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

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...

On the left, a large shark is entangled in a fishing net underwater; on the right, an orca surfaces beside a fishing vessel surrounded by seagulls.

Foreign Fisheries That Entangle Whales Could Soon Regain Access to U.S. Markets

The U.S. has rules requiring foreign fisheries to protect whales and dolphins to sell seafood here. NOAA is now considering weakening them before they have had a real chance to...

Foreign Fisheries That Entangle Whales Could Soon Regain Access to U.S. Markets

The U.S. has rules requiring foreign fisheries to protect whales and dolphins to sell seafood here. NOAA is now considering weakening them before they have had a real chance to...

On the left, an elderly veteran salutes the American flag; on the right, a young soldier in camouflage sits in a wheelchair against a gray background.

Congress Plans to Pay for Veterans Programs by Cutting Disabled Veterans Benefits

A single provision buried in a sweeping veterans bill would cut $57 billion in disability compensation from 1.5 million veterans — to pay for other veterans programs. Here is what...

Congress Plans to Pay for Veterans Programs by Cutting Disabled Veterans Benefits

A single provision buried in a sweeping veterans bill would cut $57 billion in disability compensation from 1.5 million veterans — to pay for other veterans programs. Here is what...

On the left, a man in a tie plays with two black dogs on grass; on the right, a curly black dog rests on grass.

Barack Obama Mourns Sunny the White House Dog Who Stole Hearts For 13 Years

For thirteen years, Sunny bounded through the Obama family's life with the kind of unfiltered joy only a dog can offer. Now she is gone, and the former president's farewell...

Barack Obama Mourns Sunny the White House Dog Who Stole Hearts For 13 Years

For thirteen years, Sunny bounded through the Obama family's life with the kind of unfiltered joy only a dog can offer. Now she is gone, and the former president's farewell...