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, 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...

On the left, a brown and white dog peers through rusty cage bars; on the right, a shaggy dog presses its nose through a chain-link fence.

Dead Cats and Abandoned Dogs Reveal a Fatal Gap in Pet Business Law

When pet businesses close without warning, the animals inside have no legal advocate. A growing pattern of sudden closures and owner disappearances is exposing a critical gap in state law.

Dead Cats and Abandoned Dogs Reveal a Fatal Gap in Pet Business Law

When pet businesses close without warning, the animals inside have no legal advocate. A growing pattern of sudden closures and owner disappearances is exposing a critical gap in state law.

On the left, sandbags line a flooded suburban street where rescue workers navigate a rubber boat; on the right, emergency responders search through debris-strewn flood destruction amid overturned vehicles.

Federal Court Rules Trump Administration Illegally Slashed FEMA Disaster Workforce in Half

They gutted the agency that saves lives after disasters — and a court said it was illegal.

Federal Court Rules Trump Administration Illegally Slashed FEMA Disaster Workforce in Half

They gutted the agency that saves lives after disasters — and a court said it was illegal.

On the left, white foam rushes through a rocky coral reef channel; on the right, turquoise ocean meets an exposed coral flat from above.

Watch A Hidden Reef Rise From the Sea As Wildlife Scrambles for Safety

For most of the day, Australia’s Montgomery Reef hides beneath the Indian Ocean. Then the tide retreats, waterfalls erupt and a vast living platform appears from the sea.

Watch A Hidden Reef Rise From the Sea As Wildlife Scrambles for Safety

For most of the day, Australia’s Montgomery Reef hides beneath the Indian Ocean. Then the tide retreats, waterfalls erupt and a vast living platform appears from the sea.

On the left, a Golden Retriever peers from a wire crate inside a car; on the right, a Chihuahua peeks out of a plastic travel carrier on a car seat.

A $400 Fine Was All It Took for These Puppy Dealers to Walk Free

Selling puppies from a car puts operators in a regulatory gray zone where animal-control agencies have almost no power to act. States are starting to respond, but enforcement tools remain...

A $400 Fine Was All It Took for These Puppy Dealers to Walk Free

Selling puppies from a car puts operators in a regulatory gray zone where animal-control agencies have almost no power to act. States are starting to respond, but enforcement tools remain...