OPB Audio

In just a few weeks, our nation will commemorate the 250th anniversary of its independence. As we approach this historic milestone, “Think Out Loud” has been hearing from guests whose life experiences and personal histories illuminate different aspects of what it means to be an American. Noushin Hoshyar came to the U.S. in 2010 and just last month, became a naturalized citizen. She's originally fr...

It took months for Pendleton city staff to negotiate a tentative settlement to resolve a lawsuit over the city’s homelessness policies. Ultimately, it took only three hours of public pressure before it unraveled.

In just a few weeks, our nation will commemorate the 250th anniversary of its independence. As we approach this historic milestone, “Think Out Loud” hears from guests whose life experiences and personal histories illuminate different aspects of what it means to be an American. Jill Gentry is the recently installed State Regent of the Oregon State Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution...

The National Civic League has announced the 10 recipients of its prestigious All-American City award. Woodburn was the smallest of the 10 cities from around the country to receive this honor, and the only one on the west coast. The winning cities were chosen by a panel of judges based on how they demonstrated “innovation, civic engagement, and inclusive collaboration.” Woodburn Mayor Frank Lonerga...

The punk organization Volume Bomb has been around in one form or another for the last 10 years. It’s been organizing and promoting local punk bands ever since it began — with one neighborhood block party. Volume Bomb’s mission has gradually evolved since then, says co-founder Jason Rocksmore. Last year, they incorporated as a 501(c)(3) to better fulfill their goals of supporting local punk bands....

Nanaimo bars bring a sweet taste of Canada to Portland

Since 1971, the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) program at the University of Washington school of medicine has been working to bolster the rural physician workforce, both by recruiting medical students from these communities and providing them financial support to return to their communities as family physicians. The program also provides specialized education that prepares...

Centrally Oregon is a co-working space for artists, writers and other professionals which opened earlier this month in Sunriver. The Bulletin previously reported on its opening and owner Stephanie Gregory’s vision for it. Located inside a 1,400-square-foot warehouse, members have access to dedicated desks, an art studio space and workshops Gregory currently teaches on writing, printmaking, waterco...

As we approach the 250th anniversary of American independence, “Think Out Loud” has been hearing from guests whose life experiences and personal histories illuminate different aspects of what it means to be an American. We’ll continue that conversation with Tony Johnson, the chairman of the Chinook Indian Nation. The nation represents five tribes whose ancestral homelands surround the mouth of the...

A Washington State University study found that rates of food insecurity in the U.S. vary among members of different racial and ethnic groups. It found, for example, that only 10% of Asian American adults who live in severe poverty are food insecure, compared to 40% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults living in severe poverty. It also found that low-income white adults had similar levels of...

Gina Jacobsen and Leslie Warren are both financial advisors based in Portland who specialize in helping women navigate financial confidence and life changes such as divorce or death of a partner. They say they notice patterns in the women they work with — oftentimes, they have their first interactions with money management later in life, and Jacobsen and Warren often take on the role of building u...

Last week, the Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration to end protections for hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants. The Temporary Protected Status program was signed into law by George H. W. Bush in 1990 and allows citizens of other countries to stay in the U.S. when it is deemed unsafe for them to return to their home countries. The 6-3 vote only ends protections for p...

An Oregon law lets one wealthy region turn the desert green. When drought hits, farmers pay the price

It’s been 5 years since deadly heat gripped Oregon. Here’s what’s changed

Former Portland Black `n Blue band mates Tommy Thayer and Jaime St. James reunite for their first new music together in over 30 years

The state of Oregon has agreed to pay $49 million to the families of inmates who died while in state custody during the COVID-19 pandemic and to the more than 5,000 people who contracted the virus while incarcerated.

For nearly 40 years, Store to Door has helped homebound seniors and adults with disabilities in the Portland metro area by taking orders for groceries and delivering them each week with a team of mostly volunteers. These “Kindness Couriers”, as the nonprofit calls them, will enter clients’ homes - if requested - to unpack the groceries and stay for a brief chat. Those interactions can help ease fe...

Katherine Lee Bates' greatest hope in life was to write a poem that people would remember after she died. One hundred and thirty three years later millions of people across the United States will sing “America the Beautiful,” commemorating the nations’ 250th anniversary. However, some of the same problems America faced at the time Bates wrote her poem are still relevant today. Filmmakers Laurence...

This week, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington sided with the Center for Food Safety and the Coalition to Protect Puget Sound Habitat in a suit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The ruling means that nine industrial shellfish operations that were approved by the Army Corps of Engineers off of Washington’s coast are unlawful. The plaintiffs argue that the USACE vi...

Next month, the Food and Drug Administration committee will consider easing restrictions on some peptides. Some influencers have claimed these injectables improve muscle growth, create better immune function and slow aging, among other things. However, there is very little evidence to support the benefits of many of these drugs in humans. At the same time, prescription peptides that are already on...

Two comedians in Portland have launched a "reality TV dating show" in which local singles bring their dogs to a park, release them, and dates are determined by dog compatability.

Chef Ryan Roundhouse is pushing the boundaries of Japanese cuisine at his Portland restaurant Nodoguro. The avant-garde omakase has menus themed around the abstract: writers, directors, music albums and even manga cartoons. Last week, Roundhouse won a a James Beard award for Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific.

Four times a week, you’ll find Camas resident Martins Licis working out in his home garage. Like many people, he will lift repetitions of weights to build strength. But most people don’t do 600 to 900-pound deadlifts or 500 to 700-pound squats. Licis is a professional strongman who is currently training to compete in the Giants Live Strongman Classic in London on July 4 and another international c...

Four times a week, you’ll find Camas resident Martins Licis working out in his home garage. Like many people, he will lift repetitions of weights to build strength. But most people don’t do 600 to 900-pound deadlifts or 500 to 700-pound squats. Licis is a professional strongman who is currently training to compete in the Giants Live Strongman Classic in London on July 4 and another international c...

The Menopunks movement started as a documentary. The goal was to debunk claims about hormone replacement therapy through interviews with doctors and hear the stories of Portland musicians who have benefited from HRT. But it’s now grown into a broader effort to advocate for more comprehensive and accessible menopause care. A benefit concert series this weekend aims to raise money for the documentar...