THE WEST
What with obnoxious feral pigs and voracious non-native bullfrogs, we probably do not need another new animal on the wildlife scene. Well, say hello to the largest rodent in the world: A capybara has been spotted hanging around a wastewater treatment plant near Salinas, Calif. Capybaras are native to South America and require a special permit to be owned in California, so this one is most likely an escaped pet, according to Reuters. Adult animals can weigh some 100 pounds and look something like humongous hamsters. All that weight comes through a vegetarian diet, and capybaras pose no danger to humans. Theyd rather while away the hours in rivers or other waters, staying submerged for up to five minutes. A capybara makes squeaking noises, will plop all 100 pounds on its owners lap (see YouTube) and, if you think a giant guinea pig is cute, then you would probably like it, says Todd Tognazzini of the California Department of Fish and Game.
COLORADO
Freshman Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet traveled for three days through western Colorado towns recently, talking to constituents about everything from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to his support for a wilderness bill called Hidden Gems, reports the Aspen Daily News. Periodically, though, hed note the polarized state of Congress and mention how dismal political service has become: I feel like our politics right now is so cartoonish and so unhelpful and so small compared to the challenges we have to confront. I wish I could tell you that things are less dysfunctional in the U.S. Congress than they appear to be. Its worse than you think.
Meanwhile, Sen. Bennet stayed clear of a proposal to change the name of Mount Sopris, some 30 miles from Aspen, to honor singer John Denver (born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr.), whose song Rocky Mountain High became an anthem of sorts for lovers of Colorados high country in the 1970s. J.P. McDaniel, a Denver-area resident, petitioned the U.S. Board of Geographical Names this year, but her campaign has not gone down well with Colorado residents on this side of the Divide, especially in the town of Carbondale. Locals there see the sprawling, snow-capped mountain every day it is one of the largest mountains in the country and its twin peaks are each exactly 12,965 high. A recent poll found that 74 percent of Carbondale residents considered the name change of the mountain to Mount John Denver a terrible idea. Columnist Jeannie Perry summed up the objections succinctly in The Sopris Sun weekly: She doesnt live here, he didnt live here, and no one I know who lives here wants to see this happen.
THE WEST
It might seem like a contradiction, writes Jill Adler in NewWest.Net, but the hot new trend at Salt Lake Citys annual Outdoor Retailer Summer Market is marketing to the inactivity of America, paying particular attention to the portly and non-athletic Beached White Male. Marian Salzman, a speaker from the group Trendspotting, said Americans want soft, rugged adventures, where they can play safely outside. But, heaven forbid, once on a trail somewhere, they dont want to be separated from the gadgets of modern life. So we can expect to see more products that keep people connected no matter how far off the beaten path they venture, from GPS watches to solar chargers for iPhones.
NEW MEXICO
Visitors to the Las Cruces Farmers and Crafters market probably couldnt help but notice a long, 8-foot-tall inflatable tunnel tucked in between tents where people were selling freshly baked bread and artwork. Thats just what health educators from the New Mexico State University were hoping: They wanted visitors to venture into the tunnel perhaps the biggest model of a section of intestine ever created so they could learn more about colon cancer, polyps and diseases such as Crohns. Educational specialist Vanessa Martinez was on hand to talk to visitors, and she and other helpers explained the need to screen for colorectal cancer after age 50. They said the inflatable colon got their message across more effectively than anything else, and it would be visiting health fairs and other venues through the summer.
WASHINGTON
Cheri Schumann was surprised to hear that the Tri-City Herald of Kennewick, Wash., had reported that shed been murdered in 1996. Ive felt creepy all day, she told the paper after its story, based on a report by the co-chair of the high school reunion class of 1971, was published. The report said seven classmates had been murdered. Actually, five were; the sixth on the list died after a long illness. Schumann, now Taylor, who is married with four children, told the Herald that not only is she not dead, but shes not even trying to hide. Shes lived in Seattle since the mid-90s and had even been receiving information about the 40th year reunion. Now Im sorry I missed it. It would have been a hoot if I had shown up.
Betsy Marston is the editor of Writers on the Range, an op ed service of High Country News (hcn.org). Tips and photos of Western weirdness are appreciated and often shared (betsym@hcn.org).
