Matthew Russell

Matthew Russell

Matthew Russell is a West Michigan native and with a background in journalism, data analysis, cartography and design thinking. He likes to learn new things and solve old problems whenever possible, and enjoys bicycling, spending time with his daughters, and coffee.

Articles by Matthew Russell

On the left, two dogs fight on a sandy beach; on the right, two adults separate fighting dogs in a park while a child watches.

Thousands of Dogs Trapped in Organized Fighting Rings as Federal Enforcement Finally Expands

Dogfighting is happening right now, across the country, on a scale that shocks investigators. Federal agencies have finally begun coordinated action. Whether it lasts depends on what comes next.

Thousands of Dogs Trapped in Organized Fighting Rings as Federal Enforcement Finally Expands

Dogfighting is happening right now, across the country, on a scale that shocks investigators. Federal agencies have finally begun coordinated action. Whether it lasts depends on what comes next.

On the left, dark sewage pours from a pipe into a murky waterway; on the right, multiple dead fish float and lie along a polluted shoreline.

Groundwater Is Being Poisoned by Coal Ash and the EPA May Step Back

Coal ash laced with arsenic, lead, and mercury has already contaminated Wisconsin groundwater. Now the EPA wants to weaken federal protections and hand oversight to the state at the same...

Groundwater Is Being Poisoned by Coal Ash and the EPA May Step Back

Coal ash laced with arsenic, lead, and mercury has already contaminated Wisconsin groundwater. Now the EPA wants to weaken federal protections and hand oversight to the state at the same...

On the left, massive wildfire smoke billows over suburban rooftops; on the right, an aerial satellite view shows the same fire's flames and smoke plume.

Wildfire Smoke Is Killing Americans While Congress Sits on a Proven Solution

Wildfire smoke is a growing public health crisis — but researchers say the problem is not fire itself. It is the wrong kind of fire, burning out of control with...

Wildfire Smoke Is Killing Americans While Congress Sits on a Proven Solution

Wildfire smoke is a growing public health crisis — but researchers say the problem is not fire itself. It is the wrong kind of fire, burning out of control with...

A young woman rests her head on a golden retriever lying on a floor while a gray cat sits beside them.

Millions of Pet Owners Are Paying for Insurance That Doesn't Cover What They Think

Pet insurance is booming, but most states have no rules requiring insurers to clearly disclose what they will not cover — leaving pet owners to find out only after a...

Millions of Pet Owners Are Paying for Insurance That Doesn't Cover What They Think

Pet insurance is booming, but most states have no rules requiring insurers to clearly disclose what they will not cover — leaving pet owners to find out only after a...

On the left, a spotted wild cat sits alert on a white surface; on the right, a similar spotted cat walks along a log in a leafy enclosure.

Scientists Stumble Upon the World's First New Wild Cat Species Discovered in More Than a Century

Hidden in Bolivia's misty cloud forests, a wild cat smaller than a house cat had been living, hunting, and eluding science for more than a million years. Its discovery —...

Scientists Stumble Upon the World's First New Wild Cat Species Discovered in More Than a Century

Hidden in Bolivia's misty cloud forests, a wild cat smaller than a house cat had been living, hunting, and eluding science for more than a million years. Its discovery —...

On the left, a white rhinoceros stands in a dry, dusty landscape; on the right, a herd of African elephants, including a calf, stampedes through billowing dust clouds.

Elephants Trampled a Poacher to Death as He Raised His Rifle at a White Rhino Deep in Kruger

A man crept six kilometers into Kruger National Park armed with a rifle and an axe, his sights set on a white rhino worth tens of thousands of dollars. He...

Elephants Trampled a Poacher to Death as He Raised His Rifle at a White Rhino Deep in Kruger

A man crept six kilometers into Kruger National Park armed with a rifle and an axe, his sights set on a white rhino worth tens of thousands of dollars. He...

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