Kirk Siegler

Ammon Bundy (center) and six other militants were aquitted in October after they occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters in Burns, Ore., last January. The acquittal has emboldened the movement's militia followers, who claim the federal government has no right to own public land.

Bundy Militia Not Backing Down Following Oregon Trial Acquittal

Kirk Siegler

Ammon Bundy and his followers are back with fervor, saying that constitutionally, the government does not have the right to Western lands. But scholars disagree.

Native Americans march to a sacred burial ground site that was disturbed by bulldozers building the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota, where hundreds of people have gathered to join the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's protest.

Oregon Occupation Unites Native American Tribes To Save Their Land

Kirk Siegler

In the wake of the Ammon Bundy wildlife refuge trial, Native Americans are refocusing national attention on the ancestral rights their tribes hold to federal lands in the West.

Shawna Cox, one of seven defendants and the only one not currently detained, rides Lady Liberty outside the federal courthouse in Portland on Tuesday.

Juror Being Replaced In Oregon Occupation Case; Trial Draws Crowds

Kirk Siegler

A juror was found to be biased and dismissed on Wednesday. The judge ordered an alternate to take his place in the trial of seven people in the armed occupation of wildlife refuge in Oregon.

Armed militants seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon earlier this year as part of what they said was a political protest over the federal government's control of public lands in the West.

Here's One Controversy You May Not Hear About In The Final Clinton-Trump Debate

Kirk Siegler

In Nevada, 81 percent of the land is owned by the federal government. It's a number that's hugely controversial — and one that may not get much attention in the final presidential debate Wednesday.

The protected Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most important migratory bird corridors on the West Coast and also has long been important to the eastern Oregon agricultural economy.

Anti-Government Standoff Puts Oregon's Malheur Back On Tourist Map

Kirk Siegler

The armed occupation at the Malheur wildlife refuge has renewed interest in the remote spot's natural offerings: more than 300 bird species and hiking trails. Hotels and restaurants are filling up.

Months after a 41-day siege on the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, some facilities there remain closed due to ongoing security concerns.

Ore. Community Becomes Unwilling Symbol For Anti-Government Movement

Kirk Siegler

The trial for the militants who seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon this year is close to wrapping up. The standoff traumatized and divided nearby Burns, Ore.

After a drug bust earlier this month, police in Hartford, Conn., became ill because of the heroin and fentanyl that was seized.

#NPRreads: Two Looks At America — And One Look At America's Pastime

Kirk Siegler

Correspondents, editors and producers from NPR's newsroom share the pieces that have kept them reading.

Bureau of Land Management Ranger Shane Nalen stands on public land that he patrols outside of Las Vegas, Nev.

Federal Officers Face Hostility Amid Tension Over Control Of Federal Lands

Kirk Siegler

A reported spike in threats, intimidation and harassment toward federal officers in the rural West makes for a challenging work environment for one law enforcement ranger in southern Nevada.

A handmade sign offers a stern warning at the entrance to an abandoned neighborhood where people have lost so much.

Among La. Flood Victims, 'Depression Levels Are Really High'

Kirk Siegler

More than 115,000 residents have applied for aid, and at least as many homes and businesses are ruined or badly damaged. The sheer scope of wreckage and loss can be overwhelming.

Native Americans have been traveling through the Gold Butte area for centuries, camping at ancient sites like this and gathering plants to use to make baskets and paint.

In Nevada, Tribes Push To Protect Land At The Heart Of Bundy Ranch Standoff

Kirk Siegler

National monument designations that bypass Congress are hugely controversial. In this presidential election year, the politics in a state like Nevada are even more sensitive.