Writing
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The Economics of a dark sky
29 Aug 2022
Nestled in the extreme northeast corner of California is the tiny community of Cedarville. One of the few communities of Surprise Valley, which spans the border across to Nevada, is one of the darkest areas in the lower 48 states. In fact, on a moonless night, you may have trouble…
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How a Local Journalist Reported on the Dixie Fire in His Backyard
29 Aug 2022
When I shifted careers to focus on journalism, I knew I wanted to cover the environment and climate change
Long a conservationist, I wanted my reporting to focus on under-told stories. Thus my master’s thesis at the University of Nevada, Reno encompassed both of these beats through the lens of…
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The Impact of wildfires goes beyond acres burned
29 Aug 2022
https://sierranevadaally.org/2022/08/26/the-impact-of-wildfires-goes-far-beyond-acres-burned/Last summer the Caldor, Tamarack, and Dixie fires burned over 1.2 million acres across northern California and western Nevada. The impact of those three wildfires has gone far beyond acreage, adding to the already staggering suppression cost.
“It is more that we are not spending enough upfront on mitigation so…
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Are Our Sierra Nevada Towns Destined to Go Down in Flames?
13 Jul 2022
This story was originally published with both The Xylom & The Sierra Nevada Ally. Visit them to see the story’s visuals and consider supporting independent journalism.
I grew up in Quincy, California, a small, vibrant mountain community in the far north reaches of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
The area…
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Teff Gains Ground as a Dual-Income Crop
08 Jul 2022
The Ethiopian fine grain is succeeding in Nevada’s high desert.
East of the Sierra-Nevada mountain range and sandwiched between two marshes lies Fallon, a small community which brands itself the “Oasis of Nevada.” Despite the dry alkali soil, this small community bustles with growing activity in the spring, summer, and…
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New state-federal agreement aims to expand outdoor recreation while protecting environment
25 Mar 2022
New state-federal agreement aims to expand outdoor recreation while protecting environment
With more people exploring Nevada’s public lands than ever before, impacts to the landscape are on the rise. This raises concern amongst conservationists and state officials about how best to protect the environment.
Gov. Steve Sisolak on Wednesday signed…
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Rail Coalition: Trains are the ticket to zero emissions
07 Mar 2022
https://thisisreno.com/2022/03/rail-coalition-trains-are-the-ticket-to-zero-emissions/Commute times are increasing across northern Nevada. As the population continues to grow, rush hour could soon rival Sacramento and other large cities. An increase in congestion leads to increased vehicle emissions and the potential for worsening air pollution rises.
The Nevada Rail Coalition (NRC) was established last year to…
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City Growth Competing with Horse Herd in South Reno
14 Feb 2022
In south Reno at the north end of Rio Wrangler Parkway, a gate often gets left open. That is leading to a host of issues for local residents and officials with the City of Reno, Nevada Department of Transportation and American Wild Horse Campaign.
More than 3,000 horses battling drought…
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The Face of Fire Under Climate Change
09 Nov 2021
With the climate crisis worsening the frequency and severity of wildfires, communities are feeling the pain—and the cost
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California’s Dixie Fire, the second-largest wildfire in the state’s history, started as a small 600-square-foot fire. Within a week, the blaze covered roughly 100,000 acres. Evacuations were ordered, and more than 10,000…
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Local Bus Drivers Explain Their Reasons for Returning to Picket Line
28 Sep 2021
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The last strike ended August 12th after 10 days of stoppage and an agreement over health care but resumed this week as overall negotiations stalled for a new contract between the Teamsters Union and private operator Keolis.
For Armand Martinez not driving a bus right now is challenging. He used…
Copyright Richard Bednarski