Aaron Agosto

2 months ago | themeateater.com | Eli Fournier |Aaron Agosto |Katie Hill

Last week, the Trump Administration fired 3,400 Forest Service employees across the country. The firings targeted employees in probationary periods regardless of their length of service with the agency. Positions terminated included new hires and mid- and upper-level employees who recently took new positions that were subject to probationary periods. The firings gutted the recreation, trails, forestry, range, and biology departments of forests nationwide.

2 months ago | themeateater.com | Eli Fournier |Aaron Agosto

Things are changing in Alaska. Aside from the obvious, such as the renaming of Denali to Mount McKinley (which Alaskan legislators are fighting against), there’s much more happening behind the scenes. For an outline of what the next four years and beyond could hold for the state, one needn’t look further than an executive order signed on January 20th titled Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential.

Nov 15, 2024 | themeateater.com | Eli Fournier |Aaron Agosto |Sam Lungren |Jordan Sillars

On a Forest Service all-employee phone call in mid-September, it was clear that bad news was imminent as agency chief Randy Moore rambled on about recent budget challenges and the employee-first mentality of the Forest Service. Then he dropped the bombshell: the agency wouldn’t be bringing on any seasonal employees, outside of wildland firefighters, for the coming year.

Aug 12, 2024 | themeateater.com | Aaron Agosto |Eli Fournier |Jordan Sillars

The news media, as of late, has been abuzz with well, a lot. One constant, however, seems to be talk of Project 2025. With its ominous-sounding name, whispered mentions of the deep state, and shadowy backers, it can almost feel like part of a Dan Brown novel come to life. So, let's start with the basics. To understand Project 2025, we need to start with the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank founded in 1973 to promote conservative policies and legislation.

May 8, 2024 | themeateater.com | Eli Fournier |Patrick Durkin |Aaron Agosto

In Wisconsin, a citizens’ resolution to ban LiveScope, 360-degree imaging, and similar electronics is garnering support. The resolution appeared in Wisconsin DNR’s annual spring hearing and public input questionnaire in April, asking, “Would you support banning the use of live scopes, and similar 360-degree imaging electronics in all Wisconsin waters?” Of the respondents, 6,786 said “yes,” and 6,290 said “no.” The ban won support in 36 counties, was opposed in 35, and tied in one.