Author: The Associated Press

NEW MEXICO Endangered Mexican wolf population makes strides in US ALBUQUERQUE – Endangered Mexican gray wolves are making more strides, as more breeding pairs and pups have been documented since reintroduction efforts began in the southwestern U.S. more than two decades ago, federal wildlife managers said on Feb. 28. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service…

US to focus bison restoration on expanding tribal herds DENVER – U.S. officials will work to restore more large bison herds to Native American lands under a March 3 order from Interior Secretary Deb Haaland that calls for the government to tap into Indigenous knowledge in its efforts to conserve the burly animals that are…

Air Force expands cancer review of nuclear missile personnel WASHINGTON – The Air Force’s review of cancers among its nuclear missile corps will include all personnel who worked on, guarded, supported or operated the nation’s ground-based warheads, Air Force Global Strike Command announced on Feb. 22. Nine officers who had worked as missileers – the…

NEW MEXICO Governor signs law to help wildfire, flooding recovery SANTA FE – New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Feb. 20 signed a bill to use zero-interest loans to help local governments in the arid, Southwest state repair or replace public infrastructure damaged by wildfires or subsequent flooding. The law follows last year’s historic…

MONTANA US may lift protections for Yellowstone, Glacier grizzlies BILLINGS – The Biden administration took a first step on Feb. 3 toward ending federal protections for grizzly bears in the northern Rocky Mountains, which would open the door to future hunting in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said state officials…

President Joe Biden began the speech with friendly remarks to Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The president turned to briefly shake hands with McCarthy. “I don’t want to ruin your reputation, but I look forward to working with you,” Biden told McCarthy with a chuckle. Biden is urging both parties to to find bipartisan unity…

MONTANA Military probing whether cancers linked to nuclear silo work WASHINGTON – Nine military officers who had worked decades ago at a nuclear missile base in Montana have been diagnosed with blood cancer and there are “indications” the disease may be linked to their service, according to military briefing slides obtained by The Associated Press.…

MONTANA Feds send $930 million to curb ‘crisis’ of US West wildfires BILLINGS – The U.S. is directing $930 million toward reducing wildfire dangers in 10 western states by clearing trees and underbrush from national forests, the Biden administration announced Jan. 19, as officials struggle to protect communities from destructive infernos being made worse by…

KANSAS Warning about aquifer’s decline sets up big fight TOPEKA – Kansas water experts are sounding an alarm decades in the making: Farmers and ranchers in the state’s western half must stop pumping more water out of a vast aquifer than nature puts back each year or risk the economic collapse of a region important…