PORTLAND, Ore. - Two Oregon filmmakers are among those who will closely follow the trial of Ammon and Ryan Bundy and their co-defendants on federal conspiracy and weapons charges.

Documentary filmmakers Sue Arbuthnot and Richard Wilhelm live part-time in Burns, where they noticed an anti-government rally in a local parking lot in January and decided to film it.

They didn't know that gathering would precede the armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, or that it would spark their next documentary.

Since then, Wilhelm said they've amassed hours of footage, including interviews with insiders in the militia movement, voicing frustration over federal laws and land use.

"They have a lot of intentions toward finding a way to offer a local voice back to the people," he said. "And that resonated, but it didn't resonate in the way that they were doing it. The tactics were wrong; the message may have hit home."

The filmmakers said their documentary will focus on finding solutions to land-use issues and other challenges of rural life, and show that people can overcome their differences without resorting to extreme actions.

Sue Arbuthnot thinks hashing out those issues in person instead of on social media would be helpful. She said the armed takeover stole the spotlight from collaborations already underway between ranchers and tribes, federal agencies and townspeople.

"It's really not a land problem as much as it is a people problem, like everything," she explained. "And it is incremental, in terms of progressing beyond distrust to a situation of respect for other opinions, and finding that sliver of common ground."

The U.S. District Court judge in the Malheur refuge takeover case has said community members' fear during the armed occupation isn't relevant in proving the conspiracy charges against the defendants. But Arbuthnot said that fear lingers in Harney County nonetheless.

"I think a lot of people who have worked hard to build a community here have a palpable fear of that sort of disregard for law and order taking over," she added. "And I think that that has remained and has not really subsided, to this day. We do know people who are still quite anxious."

The film's working title is "Refuge," and it should be finished late next year.

Jury selection in the trial begins on Wednesday.


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A new federal proposal details which public lands across the West would be open to solar development. Wildlife advocates are glad to see that some - but not much - of Wyoming is included.

The Western Solar Plan by the Bureau of Land Management opens 31 million acres across 11 western states to potential solar-power development. In Wyoming, 3.8 million acres would be open for potential permits, far less than the combined 15 million acres currently available through independent plans from the state's BLM field offices.

Julia Stuble, Wyoming state director for The Wilderness Society, said wildlife is sensitive to development, especially in migration corridors critical to big game - and the plan incorporates new research on the needs of those species.

"Being included in this proactive approach - where BLM is looking at areas to exclude and making those decisions now, and not in response to a project proposal - is just a tremendous update for us," she said.

According to a statement from the White House, the Western Solar Plan streamlines the permitting process and allows the BLM flexibility in permitting. But the agency's actual need for solar development through 2045 is expected to use less than 2% of the 31 million-acre total, or about 700,000 acres.

As the BLM slows coal leasing in the West, Stuble said she hopes to see more moves to conserve wildlife in the energy transition, such as building on lands that have already been disturbed and areas near pre-existing transmission lines. She said she thinks the agency is headed in the right direction.

"The updated programmatic planning, I think, will take us many more steps closer to making sure that we're not siting solar in places that have really important community values, or ecological values." she said.

Stuble said those include lands popular for recreation, as well as those that are important or sacred to tribal nations. The plan is expected to be finalized by the end of this year.


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The City of Longview, in east Texas, will use a $1.3 million federal grant to make upgrades to one of its largest parks.

Teague Park sits in the center of the city and has been used less and less because of its age.

Richard Yeakley, public information officer for the City of Longview, said part of the grant money will be used to create a prominent entryway that will make Teague Park more visible and accessible from U.S. Highway 80.

"It has a wonderful pond, an outdoor amphitheater, a playground, a lot of open space," Yeakley outlined. "And one of the jewels of our community, which is a veteran's memorial plaza which has a to-scale replica Vietnam wall and also memorials to other conflicts."

Additional improvements include extending the city's trail system into the park and building an all-inclusive playground.

The grant money was distributed through the Department of the Interior which awarded more than $250 million to 54 projects nationwide. Yeakley pointed out in addition to the health benefits of a vibrant park system he feels the upgrades will be an economic driver for the city.

"Parks and trails and free outdoor-accessible locations are critical when you are hoping to recruit those young professionals, young families to a community," Yeakley explained. "Secondarily, parks are really valuable recruiting tools."

Longview is one of five Texas cities receiving funding. The federal program advances President Joe Biden's "America the Beautiful Initiative" which aims to address the nature and climate crises, improve equitable access to the outdoors, and strengthen the economy by providing outdoor spaces for communities that are park-deprived.


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Visitor spending in and near national parks contributed to the U.S. economy at a record high level last year.

Grand Teton is one park looking at how to manage increasing visitation. Lodging, meals and other 2023 visitor spending in communities near national parks contributed more than $55 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 400,000 jobs, according to the National Park Service. Grand Teton National Park ranks fifth for visitor spending, at nearly $750 million. The park said visitor numbers are increasing and the trend is expected to continue.

Jennifer Newton, social scientist at Grand Teton National Park, said they have been collecting public comments this summer.

"We're really at a phase and a point where we're interested in getting public feedback on what our desired conditions are in the park and what we should be managing for," Newton explained.

After some fluctuations during the pandemic, Newton pointed out visitation rates in 2023 were similar to 2019, though how and when those visitors used the park shifted. According to a July report, 43% agreed Grand Teton National Park was "too crowded."

The visitor spending report also tallies the labor income, value-added and economic output based on each national park and each state. Wyoming ranks high in several of these categories. Newton noted the information is helpful at the local, regional and federal levels.

"That's really helpful whenever you think about things, too, like for every dollar that Congress invests in national parks, there is a greater than $10 return on that investment," Newton emphasized.

In the 2025 federal budget, the Biden administration requested $3.6 billion for the National Park Service, an increase of more than $250 million from the 2024 budget.


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