Oregon’s seasonal partial beach closures help rejuvenate the once-threatened snowy plover
Restrictions on some Oregon beaches are helping a once-threatened shorebird make a comeback. Western snowy plovers nest in dry sand along the coast, where human activity can disturb nests and chicks. Since the species was listed as threatened in 1993, the breeding population in Oregon has grown from 45 adults to 546, aided by seasonal beach closures and habitat restoration efforts.
Queer wrestlers and performers build community one body slam at a time
House of Danger is a monthly queer wrestling variety show in Portland. Created by local performers who wanted more opportunities to practice wrestling, the event has become a space for queer and trans wrestlers to develop characters and perform storylines. Beyond the body slams, the show fosters deep community ties, even hosting real-life milestones like a recent in-ring marriage proposal.
Work on a mammoth dig site is underway
Near Kennewick, Washington, scientists and volunteers are continuing a yearslong excavation of a Columbian mammoth that died about 17,500 years ago. The Coyote Canyon dig site has become both a research project and an educational destination, where students help uncover clues about Ice Age floods, ancient ecosystems and the environment that surrounded the mammoth's remains.
