If you’ve been busy googling ‘how to remove algae from a fence’ of late, you’re not alone; it’s been a very damp (and dark) winter, which means it’s been near-perfect conditions for algae to thrive.

GILA BEND — In dozens of simple ponds in Gila Bend, something is happening that could help ease the nation's dependency on foreign oil. The project is not controlled by an army of scientists or funded ...