Growth Newcomers fleeing expensive housing are finding it again in Spokane. Now they want protections A slate of measures intended to support low-income residents and reduce homelessness awaits a vote by the city council. by Carl Segerstrom High Country News / January 14, 2020
Environment Amid pandemic meat shortage, a stampede for local beef Washington's small slaughterhouses see a boom as COVID hits big meat processors. Will it last? by Carl Segerstrom High Country News / May 26, 2020
Environment Scientists help hatchery salmon find the sweet smell of home Confused salmon keep getting lost on their way back to the nest, but wildlife scientists are helping them make scents of the journey. by Jes Burns / December 11, 2018
Environment Will limits on fishing free up salmon for starving orcas? With fishery limits now set, attention turns to rebuilding "overfished" salmon runs and protecting Southern Resident orcas. by Jes Burns OPB / April 22, 2019
Environment Forget Smokey — new tech helps us assess fire danger Visitors to Northwest forests and parks will still see Smokey the Bear and the familiar fire danger color scheme, but new science will inform those predictions. by Jes Burns OPB / April 15, 2019
Environment Old-growth forests could help native songbird species beat climate change How songbirds move could help explain how bird species are dealing with rising temperatures and climate change. by Jes Burns OPB/EarthFix / October 8, 2018
Environment WA's endangered pygmy rabbits bounce back from the brink Recovering the endangered rabbits will test society’s willingness to let nature reclaim a landscape. by Carl Segerstrom High Country News / June 10, 2019
Culture As more people seek help for gaming disorder, experts and gamers look for answers When a Seattle boy couldn’t stop playing video games, his parents came to a hard truth: Their son was addicted. And he’s not alone. by Erica C. Barnett / May 29, 2019
Environment Concerned over dwindling salmon, advocates seek a political route to dam removal After decades of court cases have rebuffed federal management, it may take a political fix to restore salmon in the Columbia Basin. by Carl Segerstrom High Country News / October 1, 2019
Politics After 15 years, Seattle’s radical experiment in no-barrier housing is still saving lives Once derided as "bunks for drunks," 1811 Eastlake pioneered a harm-reduction model that other cities now emulate. by Erica C. Barnett / September 25, 2019