Opinion

An appeals court heard arguments Wednesday over whether police disciplinary summaries must be released under the state public records act when internal affairs investigations are still open. Journalists and watchdog groups say delayed access hides patterns of misconduct from voters, while the city attorney argued premature disclosure could taint witness interviews and jeopardize fair hearings….

Researchers deployed acoustic sensors and banding stations across coastal wetlands to track migration patterns of shorebirds that stop locally during long flights. Early data suggest some species arrive two weeks earlier than historical averages, a shift scientists link to warmer inland breeding grounds. The team shares findings with land managers who control water levels on…