‘Real Rural,’ School Buses and Cattle Branding: West Reads for Jan. 23-30

“One of the West's most enduring symbols is fading like a red-hot branding iron cools to ashen gray,” the San Jose Mercury News reports. (Photo: tphilosophia/Flickr)

By Elizabeth Titus

After a winter hiatus, we return with this third edition of West Reads to round up what our community is reading about the rural American west. Please share your favorite pieces by using the Twitter hashtag #westreads or stopping by the center’s Facebook page.

From the Bill Lane Center for the American West

“Bringing ‘Real Rural’ California into The City,” Jan. 27: “On Monday morning, many BART riders will look up from their newspapers, iPads, Kindles, and smartphones to see the faces of farmers, rodeo riders, young smalltown boxers, and country poets staring back at them, thanks to an innovative public information campaign designed to connect urban Californians with their rural compatriots.” 

Online

“South Dakota could wave farewell to its current flag” by David Montgomery, Rapid City Journal, Jan. 26: “Dozens of legislators want to replace South Dakota's venerable state flag with a design by a Spearfish artist.” 

“US: ‘Serious’ questions on pipeline bill” by Matthew Daly, Associated Press, Jan. 25: “The bill, sponsored by Rep. Lee Terry, a Nebraska Republican, would transfer authority over the 1,700-mile (2,700 kilometer) pipeline to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.” 

“The Man Who Bought North Dakota” by Bryan Gruley, Bloomberg Businessweek, Jan. 19: “Harold G. Hamm is lost.” 

“California animal-slaughter law struck down; activists pin hopes on federal bill” by David G. Savage and Matt Stevens, Los Angeles Times, Jan. 24: “Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has struck down a California law against slaughtering pigs and other animals unable to walk, activists are pressing forward with efforts to get a tough federal measure passed.” 

“Chesapeake Energy Pulls Back Amid Natural-Gas Glut” by Daniel Gilbert and Ryan Dezember, Wall Street Journal, Jan. 24: “Taking a drastic step to stem a glut of natural gas that has pushed prices down 45% in the last year, the nation's second-largest producer said it will slash gas drilling by nearly half.” 

“Drilled, Baby, Drilled: The strange battle to keep Big Oil from cheating” by Alan Prendergast, Westword, Jan. 17: “ ‘We're no longer doing business as usual,’ he said. ‘There's a new sheriff in town.’ ” 

“What EPA really said about Wyo. fracking pollution” by Mike Soraghan, E&E, Jan. 23: “When U.S. EPA issued a report last month on groundwater contamination in Pavillion, Wyo., many saw it as proof that hydraulic fracturing had contaminated drinking water. It wasn't.” 

“Rural schools struggle to keep buses running” by Joanna Lin, California Watch, Jan. 9: “There are no sidewalks, bike lanes or public transportation in Forks of Salmon, a tiny, forest-shrouded community deep in the mountains of Siskiyou County.” 

“Debate over branding has ranchers lamenting loss of enduring symbol of the West” by Lisa M. Krieger, San Jose Mercury News, Jan. 10: “One of the West's most enduring symbols is fading like a red-hot branding iron cools to ashen gray.” 

“Poverty, diversity, enrollment up in rural schools” by Ivy Brashear, The Rural Blog, Jan. 11: “Almost one in four children attend rural public schools and enrollment in these schools is increasing at a faster rate than in suburbs and cities combined, according to a biennial report released by the Rural School and Community Trust, a national nonprofit organization addressing relationships between schools and communities.” 

“A New Race of Mercy to Nome, This Time Without Sled Dogs” by William Yardley, New York Times, Jan. 9: “Eighty-seven years later, Nome is again locked in a dark and frigid winter — a record cold spell has pushed temperatures to minus 40 degrees, cracked hotel pipes and even reduced turnout at the Mighty Musk Oxen’s pickup hockey games. And now another historic rescue effort is under way across the frozen sea.” 

On the bookshelf

“Blue Highways” by William Least Heat Moon. 

Acknowledgments

Thanks to this week’s West Reads contributors: Jason Heppler (@jaheppler) and John Timothy Driscoll.

Last modified Mon, 30 Jan, 2012 at 13:53