A newly discovered T. rex relative! Khankhuuluu mongoliensis

I loved dinosaurs and new discoveries are always fascinating. The latest is from Mongolia and it's a relative to the Tyrannosaurus Rex. That's today's blog.

(Image: An artist impression of Khankhuuluu mongoliensis that roamed what is now Mongolia around 86 million years ago. (Image credit: Julius Csotonyi)

 

Meet 'Dragon prince' — the newly discovered T. rex relative that roamed Mongolia 86 million years ago

By Chris Simms Live Science, June 12, 2025

A new species of dinosaur that was probably a princely ancestor of T. rex, the king of the dinosaurs, has been identified from fossils excavated in Mongolia.

Scientists have identified a never-before-seen species of dinosaur called the dragon prince — a prehistoric predator that set tyrannosaurs on the path to ruling Earth. This newly discovered relative of Tyrannosaurus rex came to light after researchers re-examined fossils found in Mongolia.

Its existence sheds light on the story of tyrannosaur dinosaurs and how they evolved and spread.

The scientists named the dinosaur the dragon prince of Mongolia (Khankhuuluu mongoliensis), with the genus name based on the Latinization of the Mongolian words for prince and dragon. Their findings were published Wednesday (June 11) in the journal Nature.

"They [tyrannosauroids] were the princes before they took the mantle of kingship," study co-author Jared Voris, a researcher at the University of Calgary in Canada, told Live Science.

Tyrannosauroids were giant apex predators that walked on two legs, had huge heads with sharp teeth and tiny arms. They are part of the larger tyrannosauroid family and were thought to have evolved from smaller species — but until now there has been little fossil evidence to support this idea.

So, Voris set out for Mongolia to examine partial tyrannosauroid skeletons that had been excavated decades ago but not yet fully examined. The specimens that really caught Voris' eye were found in Mongolia in 1972 and 1973 and described in a scientific paper in 1977, when the individuals were identified as the already known genus Alectrosaurus.

But after being reexamined, "I realized it was something completely different than anything we'd ever seen," Voris said. "And it actually represented the ancestor of all of our big apex predatory tyrannosaurs that we find both here in Alberta and in Mongolia and China."

K. mongoliensis was far smaller than T. rex   

The dragon prince lived 86 million years ago and looked much like a tyrannosaur, but it was only about 13 feet (4 meters) long, weighing in at 1,650 pounds (750 kilograms). Many later tyrannosaurs were much bigger, with T. rex reaching 41 feet (12.5 m) long and weighing up to about 23,000 pounds (10,400 kg). The dragon prince also had a smaller head and longer arms compared to later tyrannosaurs.

"It's a nice new discovery giving us a better sense of what this intermediate phase of tyrannosaur history is like," Thomas Holtz, a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Maryland, who wasn't part of the team, told Live Science.

SCIENCE: Bird feeders have caused a dramatic evolution of California hummingbirds

 If you have a hummingbird feeder, here's a story you'll find interesting. Since their introduction, the feeders have been affecting the evolution in California hummingbirds. 

(Photo: Anna’s Hummingbird. Credit: USDA) 

Bird feeders have caused a dramatic evolution of California hummingbirds

Beaks have grown longer and larger, and ranges have expanded to follow the feeders 

21 May 2025 ByRachel Nuwer, SCIENCE 

Hummingbird feeders are a beloved pastime for millions of backyard birders and a convenient dining spot for the birds. But for the Anna’s hummingbird, a common species in the western United States, feeders have become a major evolutionary force. 

According to research published this week in Global Change Biology, artificial feeders have allowed the birds to expand their range out of Southern California up to the state’s northern end. They have also driven a transformation of the birds themselves. Over just a few generations, their beaks have dramatically changed in size and shape.

“They seem to be moving where we go and changing quite rapidly to succeed in their new environments,” says co–lead author Nicolas Alexandre, who conducted the work when he was a graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley and is now a geneticist at Colossal Biosciences, a biotechnology company based in Dallas. “We can think of Anna’s hummingbird as a commensal species, similar to pigeons.”

Carleton University animal behaviorist Roslyn Dakin, who wasn’t involved with the study, adds that the new paper beautifully shows “evolution in action.”

It’s unclear when the earliest hummingbird feeders appeared. A 1928 National Geographic article provided instructions for DIY feeders to observe hummingbirds, but the technology likely existed earlier. What is clear, though, is that hummingbird feeders took off after World War II. When Alexandre and his colleagues mined the text of newspaper archives dating back to 1880, they found that ads for feeders proliferated after the first patented one appeared in 1947.

To test how Anna’s hummingbirds responded to the uptick in feeders, the researchers turned to the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, an annual birding survey. Data from the survey showed which of California’s 58 counties the bird inhabited from 1938 to 2019. U.S. Census records indicated human population density in these same areas, while newspaper ads for feeders served as a proxy for feeder density. In addition, the team analyzed hummingbird museum specimens in 2D and 3D to quantify changes to their beaks over time. Finally, they built a model for predicting hummingbird range expansion that incorporated not just artificial feeders, but also other factors, including the locations of introduced eucalyptus trees, which can provide nectar throughout the year.

The researchers’ findings suggest eucalyptus trees—which were planted en masse in California in the late 1800s—might have served as the first steppingstone for some populations of Anna’s hummingbirds to expand their ranges. But hummingbird feeders played the biggest role in driving the hummingbird’s northward population growth. “The feeders are what really make the difference here,” says senior author Alejandro Rico-Guevara, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Washington. 

The researchers also found that as feeders proliferated, Anna’s hummingbird beaks got longer and larger, which may reflect an adaptation to slurp up far more nectar than flowers can naturally provide. Developing a bigger beak to access feeders “is like having a large spoon to eat with,” Rico-Guevara says.

This change was more pronounced in areas where feeders were dense. 

But in birds that lived in colder regions north of the species’ historical range, the researchers spotted the opposite trend: Their beaks became shorter and smaller. This finding also makes sense: The researchers used an infrared camera to show for the first time that hummingbirds use their beaks to thermoregulate, by dissipating heat while they are perched. A smaller beak has less surface area—and would therefore help conserve heat.

It wasn’t just the size and shape of beaks that changed. In areas where feeders are dense, male hummingbirds have also developed beaks that are pointier and sharper than usual. Pointy beaks in hummingbird species often indicate aggressiveness, and the researchers think male skirmishes over feeder control may have made these birds feistier. “Anyone who has a feeder knows that hummingbirds fight like crazy,” Rico-Guevara says.

The most surprising finding, though, was how quickly these changes took place. By the 1950s, hummingbirds were noticeably different from those of the 1930s: a time span of only about 10 generations of birds, Alexandre says.

Dakin says the study adds nuance to our conception of humans as an evolutionary force. Often, researchers think of humans as exerting selective pressures through environmental damage or deliberate domestication. But as with Anna’s hummingbird, “I think we’re going to find more and more examples of contemporary and subtle changes,” she says, “that we’re shaping, indirectly, in many more species.”

A New Ad for my latest #1 books in Muscle Sport Magazine

 Here's a new Ad that will be running for my Five #1 books. It will appear in the upcoming issue of Muscle Sport Magazine at www.musclesportmag.com - The folks there did a great job putting the ad together. I was contacted by them after my Pennhurst Paracon appearance, and given that I work out daily and strongly support fitness, this was a perfect fit.

Idiot of the Week: Man accused of embezzling more than $300K from elderly family member

 This week's idiot is a relative of a senior who bilked him out of $300,000! It is absolutely appalling what some family members do to their senior relatives. This guy was actually released on his own personal recognizance on the condition that he not travel outside New England. In that time, he can get rid of the cash he stole. Hopefully the authorities are watching. 

Mass. man accused of embezzling more than $300K from elderly family member 

“This case illustrates one of the most common forms of elder abuse, the financial exploitation by a trusted family member.”

 By Dialynn Dwyer, April 1, 2025, Boston

A Chelmsford man was arraigned Monday on charges he embezzled more than $300,000 from an elderly family member, authorities announced.

Eric Borghetti, 51, pleaded not guilty to five counts of embezzlement by a fiduciary, the Middlesex County District Attorney’s office said in a statement.

Prosecutors allege that in September 2019, Borghetti was living with the elderly woman at her Chelmsford home when a fire destroyed the house and injured the victim. Shortly afterward, she allegedly appointed Borghetti to serve as her fiduciary, acting in her best interests, with a Durable Power of Attorney.

“The language of the DPOA did not authorize Mr. Borghetti to receive compensation or gifts in connection with his duties under the DPOA,” the DA’s office said.

Shortly after the appointment, Borghetti allegedly added himself to the victim’s bank account. Prosecutors allege that after the woman’s insurance company deposited $175,750 to her account, Borghetti used transfers, deposits, and withdrawals to embezzle the woman’s money from four different accounts, including one single alleged withdrawal of $84,000.

Borghetti is accused of embezzling $328,500 before his family member realized what he was allegedly doing and reported it, officials said.

“This case illustrates one of the most common forms of elder abuse, the financial exploitation by a trusted family member,” Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said in a statement. “While these violations of trust may not initially be suspected among family members, this case shows the importance of acting quickly if you are concerned.

Here, this defendant seized an opportunity following a large insurance settlement and was able to embezzle a huge amount of money in a matter of a few months.” 

Following his arraignment, Borghetti was released on his own personal recognizance on the condition that he not travel outside New England, surrender existing passports, and not apply for any new passports. He will return to court on April 24.

Good News: Mom and Dad send a Musical Sign on their Anniversary

Today's blog is about how on Anniversaries and Birthdays, you shoudld watch for signs from spirits.

My parents, pictured, have often given signs around those times. My dad passed in 2008, and mom passed in 2013. Their wedding anniversary is June 19th, the same day as my mom’s Birthday. They will often give me signs in various ways. Signs can come within 2 weeks on either side of a birthday or anniversary.

This year, they sent me the musical sign of their Anniversary song, “Through the Years” By Kenny Rogers! (Click the link to hear it). I was working out with a classic country music station playing in the background, and right when I started, the song came on. It's not a coincidence. Spirits of loved ones will inspire us to turn on a radio station or music channel at the right moment to hear their musical sign.

READ MORE in “Ghosts and Spirits: Explained” by Rob Gutro

I just confirmed appearances at 2 New England Paracons!

 Big Announcement! I just confirmed appearances at 2 New England Paracons! One in Connecticut and the other in Salem, Mass. Details below.

1) FIRST CONNECTICUT EVENT!!

JULY 12-13. 2025 CT Paranormal Convention

Rob to sign books, and Monique Toosoon will be there, too!!!

LOCATION: Crosby High School, 300 Pierpont Rd, Waterbury, CT

SPECIAL GUESTS, VENDORS, PSYCHICS, READERS, AUTHORS, SPEAKERS and more!

https://paraconn.org/

2) MASSACHUSETTS EVENT

Nov. 15-16, 2025 Salem Paracon

Rob to sign books

LOCATION: Salem State University, Salem, Mass.

https://salemparacon.org/

Book of the Week: Murder She Wrote: Murder Backstage

 The Murder She Wrote paperback series is my favorite mystery series. It's based on the awesome television series in the 1980s and early 90s that starred Angela Lansbury as mystery writer/sleuth Jessica Fletcher. The series of books have all of the same characters from the TV show, so it's easy to picture them, and know who they are. The latest in the series is "Murder Backstage" by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran (who took over for Donald Bain, the original author). Today's blog is my feelings on the book, and one thing that troubled me about the characterization of Jessica.

MY THOUGHTS -  I liked this book, but not as much as previous books in the series.  Jessica and the entorage from Cabot Cove visit Edmonton, Canada to see a special show featuring Jessica's cousin Emma. Emma is an actress/performer from the U.K. who is working a special show for an aged actor who is retiring after a long career. 

There are a lot of supporting characters around the aged actor, his stagehands, assistants, directors, and people associated with the hotel, drivers, and more. So it's a lot to keep track of. The author presents a number of characters who would benefit from the death of the victim, so it does keep you guessing. 

One thing I didn't care for was the way the author portrayed Jessica Fletcher as being so irritated and angry at the hotel gift shop for trying to get her to sign some books. Although it is somewhat irritating to be "bothered on vacation" - it's part of being recognized, and in the TV series, Jessica always made time to sign books. It's the least you can do for fans. As an author myself, as I kept reading about Jessica's character's anger about signings, it felt unrealistic. On vacations, I've talked about my books, signed some, and engaged interested people. - The story would have been more believable to me if Jessica, although slightly irritated but honored, made an arrangement with the hotel to do a short time of signings after or before a mealtime. That would be more like the TV depiction of the character. 

Still, the story was enjoyable.

ABOUT THE BOOK:  The newest entry in the USA Today bestselling Murder, She Wrote series. This is book 58 and a series of 61 and counting. 

Jessica Fletcher’s British cousin, Emma MacGill, will be traveling to Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, to perform with internationally famous star of stage, screen, and television Derek Braverman in an old-fashioned musical review. Emma would love for Jessica to join her there and suggests she bring along some friends. Having just finished her latest book, Jessica is ready for a vacation and is delighted to agree. Dr. Seth Hazlitt and Sheriff Mort Metzger are huge fans of Braverman, so they are eager to tag along, and their fanboy behavior gives Jessica and Mort’s wife, Maureen, more than occasional cause to roll their eyes.

Upon arrival in Edmonton, Jessica is quickly outed as mystery writer J. B. Fletcher, and despite numerous protests, a hotel staffer arranges a book signing for her. This and touristy adventures arranged for the group make for a much busier trip than Jessica was expecting. When a hotel bartender, who also happens to be a stagehand for Emma’s play, turns up dead backstage at the theater, Jessica’s fun and relaxing vacation quickly becomes anything but.

Early Gravestone Carvers of New England

 Graveyards or cemeteries used to freak me out, but when I realized that ghosts don't haunt cemeteries I was okay with them. They're actually peaceful and full of history, so we enjoy walking through them. Today's blog is about early Gravestone Carvers of New England from the New England Historical Society.

Early Gravestone Carvers of New England

Early gravestones in New England were as varied as the men who carved them. The artistic designs of the early gravestone carvers changed over time as beliefs about religion and death evolved. The oldest stones were carved on slate, featuring skulls and crossbones, the symbols of mortality. These gradually evolved, as later carvers began to suggest life and resurrection with more hopeful angels and winged cherubs. After 1800, the use of urns and willows became fashionable.

Close-up of urn and willow engraving on an early gravestone in Searsport, Maine

Here are some examples from “Gravestones & Puritanism”.

Early Gravestone Carvers Carving often ran in families, with fathers passing their trade on to sons and grandsons. Although many learned as apprentices and sometimes copied their masters’ designs, they also developed their own artistic style.

There were hundreds of gravestone carvers throughout colonial New England. The following contains brief biographies on nine of them, with some links to gravestone images.

A Pair of Prolific Gravestone Carvers William Buckland (1727-1795), Manchester, Conn., and Peter Buckland (1738-1816), Rutland, Vt.

William Buckland and his brother Peter were both prolific carvers, carving hundreds of gravestones in and around Manchester. They lived in the area known as “Five Miles,” named for the five-mile tract purchased from the Indians in 1672. Both brothers apprenticed with Gershom Bartlett, a well-known stone carver who created faces on his stones with bulbous noses, which the Bucklands also copied. William tended to work in sandstone while Peter more often used granite.

An early gravestone by Peter Buckland After serving in the Revolutionary War, William moved to Poultney, Vt., in about 1783. he occasionally made some spelling errors, such as a backward p and N and he once spelled boody for body (probably the way it was pronounced!), according to “The Gravestones Carvers of Rutland County, Vermont,” edited by Margaret Jenks, 2016.

William died in 1795 and is buried in Poultney, “Captain” Peter died in 1816 in East Hartford, Conn. Click on the link to several of Peter’s gravestones.

Connecticut Carvers James Stanclift (1639-1712), East Middletown, Conn.

James was the first permanent settler in Middletown, which later became Portland. Carving gravestones was a family occupation for generations. It included sons William and James, and James’ sons James III and Comfort. They often carved using all capital letters, as seen in these examples. James, Jr., tended to make some careless mistakes.

Obadiah Wheeler (1673- ~1749) Lebanon, Conn.

Obadiah was “one of the great early carvers of eastern Connecticut,” according to the Old Plainfield Cemetery website. He probably apprenticed with John Hartshorne, as he used similar loops, curls and downswept winged cherubs. See a few examples here. Obadiah was another one known for some “original spelling” such as “Har Lis/Lise/Lyes”; “Fathar” and “Jenewary.” More information can be found in “The Colonial Gravestone Carvings of Obadiah Wheeler” by James A. Slater & Ernest Caulfield (click here).

A tombstone by Obadiah Wheeler An Early Maine Carver Bartlett Adams (1776-1828): Portland, Maine.

Bartlett was one of the first carvers in Portland, with the only shop in the area from 1800-1828. His stones were known for winged faces, rising suns and rosettes, according to the Spirits Alive website. He often advertised in the Portland Gazette. Born in Kingston, Mass., he died in Portland, Maine at age 52, buried in Eastern Cemetery.

Tombstone by Bartlett Adams on the grave of his son. It reads, The inscription reads “Memoriae sacrum/Bartlett, son of Bartlett Adams & Charlotte his wife/born July 5 & died December 30. AD 1806. Betwixt his birth & death, HOW SHORT THE SPACE?” Another Father and Son John Homer (1727-1803): Boston

Born in Boston, John often worked with his son William and was known for the prominent skull and crossbones on top of his gravestones. These can be found in cemeteries around Boston, Cape Cod and nearby states.

One unusual gravestone, that of Captain Tobias Lear (died 1781) found in Point of Graves cemetery in Portsmouth, N.H., combines his familiar skull and crossbones with the newer style of urn and willow. This was a very early use of the urn and willow. See the example from Sentinel Hill Press.

Besides carving gravestones, John was active in the politics of the day as a prominent member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the Sons of Liberty.

Headstone of Elizabeth Hurd, by John Homer, in the Granary Burying Ground A Much-Burdened Carver Solomon Ashley (1754-1823): Deerfield, Mass.

Solomon led a burdensome life. He was the son of the Rev. Jonathan Ashley of Deerfield, who antagonized his parishioners with his Tory leanings and was frequently in debt. Solomon was subject to fits of insanity and was also in debt. At one point he gave up carving. Then he landed in Northampton jail, where he suffered a self-inflicted stab wound, as mentioned in the Greenfield Recorder of Sept. 16, 1805.

Solomon’s carved stones often featured haunting mourning figures, perhaps mirroring his tortured state of mind. In 1824 he drowned himself in the Connecticut River at the age of 68.

More information can be found in the book “The Outcast Artisan: The Struggles of Gravestone Carver Solomon Ashley” by Frances Davey, 1991.

A New Hampshire Carver John Wight (1702-1775): Londonderry, N.H.

According to the Sentinel Hill Press, John Wight came to New Hampshire in 1718 as a teenager with a group of Scots-Irish Presbyterians. Instead of the usual death faces used by the Puritan carvers, he used three symbols: a coffin, a heart and a geometrical star. Sometimes there was an hourglass. He also inscribed verses such as “My body turned into dust; My dust it shall rise; In resurrection of the just; To sound Jehovah’s praise.” This suggests the Presbyterian belief in mercy and resurrection, as opposed to the oftentimes Puritan assumption of damnation.

Common Burying Ground, Newport, R.I. Early Gravestone Carvers of Rhode Island John Bull (1734-1808): Newport, R.I.

John Bull was a rebellious character! As a teen, he was an indentured servant in Newport to his brother-in-law, William Stevens. However, they did not get along and John ran off to sea, eventually leading a mutiny. Later, he was also a rebellious stone carver, once defiantly sculpting a biblical scene on a gravestone, which was considered unthinkable in Newport, a Quaker stronghold at the time.

In later years, he was quite creative. There is a double gravestone in Newport which includes a young daughter (died 1780) of William and Desire Tripp, and a son (died 1784) and “also his wife’s arm amputated” (1786). Bull carved an arm in the center of the gravestone! (Click here to see it.)

The John Stevens Shop Stevens Family: Newport, R.I.

The Stevens family carved gravestones for six generations. John Stevens (1646-1736) established his shop in Newport in 1705. By 1724 he had turned his business over to his son John II (1702-1778). His carving style featured a face or soul effigy with wings. William, another son of John I, married Ann Bull, sister of John Bull (above). The third generation included John III who carved some stones for people of African heritage. He was the only one to sign his gravestones. One stone that he signed was that of Pompey Brenton (his slave) in 1772, which featured a curly haired angelic figure. Here is further information on the Stevens family and John Bull from R.I.P. Newport.

The Stevens shop is still open today in Newport!

End Notes

Rebecca Rector of Troy, N.Y., is a history and genealogy researcher, and retired librarian from Siena College. She has been transcribing letters and diaries for Newberry Library and National Archives for the past three years.

Ghost Bear on Camera- and Rob tuning into him !

Recently Michael from Colorado sent me a video from his CCTV driveway camera and asked for my take on whether a ghost or spirit (who crossed over) animal was in the footage. Today's blog is about that exchange, and how I was able to tune into the animal!

MICHAEL: Hello, I have seen orbs on my infrared cctv driveway camera for over a year now. Recently, one of these seems to have taken on an animal form, to me it looks like a small bear. Thank you for your time.

ROB: Thanks for sharing that footage. It absolutely looks like a bear's ghost. The way that it seems to walk slowly toward your car and disappear. - Interesting.  Are there bears that live in your area?   If so, do you know if a bear had been recently killed or died near your property?  - There needs to be a connection to make it make sense. 

******************************* ************************

WATCH THE VIDEO: https://youtu.be/-1NyR9UjK7w

MICHAEL: No, I live in a densly populated suburban area of Denver, CO. There are no bears that have died around here in modern times, to my knowledge. That's what is so strange about this. It started around a year and a half ago, shortly before my cat passed away, so I know it's not him lol. Usually it is just a large transparent orb that only shows up on infrared. I did have an acquaintance run a video of another orb through some of his enhancement software a year ago (he's a paranormal enthusiast), and it did show animal characteristics. This one however is a recent raw video which definitely has as you've seen, animal characteristics. There have been more since this, but lately it's just been a blob like shape. The video here is from a month or two ago.

***************************************

After watching the footage over and over, I was able to tune into the entity, and wrote back to Michael

***********************************

ROB: Interesting that no bear has passed lately, but it could very well be a bear that was killed there over 100 years ago (I keep hearing 1889) and wanders. It definitely behaves and even appears to be a bear. 

   So, my thoughts are that when the bear was killed, it was shot without warning and died. When the bear died, because he/she was confused about what happened, they lingered a long time, trying to understand what happened.

   When people or animals physical bodies die, their physical energies couple with their memories and personality to form a "soul" outside the body. Then they can cross over or stay earthbound. 

   As with humans who linger too long, their energy levels drop and get below a threshold needed to open the doorway to the other side/paradise/heaven/valhalla, and become stuck here on earth as a ghost. 

     So that bear ghost has been wandering around since it was killed, and the light from your floodlight provided the energy for the bear to manifest, which is what was caught on camera.

     There have been stories of a few ghost animals throughout history, and most of the wild ones have been about wolves. But it makes sense that this is the ghost of a bear from over 136 years ago, as Denver was already thriving, and expanding, and any bear that would come into the town would have been killed. 

    Unfortunately, Further communication with the bear is difficult because I cannot communicate with wild animals.

 The only reason I picked up on 1889 was because someone who was around the bear at that time must have mentioned the year. Whenever a wild animal hears a human say something, it becomes an imprint in their mind that they can repeat. Unfortunately I was not picking up on anything else.

  And yes, crossing over the bear it would be the best thing to do to bring that poor animal peace after 135 years! -

To cross the bear over, I recommend getting someone to help you combine emotional energy to open a portal in the area where the driveway light shines- then I recommend putting a piece of meat outside one evening and putting your car in the garage. Keep an eye on the "bait"- - The bear will go after the "bait" and cross into the light (because of the portal's location). - Then discard the bait!

CLOSING: 25 U.S. centers that monitor flooding and drought: Serious Consequences on Americans

As a scientist, I can tell you that understanding where droughts and floods occur is critical to maintain safety of lives and property and the data is shared with the National Weather Service. Further, the U.S. Govermnent stations that keep track of these events also contribute to ensuring drinking water is safe. Now, under the current Administration, 25 of these critical stations are being closed. I don't understand how harming Americans is in their best interest. Here's the story.

(Image: Hammer Creek in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania is a part of the Chesapeake Bay Small Agricultural Watershed Monitoring Program, and the Pennsylvania Water Science Center that was targeted to be closed. Scott Heidel, PADEP / USGS) 

Trump officials gut 25 centers that monitor flooding and drought in the US 

White House orders closure of USGS water science centers, which shares data with weather service for flood warnings

Tom Perkins, Fri 2 May 2025 , UK Guardian News

The Trump administration has ordered the closure of 25 scientific centers that monitor US waters for flooding and drought, and manage supply levels to ensure communities around the country don’t run out of water.

The United States Geological Service (USGS) water science centers’ employees and equipment track levels and quality in ground and surface water with thousands of gauges. The data it produces plays a critical role across the economy to protect human life, protect property, maintain water supplies and help clean up chemical or oil spills.

The targeted centers are part of a larger network, and the Trump administration based its decision to make cuts on leases near expiration, not scientific reasoning, said Kyla Bennett, director of science policy with the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility non-profit that is tracking the issue.

The administration has not indicated a plan to fill the holes left by those that closed.

“It’s not being done with any thought about human life, it was just ‘this seems so woke so let’s get rid of it,’” Bennett said. “People think water is free and comes out of your tap whenever you want, but it’s not that simple.”

The Trump administration has made few details available, but the leases were ordered cancelled by the General Services Administration, said a water center employee who requested anonymity to speak freely without retribution. They learned about the closure from their landlord, and centers from Alaska to Massachusetts will begin shuttering within four months.

“We’re doing everything we can to make the argument that we need these facilities to complete our mission,” the employee said, but added that the groups were in a difficult position to push back.

(Image:  The USGS monitors the nation’s water resources through various national observing networks that use a range of technologies and methods to assess real-time water conditions and predict future changes in water availability for human and ecological uses. By Water Resources Mission Area/USGS) 

Among the centers’ most important functions is their role in flood warnings. USGS monitors water levels in a river and shares that data with the National Weather Service (NWS). The NWS determines if the precipitation levels in a coming storm combined with water levels in a river will result in flooding or top a dam. If there’s a risk, flood warnings are issued.

It’s also critical to state emergency response agencies and the Federal Emergency Management (Fema) responses to floods. Among the centers on the chopping block is that in Charlotte, North Carolina, which managed the fallout from widespread and deadly Hurricane Helene flooding in Asheville in late 2024.

The centers also measure water levels in aquifers to ensure utilities and industry are not overdrawing them, which could cause communities to not have water. The monitors and data also inform states’ droughts declarations, which triggers limits on withdrawals, and water conservation requirements.

That is especially important in the drought-plagued west. Among those targeted for closure is the Moab, Utah, center, which measures snowpack and other water resources in a state 77% under drought. Bennett noted even much of Massachusetts was under drought conditions and limits for lawn watering were in place.

“Nobody knows what happens if we’re not doing [monitoring for drought conditions],” the employee said. Privatization is possible, they added, but the USGS has in place rigorous data quality standards that probably could not be copied by a company.

States also use the data to protect drinking water quality, and manage pollution discharge permits. During drought conditions, streams can dry up and discharges have to be reined in. If not, small streams may entirely be made up of industrial discharge, Bennett said.

When oil or chemical spills happen, the USGS data is used to protect drinking water by tracking plumes with real-time monitors in some locations. They have also provided comprehensive pictures of where Pfas “forever chemical” pollution plumes are contaminating the country’s aquifers.

The data is also used by state and local officials, emergency responders, water system operators, road and building designers, construction companies, city planners, conservation commissions and many others for economic purposes. However, local governments are not equipped to take over.

The facilities include boats, scientific equipment, machine shops and field vehicles, and it is unclear what the fate of those, the employees and the water monitors they manage might be.

The USGS did not respond to a request for comment, but an earlier press statement said: “These efforts reflect our broader commitment to streamlining government operations while ensuring that scientific endeavors remain strong, effective, and impactful.”

The Short Memorial Day Parade

 On Memorial Day, we learned what it was like to attend a parade in a small town of 2,200. It was short, but it was nice. 

GETTING THERE-  We live about a 15 minute walk to Town Hall and the downtown area, and Memorial day was the first day throughout the entire month of May it didn't rain (with 1 exception), and temperatures were actually in the mid-60s for the first time. (We had one of the coldest months of May on record because of La Nina, which has now faded). 

THE PARADE - Like any parade it was led by a police car. The first marchers were Veterans who live in the town. The second group was the marching band from Noble High School and they sounded good.

The Noble Middle School Band followed and they were also very good.

 I always admire kids who can play instruments, and the kids playing trumpet reminded me of my brother Doug, and saxophone, my brother Stephen as they played those, respectively. I played a snare drum for 2 years as a kid but was never in a band. 

FIRETRUCK, SCOUTS - There was also one of the fire engines and the local scout troop who marched. Then, there was a police car which ended the parade!!  So in 10 minutes it was over!  It took longer to walk there one way than it lasted.

HANDSOME POLICE OFFICERS - One of the other "attractions" we enjoyed were two handsome police officers who were directing traffic. :) 

Idiot of the Week: Drunk NH Woman Arrested for DWI Wrong-Way Driving

This week's idiot returns to wrong-way drunk drivers. Sigh. It's apparently a thing in northern New England. Of course, New Hampshire has state run liquor stores on the highway, which may contribute to some of this stupidity.

(Photo: Alyssa Jones, 23, of Hampton, was arrested on March 27 on multiple charges, accused of wrong-way drunken driving, crashing into another vehicle, as well as guardrails. (New Hampshire State Police)

Woman Accused Of Wrong-Way DWI On Everett Turnpike, I-293, Rte. 101

Tony Schinella, NH Patch.com, April 1, 2025

CONCORD, NH — A woman from Hampton was arrested on Thursday night after being accused of wrong-way drunken driving after a crash.

Around 10 p.m., New Hampshire State Police began receiving reports about a car without lights on that struck multiple guardrails on the Everett Turnpike. The car was driving on deflated tires near Exit 13, according to Tyler Dumont, the public information officer for the state police.

“While troopers were attempting to locate the vehicle, an additional caller reported a wrong-way driver on Route 101 near the Interstate 293 split,” he said. “Troopers responded and located a gray 2008 Honda Accord on top of a guardrail and facing the wrong direction.”

The driver, Alyssa Jones, 23, of Hampton, “through an investigation,” was “determined to be the driver,” Dumont said. She was accused of driving on the turnpike and then exiting onto I-293 south.

“Shortly after,” he said, “the Honda veered off the road, crossed the grass median and struck the guardrail on the northbound side before traveling about 50 yards in the wrong direction and coming to a final rest on top of the guardrail. Additionally, it was determined Jones struck a second vehicle near Exit 11 on the F.E. Everett Turnpike.”

Jones suffered minor injuries during the crash. She was arrested on felony reckless conduct with a deadly weapon, driving while intoxicated, and conduct after an accident charges. She was released on cash bail and is due in Merrimack District Court in April.