In the News
A selection of paddling-related news stories.
"With Colorado River in Trouble, Many Face Sacrifices" (Texas)
"As with nearly every beloved Texas river, the 600-mile Colorado River - which flows from West Texas to the Gulf Coast - is under serious threat. Drought and surging population growth have taken their toll on the water's flow and its wildlife and, by extension, the farmers and fishermen who rely on it ..."
Complete story: Texas Tribune
Entry contributed by John Rich.
"Proposition 6 Passes" (Texas)
"The results are in, and while many agreed that Proposition 6 was the best plan available to secure the future of Texas water, it garnered 73 percent of the statewide vote a considerably safe margin..."
Complete story: CandysDirt
Entry contributed by John Rich.
"Reused Wastewater Key to Trinity River's Survival" (Texas)
"While an ongoing drought has threatened the vitality of rivers in other parts of Texas, that has been less of an issue for the Trinity. The Trinity's flows have remained relatively strong thanks in part to a robust reuse program in North Texas, according to officials and environmentalists working along the river. The Dallas area returns much of the water it takes from the river back in the form of treated wastewater. Downstream, Houston residents rely on that reused water..."
Complete story: Texas Tribune
Entry contributed by Will Blumentritt.
"Freezing Owl Rescued" (Finland)
"Whoooooo's that in the distance? That was the question on Pentti Taskinen's lips when he was paddling out on Finland's Lake Tuusula on Sunday. Once his kayak got closer, he noticed that the moving figure jutting out of the water was not an otter or another marine mammal, but an owl. Fearing the bird would die of hypothermia, Taskinen rowed closer and helped the owl onto the front of his kayak..."
Complete story: Huffington Post
Entry contributed by Paddling.net.
"Wounded Soldiers on 1000km kayaking trek" (Australia)
"A group of wounded soldiers have returned from Afghanistan only to put their bodies back on the line in a gruelling 1000-kilometre kayaking trek from Sydney to Brisbane. The inaugural Mates4Mates 21-day Sea Kayak Adventure aims to help wounded and ill defence personnel rebuild their life skills and emotional resilience..."
Complete story: The Herald
Entry contributed by Paddling.net.
"Adventurers of the Year" (Minnesota)
"Dave and Amy Freeman have been honored with National Geographic's 2014 Adventurers of the Year award. The couple paddled, dogsledded, and hiked 11,647 miles across North America while 85,000 students helped shape their course..."
Complete story: National Geographic
Entry contributed by National Geographic.
"Forget The Car Keys - This Commute Requires A Paddle" (Oakland, CA)
"For kayak commuter Stephen Linaweaver, there is no rush hour or gnarly gridlock. His biggest commute worry is a really big ship. Linaweaver kayaks from Oakland, Calif., to his job as a sustainability consultant in San Francisco. His hourlong commute begins at the Port of Oakland each morning at 7..."
Complete story: National Public Radio
Entry contributed by Paddling.net.
"Insurance fraudster faked his own death" (Minnesota)
"Hoping to avoid a prison sentence for $11.5 million in insurance fraud, Travis Scott hatched a macabre plot. He would fake his own death. Scott ground up some of his own wisdom teeth, drew several pints of his own blood and pulled strands of hair from his head. He mixed it all together in a plastic bag and put the bag into a stocking cap. The bloody cap would be found in a canoe on Lake Mille Lacs..."
Complete story: Star Tribune
Entry contributed by John Rich.
"Kayakers attempt to smuggle marijuana" (San Diego, CA)
"U.S. Border Patrol agents detected the four kayaks entering U.S. waters at about 4 a.m. off the coast of Imperial Beach. When a helicopter crew and boat crew approached the four kayaks the kayakers jumped out of their kayaks and attempted to swim ashore...."
Complete story: SanDiego6
Entry contributed by Paddling.net
"Body found in lake after canoes capsize" (Hawley, PA)
"A man's body has been recovered from a lake in the Poconos after he was in one of two canoes that capsized there over the weekend. Twenty-four-year-old Ben Culton drowned. He was one of seven people in two canoes that set out on Lake Wallenpaupack sometime before midnight Friday. The other six people swam to safety..."
Complete story: Philly.com
Entry contributed by John Rich.
"Family of teen: Tour company didn't vet leader" (Hawaii)
"Lawyers for the family of a teen killed during a kayak excursion in Hawaii last year said that the trip's organizers didn't properly vet or train its leader. Lawyers for the family of Tyler Madoff, 15, said n federal court in Hawaii that Bold Earth Teen Adventures ignored or didn't know about marijuana and alcohol use by the trip leader, and ignored safety rules for a state park where Madoff died when he was swept out to sea..."
Complete story: Wall Street Journal
Entry contributed by John Rich.
"You sunk my battleship!" (WIsconsin)
"The University of Wisconsin is putting a twist on the game Battleship. Every Sunday or Thursday night, students will be able to maneuver their way through the Fitness Center pool, using buckets of water to dump into their opponents’ canoes in order to “sink their battleship.” Whoever’s canoe is above water the longest is the winner..."
Complete story: Stoutonia online
Entry contributed by Paddling.net.