Vue lecture

Trump official faces inquiry over claims he diverted wildfire resources to his own property

Exclusive: Michael Boren, a senior official overseeing the US Forest Service, is accused by Democratic senators of ‘inappropriate interference’

Donald Trump’s administration is facing calls to launch an investigation into allegations that Michael Boren, a senior official who oversees the US Forest Service, pressed agency staff to deploy additional resources to fight a fire burning near his Idaho ranch.

Three Democratic senators accused Boren of “inappropriate interference” in a letter seen by the Guardian, demanding answers from Brooke Rollins, the US agriculture secretary. Boren serves as undersecretary of agriculture for natural resources and environment.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images

© Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images

© Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images

  •  

Modern cowboys are saddling up in the US West. And they’re on a whole new mission

In states like Montana, range riders can play a key role in a wild landscape where livestock and predators navigate life together

For most people, the word “cowboy” still summons a figure from Western folklore – a rough rider with a weathered face and a steely gaze, a self-reliant loner who answers to nobody, is fearless in the face of danger, and protects his lands from predators – animal and human alike.

But over the past 15 years, a new range rider has emerged in the American West, one that is out on a wholly different mission: to live in a wild landscape where livestock and predators can co-exist.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Courtesy Colorado Parks and Wildlife

© Photograph: Courtesy Colorado Parks and Wildlife

© Photograph: Courtesy Colorado Parks and Wildlife

  •  

As Democrats Struggle in Some Western States, Independents See an Opening

From South Dakota to Alaska, independents are challenging incumbent Republicans and eschewing a Democratic label that Western voters find toxic.

© Alex Hecht for The New York Times

Todd Achilles is among a wave of independent challengers.
  •  
❌