White House Plans Dismantling NCAR: Local Leaders Fear Loss of Climate and Weather Research

The **White House Office** is a central organizational component within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP), tasked with supporting the President in managing day-to-day operations, policy formulation, and political affairs. It is headed by the White House Chief of Staff and staffed by senior aides who report directly to the President, including those with titles such as Assistant to the President and Deputy Assistant to the President. These staff members are mostly political appointees without the need for Senate confirmation, allowing the President considerable discretion in shaping the office to suit each administration's priorities[1]. Historically, the White House Office was established in 1939 through Reorganization Plan 1 and Executive Order 8248 to provide immediate assistance to the President. It functions as the nerve center for presidential staff, physically located primarily in the West Wing, and plays a pivotal role in managing the President’s policy agenda, communications, and political strategy. Its flexible organization allows each President to tailor the staff composition and roles according to their governance style and objectives[1]. In the current context of 2025, the White House Office operates under the administration of President Donald J. Trump, who returned to office after the 2024 election. His administration emphasizes rejecting prior policies deemed extremist and focuses on enhancing quality of life, economic growth, and American energy dominance. The administration includes Vice President JD Vance and First Lady Melania Trump, among others, with a Cabinet advising on various governmental functions[4][6]. Recent initiatives linked to the White House’s operational sphere include the establishment of a new **Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)** aimed at modernizing federal technology and software to boost government productivity. The DOGE agenda is implemented through the renamed United States DOGE Service within the Executive Office, reflecting a concerted push to leverage technology for administrative modernization[5]. Notably, the White House Office also coordinates national security and homeland security functions through the National Security Council staff, underscoring its central role

The **National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)**, headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, is a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and managed by the nonprofit University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), a consortium of over 120 universities.[1][3] Established in 1960 under founding director Walter Orr Roberts, NCAR was created to equip the atmospheric science community with cutting-edge facilities unattainable by single institutions, fostering collaborative breakthroughs in Earth system science.[1][3] NCAR's mission centers on advancing research, education, and observation in atmospheric and related fields, including climate science, meteorology, atmospheric chemistry, space weather, and societal impacts like droughts, wildfires, and severe storms.[1][2] It equips global scientists with **specialized tools** such as research aircraft, supercomputers, the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory, and open-access datasets—totaling over 20,000 resources—alongside community models like the **Community Earth System Model (CESM)**, **Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)** model, and **Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM)**.[1][2][4] These resources power forecasts for hurricanes, El Niño patterns, and climate change effects, while in-house teams of ~750 scientists, engineers, and staff produce influential publications and host workshops, fellowships, and public outreach at its visitor center.[3][5][6] Key achievements include pioneering high-performance computing for weather prediction and wildfire modeling, enhancing global resilience to environmental risks.[2][4] Today, under director Everette Joseph, NCAR operates seven laboratories and two programs from sites in Colorado, Wyoming, and Hawaii, remaining a hub for innovation where academia, government, and industry converge.[1][3] For business and tech leaders, NCAR's scalable models and cyberinfrastructure exemplify how public investment drives predictive tech wit

Mesa County Clerk (officially the Mesa County Clerk and Recorder) administers elections, records public documents, issues motor vehicle titles and registrations, and manages liquor and marijuana licensing and Clerk-to-the-Board duties for Mesa County, Colorado, through five divisions: Elections, Recording, Motor Vehicles, Clerk to the Board, and Administration. The office also provides marriage and civil-union services and public-records access, including electronic search and property-fraud alert tools for residents and businesses[1][2][3]. Historically the county’s elected clerk-and-recorder has been the local steward of voter registration, ballot processing, land-records preservation, and vehicle services; those functions are reflected in departmental budgets and public updates presented to the Board of County Commissioners[3][4]. In recent years the office modernized record access by scanning documents into searchable electronic formats and launched digital services such as online marriage applications and fraud-notification systems for real-estate filings[2]. These technology-driven shifts aim to speed transactions and improve data availability for residents and businesses[2][3]. Key achievements include implementing countywide electronic records and public-notice systems, operating a mail-ballot election system with signature verification that the office credits with detecting and reporting attempted mail-ballot fraud, and consolidating motor-vehicle VIN inspections and other services to better serve customers[1][2][4]. The office has also regularly briefed county leadership on operational trends and service metrics to guide resource decisions[4]. The office’s recent trajectory has been shaped by both administrative modernization and high-profile election-integrity controversies involving prior leadership that drew statewide attention and legal scrutiny; these events prompted increased oversight, legal action, and public discussion about safeguards in election administration in Colorado[5][7]. Today the Mesa County Clerk and Recorder operates as a central county service provider focused on secure elections, accessible electronic records, and routine public services while navigating heightened