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In 1953, construction narrowed Cape Cod’s Fresh Brook; a concrete weir then blocked sea-run brook trout from their spawning grounds, and 73 years later it is set to be removed to bring the native trout back

In 1953, construction narrowed Cape Cod’s Fresh Brook; a concrete weir then blocked sea-run brook trout from their spawning grounds, and 73 years later it is set to be removed to bring the native trout back

Trout representative image For more than seven decades, a quiet stream in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, has been held back by a concrete barrier. Fresh Brook, once known as “Trout Brook,” was a thriving habitat for native sea-run brook trout, locally called “salters”, until the early 1950s. Anglers from across the country travelled to Cape Cod to…

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Colorado city uses 15-minute water data from smart meters to catch illegal lawn watering during drought

Colorado city uses 15-minute water data from smart meters to catch illegal lawn watering during drought

Aurora, Colorado, is using smart water meters to enforce drought rules as the city faces severe water shortages. The meters track water use throughout the day. This allows Aurora Water, the city’s municipal utility department, to identify lawns being watered outside the permitted schedule.Under the city’s current Stage 1 drought restrictions, grass can be watered…

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ICE agents to get electric shock gloves worth  million to remove ‘illegal aliens’ from US; sparks outrage

ICE agents to get electric shock gloves worth $20 million to remove ‘illegal aliens’ from US; sparks outrage

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) notice was published Monday US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to spend up to $20 million on electric shock gloves for officers and agents, prompting criticism from Democratic lawmakers and civil rights advocates who warn the devices could be misused during immigration enforcement.A US Department of Homeland…

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Ireland’s ancient rainforest vanished after thousands of years of human activity. Now nearly 30,000 trees are being planted to bring it back

Ireland’s ancient rainforest vanished after thousands of years of human activity. Now nearly 30,000 trees are being planted to bring it back

Almost 30,000 young native trees have been planted at Lenamore Wood in Northern Ireland, marking the beginning of a restoration project that could take a century to mature. Oak, alder and rowan now cover parts of the 41-acre site near Gortin, though the future woodland is still difficult to picture. The trees remain small, sheltered…

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Why is ICE under fire over its  million electric shock-glove plan?

Why is ICE under fire over its $20 million electric shock-glove plan?

The G.L.O.V.E., sits on a table after a demonstration at the Oklahoma County Detention Center. (Photo: AP) US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s plan to spend up to $20 million on electric-shock gloves is facing criticism from civil rights groups and Democratic officials, with a pending wrongful-death lawsuit in Kentucky raising concerns over the potential misuse…

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More than 99% of California’s sunflower sea stars vanished, now scientists have found a mysterious colony that could help revive dying kelp forests

More than 99% of California’s sunflower sea stars vanished, now scientists have found a mysterious colony that could help revive dying kelp forests

A decade ago, more than 99% of sunflower sea stars vanished from the depths of the ocean. Now, the discovery of a long-lost colony of these organisms is offering new hope for the region’s kelp forests.Sunflower sea stars, known as Pycnopodia helianthoides, may look like an aesthetic and purely decorative feature on the ocean floor,…

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A Minnesota church closed after its congregation fell to 26 members, then gave about 0,000 to nonprofits and sold its property for affordable housing

A Minnesota church closed after its congregation fell to 26 members, then gave about $600,000 to nonprofits and sold its property for affordable housing

Image Credit: stmarksuccallentown.org After its congregation dwindled to just 26 members, St. Mark’s United Church of Christ in Bloomington, Minnesota, made the difficult decision to close, turning its final chapter into an extraordinary act of generosity. According to Minnesota nonprofit Loaves & Fishes, which provides meals to people facing hunger, St. Mark’s distributed about $600,000…

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Why Putin’s first Kuril Islands visit matters as Russia-Japan ties hit new low

Why Putin’s first Kuril Islands visit matters as Russia-Japan ties hit new low

File photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin watches a military exercise from the board of the Varyag missile cruiser of the Pacific Fleet near Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, on Sakhalin Island, Russia Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited the disputed Kuril Islands for the first time, travelling to Iturup as Moscow’s relations with Japan remain deeply strained over Russia’s…

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Australian family bought a remote island to run a sheep farm, now they are turning it into a .8 million conservation sanctuary for endangered wildlife

Australian family bought a remote island to run a sheep farm, now they are turning it into a $4.8 million conservation sanctuary for endangered wildlife

An Australian family who once built their life around sheep farming on a remote island are now helping give the same place a completely different future. Peter and Pamela Woolford took over Flinders Island off South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula and raised their family there while running a Merino sheep station. Nearly five decades later, the…

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