High Country News is seeking a Washington, D.C., correspondent to write about issues critical to the West and the way they play out on the national stage. A generous grant from the Society of Environmental Journalists and SEJ’s Fund for Environmental Journalism makes it possible. We’re looking for a savvy, experienced reporter based in the capital. For details, see hcne.ws/HCN-DCjob.
Last fall, we introduced the annual Bell Prize for young essayists. Named for our founder, Tom Bell, the contest is designed to inspire emerging writers. The winner receives $1,000 in cash, and the runner-up gets $500 worth of outdoor gear courtesy of Mountainsmith. We received more than 60 entries in this year’s contest. Nathaniel Kennon Perkins’ first-place essay was published in our Jan. 19 issue. You can also read it at hcn.org/issues/47.1/the-new-new-west; the runner-up essay, by Daniel Kinka, is at hcn.org/issues/47.1/mesas-and-sky.
A huge thank-you to all of the folks who gave subscriptions to High Country News as gifts this holiday season. We beat our goal of 1,500 gift subscriptions by a whopping 615!
VISITORS
During the dark winter days, not many travelers venture to our western Colorado headquarters. But we always appreciate the few who brave the cold and snow — not that there’s been too much of either so far — to come see us in Paonia!
In late November, Christine Frank dropped by. She’d just moved here from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and writes on the environment.
Bill Sayre from New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania, came to visit his aunt, Lee Overton of Paonia, and they stopped by for a tour. Bill noted how many of the topics we cover relate to issues out East, specifically fracking, pipelines and mining. Lee first came here from Colorado Springs in the mid-’80s and met then-HCN publisher Ed Marston when she was “checking the place out.” Ed advised her to buy a house — a bust in coal production meant the local mines had laid off workers, and homes were cheap.
And back in October, Nate and Liz Johnson visited from Missoula, Montana. Nate is a retired wildlife biologist. They both volunteer a lot for the parks systems and like to travel.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline We’re hiring – in D.C.!.
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