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 person sitting on steps beside a black bag with a cardboard sign reading “HELP,” wearing worn boots and wrapped in a blanket.

Veterans Risk Losing Homes Without Clear Access To VA Foreclosure Help

A veteran who falls behind on a mortgage may still have options to save their home. But those options can fail when the information arrives too late, comes from the...

Veterans Risk Losing Homes Without Clear Access To VA Foreclosure Help

A veteran who falls behind on a mortgage may still have options to save their home. But those options can fail when the information arrives too late, comes from the...

Split image of a child and white dog under a bed and a person holding a small puppy over their shoulder indoors.

Emergency Housing Rules Can Force Survivors To Leave Pets Behind

People fleeing domestic violence or emergency housing crises may face an impossible choice: leave a pet behind or stay in danger. Shelter rules, pet deposits, boarding bills, and transport costs...

Emergency Housing Rules Can Force Survivors To Leave Pets Behind

People fleeing domestic violence or emergency housing crises may face an impossible choice: leave a pet behind or stay in danger. Shelter rules, pet deposits, boarding bills, and transport costs...

Split image of a sea turtle swimming over coral reef and discarded fishing net trapping marine life on the ocean floor.

Pacific Heat Waves Put Loggerheads In Gillnet Danger

Endangered loggerhead sea turtles cross the Pacific from Japan and can appear off Southern California during warm-water events. NOAA has closed key waters to large-mesh drift gillnets for summer 2026,...

Pacific Heat Waves Put Loggerheads In Gillnet Danger

Endangered loggerhead sea turtles cross the Pacific from Japan and can appear off Southern California during warm-water events. NOAA has closed key waters to large-mesh drift gillnets for summer 2026,...

Split image of a happy senior dog in a birthday hat beside a solemn older gray dog, contrasting joyful and aging expressions.

A Grieving Dog Dad Built A Lifeline For Old Shelter Dogs After One Changed His Life

Lily was already 10 when Sam brought her home. She gave him seven unforgettable years, then left behind a mission bigger than one family. Now her story is helping senior...

A Grieving Dog Dad Built A Lifeline For Old Shelter Dogs After One Changed His Life

Lily was already 10 when Sam brought her home. She gave him seven unforgettable years, then left behind a mission bigger than one family. Now her story is helping senior...

Split image showing a person lying on cardboard while receiving bread from another hand beside a close-up portrait of an older bearded man wearing a cap and camouflage jacket.

Homeless Veterans Are Vanishing In VA Paperwork Because Of Referral Program Failures

Veterans who tell VA they are homeless or at risk should not be lost in paperwork. Federal watchdogs found missed follow-ups and huge gaps in HUD-VASH referral documentation.

Homeless Veterans Are Vanishing In VA Paperwork Because Of Referral Program Failures

Veterans who tell VA they are homeless or at risk should not be lost in paperwork. Federal watchdogs found missed follow-ups and huge gaps in HUD-VASH referral documentation.

Split image showing a white dog standing indoors and the same dog sitting in a car wearing an orange jacket.

Dog Saved From Death Row Rallies An Entire Town Behind Him

Ox was once just a number on a list in a South Carolina kill shelter, with only days left before he was scheduled to be euthanized. After one foster stepped...

Dog Saved From Death Row Rallies An Entire Town Behind Him

Ox was once just a number on a list in a South Carolina kill shelter, with only days left before he was scheduled to be euthanized. After one foster stepped...