OPB Audio

Two decades ago, there were roughly 10 indigenous plant nurseries in the country. Since then, that number has blossomed to around 100, including one operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The nursery only grows native plants, with its primary goal to grow vegetation to aid in restoration of natural habitats in Eastern Oregon. Gail Redberg is the CTUIR Nursery Manag...

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation recently launched a dashboard that looks at drought indicators on the reservation and how they impact First Foods. Community members can also submit their own observations and photos to illustrate the data collected by the tribes. Lyndsi Lewis is the water quality coordinator for the CTUIR Water Resources Program. She joins us to talk more...

OHSU has denied Tarek Salaway’s claims, and said they will “vigorously defend against those allegations.”

For three decades, many residents in Eastern Oregon's Umatilla Basin have been drinking nitrate-polluted drinking water. Some residents blame nearby food processors and farms that use nitrogen-rich fertilizers for the issue. Last week, a $6.2 million settlement was reached between Madison Ranches and the people living in Morrow and Umatilla County who filed the suit. Kaleb Lay, director of policy...

For decades, a wide array of groups have had representatives on the Hanford Advisory Board. They’ve provided input on a variety of issues around the cleanup of waste and contamination from the nuclear reservation in central-southeast Washington. Now, the Department of Energy under President Trump is curtailing the board. The advisory board is going from 70 members, including alternates, to 20. The...

More than 2 million Oregonians live in drought stricken areas. Dry summers in the Pacific Northwest affect various industries including agriculture, water supply, fisheries and hydropower. But could science change that? Cloudseeding is an 80-year-old technology where tiny particles, often of silver iodide, are added to clouds via aircraft to help trigger rain or snow. Rainmaker, based in Californi...

The Inland Northwest Musicians have been performing across nine counties in northeast Oregon and southeast Washington for nearly three decades. The group formed in 1999 to bring classical music to communities that may otherwise not have access to it. It consists of three ensembles: the Inland Northwest Orchestra, the Inland Northwest Chorale and the Willow Creek Symphony, a preparatory ensemble fo...

The Hagen Fire, which started a month ago, continues to burn on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The tribes have declared a public health emergency because of the poor air quality from wildfire smoke. On top of that, much of the area is in a severe drought. Kimberly Hughes is the emergency management coordinator for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. She joins us to talk a...

The Grasshopper Fire destroyed homes and tested firefighters, and many wonder what comes next

For this installment of “At Work With,” we meet Lyndsey Petrino, a birth and postpartum doula based in Vancouver, WA who supports and advocates for her clients on their journeys through pregnancy or new parenthood.

Starting Sept. 11, all southbound lanes of Interstate 5 in Portland’s Rose Quarter will be closed for up to five weeks for long-awaited repairs.

Filin is a style of music that combines traditional Cuban bolero with American jazz and blues. Over the next few weeks, Portland vocalist Jessie Marquez will explore the genre in a series of performances and conversations at El Centro Milagro, the first of which will take place this Saturday, Aug. 15. The series will culminate in a full ensemble performance on Sept. 5 as part of the Montavilla Jaz...

In November 2022, Oregon voters narrowly passed a gun control measure that bans high-capacity gun magazines and requires safety training, completed background checks and permits for firearm purchases. Measure 114 awaits a decision by the Oregon Supreme Court and if it’s upheld, the soonest it could take effect is January 2028. The prospect of gun control restrictions nonetheless fueled a sharp dem...

Data from the 2024-2025 school year shows that Oregon schools have the second-highest chronic absenteeism rate in the country. It breaks down to about a third of Oregon students being chronically absent — missing more than 10 days of school a year. In Malheur County, though, things are different. A recent analysis of attendance data by the Oregon Journalism Project found that students in Malheur c...

Lloyd closed to the public on 8/8 but there are three businesses that are still there: Jumbo's Pickleball, Dermatology Pros, and Trackers Earth camp.

The Columbia River bar is a fierce, yet beautiful body of water, spanning across Oregon and Washington. With over 2000 shipwrecks reported since 1792, it is also known as “The Graveyard of the Pacific.” In 1855, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began the construction of a jetty system, as a means to tame the dangerous ocean currents from the Pacific. Oregon filmmakers Brett Eichenberger and Jill R...

Roughly 6.5 million people in the U.S. live in areas that are highly susceptible to landslides. West Coast residents - including on the Oregon Coast and Washington’s Puget Sound - face the second greatest exposure to landslides, after Appalachian communities in and around W. Virginia. University of Washington researchers made these findings using the Landslide Exposure Database, an online tool the...

It’s not uncommon for adults in custody in the U.S. to find themselves in solitary confinement for a range of behaviors, both violent and non-violent infractions. The practice is well-documented as being psychologically and socially damaging and to worsen the mental health outcomes for those subjected to it. The Oregon Department of Corrections is facing a class action lawsuit over the practice. A...

A wine trailblazer and a James Beard Award-nominated chef have reimagined the dinner party with Birdfat. The two culinary powerhouses connected as Black creatives trying to cultivate community in Oregon's food and wine scene.

Portland City Council approves term sheet for Moda Center renovations

SNAP cuts, soaring food costs and rising hunger grip Oregon families

Languages have evolved over time, but it is rare when one is just created. Nearly 140 years ago, a Polish linguist did just that. Esperanto was made with the intent to be a universal second language for international communication. It is difficult to measure just how many people speak the language, but it does have speakers across the globe. In the Pacific Northwest, speakers will gather next mont...

Portland entrepreneur Mark Maher says it was around March 2025 when he and his family got to experience firsthand the thrill of smashing ceramic plates, glass vases, TVs and other electronic devices. That experience took place at a friend’s rage room in Boise, Idaho, where customers book sessions to don goggles, gloves and other safety equipment to obliterate objects in a controlled, safe environm...

Oregon’s wildfire season has been severe, resulting in smoky air in communities all over the state. Central Oregon now ranks among the worst air quality in the nation, with wildfire smoke significantly affecting the region. We’ll hear from Crook County Public Health Director Katie Plumb about how people can help keep themselves safe from the smoke.

Nearly 20 years ago, Seattle lost its NBA team, the Supersonics. A combination of new ownership without local ties, an outdated arena and political decision-making saw the Sonics leave after 41 years in Seattle. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? Amidst the disagreements between Portland city officials and Blazers management, Seattle Times reporter Tim Booth joins us to discuss what led the Supersonics t...