out west roundup
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National park maintenance work sidelined as Trump’s Freedom 250 takes precedence | OUT WEST ROUNDUP
MONTANA National park maintenance sidelined BILLINGS — The 250th anniversary of U.S. independence was just months away when National Park Service employees received a surprising directive from Washington: Maintenance projects approved for this year at sites across the nation were being relegated to a new “low priority” list. Work wanted by the White House was…
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Fishing closures are becoming routine as record heat warms rivers in the US West | OUT WEST ROUNDUP
MONTANA Fishing restricted as rivers warm LIVINGSTON — Trout need cool water to survive, but record heat this summer has driven water temperatures to lethal levels for fish. Wildlife officials are banning fishing during certain hours on rivers and streams across the U.S. West, following an exceptionally dry winter and amid widespread drought. Lower water…
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Lake Mead hits historic low water level as Colorado River struggles | OUT WEST ROUNDUP
NEVADA Lake Mead hits new low BOULDER CITY — Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, has plummeted to its lowest water level since it was filled some 90 years ago, another sign of the crisis plaguing the Colorado River system. Water levels at the reservoir, which straddles the Arizona-Nevada border outside Las…
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As Lake Powell shrinks, marinas are having to adapt to dwindling water levels | OUT WEST ROUNDUP
ARIZONA Reservoirs near record lows PAGE — The Colorado River’s Lake Powell, the second largest reservoir in the U.S., is shrinking. A record-dry winter and extreme heat — as well as decades of overuse, chronic drought and climate change — are threatening to pummel the lake to near historic lows. Low water levels have forced…
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Top officials in Arizona’s Maricopa County agree on how to oversee elections | OUT WEST ROUNDUP
ARIZONA Officials agree on election oversight PHOENIX — Election officials in Arizona’s most populous county reached an agreement a week before the state’s July 21 primary on how to jointly oversee the vote, ending a prolonged legal battle. Republican Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap sued the predominantly GOP board of supervisors in June 2025, alleging…
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Busy wildfire season tests US fire bosses as they juggle resources to stay ahead | OUT WEST ROUNDUP
NEW MEXICO Wildfires challenge resources ALBUQUERQUE — It’s already been a deadly year for firefighters, and authorities have been putting resources where they can more quickly pounce on wildfires before they get out of hand and increase the possibility of additional loss of life and property. Fire managers try to anticipate nature’s next move, placing…
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Trump reduces size of 2 national monuments in Utah amid public lands revamp | OUT WEST ROUNDUP
UTAH Trump shrinks national monuments President Donald Trump on July 13 sharply reduced the size of two national monuments in Utah, undoing protections established by his Democratic predecessors on public lands that are sacred among many Native Americans. Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in southern Utah have ancient cliff dwellings, petroglyphs and scenic…
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New Mexico governor could seek billions after DEA let fentanyl hit streets | OUT WEST ROUNDUP
NEW MEXICO Governor rips DEA policy ALBUQUERQUE — New Mexico’s governor said on June 29 that state officials could pursue billions of dollars in civil damages after revelations that U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents repeatedly allowed shipments of fentanyl to flow into drug-plagued communities as investigators sought to build bigger cases. Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan…
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Wyoming governor sues state board, asks court to enforce property tax cap | OUT WEST ROUNDUP
WYOMING Governor sues over property tax cap Gov. Mark Gordon filed a lawsuit on June 16 to force the State Board of Equalization to certify residential property tax values after the panel concluded it could not do so due to disparities created by a 2024 tax cap. Gordon’s decision effectively means he’s directed an attorney…
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Heat, wind and drought conditions spark wildfires across US West | OUT WEST ROUNDUP
Heat, drought spark wildfires Extreme heat and dry, windy conditions fueled several wildfires in the West on June 21, including an uncontained blaze in Utah that forced the evacuation of a small town southwest of Salt Lake City. The Iron Fire in Utah’s Juab County was first detected on June 20 and had blackened 34…