NEWS ROUNDUP

DNA confirms Washington grizzly sighting A DNA analysis has determined that hair samples taken in May from a barbed-wire fence east of Chesaw, Wash., were left by a grizzly, a scientist said... Authorities scratching their heads over stripped yew trees Roughly 40 yew trees have been found illegally felled and stripped of bark on public lands near this Southern Oregon town...Esmeralda County Voters Draw Their Pens; Grand Jury Investigation into Nevada Brand Inspector a Go Wednesday , residents, concerned citizens and Nevada Live Stock Association members initiated a petition drive in Esmeralda County to request a special grand jury to investigate Nevada State Brand Inspector, Jim Connelley, for allowing the illegal confiscation of an Esmeralda County rancher's cattle. The petition alleges that Mr. Connelley played a key roll in collaborating with the Federal government in the July, 2001 seizure of 62 head of rancher Ben Colvin's cattle, in direct violation of seventeen Nevada laws... Environmental Groups Demand Idaho Water, Threaten Agriculture Claiming the federal government is violating the Endangered Species Act over management of 10 Upper Snake River Dams, a coalition of environmental groups recently filed a notice of intent to sue. To Idaho irrigation and agriculture interests the threat is monumental. If a lawsuit commences it has the potential to dry up over one million acres of irrigated crops with an economic impact of over a billion dollars per year... Enviros cut noses to spite own faces We are truly disappointed by a play for Idaho water by Idaho Rivers United and the Idaho Conservation League, in an unwise feint toward their ultimate goal of breaching Snake River dams...Regional activist questions open-range, wolf laws Kent Knudson is battling against open-range laws in Snowflake after being arrested for shooting a cow that wandered onto his property. Knudson became an open-range activist after the events that followed the death of Dee Johnson's cow. Since the incident, he has posted his arguments against open-range ranching on the Internet to promote the cause against the laws...