Madelyn Beck
Reporter, Mountain West News BureauMadelyn Beck was the Mountain West News Bureau reporter at Boise State Public Radio.
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A Pew Research Center analysis found that one in six journalists are now part of a union, and more than twice that want to join one. However, it also found that smaller publications, like those in the rural Mountain West, are less likely to unionize. Of those with fewer than 10 people, only 4% have a union.
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A federal program helps send nurses and social workers into the homes of thousands of lower-income or at-risk parents in the Mountain West to help before, during and after a birth. However, its funding is set to lapse at the end of next month. Advocates are asking for reauthorization, pointing to its proven track record of improving prenatal health and readiness for school.
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U.S. Senators talked last week about the costs of climate change, and potential costs of doing nothing. Some argued we need to focus efforts on local communities and governments. They’re often paying the price when floods take out roads, wildfires pollute waterways or towns run out of water.
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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg talked at the Western Governors Association meeting in Idaho this week. He says transportation innovation is especially important in our large, spread-out states. That includes continued efforts to build electric vehicle charging corridors.
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U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a new $1 billion grant program this week to help communities facing wildfire risks. Grants for wildfire protection planning or outreach can be up to $250,000. Affiliated infrastructure and resilience projects can get grants of up to $10 million.
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Much of the Mountain West is in the midst of a heat wave, but what does that mean for wildfires? The National Interagency Fire Center forecasters say it depends on what happens next. Extreme heat can dry out fuels, starting with grass and brush and then drying out trees. If that’s followed by more hot, windy weather and thunderstorms, that’s a recipe for more wildfires.
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Climate change can make flooding worse in a number of ways, according to Colorado State University researcher Frances Davenport. That includes warmer air carrying more moisture, causing more intense precipitation events. It could also mean more rain falling on snowpacks in higher elevations, causing floods like we saw in Yellowstone National Park.
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Tampon shortages, plus increasing costs for both tampons and menstrual pads, present growing challenges for those who have periods. Supply chain issues, hiring challenges and inflation all contribute, which will likely be the greatest burden for lower-income people.
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Zoo Boise celebrated three birthdays over the weekend. That includes Mr. Mac the tortoise, Elvis the spider monkey, and the nation.
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A multi-state project is working to provide electric vehicle charging stations and corridors to scenic areas around the Mountain West. ChargeWest is working with state agencies in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona to make this a reality.