In the Rockies today, wildfires and politics rule the news.
A fast-moving wildfire burned into a Boise neighborhood late Monday, destroying nine homes, damaging 10 others and killing one resident, who has now been identified as a Boise State University linguistics professor.
In Nevada, the Elko County commissioners declared a state of emergency as a wildfire that had been burning in the wilderness since Aug. 8 moved toward communities.
In Denver, the Democratic Party's national convention is in full swing, with speeches by Sen. Edward Kennedy and Barack Obama's wife, Michele, kicking off the convention last night.
In our In-depth section, we provide more coverage of the convention, including a preview of what's coming up today, the arrest of protesters last night, and the arrest of several people in Aurora who may or may not have posed a real threat to Sen. Obama.
Rockies today
New Mexico, 11 other states sue EPA over refinery emissions rules
Twelve states and two cities have sued the Environmental Protection Agency, charging that the federal agency is violating the Clean Air Act by refusing to institute new performance standards for refineries, which the suit alleges are responsible for 15 percent of carbon-dioxide emissions.
New York Times; Aug. 26
Kennedy's emotional speech opens DNC convention in Colorado
U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy's appearance at the Democratic National Convention was one of the Massachusetts senator's first since being diagnosed with brain cancer, and his speech at the Denver convention brought many delegates to tears; Michele Obama capped the evening's proceedings with a speech about her family's improbable journey to the White House.
Durango Herald; Aug. 26
USFS's firefight funding shortfall cuts into Montana forests' budgets
This year's fire season burned through the U.S. Forest Services' budget for firefighting in record time, and forests across the nation were asked to redirect funds to help cover the shortfall, a move that will cost Montana's Bitterroot National Forest $600,000 and the Lolo National Forest more than $1 million.
Ravalli Republic; Aug. 26
Wildfire races through Idaho city neighborhood, destroys 9 homes
High winds and high temperatures helped propel a wildland fire into Southeast Boise Monday night, destroying nine homes and damaging 10 others; the origin of the Idaho wildfire is still unknown.
Idaho Statesman; Aug. 26
Opinion
Candidate who captures swing voters will win the West
The Rocky Mountain West provides a fine laboratory for presidential candidates to hone their skills on rallying their parties around them, while still appealing to the maverick independent voters. A fine essay by Patty Limerick, the chairwoman of the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Wall Street Journal; Aug. 24
Alaska voters should choose to support salmon
The United States failed to protect the salmon populations in New England and on the West Coast, but today Alaskans can cast their vote for an initiative that will protect the precious headwaters of the rich fishery that produces about half the wild salmon in North America from copper and gold mining operations.
New York Times; Aug. 26
Beyond the region
Washington state nuclear campus now a national landmark
The B Reactor at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington state was designated a national landmark on Monday, opening the door to the world's first full-scale nuclear reactor to becoming a museum.
Tri-City Herald; Aug. 26
Steelhead numbers rebound in Oregon river
After seven years of sub-par half-pounder runs of steelhead in Oregon's lower Rogue River, the river is teeming with the fish these days.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Medford Mail Tribune); Aug. 26
Cities become homebuyers to fight foreclosure blight
As foreclosures empty neighborhoods across the nation, communities are buying up the homes and refurbishing them to stave off blight, and others are contemplating taking the approach taken by a Michigan county in 2002 confronted by the dual dilemma of rising foreclosures and declining population: creating a land bank to buy up homes whose owners had not paid taxes, and refurbishing them and reselling them or using the properties for other purposes.
New York Times; Aug. 26
In depth
Hillary Clinton, Mark Warner to speak tonight at Denver convention
U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton and former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner will both speak tonight at the Democratic National Convention in Denver; former President Bill Clinton will address delegates Wednesday night.
Boulder Daily Camera (AP); Aug. 26
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Lakota leader to address DNC today
David Gipp, president of the United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, N.D., the only Native person scheduled to address delegates at the Democratic National Convention, will speak on Tuesday.
Missoulian; Aug. 26
Denver police arrest dozens of protesters at DNC Monday night
About 100 protesters were arrested Monday night by Denver police near the site of the Democratic National Convention.
Denver Post; Aug. 26
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Man arrested in Aurora threatened Obama at DNC
A man arrested early Sunday morning in Aurora had two high-power rifles in his pickup truck and had made threatening statements regarding Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, but federal officials said they did not believe the man, nor two other men arrested, posed a real threat to the candidate.
Denver Rocky Mountain News; Aug. 26
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