Speech, Mamdani Vows to Work for ‘Each and Every New Yorker’

Military Parade Concerns Dissolve With a More Acquiescent Pentagon

"The Army estimates the cost at $25 million to $45 million. But it could be higher because [of]... the cost of cleanup and police.... [I]t comes as the administration seeks to slash funding for education, health and public assistance."

RFK Jr. swam with grandchildren in DC creek with 'high bacteria levels' The NPS explicitly prohibits swimming and wading in Rock Creek, citing health risks from elevated E. coli and other pathogens.

“While the park is enjoyed by millions of visitors each year, NPS encourages them to stay out of the water….

In 2015, the D.C. Department of Energy and the Environment (DEE) found bacteria levels over 2,420 times the most probable number of colonies in 100 milliliters.”

Opinion | Did One of My Students Hate Me So Much They’d Lie to Get Me in Trouble?

“How can I challenge my students to ask hard questions, to follow the research wherever it goes, when I am worried about what might happen to me if I do that? And how can I follow the rules when even university administrators are not always sure of how to interpret them?”

Trump Administration Live Updates: President Denies Posting Image of Himself as the Pope

Top-level gaslighting

What to Know About South Korea President Yoon’s Impeachment Over Martial Law (Gift Article) The country’s Constitutional Court on Friday upheld the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol, dismissing him from office four months after his short-lived imposition of martial law.

Great news for South Korea! Hey, U.S... hint, hint.

I opened an account at Hoosier Hills Credit Union. I mentioned to the account manager that I was avoiding corporate banks because they only care about profit. When she heard this, her eyes lit up. She said she used to work for a bank, and credit unions treat their workers so much better, too.

Israelis Take to Streets Day After Strikes on Gaza (Gift Article) Israeli protests are converging over national security and domestic politics amid concerns about the government’s renewed push to reduce the power of state watchdogs.

"Thousands of Israelis gathered on Wednesday outside the Parliament building in Jerusalem to call for a renewed cease-fire deal in Gaza and to protest political moves by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu..."

Federal Cuts Came to Native Schools. Students Are Livid. (Gift Article) As the Trump administration trims the federal work force, students and educators at Haskell Indian Nations University in Kansas fear for the future of a school that was already facing troubles.

"The student government association president said three of her five instructors had been dismissed.... A senior had wondered whether the university, a sanctum for Native American students shaped by tradition and tragedy, would remain open long enough for him to receive his degree.

A very small church constructed of logs; a sign says "Hickory Grove Church est. 1881."

The inside of a very small church with pews on either side and a lectern and cross at the front

One last set of photos from my day trip to the Hoosier National Forest. Isn't this little church twee? There's so much history preserved here. Thank you to the *federal employees* who make it possible for us to enjoy. Grateful. Sending all my support.

A fire tower in a forest location

A view of treetops from a height

Hickory Ridge fire tower in the Charles Deam Wilderness area of the Hoosier National Forest was built in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. It was an intense experience climbing it during a wind advisory.

An indoor dining area with large windows overlooking a forest environment

Scenic View Restaurant is locally and family-owned. Paying with cash on Economic Blackout Day so the credit card companies don’t get a cut. Come to think of it, I may use cash more often.

I get it. I’m thinking about that as well. Some owners allow you to book direct with them. I anticipate this will be one more common.

Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia joins growing DOGE team under Elon Musk Joe Gebbia is the latest tech guru to join Elon Musk's growing team of staffers within DOGE.

I'm prepared never to book anything on Airbnb ever again.

I’m so glad to be connected with you here.