Latest news with #CongressionalDelegation
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Texas goes back to future with controversial congressional redistricting
It's easy to forget these days, given the more than three-decade dominance of Republicans in Texas, that Democrats began 2004 with a majority of the state's delegation to the U.S. House. Holding just 15 of the state's 32 seats in the House, Republicans then kick-started one of the most important strategic moves to help determine the balance of power on Capitol Hill. Republicans in the state legislature worked hand in hand with their congressional delegation to launch a mid-decade redrawing of House district lines.
CNN
16-07-2025
- Climate
- CNN
Grand Canyon lodge: National Park Service defends the handling of lightning-sparked blaze that destroyed historic lodge
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona (AP) — The National Park Service is defending its handling of a lightning-sparked wildfire that destroyed the nearly century-old Grand Canyon Lodge and dozens of historic cabins, saying containment lines had been built around the blaze and crews were prepared to conduct defensive firing operations. But then came a sudden and extreme shift in the wind that far exceeded forecast conditions, the agency recounted Tuesday in an email sent to The Associated Press. 'The Dragon Bravo Fire began July 4 as a lightning-caused wildfire and was under a full suppression strategy from the outset,' the agency said, adding that the team first assigned to the fire 'effectively managed the fire through its initial phase' and that Grand Canyon National Park requested additional resources as fire activity increased. The Park Service had posted on social media last week that the fire was being managed under a 'confine and contain strategy,' which allowed for the natural role of fire on the landscape while minimizing the risk to infrastructure and other values. Arizona's governor and members of the state's congressional delegation called for an investigation as the Park Service immediately came under scrutiny after the lodge and other historic buildings were destroyed. The flames were fanned by uncharacteristic nighttime gusts that topped 40 mph (65 kph), said fire information officer Stefan La-Sky. 'Normally the fire 'lays down' at night because of higher humidity and lower temperatures, but this thing was really wind-driven,' La-Sky said Tuesday, adding that it is extremely dry across the region. The weather was more favorable Tuesday as hundreds of firefighters worked to stop the Dragon Bravo Fire from consuming any more of the buildings along the park's less-visited North Rim, including a water pumping station that supplies the South Rim, La-Sky said. A separate blaze dubbed the White Sage Fire was burning further north. Together, the two fires have charred more than 90 square miles (233 kilometers). That is more than twice the size of the entire Walt Disney World complex in Florida. Tourists standing along the park's popular South Rim on Tuesday watched plumes of smoke rise above the sweeping vista, filling the canyon with a thick haze and pooling in its depths. 'By the afternoon, it was completely socked in,' Christi Anderson said of the smoke that had filled the canyon the day before. 'You couldn't see anything, none of that. It was crazy.' Anderson was visiting from California and considered herself lucky because she had shifted her reservation to the South Rim in the preceding days. Otherwise she would have been among those forced to evacuate. Park officials have closed access to the North Rim, a more isolated area that draws only about 10% of the Grand Canyon's millions of annual visitors. The park spans more than 1,900 square miles (4,920 square kilometers). Neither blaze had any containment, and La-Sky said it was too early for his team to offer a timeline. 'We're always at the mercy of Mother Nature,' he said. Over the years, managers at the Grand Canyon have successfully used fire to benefit the landscape, with the park having what some experts say is an exemplary fire management program that has tapped both prescribed fire and wildfires to improve forest health. Andi Thode, a professor of fire ecology and management at Northern Arizona University and the lead at the Southwest Fire Science Consortium, said park managers have even re-burned some areas in multiple places over the years to create what she called 'one of the best jigsaw puzzles' on public land. She noted that fire behavior decreased significantly when the Dragon Bravo Fire burned into the footprint of a previously burned area. 'So creating that heterogeneity across the landscape, using fire is a really critical tool moving forward to be able to help in the future with these wildfire events that are happening at the worst time in the worst weather conditions with the driest fuels,' Thode said. The park's 2025 fire management plan notes the Grand Canyon's designation as a World Heritage Site, referencing cultural and natural resources, spiritual and inspirational qualities, recreational opportunities and other values. 'It is the Fire Management Program's mission to manage wildland fires to preserve, enhance and (where necessary) restore these values,' the plan reads. Those areas that have the most infrastructure and are among the most highly used by the public make up just over 1% of the park. According to the plan, managing wildfires for resource benefit objectives within these areas is not permitted and that the overall intent within these areas is to 'protect life and property in its natural setting.' The fire exclusion areas listed in the plan include the developed area of the North Rim. Aside from outlining policies for responding to wildfires and planning for prescribed fires, the document includes links to tools that fire managers can use for assessing risk. The lodge and surrounding cabins were among the more than 370 structures at the park that were considered high risk. Another 238 structures fall in the moderate risk category. The Park Service reiterated Tuesday that the safety of the public and firefighters come first. 'Firefighters are continuing to respond to this fire in the safest way possible putting their lives and the lives of the community, park visitors, and park employees ahead of buildings.' the agency said.
CNN
16-07-2025
- Climate
- CNN
Grand Canyon lodge: National Park Service defends the handling of lightning-sparked blaze that destroyed historic lodge
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona (AP) — The National Park Service is defending its handling of a lightning-sparked wildfire that destroyed the nearly century-old Grand Canyon Lodge and dozens of historic cabins, saying containment lines had been built around the blaze and crews were prepared to conduct defensive firing operations. But then came a sudden and extreme shift in the wind that far exceeded forecast conditions, the agency recounted Tuesday in an email sent to The Associated Press. 'The Dragon Bravo Fire began July 4 as a lightning-caused wildfire and was under a full suppression strategy from the outset,' the agency said, adding that the team first assigned to the fire 'effectively managed the fire through its initial phase' and that Grand Canyon National Park requested additional resources as fire activity increased. The Park Service had posted on social media last week that the fire was being managed under a 'confine and contain strategy,' which allowed for the natural role of fire on the landscape while minimizing the risk to infrastructure and other values. Arizona's governor and members of the state's congressional delegation called for an investigation as the Park Service immediately came under scrutiny after the lodge and other historic buildings were destroyed. The flames were fanned by uncharacteristic nighttime gusts that topped 40 mph (65 kph), said fire information officer Stefan La-Sky. 'Normally the fire 'lays down' at night because of higher humidity and lower temperatures, but this thing was really wind-driven,' La-Sky said Tuesday, adding that it is extremely dry across the region. The weather was more favorable Tuesday as hundreds of firefighters worked to stop the Dragon Bravo Fire from consuming any more of the buildings along the park's less-visited North Rim, including a water pumping station that supplies the South Rim, La-Sky said. A separate blaze dubbed the White Sage Fire was burning further north. Together, the two fires have charred more than 90 square miles (233 kilometers). That is more than twice the size of the entire Walt Disney World complex in Florida. Tourists standing along the park's popular South Rim on Tuesday watched plumes of smoke rise above the sweeping vista, filling the canyon with a thick haze and pooling in its depths. 'By the afternoon, it was completely socked in,' Christi Anderson said of the smoke that had filled the canyon the day before. 'You couldn't see anything, none of that. It was crazy.' Anderson was visiting from California and considered herself lucky because she had shifted her reservation to the South Rim in the preceding days. Otherwise she would have been among those forced to evacuate. Park officials have closed access to the North Rim, a more isolated area that draws only about 10% of the Grand Canyon's millions of annual visitors. The park spans more than 1,900 square miles (4,920 square kilometers). Neither blaze had any containment, and La-Sky said it was too early for his team to offer a timeline. 'We're always at the mercy of Mother Nature,' he said. Over the years, managers at the Grand Canyon have successfully used fire to benefit the landscape, with the park having what some experts say is an exemplary fire management program that has tapped both prescribed fire and wildfires to improve forest health. Andi Thode, a professor of fire ecology and management at Northern Arizona University and the lead at the Southwest Fire Science Consortium, said park managers have even re-burned some areas in multiple places over the years to create what she called 'one of the best jigsaw puzzles' on public land. She noted that fire behavior decreased significantly when the Dragon Bravo Fire burned into the footprint of a previously burned area. 'So creating that heterogeneity across the landscape, using fire is a really critical tool moving forward to be able to help in the future with these wildfire events that are happening at the worst time in the worst weather conditions with the driest fuels,' Thode said. The park's 2025 fire management plan notes the Grand Canyon's designation as a World Heritage Site, referencing cultural and natural resources, spiritual and inspirational qualities, recreational opportunities and other values. 'It is the Fire Management Program's mission to manage wildland fires to preserve, enhance and (where necessary) restore these values,' the plan reads. Those areas that have the most infrastructure and are among the most highly used by the public make up just over 1% of the park. According to the plan, managing wildfires for resource benefit objectives within these areas is not permitted and that the overall intent within these areas is to 'protect life and property in its natural setting.' The fire exclusion areas listed in the plan include the developed area of the North Rim. Aside from outlining policies for responding to wildfires and planning for prescribed fires, the document includes links to tools that fire managers can use for assessing risk. The lodge and surrounding cabins were among the more than 370 structures at the park that were considered high risk. Another 238 structures fall in the moderate risk category. The Park Service reiterated Tuesday that the safety of the public and firefighters come first. 'Firefighters are continuing to respond to this fire in the safest way possible putting their lives and the lives of the community, park visitors, and park employees ahead of buildings.' the agency said.
CNN
16-07-2025
- Climate
- CNN
Grand Canyon lodge: National Park Service defends the handling of lightning-sparked blaze that destroyed historic lodge
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona (AP) — The National Park Service is defending its handling of a lightning-sparked wildfire that destroyed the nearly century-old Grand Canyon Lodge and dozens of historic cabins, saying containment lines had been built around the blaze and crews were prepared to conduct defensive firing operations. But then came a sudden and extreme shift in the wind that far exceeded forecast conditions, the agency recounted Tuesday in an email sent to The Associated Press. 'The Dragon Bravo Fire began July 4 as a lightning-caused wildfire and was under a full suppression strategy from the outset,' the agency said, adding that the team first assigned to the fire 'effectively managed the fire through its initial phase' and that Grand Canyon National Park requested additional resources as fire activity increased. The Park Service had posted on social media last week that the fire was being managed under a 'confine and contain strategy,' which allowed for the natural role of fire on the landscape while minimizing the risk to infrastructure and other values. Arizona's governor and members of the state's congressional delegation called for an investigation as the Park Service immediately came under scrutiny after the lodge and other historic buildings were destroyed. The flames were fanned by uncharacteristic nighttime gusts that topped 40 mph (65 kph), said fire information officer Stefan La-Sky. 'Normally the fire 'lays down' at night because of higher humidity and lower temperatures, but this thing was really wind-driven,' La-Sky said Tuesday, adding that it is extremely dry across the region. The weather was more favorable Tuesday as hundreds of firefighters worked to stop the Dragon Bravo Fire from consuming any more of the buildings along the park's less-visited North Rim, including a water pumping station that supplies the South Rim, La-Sky said. A separate blaze dubbed the White Sage Fire was burning further north. Together, the two fires have charred more than 90 square miles (233 kilometers). That is more than twice the size of the entire Walt Disney World complex in Florida. Tourists standing along the park's popular South Rim on Tuesday watched plumes of smoke rise above the sweeping vista, filling the canyon with a thick haze and pooling in its depths. 'By the afternoon, it was completely socked in,' Christi Anderson said of the smoke that had filled the canyon the day before. 'You couldn't see anything, none of that. It was crazy.' Anderson was visiting from California and considered herself lucky because she had shifted her reservation to the South Rim in the preceding days. Otherwise she would have been among those forced to evacuate. Park officials have closed access to the North Rim, a more isolated area that draws only about 10% of the Grand Canyon's millions of annual visitors. The park spans more than 1,900 square miles (4,920 square kilometers). Neither blaze had any containment, and La-Sky said it was too early for his team to offer a timeline. 'We're always at the mercy of Mother Nature,' he said. Over the years, managers at the Grand Canyon have successfully used fire to benefit the landscape, with the park having what some experts say is an exemplary fire management program that has tapped both prescribed fire and wildfires to improve forest health. Andi Thode, a professor of fire ecology and management at Northern Arizona University and the lead at the Southwest Fire Science Consortium, said park managers have even re-burned some areas in multiple places over the years to create what she called 'one of the best jigsaw puzzles' on public land. She noted that fire behavior decreased significantly when the Dragon Bravo Fire burned into the footprint of a previously burned area. 'So creating that heterogeneity across the landscape, using fire is a really critical tool moving forward to be able to help in the future with these wildfire events that are happening at the worst time in the worst weather conditions with the driest fuels,' Thode said. The park's 2025 fire management plan notes the Grand Canyon's designation as a World Heritage Site, referencing cultural and natural resources, spiritual and inspirational qualities, recreational opportunities and other values. 'It is the Fire Management Program's mission to manage wildland fires to preserve, enhance and (where necessary) restore these values,' the plan reads. Those areas that have the most infrastructure and are among the most highly used by the public make up just over 1% of the park. According to the plan, managing wildfires for resource benefit objectives within these areas is not permitted and that the overall intent within these areas is to 'protect life and property in its natural setting.' The fire exclusion areas listed in the plan include the developed area of the North Rim. Aside from outlining policies for responding to wildfires and planning for prescribed fires, the document includes links to tools that fire managers can use for assessing risk. The lodge and surrounding cabins were among the more than 370 structures at the park that were considered high risk. Another 238 structures fall in the moderate risk category. The Park Service reiterated Tuesday that the safety of the public and firefighters come first. 'Firefighters are continuing to respond to this fire in the safest way possible putting their lives and the lives of the community, park visitors, and park employees ahead of buildings.' the agency said.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dear congressional delegation, here's what we learned from 11 in-person town halls throughout Idaho
Beginning Feb. 28 and concluding May 3, we held 11 in-person town hall meetings throughout Idaho — Pocatello, Idaho Falls, Nampa (2), Boise (2), McCall, Lewiston, Moscow, Post Falls, Boise, Twin Falls — to listen to all Idahoans concerned about the chaotic and centralized agenda of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, writes guest columnists Richard Stallings and Larry LaRocco. (Getty Images) An Open Letter to Idaho's Congressional Delegation: Beginning Feb. 28 and concluding May 3, we held 11 in-person town hall meetings throughout Idaho — Pocatello, Idaho Falls, Nampa (2), Boise (2), McCall, Lewiston, Moscow, Post Falls, Boise, Twin Falls — to listen to all Idahoans concerned about the chaotic and centralized agenda of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. At their core, our statewide meetings amounted to a democracy tour that centered on the foundation of the U.S. Constitution and the duty of elected officials to honor their sacred oaths of office. Deep concerns over the rule of law and due process were repeatedly expressed. We heard distinct fear over exploding executive authority and waning influence from Congress. In fact, concerns over possible implementation of martial law were shared as President Trump expands power in defiance of the courts and Congress. Attendees repeatedly asked whether the use of the Alien Enemies Act was lawful. Town hall participants queried us about the growing number of constitutional questions before the courts. We were repeatedly asked whether America was in a constitutional crisis. We both affirmed a looming crisis. Your avoidance of Idahoans has resulted in your further isolation from the common sense and pragmatism of Idahoans. During our town halls, Elon Musk shared news cycles with President Trump grotesquely demonstrating how $290 million in 2024 campaign contributions can corrupt our elections and buy a seat adjacent to the Resolute Desk. Idahoans expressed shock at how an unelected billionaire took a chainsaw rather than a scalpel to our government. You would have received an earful on the Musk team's hacking of our most personal data. Idahoans believe they must rely solely on the judiciary to protect citizens' rights under the Constitution while Congress stands complicit. Our neighbors clearly know the proper bounds of executive power and the constitutional role of checks and balances by Congress in preventing authoritarians from hijacking our democracy. What is unclear are your views on these important subjects. If you had accompanied us, you would have heard a great deal of anger and frustration over the shock and awe emanating daily from the White House. They voiced serious disdain for the performative executive orders, rambling press statements, revenge-based ad hominem attacks on opponents, sycophantic fawning from cabinet members and daily violations of due process. We heard all of this from your constituents. Idahoans are not fooled by the White House gaslighting strategy of quickly diverting Americans' attention from one shiny object to another. It seems like ancient history when you remained silent as 1,600 January 6 insurrectionists were pardoned after rioters disrupted the peaceful transfer of power by violating our Capitol and your offices. You meekly stand by as President Trump upends our 80-year-old international alliances through bullying and belittling. Idahoans don't understand why ALL CAPS intemperance has replaced diplomacy. Town hall attendees expressed concern that MAGA ideologues and tech-capitalists are gunning for our public lands, thereby restricting our ability to hunt, recreate, graze, hike and cherish our magnificent resources. Current and retired public land managers spoke passionately about their love of country and pride in their special knowledge so important to protecting our natural resources. Concern by rural Idahoans were shared with us. Cuts to Medicaid could cause closures of rural hospitals despite an ballot initiative approved by 61% of Idahoans to expand Medicaid. The lack of clarity on tariff policies is causing chaos among farmers who rely on exports. Similarly, Idaho small businesses appear to be collateral damage on the mis-handled tariff rollouts. The dairy industry is waiting for the next shoe to drop on immigration. Rural school districts are threatened by vouchers prioritizing urban private schools. An end run on clear water standards can threaten anadromous fish runs. Sources of objective news for rural Idaho through the Public Broadcasting System are headed to the chopping block, creating larger news deserts. Idahoans stated concerns about dark money in the political system. They equate your silence with dollar-fueled intimidation and raised the Citizens United decision on many occasions. Billionaire cabinet members have been confirmed who appear to be ideologically selected and driven primarily by personal loyalty rather than to the Constitution. Idaho has a strong record on human rights that could be displaced with DEI conspiracy theories and anti-woke messaging. Misinformation is rampant. Clearly, town hall participants were upset with Democrats and Republicans alike for allowing President Trump to shatter norms, challenge constitutional safeguards, defy court decisions, govern by executive orders, upend decades-old alliances, prioritize loyalty as a primary qualification for public service, attack institutions based on revenge, lie and dissemble daily, and put our economy and retirement security at risk through chaotic tariff gambles. Overall, our town halls were centered on protecting our democracy, rule of law and constitution. We listened. We learned. We were inspired by the patriotism and civic concern of our fellow Idahoans who approached the microphones to speak on issues big and small. In each town hall there was a deep commitment to find common purpose to protect our precious democracy now under attack. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
