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Articles by John Ryan
2 million invasive green crabs captured along Washington shorelines
Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe biologist Justin Stapleton carries green crab traps near Pysht, Wash., on Sept. 11, 2026. Courtesy of Aina Hori / Washington Sea Grant More than 2 million invasive green crabs were captured in Washington state from July 2025 to June 2026, smashing previous records. More European green crabs were trapped in those 12 months than in all previous years combined since the pinchy invaders were first documented in Washington state in 1998.
Army Corps of Engineers temporarily takes over a Skagit River dam to lower flood waters in northeast Washington
The Army Corps of Engineers was able to reduce flooding on the Skagit River with emergency operations of two hydropower dams upstream. Big dams have big downsides, including killing salmon and drowning whole valleys under reservoirs. A view of the upper Skagit River and Ross Dam, one of three dams in the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project supplying power to the city of Seattle, on June 7, 2023, in Whatcom County.
Back-to-back storms push Washington rivers past their limits
John Ryan, KUOW environment reporter, describes how a series of powerful storms overwhelmed Washington's rivers and communities.
Today's Headlines: Chief Hall says SPD can reduce use of force; Murray pushes for ACA credit renewal
Chief Hall says SPD can reduce use of force The Spokane Police Department can and must use less deadly force, according to its own leader. Chief Kevin Hall made his comments during a Wednesday night town hall on police violence at the Central Public Library.
Short-Range Air Defense (SHORAD) System Market Growth Forecast 2025-2030: Insights & Opportunities
Short-Range Air Defense (SHORAD) System Market Size, Growth Rate & Statistical Highlights The Short-Range Air Defense (SHORAD) System Market , published by MarkNtel Advisors , delivers an in-depth analysis of the Industry covering key market dynamics, competitive landscape, future trends, and strategic insights. This research is essential for stakeholders seeking to understand market evolution, capitalize on emerging opportunities, and drive profitability through data-backed decisions.
Activists urge reforms after Bering Sea trawlers hauled up 9 dead orcas this year
Federal officials are looking into the deaths of nine orcas that were hauled up by groundfish trawlers in Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands fisheries this year, and conservation groups say more needs to be done to prevent such deaths. According to NOAA Fisheries, a tenth whale was released alive, but the nine other orcas incidentally caught in trawl nets weren’t so lucky.
Activists urge reforms after Bering Sea trawlers hauled up 9 dead orcas this year
Federal officials are looking into the deaths of nine orcas that were hauled up by groundfish trawlers in Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands fisheries this year, and conservation groups say more needs to be done to prevent such deaths. According to NOAA Fisheries, a tenth whale was released alive, but the nine other orcas incidentally caught in trawl nets weren’t so lucky.
Clark/Rahway John L Ruddy VFW Post 7363 Plans Major Fundraiser
By John Ryan, Quartermaster CLARK/RAHWAY — The Clark/Rahway VFW, John L. Ruddy Post 7363, has scheduled a fundraiser for building repairs. Closed since March 2020 due to COVID, the Post building needs a roof, ceiling work, air conditioning replacement and inside renovations.
Fireworks in France: Bastille Day and riots
Welcome to the fifth instalment of This Week, Those Books, your rundown on books new and old that resonate with the week’s news and developments. The few minutes you take to read this newsletter will make you smarter, faster…guaranteed. Here, you will find a deep dive on fiction and non-fiction about the week’s big story and/or perfect watercooler convo and dinner party small talk. (The first post on ‘dictator chic’ is here. The second on ecocide and the late, great Cormac McCarthy is here.
Michael Rathke dies at 59
Michael Rathke died Thursday in Rochester, Minn. He was 59 years old. Michael was born Oct. 4, 1963, to Ladonna and John Rathke at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester. He graduated from Grand Forks High School in Grand Forks, N.D., in 1981 and attended the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. He graduated in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications. Michael made public radio his lifelong passion. He was employed at a number of public media outlets throughout his career.
Frontiers | Metapangenomic investigation provides insight into niche differentiation of methanogenic populations from the subsurface serpentinizing environment, Samail Ophiolite, Oman
Patrick H. Thieringer1, Eric S. Boyd2, Alexis S. Templeton3 and John R. Spear1* 1Colorado School of Mines, United States 2Montana State University, United States 3University of Colorado Boulder, United States The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon. Receive an email when it is updated Serpentinization reactions produce highly reduced waters that have hyperalkaline pH and that can have high concentrations of H2 and CH4.
PNW & CA: Pizza-sized predators - the sunflower star - to get federal protection
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has proposed listing the sunflower star as a threatened species, which could lead federal agencies to block projects that would harm its habitats and unlock funding for research on how to save the species. The pizza-sized predator with up to two dozen arms has been unable to outrun the world’s worst underwater pandemic.
FBI offers $50K reward to catch Northwest grid’s armed attackers
The FBI is offering two $25,000 rewards in hopes of catching whoever shot up two electrical substations near Olympia and Portland in November. In each incident, unknown actors shot a firearm or firearms at a high-voltage facility, damaged expensive equipment, and caused coolant oil to spew out of bullet holes and onto the ground, according to the FBI. “This was not an accident. It wasn’t just someone conducting mischief,” said Richard Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle office.
Washington state's push to reduce emissions
Several states have new laws to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that fuel rising temperatures. Washington has changed how big businesses use energy and how people fuel their vehicles. Transcript ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: Several states across the country have new laws on the books this year to reduce the greenhouse gas pollution that is warming the planet. Washington State is among them. New laws change how big businesses use energy and how people fuel up their cars and trucks.
Horseman, Author, Actor, Musician
About John Saint Ryan John Saint Ryan was born in England, and raised in Ireland. He taught Martial Arts for 27 years throughout Europe, coaching 12 individuals to become National Champions. Around that time he rode horses for fun, and somehow managed to fit in an acting career, which included the usual Theatre work in the provinces and the West End, followed by guest star roles on TV. and Film, working alongside a number of star names.
Olympic Peninsula glaciers expected to disappear in 50 years
OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK, Wash. (AP) — Portland State University professor Andrew Fountain has been researching the dwindling glaciers of the American West since the 1980s. For years he studied their retreat dispassionately — as an interesting phenomenon to try to understand. Then last year, he had an epiphany. “It dawned on me that, ‘wait a minute, in 20 or 30 years, everything that I’ve studied is useless because there are no glaciers,’” Fountain told KUOW.
Olympic Peninsula glaciers expected to disappear in 50 years
Subscriber content preview Olympic Peninsula glaciers expected to disappear in 50 years By JOHN RYAN KUOW OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — Portland State University professor Andrew Fountain has been researching the dwindling glaciers of the American West since the 1980s. He said for years, he studied their retreat dispassionately — as an interesting phenomenon to try to understand. Then last year, he had an epiphany.
Olympic Peninsula glaciers expected to disappear in 50 years
OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — Portland State University professor Andrew Fountain has been researching the dwindling glaciers of the American West since the 1980s. He said for years, he studied their retreat dispassionately — as an interesting phenomenon to try to understand. Then last year, he had an epiphany. "It dawned on me that, 'wait a minute, in 20 or 30 years, everything that I've studied is useless because there are no glaciers,'" Fountain told KUOW.
Olympic Peninsula glaciers expected to disappear in 50 years
By JOHN RYAN KUOW OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK, Wash. (AP) — Portland State University professor Andrew Fountain has been researching the dwindling glaciers of the American West since the 1980s. Fountain told KUOW that last year, he had an epiphany that in 20 or 30 years, everything he’s studied is useless because there are no glaciers.” A new study by Fountain and coauthors from Washington state and British Columbia shows the Olympic Peninsula has lost 45% of its glacier coverage since 1980.
Olympic Peninsula Glaciers Expected to Disappear in 50 Years
By JOHN RYAN, KUOW OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK, Wash. (AP) — Portland State University professor Andrew Fountain has been researching the dwindling glaciers of the American West since the 1980s. He said for years, he studied their retreat dispassionately — as an interesting phenomenon to try to understand. Then last year, he had an epiphany. “It dawned on me that, ‘wait a minute, in 20 or 30 years, everything that I’ve studied is useless because there are no glaciers,’” Fountain told KUOW.
What It's Like to Fly Southwest as an Unaccompanied Minor
This post may contain affiliate links; please read our advertiser disclosure for more information. Flying Southwest as an Unaccompanied Minor I decided to join a family friend for the weekend in Palm Springs. Prices were very reasonable, so I decided to fly as an unaccompanied minor for the first time. I was flying Southwest Airlines from Las Vegas to Palm Springs.
Conservationists fight for protection for jumping slugs
Published March 7, 2022 at 2:45 PM EST A Burrington jumping slug on Vancouver Island. (Kristiina Ovaska/KUOW) Conservationists are suing the federal government to protect a rare species that live in Oregon and Washington state. KUOW’s John Ryan tells us more about jumping slugs and their importance to the ecosystem. This article was originally published on WBUR.org. Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
Conservationists fight for protection for jumping slugs
Published March 7, 2022 at 2:45 PM EST A Burrington jumping slug on Vancouver Island. (Kristiina Ovaska/KUOW) Conservationists are suing the federal government to protect a rare species that live in Oregon and Washington state. KUOW’s John Ryan tells us more about jumping slugs and their importance to the ecosystem. This article was originally published on WBUR.org. Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
Conservationists fight for protection for jumping slugs
Conservationists fight for protection for jumping slugs04:05 Download X Copy the code below to embed the WBUR audio player on your site Copy embed code PlayA Burrington jumping slug on Vancouver Island. (Kristiina Ovaska/KUOW) Conservationists are suing the federal government to protect a rare species that live in Oregon and Washington state. KUOW's John Ryan tells us more about jumping slugs and their importance to the ecosystem. This segment airs on March 7, 2022.
Introduction to the Environmental Humanities
Introduction to the Environmental Humanities ISBN | Quantity: Shopping Cart Summary Items: Routledge & CRC Press eBooks are available through VitalSource. The free VitalSource Bookshelf® application allows you to access to your eBooks whenever and wherever you choose. Mobile/eReaders – Download the Bookshelf mobile app at VitalSource.com or from the iTunes or Android store to access your eBooks from your mobile device or eReader.
Governor Signs And Partially Vetoes Ambitious Washington Environmental Laws, Drawing Criticism
BY NICK GERANIOS / AP & JOHN RYAN / KUOW Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee signed a series of bills Monday designed to strengthen the environment in Washington state. Inslee signed the Climate Commitment Act, environmental justice legislation, a clean fuels standard and bills related to reducing Washington’s single-use plastic waste and hydrofluorocarbon pollution.
Loretta Kuebler of Lidderdale
Loretta Marie Kuebler, age 100, of Lidderdale, IA, passed away on Thursday, April 8, 2021 at Swan Place in Carroll. A private funeral service will be held on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll with Rev. Phill Robbins of Sun City West, AZ officiating. Casket bearers will be Loretta’s grandchildren. Burial will be in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery near Lidderdale.
Water Finance & Management
By John Ryan The 2020 Annual Report of the EPA’s WIFIA loan program is a good read, and not just because it’s short and largely graphical. It’s a series of positive snapshots, including impressive aggregate stats, highlights from closed loans and summaries of new features. The overall impression is that of a federal program that’s working very well on multiple fronts, from responsive product development for borrowers to the intricacies of transaction execution within a federal bureaucracy.
Scientists Pinpoint Chemical That's Been Killing Northwest Coho Salmon. It Comes From Tires
BY JOHN RYAN / KUOW Coho salmon returning to freshwater each fall often die, gasping for breath and swimming aimlessly, before they are able to spawn. Scientists now know why. After years of chemical sleuthing, scientists have pinpointed the toxic substance that’s been killing large numbers of coho salmon in Northwest creeks. It’s 2-anilino-5-([4-methylpentan-2-yl]amino)cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione, or 6PPD-quinone for short. Never heard of it? You’re not alone. You can’t buy it anywhere.
Scientists point to chemical in car tires that’s been killing coho salmon
By John Ryan (KUOW) Dec. 5, 2020 12:16 a.m. Coho salmon returning to freshwater each fall often die, gasping for breath and swimming aimlessly, before they are able to spawn. Scientists now know why. After years of chemical sleuthing, scientists have pinpointed the toxic substance that’s been killing large numbers of coho salmon in Northwest creeks. It’s 2-anilino-5-([4-methylpentan-2-yl]amino)cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione, or 6PPD-quinone for short. Never heard of it? You’re not alone.
Analysis | Why so many Republican officials went along with Trump’s fraud claims Original
Many have speculated about why Republican elected officials went along with President Trump’s efforts to convince Americans that the 2020 election was riddled with fraud. Our research suggests that a big piece of the puzzle is the GOP base. Republican voters tell pollsters they believe Trump when he says there is fraud. Partisans, we’ve found, are motivated to believe that the other party cheated and are skeptical about claims that their party cheated. Evidence has nothing to do with it.
Resetting the Mission on WIFIA
By John Ryan The WIFIA Loan Program recently announced that it has reset the interest rates on two undrawn loan commitments originally made in mid-2018. The fixed rate on a $135 million loan to Orange County Water District and a $614 million loan to San Diego PFFA were reset downward from about 3.1 percent and 3.3 percent, respectively, to around 1 percent, reflecting the steady decline in the Treasury curve since the loans’ first-rate setting. Is this a big deal?
An Update on the WIFIA Loan Program
By John Ryan With three years of solid results, WIFIA looks poised for long-term success. But the program could also be a very effective part of the federal response to COVID-19. The U.S. EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act Loan Program (WIFIA) was enacted in 2014 and became operational in 2017.
How we ran a successful virtual conference with > 6500 attendees
Due to COVID-19 we had to switch CamundaCon New York to CamundaCon Live on very short notice. It was a great success! We planned to hold CamundaCon in New York City at the end of April. Due to COVID-19 we had to cancel, but we still wanted to hold an event for the community. So last week we ran CamundaCon Live and it was a huge success. I asked a lot of people about their experiences with virtual conferences beforehand and promised to write a quick recap of how we did afterward. Here it is.
Proposed Copper Mine In Alaska Threatens One Of World's Most Valuable Fisheries
A long-time battle against a proposed copper mine in southwestern Alaska has divided communities. Some locals believe the mine could mean an economic upturn for the region. But as John Ryan (@heyjohnryan) of KUOW reports, others — including people downstream in Washington state — fear the mine could damage the sockeye salmon ecosystem.
Due Process Violation Claimed Over CIA Electronic Presence in 9/11 Pretrial
Sketch by Janet Hamlin. Video and audio reaches the courtroom viewing gallery on a 40-second delay to prevent the spill of classified information. Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba – A silver computer tablet sits on the prosecutors’ table at the Sept. 11 hearings through which the CIA and other “original classification authorities” can tell the prosecution team when to request that the military judge halt the proceedings.
Lead Lawyer’s Potential Exit From 9/11 Case Sparks Emotional Arguments
Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba – James Harrington, the 75-year-old fixture of the Sept. 11 case, asked a military judge on Tuesday to grant his request to leave the case for health reasons, saying he could not fully participate in the looming three-week March session that would require him to examine multiple witnesses. “My trial days are over,” Harrington said to Air Force Col. Shane Cohen.
Attorney’s Injury Bolsters Pleas for More Death Penalty Lawyers on 9/11 Case
Michael Schwartz (left) and Edwin Perry, attorneys for Walid bin Attash, convinced the judge to postpone oral arguments because the team’s lead attorney was injured and could not attend. No one could have bet on the specific turn of events that caused the latest delay in the Sept. 11 military commission at Guantanamo Bay – one of the lead defense attorneys falling and seriously breaking her arm, leaving her unable to attend the pretrial proceedings scheduled for Jan. 25-Feb. 3.
Lead Defense Lawyer in Sept. 11 Case Asks To Leave, Creating Uncertainty for Path to Trial
Defense attorney James Harrington. Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba – One of the lead defense lawyers in the Sept. 11 military commission has asked to leave the case, throwing the long-running proceedings into yet another phase of turbulence and uncertainty. James Harrington, the lawyer for Ramzi bin al Shibh, made his oral motion Tuesday morning, citing both his personal health and problems with the attorney-client relationship that he did not discuss in open court. The judge, Air Force Col.
Boston Celtics: The sudden emergence of Romeo Langford
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: Romeo Langford poses with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being drafted with the 14th overall pick by the Boston Celtics during the 2019 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 20, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
Fodder factory keeping lambs fed in drought
Evan Frankham at his property, with feed from his Fodder Factory. Photo: Dubbo Photo News EVAN FRANKHAM has got plenty of lush, nutritious feed on his Suntop farm to keep 500 breeding ewes in full production, but this fodder isn’t being grazed from his bare brown paddocks – it’s being produced from barley seed that’s sprouted in a purpose-made shed called a fodder factory.
CIA's Architect of Brutal Interrogations Later Held Hands of Accused 9/11 Mastermind
Sketch of witness James Mitchell by Janet Hamlin. Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba – The CIA interrogator who subjected Khalid Shaikh Mohammad to wall-slamming, waterboarding and other “enhanced” techniques testified on Thursday that he and the detainee later developed a cordial relationship in which the two men held hands during conversational intelligence debriefings.
CIA Psychologist Threatened to Cut Throat of KSM’s Son in Quest to Stop More Attacks
Sketch by Janet Hamlin. Khalid Shaikh Mohammad (left) confers with his defense team. Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba – Former CIA psychologist James Mitchell testified on Monday that he threatened to kill Khalid Shaikh Mohammad’s son if the detainee failed to provide information that could stop another attack in which American children died.
CIA's 9/11 Interrogation Leader Sheds Defiant Tears Testifying at Guantanamo Bay
Sketch by Janet Hamlin. The judge, Air Force Col. Shane Cohen (left), watched defense lawyer James Connell question witness James Mitchell on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Mitchell testified in detail about waterboarding detainee Abu Zubaydah.
Why don’t you see people-sized salmon anymore?
While the orcas of Puget Sound are sliding toward extinction, orcas farther north have been expanding their numbers. Their burgeoning hunger for big fish may be causing the killer whales’ main prey, chinook salmon, to shrink up and down the West Coast. Chinook salmon are also known as kings: the biggest of all salmon. They used to grow so enormous that it’s hard to believe the old photos now. Fishermen stand next to chinooks almost as tall as they are, sometimes weighing 100 pounds or more.
FBI Witness in Sept. 11 Case Was Present At Overseas Interrogations of Defendant in 2002
Photo of Ramzi bin al Shibh taken by the International Committee of the Red Cross and provided by his defense team. Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba – The FBI collaborated with the CIA in its “black site” interrogations of the Sept. 11 defendants, a fourth FBI witness testified last week, by providing questions to be asked during the sessions before the five defendants arrived at Guantanamo Bay. The FBI also received intelligence reports from the CIA about the responses to those inquiries.
FBI Involvement in CIA Black Site Interrogations Confirmed by Third Witness
Photo of the courtroom used for the Sept. 11 case provided by Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs. Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba – The resumption of pretrial hearings in the Sept. 11 case this past week brought something of a déjà vu quality, with another witness testifying the FBI sent questions to the CIA while it held the five defendants at overseas black sites in the years before they arrived at Guantanamo Bay in 2006.
Suppression Hearing in Sept. 11 Case Ends With Stormy Exchanges Over Trial Date
Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba – The headlines generated last month when Air Force Col. Shane Cohen set a January 2021 trial date in the Sept. 11 case yielded during this week’s hearings to finger-pointing between defense teams and the prosecution over who is responsible for the delays in the case and arguments over whether the judge’s timeline was realistic.
Sept. 11 Case Set for Pivotal Suppression Hearing as Government Declassifies Details of FBI’s Role in CIA Black Sites
Photo of defense attorney James Connell by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba – For the past few years, lawyers defending the accused Sept. 11 conspirators have taken public swipes at the narrative that the FBI was separate from the controversial CIA program that subjected their clients to years of abuse at overseas black sites before they arrived at Guantanamo Bay in 2006.
Government Previews Defense of CIA Interrogation Program; Lawyers Receive Discovery of 'Depraved' Conduct
The prosecution team led by Brig. Gen. Mark Martins contends that the controversial CIA interrogation program was not “outrageous.” Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba – The prosecution team in the Sept. 11 case argued this week that the past abuse of the five defendants at CIA black sites does not meet the standard of “outrageous government conduct” that would lead to dismissal of the charges or other serious sanction against the government.
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