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☆ Pennsylvania Battle Re-Enactors Up in Arms Over Fighting Ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Kris Maher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A new rule in Pennsylvania that will require re-enactors of a 1763 battle to lay down their weapons is drawing fire from a local historical society, the latest skirmish in the re-enactment world, which has been diminishing as hobbyists get older and sensitivities about restaging historical events have grown. The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission said last month that it will no longer permit re-enactments on the 23 sites it owns in the state that involve the exchange of fire from weapons, the taking of casualties and hand-to-hand combat, “or any other form of simulated warfare or violence between opposing forces.” The commission said it made the change to align with National Park Service policy.

☆ Roadkill rate for California cougars puts population at risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] National Park Service photo of the Griffith Park mountain lion known as P-22 is shown in this remote camera image set up on a fresh deer kill in Griffith Park in this November 2014 photo. P-22, a radio-collared puma that became a wildlife celebrity, was one of the many mountain lions struck by a car in California. The data adds to research showing mountain lions, also known as cougars or pumas, are under growing pressure from traffic and urban sprawl that have left their territories increasingly isolated from one another, shrinking their gene pools. The study cataloged a total of 535 mountain lion deaths on some 15,000 miles (24,140 km)of state-managed highways over eight years, from 2015 through 2022. A public celebration of P-22 is planned for Saturday in Griffith Park.

☆ Fact Check-Video shows Devils Tower rock formation, not a stump from an ancient tree
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Devils Tower rock formation in Wyoming is made of a rare type of rock eroded over millions of years, not the remains of an ancient tree stump, as social media users are suggesting anew. A Twitter user posted the video with the remark, “This is a stump of what's left from the ancient tree” (here). The rock formation is a U.S. National Monument, whose exact geological origins remain partly unclear. In 2020, Reuters Fact Check debunked a similar false claim that Devils Tower was an ancient tree whose underground roots had just been discovered (here). It is footage of Devils Tower, a natural rock formation in Wyoming.

☆ 10 most welcoming places in the world—see which U.S. state made the list
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This year's most welcoming places in the world span five continents. This year's annual Booking.com Traveler Review Awards included a list of the most welcoming places in the world for 2023. La Rioja, SpainEpirus, GreeceOberösterreich, AustriaCounty Down, U.K.Mures, RomaniaMarlborough, New ZealandNinh Binh, VietnamLimon, Costa RicaNewfoundland & Labrador, CanadaNorth Dakota, U.S.One of the most welcoming places in the world is La Rioja, Spain. Costa Rica is one of the happiest places in the world, according to the World Happiness Report. Limon is considered to be one of the most pristine and lush regions of Costa Rica.

☆ Elderly couple found dead in Death Valley National Park in apparent murder-suicide
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

An elderly Las Vegas couple were found dead in California's Death Valley National Park in what authorities said Wednesday was a murder-suicide. He told the 911 operator where to find the couple, the park service said. The husband left a note in the couple's car explaining that his wife was suffering from chronic health issues, according to the National Park Service. Law enforcement officials from the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office, the Inyo County Coroner’s Office, the National Park Service, California Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Land Management responded to the incident. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.

☆ A tiny, remote village in Alaska is mourning the death of a mother and baby in a rare polar-bear attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A polar bear killed a mother and baby in Wales, Alaska, earlier this week. The bear killed 24-year-old Summer Myomick and her 1-year-old son Clyde Ongtowasruk on January 17 after it chased multiple residents of Wales, Alaska. A map showing the location of Wales, Alaska Google Maps/Insider"The polar bear was chasing them and tried to get in as well. Only 160 people live in Wales, Alaska, and a GoFundMe has been set up for the family of the deceased. This fatal bear attack is the first of its kind in over 30 years.

☆ March for Life returns to DC with new post-Roe v. Wade focus
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Anti-abortion activists hold a banner as they walk in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building during the annual "March for Life", in Washington, January 21, 2022. One year ago, the annual March for Life protest against legal abortion took place in Washington amid a mood of undisguised triumph. With a fresh conservative majority on the Supreme Court, thousands of marchers braved bitterly cold weather to celebrate the seemingly inevitable fall of Roe v. Wade. Now, with the constitutional right to abortion no longer the rule of the land, the March for Life returns Friday with a new focus. Instead of concentrating their attention on the Supreme Court, the marchers plan to target the building directly across the street: the U.S. Capitol.

☆ U.S. National Parks, including Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon, will be free on MLK Day—and 4 other days this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The US National Park Service will be offering no-cost admission to all of its parks, including Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon and Zion National Park on Monday, Jan. 16 as part of its 2023 "fee-free days." If you've been looking for an excuse to visit one of America's more than 400 national parks, now is your chance. The Colorado River wraps around Horseshoe Bend in the in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Page, Arizona. "National parks are really amazing places and we want everyone to experience them," NPS director Chuck Sams said in a statement announcing the free 2023 dates. "The entrance fee-free days encourage people to discover the beauty, history and inspiration awaiting them ... throughout the country."

☆ Cuban influx forces U.S. Park Service to close Florida islands
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Daniel Trotta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. National Park Service closed Dry Tortugas National Park off the Florida Keys for several days starting on Monday after 300 immigrants had arrived on the islands in recent days, overwhelming first responders. "Like elsewhere in the Florida Keys, the park has recently seen an increase in people arriving by boat from Cuba and landing on the islands of Dry Tortugas National Park," the Park Service said in a statement announcing the closure to the public. Cuba is experiencing a historic exodus of people fleeing the Communist-governed island nation amid extended economic hardship. The Park Service said the closure would last several days. In the meantime, ferry and seaplane services taking tourists to the islands were canceled, and all other visitor services were suspended, the Park Service said.

☆ National park closes after 300 migrants arrive during holiday weekend
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A remote national park in the Gulf of Mexico closed on Monday after about 300 migrants landed there over the holiday weekend, officials said. Dry Tortugas National Park, about 70 miles west of Key West, temporarily closed Monday morning "while law enforcement & medical personnel evaluate, provide care for & coordinate transport to Key West" for the migrants, the park said in a tweet. By Sunday afternoon, more than 160 migrants had arrived in 10 landings since midnight, Slosar tweeted. "Like elsewhere in the Florida Keys, the park has recently seen an increase in people arriving by boat from Cuba and landing on the islands of Dry Tortugas National Park," the park's statement continued. "Park first responders provide food, water and basic medical attention until the Department of Homeland Security arrives and takes the lead."

Two people died in a rock slide earlier this week at the Yosemite National Park, according to the local county sheriff’s office. On Friday evening, the park announced another closure at Big Oak Flat Road, east of Foresta, due to another rockfall incident. As of Saturday morning, Big Oak Flat Road remains closed. According to the Yosemite National Park, although uncommon, the Yosemite Valley can experience numerous rockfalls each year. According to the U.S. National Park Service, the Yosemite National Park welcomed 3.3 million visitors in 2021, making it one out of the 25 most visited national parks in the nation.

☆ A Parasite May Explain Why Some People Are Driven to Start a Company
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

When wolves in Yellowstone National Park get infected with a cat parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, they become more likely to leave their packs and start new ones. The Yellowstone wolf data hints that it's just the side effect of a protozoan inhabiting our brains in a failed attempt to make more protozoa. So why would any of this make an infected wolf want to start its own pack? That was the suggestion of an influential 2006 paper titled "Can the Common Brain Parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, Influence Human Culture?" Just because Toxo might drive an alpha male to start a company, that doesn't mean it'll be a successful company.

☆ Frogs freeze their bodies and platypuses detect electric fields: Here are 10 incredible ways animals survive treacherous environments
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Molly Sequin | Yelena Dzhanova | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Wood frogs freeze their bodies. Nikola SolicTo survive the winter, up to 60 percent of Alaskan wood frogs' bodies freeze solid. This allows them to survive temperatures as low as -80 degrees Fahrenheit. To achieve this semi-frozen state, the frogs build up high concentrations of glucose (up to 10 times the normal amount) in their organs and tissues. The sugar solutes act as "cryoprotectants," preventing their cells from shrinking or dying.

☆ Mountain lion P-22 was 'compassionately euthanized' after showing signs of physical trauma. Here's how he went from a trouble-making cat to a symbol of Los Angeles.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Mountain lion P-22 was euthanized on Saturday after suffering from injuries and illnesses. There was "no hope for a positive outcome" in letting P-22 live, wildlife officials announced. The tests also showed the mountain lion suffered from multiple ailments, including kidney disease, a significant loss of weight, arthritis, and a parasitic skin infection all over his body. P-22, who has been key to mountain lion research in the area, was likely born in the Santa Monica Mountains. A trail camera picture of mountain lion P-22, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., 2012.

The Los Angeles mountain lion known as P-22 —or the “Hollywood Cat” — was "compassionately euthanized" Saturday after a comprehensive medical evaluation showed the animal had "several severe injuries and chronic health problems," according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. P-22 was captured Monday for a health checkup after signs of possible distress were observed, wildlife officials said. Mountain lion P-22. "Mountain lion P-22 has had an extraordinary life and captured the hearts of the people of Los Angeles and beyond. The most difficult, but compassionate choice was to respectfully minimize his suffering and stress by humanely ending his journey," the department wrote.

☆ Millennials bought an abandoned high school for $100,000 and turned it into a 31-unit apartment building—take a look inside
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

When an abandoned high school was listed for sale in Munhall, Pennsylvania, three real estate partners saw an opportunity to completely transform the space. When an abandoned high school in Munhall, Pennsylvania, was listed for sale in 2019, Jesse Wig saw an opportunity. Dan Spanovich (left), Jesse Wig (middle), and Adam Colucci (right) bought the abandoned high school in 2019. The former high school classrooms became new, modern apartments and the auditorium turned into a shared space. The plan is for the second high school to have 33 residential units, consisting primarily of one-bedrooms and some studios.

☆ Rare American lion fossils discovered in Mississippi
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The Oxford, Mississippi, resident would soon learn it was a fossilized jawbone from a giant American lion, a species that has been extinct for roughly 11,000 years. ”A rare American lion fossil has been discovered near the Mississippi River. Three days after Prewitt’s find, the Mississippi Fossil and Artifact Symposium & Exhibition hosted an event featuring previously discovered American lion fossils. The American lion stood 4 feet tall at the shoulders and measured 5 to 8 feet in length. Two American lion bone discoveries within a week or so is unbelievable, he said, calling it “just an incredibly rare fossil.”A growing American lion collectionPrewitt plans to donate the fossil he found to the museum in Jackson, which would make it the fourth addition to the institution’s collection of American lion bones, counting the addition of the newly found femur.

☆ Yes, the viral ‘Cocaine Bear’ movie is based on a true story (kinda)
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Zoe Sottile | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —If you’ve seen the astonishing trailer for “Cocaine Bear” making the rounds on Twitter, you might have questions about the film’s claim that it is “inspired by true events.” But the story is indeed based on the true story of a bear who overdosed on cocaine in the 1980s. In the film, the bear goes on a cocaine-fueled killing spree after its drug binge. The black bear was found dead near a duffel bag and 40 packages of cocaine, ripped open and scattered over the hillside. It’s unclear from the AP report exactly how much cocaine the bear consumed – but the duffel bag would have originally contained around 88 pounds of the powerful drug. The Kentucky for Kentucky Fun Mall in Lexington claims to have the stuffed remains of the "Cocaine Bear" on display.

☆ In Hawaii, locals fear impacts of Mauna Loa eruption as lava oozes closer to main highway
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

People watch lava from the Mauna Loa volcano on Dec. 1, 2022, near Hilo, Hawaii. If lava does cross the highway, the Hawaii National Guard can help plan for alternatives and try to set up bypass routes, the governor said. Cars wait in traffic along Saddle Road, with occupants waiting to view the Mauna Loa volcano on Thursday. Mauna Loa, which means “Long Mountain,” covers half the island, according to the USGS. It is one of six volcanoes in Hawaii, according to the agency.

A hiker was found dead on a Zion National Park trail in Utah this week after her husband went to get help amid freezing temperatures, park officials said Thursday. On Wednesday morning, members of the Zion National Park Search and Rescue Team found the woman near the Virgin River, the service said. Fellow hikers had attempted CPR, the National Park Service said in the statement. "The man reported they became dangerously cold overnight and experienced symptoms consistent with hypothermia," the National Park Service said in the statement. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Utah medical examiner, and the park service were investigating the death, park officials said.

☆ Plummeting Mississippi River levels revealed a rare American lion fossil
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Paola Rosa-Aquino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

It's only the fourth fossil of the ancient American lion found in Mississippi, according to the news outlet. Only four American lion fossil specimens have ever been discovered in Mississippi. A barges stranded by low water along the Mississippi River in Rosedale, Mississippi, in October. Scott Olson/Getty ImagesThe Mississippi River is a vital transportation route, and its unusually low water levels disrupted shipping across several states in recent months. In early October, low water levels revealed an old sunken ship along the river's banks.

☆ Popular Grand Canyon stop changes ‘offensive’ name to honor Native American tribe
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A portion of the Grand Canyon with a name deemed "offensive" to Native Americans has been renamed in a move that one official called "long overdue," the National Park Service announced in a statement Monday. The park service instituted policies that forced the Havasupai people from the area — originally called Ha’a Gyoh — nearly a century ago, according to the statement. Havasupai Gardens is a frequent stopping point for hikers located off Bright Angel Trail, the park’s most popular hiking trail, according to the park service. The park service is also working with the Havasupai Tribe to plan a rededication ceremony for the area next spring. The Havasupai Tribe — whose name means "People of the Blue Green Waters" — have lived around the Grand Canyon for over 1,000 years, according to the tribe's website and the park service.

Authorities have identified the man whose foot was found floating in a Yellowstone National Park hot spring three months ago, the park said Thursday. His foot in a shoe was found floating in the hot spring in Wyoming on Aug. 16. No one is believed to have seen what happened, and how he died was not clear, the park service said. It is one of the deepest hot springs in the park, at more than 50 feet, according to the park’s website. Yellowstone National Park warns visitors to always stay on boardwalks and trails and to use extreme caution around the features.

☆ Yosemite National Park Drops Its Reservation System, Reversing a Recent Trend
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Allison Pohle | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Yosemite National Park was among the top 25 most-visited National Park Service sites in 2021, and the eighth-most visited national park. Yosemite National Park won’t use a reservation system in 2023 after using one the previous three summers, officials from the California destination announced on Twitter on Tuesday. The social-media posts said the park has been dealing with an overflow of people and cars for decades. It had previously required reservations because of the pandemic, and to facilitate repairs.

☆ Grizzlies could roam wildest reaches of Washington state again, but first a mountain of red tape
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Evan Bush | Evan Bush Is A Science Reporter For Nbc News. He Can Be Reached At Evan.Bush Nbcuni.Com. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Threatened grizzly bears could roam again in the wildest reaches of Washington state. The National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service announced Thursday they have restarted the on-again, off-again process to reintroduce grizzlies to North Cascades National Park. Grizzlies haven’t been spotted with certainty in the North Cascades since 1996, the National Park Service said in a news release. People killed them,” said Jason Ransom, who leads the wildlife program at North Cascades National Park. The National Park Service has scheduled several virtual meetings to discuss the proposal.

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