In the News
L'Arc de Trump: Commission unveils plans for 250-foot arch
by Heather Richards
The Trump administration Friday unveiled new renderings of its proposed triumphal arch, a 250-foot structure planned to tower over a traffic circle near Arlington National Cemetery. The memorial, dubbed “Independence Arch,” is part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to leave a mark on the nation’s capitol and to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this year. “The Triumphal Arch in Memorial Circle is going to be one of the most iconic … Continue Reading
April 09, 2026
Whitehouse puts further scrutiny on Interior offshore wind lease deal
by Kelsey Tamborrino
Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse sent a letter Thursday to French energy giant TotalEnergies raising legal concerns over its deal with the federal government on its offshore wind leases. The Trump administration last month announced it reached a nearly $928 million agreement with TotalEnergies to cancel its offshore wind leases off the coasts of New York and North Carolina. As part of the deal, TotalEnergies committed to invest the value of those leases into oil and natural gas … Continue Reading
April 03, 2026
DNA breakthrough identifies two men missing in Northern California for decades
by Aidin Vaziri
Northern California authorities announced Friday that they have identified the remains of two men who went missing decades ago, resolving a pair of cold cases that had remained unsolved since the mid-1990s. The men were identified as Charles Marrs and Gregory Hugh Oliver. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office credited the breakthroughs to forensic genealogy, a process that combines advanced DNA sequencing with traditional genealogical research to locate living relatives. In May 1993, the … Continue Reading
April 03, 2026
Ross Valley child care center poised to begin renovation
by Keri Brenner
After years of uncertainty about its future, the Fairfax-San Anselmo Children’s Center is set to launch the first phase of an $8.8 million renovation plan. “It feels wonderful to be in this situation, looking forward and not backwards,” said Heidi Tomsky, the executive director. “We’re looking forward to another 50 years of success.” On Wednesday, Rep. Jared Huffman, who helped secure $850,000 in federal earmarks toward the $3.5 million cost of the first phase of construction, toured the … Continue Reading
April 02, 2026
Congress is in no rush to authorize Trump’s ballroom after judge’s ruling
by Dan Diamond, Jonathan Edwards
President Donald Trump isn’t inclined to seek Congress’s approval for his controversial $400 million White House ballroom — and many lawmakers are not inclined to give it. A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Trump must obtain congressional authorization to complete his ballroom project, which the president has sought to fund with private donations. The White House immediately appealed the decision, and Trump struck a defiant tone in remarks to reporters and on social media. “In the Ballroom … Continue Reading
April 01, 2026
Trump officials cite ESA threats to Gulf oil, but production is soaring
by Ian M. Stevenson
Trump officials have exempted oil and gas activities across the entire Gulf of Mexico from endangered species considerations, asserting that production in the region is under threat. But no court has so far turned off the oil spigot in the Gulf, and offshore oil production on federal waters is at near-records highs. Some analysts say that weakens the administration’s argument. Crude oil production from the Gulf, which President Donald Trump renamed the Gulf of America, rose to nearly 1.9 … Continue Reading
March 31, 2026
Judge rules that White House ballroom construction ‘has to stop!’
by Devan Cole, Betsy Klein
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked President Donald Trump from moving ahead with any further work on a massive new $400 million ballroom on the former site of the White House East Wing. “The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner!” Judge Richard Leon wrote. Leon, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, said he was delaying implementation of his ruling for two weeks to allow the … Continue Reading
March 30, 2026
Activists outraged after mining company announces plans to dig for rare earth elements next to US National Park
by Io Dodds
An Australian mining company has launched plans to dig for rare earth elements right next to California's Joshua Tree National Park, alarming environmentalists who fear it will damage the local ecosystem. Just outside the boundary of the 32-year-old nature reserve, in the Pinto mountains south of State Route 62, Dateline Resources Ltd has staked out mining claims to around 32 square miles of rugged desert land where executives hope to uncover precious metals. Heavy rare earth elements, known … Continue Reading
March 30, 2026
Next to Joshua Tree National Park, a mining company is staking its claim for rare earth minerals
by Alex Wigglesworth
An Australian company has launched a rare earths mining project just outside Joshua Tree National Park in critical desert tortoise habitat, an area the company’s director refers to as an “emerging heavy rare earth district.” The company, Dateline Resources Ltd., says that historical sampling of the area in the Pinto Mountains south of Twentynine Palms found enrichment in elements key to powering electric vehicles, wind turbines and defense systems. The United States depends heavily on China … Continue Reading
March 27, 2026
No Kings protests keep growing as anger toward Trump escalates
by Raheem Hosseini
When No Kings Day returns to the Bay Area for a third time Saturday, it could set a record for the biggest one-day protest in U.S. history. It’s also likely to extend an unenviable trend for an American president usually fond of boasting about crowd sizes: If protester numbers are any indication, Donald Trump is one of the least popular presidents in modern history. No Kings organizers said Friday more than 3,300 events are planned across the U.S. for Saturday’s threequel — including nearly … Continue Reading
March 26, 2026
‘Oligarchy on Full Display’: GOP Lawmakers Block Effort to Subpoena Donald Trump Jr. Over Suspicious Pentagon Loan
by Brad Reed
A Democratic member of the US House is calling out her Republican colleagues after they thwarted her attempt to subpoena Donald Trump Jr. to answer questions related to his financial stake in a company that scored a suspiciously timed $620 million loan from the US Department of Defense last year. Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.) on Wednesday tried to force the House Natural Resources Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee to vote on subpoenaing Trump Jr. to testify about his venture capital … Continue Reading
March 25, 2026
Marin congressman pushes bill to regulate e-bikes and e-motos
by Rachel Swan
A Marin County congressman is pressing a bill that would set consistent federal standards for e-bikes and other electric two-wheeled vehicles, following a rash of collisions in the Bay Area and other parts of the country. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, has joined three fellow lawmakers to shepherd the Safe Standards for Personal E-Bike and E-Moto Specifications Act, which they say would promote public safety and stave off crashes by placing more accountability on sellers and manufacturers … Continue Reading
March 25, 2026
Republicans block Democratic push for Trump Jr. subpoena
by Garrett Downs
Republicans on a House Natural Resources subcommittee blocked a Democratic motion to subpoena Donald Trump Jr., President Donald Trump’s eldest son, over his backing of critical mineral companies. President Trump’s administration is trying to rapidly increase the production of critical minerals in the U.S. Vulcan Elements, a rare earth magnet maker backed by Trump Jr.’s 1789 Capital, received a $620 million federal loan last year from the Department of Defense. Democrats on the panel sought … Continue Reading
March 25, 2026
Neguse, Huffman Press U.S. Forest Service for Answers on Staffing Levels Ahead of Summer Season
by Jan Wondra
Last week, Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse, Ranking Member of the Federal Lands Subcommittee, and Representative Jared Huffman, Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee, penned a letter to U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz underscoring the importance of seasonal employees and requesting an update on the agency’s plan to make sure it’s adequately equipped for fire season and summer recreation. The lawmakers’ letter points to the mass terminations and hiring freezes enacted under … Continue Reading
March 25, 2026
Marin congressman pushes bill to regulate e-bikes and e-motos
by Rachel Swan
A Marin County congressman is pressing a bill that would set consistent federal standards for e-bikes and other electric two-wheeled vehicles, following a rash of collisions in the Bay Area and other parts of the country. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, has joined three fellow lawmakers to shepherd the Safe Standards for Personal E-Bike and E-Moto Specifications Act, which they say would promote public safety and stave off crashes by placing more accountability on sellers and manufacturers … Continue Reading
March 24, 2026
Huffman proposes new federal laws on electric two-wheelers
by Cameron Macdonald
U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman has co-authored a bipartisan bill for tighter federal regulations on electric bicycles, electric motorcycles and other small, electric-powered vehicles. Huffman and three other lawmakers introduced the bill, called the Safe Standards for Personal E-bike and E-moto Device Specifications Act, or the Safe SPEEDS Act. “I just don’t want to see something tragic happen when we can hopefully save some lives and keep people safe with common sense standards,” said Huffman, a … Continue Reading
March 21, 2026
Jared Huffman bill seeks to address ‘real safety risks’ of e-bikes
by Ruth Schneider
North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) is among a handful of federal lawmakers tackling e-bike safety. The bipartisan federal legislation introduced this past week, called the Safe SPEEDS Act, aims to set clear product safety standards, labeling requirements and minimum age recommendations for e-bikes and other electric off-road products with fewer than four wheels. It would also require studies on crashes, injuries, and fatalities and work with local governments and law enforcement on … Continue Reading
March 20, 2026
House Dems raise challenge to Interior’s scrubbing of US history
by Michael Doyle
House Democrats are now amplifying their effort to stop the National Park Service and its sister agencies from rewriting historical references deemed inappropriate by the Trump administration. Heeding the adage to follow the money, 52 Democrats on Thursday urged two key members of the House Appropriations Committee to stop funding the campaign that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum casts as “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” and that skeptics deride as censorship. "If the … Continue Reading
March 19, 2026
House Democrats Urge Colleagues To Block Funding For Censorship In National Parks
Leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives' Interior appropriation committee were urged Thursday to block future funding for the Trump administration's work to censor materials in the National Park System. "...this administration has undermined the integrity of our national park system and weakened the agency tasked with protecting our history. Cuts to NPS funding and staff have strained park maintenance and severely impacted the agency’s history preservation programs," reads a portion of … Continue Reading
March 19, 2026
Bipartisan ESA reform evolves in Senate
by Michael Doyle
Bipartisan opportunities exist for updating the Endangered Species Act, lawmakers and witnesses agreed at a notably even-keeled Senate panel hearing Wednesday. Forgoing the rhetorical fireworks that sometimes light up ESA discussions, the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife hearing suggested at least the possibility of legislative compromise. That's a sharp contrast to developments in the House, where Republicans are moving forward with a … Continue Reading