The race to save the history of Weed's Black community

Monarch butterflies face mounting threats from habitat loss, advocates say

The Center for Food Safety is suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department to obtain protection for the monarch butterflies under the Endangered Species Act. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/86d0705/2147483647/strip/false/crop/488x272+0+0/resize/488x272!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F69%2Fec%2F6225e599476ea3e345496183de63%2Fmonarch-butterflies-center-for-food-safety.jpg]The Center for Food Safety is suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department to obtain protection for the monarch butterflies under the Endangered Species Act. (Center for Food Safety ) Monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles across North America each year, but their populations have declined sharply in recent decades. George Kimbrell, co-executive director of the Center for Food Safety [https://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/], said monarch numbers have fallen by about 90% since the late 1990s. Environmental groups are pushing for stronger federal protections, arguing the species faces growing threats from habitat loss and agricultural practices. Monarch caterpillars [https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Plant-Native/Why-Native/Milkweed-for-Monarchs] rely exclusively on milkweed, and Kimbrell said widespread use of glyphosate-based herbicides, including Roundup, has eliminated large areas of the plant [https://xerces.org/milkweed-faq] across the Midwest and other agricultural regions. Kimbrell also pointed to neonicotinoid insecticides, which affect insects' nervous systems and can harm pollinators. He said declines in pollinator populations could have broader implications for food production because many crops depend on pollination. Environmental groups, including the Center for Food Safety, have sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeking a final decision on whether monarch butterflies should receive protection under the Endangered Species Act. Kimbrell said efforts to secure federal protections have stretched on for more than a decade. Scientists have warned that western monarch populations face a significant risk of extinction in the coming decades without intervention. GUEST * George Kimbrell, co-director, Center for Food Safety

First Pelican Bay student to earn Cal Poly Humboldt degree heads to graduate school

Arthur Monarque (left) on his graduation day with advisor and mentor, Maxwell Schnurer, chair of the communication department at Cal Poly Humboldt University. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8024a15/2147483647/strip/false/crop/4000x3000+0+0/resize/704x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F7a%2F00%2Faaaa2bbb407f975665c199032dbe%2Farthur-monarque-r-maxwell-schnurer-l-credit-maxwell-schnurer.png] Arthur Monarque (left) on his graduation day with advisor and mentor, Maxwell Schnurer, chair of the communication department at Cal Poly Humboldt University.(Maxwell Schnurer) Arthur Monarque became the first incarcerated student at Pelican Bay State Prison to earn a bachelor's degree through Cal Poly Humboldt. Now, after serving a 10-year sentence, he is preparing to attend Wake Forest University on a full scholarship to pursue a master's degree. His story comes as prison education programs expand nationwide following the restoration of Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated students. Supporters say those programs can reduce recidivism and create new opportunities for people after release. Monarque grew up in Southern California's San Gabriel Valley, where he said violence and gang culture were common. While incarcerated, he discovered higher education and began charting a different course for his future. "In prison, I found education," Monarque said. "That just opened my mind and changed my life around." Arthur Monarque on graduation day at Cal Poly Humboldt University. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2d1a033/2147483647/strip/false/crop/3000x4000+0+0/resize/396x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff2%2F42%2Fc98e39fd46a48d3df1c725750374%2Farthur-monarque-at-graduation-ceremony-2-credit-maxwell-schnurer.png]Arthur Monarque on graduation day at Cal Poly Humboldt University. (Maxwell Schnurer) Monarque earned his degree through Cal Poly Humboldt's bachelor's program at Pelican Bay [https://www.humboldt.edu/project-rebound/bachelors-degree-program-pelican-bay-state-prison], one of the first prison-based programs to benefit from restored Pell Grant funding. His mentor, Maxwell Schnurer, chair of Cal Poly Humboldt's communication department and coordinator of the Pelican Bay bachelor's program, said students in the program are often exceptionally engaged. "You walk into the classroom, and the textbooks are just underlined, highlighted, and noted," Schnurer said. Monarque said classroom discussions were often lively because students consistently completed the reading and arrived prepared to engage with the material. Schnurer said higher education can help formerly incarcerated people build stable lives after release. He said education opens doors to new opportunities and pointed to research showing that people who earn college degrees while incarcerated are less likely to return to prison. Schnurer also credited Project Rebound with helping formerly incarcerated students continue their education and navigate the transition back into their communities. Monarque hopes to become a teacher and help others see possibilities beyond their current circumstances. As he prepares to begin graduate studies at Wake Forest, he said his advice to others facing adversity is simple: stay motivated and keep moving forward. "It doesn't matter where you come from," Monarque said. "Just don't stop." GUESTS * Arthur Monarque, Cal Poly Humboldt graduate * Maxwell Schnurer [https://www.humboldt.edu/communication/maxwell-schnurer], Communication Department Chair, Cal Poly Humboldt University

River otters in Arcata Marsh are hunting ducks, not just fish

A river otter sneaks up on an unsuspecting Mallard duck at the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2cee28c/2147483647/strip/false/crop/640x397+0+0/resize/640x397!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fdc%2F83%2F514427ca4f31921ad108066db328%2Fimage0.jpeg]A river otter sneaks up on an unsuspecting Mallard duck at the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. (Credit Mark Larson Photography) Researchers at Cal Poly Humboldt [https://now.humboldt.edu/news/river-otters-arcata-marsh-they-eat-more-fish-video] have discovered that North American river otters at the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary shift to a nearly all-duck diet during the winter, using dense vegetation and underwater ambushes to hunt migratory waterfowl. “We found that they actually were eating ducks almost exclusively during the winter months,” researcher Gina Culver said. By analyzing otter scat — a process Culver jokingly called a “dirty job” — researchers identified prey species, including buffleheads and ruddy ducks, by comparing recovered feathers with museum specimens. As thousands of migratory birds gather at the marsh each winter, otters use dense vegetation and underwater ambushes to hunt diving ducks before they can escape. Jeff Black, a professor at Cal Poly Humboldt who leads the long-running research project, calls river otters the “wolves of the wetlands.” Culver said the animals may appear “cute and adorable,” but they are also apex predators and an important keystone species. A river otter swims in the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. It is among a population of more than 80 known otters that live in the region. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/430df8a/2147483647/strip/false/crop/434x640+0+0/resize/358x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F72%2F6c%2F0ab4426a41949d3765ba3f765fee%2Fimage1.jpeg]A river otter swims in the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. It is among a population of more than 80 known otters that live in the region. (Credit Mark Larson Photography) For people hoping to witness the hunting behavior themselves, Culver offered a simple tip. “Look for the ducks that are flying frantically off the ponds and then look there,” she said. The research also relies heavily on citizen science. Local residents report sightings through QR codes, helping researchers track a population estimated at about 82 otters in North Coast wetlands. Researchers say the otters’ continued success at the marsh reflects the health of one of the North Coast’s most important wetland ecosystems. “River otters are known to have low tolerance to polluted water, so their presence is a really good indicator of a healthy ecosystem,” Culver said. GUEST * Gina Culver, researcher, Cal Poly Humboldt University

The race to save the history of Weed's Black community

Photo from a 1966 civil rights demonstration organized by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) in Weed, California. Black residents of the Lincoln Heights community protested chronic conditions stemming from systemic racial segregationist policies and practices in the town. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9c079c6/2147483647/strip/false/crop/1024x888+0+0/resize/609x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb0%2F0e%2F8e99cf1c4dfbbb8fa64f941f7a09%2Fclub-restored.jpg]Photo from a 1966 civil rights demonstration organized by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) in Weed, California. Black residents protested chronic conditions stemming from systemic racial segregationist policies and practices in the town. (https://www.lincolnheightshistory.org/) Residents of Weed [https://ci.weed.ca.us/about-us/], California, are racing to preserve the history of one of the state’s oldest Black communities after a wildfire destroyed much of the neighborhood in 2022. The Lincoln Heights neighborhood, established during the Great Migration, was home to Black families who came to Weed in the early 20th century seeking work in the lumber industry. Many settled in a segregated area once known as “The Quarters.” The urgency of preserving that history intensified after the 2022 Mill Fire [https://www.kcra.com/article/mill-operations-caused-deadly-2022-mill-fire-in-weed-cal-fire-says/44234474] destroyed nearly three-quarters of the neighborhood. “It really tore apart the community,” said Mark Oliver, a filmmaker and historian who co-produced a documentary about the area. “I think our project is kind of a now-or-never project.” A CAL FIRE investigation [https://www.kcra.com/article/mill-operations-caused-deadly-2022-mill-fire-in-weed-cal-fire-says/44234474] found the fire originated on property owned by Roseburg Forest Products. Today, residents and historians, including former educator James Langford, are working through the Lincoln Heights Legacy Project [https://www.lincolnheightshistory.org/] to preserve the community’s history and create a museum and cultural center. Langford, who became Weed’s first Black teacher in 1974, said the neighborhood’s original name reflected the segregation Black residents faced. “If your place is called a quarter, that’s a negative,” Langford said. “That’s where slaves were kept.” In the 1960s, local activists successfully pushed to rename the neighborhood Lincoln Heights, honoring President Abraham Lincoln and reflecting what Langford described as the community’s identity as “a liberated people.” [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0656bdc/2147483647/strip/false/crop/1457x720+0+0/resize/792x391!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe3%2F46%2F70780dc64d8ea7452a9c0822be03%2Fposter-new-1.png](https://www.lincolnheightshistory.org/ ) The proposed Lincoln Heights Museum and Cultural Center is intended to serve as more than a historical archive. Langford said he hopes it will become a gathering place that encourages travelers to leave Interstate 5 and engage with the community’s history. “I want it to be a living cultural center,” Langford said. “I don’t want a lot of static displays of past relics.” The project recently received national support through Fieldwork, an initiative that provides architectural and strategic assistance to rural communities. Organizers also hope to preserve the legacy of the 1966 civil rights demonstrations organized by the Congress of Racial Equality and document the stories of the families who helped build the town. GUESTS * Mark Oliver [https://markoliver.org/], board member, Lincoln Heights Legacy Project * James Langford, Lincoln Heights Legacy Project

What World War I, the 1918 flu and Babe Ruth reveal about America

A display of United States flags on Memorial Day along a road in a cemetery near Dallas, Oregon. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/11ccf6d/2147483647/strip/false/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/792x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fce%2F5c%2F2866b0ba4b63ac64eb1877aeac14%2Fadobestock-508053096.jpeg]A display of United States flags on Memorial Day along a road in a cemetary near Dallas Oregon(Bob - stock.adobe.com) Memorial Day honors U.S. military service members who died while serving the country. Historians Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith, co-authors of "War Fever: Boston, Baseball, and America in the Shadow of the Great War," examine a period when war reshaped American life. Their book focuses on the fall of 1918, when Americans faced the overlapping forces of World War I, a deadly influenza pandemic and sweeping social change. Through stories that range from baseball to politics and public life, the authors argue that those events helped redefine the country. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a5ebe43/2147483647/strip/false/crop/1056x480+0+0/resize/792x360!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9a%2F2a%2Fd700d49b4270a3666d13e9b3ddec%2Fjx-draw-47.jpg] In 1918, America found itself at a transformative crossroads. As World War I reached its climax, a deadly influenza pandemic swept across the country and a young pitcher named Babe Ruth began changing baseball. Roberts and Smith describe the period as a "braided narrative" of personal stories that reflect the American experience. At the center was Ruth's transition from standout left-handed pitcher to one of baseball's biggest stars. With rosters depleted by the military draft, Ruth had more opportunities to hit, helping change the way the game was played. “Writers portrayed him as a symbol of American manpower," Smith said. "They made these connections between Ruth's power at the plate and the manpower on the Western Front that was going to win this war.” Yet while Ruth's reputation grew, others fell under the weight of what the authors describe as "war fever." Karl Muck [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Muck], conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, became a target of anti-German sentiment and government scrutiny. Despite no evidence of espionage, he was eventually sent to an internment camp. Charles Whittlesey, leader of the "Lost Battalion," also became caught up in the era's intense nationalism. Though celebrated as a war hero, Roberts said the attention and pressure that followed ultimately took a heavy toll. Roberts said dissent during the war often carried consequences. "If you opposed the war, you were in trouble," he said. "If it was believed you opposed the war, you were in trouble." As the 1918 World Series unfolded in Boston, a more deadly wave of influenza spread through the city. The convergence of war, disease and social change helped shape a new American identity during a turbulent period in the nation's history. Guests * Randy Roberts, historian and co-author of "War Fever" * Johnny Smith, historian and co-author of "War Fever"