Madelyn Beck
I’m the Mountain West News Bureau reporter at Boise State Public Radio. That means I work with reporters and NPR stations around the region to cover Mountain West issues like public lands, influential court cases and the environment, among many other things.
I grew up on a ranch in Montana, but I’ve reported everywhere from North Dakota to Alaska to Washington, D.C. My last few positions included covering energy resources in Wyoming and reporting on agriculture/rural life in Illinois.
My pre-journalism jobs include (but are not limited to): ranch hand for Icelandic horses, hotel laundress, large caliber brass shell sorter/inventory, salmon processor in Alaska and waitress for a murder mystery dinner theater.
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Federal officials have announced another $759 million in funding for rural high-speed internet, including for states and tribes in our region. This is the third round of funding to build out internet access in rural areas. It finances projects in 24 states, three territories and tribal nations. In the Mountain West, that includes projects in Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Wyoming and the Navajo Nation. -
New data shows that the Western U.S. produces the most residential solar energy in the nation. California is a main reason why, but it’s increasing across the rest of the region, too. -
New Department of Education data out Monday shows that student math and reading scores have suffered over the last few years. Between 2019 and this year, data shows that fourth and eighth grade scores suffered the most in math, but reading scores also took a hit. -
The Mountain West News Bureau researched two possibilities for why certain hunting spots on public lands are getting crowded while the number of hunters remains fairly stable. -
Some campaign commercials and mailers in our region are mentioning the deadly drug fentanyl and border security. According to experts, though, that may be oversimplifying the deadly issue. -
Ski hills will soon be opening in the West, but it’s still uncertain which will open first. Over the last several years, the first two ski hills to open in the West have often been Arapahoe Basin and Keystone, both in northern Colorado. But last year, southern Colorado’s Wolf Creek Ski Area pulled ahead to open first on October 16 thanks to a big snow storm. -
The Pew Charitable Trusts published a report calling on policy-makers and landowners to help animals migrate across the West. That report also highlights the latest science on animals like mule deer, elk and pronghorn. -
A new study looked at livestock deaths in states like Wyoming, Montana and Idaho that were presumed to be from wolves. It found that the data was woefully inadequate. -
Nearly $1 billion in new federal grants is aimed at helping high-need schools support students and their mental health. The grant money can be spent on things like telehealth services, ongoing teacher education, community engagement, supporting culturally-affirming practices and bullying prevention. -
A newly identified sea monster from millions of years ago had a long, snaky neck and crocodile-like jaw. The critter was swimming around Wyoming some 70 million years ago, and was originally dug up in the mid 90s, before years of processing. It’s currently on display at the Glenrock paleontological museum near Casper, Wyoming.
