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PICKS are stories from many sources, selected by our editors or recommended by our readers because they are important, surprising, troubling, enlightening, inspiring, or amusing. They appear on our site and in our daily newsletter. Please send suggested articles, videos, podcasts, etc. to picks@whowhatwhy.org.
The Conservation Success Stories of 2022 (Maria)
The author writes, “As we head into 2023, we’ve been looking back at the wins for wildlife that have taken place over the past year. Here are just 20 of the ways humanity’s efforts to help nature paid dividends in 2022. … Though 2022 may have brought some good news for nature, it’s not a time to be complacent. For your New Year’s resolution, why not get out there and see how you can help?”
Arizona Inducing the Labor of Pregnant Prisoners Against Their Will (Dana)
From The Arizona Republic: “The Arizona Department of Corrections is inducing the labor of pregnant prisoners against their will, according to three women incarcerated at the Perryville prison in Buckeye. The women say they were forced to have their labor induced, despite wanting to have a spontaneous birth. Medical records reviewed by The Arizona Republic show all three women were induced before their due dates. The women consented to have their medical information released. Stephanie Pearson and Desiree Romero had their labor induced at 39 weeks gestation in 2022. Jocelyn Heffner was induced in the 37th week of gestation on two separate occasions during separate incarcerations in 2020 and 2022.”
Retail Pharmacies Can Now Offer Abortion Pill, FDA Says (DonkeyHotey)
The authors write, “The FDA on Tuesday updated a rule allowing brick-and-mortar pharmacies to dispense the abortion pill mifepristone — expanding access to the drug amid a wave of state efforts last year to impose restrictions. Pharmacies in more than a dozen states that have near-total abortion bans would not be able to participate and those in states without bans would have to go through a certification process to qualify.”
Why Is America Getting Hit With Blackouts This Winter? (Sean)
From Grid: “The United States electricity system largely runs on natural gas, and that system was put under severe stress across the country as extreme cold and storms affected the nation’s grid [at the end of December]. Cold weather stresses many power systems as the demand for heating homes and other indoor spaces — whether gas or electric — surges.”
Has the Amazon Reached Its ‘Tipping Point’? (Russ)
The author writes, “Some Brazilian scientists fear that the Amazon may become a grassy savanna — with profound effects on the climate worldwide.”
Six Months Ago, Marblehead, MA, Had No Dedicated Newspaper. Now, It’s in a ‘Golden Age of Journalism.’ (Reader Steve)
From The Boston Globe: “Today, … three outlets — adhering to three different business models — are in the unexpected position of battling it out for the readers of Marblehead and wresting back hyperlocal news from corporate control. At a time when independently owned news organizations in the area are few and ever-dwindling, the landscape in Marblehead is nothing short of remarkable — though in no small part due to its relatively affluent population, which can afford to support such ventures. What remains to be seen is how long this renaissance will last.”
The Official Arthur Harpo Marx Family Online Collection (Mili)
Harpo’s Place: We don’t usually select a website as a “pick,” but if the news is driving you crazy, we think you need to spend some time with the Marx Brothers and their families, and see how they coped with their world.
