Podcasts about Columbia River

In the early 1880s, visitors in the Klickitat Valley, just across the Columbia River from The Dalles and Biggs Junction, recalled seeing some very singular signs posted regularly along the right-of-way: NOTISE: All land in woods past Draper Springs is for Settlers cattle. No sheep is allowed. Sheep men take notise.    — Comitee By “Comitee,” it was clearly understood, the writer meant some sort of vigilance committee, a coalition of cattle ranchers and sodbusters who had come together to fight the encroachment of the flocks of sheep that seemed to be taking over the public rangeland. Similar signs, and “comitees,” were springing up all across the Columbia River basin. And over the decades to come, the problem would only get worse … and bloodier. Luckily, nearly all of the blood would be coming from sheep, not men. (Central and Eastern Oregon; 1880s, 1890s, 1900s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/2401b-1009c.sheepshooters-089.630.html)

This week we bring you not only America Outdoors Radio, but also 13 minutes of extra content airing exclusively on Seattle Sports Radio FM 93.3 every Saturday from 7 to 8 AM!   We are visiting The Dalles, Oregon and chat with 1.  Lisa Farquharson, the Executive Director of The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce and an avid angler 2.  Marc Bush, the owner of Twisted Waters Guide Servie in The Dalles, who shares a Columbia River fishing report 3.  David Benko, the founder of the National Neon Sign Museum 4.  And moving away from The Dalles, Noel Vick shares a great technique to get you into more walleye this month. www.americaoutdoorsradio.com www.explorethedalles.com     

Signs of the frosty relationship between the United States and Canada are everywhere: from additional checkpoints at border crossings, to fewer Blue Jays fans showing up to T-Mobile Park to see their team play here recently. Rhetoric from the President about making Canada the 51st state and tariffs have put a wedge between the two countries. And the effects of this split are spiraling to how we manage natural resources that cross the border. The Columbia river system - which touches British Columbia, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana - is a major water and power source for the US. For 61 years, the two countries have worked closely to control floods and manage hydropower on the river. When President Trump came back into office in January, Canadian and American officials were weeks away from updating the Columbia River Treaty. But now, discussions have ground to a halt. Guest: Karen Weise, technology correspondent with the New York Times Related stories: A Crucial River Treaty Is Tangled in Trump’s Feud With Canada - New York Times Updates are coming to this 60-year-old treaty guiding the Columbia River - KUOW Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Larry Ostola speaks with William E. Moreau about his book, The Writings of David Thompson, Volume 1. Between 1784 and 1812, David Thompson explored and traded across much of western North America, from Athabasca to the Missouri and from Lake Superior to the Columbia River's mouth. In his later years, he recounted these experiences in his autobiographical work Travels. More than just a personal narrative, Travels blends geographic exploration with intellectual reflection, offering insights into the land and Indigenous peoples he encountered. This distinguished work combines scientific observation with vivid storytelling, capturing Thompson's curiosity and deep sense of wonder. It stands as a foundational text in Canadian literature and history. The boxed set referenced includes the two companion volumes of Travels published in 2009 and 2015. It features a new transcription of Thompson's complete manuscript, critical annotations, historical and textual introductions, biographical appendices, and maps—both historical and modern. With an updated edition and a new preface by geographer John Warkentin, it remains the definitive scholarly reference for Thompson's legacy and continues to introduce his work to new generations. William E. Moreau is a teacher with the Toronto District School Board and a sessional lecturer with the University of Toronto at Scarborough. Image Credit: The Champlain Society If you like our work, please consider supporting it: bit.ly/support_WTY. Your support contributes to the Champlain Society's mission of opening new windows to directly explore and experience Canada's past.

Nestled high above the mighty Columbia River in Hood River, Oregon, stands a grand, ivy-clad hotel. To some, it's a charming getaway wrapped in old-world elegance. But to others… it's a gateway.Welcome to the Columbia Gorge Hotel — a place where time seems to ripple, where ghostly whispers echo through the halls, and where guests have checked in… but haven't always checked out.Built in the 1920s, this historic hotel has hosted the elite, survived the Great Depression, and seen decades of change. But beneath its polished floors and roaring fireplaces lies a chilling energy that many visitors can feel… and some claim to have seen.In this episode, we'll explore the tragic tales of loss and longing that may still linger in the walls, the reported sightings of spirits wandering the corridors, and the legends that continue to haunt the Columbia Gorge Hotel.So dim the lights, pour yourself something warm — or something stronger — and join me as we step inside one of the Pacific Northwest's most haunted havens.This… is the Columbia Gorge Hotel. Anne and Renata hope that you enjoy this episode and that you subscribe to our podcast.Consider supporting our work by buying us a "cup of coffee" https://www.buymeacoffee.com/anneandrenataORbecome a Grand Poobah Patreon supporter, and join our inner circle of craziness!https://www.patreon.com/anneandrenataOur Patreons get to hear all of the bloopers as well as extra lives on a private Patreon page.Join us on our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/TrueHauntingsPodcastPlease subscribe to our YouTube Channel as we are wanting to get more views and engagement and check out our travel videos Frightfully Good Misadventures - we are adding new episodes of some of our latest adventures every week.Also Follow Anne and Renata:Facebook: @AnneAndRenataInstagram: @AnneAndRenataYouTube: @AnneAndRenataTikTok: @AnneAndRenataWe pass on our HUGE THANK YOU for listening and following.We could not do this without you.#anneandrenata #ghosts #hauntings #paranormalpodcast #frightfullygood #FrightfullyGood #HauntedHolidays #diaryofaghosthunter #poltergeist #ghostbusters #Poltergeist#PoltergeistActivity #ParanormalPodcast #TrueGhostStories #CreepyEncounters #HauntedPlaces #GhostHunter #SpiritActivity #SupernaturalStories #UrbanLegends#HauntedHistory #OccultPodcast #columbiagorgehotel #columbiagorge #hoodriveroregon #hauntedoregon #storyofcolumbiagorgehotelghosts #ghostsofamerica Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tonight's guest, Hugh Knight, had his Bigfoot sighting on the Oregon Washington State border, by the Columbia River. The day he had the sighting he was mining for agates and crystals. After drilling rocks for some time, he decided to climb up to an overlook, above where he'd been working, to try his luck at seeing a Sasquatch. Being such a prime area for Sasquatch sightings, his odds of seeing one were definitely better than they would have been in most places. The odds of him seeing one, though, were still extremely low. He was in for quite a surprise, however, because he actually wound up seeing one. He even has an 18-minute video he filmed that backs up his claim of seeing that Sasquatch. On tonight's show, Hugh will walk you through how his sighting played out and share several other experiences he's had with Forest People. We hope you'll tune in and listen to him do that.Hugh has a Sasquatch-themed Sasquatch YouTube Channel called “Northwest Yeti Quest.” If you'd like to check out his channel, which we hope you will, please visit…https://www.youtube.com/@NWYetiQuestIf you've had a Bigfoot sighting and would like to be a guest, on the show, please go to https://MyBigfootSighting.com and let us know. We'd love to hear from you. Premium memberships are now available! If you'd like to be able to listen to the show without ads and have full access to premium content, please go to https://MyBigfootSighting.com to find out how to become a premium member.If you'd like to help support the show by buying your own My Bigfoot Sighting T-shirt, sweatshirt, or tank top, please visit the My Bigfoot Sighting Show Store Page, by going to... https://dogman-encounters.myshopify.com/collections/mens-my-bigfoot-sighting-collectionShow's theme song, "Banjo Music," courtesy Nathan BrumleyI produce 3 other shows that are available on your favorite podcast app. If you haven't checked them out, here are links to all 3 channels on the Spreaker App...Bigfoot Eyewitness Radio https://www.spreaker.com/show/bigfoot-eyewitness-radio_1 Dogman Encounters https://www.spreaker.com/show/dogman-encounters-radio_2 My Paranormal Experience https://www.spreaker.com/show/my-paranormal-experience Thanks for listening!

Who's on the river today?A bit about today's ships: berths, cargo, anchorages - among the reasons ships come here to the Columbia River.

Water is an increasingly precious commodity. How is Washington State managing water resources in areas like the Columbia River Basin where demand outstrips supply? And as drought becomes more common, how is the state preparing for current and future dry spells? On the program, Tom Tebb, the recently retired Director of the Office of Columbia River at the Department of Ecology and Caroline Mellor, the statewide drought lead at Ecology.

A closer look at the Columbia's new ship anchorage, and a bit about anchoring on the riverEarlier this month, I made a passing reference to there being a new ship anchorage on the Columbia River near Skamakowa. Today we'll look at that in more depth and talk about the complicated affair of anchoring a gigantic ship on a swift, powerful and capricious river.

Washington's 2025-2026 salmon fishing seasons aim to balance conservation with opportunity. Strong pink salmon returns in Puget Sound and stable Chinook forecasts for the Columbia River headline the plan. Learn about key opening dates, daily limits, and region-specific restrictions. Read the full story at https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/sports/washington-salmon-fishing-seasons-tentatively-set-for-2025-2026/ on www.ClarkCountyToday.com #WashingtonState #ClarkCountyWa #localnews #salmonfishing #WDFW #PugetSound #ColumbiaRiver #Chinook #coho #sockeye #BakerLake #LakeWenatchee #FraserRiver #fishingseason

Our sister Liz, the history professor, joins us from the Pacific Northwest with another tale of of (possible) murder from that dark corner of the country. The Martin family — Mom, Dad, and three daughters — left their Portland, Oregon, home for a drive up the Columbia River gorge December 7, 1958. They never came […]

WOW is all iI have to say about this one. Such a cool talk with Master Distiller Caitlin, She is a beast for the Clear Creek brand. We talked all things from Brix to fixin tractors. Amazing time, and amazing spirits. Check them out at Clearcreekdistillery.com. or Hrdspirits.com.And don't for get our sponsorsFor the last time this year Texaswhiskeyfestival.comBadmotivatorbarrels.com/shop/?aff=3https://www.instagram.com/zsmithwhiskeyandmixology?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==Patreon.com/the_whiskeyshamanour StoryRooted in Oregon since 1934, Hood River Distillers began by making fruit wines and brandies from the apples and pears that were going to waste as excess production from the valley's abundant harvests. Located along the Columbia River with majestic Mt. Hood as its backdrop, Hood River Distillers has been at its current bottling facility in Hood River since 1969. The company has expanded the plant for storage and made production line upgrades several times throughout the years. Although our core distribution began in the Pacific Northwest, we are currently producing close to one million cases per year, and distributing our products nationwide.HOOD RIVER DISTILLERS NAMES CAITLIN BARTLEMAY MASTER DISTILLERHood River Distillers, celebrating its 90th anniversary as the Pacific Northwest's largest and oldest distillery, is proud to announce the promotion of Caitlin Bartlemay to Master Distiller.Bartlemay joined Clear Creek Distillery in 2010 as a logistics coordinator and worked her way through the ranks to distiller. In 2014, Clear Creek was acquired by Hood River Distillers, joining the two oldest operating distilleries in Oregon, and returning Hood River Distillers to its original roots of creating fruit brandies. Bartlemay was named Head Distiller in 2021 and now oversees production of some twenty different distillates including McCarthy's Oregon Single Malt, the 1st American Single Malt; the award-winning Timberline Vodka; and the renowned Clear Creek brandies and eaux de vie.Bartlemay grew up as a hard-working wheat rancher in Eastern Oregon. Her father started a winery when she was in middle school, and she became fascinated by the science of fermentation. She studied Food Science and Technology at Oregon State University  earning her bachelor's degree in 2010. During her last semester of college, Bartlemay sent letters to every distillery across the Pacific Northwest  (at that time there were only 12) inquiring about job opportunities. Steve McCarthy, owner of Clear Creek Distillery, never told her to stop calling, so she didn't. She started work there the week after graduation.“Caitlin's vigilant commitment to excellence in every facet of her job is one of the qualities that has made her such an exceptional member of our team,” said David Ballew, President and CEO, Hood River Distillers. “Her passion for quality and craftsmanship is evident in each product that she touches. It's only fitting that as we celebrate our 90th anniversary, we recognize Caitlin for her leadership in helping Hood River Distillers and its brands continue their heritage of quality in the Pacific Northwest.”“It has been a thrill to be a part of the Clear Creek/Hood River Distillers team and to have had the opportunity to share so many wonderful brands with our customers,” said Bartlemay. “The history of distillation at both Clear Creek Distillery and Hood River Distillers is one that combines pioneering personalities, exceptional products, and phenomenal teamwork. Whether we are continuing the legacy of the first American Single Malt, bottling spirits distilled from the bounty of the Pacific Northwest or creating new custom flavors to celebrate innovation in the whiskey category, I'm proud to lead this next generation of distillers.”

In this episode of The Study of Sports, reporter Paul Valencia and sports administrators Tony Liberatore and Cale Piland discuss hosting track and field meets, the decision for school districts to move middle school football to the spring, and some high school baseball.While this podcast deals primarily with local, high school sports — from the perspective of expert administrators — we have to be honest with you: The best part of this episode is Tony's story of winning a bizarre gift from the Mariners 14 years ago, and how in order to try to change the trajectory of the franchise, Tony had to sacrifice that gift this season. Gotta hear from him! Our podcast format is simple: A longtime sports reporter (Paul Valencia) discusses high school sports, and more, with longtime sports administrators and former coaches. Cale Piland is the former head football coach at Evergreen and Union and is now the athletic director for Evergreen Public Schools. Tony Liberatore is a former assistant coach and athletic director at Columbia River and is now an associate principal at Fort Vancouver. We're always interested in subject ideas for a future podcast. Email us a subject idea.Send us your thoughts at: paul.v@clarkcountytoday.com.#localnews #ClarkCountyWa #StudyOfSports #PaulValencia #highschoolsports #Marinersstory #VancouverWA #schoolathletics #trackandfield #middleSchoolFootball #sportsadministration #baseballseason #EvergreenSchools #coachingstories #sportsleadership #pnwsports

Larry Mattson, the new Director at the Office of Columbia River, says his job is to figure out the best way to use the water we do have.

Larry Mattson, the new Director at the Office of Columbia River, says his job is to figure out the best way to use the water we do have.

The massive Columbia River travels more than 1,200 miles from start to finish. It crosses four mountain ranges, powers 14 hydroelectric dams and irrigates hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland, among other feats.  But its origins start humbly: in a gentle lake in the mountains of British Columbia.  Cascade PBS's resident historian Knute Berger journeyed to these headwaters for a recent episode of the Mossback's Northwest video series, but there's far more left to explore.  In this episode of Mossback, Berger joins co-host Stephen Hegg to share what it was like to make the trek to that peaceful lake in Canada where it all begins. Berger and Hegg also discuss the fur trade that kicked off an early-19th century era of exploration along the Columbia; the Welsh-Canadian explorer and cartographer known for navigating and mapping the entire river from start to finish; and the existential threat that climate change poses to the ice and snow that feed the river and its watershed.  This is the last episode of the season! Thanks so much for listening. We'll be back next season with more. In the meantime, check out the new Mossback's Northwest Special. It's a 30-minute deep dive on the Columbia River, streaming now on Cascade PBS and at CascadePBS.org. For more on all things Mossback, visit CascadePBS.org. To reach Knute Berger directly, drop him a line at knute.berger@cascadepbs.org. And if you'd like an exclusive weekly newsletter from Knute, where he offers greater insight into his latest historical discoveries, become a Cascade PBS member today. --- Credits Hosts: Stephen Hegg, Knute Berger Producer: Sara Bernard Story editor: Sarah Menzies

fWotD Episode 2884: Interstate 182 Welcome to Featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia’s finest articles.The featured article for Friday, 28 March 2025 is Interstate 182.Interstate 182 (I-182) is an east–west auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U. S. state of Washington. It serves as a connector from I-82 to the Tri-Cities region that crosses the Columbia River on the Interstate 182 Bridge between Richland and Pasco. I-182 is 15 miles (24 km) long and entirely concurrent with U. S. Route 12 (US 12); it also intersects State Route 240 (SR 240) and US 395.Business leaders in the Tri-Cities began lobbying for a freeway in 1958 after early alignments for I-82 were routed away from the area. I-182 was created by the federal government in 1969 as a compromise to the routing dispute, which allowed for direct access to the Tri-Cities and a bypass for other traffic. The new freeway would also include construction of a bridge between Richland and Pasco, proposed since the 1940s at the site of an earlier cable ferry that ran until 1931.Construction on I-182 was scheduled to begin in 1971, but was delayed by opposition from conservation groups, disputes over interchange locations, and a federal freeze on highway funding in 1980. The first section to be built, over the Yakima River west of Richland, began construction in late 1980 and opened to traffic three years later. The Interstate 182 Bridge opened in November 1984 and linked to a longer section opened a month earlier in Pasco connecting to the existing US 12 bypass. The final sections of the freeway, between I-82 and Richland, opened to traffic in March 1986.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:30 UTC on Friday, 28 March 2025.For the full current version of the article, see Interstate 182 on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Brian.

Has the Martin Family's car been found in the Columbia River? What happened to the Brazilian poisoner who tried to kill her husbands family? What is Hantavirus, the incredibly rare illness that killed Gene Hackman's wife? I'm opening my mailbag today to ask some of your burning darkly curious questions TW: references but not not descriptions of the following- Suicide, child abuse, sexual abuse, animal death Subscribe on Patreon for bonus content and to become a member of our Rogue Detecting Society. Patrons have access to bonus content as well as other perks. And members of our High Council on Patreon have access to our after-show called Footnotes, where I share my case file with our producer, Matt. Apple subscriptions are now live! Get access to bonus episodes and more when you subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Follow on Tik Tok and Instagram for a daily dose of horror. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shane Magnuson of UpperColumbiaGuide.com joins the guys to talk about the Columbia River springer success! // Northwest Outdoor Report & Phil Anderson the former WDFW Director joins the guys to discus the current North of Falcon salmon season setting process. // Duckworth Wheelhouse: John Martinis joins the show to talk about the Marine Area 10 opener and the Bayside Mariner seminar at 6:30pm on Thursday, March 27th. // Poulsbo RV’s Really? Where? 

Veteran journalist Marvin Case offers sharp criticism of the I-5 bridge replacement project, calling for a third Columbia River crossing and questioning the push for costly light rail. He challenges local officials to explain their positions and warns of decisions made by unelected bureaucrats. Read the full story at https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-the-fix-is-in/ #ClarkCountyWa #localnews #I5Bridge #lightrail #ColumbiaRiverBridge #publictransit #TriMet #busrapidtransit #MarvinCase

Environmental concerns are rising over the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project. Neighbors for a Better Crossing is urging the public to comment on its potential harm to marine life before the April 14 deadline. Read more at https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/ibr-program-requests-nmfs-authorization-to-potentially-harm-harass-columbia-river-marine-life-over-five-year-period/ on www.ClarkCountyToday.com #localnews #ClarkCountyWa #IBR #ColumbiaRiver #MarineMammals

On This Episode, In-Studio Guest, Rick Guerrero, founder, creator of People of the Medicine is here to talk about the benefits of his line of CBD products. This stuff is amazing, give it a listen, give it a try. Vernie Cross, REEL Time Fishing- Walleye fishing at night, how to be successful and the transition to day time opportunity. Vern has all the details. We had a great day on South Puget Sound, Area 13 with some Blackmouth success. We left it in here, for you to listen, lots of info here even though we are out of the studio and on the water. Also, if you are not aware, we have a tremendous pinniped issue here in WA & OR (Sea Lions) Duane and Tommy discuss and let you know what you can do. TAKE ACTION

The tumultuous mouth of the Columbia River, near Astoria, Oregon, is beautiful but deadly. Thousands of ships have capsized and wrecked on its shores over the centuries.  That's earned it the menacing nickname “Graveyard of the Pacific,” although that's not the only gloomy moniker in the region.  Cascade PBS's resident historian Knute Berger explored some of this history in a recent episode of the Mossback's Northwest video series, but there are more stories left to tell.  In this episode of Mossback, Berger joins co-host Stephen Hegg to discuss the early explorers who coined so many of the area's depressing names, from Cape Disappointment to Dismal Nitch; the natural forces that make the river's mouth so treacherous; some of the area's most famous shipwrecks; and the deadliest tragedy to ever occur here and its uncanny parallel to Berger's own family history. Plus, Berger shares his adventures from scouting and shooting the video for Mossback's Northwest, including breathless hikes, sandy mishaps and barking sea lions.   For more on all things Mossback, visit CascadePBS.org. To reach Knute Berger directly, drop him a line at knute.berger@cascadepbs.org. And if you'd like an exclusive weekly newsletter from Knute, where he offers greater insight into his latest historical discoveries, become a Cascade PBS member today. --- Credits Hosts: Stephen Hegg, Knute Berger Producer: Sara Bernard Story editor: Sarah Menzies

Could the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) project be heading toward a financial disaster? Bob Ortblad raises concerns about hidden geotechnical risks and questionable cost estimates, arguing that the Columbia River bridge design may not be viable. He also suggests an alternative immersed tunnel that could be safer and more cost-effective. Read more at https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/letter-ibrs-billion-dollar-risk-another-abernethy-bridge-financial-disaster/ #InterstateBridgeReplacement #IBR #ColumbiaRiverBridge #BridgeConstruction #SeismicRisk #TransportationFunding #PublicInfrastructure #Vancouver #ClarkCountyWa #WashingtonState #LocalNews

B.C Premier David Eby talks tariffs, Columbia River treaty, and carbon tax GUEST: David Eby, Premier of B.C Why are kids' extra-curricular activities increasingly for the well-off?  Fingerprint registration required for Canadians visiting U.S for over 30 days GUEST: Richard Kurland, Immigration lawyer and policy analyst Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Study of Sports Podcast, sports reporter Paul Valencia and sports administrators Tony Liberatore and Cale Piland discuss Washington's state basketball tournament structure. They analyze whether teams that lose early should still be in contention for a championship. The episode also highlights the success of Columbia River and Camas basketball teams and explores Spring Training experiences from Arizona. Read the full story at www.ClarkCountyToday.com #highschoolbasketball #WIAAtournaments #basketballplayoffs #SpringTraining #MLBpreseason #sportsdiscussion #TonyLiberatore #CalePiland #PaulValencia #ClarkCountyWa #localnews

The U.S. has paused ongoing negotiations with Canada on the Columbia River Treaty that manages water and power resources between B.C., Washington, and Oregon. Tricia Stadnyk, Canada Research Chair in Hydrologic Modelling at the University of Calgary, speaks about the significance of the treaty in managing power and water resources and B.C. Premier David Eby is speak about the province's anti-tariff legislation.

Canada announced counter tariffs in response to the steel and aluminum tariffs imposed overnight by US President Donald Trump. Pro-independence party wins Greenland election. Efforts to re-negotiate a water-sharing deal between Canada and US have stalled, raising concerns the Trump administration wants more control over the Columbia River.

Chaz and AJ had Archer Mayo on the phone this morning, fresh off his discovery that may have solved the mystery of the Martin family disapperance. Since 1958, the family and their car have been missing, until Archer's discovery of their station wagon more than 7 feet under the Columbia River.  Photo credit: Archer Mayo 

View From Victoria: for Mar 12, 2025 Guest: Vaughn Palmer, The Vancouver Sun Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Camas and Columbia River boys basketball teams secured state tournament trophies after major wins on Friday. Camas took down Auburn in the 4A bracket, while Columbia River stunned top-seed Lynden in the 2A tournament. Read the full tournament recap by Paul Valencia at https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/sports/state-basketball-tournaments-camas-boys-columbia-river-boys-advance-to-trophy-round/ on www.ClarkCountyToday.com #StateBasketball #CamasHoops #ColumbiaRiverHoops #HighSchoolSports #ClarkCountyWa #LocalNews

Columbia River and Camas wrapped up their basketball seasons with strong finishes at the Washington state tournament. Columbia River claimed fourth place in the 2A state tournament, marking their best finish since 2009, while Camas secured sixth place in the 4A bracket. Listen to the recap of their performances and key highlights from the tournament. Read the full story at https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/sports/state-basketball-columbia-river-shines-to-take-fourth-place-camas-ends-up-sixth/ #ColumbiaRiver #Camas #Basketball #StateTournament #HighSchoolBasketball #2AStateTournament #4AStateTournament #ColumbiaRiverRapids #CamasPapermakers #MarkMorris #Richland #TacomaDome #YakimaValleySunDome #BasketballChampionship #ClarkCountyWa #LocalNews

Today on America in the Morning   Trump Delays Tariffs President Trump has done an about-face and again suspended enacting 25 percent tariffs against Canada and Mexico for another 30 days. Correspondent Donna Warder reports that this comes after Mexico promoted a Sunday announcement on new tariffs against the US, and Canadian leaders threatened tariffs of their own, including the British Columbia premier who vowed to tax trucks traveling through Canada between Alaska and Washington State and Ontario saying they'd cut electric power to the US.    Green Censured The House has censured Texas' Al Green for disrupting Tuesday night's speech by President Trump. Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports.    Ordered To Spend Money A judge has set Monday as the deadline for the Trump administration to pay some of the nearly $2 billion dollars it owes in foreign aid, after the Supreme Court rejected the government's legal argument to continue the freeze. Lisa Dwyer reports.    Trump Budget's Plan B Republicans in Washington are looking toward a stop gap measure to keep the government open. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports.    Kohberger Case Texts Released Text messages between two surviving roommates from the home in Moscow, Idaho, where four University of Idaho students were killed in a home invasion stabbing attack have been revealed to the public.     1958 Mystery May Be Solved A mystery that dates back to 1958 may finally be solved, after a car belonging to a missing Oregon family was located in the Columbia River. As correspondent Haya Panjwani reports, the case surrounds the five members of a family last seen when they left to shop for Christmas items and were never heard from again.       Newsom On Transgender Athletes California Governor Gavin Newsom is feeling the heat from fellow Democrats, and skepticism from Republicans, over his statement that it's unfair for transgender athletes to compete in women's sports. More from correspondent Rich Johnson.     Latest On Ukraine The Trump administration is pointing the finger of blame at Ukraine for a U.S. pause on military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv. However, as Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports, they are also laying the foundation for talks to take place in Saudi Arabia to find a way to end the Russia-Ukraine war.    FDA Hearing President Trump's pick to head the Food and Drug Administration faced questions from senators during a confirmation hearing in which he was asked about abortion pill Mifepristone, vaccines, and whether the food we eat is making the nation's children sick. John Stolnis has more from Washington.    Hamas Says No To Trump Hamas is seemingly brushing off President Trump's demands as the Commander in Chief calls for peace in the Middle East and the return of Hamas-held hostages. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports.    Limits On DOGE President Trump says he doesn't want to see a lot of good people cut from the federal government, as he appears to be placing some limits on DOGE. Correspondent Donna Warder reports.    Philadelphia Plane Crash Update The cockpit voice recorder was not working on a medical transport plane that killed seven people when it plummeted into a Philadelphia neighborhood in January, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report.     Tech News A House committee on Capitol Hill is looking into how social media may have censored speech about President Trump, or other conservative issues. Here's Chuck Palm with today's tech news.   Finally   Following President Trump's executive order to have the US Mint no longer produce pennies due to the fact it costs about 4 cents to make one penny, but not everyone is happy to see the nation ditch the one-cent coin. Correspondent Ed Donahue reports on one potential fallout to the end of the production of pennies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Columbia River has shaped empires, powered cities, and taken its sweet time doing it. Settle in for a slow ride. This episode is sponsored by Alice Merriwether—big thanks to Alice for making sleep even more accessible! If you enjoy drifting off to the calming cadence of Wikipedia, consider supporting the podcast at icantsleeppodcast.com. Now, close your eyes, relax, and let the story of the Columbia River guide you to sleep. Show Notes: Want to request a topic? Visit: https://www.icantsleeppodcast.com/request-a-topic Listen ad-free & support the show: https://icantsleep.supportingcast.fm/ Shop sleep-friendly products: https://www.icantsleeppodcast.com/sponsors Wikipedia Attribution: This content is derived from the Wikipedia article on the Columbia River, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) license. Read the full article: Wikipedia - Columbia River. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris, Neil, Ryan, and Adam were four friends whose crabbing trip on the treacherous Columbia River turned into a fight for survival. When their boat struck a hidden rock bar and sank in under 60 seconds, chaos erupted. Swimming in frigid water, facing towering waves, and with no help in sight, their fate seemed sealed. Yet, through divine timing, selfless heroism, and unexpected rescuers, God's presence shone through in this miraculous escape. Was it luck—or something greater? Listen to find out how this near-tragedy became a testament to faith and purpose.

Several Southwest Washington basketball teams delivered big wins in their state tournaments, with Camas and Seton Catholic advancing to the quarterfinals, while Columbia River and Woodland dominated their elimination games. Read the full story at https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/sports/high-school-basketball-two-area-teams-steal-seeds-two-more-save-their-seasons/ on www.ClarkCountyToday.com #highschoolbasketball #Washingtonstate #basketball #WIAA #stateplayoffs #eliteeight #quarterfinals #playoffvictories #sportsnews #localnews #ClarkCountyWa

Hugh Knight of the YouTube channel, NW Yeti Quest: Columbia River Cryptids joins me to talk about not only his Bigfoot research, but also his paranormal experiences.NW Yeti Quest: Columbia River Cryptids YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@NWYetiQuestIf you love iNTO THE FRAY and want more content....join us over on Patreon! Exclusive interviews, physical rewards like stickers, signed books, T-shirts and more, interactive live-on-video guest interviews and group chats with fellow patrons, private RSS feed, Patron-only Discord room and FB group, and more.Click HERE to check out the various pledge levels.OR...if you prefer Apple Podcasts...subscribe to iTF Premium in your Apple Podcasts app! You'll get all bonus episodes and early releases of the main show. Completely AD-FREE. If you have an encounter or encounters you'd like to share, contact me HERE or via email, shannon@intothefrayradio.comGet your iTF STICKERS....HEREFollow iTF:Facebook: Join the interactive group and visit the official iTF page Twitter: Official iTF and Shannon's personal accountShannon's Instagram Website artwork and logo for iNTO THE FRAY, by Mister-Sam ShearonIntro music with permission from TanekOutro music provided with permission from Electus Official

Join Artemis Program Manager Annita Lucchesi as she speaks with Deleana Otherbull, a Northern Cheyenne and Crow climate justice leader, angler, and hunter living on a floating home on the Columbia River. In this episode, Deleana discusses what wellness practices look like for women in conservation, how conservation work can be healing, and why the conservation world benefits from Indigenous women's leadership.  As sportswomen, we don't fit into any box or stereotype but enjoy being our full, authentic selves. There is no one definition of a sportswoman – Artemis celebrates the million ways to be one, and uplifts sportswomen as unique leaders of the sporting world and conservation. We are a nationwide community reflecting the diversity, leadership, expertise, and sisterhood of women hunters and anglers. Artemis sportswomen encourage one another in their growth and success as hunters and anglers, and role model women's leadership in caring for the lands and waters we harvest from and know so well. Join us in our work to elevate sportswomen as sporting and conservation leaders today! Learn more: https://artemis.nwf.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Date: Thursday, February 27, 2025 – 9:00 AM Location: Capitol Complex, 2008 RHOB, Washington, DC, 20515, USA Jeremy Takala Chair Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission More on Indianz.Com: https://indianz.com/News/2025/02/24/video-american-indian-and-alaska-native-public-witness-hearing-day-3/

In 1996, some of the oldest human remains ever found in North America were discovered along the banks of the Columbia River, ultimately illuminating Indigenous presence in the region since time immemorial.   Long a crucial source of sustenance, culture and trade, the Pacific Northwest's largest river has continued to be a vital part of human civilization, whether through its salmon or its many hydroelectric dams.  Cascade PBS's resident historian Knute Berger dug into this history in a recent episode of the Mossback's Northwest video series, but there is much more left to discuss.  In this episode of Mossback, Berger joins co-host Stephen Hegg to revisit the story of The Ancient One and the decades-long controversy that ensued over his bones. They explore the significance of the river to its people over the centuries; the impact of the arrival of European and American traders and settlers; and the impact of the creation of so many dams, especially the one that submerged Celilo Falls.   Special note: The voice of Lana Jack in this episode comes courtesy of Creative FRONTLINE. The clip is from “Celilo Falls and the Culture of Death” with Lana Jack, produced by Tracker Ginamarie Rangel Quinones (Apache Investigative Reporter) and filmmaker Robert Lundahl. The full episode initially aired on Creative FRONTLINE, KPFK Los Angeles 90.7, Pacifica Network.  For more on all things Mossback, visit CascadePBS.org. To reach Knute Berger directly, drop him a line at knute.berger@cascadepbs.org. And if you'd like an exclusive weekly newsletter from Knute, where he offers greater insight into his latest historical discoveries, become a Cascade PBS member today. --- Credits Hosts: Stephen Hegg, Knute Berger Producer: Sara Bernard Story editor: Sarah Menzies  

I haven't yet said this, but my intention with this and the previous three recordings was a hopscotch survey of Pacific Coast soundscapes. To recollect now, these have been Yoakam Point on the Oregon Coast, Copalis Ghost Forest on the Washington Coast, Keahou on the Big Island of Hawaii and now Preston Island in Crescent City, on the Northern California Coast.This reflection on Preston Island leads me to ponder sites along the lower Columbia River at length, for reasons which will soon reveal themselves.Preston Island is weird. For starters, it's not what anyone would call an island. You can walk right out onto its strange rocky surface from the mainland. The view from the island is breathtaking though, and I thought it made a better album cover than the island itself: The island is relatively flat, but also boulder-strewn and cracked. When I visited, it was foggy, and I felt like I was on the surface of another planet. Something about it seemed unnatural:It all clicked when I found this historical photo:Preston Island was carted off. It was mined down to a nub. Let's get our bearings. Here's an 1880's Crescent City map, and a modern satellite photo. (I guess cardinal north pointing up wasn't yet the rule.)On the map you'll see Preston Island clearly drawn as a landmass, and Hall's Bluff, appearing much less prominently than it does today. I outlined the locations on the satellite image. Here, all the rock contained in those geographical features was mined and dumped in the ocean to create the jetty you see on the upper right of the satellite image. They really moved mountains.This is what Preston Island used to look like, and here it is today, courtesy of Google Street View:Our soundwalk takes us from West 5th Street in Crescent City, over to the beach and up over what's now called Half Butte, to about where this old photo of Hall's Bluff (aka Lover's Rock) was taken in 1876. Look at the tiny figures on top for a sense of scale:The massive Lover's Rock headland, was also carted off to build the jetty. It's harder to match the original photo vantage point with Street View, but it's also just completely gone. But let's get back to Preston Island, that weird scab-land of a place. Let's take a closer look at it, because it gives our soundwalk such unique character about 17 minutes in. At a glance, it seems lifeless. A green hue, coming from chalky veins in the rock, adds to the otherworldliness of the landscape.Tide pools form on the perimeter, among the cracks and fissures in the rock substrate. It's here that I place my recording hat down and the soundscape is instantly transformed. The skitter of crabs and the capillary clicking sounds of tiny shellfish erupt to fill the high frequencies, while the surf sound is attenuated by the topography of the rocks.It's another world. A 2021 article in the Bandon Western World states, “Preston Island has a long history in Crescent City. Originally Preston Peak, the area was a sacred site for the Tolowa Nation.” It is not well known, but the Tolowa were the subject of the most persistent and possibly worst massacres of Native Americans in the USA, starting in 1853, in the Crescent City area. Now, I couldn't corroborate the name “Preston Peak”, but I have to admit I was not surprised to hear that a sacred place to Native Americans was destroyed. There have been others.Pillar RockConsider Pillar Rock (briefly “Pilot Rock”) in the Columbia River. Once a monolith upwards of 75 feet tall, it was dynamited and flattened at the 25 foot level to install a navigation light:The Chinookan name for the monolith was Talapus. A cannery built nearby in 1877 used a likeness similar to Talapus for its canned salmon label, Pillar Rock brand. The rock was dynamited by 1922 when, according to the shipping news, a red navigation light was established. Like Talapus, the spring Chinook fishery in the Columbia was a diminished remnant of what it once was when Pillar Rock Cannery suspended operations in 1947.In a surprising epilogue Pillar Rock is still an actively used trade mark today, in 2025. The company now fishes the waters of Alaska for wild Sockeye to fill the modern day tins.It's remarkable how Euro-Americans changed the landscape and practically wiped out the fishery, but the brand is the thing that perseveres. What does it say about us that this is the way things are?Let's consider the intriguing story of Mount Coffin, up the Columbia River about 40 river miles.Mount CoffinThe geological feature that was first described to the historical record by Lieutenant William R. Broughton in 1792, and given the name “Mount Coffin”, was a Chinookan canoe burial ground. It would have appeared much the same a half century later, when Charles Wilkes visited in 1841, but quite different than the 1900 image above. Imagine, if you will, thousands of dugout cedar canoes perched in the trees on the prominent outcrop, about five feet above ground, in varying states of decay, all with bows pointed more or less toward the ocean. Within these canoes lay the interned bodies of Chinookans of the Skilloot tribe, wrapped in cedar blankets with their belongings placed beside them. That scene came to a swift end in 1841.The U.S. Exploring Expedition, led by Charles Wilkes, camped on Mount Coffin in 1841. When the men accidentally let a campfire spread, it destroyed an estimated 3,000 burial canoes. The Chinookan Indians were distressed to discover that their burial site had been destroyed by the negligence of whites and, according to visiting artist Paul Kane, “would no doubt have sought revenge had they felt themselves strong enough to do so.” (Stealing from The Dead, Oregon Historical Quarterly)Many Upper Chinookan villages were by 1841 entirely depopulated following devastating waves of malaria in the early 1830's, so Paul Kane's observation rings true.Within a century this lowland was completely transformed. The largest lumber mill in the world was built upriver from Mount Coffin.Mount Coffin was completely dynamited and quarried, beginning in 1929. The site is a now home to a chemical plant. Flat as a pancake.Finally let's consider the monolith in the heart of the Columbia Gorge that few realize barely escaped dynamite. So we are told…Beacon RockTo the natives it was Che-che-op-tin. When Lewis & Clark mapped the area in 1805 it was referred to as “Beaten Rock” and on return a year later “Beacon Rock”. Later, the 1841 Wilkes Exploring Expedition labelled it “Castle Rock”, which stuck for the better part of a century. Since 1916, it's been Beacon Rock.Just west of Beacon Rock was a large village Captain Lewis in 1806 called Wah-clel-lah (a Watlala winter village):This village appears to be the winter station of the Wah-clel-lahs and Clahclellars…14 houses remain entire but are at this time but thinly inhabited, nine others appear to have been lately removed, and the traces of ten or twelve others of ancient date were to be seen in the rear of their present village. There was also another village at the very foot of beacon rock. Traces of it remained visible to the trained eye into the 1950's.“BIG BLAST WILL WRECK IT”“Castle Rock to Go” and “Whole Rock is Doomed” read the subheadings in a March 16th, 1906 article in The Oregonian. The article outlined how the owners, a coterie of eight businessmen including Dan Kerns, acting as the Columbia Construction Company, had already cut three 20 to 30 ft. tunnels under the southern aspect of the monolith in preparations to dynamite “the shoulder” of the rock and quarry the stone for building material, eventually removing it entirely. A Wikipedia entry states (without citation), “The United States Army Corps of Engineers planned to destroy the rock to supply material for the jetty at the mouth of the Columbia.” This appears to be incorrect. The Army Corps didn't have that plan. The Columbia Construction Company purported to have a plan to mine an initial two million tons for building material (possibly to include jetty material—there were no contracts) in 1906. Columbia jetty work began 20 years prior to that. The Columbia Construction Company was taken to court, and a jury sided with Portland & Seattle Railway, who argued the tunnels were part of an elaborate ruse to “claim damages from $100,000 to $500,000” from lost mining activity due to the rail line going through their intended quarry site. According to the plaintiffs, it was just a scheme to get the railway to pay dearly for the right of way. The jurors dashed that plan, stipulating a $5000 settlement. Was it an elaborate ruse? Or was the jury predisposed not to trust city businessmen? What was clear, according to The Oregonian, was that, “clergymen, leading citizens, women, teachers, and all classes in Portland and throughout the state were horrified as the proposed destruction of such a majestic landmark.” “I should judge Castle Rock contains 10 million tons of first class building stone,” Kerns said in 1906. Interestingly, that wouldn't have been enough for the massive Columbia jetty system, which ultimately required 13 million tons of rock, when competed in 1939, after half century of construction. Henry J. Biddle took ownership of Beacon Rock from the Columbia Construction Company in 1915, under the condition it would be preserved, and set about realizing his dream to build a trail to the summit.Henry J. Biddle purchased the rock in 1915 for $1 and during the next three years constructed a trail with 51 switchbacks, handrails and bridges. The three-quarter mile trail to the top, completed in April 1918, leads to views in all directions. (Wikipedia)Thanks for listening and reading. I'm thankful for your attention. Preston Island Soundwalk is available on all streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple, Tidal, Amazon, YouTube…) on Friday, February 21st.Thanks for reading Soundwalk! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chadcrouch.substack.com/subscribe

The Bonneville Power Administration is among the federal agencies currently being gutted by Elon Musk at Pres. Donald Trump’s direction. The ostensible reason for federal government layoffs and buyouts is to save taxpayer dollars. In the case of the BPA, it’s funded by its ratepayers, not taxpayers, but that hasn’t stopped the departure of hundreds of the agency’s skilled and specialized workers. And additional staffers who were considered probationary were let go without notice last week. And that has industry watchers, including two former heads of the BPA, sounding the alarm about the potential catastrophic impacts on the power grid and the people who rely on it. Steven Wright and Randy Hardy wrote a joint article in an industry newsletter Friday detailing those possible threats.The BPA can be thought of as the backbone of the Northwest power grid. It sells wholesale electricity to the utilities, companies and other entities that sell power to residents all over the region. Sources include hydropower from Columbia River dams and the region’s only operating nuclear power plant. It also transmits energy through 15,000 miles of high voltage lines.The thousands of BPA employees perform tasks from engineering and line work to complex demand modeling and resource planning. That planning includes decisions around sources of power and how to prioritize and price the power. Energy consultant and former BPA administrator Randy Hardy joins us to discuss the details and possible impacts of the Elon Musk-led reductions on the Northwest

Dr. Heather Wilson, a 1982 Air Force Academy graduate, formerly the 24th Secretary of the Air Force, and first USAFA graduate to hold the position, discusses her unexpected journey to the role, emphasizing the importance of integrity, service, and leadership. ----more---- SUMMARY Dr. Wilson shares her unexpected journey into leadership, the importance of integrity, and the lessons learned from both successes and failures. She reflects on her family legacy, the influence of mentors, and how her military background shaped her leadership style. Dr. Wilson emphasizes the value of collecting tools for leadership and adapting to different environments while maintaining core values. In this conversation, she discusses the importance of finding purpose in one's mission and the value of relationships, particularly family support. She reflects on her journey as a woman in leadership, the significance of legacy in public service, and her unexpected path to serving in Congress. Dr. Wilson emphasizes the lessons learned in collaboration and the importance of humor in leadership, ultimately encouraging future leaders to uphold high standards and not to shame their families.   SHARE THIS EPISODE LINKEDIN | FACEBOOK   TAKEAWAYS Dr. Wilson's journey to becoming Secretary of the Air Force was unexpected and transformative. Leadership often requires owning failures and focusing on solutions. Integrity is foundational to effective leadership and builds trust. Adapting leadership styles to different cultures is essential for success. Mentorship and influences from family play a significant role in shaping leaders. Collecting tools and knowledge is crucial for effective leadership. Quality management principles can be applied to various fields, including education and social services. Leadership is not linear; it involves navigating different paths and chapters. Building strong teams and hiring the right people is vital for organizational success. Direct communication and honesty are key components of effective leadership. Doing things that matter with people you like is essential. The most important decision in life can be personal, like choosing a partner. Family support enriches life and provides joy. Women in leadership often face unique challenges but can pave the way for others. Legacy is about making lasting changes in systems and strategies. Unexpected opportunities can lead to significant career changes. Collaboration and giving credit to others is key in leadership roles. Humor can help create a relaxed atmosphere in serious environments. Education is crucial for transforming lives and communities. Leadership is not always a straight path; adaptability is important.   EPISODE CHAPTERS 00:00  Introduction to Long Blue Leadership 01:25  Unexpected Call to Leadership 03:16  Lessons from Leadership Challenges 08:28  The Importance of Integrity 10:07  Adapting Leadership Styles 12:23  Influences and Mentorship 15:25  Family Legacy and Influence 17:41  Learning from Team Members 21:29  Applying Quality Management Principles 24:07  Navigating Non-Linear Leadership Paths 24:20  Finding Purpose in Mission and Relationships 28:06  The Importance of Family Support 30:08  Navigating Leadership as a Woman 34:30  Legacy and Impact in Public Service 36:29  Unexpected Paths: Serving in Congress 41:03  Lessons in Collaboration and Leadership   ABOUT DR. WILSON - IMAGES AND BIO COURTESY OF UTEP BIO Dr. Heather Wilson became the 11th President of The University of Texas at El Paso in 2019 after serving as Secretary of the United States Air Force. She is the former president of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, and she represented New Mexico in the United States Congress for 10 years.  Active in community and national affairs, she is a member of the National Science Board, which oversees the National Science Foundation, and serves as a board member of the Texas Space Commission. She was the inaugural Chair of the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities, and is a member of the board of directors of Lockheed Martin Corporation. Dr. Wilson is the granddaughter of immigrants and was the first person in her family to go to college. She graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in the third class to admit women and earned her master's and doctoral degrees from Oxford University in England as a Rhodes Scholar. UTEP is located on the U.S.-Mexico border – in the fifth largest manufacturing region in North America – and serves over 24,000 students with 170 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs in nine colleges and schools. In the top 5% of public universities in the United States for research and designated a community-engaged university by the Carnegie Foundation, UTEP is America's leading Hispanic-serving university. It is the fourth largest research university in Texas and serves a student body that is 84% Hispanic. President Wilson is an instrument rated private pilot. She and her husband, Jay Hone, have two adult children and two granddaughters. Dr. Heather Wilson served as the 24th Secretary of the Air Force and was responsible for the affairs of the Department of the Air Force, including the organizing, training and equipping and providing for the welfare of 660,000 Active-Duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces their families. She provided oversight of the Air Force's annual budget of more than $132 billion and directs strategy and policy development, risk management, weapons acquisition, technology investments and human resource management across a global enterprise. Dr. Wilson has more than 35 years of professional experience in a range of leadership and management roles in the military, higher education, government and private industry. Before assuming her current position, Dr. Wilson was president of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, an engineering and science research university. From 1998 to 2009, Dr. Wilson was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, where she served on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Before being elected to Congress, Dr. Wilson was a cabinet secretary in New Mexico's state government responsible for foster care, adoption, juvenile delinquency, children's mental health and early childhood education. From 1989 to 1991 Wilson served on the National Security Council staff as director for defense policy and arms control for President George H.W. Bush during the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Warsaw Pact. From 1991 to1995 and again from 2009 to 2013 Wilson was in the private sector. In 1991, she founded Keystone International, Inc., a company that did business development and program planning work for defense and scientific industry. She served as a senior advisor to several national laboratories on matters related to nuclear weapons, non-proliferation, arms control verification, intelligence and the defense industrial base. Wilson also served on the boards of two publicly traded corporations as well as numerous advisory and non-profit boards.   CONNECT WITH DR. WILSON LINKEDIN  |  UTEP     ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS     FULL TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Guest:  Dr. Heather Wilson '82  |  Hosts:  Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz  00:00 Welcome to Long Blue Leadership, the podcast where we share insights on leadership through the lives and experiences of Air Force Academy graduates. I'm Naviere Walkowicz, Class of '99. Our story is about a leader who reached heights fellow Air Force Academy graduates had not reached before her, and this was at a time when opportunities to do so were still new. My guest is Dr. Heather Wilson, Class of '82. As you heard, she served as the 24th secretary of the Air Force, but there is a unique distinction attached to that. Dr Wilson, welcome to Long Blue Leadership; we have much to discuss. Let's start with you becoming the secretary of the Air Force, our 24th.   Dr. Heather Wilson  00:37 Yeah, that wasn't part of my life's plan. Secretary Designate Mattis did call me. I was in South Dakota as the president of the South Dakota School of Mines and my cell phone rang and he said, “This is Jim Mattis, and I want to talk to you about becoming secretary of the Air Force.” And honest to goodness, my initial answer was, “Sir, you do know that being a college president is like the best job in America, right?” And he said, “Yeah, I know. I just came from Stanford.” And I said, “I didn't apply for any job. I mean, I like it out... I'm a gal of the West. I like the mountains. I like hiking and biking and fly fishing.” And he said, “Yeah, I know. I grew up on the Columbia River in Washington.” And I thought, “This isn't working,” but we talked several more times, and it was pretty clear that I was being called to serve in a way that I didn't anticipate, but that was what I was supposed to do.   Naviere Walkewicz  01:35 What a transformative moment in your life, I'm sure.   Dr. Heather Wilson  01:38 Well, it was. Again, my entire life, I think, is a diversion from its planned course. But I turned out — I didn't anticipate that, and it meant — my husband doesn't really much like big East Coast cities that rain a lot and have a lot of traffic, and so from a family point of view, it wasn't what we personally wanted to do, but you're called to serve. And we've been called to serve in different ways in our lives and sometimes, even if it feels inconvenient, you're still called to serve. It turned out to be wonderful and I really enjoyed the experience, both of working with Sec. Mattis, but also getting back to spending time with airmen. And so it turned out to be wonderful, but it wasn't what I expected.   Naviere Walkewicz  02:25 Well, you said it, ma'am. As we know, service and leadership aren't linear, and so we're really excited to dive into some of those experiences today. Maybe share, as secretary of the Air Force, some of those moments in leadership that stuck with you. Let's just kind of start there.   Dr. Heather Wilson  02:42 Certainly. There were good days and not so good days. I think one of the things that I really benefited from was that I had a partner in the chief of staff, Dave Goldfein, who was absolutely fantastic. And we've remained very close friends. We started at the Academy the same day and he would joke and tell people that we didn't graduate on the same day because he went stop-out for a year. But we didn't know each other well as cadets, but we were formed by some of the same experiences and I think that helped tremendously. I didn't really understand that in our system of government, the civilian secretary has almost all the authority, but the chief of staff has almost all of the influence. And if you can figure out how to work together, you can get a heck of a lot done. And Dave and I both had that same approach, and it turned out to be a great partnership.   Naviere Walkewicz  03:42 That's pretty incredible. In fact, the time of your service in that role, I was actually working under your umbrella at U.S. STRATCOM. I was at Strategic Command there as a government civilian and as a reservist. And so, I can certainly speak to, I think, some of the amazing things that you did. Can you share a little — you talked about some ups and downs. What was maybe one of the failures as secretary of the Air Force that you learned from that helped you throughout your life?   Dr. Heather Wilson  04:11 Well, I know the day. I think it was Nov. 5, 2017, and it was a Sunday, late morning or early afternoon, and my phone rang. I was upstairs in the study in my row house in Virginia and it was the inspector general, Gen. Syed. And that morning, a young man had walked into a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, and opened fire and killed a lot of people, and it turned out he had been an airman, and the general said, “You know, we're not sure yet, but he may have been convicted of a crime that would have required us to tell the FBI and the national criminal records check system that he had committed a crime that would not allow him to purchase a weapon, but we may have failed to notify.” We didn't know, we wouldn't know that afternoon but I talked to the chief and we all got together on Monday morning at 9 a.m. and Gen. Syed confirmed that he was an airman, he had been convicted of a domestic violence-related crime, and we had not properly notified the FBI, and as a result, he had been able to buy a weapon. Um, that was not a good day. And we talked about what we should do next, and our general counsel wasn't there — he was traveling that morning, but a more junior lawyer was there, who suggested kind of — and, you know, other people said, well — it actually got worse because there was an IG investigation, an internal audit from several years before, that showed that all of the services were not properly reporting to the national criminal records system. So we hadn't fixed the problem. We knew; we had been informed there was a problem and hadn't fixed it. And some people said, “Well, you weren't here at the time.” That doesn't matter. You wear the uniform, or you wear the cloak of office, and you have to take responsibility for the institution. And of course, the lawyers would say, “Well, you know, maybe you want to fuzz this and not take — you know, there's investigation going on,” or something. But we knew enough of the facts that morning, Monday morning, and Dave Goldfein and I decided to own it, to own the failure and focus on fixing the problem. And we did. And in the short term that was very uncomfortable. We sat in front of the Pentagon press corps and took their questions, and we went to Capitol Hill and informed the members of Congress on what had been done and not been done and why. But in the long term, by owning failure, we were able to focus on fixing the problem rather than just trying to manage responsibility and accountability, and it turned out to be a much better approach. So, sometimes the most important lesson is to own failure.   Naviere Walkewicz 07:09 I'm so glad you shared that, ma'am, because I think some people have a fear of failure, but there are many times when failure is inevitable, and to your point, owning it is the right approach. Something you said when you're sharing that, it made me think about us as cadets and our core values: integrity first. And that really resonated with how your approach was. Would you say that was born for you at the Academy and kind of through your career that's where it stayed, or has that always been part of your fabric?   Dr. Heather Wilson  07:36 I think the Academy was absolutely formative in that way, in the Honor Code. And, you know, integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do, now replaces what was there when I was a cadet, over the archway there. But I think that's woven into the fabric for airmen, and it's part of our culture, and it drives you. And I think — you know now we look at, how do we evaluate officers? It's the same way I now evaluate leaders — any leaders that work with me — and it's the way I evaluate myself: accomplish the mission, lead people, manage resources and make your unit better, all on a foundation of values. But it's that last part of it: all on a foundation of values. If you don't have that, the rest of it almost doesn't matter. You can try to make your unit better, but if you're lying about it, nobody's going to trust you. If you're leading people and managing resources, but you don't have integrity, it doesn't matter. So, integrity first, and that commitment to trying to be honest and direct with people builds those relationships of trust, which lasts for decades throughout a career.   Naviere Walkewicz  08:53 Absolutely. And the key word, I think, that foundation you talked about — how has that foundation served you in leadership as you've explored other areas outside of the military, amazing roles leading UTEP, also at the South Dakota School of Mines, in higher education? I'm sure that there's a translation of what that looks like. Can you share maybe an example of how that came into play?   Dr. Heather Wilson  09:15 Sure, it happens all the time. I think in any leadership position, whether you're in corporate life, in community life and a nonprofit, or in higher education, leading with a foundation of values, being honest, complying with the law, following the rules or changing the rules. It doesn't mean — that's one of the things that I think is probably important for leaders. You get to a point as a leader where your job is not just to follow the rules, but to look at the systems and identify the rules that need to be changed, but to be direct and honest about that too. Where it's not “Well, I think this rule doesn't make any sense, so I'm going to skirt it,” or “I'm not going to tell people that I've complied with something and I haven't.” In fact, you know that happened to me this morning. I got a disclosure that I was supposed to sign for a report that was published yesterday to the director of National Intelligence on a committee that I serve on, and they sent this kind of notification on what you can talk about publicly, and all of those things, and I hadn't given up my right to speak publicly about unclassified matters, and I responded, “I understand what you've said. I want to let you know that this is how I interpret this, and this is the way I'm going to act.” I was very direct about it. “I didn't give up my First Amendment rights as a citizen because I worked on your task force.” So, very direct. And I think that directness is something that — not all cultures are that way, including higher education culture. I have to be a little bit careful about that sometimes — the airman's tendency to have a frank debrief isn't always the way other cultures and work cultures are. They're just not always like that, so, I have to be a little bit careful sometimes that I don't crush people's will to live or something.   Naviere Walkewicz  11:13 I was actually thinking about that as you were speaking how, if you have the foundation, especially from the military, we kind of understand that directive approach and certainly those core values that we know of. And I'm curious, how do you adapt as a leader to those who maybe don't have that foundation? How do you bring them up to speed and kind of help them establish that?   Dr. Heather Wilson  11:32 Well, it's a two-way street. It means that I have to understand the culture that I'm in and the way in which I talk with senior faculty may be slightly different than the way I might talk to somebody who just got off a flight line and was too low and slow on final or something, you know? But at the same time with both a sense of humor and a little bit of grace… It was really funny when I was at South Dakota Mines, my provost was a long-time academic. And of course, I had served in Congress for 10 years as well. And he once said something to me that just made me crack up. He said, “You know, you are the least political president I've ever worked with. And the funny thing is, you're the only one that was really a politician.” And he said, “You remind me more of a military officer.” And I thought, “Yeah, that's probably true.” But I was fairly direct as a member of Congress as well. And so, I've just found that that works better for me in life, I guess.   Naviere Walkewicz  12:37 You were sharing how, you know, I think it was the provost that said that you really didn't remind him as someone that was very political, even though you're the only politician he's known. And so what was your time like serving in Congress? I mean, that's 10 years you did, I think, correct?   Dr. Heather Wilson  12:52 I did. And again, I didn't expect to serve in Congress. My predecessor became very seriously ill shortly before the filing deadline for the election that happened in 1998, and my phone rang. It was a Thursday night. This happens to me. I don't know why, but it was a Thursday night, and my phone rang. I was working in Santa Fe, cabinet secretary for Child Welfare, and it was Sen. Pete Domenici, the senior senator for the state of New Mexico. And he said, “You don't know anything about this, but I'm coming to New Mexico this weekend, and I want to talk to you about running for Congress.” Well, that's a quiz; that's not a question. Because a quiz has a right answer, which is, “Sir, I'd be happy to talk to you about whatever you want to talk about.” He's a United States senator. So, we talked about all kinds of things, and he called me from the airport when he was heading back to Washington that Sunday night, and he said, “Look, if you will run, I will help you.” And I decided to run. It was eight days before the filing deadline. I talked to my predecessor — he was fighting skin cancer — and said, “Look, why don't you just focus on fighting cancer? Two years from now, if you want to run again, you can have this seat back. I'll try to do my best for the next two years.” And then 30 days later, he died. I mean, you're not supposed to die of skin cancer. And so, I ended up serving for 10 years in the Congress in a very difficult swing district that I probably shouldn't have won in the first place. But I enjoyed the service part of it. I enjoyed the policy work part of it — intellectually challenging. Some of the partisan silliness I didn't like very much. And then when I left the Congress, ran on successfully for the Senate and became a university president. One of the great things — I tell people now that I was released from Congress early for good behavior. But it was nice to be in a town where people were waving at me with all five fingers. I mean, it was wonderful. So, I enjoyed the service, and I enjoyed a lot helping people — doing casework and things. But it was also a little bit less of a partisan time where you could try to listen and learn and serve well and try to serve your constituents without just being under attack mercilessly and in social media, or something. It was maybe perhaps a different age.   Naviere Walkewicz  15:25 Well, I chuckled when you said waving with all five fingers. That got a good one out of me. I thought about when you're in that, because that wasn't something you were looking to do, and this seems to be a bit of a theme in your leadership trajectory as well. You've kind of been tapped on the shoulder, and you know, for the ones that you didn't apply for or run for, plan for, have been such transformative positions in your life.   Dr. Heather Wilson  15:50 Yeah, and I think maybe that happens to people more than we might acknowledge, because when we're planning our lives, we think we know what's going to happen, but in reality, we adapt to situations that develop and opportunities open that you didn't know were there or someone asked you to take on a special project and that leads you in a direction that you didn't anticipate. So while mine seem particularly unusual in these very different chapters of my life, I don't think it's all that unusual. We just look forward and project in straight lines, and when we look backward, we tell a story in a narrative and it's not always a straight line. But I've been blessed to be asked to do some things. And perhaps in our relationship, my husband and I, he doesn't like change. I love it, and so in our relationship, he's kind of the keel and I'm kind of the sail, and together, we go places.   Naviere Walkewicz  16:56 That's awesome. And I think that particular time and journey in your career serving in Congress was probably one that you established new tools in your leadership toolbox. Were there any that particularly stood out — moments, either when you were having to, you know, forge new policy or achieve things that you hadn't prior? Because Congress is a kind of different machine.   Dr. Heather Wilson  17:21 Yeah, it's a very big committee, and it's not executive leadership. And so I'm probably more predisposed to executive leadership than just being on committees. It takes a very long time to get anything done in Congress, and our government is intentionally designed that way to protect us from tyranny. So you have to take that philosophical approach to it, even if you're frustrated day to day. I did learn how to get things done by giving other people credit. And there were several times — the changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is probably one example — where I had sponsored legislation in the House. It had taken quite a bit of time — changing Congress. There were continued problems, and I went to others and tried to put them in positions of leadership and support them. And ultimately, it was a Senate bill that passed, but which had been shaped in the background by multiple people, including me, and I was OK with that. And the same thing happened on pieces of legislation about public lands in New Mexico. I remember I came out in favor of doing something in northern New Mexico with respect to some public lands, and I got out ahead of Pete Domenici and he was not happy about that. He was very clear about not being happy about getting a little bit ahead of him on it. But in the end, the piece of legislation there that was signed, and another one on Zia Pueblo were Senate bills. They weren't House bills. But I had moved things forward on the House side, and it didn't matter to me that that it said “S” rather than “H” in front of the name of the bill. So as long as you don't really care about who gets the credit, you can get a lot done in the Congress.   Naviere Walkewicz  19:11 That is a powerful lesson. And somewhere in the back of my mind, I think there's a Contrails quote, and I can't remember all of it, but I remember the end of it is, “…if you don't care who gets the credit.”   Dr. Heather Wilson  19:11 Yeah, that was probably one of the short ones. Schofield's quote was — we all did pushups for those.   Naviere Walkewicz  19:30 Yes, I had a starting moment. I was about to get down…   Dr. Heather Wilson  19:35 … and start to sweat…   Naviere Walkewicz  19:37 … and take my punishment. That was wonderful, ma'am. I'm glad we actually went back and did that journey.   Dr. Heather Wilson  19:42 When I think about my service in the Congress, where I made the most difference, it was in committee work, and particularly on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where I served for a significant amount of time, including post-9/11. And I think that work, because the Intelligence Committee, most of it is in private, it's dealing with really hard, really important issues, and you don't bring your staff there. You have to do the work. And I think probably that's where I did some of my most important work as a member of Congress, was in Intelligence.   Naviere Walkewicz  20:18 Thank you for sharing that. Who are some other influencers, some key influencers in your life, that have maybe walked alongside you or helped you in these different roles that you've carried in your amazing career.   Dr. Heather Wilson  20:31 Oh, they're different people at different times, but certainly as a young person, my grandfather was very important to me. My grandfather had been one of the first flyers in the RAF in World War I, and then came to America in 1922 and flew in the Second World War for what became the Civil Air Patrol. So he did sub search off the Atlantic coast, and varied parts, around to bases, in New England. So, he was important to me as a child. My dad died when I was young. My dad also had been enlisted in the Air Force. He was a crew chief and also a pilot, commercial pilot, after he got out of the service. So I grew up around airplanes and my grandfather was very important to me, and there were other people along the way. When I was a cadet, there was a group commander, Lieutenant Colonel — it's funny, you still remember… anyone who remembers my middle initial, I know it's like, “Oh, this may not be good,” but Robert L. Rame, Lt. Col. Robert L. Rame was the 4th Group commander and my first Air Officer Commanding. General — sorry, Maj. William S. Reeder. He was an Army officer and had been a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Really, I was terrified of disappointing him. It's funny, I just got a Christmas card from him. Life's long, right?   Naviere Walkewicz  21:53 Wow. What connections. I'd like to kind of go back a little bit to your grandfather. You said he was really important to you in your life. Can you share maybe some of the ways he influenced you? Obviously, you're third-generation aviator in your family. Is that how you knew you're going to go into service?   Dr. Heather Wilson  22:08 Well, the Academy wasn't an option until I was a junior in high school, and so I knew I was going to college, but I didn't really think about where. And then they opened the Air Force Academy to women when I was a junior in high school. So, my grandfather had two sons, and he had five grandsons, and me. But he was pretty — I would say — the way he might say it is he was pretty sweet on me; he and I were very close. We used to play chess after school when I was in high school, and I remember once we just finished playing chess, and I was a senior in high school — so, my grandfather was an aviator; he was also a mechanic. He could use any tool, I mean, he was just amazing with his hands. And I had learned a new tool in school, and I took out a piece of graph paper and I drew a drew a curve, and I said, “Grandpa, do you think you could find the area under this curve?” And he said, “Well, I'd probably count up the squares and estimate from there on the graph paper.” And I then I showed him something new and it was called calculus, and it was the first time in my life that I realized I had a tool that my grandfather didn't have. He had a high school education and had gone into the RAF during the First World War, and he was a great mechanic and a really good man, but I realized that there were opportunities for me that maybe my grandfather never had.   Naviere Walkewicz  23:56 I actually got chill bumps when you shared that. Pretty powerful. Thank you so much. Can you talk about, throughout your career — you said if people remember your middle initial, and I'm sure that many on the military side would, because you're amazing… Have you learned from anyone maybe that is not a mentor of you, but someone that has kind of come under your wing? Can you share some leadership lessons that you've learned from those serving alongside and under you?   Dr. Heather Wilson  24:24 Oh my gosh, I learn stuff every day from the people whom I'm privileged to work with. And one of the things that I learned over time was, and as you get more senior, the most important thing you do as a senior leader is hire good people who know things that you don't know, because it's not possible to know everything you need to know to lead a large organization. So, you have to organize yourself well and then get great people and let them do their job. So, I learn things every day. I was interviewing somebody yesterday that we're trying to attract to come to the university who is on the communication side of things — marketing and communication and branding. And you know that creative, visual side of my brain, if you did a brain scan, it would be like a dark hole. That's not a strength of mine. And so those kinds of things are — you have to realize what your strengths are, and then to fill in the team and put together a team, which together can accomplish the mission.   Naviere Walkewicz  25:34 I'd say your grandfather is still kind of, you know, influencing that. It's almost like you're filling your toolbox with all those areas.   Dr. Heather Wilson  25:43 That's funny you use that word. I've told this story before, but my father was both a pilot and a mechanic, and he built an experimental aircraft in our house, and we lived on this, kind of the last house that they would plow to on the end of the road in the winter, right? So, in a very small town, and at that time, there were still traveling salesmen, and the Snap-on tools guy would come probably every six weeks or so, and he had this, like red truck with an accordion thing on the back that looked just like the toolbox in the corner of the garage, right? And we knew that when the Snap-on tools guy came, do not go out. I mean, it was like Christmas for my dad. Do not interfere when the Snap-on tools guy is there. And so he'd go out and lean against the truck, and we could see him laughing and stuff. And eventually my dad would reach in his pocket and pull out his billfold and give the guy a bill, and he'd go back, and he'd lift up the back of the accordion thing and reach in there and give my dad a tool. And my dad would — then the truck would back out, and go on to his next stop. But my dad would take that tool and we'd scramble into the garage to see what he got and stuff. And my dad would usually put that tool in the box in the corner and then go back to what he was doing that day, working on his car or whatever he was doing. And it occurred to me that my dad didn't need that tool that day, but he collected tools, and someday he'd need that tool. And I think great leaders collect tools even when they don't need them today, because they're going to be times when you bring everybody to — you know, there's that great scene in Apollo 13, but it happens around the staff and Cabinet table, and it'll happen in your planning room as a pilot where you've got a new problem, and everybody brings in their tools and says, “OK, how can we make a carbon monoxide filter, or carbon dioxide filter, out of what we've got here on the table?” So, collect tools. And I think that's one of the things I learned from my dad.     Naviere Walkewicz  28:00 Oh, that is an amazing story. Can you share maybe a tool that you've had in your toolbox, that you learned way back when, maybe at the Academy, or as a young girl, that you've recently pulled out and used?   Dr. Heather Wilson 28:12 Well, one of them — I'm not so sure it's recent, but when I was a small business owner, there was a group in New Mexico called Quality New Mexico, and they taught small business owners the Baldrige Principles for quality management. And then I ended up being the Cabinet secretary for child welfare in New Mexico. So, I took over a foster care system, which was under a federal consent decree for not getting kids forever homes and an overly crowded juvenile justice system. I mean, every intractable social problem was — I realized after a while why I became Cabinet secretary for child welfare, because nobody else wanted that job. I mean it was a really difficult job, but I had these tools on quality management. I thought, “I think we can apply these same principles to improving foster care, to improving the juvenile justice system.” And so we did, and there's some things I was proud of there, but one of my last acts as Cabinet secretary before I ended up leaving and running for Congress was to sign the end of the federal consent decree that had been in place for 18 years that said that the state was not getting foster kids forever homes. We changed the system, but we did it using those quality management principles, which I had learned as a small business owner almost as a lark. So, there's one example. But, you know, we just went through a global pandemic. It was very much a pickup game. Nobody had ever been through that. So, we all got together and figured out how we could use the tools we had, including the research capability on my campus to be able to sequence DNA so that we could do testing on campus and get the results, ultimately, within six hours and then feed that back so we could detect disease before someone was symptomatic, so you could suppress disease on campus for those who had to be on campus. There's some things you can't do remotely. And so, we had our own testing system on campus, which was remarkable. Well, why'd we have that? Because we had some tools in the box.   Naviere Walkewicz  30:37 Well, you've used those tools amazingly as you've navigated your career. How would you say that — because yours is… we talked about not being linear. It's kind of been multiple paths and…   Dr. Heather Wilson 30:50 Different chapters.   Naviere Walkewicz 30:51 Yes, I love that. Different chapters. How would you say that you've navigated leadership through that? And has there been a thread that's been common through all those different chapters that you've…   Dr. Heather Wilson  31:04 Yeah, we talked a little about integrity, and that certainly is there. But I when, when people say things like, you know, “Why are you at UTEP?” Or, “Why did you shift to higher ed?” Or, “Why did…” The mission matters so developing people matters. Defending the country matters. So, a mission that matters with people I like. And I realized that when you get down to it, you should do things that matter with people you like and if that's your filter, as long as you can put food on the table, there's a lot of different things you can do, but it should be something that matters with people you like. Otherwise, that time between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. can seem forever unless you're doing something you like.   Naviere Walkewicz  31:49 That is a powerful thread. Mission matters with people you like. How has your family supported you through this?   Dr. Heather Wilson  31:56 I live a blessed life. I tell this to students, and probably, as a younger woman, I wouldn't have said these things because I was so focused on being taken seriously, I suppose. But, I lightened up after time and realized, OK, I'm probably too serious. But the most important decision I've made in my life is not to go to the Academy or to run for Congress or to become a college president — none of those things are the most important decision I've made in my life. The most important decision I made in my life was to marry the guy I married. I married a guy who's actually retired Air Force now, but he was a lawyer. Despite that, he's a nice guy and sometimes, I think, particularly for women, there's always that fear that you're going to sit down when you're in a getting into a serious relationship, and it's going to be one of those conversations that says, “OK, we're thinking about making this permanent. Who's going to give up her career?” And it's not really a conversation, or at least maybe it wasn't in my era, but Jay never had that conversation with me. It was always we could do more together than either of us could do alone, and he has been so supportive of me. And, yeah, vice versa. But I had to go back east for something last week, and I knew that even in this big reception that I was in with all these people, that he wasn't going to be there, and if he was, he'd still be the most interesting guy in the room. So, I married well, and my family always — we're a very close family. And I think while my obligations to my family didn't end at the front porch, my family gave richness and dimension to my life that I never really anticipated as a young woman, and it's given me joy. Success seemed possible to achieve; joy always seemed like a gift from God, and I have had joy because of my family.   Naviere Walkewicz  34:18 Thank you for sharing that. You talk about when you're hiring, you choose people that kind of fill gaps, but it sounds like, also on your personal team, you want to make sure that you're choosing it, you know...   Dr. Heather Wilson  34:30 Yeah, you're going to be roommates for a long time. That matters. And there's the things that you just kind of have to get over. You know, I'm not going to clean around his sink, and he's not going to be bothered about the fact that my closet's color coordinated. I mean, we just live with that, right?   Naviere Walkewicz  34:49 I appreciate that about you so much. You talked a minute ago about some things you learned about yourself as a leader. You know, “Not take myself too seriously.” Can you share a little bit more about that journey on your own, like that personal leadership journey that you've made?   Dr. Heather Wilson  35:07 Yeah, and I think it's easier as you go on. And honestly, very early on, I was very often the only woman in the room, and so I wanted to be taken seriously. I was also very often the youngest person in the room. And so those two things made me want to be taken seriously. As I went on and got more responsibility, I realized that the truth is I am a very serious and successful woman. My husband would say that I was raised in the home for the humor impaired, and that I've been in therapy with him for over 30 years. So, I gradually learned to see the humor in life. I still am not one that stands up and tells jokes or something, but I see the humor in life and I don't take myself too seriously. The person that I watched who used self-deprecating humor better than any leader I've ever seen was actually Dave Goldfein. Everyone knew when he walked into a room, or if he stood up on a stage at a town hall meeting with a bunch of airmen or something — everybody knew that they were gonna laugh. At some point in that meeting we're gonna laugh, and not at someone else's expense, but at his. And it made people relax around him. He was very, very good at it. But I also knew that his self-deprecating humor was really a cover for exceptional competence, and I never underestimated that, but it made people relax and brought a little bit of joy to whatever intractable problem we were looking at.   Naviere Walkewicz  36:51 Well, you shared about sometimes when you're coming up through your leadership, you were often the only woman in the room and sometimes the youngest in the room. What would you like to share on your thoughts of what has that impact been, and what do you see as your legacy?   Dr. Heather Wilson  37:07 Well, there were some times, particularly early on, when women flying or women in positions of command was new, where you just had to do the job and realize that you were probably changing attitudes as you went and that it would be easier for those who came after you, and that's OK. I don't see that as much anymore. Although, when I was elected to Congress, I think probably 10% to 15% of the House was women. Now it's more than that, and once it gets to be more than 30% in any room, it doesn't sound — it's almost like you walk into a restaurant where it's all guys or all women, and you notice the difference in the room, the tones of the voices and things. Once you get to about a third, it feels like it's comfortable, but early on, I always was very conscious of it and conscious of the obligation to do well, because I was being judged not only for myself, but for an entire group of people. And so, I was sensitive to that, and wanted to make sure that I didn't, like — “Don't shame the family,” right? So make sure that you keep the doors open. As far as legacy is concerned, and I think back in my time as Air Force secretary, I would say there's two things that I hope linger, and they have so far. One is a change to the promotion system to make sure that we have the right kind of talent to choose from at all levels in the organization, and so that, I think, has continued to persist. And the other one that will be changed over time and has to be changed over time, had to do with the science and technology strategy of the Air Force and the need to stay ahead of adversaries. I think this is a completely separate conversation, but I actually think that that we are at greater risk of scientific and technical surprise today than at any time since the end of the Second World War. And if you go back and read books about engineers of victory, or there's a whole lot of books about how science and technology was brought to bear in prevailing in the Second World War. I think we're at risk now in a way that we've kind of become complacent about. So, science and technology strategy is something that I hope is a legacy.   Naviere Walkewicz  39:36 That's amazing, ma'am. And I think not only for our military, but you're able to influence that in the spaces that you are now.   Dr. Heather Wilson  39:43 Yeah, engaging the next generation, which is a heck of a lot of fun. You know, the University of Texas at El Paso is a wonderful institution — 25,000 students, half of them are the first in their families to go to college. About 70% or so come from families making less than about $45,000 a year. So, this is a university that transforms lives, and it's a university that — of my 25,000 students, over 5,000 are studying engineering. Another couple thousand are studying science, College of Nursing, College of Education. This has a tremendous impact on the region and on the lives of those who choose to educate themselves. And so it's a wonderful mission to be part of, and I think it's important for the nation. I think regions of the world who choose to educate their people in the 21st century will thrive, and those that don't are going to be left behind, and that's why I do what I do.   Naviere Walkewicz  40:44 Well, it clearly aligns with your foundation and your mission, ma'am, and I think that's outstanding. We're going to ask for Dr. Wilson's final thoughts next, but before we do, I'd like to take a moment and thank you for listening to Long Blue Leadership. The podcast publishes Tuesdays in both video and audio and is available on all your favorite podcast platforms. Be sure to watch, listen and subscribe to all episodes of Long Blue Leadership at longblueleadership.org. So, Dr. Wilson, I would love to take a moment to gather some of your final thoughts, what you'd like to share today.   Dr. Heather Wilson  41:21 Well, assuming that most of the folks who listen to this are either cadets or young officers or grads, I leave them with one thought, and that is, don't shame the family. Don't shame the family. People will look up to you because you are an Air Force Academy graduate, or you are an Air Force cadet. The standard is higher, so live up to the standard.   Naviere Walkewicz  41:50 Ma'am, we started with you being direct. You ended direct. I think that is amazing. Thank you very much. Thanks for being on Long Blue Leadership.   Dr. Heather Wilson  41:58 My pleasure.     KEYWORDS leadership, Air Force Academy, integrity, mentorship, quality management, Dr. Heather Wilson, military service, personal growth, career journey, unexpected opportunities, leadership, integrity, family support, women in leadership, public service, legacy, mission-driven, personal growth, collaboration, Congress     The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation    

The Columbia River has been carved up by more than a dozen dams over the past century. But it's the colossal floods and lava flows from millions of years ago that truly set it on its winding path.  How do we really know what we know about the Columbia?   To better understand this history, Cascade PBS's resident historian Knute Berger joined forces with geologist Nick Zentner of Nick on the Rocks in a recent episode of the Mossback's Northwest video series. But there's much more left to unearth.  In this episode of Mossback, Berger joins co-host Stephen Hegg to discuss his decision to spend half of this past season of Mossback's Northwest on different aspects of the Columbia River. They also dig into the massive floods and lava flows that made the Columbia River what it is today; what it was like for Berger to work with Zentner on this project and other geological inquiries over the years; and the enthusiastic response from viewers, including one observation of a mistake in the video that led Berger down an entirely new path.  For more on all things Mossback, visit CascadePBS.org. To reach Knute Berger directly, drop him a line at knute.berger@cascadepbs.org. And if you'd like an exclusive weekly newsletter from Knute, where he offers greater insight into his latest historical discoveries, become a Cascade PBS member today. --- Credits Hosts: Stephen Hegg, Knute Berger Producer: Sara Bernard Story editor: Sarah Menzies

In 2010, tonight's guest, Ashlea Stinnett, moved into a house that was located just off the Columbia River Gorge, in Oregon, with her partner. The house was on a hill, so Ashlea had a good view of the Columbia River. Not long after moving in, Ashlea and her partner started to have UFO sightings, while sitting on their two-story deck. Those UFO sightings piqued her interest in paranormal phenomena in the Pacific Northwest. Not long after researching such phenomena there, in the PNW, she discovered the rich history of Sasquatch sightings. That discovery lead her to meeting people who were well versed, when it came to Sasquatch. Fast forward to 2013, which is when she had her first Sasquatch-related experience, on Mount Adams, in Washington State. That was far from the only experience she'd ever have with them, however. Many more experiences were yet to come, including a full-on sighting last September. We hope you'll tune in and listen to her share that sighting and a lot of other experiences she's had with you.If you'd like to visit Ashlea's YouTube Channel, which we hope you will, please go to…https://www.youtube.com/@cryptocryptid1487If you've had a Bigfoot sighting and would like to be a guest, on the show, please go to https://MyBigfootSighting.com and let us know. We'd love to hear from you. Premium memberships are now available! If you'd like to be able to listen to the show without ads and have full access to premium content, please go to https://MyBigfootSighting.com to find out how to become a premium member.If you'd like to help support the show by buying your own My Bigfoot Sighting T-shirt, sweatshirt, or tank top, please visit the My Bigfoot Sighting Show Store Page, by going to...https://dogman-encounters.myshopify.com/collections/mens-my-bigfoot-sighting-collectionShow's theme song, "Banjo Music," courtesy Nathan BrumleyI produce 3 other shows that are available on your favorite podcast app. If you haven't checked them out, here are links to all 3 channels on the Spreaker App... Bigfoot Eyewitness Radio https://www.spreaker.com/show/bigfoot-eyewitness-radio_1 Dogman Encounters https://www.spreaker.com/show/dogman-encounters-radio_2 My Paranormal Experience https://www.spreaker.com/show/my-paranormal-experience Thanks for listening!

The Columbia River: a salt water wedge estuary Today we continue our series about the Columbia River. Today's topic: the fact that our lower river is called a "salt water wedge estuary." We'll talk about what that means, and why marine pilots consider it one of the river's many quirks that they need to take into account with regard to ships.

National parks, forests, and other federal lands are not the only incredible outdoor destinations in America. Wherever we travel, we make a point to check out the state parks along the way, and we're constantly amazed at the ones we find.  In episodes #30 and #121, we discussed some of our favorite state parks. In this episode, we bring you five more we've visited recently. From a spectacular cave in Montana to a dramatic rock spire on the edge of the Columbia River in Washington state, these five state parks hold wonders that are bucket list worthy. The parks we cover in this episode include, ·     Lewis and Clark Caverns – Montana, ·     Beacon Rock State Park – Washington, ·     Ecola State Park – Oregon, ·     Kodachrome Basin – Utah, and ·     Catalina State Park - Arizona ----- The best way to support our podcast is to become a member of our Patreon account. Follow this link to check it out.   Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you've enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.   Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.   To advertise on The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast, email us at mattandkarensmith@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

D. B. Cooper is the name we use for a man who hijacked a Boeing 727 aircraft in the pacific northwest, in the airspace between Portland and Seattle on Wednesday, November 24, 1971.  He demanded a ransom and leaped from the plane with a parachute…probably. Despite a manhunt and massive FBI investigation, the man has never been located or identified. It remains the only unsolved case of air piracy in commercial aviation history. The FBI maintained an active investigation for 45 years after the hijacking. The FBI kept the case open till July 2016.    This episode brought to you by, Magic Mind! CLICK HERE to learn more!   Check out our other shows!: Cryptic Soup w/ Thena & Kylee   Strange & Unexplained   True Crime Guys YouTube   EVERYTHING TRUE CRIME GUYS:   https://linktr.ee/Truecrimeguysproductions   True Crime Guys Music: True Crime Guys Music on Spotify   OhMyGaia.com Code: Creepvan     Patreon.com/truecrimeguys Patreon.com/sandupodcast Merch: truecrimeguys.threadless.com   Other possible suspects not mentioned in the show: William Gossett Gossett was a veteran who saw action in Korea and Vietnam. His military experience included advanced jump training and wilderness survival. He was a crazy fan of DB Cooper, claiming he could "write the epitaph for D.B. Cooper".  Late in his life he reportedly told three of his sons, a retired Utah judge, and a friend in the Salt Lake City public defender's office that he had committed the hijacking. Photos of Gossett taken circa 1971 bear a close resemblance to the most widely circulated Cooper composite drawing. According to Galen Cook, a lawyer who has studied Gossett for years, claimed Gossett once showed his sons a key to a Vancouver safe deposit box which, he claimed, contained the ransom money. Gossett's eldest son, Greg, said that his father, a compulsive gambler who was always "strapped for cash", showed him "wads of cash" just before Christmas 1971, weeks after the Cooper hijacking. He speculated that Gossett gambled the money away in Las Vegas. In 1988, Gossett changed his name to "Wolfgang" and became a Roman Catholic priest, which some interpreted as an effort to disguise his identity.  The FBI has no direct evidence implicating Gossett and cannot even reliably place him in the Pacific Northwest at the time of the hijacking.  Richard McCoy, Jr. McCoy was an Army veteran who served two tours of duty in Vietnam, first as a demolition expert, and later, with the Green Berets as a helicopter pilot.  On April 7, 1972, McCoy staged the best-known of the so-called "copycat" hijackings. He boarded United Airlines' Flight 855 (a Boeing 727 with rear stairs) in Denver, Colorado, brandishing what later proved to be a paperweight resembling a hand grenade and an unloaded handgun, he demanded four parachutes and $500,000.  After delivery of the money and parachutes at San Francisco International Airport, McCoy ordered the aircraft back into the sky and bailed out over Provo, Utah, leaving behind his handwritten hijacking instructions and his fingerprints on a magazine he was reading.  He was arrested on April 9 with the ransom cash in his possession, and after trial and conviction, received a 45-year sentence. Two years later he escaped from Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary with several accomplices by crashing a garbage truck through the main gate. Tracked down three months later in Virginia Beach, McCoy was killed in a shootout with FBI agents. The FBI agent who killed McCoy said "When I shot Richard McCoy, I shot D. B. Cooper at the same time." Although there is no reasonable doubt that McCoy committed the Denver hijacking, the FBI does not consider him a suspect in the Cooper case because of mismatches in age and description; also he had a level of skydiving skill well above that thought to be possessed by the hijacker; and they also had evidence that McCoy was in Las Vegas on the day of the Portland hijacking, and at home in Utah the day after, having Thanksgiving with his family. Walter R. Reca Walter R. Reca was a Michigan-native, a military veteran and original member of the Michigan Parachute Team. He was proposed as a suspect by his friend Carl Laurin, a former commercial airline pilot and expert parachuter himself, at a press conference on May 17, 2018. In 2008, Reca confessed to being D.B. Cooper to Laurin via a recorded phone call. In July 2018, Principia Media released a four-part documentary detailing their investigation. Reca gave Laurin permission in a notarized letter to share his story after he passed away in 2014, at age 80. He also allowed Laurin to tape their phone conversations about the crime over a six-week period in late 2008.  In the over three hours of recordings, Reca gave new details about the hijacking that the public had not heard before. He also confessed to his niece, Lisa Story. Using his years of training to determine the location of the jump, Laurin concluded that D.B. Cooper landed near Cle Elum, Washington. According to written testimony, Jeff Osiadacz, a Cle Elum, Washington native, was driving his dump truck near Cle Elum the night of November 24, 1971, when he saw a man walking down the side of the road in the inclement weather. He assumed the man's car had broken down and was walking to get assistance.  However, he did not have room in his truck to pick him up. He continued toward his destination, the Teanaway Junction Café just outside of Cle Elum. After ordering coffee, the man from the side of the road also entered the café looking like a "drowned rat", according to Osiadacz.  The man sat next to him and asked if he would be able to give his friend directions if he called him on the phone. Osiadacz agreed to this and spoke with the man's friend, giving him directions to the cafe. Shortly after that, Osiadacz left for the Grange Hall to play in a band. The man offered to pay for his coffee, and the two amicably parted. Laurin began his search for the witness, after Reca described the landscape he saw while on his way to the drop zone: two bridges, some distinct lights; and his description of the exterior and interior of the café, as well as his encounter with Osiadacz. He described Osiadacz in detail, recalling that he was wearing western gear and had a guitar case. He dubbed him "Cowboy". Laurin consulted a map to find these particular landmarks and began making phone calls about the "Cowboy who had driven a dump truck." Laurin was put in contact with Osiadacz, who recalled meeting a man that night, described what he was wearing and what he looked like, and confirmed his identity as Reca after seeing a photo Laurin sent him.  In addition to the taped confession, Laurin also has a confession written by Reca and long underwear allegedly worn by Reca under his black pants during the hijacking. In 2016, Laurin took the information to publisher Principia Media, who consulted with Joe Koenig, a certified fraud examiner and forensic linguist with 45 years of investigative experience. He evaluated all documents, including passports, identification cards, photographs, and newspaper clippings.  Koenig found no evidence of tampering or manipulation and deemed all documentation authentic. After comparing Laurin's research to the available FBI records, he found no discrepancies that eliminated Reca as a suspect. He also thought it particularly significant that Osiadacz's statement of events on the night of November 24, 1971 was identical to the account that Reca made five years earlier. Koenig publicly stated at the Principia Media press conference on May 17, 2018 that he believes that Walter R. Reca was D.B. Cooper. Duane Weber Duane L. Weber was a World War II Army veteran who served time in at least six prisons from 1945 to 1968 for burglary and forgery. He was proposed as a suspect by his widow, based primarily on a deathbed confession: Three days before he died in 1995, Weber told his wife, "I am Dan Cooper."  The name meant nothing to her, she said; but months later, a friend told her of its significance in the hijacking. She went to her local library to research D.B. Cooper, found Max Gunther's book, and discovered notations in the margins in her husband's handwriting. She then recalled, in retrospect, that Weber once had a nightmare during which he talked in his sleep about jumping from a plane, leaving his fingerprints on the "aft stairs". He also reportedly told her that an old knee injury had been incurred by "jumping out of a plane". Like the hijacker, Weber drank bourbon and chain smoked.  Other circumstantial evidence included a 1979 trip to Seattle and the Columbia River, during which Weber took a walk alone along the river bank in the Tina Bar area; four months later Brian Ingram made his ransom cash discovery in the same area. The FBI eliminated Weber as an active suspect in July 1998 when his fingerprints did not match any of those processed in the hijacked plane, and no other direct evidence could be found to implicate him. Later, his DNA also failed to match the samples recovered from Cooper's tie, though the bureau has since conceded that they cannot be certain that the organic material on the tie came from Cooper.

A stiff December breeze blowing down the Columbia River delivers an exhilarating chill. A stretch of river near Bridgeport, in north-central Washington, is held tightly by a series of dams, creating massive lakes. High on an overlook, a Bald Eagle watches a flock of birds – coots, ducks, and more – on the water below.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org. Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. 

Renee and Tim share their incredible journey of walking from Mexico to Canada, including the challenges of going 20 miles without water and finding intimacy as a couple in the wilderness. They also talk about canoeing the Columbia River naked, the realities of pooping in the woods, and the emotional struggles they faced after the hike was over. This episode is sponsored by Thorum, RocketMoney & Dreamland Baby. Thorum: Whether you need a wedding ring, anniversary ring, or you just want a ring that looks awesome, head over to https://Thorum.com and use code Unplanned to get 20% off.  RocketMoney: Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to https://RocketMoney.com/unplanned.  Dreamland Baby: Go to https://dreamlandbabyco.com and enter code UNPLANNED at checkout for the buy one get one free deal from Dreamland Baby. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices