It can cost tens of thousands of dollars to start even a small business, and raising that kind of startup capital is challenging to someone with little savings, a blemished or nonexistent credit history or a loan rejection from a bank. If that someone is a relative, there’s a good chance you’ll be approached for a loan.

If you have the means, it’s hard to refuse such a request — especially if you believe your family member has the potential to build a successful, profitable business.

The trick to lending money to a relative is to approach it as a business deal — with generosity and encouragement but also a sober, unemotional understanding of the financial and personal risks...

My father and mother raised my four siblings and me to appreciate the beauty of our environment by hiking, mountain climbing, and visiting parks and other natural sites. At the time I didn’t think much about it but when I reflect back on those outings I realize that there weren’t that many people who looked like us visiting or working in the parks. One of the reasons was that the Hispanic population in Oregon was pretty small back then, but another reason was likely that Hispanics didn’t feel the same connection to our public lands that my family did. The good news is that this has changed somewhat but during recent visits to some national parks my wife and I noticed that the...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., called on President Obama to work with the Corps of Engineers and the Department of Justice to de-escalate the violence at Camp Oceti Sakowin in North Dakota. In particular, he questioned the decision to close the area to demonstrators of the Dakota Access pipeline on December 5.

November 30, 2016

Dear Mr. President:

I am gravely concerned about the recent escalation of violence in North Dakota against members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and those standing in solidarity with them.  When violent confrontations first occurred earlier this fall, I urged your administration to step in and was thankful that you quickly put a...

A young woman protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline holds a sign reading “We can’t drink oil! #NoDAPL.” Photo Credit: Pax Ahimsa Gethen