Decreased federal assistance has caused a dearth in affordable housing.
California
Posted inArticles
West Obsessed: Rural discontent feeds the desire for a 51st state
A discussion on the State of Jefferson, a California movement renewed under Trump.
Posted inMarch 5, 2018: Drilling Chaco
From bears to condors, the West’s wildlife is finding ways to survive
Five ways science is finding unexpected resilience in animals.
Posted inMarch 5, 2018: Drilling Chaco
The class disparity in Montecito’s disaster recovery
Southern California sits at the intersection of wealth, poverty and climate change.
Posted inFebruary 5, 2018: Caught Between Crises
What Northwestern tribes say about the Jordan Cove pipeline
Under Trump, the natural gas pipeline gets a third chance.
Posted inFebruary 5, 2018: Caught Between Crises
What went wrong at Oroville?
Dam experts release a report on the California dam’s spillway vulnerabilities.
Posted inFebruary 5, 2018: Caught Between Crises
Latest: Another lease on life for the Salton Sea?
Now that water deliveries have ended, it’s a race for a solution.
Posted inJanuary 22, 2018: A Separatist State of Mind
Water-fat mountains; Pence visits Aspen; Oregonians gas up
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Posted inJanuary 22, 2018: A Separatist State of Mind
A separatist state of mind
In the era of Trump, rural discontent settles in the state of Jefferson.
Posted inJanuary 22, 2018: A Separatist State of Mind
Climate change forced me to leave the place that I love
After finding their dream town, a family fled drought and fire.
Posted inFebruary 5, 2018: Caught Between Crises
‘Atmospheric rivers’ aid the West — and imperil it
Improved storm forecasts could help reservoir managers store more water while avoiding floods.
Posted inFebruary 5, 2018: Caught Between Crises
How Trump’s tax bill pits the rich against the poor
We are witnessing a government restructuring and a cultural divide widening.
Posted inArticles
2017 in natural disasters
From massive wildfires to melting ice, the calamities that affected the West this year.
Posted inDecember 25, 2017: Bear Essentials
On grappling with a past shadowed by violence
Two books examine the relationship people have with painful family histories.
Posted inDecember 11, 2017: Scorched Earth
Why Western wildfires are getting more expensive
This year’s fire season was the costliest on record, burning more than 9 million acres.
Posted inDecember 11, 2017: Scorched Earth
What fire researchers learned from California’s blazes
In California, land managers use fire as a tool.
Posted inDecember 11, 2017: Scorched Earth
Car-eating marmots; poacher ring bust-up; a Tofurky surprise
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Posted inArticles
An agricultural community that embraces its artistic side
A town with cattle-ranching roots branches out.
Posted inDecember 25, 2017: Bear Essentials
By shifting nesting times, early birds adjust to climate change
As the West warms, some songbirds in California are raising their young earlier.
Posted inArticles
After Oroville, officials across the West review dam safety
The California dam’s spillways are ready for rain as safety officials prepare for future catastrophes.