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Ashley AhearnAllison Burke has four mustangs at her place on the reservation of the Spokane Tribe of Indians in Northeastern Washington. All four are from Native American reservations in the Northwest. -
Ashley AhearnI remember the first time my mustang, Boo, bucked me off. We were riding along through the sagebrush, following a cowboy friend of mine, Dave Johnston. I wouldn’t let Boo put his head down to munch the spring grass, so he threw a temper tantrum. I stayed on for maybe four or five good bucks, but then he dumped me.
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Biden Administration officials have been visiting the West a lot to promote spending packages like the Inflation Reduction Act. They’ve already directed more than $50 billion to the region. But it's unclear if rural residents care. -
Chronic wasting disease has been confirmed within the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park for the first time. A mule deer that died in mid-October near Yellowstone Lake tested positive for the always-fatal disease.
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Big game herds can travel hundreds of miles between their summer and winter ranges. That means they often cross neighborhoods, highways, and fences – hazards that could increase as the Mountain West faces further development pressures.
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A long running effort to permanently boost pay for thousands of federal wildland firefighters is finally gaining traction in Congress but fire managers warn it could be too little too late.
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The “Tenants for Turns” program offers incentives to landlords who rent to Aspen Skiing Company employees, with benefits like a free ski pass, a bundle of lift tickets, or a $1,500 gift certificate. One landlord-tenant pair shares their experience with the program in this audio postcard.
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The study also finds inequities in the delivery of federal benefits for Indigenous miners in the western U.S. who are suffering from lung disease. It's helping to shine a light on an under-researched subject.
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The U.S. Constitution bans slavery except as punishment for a crime. A growing number of states have tried to address this in their own constitutions, but prisoners say the only change is on paper.
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Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told Western governors this week that he’s concerned about consolidation in food production. Farm sector income reached record highs in 2022, but the number of farms continues to decline, and the average farm size is increasing.
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The Nature Conservancy has been working with prescribed fire for years, often with federal agencies like the U.S. Forest Service. Leaders say a new multiyear agreement with the USFS and other recent developments will help get more beneficial fire on the ground and could serve as a model for expanding prescribed fire efforts across the region.
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The federally created Not Invisible Act Commission is calling for a “decade of action and healing” to address the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons. The commission released a 212-page report with recommendations.
