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Tribal advocates keep up legal pressure for fair political maps; 12-member jury sworn in for Trump's historic criminal trial; the importance of healthcare decision planning; and a debt dilemma: poll shows how many people wrestle with college costs.

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Civil rights activists say a court ruling could end the right to protest in three southern states, a federal judge lets January 6th lawsuits proceed against former President Trump, and police arrest dozens at a Columbia University Gaza protest.

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Rural Wyoming needs more vocational teachers to sustain its workforce pipeline, Ohio environmental advocates fear harm from a proposal to open 40-thousand forest acres to fracking and rural communities build bike trail systems to promote nature, boost the economy.

WA Veterans: The Environment is Worth Defending

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Thursday, November 11, 2010   

SEATTLE - Some Washington veterans are skipping today's traditional Veteran's Day celebrations to demonstrate a different kind of patriotism: They're defending the environment. A Seattle group will rally in support of the U.S. military's pledge to reduce fossil fuel consumption.

One of the participants is Rick Hegdahl, Bellevue, a Navy vet. He says he's also asking the Washington congressional delegation to support full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). It's royalty money from offshore oil and gas leases that is supposed to be used to protect public lands, but Hegdahl says in most years, Congress siphons it off for all kinds of uses.

"This money's just being taken for other purposes. Unfortunately, the damage that happens because of that costs more in the long run. This is our heritage. We should be taking much better care of what we have."

In the 45 years the LWCF has been in existence, it has received its full $900 million national allocation only twice, says Hegdahl. He believes American soldiers would rather be fighting to preserve a beautiful country than to protect overseas oil interests.

"Some of the great wonders of the world are right here in the United States. If we're not willing to protect those for future generations, then what are we defending? Are we defending corporate interests?"

Next week, the U.S. Senate returns and considers legislation for full funding of LWCF.

Hegdahl points to many parks and trails in the state of Washington that have benefited from the LWCF. Some of the best-known are in the Skagit River area, Mount Rainier National Park and the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area.

The rally begins at 10:30 a.m. today in the Peace Garden at Seattle Center.




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