New Zealand sheep farmers are fighting to stop the loss of pasture to fast-spreading pine plantations.

Hidden high in the White Mountains of eastern California, a gnarled, weathered tree quietly holds a staggering secret — it’s nearly 5,000 years old.

A tornado that spun up unexpectedly during Saturday’s late afternoon storm in the Thumb area had winds whipping at an estimated 95 mph - strong enough to break off the top of a pine tree and ...