Podcasts about Eastern Oregon

Last week, a $6.2 million settlement was made between Madison Ranches and residents living in Morrow and Umatilla Counties whose wells were polluted with nitrates. The Lower Umatilla Basin has been grappling with high levels of nitrates for  decades, affecting drinking water in wells in various communities. Food processors and farms using fertilizers are regarded as the source of the problem.   J.R. Cook is the founder and director of the Northeast Oregon Water Association. He joins us to share irrigator's perspective on the issue and solutions they’d like to see.  

In Umatilla County, 39% of residents are on Medicaid. In Malheur County, that number jumps to almost 52%. Both of these counties and more in Eastern Oregon have higher than average rates of Medicaid enrollment compared to the rest of the state. Changes to Medicaid made by the Trump administration will mean major cuts to the program that provides healthcare for many in Oregon.   Ann Ford is the CEO of GOBHI, a mental healthcare provider for this side of the state. She's also the president of Eastern Oregon CCO, the organization that manages the Oregon Health Plan for much of the east side of the state. Ford joins us to share the challenges of providing care and what Medicaid cuts could mean for patients.  

 Earlier this year, Amazon recently purchased more than 1,000 acres near Boardman, OR. As reported in the Oregonian/OregonLive.com, it could be the site for the state’s first “exscale” data center.    Kaleb Lay, director of policy and research at Oregon Rural Action, says that an uptick in data centers brings a number of concerns to the group, including water contamination, water use and growing demand for electricity. He shares more on their concerns.  

Two decades ago, there were roughly 10 indigenous plant nurseries in the country. Since then, that number has blossomed to around 100, including one operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The nursery only grows native plants, with its primary goal to grow vegetation to aid in restoration of natural habitats in Eastern Oregon. Gail Redberg is the CTUIR Nursery Manager. She gives us a tour of the facility, shares some of what they grow and why it’s important.

For three decades, many residents in Eastern Oregon's Umatilla basin have been drinking nitrate-polluted drinking water. Some residents blame nearby food-processors and farms that use nitrogen-rich fertilizers for the issue.   Last week, a $6.2 million settlement was reached between Madison Ranches and the people living in Morrow and Umatilla Counties who filed the suit. Kaleb Lay, director of policy and research at Oregon Rural Action, took OPB’s Think Out Loud on a tour of affected areas, along with Jim Doherty, a rancher and former Morrow County Commissioner. We’ll also hear from Paulo Lopez whose well is polluted.  

In this episode, Ray Cochrane breaks down NVIDIA’s case for world action models, the shift that swaps a robot’s picture-describing backbone for one trained to predict what happens next. He also covers Perseverance closing in on the off-world driving record, a derelict SpaceX rocket stage hitting the Moon, and Anthropic’s rework of Claude Fable 5’s biology safeguards. Finally, he digs into Gemini Omni, Google’s undisclosed trip-planning rankings, the Danube’s record low, and iFixit’s call for Apple to unlock the iPad bootloader. – Want to start a podcast? It’s easy to get started! Sign up at Blubrry – Thinking of buying a Starlink? Use my link to support the show. Subscribe to the Newsletter. Email Ray if you want to get in touch! Like and Follow Geek News Central’s Facebook Page. Support my Show Sponsor: Best Godaddy Promo Codes Get 1Password Full Summary Cochrane opens with a personal update. Wildfires in Eastern Oregon made for a rough week of heavy smoke, and a local building burned down, which he calls a real tragedy. Meanwhile, his work at Blubrry has centered on PowerPress fixes, where reproducing customer-reported bugs remains the biggest headache. Support tickets rarely carry enough detail, and the errors themselves are often too vague to diagnose. Consequently, he is leaning toward a stronger logging and error layer, and he asks experienced developers to share what actually works for them. Beyond VLAs: NVIDIA’s Case for World Action Models The featured story comes from NVIDIA’s developer blog, and it answers a question sitting underneath this year’s robot news. Why do robot arms fall apart the moment anything changes? Move a cup six inches, swap its shape, or change the lighting, and a policy that worked perfectly in training fails. The answer, according to NVIDIA, is not the robot but the model underneath it. For the last few years, the dominant approach has been the vision-language-action model, or VLA, built on an AI that originally learned to describe pictures. Consequently, it recognizes a banana it has never seen, in a kitchen it has never seen, yet it has no idea what that banana will do next. As the article puts it, such a model “does not learn what happens to a mug when the gripper closes, how a towel folds, where an object lands when released.” Because the physics never arrives with the model, every scrap of it has to come out of hand-recorded demonstrations. The proposed fix swaps the foundation entirely. Instead of building on a model that learned to caption images, a world action model builds on one trained to predict how video continues, so the physics is already paid for. Notably, these models output an action and a prediction of what the robot’s cameras will see, in the same pass. Cochrane likens it to forethought, imagining your own motion as you make it. NVIDIA’s implementation is Cosmos 3, pretrained on roughly 767 million images and 348 million videos of real-world dynamics. It ships in 4, 16, and 64 billion parameter sizes named Edge, Nano, and Super, and it runs in real time on a Jetson Thor board bolted to the robot itself. Cochrane recalls his dad owning one of those Jetson boards, and he asks anyone working in robotics to explain how the throughput figures fit together. However, he closes on an open question: where did 348 million videos actually come from? For deeper detail, he points listeners to the source article and to NVIDIA researcher Jim Fan. Sponsor: GoDaddy Economy hosting $6.99/month, WordPress hosting $12.99/month, domains $11.99. Website builder trial available. Use codes at geeknewscentral.com/godaddy to support the show. Perseverance Closes In on the Off-World Driving Record Ars Technica reports that NASA’s Perseverance rover is about to take the record for most distance driven on another world. The mark sits at roughly 28 miles, set by NASA’s own Opportunity rover across more than fourteen years before it went quiet in 2018. As Cochrane works out on air, that averages about two miles a year. Perseverance will pass it in roughly five years instead. The difference is a navigation system called AutoNav. Since a radio signal takes several minutes to reach Mars, earlier rovers crept along pre-plotted routes and stopped every half meter to think. Perseverance carries a second computer dedicated to processing what its cameras see, so it plans while the wheels keep turning. Consequently, about ninety percent of its driving is autonomous, against roughly ten percent for Curiosity, and it averages around 110 meters an hour rather than 15 to 18. Cochrane notes researchers finding the rover at planned sites days ahead of schedule, and he wonders aloud whether world action models might drive the next one. A SpaceX Rocket Stage Slammed Into the Moon Next, Smithsonian Magazine covered the Falcon 9 upper stage that struck the Moon on August 5. That stage flew back in January 2025, carrying Firefly’s Blue Ghost and ispace’s Resilience landers, and it was never meant to end up there. SpaceX’s Julianna Scheiman says a mixture of solar activity and gravity nudged the derelict onto a lunar path after nineteen months adrift. Four tonnes of dead hardware arrived at about 5,400 miles per hour. Nobody watched it happen, and the reason is a nice bit of physics. It struck sunlit ground near a crater called Einstein, and no impact flash has ever been detected on the lit part of the Moon. However, the instruments caught the aftermath. South Korea’s Danuri orbiter imaged a dark new mark, while the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope picked up sodium and lithium in the plume, the lithium possibly shed by the rocket itself. Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell quipped that he has “Sir Isaac Newton’s personal assurance that it did indeed hit the moon,” while planetary scientist Hannah Sargeant warns against making a habit of it. Cochrane points out the Apollo landing sites are still sitting up there. Anthropic Reworks Claude Fable 5’s Biology Safeguards Anthropic published a post on how Claude Fable 5 handles biology questions, and the bind is genuine. Biology is the textbook dual-use problem, since the knowledge behind reading your own lab results also helps someone build a weapon. Rather than refusing outright, a classifier watches for risky requests and quietly reroutes them to Claude Opus 5, a capable model without Fable 5’s biological depth. Anthropic calls that mechanism a fallback. The trouble was how often it fired on people doing nothing wrong. This update cut biology-related fallbacks by roughly 85 percent in Anthropic’s own testing, with expected overall drops of 67 percent on Claude.ai and 55 percent on Cowork. Genuinely dual-use territory still trips it, and Anthropic names virology, toxicology, and molecular design. Cochrane hit the old behavior himself and found it irritating, so he welcomes the refinement. Even so, he would rather see a false positive than a model helping someone produce a virus. Five Builders Put Gemini Omni Through Its Paces Google highlighted five builders working with Gemini Omni. Omni is a model rather than an app, and it generates video from text, images, other video, or audio, while also editing footage you already have. Google claims it “combines an intuitive understanding of physics with Gemini’s real-world knowledge,” citing gravity, kinetic energy, and fluid dynamics. As Cochrane observes, that is the same bet NVIDIA is making with robots, only pointed at video generation instead. He also flags a naming collision worth knowing about. NVIDIA calls its architecture an omni-model while Google’s product is simply Omni, two different things landing in the same week. Additionally, he encourages listeners to watch the demos, though he still senses a disconnect in AI-generated video and concedes that knowing its origin may color the impression. Gemini Wants to Plan Your Vacation Another Gemini piece, a how-to on trip planning, drew Cochrane’s sharpest take of the night. Gemini plugs straight into Google Maps, Flights, and Hotels, pulling live locations, reviews, and prices to build an itinerary. Switch on a feature called Personal Intelligence, and it reads across your Google apps, turning a messy trip-planning email chain into a clean master plan. Clever, but he calls it extremely concerning. Once these become services, he expects partnerships to quietly push particular hotels, restaurants, resorts, and destinations onto users. Notably, Google’s post never explains how any of it gets ranked, and the words sponsored, ad, affiliate, commission, and paid never appear once. There is no disclosure of a commercial arrangement, and no denial of one either. Meanwhile the post hands readers off to Viator to book tours without describing that relationship at all. Cochrane suspects the real effect shows up slowly, in the shape of small businesses continuing to disappear. The Senate Blocks a Rule on Who Controls Research Money Science reports that the Senate passed a temporary spending bill in the early hours of Saturday the 8th. The Senate’s version carries a one-paragraph rider the House version lacks, and that rider stops the White House Office of Management and Budget from finalizing a set of proposed rules. OMB builds the president’s budget, clears agency regulations, and controls how approved money actually reaches agencies. The bill itself is a stopgap, which prevents a shutdown without settling anything. The rules reach every organization that takes federal money, a pot of roughly $1.1 trillion across 41 agencies, about $150 billion of it research grants. They would let political appointees second-guess which grants get funded, allow awarded grants to be pulled when the work does not match presidential priorities, and put several countries off limits for research partnerships, China first among them. Senator Susan Collins pushed the block through after telling OMB director Russell Vought the proposal was deeply flawed, noting nearly 500,000 public comments, the vast majority opposed. However, the 90-6 vote is not law. Both chambers are on recess. Vought reportedly said the rule would not have been finalized before December anyway, and the block only lasts as long as the stopgap, which expires December 11. The Danube Falls to a Record Low ESA published a pair of Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite images showing the same bend of the Danube, 45 kilometers upstream of Budapest, photographed a year apart. Cochrane calls the before-and-after shocking, going from green to brown completely. Wire reports put the Budapest gauge near 10 centimeters at the start of the month, about four inches of water, against a previous record of 33 centimeters set in 2018. The knock-on effects arrived fast. Budapest ran short on both power and drinking water, while the shrinking flow concentrated pollution in what remained. Romania hit record lows on its own stretch as well. Cochrane hopes the recovery is already underway. What a Heatwave Actually Does to the Power Grid That river story runs directly into a Carbon Brief factcheck. Nuclear plants cool themselves with river water, so when the Danube dropped, plants in Hungary and Romania throttled back and pulled roughly 2.5 gigawatts off the grid. Romania declared a state of alert in its energy sector, and its navy reportedly used explosives to steer more water toward a plant intake. Carbon Brief then walked through what heatwaves do to each way of making electricity. Nuclear loses efficiency when the cooling water is already warm, though its shutdowns are mostly regulatory rather than mechanical. Gas turbines pull in less air because hot air is thinner, costing capacity. Wind falls off hardest, since a heatwave is a big stalled dome of high pressure and nearly still air. Solar is the surprise: cells genuinely do get less efficient as they heat up, yet total output climbs anyway, with UK solar up 46 percent during a four-day June heatwave against the week before. Butterflies Are on the Move Everywhere A new study in Nature Ecology and Evolution covered 1,758 butterfly species, roughly one in ten of every species we have named. The team pulled 6,182 records from 105 countries, reading non-English research alongside 68 expert write-ups. Four out of five species pushed into new territory, and about 79 percent of the logged shifts traced back to climate change and extreme weather. Separately, 27 percent saw their range shrink somewhere, and 22 percent moved up or down a mountain slope chasing cooler air. That sounds like good news, and it really is not. Expansion means a boundary moved, not that butterflies are thriving, since a species can push its northern edge forward while its southern edge quietly collapses. Lead author Shawan Chowdhury says the shifts turn up on every continent where butterflies occur. Additionally, monitoring gaps leave Central Africa, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and the Amazon Basin barely counted at all. Cochrane recalls hearing years ago that butterflies were disappearing in Hawaii, and he invites listeners spotting unfamiliar species locally to contribute what they see. Primates Make Friends Across Species Cochrane called this one a fun find. A study in the journal Primates, led by Cyril Grueter at Oxford, gathered 427 documented cases going back to the 1970s across 88 primate species and 127 partner species. Play and grooming dominated at 139 and 136 cases, alongside carrying, huddling, food sharing, and even adoption. Primates usually started the interactions themselves, with juveniles playing most, adult females handling grooming and caregiving, and adult males least likely to join in. The examples are remarkable. Japanese macaques on the island of Yakushima groom sika deer and climb on their backs, a silverback gorilla cradled a tiny wild bushbaby, and wild capuchins in Brazil adopted an infant marmoset in a bond that held for weeks. However, Grueter rejects the pet-keeping headline and prefers the hedged term proto-pet keeping. The actual claim is smaller and more interesting: curiosity, tolerance, caregiving, and play have roots running far deeper than humans do. iFixit Tells Apple to Unlock the iPad Finally, an opinion piece from Charlie Sorrel at iFixit struck a chord. This fall, iPadOS 27 drops support for a batch of older iPads, including the 8th-generation iPad, the third-generation Air, the fifth-generation mini, and the first-generation iPad Pros. Cochrane owns one of those Pros and reports it still works fine. Those devices will not break, but they stop getting OS and security updates until apps abandon them and the battery gives out. The obvious second life is Linux, except the bootloader stays locked. Apple’s iBoot will not load anything else, unlike a Mac, a PC, or most Android phones. Sorrel argues it “should be a user choice, not a vendor choice,” and Cochrane agrees flatly. You own the device, so why does Apple decide what runs on it? He compares the situation to jailbreaking, and he suspects most consumers have never pushed back simply because it never occurs to them. Nevertheless, he hopes an unlock eventually breathes new life into hardware that still works perfectly well. Cochrane wraps with housekeeping: become a GNC Insider at geeknewscentral.com/insider, email geeknews@gmail.com, subscribe to the newsletter, and grab a modern podcast app at podcastapps.com. He thanks GoDaddy for over twenty years of keeping the show on the air, and he signs off wishing listeners a wonderful evening. The post The Robot That Imagines First #1872 appeared first on Geek News Central.

OPB's Jenn Chavez joins with Chelsea Rose, host of JPR's Underground History and director of the Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology, to dig into the little-known stories of eastern Oregon's Chinese cowboys.

A large botulism outbreak in Klamath Basin wetlands could kill more than 100,000 waterbirds if more water is not sent to the wetlands. The Bird Alliance of Oregon is asking the Bureau of Reclamation to release the water to the Klamath National Wildlife Refuges and says if there is no intervention, the die-off could surpass the one in 2024 when 140,000 birds were killed. We talk with Teresa Wicks, Eastern Oregon biologist with the Bird Alliance of Oregon to get more details.

Oregon news includes concerns about data center pollution in Eastern Oregon, a job training program for incarcerated girls and the growth of the Cascade Head Biosphere Region.

We're heading to John Day, Oregon, a destination filled with incredible scenery, outdoor adventures, fascinating history, and some of the best lesser-known experiences for RV travelers.Located in Eastern Oregon, the John Day area is a great getaway for RVers looking to explore beyond crowded campgrounds and discover wide-open landscapes, scenic drives, and memorable places to visit. From the dramatic colors of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument to the winding roads of the Journey Through Time Scenic Byway, this region showcases a side of Oregon that feels far from the coast and the Cascade Mountains.In this destination episode, we'll share what makes John Day a must-visit stop for Pacific Northwest RVers, including where to camp, what to see, and the outdoor adventures waiting around every corner. We'll explore hiking opportunities, geological wonders, local character, and the rich history that makes this part of Oregon so special.If you're planning a weekend RV getaway, building an Eastern Oregon road trip itinerary, or searching for new places to explore with your family, John Day deserves a spot on your travel list.We'll also share tips to help you plan your visit, including things RVers should know before hitting the road, what makes this destination stand out for campers, and why shoulder season may be one of the best times to experience the area.The Pacific Northwest is full of incredible destinations, and John Day, Oregon is a reminder that some of the best adventures are found when you take the road less traveled.So grab your favorite beverage, settle in, and get ready to discover your next RV adventure.Listen to this episode of RV Out West and start planning your John Day, Oregon getaway today.Send us Fan MailSupport the showSign up for our NewsletterPlease follow the show so you never miss an episode. We ask that you also kindly give the show a rating and a review as well.Learn more about RV Out West over on our website at www.rvoutwest.comJoin in on the conversation via social media:InstagramFacebookSUPPORT THE SHOWKeep RV Out West RollingPlease consider supporting the show with a monthly contribution. If you're planning to explore our public lands this year, you'll need a park pass anyway. Purchasing your pass through our REI affiliate links is an easy way to support RV Out West at no extra cost.Every purchase makes a difference. Thank you for helping keep RV Out West rolling down the road.America the Beautiful PassDiscover Pass...

IT WAS GETTING toward the end of the summer of 1902, and West Linn resident Ellis Hughes was getting worried. His neighbor, William Dale, had traveled back to Eastern Oregon to sell some land he owned there. With the proceeds, Dale and Hughes planned to buy a piece of property next to the Hughes farm. The property belonged to the Oregon Iron and Steel Co., which wasn't really doing anything with it and which Hughes was pretty sure would be happy to sell … unless, of course, they found out why he wanted to buy it.... (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/23-07.stealing-the-willamette-meteorite-623.html)

In 1991, James Hall joined the Umatilla Tribal Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Eastern Oregon. Today, Hall is the fire chief of the agency, leading its response to structural fires, wildland fires and calls for ambulance transportation services in a coverage area spanning hundreds of square miles.    In February, Hall was appointed by Governor Tina Kotek’s Office to serve a three-year term on the Governor’s Fire Service Policy Council, making him the first tribal representative to serve on the council in its history. A bill passed by the Oregon Legislature last year made changes to the council’s membership, including a requirement that one of its members be a fire agency representative from one of Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes.    Hall shares his recent work on the council and efforts to advocate for all tribal fire agencies in the state.  

Taylor and Marc Gomes on the unexpected beauty of Eastern Oregon and the dynamics of long-distance riding with an old friend. 0:22 Eurosports Bike Shop in Sisters, Oregon 4:58 The Good Bike Company Prineville, Oregon 9:39 Jalet Farrell at the Spoke'n Hostel, a five star, donation-based hostel in Mitchell, Oregon https://www.spokenhostel.org 10:32 News: An escooter/bike crash kills both riders on NYC's Queensboro Bridge https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/deadly-queensboro-bridge-crash-enforcement/?intcid=CNR-02-0623. A Netherlands court decides how much foot movement counts as ‘pedaling' an e-bike https://electrek.co/2026/05/31/a-court-just-decided-how-much-foot-movement-counts-as-pedaling-an-e-bike/. Wildlife is impacted by an oil spill in the LA River https://ktla.com/news/local-news/wildlife-impacted-by-oil-spill-in-la-river/. 17:07 Dan Langenkamp talks about getting the Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act into the Federal Transportation Reauthorization Act. The bill is named for Dan's wife Sarah, who was killed by a truck driver while riding in a bike lane. It highlights the need to fill gaps in biking and walking networks and makes it easier for states and local governments to use Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) dollars to build safe bicycling and pedestrian infrastructure. https://bikeleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Sarah-Debbink-Langenkamp-Safety-Act-Fact-Sheet.pdf#:~:text=What%20it%20is»%20Sarah%20Debbink,killed%20weeks%20later%20while%20riding, https://rideforyourlife.org 19:15 Another email from Baltimore Fred and one from Nick's mom, both rooting for Taylor on his ride. 29:00 Irwin from the Netherlands rides with an American flag since getting hit by a car in Kentucky. 30:22 Advocates declare a Traffic State of Emergency in Los Angeles. We talk to Damian Kevitt of Streets Are For Everyone and Jonathan Hale of People's Vision Zero https://ujoin.co/campaigns/4275/actions/public?action_id=6456. 35:28 Taylor and Marc meet Kay Schuster, woman who rode coast to coast in 1976 at 21, and is riding again at 71 https://kaybikes4kids.com. 51:27

In this episode of Construction Corner, host Dillon breaks down the massive infrastructure transformation sweeping America — and what it means for the construction industry.Dillon covers:The power grid under pressure — Why the surge in data centers and reshoring of manufacturing is driving unprecedented investment in utility infrastructure, and how FERC regulates rate increases tied to capital spending.Data center geography — Which states are winning the data center race (Northern Virginia, Texas, Eastern Oregon, Nevada, Arizona) and why California keeps losing out to regulation and permitting challenges.The $700 billion AI buildout — How the four hyperscalers (Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta) are committing historic CapEx, what a gigawatt-scale facility actually costs, and why supply chain — not concrete — is the real bottleneck.Behind-the-meter power — Why major data center operators aren't waiting on utilities and are standing up their own generation (gas turbines, solar, and even small modular nuclear reactors) to turn on racks faster.Battery energy storage at scale — How megawatt-hour battery systems are being deployed at data centers to smooth load swings, support the grid, and reduce utility dependency — and why this is very different from a home Powerwall.The AI compute race — Why demand for GPUs shows no signs of slowing, how Anthropic's revenue explosion illustrates real consumption, and why this infrastructure build likely runs for at least five more years.Construction is hyper-local — A reminder that no matter how big the macro trends are, your personal economy in construction is defined by the geography and relationships where you operate.Whether you're in the trades, engineering, or just trying to understand where the industry is headed, this episode gives you a ground-level view of the biggest construction wave in a generation.

In Eastern Oregon’s John Day, a 160-year-old building holds one of the biggest collections of traditional Chinese medicine in the world. Kam Wah Chung and Company, once part of a thriving Chinatown, was owned and operated by Lung On and Ing Hay for over half a century. It was a home, a general store, a community center and a medical clinic where Ing Hay served as a beloved doctor to residents across the region. His practice included herbal remedies, non-invasive treatments, essential women’s healthcare and more.   Archaeologists and historians are continuing to deepen our understanding of the legacy of Kam Wah Chung and traditional Chinese medicine in Eastern Oregon. We join them to learn more about Ing Hay’s important contributions to rural communities in John Day and beyond, as part of our special series in collaboration with OPB’s “Oregon Experience,” the Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology, and Jefferson Public Radio about unearthing Oregon history.

OPB's Jenn Chavez joins with Chelsea Rose, host of JPR's Underground History and director of the Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology, to dig into the little-known stories of eastern Oregon's Chinese cowboys.

Voters across Oregon are probably scrounging at this point to find their ballots as Election Day is just a few days away. The main event awaits in November as Oregonians will select their next governor. But for voters in Central and Eastern Oregon, there are some key races on the May ballot and big issues driving the politics behind the scenes. We spent last week talking about the suburbs and this week we are taking a closer look at the politics playing out east of the Cascades. Reporters Bryce Dole, Kathryn Styer Martinez and Antonio Sierra break down the issues of note. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.  

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he dives into today's top stories shaping America and the world. In this Radar Brief episode of The Wright Report, Bryan shares urgent developments from the Strait of Hormuz as President Trump weighs a new Iranian peace proposal while the Pentagon prepares a major operation to help guide trapped commercial ships safely out of the Persian Gulf. He explains how the U.S. military plans to provide air cover, surveillance, and defensive support for hundreds of merchant vessels without offering full armed escorts, even as Iran's IRGC warns that the move violates the ceasefire and threatens retaliation unless ships continue paying Tehran's reported $2 million toll. Bryan warns this standoff could turn "spicy" very quickly as U.S. naval operations begin immediately. Plus, Bryan asks listeners to pray for two missing U.S. soldiers in Morocco, previews upcoming reporting on the CIA's infamous MK Ultra mind control program as newly declassified documents head to Congress, and highlights important medical news from Finland suggesting that one of the most common knee surgeries may do more harm than good. He also shares an update from Eastern Oregon, where he is filming a special Fourth of July mini-documentary celebrating America's 250th birthday and the enduring goodness of small-town America.   "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32     Keywords: Strait of Hormuz shipping crisis 2026 Trump Iran peace proposal, US military merchant ship guidance Persian Gulf IRGC threats, Iran ceasefire violation tanker toll payments Tehran, missing US soldiers Morocco training mission Pentagon update, CIA MK Ultra declassified documents Congress Anna Paulina Luna hearing, meniscus surgery study Finland knee procedure risks, America 250th anniversary Oregon Trail documentary Bryan Dean Wright, small town America Fourth of July project, Bryan Dean Wright podcast, The Wright Report

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Bryan is away today filming in Eastern Oregon as part of a special project celebrating America's upcoming 250th birthday. He's visiting family land and capturing the story of his family's roots in the United States, tracing back to the 1600s and their connection to the Oregon Trail. He hopes to share teaser videos early next week in place of regular episodes before returning with fresh shows by the middle of next week. Thanks for your patience and support as he works on what should be a meaningful Fourth of July special.   "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32

Ponderosa pine trees dominate parts of Eastern Oregon and Washington and have long been an icon of the American West, but in the past decade more than two hundred million ponderosa have died. Particularly in the Southwest, scientists estimate that by mid-century less than 5% of the ponderosa trees may remain. We revisit a conversation we first aired on Dec. 22, 2025 with Portland author Gary Ferguson about the history and the future of the ponderosa forests of the Southwest in his new book, “The Twilight Forest.”

Vast expanses of the American West, including parts of Central and Eastern Oregon, share a unique ecosystem characterized by sagebrush, wildflowers and a wide array of perennial grasses. This “sagebrush sea” is one of the largest contiguous ecotypes in the U.S., but it faces increasing threats from wildfire, invasive species and development.   A new tool aims to help land managers quickly assess the health of these vast regions. Conservation groups, state and federal agencies and local leaders partnered to create digital maps that provide a broad view of where sagebrush ecosystems are thriving and where they hang in the balance. Anya Tyson is the Oregon Sagebrush Sea Program Director for The Nature Conservancy, which helped create the maps. She joins us to share more

Quick action by state forester Lynn Cronemiller prevented the devastating forest fire from claiming hundreds of lives when a furnace-stoking wind blew in from Eastern Oregon, flogging the fire toward the sea. (Washington, Yamhill, Tillamook County; 1930s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1408a.tillamook-burn-pt2-the-legacy.html)

The history of logging is full of tales of lumber barons and lumberjacks. Think flannel-clad men with double-bit axes doing manly things in the woods. But in the forests of Eastern Oregon, new research into daily life in a once-bustling mill town tells a more nuanced story about the extractive timber industry that once dominated the Northwest: one that elevates women and families.   Archaeologists and citizen scientists unearthed thousands of artifacts at the site of the former Baker White Pine Mill, which operated from 1910 to 1918 in the Blue Mountains. What they found provided clues about the role of women in the mill community, and an opportunity to recognize their important contributions to the lumber industry, long absent from the documentary record.   Historical archaeologist Chelsea Rose joins us for the next installment in our special series in collaboration with OPB’s “Oregon Experience,” the Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology, and Jefferson Public Radio about unearthing Oregon history — the real stuff. Listen to the first installment of our series, about efforts to reclaim the histories of Chinese cowboys at the historic ranches of Eastern Oregon.And learn more about Oregon’s early logging industry from our episode about the multi-racial community of Maxville   -    For more episodes of The Evergreen, and to share your voice with us, visit our show page. Follow OPB on Instagram, and follow host Jenn Chávez too. You can sign up for OPB’s newsletters to get what you need in your inbox regularly.   Don’t forget to check out our many podcasts, which can be found on any of your favorite podcast apps:HushTimber Wars Season 2: Salmon WarsPolitics NowThink Out Loud And many more! Check out our full show list here.

What does leadership look like in a world where the pace of change is accelerating, and anxiety is increasingly present in our systems?In this special roundtable episode of the Sacred Changemakers Podcast, Jayne Warrilow is joined by members of the Resonance Collective for an open, emergent dialogue exploring what leaders and coaches are experiencing in the field right now. Together, we reflect on how acceleration is reshaping the landscape of leadership and change. Drawing on our lived experience working with leaders, teams, and organizations, we share observations from the front lines of change.We explore how anxiety is showing up in our systems, why so many people are feeling the strain of this moment, and what new capacities we may need to cultivate to navigate the future with wisdom and humanity. What unfolds is not a scripted conversation, but a genuine exchange of perspectives, insights, and reflections emerging from the relational field of dialogue itself. At times, it feels as though the conversation taps into something larger than any one voice, perhaps even a collective wisdom that arises when thoughtful people gather together with curiosity and openness.This episode offers a glimpse into what leaders and coaches are truly seeing in the field today and invites listeners to reflect on how we might consciously respond to the world we are now living in and lead change within it.Key TakeawaysHow acceleration is reshaping the challenges leaders face todayWhy anxiety is increasingly present and what we can do about itThe tension between certainty and presence in change relationshipsHow leadership is shifting from control toward relational awarenessWhat new capacities coaches and leaders may need to navigate the future with wisdomMeet Our GuestsTracey Lukes is an executive and relational systems coach who works with leaders facing complex change, difficult relationships, and the growing anxiety many organizations are experiencing in today's rapidly accelerating world. Her work focuses on the human dynamics beneath leadership and organizational change: the relational patterns, power dynamics, and emotional currents that quietly shape how people lead, collaborate, and respond under pressure. For more than 20 years, Tracey has partnered with senior leaders and leadership teams across industries, helping them navigate conflict, uncertainty, and high-stakes moments with greater clarity, steadiness, and relational intelligence. Learn more at www.SynergyPointGlobal.comClaudia Lindby is an executive coach and strategic leadership advisor based in Denmark, Europe. She brings more than 25 years of experience at the intersection of strategy, leadership, and organizational behavior. Her background includes senior leadership roles in global brands and more than two decades advising leaders and organizations across industries and markets. Her work focuses on strengthening leadership maturity, organizational health, and the behavioral foundations required for sustainable performance. She supports boards and executive teams, assessing leadership, culture, collaboration, and aligning with strategic ambition. https://claudialindby.com/Jason Stein is an acupuncturist, executive coach, and founder of Wellness Driven Leadership based in Joseph, Oregon. With more than 25 years of experience working with entrepreneurs, founders, and community leaders, Jason helps people align purpose, health, and profits so success doesn't come at the cost of well-being. He brings together ancient wisdom, modern leadership strategies, and real-world business experience to help founders and owners build meaningful impact in their work and communities. Along with his wife Rachel, Jason also cofounded Wallowa Ave Wellness, a remote wellness center in Eastern Oregon. https://jasonstein.com/Blair Morris was a Doctor of Physical Therapy with a long career in healthcare leadership before becoming a transformational coach and founder of Liminalities™. As they navigate the liminal spaces of true change, Blair partners with her clients around a framework that ensures awareness of aspects such as mind, body, heart, & spirit, to support the client as they work to reconnect to their wholeness, develop conscious awareness, awaken inner wisdom, and lead with intention. She is one of the authors of the best-selling book Leading with Compassion: Cultivating Connection from the Inside Out (2025) and is an artist, gardener, equestrian, and hiker in her free time. She brings a lifelong devotion to conscious, regenerative living into her work, community building, and life. https://theliminalway.com/About the HostJayne Warrilow is the founder of Sacred Changemakers, a global community and learning space exploring the intersection of human resonance, regenerative change, and conscious leadership.Learn more at sacredchangemakers.com

This panel discussion explores how public education is evolving through AASA's Public Education Promise initiative, focusing on attracting, hiring, retaining, and rewarding top educational talent. Leaders from diverse districts share strategies, success stories, and resources to support school leaders nationwide. Follow on X: @AASAHQ | @larawadem | @Jonharper70bd | @BAMRadioNetwork Related Resources: The Public Education Promise Dr. Kristine Gilmore is a respected national leader in public education and serves as the Chief Leadership and Learning Officer at AASA, The School Superintendents Association. In this role, she guides the organization's work to strengthen leadership development, expand professional learning, and support superintendents across the country. Her efforts include shaping national programming for AASA's Center of Leadership and Learning, building partnerships that enhance member services, and mentoring leaders who are preparing for or advancing within district-level roles. She collaborates with executive directors, thought partners, and education organizations to elevate effective practices, create learning experiences that reflect the needs of today's schools, and champion the development of strong and diverse leadership pipelines. Heidi Sipe has served as the Superintendent of the Umatilla School District since 2007. Born and raised in Eastern Washington, she began her work in Eastern Oregon in 2000 and developed a deep passion for rural education, especially for students of poverty and emerging bilingual students. Sipe is committed to After-School and STEAM programming to help students gain access to new ideas and develop interests in their communities, and beyond. Sipe previously chaired the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission, served on the Oregon Taskforce on School Funding, was a founding councilor of the Oregon Educator Advancement Council and served two terms as Superintendent Advisor to the State Board of Education. She is currently on the Executive Committee for AASA, the national School Superintendents Association and served on the AASA Governance Committee for two terms. Dr. W. Burke Royster became the 10th Superintendent of Greenville County Schools, the 42nd largest district in the nation, in 2012. His tenure as Superintendent has been marked by significant advances in student achievement, with a particular focus on improving the District's graduation rate and ensuring that students are college- and career-ready. In a nod to the progress achieved under his direction, Dr. Royster has been named an Education Week “Leader to Learn From,” was selected as the South Carolina Association of School Administrators' 2018 Superintendent of the Year, and in 2023 was named to Greenville Business Magazine's “50 Most Influential” Hall of Fame. He serves on the Governing Board of AASA, The School Superintendents' Association, and is an active member of the Large Countywide and Suburban District Consortium, having served as its chair.

Be inspired with OTP as they visit with Kay Chaires, former client turned coordinator on staff with Trendsitions Provider Agency out of Pendleton, Oregon. When OTP visited the agency to talk about how transition age students may be able to access services, it came up in conversation that Trendsitions had a former client, who had grown up in school in Eastern Oregon and was now on staff with them. We had to do a bonus episode with her and hear her story!  Follow her journey through school, college, navigating agencies and ultimately on to her career. This is inspirational and powerful, a first-person success story from transition student to adult with a growing career and future.

Some people have begun to refer to Dr. Eric Nicols as “The Rural School Leader,” and no wonder. Dr. Nichols has dedicated his career to championing the students and communities of rural Eastern Oregon. Serving as both Principal and Head Boys’ Basketball Coach at Crane Union High School, one of the nation’s last public boarding schools, he has embraced the multifaceted leadership required in isolated educational environments. Driven by his own small-town upbringing, Dr. Nichols has not only led his basketball team to four consecutive state championships, forging deep community bonds, but has also significantly enhanced academic offerings through expanded Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. A passionate advocate who understands that rural schools are the “hubs” of their communities, he co-founded “Wide Open Spaces,” a professional network to combat the isolation of rural educators, embodying his mission to ensure these vital institutions receive the recognition and resources necessary to thrive. This episode of Principal Matters Podcast features Dr. Jen Schwanke in conversation with Dr. Eric Nichols, who is celebrated as a champion for students and educators in rural communities. Jen met when Dr. Nichols invited her to present at a 2-day rural conference in beautiful Bend, Oregon, an event he co-founded to connect educators across the state. Dr. Nichols currently serves as the principal and head boys basketball coach at Crane Union High School, where he advocates for the belief that the school is the primary hub of its small town community. During their discussion, Dr. Nichols recounts his path to rural leadership, the unique structure of his public boarding school, the origin of his networking initiative for isolated educators, and the importance of fostering deep community connections. He emphasizes that moving to rural life was a choice he made, noting that “rural isn’t something that happens to you. It’s something you get to be a part of.” You can find Dr. Nichols on X and Instagram at @iamericnichols. You can also find him on LinkedIn. Learn a bit more about Dr. Nichols in this feature article. The post PMP490: Rural School Leadership with Eric Nichols appeared first on Principal Matters.

Tonight's guest, Nick Purswell, grew up in a small town in Eastern Oregon, but he recently moved to Bozeman, Montana for school as well as the hunting and fishing opportunities. The main reason why he moved to Bozeman revolved around Nick's desire to spend as much time in the outdoors as possible.Last year, Nick met ranchers who own a ranch about an hour from Great Falls, Montana. They offered him a job on their ranch and told him he was free to hunt on their land too. Fast forward to November 11th, of last year. Nick was elk hunting about 45 minutes Southeast of Great Falls. At the time, Nick was sitting up on a rock bluff, looking for a huge bull, when all of a sudden the “bear” turned in Nick's direction…If you've had at least one Sasquatch sighting and would like to be a guest on the show, please go to BigfootEyewitness.com and let me know. I'd love to hear from you.If you'd like to help support the show, by buying your own Bigfoot Eyewitness t-shirt or sweatshirt, please visit the Bigfoot Eyewitness Show Store, by going to https://Dogman-Encounters.MyShopify.com I produce 4 other shows that are available on your favorite podcast app. If you haven't checked them out, here are links to all 4 channels on the Spreaker App...My Bigfoot Sighting https://www.spreaker.com/show/my-bigfoot-sighting Dogman Tales https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dogman-tales--6640134Dogman Encounters https://www.spreaker.com/show/dogman-encounters-radio_2 My Paranormal Experience https://www.spreaker.com/show/my-paranormal-experience Thanks, as always, for listening!

Central and Eastern Oregon was “Oregon's liquor cabinet” during Prohibition; its wide open spaces and tight-knit communities made busting bootleggers uncommonly difficult there. (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1203c-moonshiners-of-oregon-outback.html)

The cowboy is one of the most potent symbols of American Western mythology. But while pop culture might call John Wayne or the Marlboro Man to mind, real history tells a different story than Hollywood or history books. Cowboys in the West were racially diverse, and in Eastern Oregon, Chinese Americans played a big role in ranching and local economies.   As part of work to reclaim histories of the early Chinese diaspora in rural Oregon, archaeologists and community historians are on the trail of Eastern Oregon’s Chinese cowboys. That pursuit takes us to the historic Stewart Ranch in Grant County to learn more about Buckaroo Sam, cook Jim Lee and others who lived and worked there. We're joined by historical archaeologist Chelsea Rose to kick off a special series in collaboration with OPB’s “Oregon Experience,” the Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology and Jefferson Public Radio about unearthing Oregon history — the real stuff. -   For more episodes of The Evergreen, and to share your voice with us, visit our showpage. Follow OPB on Instagram, and follow host Jenn Chávez too. You can sign up for OPB’s newsletters to get what you need in your inbox regularly.   Don’t forget to check out our many podcasts, which can be found on any of your favorite podcast apps:HushTimber Wars Season 2: Salmon WarsPolitics NowThink Out Loud And many more! Check out our full show list here.  

On Jan. 2, 2016 a dozen armed men took over the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Eastern Oregon. Today, we bring you a documentary OPB reporters made in the immediate aftermath of the 41-day occupation. And OPB reporter Conrad Wilson gives us an update from Harney County 10 years later.If you’re curious to learn more about the people who took over the wildlife refuge and their philosophy, check out OPB’s Bundyville podcast, produced by Leah Sottile and Ryan Haas. For more Evergreen episodes and to share your voice with us, visit our showpage. Follow OPB on Instagram, host Jenn Chávez and Oregon Field Guide. You can sign up for OPB’s newsletters to get what you need in your inbox regularly.   Don’t forget to check out our many podcasts, which can be found on any of your favorite podcast apps: Hush Timber Wars Season 2: Salmon Wars Politics Now Think Out Loud And many more! Check out our full show list here.

 On Jan. 2, 2016, a dozen armed anti-government militants led by Ammon Bundy and his brother, Ryan, took over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters outside of Burns in Harney County. The 41-day siege at the bird sanctuary in rural Eastern Oregon attracted national and international media attention. On Jan. 26, one of the militants, Arizona rancher Robert “LaVoy” Finicum, died during an armed confrontation with the FBI and Oregon State Police. Law enforcement also arrested the Bundys and several of their supporters that day, although prosecutors failed to secure convictions of the Bundys and five other defendants during a trial in the fall.  OPB legal affairs reporter Conrad Wilson and OPB visual journalist Eli Imadali recently traveled to Harney County to see how the Malheur occupation reverberates within the community 10 years later. Wilson joins us to share what he learned and the perspectives of former officials and community members he spoke with about the occupation and the challenges the county grapples with today.

On Jan. 2, 2016 a dozen armed men took over the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Eastern Oregon. Today we listen back to a documentary OPB reporters made about the 41 days that followed.

What’s the philosophy behind enjoying a good roller coaster ride? What should travelers keep in mind as they’re waved through a construction site on the road? What’s it like to care for cattle at 4,200 feet elevation (and what’s the mooood on the range)?

HT2484 - Sometimes the Meaning Requires Time During one of the first Christmas holidays after my divorce in the late 1980s, I drove over to Eastern Oregon on Christmas Day for a little photography. I made one image that day. It took years for me to understand what that image was, but in many ways it changed my relationship with photography profoundly. Among other things, that image taught me that sometimes a photograph can be personally valuable yet have no impact beyond that. That doesn't diminish its importance to us. This RSS feed includes only the most recent seven Here's a Thought episodes. All of them — over 2400 and counting! — are available to members of LensWork Online. Try a 30-day membership for only $10 and discover the literally terabytes of content about photography and the creative process.

Ponderosa pine trees dominate parts of Eastern Oregon and Washington and have long been an icon of the American West, but in the past decade more than two hundred million ponderosa have died. Particularly in the Southwest, scientists estimate that by mid-century less than 5% of the ponderosa trees may remain. Portland author Gary Ferguson explores the history and the future of the ponderosa forests of the Southwest in his newest book, “The Twilight Forest.”

Are Amazon data centers fueling a water contamination crisis in Eastern OregonRolling Stone recently published a major investigative piece asking that question. But Amazon is far from the only major corporation polluting the drinking water of Morrow County residents, and this crisis has been going on for decades.Oregon Rural Action has been organizing in and advocating for communities in Eastern Oregon for years.  They were heavily quoted in that Rolling Stone article, and they have been a strong voice on this, and other environmental justice issues.So I'm delighted to be joined by Kaleb Lay, ORA's research and policy director, and Zaira Sanchez, director of community organizing.https://www.instagram.com/coastrangeradio/

Sparked by pandemic-era baking trends, interest in small-batch, locally-milled flour is growing among commercial and home bakers. Operations like Camas Country Mill in Oregon and Cairnspring Mills in Washington supply restaurants, bakeries and amateur bakers with high-quality flour sourced from local farmers who use regenerative growing practices.     A new partnership between Cairnspring and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation will bring a flour mill to the reservation in Eastern Oregon. The new facility is expected to expand Cairnspring’s production capacity twelvefold and create 20-25 new jobs.  Kevin Morse is the co-founder and CEO of Cairnspring Mills. Bill Tovey is the director of the CTUIR Department of Economic & Community Development. They both join us to talk about the partnership.

The redrawing of political maps is perhaps one of the most intensely political acts elected officials undertake. In Central Oregon, the effort is prompting the familiar outcry of gerrymandering. On this week’s OPB Politics Now, we’re heading east of the Cascades. We’ll discuss the redrawing of the Deschutes County maps and the contaminated groundwater water in Eastern Oregon. Find the show wherever you get your podcasts.

Meet Casey Hagarth, the awesome Superintendent from Baker City Schools, OR--Home of the Bulldogs in Eastern Oregon. Casey is a husband, father, and now grandfather--leading in many ways in Baker and beyond. He is earning his doctorate, writing a book, and is active on social media--Follow him and look for his great, creative posts: The Superintendents' Sneak Peak. Join us for this "Thanksgiving Special" where we will take leadership, friendship, all things Baker, gratitude, and more--LIVE on the #ELB podcast, Monday, November 24th, at 7:30 EST, 4:30 PT--Join us!My newest book is HERE! The Magic Acronyms, Formulas, & Impactful Stories of Leadership. You can buy the book here: https://amzn.to/3Ljwrd5 Learn more here: https://andrewmarotta.com/book/IXL Personalized Learning sponsors this podcast. IXL is used by more than 1 million teachers each day. It is also the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/ELBIXL

Feliks Banel's guest on this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY is Bill Willingham, whose book, "Oregon Gold: A History of Mining from the Civil War into the Progressive Era" was just published by OSU Press in Corvallis, Oregon. The history of gold mining in Oregon is not widely known and appreciated. Bill Willingham grew up in Eastern Oregon, and says his new book was about 70 years in the making. I spoke with Bill Willingham by phone on Thursday, November 20, 2025. For more information about "Oregon Gold: A History of Mining from the Civil War into the Progressive Era" from OSU Press: https://osupress.oregonstate.edu/book/oregon-gold More info about Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=174 More info about Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Area: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=5 CASCADE OF HISTORY Facebook page for more info about upcoming events with Bill Willingham on December 7, 2025; January 10, 2026 and February 8, 2026: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cascadeofhistory CASCADE OF HISTORY is broadcast LIVE most Sunday nights at 8pm Pacific Time via SPACE 101.1 FM in Seattle and gallantly streams everywhere via www.space101fm.org. The radio station broadcasts from studios at historic Magnuson Park – located in the former Master-at-Arms' quarters in the old Sand Point Naval Air Station - on the shores of Lake Washington in Seattle. Subscribe to the CASCADE OF HISTORY podcast via most podcast platforms and never miss regular weekly episodes of Sunday night broadcasts as well as frequent bonus episodes.

Oregon might just be one of the most diverse hiking destinations in the United States — but where do you even start? In this episode of the 10Adventures Podcast, Richard talks with Eli Boschetto, the author of 100 Classic Hikes in Oregon (2nd Edition). Eli has spent years exploring every corner of the state, from the coastal headlands to the Cascade peaks and the deserts of Eastern Oregon. They delve into what makes Oregon such a special hiking destination, how to plan a trip through its diverse regions, and which lesser-known trails are worth exploring. Eli also explains how he balanced classic, well-loved hikes with hidden gems while updating this new edition of the guidebook — and why physical guidebooks still matter in a digital world. Whether you're planning your first Oregon road trip or looking for a new challenge close to home, this episode will leave you inspired to lace up your boots and explore.  

What happens when the rich agricultural landscape meets the rugged and wild natural ecosystems of eastern Oregon? Join us as we sit down with Lara Mengak, a 4th year PhD student who is exploring this question. Her dissertation work is trying to understand what social and ecological threats impact ranchers in Oregon. What kinds of conflicts exist between natural predators, such as wolves, and livestock? What are the best ways to mitigate these conflicts? How do we manage landscapes to support wildlife conservation and agriculture? How do these things vary as a function of climate change or drought? Listen is as Lara tells us about her winding and inspiring journey that led her to the intersection of conservation science and agriculture. Hosted by Matthew Vaughan and Taylor Azizeh.

The Outlaw as Elder Statesman: In 1883, Eastern Oregon's wildest horse-rustling gunfighter gave up his stock-thieving ways (mostly) and became a wheat farmer. But to say he'd settled down wouldn't quite be accurate. (Part 2 in a 3-part series about Oregon's notorious Hank Vaughan) (Athena and Pendleton, Umatilla County; 1880s, 1890s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1402d.hank-vaughan-part-3-farmer-hellraiser.html)

Farming and ranching requires experimentation, adaptation, and innovation. It's a whole lot of problem solving done by people who often don't have a whole lot of expendable capital. That doesn't mean that ranchers aren't deeply committed to stewarding the health of their land for generations to come. Dallas Hall Defrees is a 5th generation rancher in Eastern Oregon who serves as the director of Regenerative Ranching with Sustainable Northwest. She works with ranchers who are actively trying to improve the biodiversity, soil health and wellbeing of their livestock while making a living.

Explore the final leg of one of America's most iconic journeys, the Oregon Trail, through the lens of RV travel in the Pacific Northwest. This episode focuses on the last stretch of the trail, where pioneers faced some of their greatest challenges before reaching the promise of the Willamette Valley. Traveling by RV offers a powerful way to connect with the landscape and history, tracing wagon ruts through Eastern Oregon and visiting sites that still echo with the stories of grit, hope, and perseverance.We'll take you to key stops from Lolo Pass in Idaho to the the lush lands surrounding the Columbia River that marked the final miles for thousands of people. Along the way, you'll get practical tips for RV camping, suggestions for historical side trips, and insight into the legacy that shaped the Pacific Northwest.This episode is all about slowing down, soaking in the land, and reflecting on the journey west, not just of the pioneers, but your own. Discover how the Oregon Trail lives on, not just in textbooks, but in the places you can still visit, explore, and experience by RV.Send us a textPlease follow the show so you never miss an episode. We ask that you also kindly give the show a rating and a review as well. Learn more about RV Out West over on our website at www.rvoutwest.com Join in on the conversation via social media:InstagramFacebook

A lot of my work these days revolves around communicating with farmers around Europe who are at various stages of a transition towards regenerative management. For many different reasons farmers are looking for solutions outside of the conventional industry of chemical and technological manipulations and are rediscovering the potential of partnering with natural cycles and processes. Though there are a handful of examples of growers who've been pioneering these practices around the continent, the vast majority are fairly early in their journeys. It's still rare to find an experienced commercial grower who has found success through organic, no-till, low input systems.  Luckily there are a few who have shown that this is possible and are sharing their knowledge and experience and I'm thrilled to feature one of them in this session. Helen Atthowe has worked for 35 years to connect farming, food systems, land stewardship, and conservation. She currently farms and does soil- and natural enemies' habitat- building research on her new 5-acre farm in Western Montana. Helen has an M.S. in Horticulture from Rutgers University and even studied with renowned Japanese farmer Masanobu Fukuoka. She has worked in education and research at Rutgers, the University of Arkansas, and Oregon State University and was a Horticulture Extension Agent in Montana for 17 years. Helen was a board member for the Organic Farming Research Foundation 2000-2005 and advisor for Wild Farm Alliance in 2018 & 2019.  She first owned and operated a 30 acre certified organic vegetable/fruit farm in Montana and later co-owned with her late husband a 26 acre certified organic orchard in California. Together they then moved to a 211 acre organic farm in Eastern Oregon doing mainly orchard and vegetable production. The two of them also created educational videos on their YouTube channel called Agrarian Dreams, and did video presentations about their ecological farming methods. She is the author of “The Ecological Farm: A Minimalist No-Till, No-Spray, Selective-Weeding, Grow-Your-Own-Fertilizer System for Organic Agriculture”. And that is exactly what we'll be focusing on in our interview today. As a reflection of many of the discussions happening within the Climate Farmer's community at the moment, Helen and I really dug into the unique goals she and her husband had during their farming careers and how they gauged their success. We talk about the way they measured progress on their journey towards a healthy yet low input system for both their orchard and vegetable crops as well the routines and practices that brought them the best results. Much more than just the knowledge and practices of her farming experience, Helen brings a remarkable mindset of constant learning and experimentation to this conversation that is now informing her new 5 acre project in Montana. We also cover the most important learnings that she has gained through her career and how it informs the establishment of all her new research.

We thought we knew the Oregon Trail… Turns out, we only knew half the story. “The settling of the West,” says Bobbie Conner, “was the unsettling of the West for our people.” In this episode of The Hidden Trails of Oregon, we're exploring the past, present and future of the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla tribes, whose ancestral homelands stretch across Eastern Oregon. In 1993, the 150th anniversary of the Oregon Trail, tribal leadership attempted to build a center to tell the story of the trail from a Native American perspective. But they were denied funding. So on August 12th, 1993, a wagon train celebrating the anniversary was interrupted at the reservation border by Natives on horseback. One rider was Antone Minthorn, chairman of his tribal council. He spoke in protest of the poverty and unemployment affecting his people. But also of his vision of a place for learning and research; for a different perspective on manifest destiny.  It worked. Funding was secured and soon the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute opened its doors.  We're taking an immersive, sound-rich journey through this world-class museum. You'll hear horses rumbling across the grassy plateau, storytellers in winter lodges, ringing bells and worshipers in song and prayer. We'll sit down with Bobbie Conner, director of the Institute, to talk about the achievements, aspirations and concerns of her community. And we'll explore the meaning of a phrase you'll find emblazoned on the walls of the final exhibit: Cháwna mun na'ámta–We will never fade.

We thought we knew the Oregon Trail… Turns out, we only knew half the story. “The settling of the West,” says Bobby Conner, “was the unsettling of the West for our people.” In this episode of The Hidden Trails of Oregon, we're exploring the past, present and future of the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla tribes, whose ancestral homelands stretch across Eastern Oregon. In 1993, the 150th anniversary of the Oregon Trail, tribal leadership attempted to build a center to tell the story of the trail from a Native American perspective. But they were denied funding. So on August 12th, 1993, a wagon train celebrating the anniversary was interrupted at the reservation border by Natives on horseback. One rider was Antone Minthorn, chairman of his tribal council. He spoke in protest of the poverty and unemployment affecting his people. But also of his vision of a place for learning and research; for a different perspective on manifest destiny.  It worked. Funding was secured and soon the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute opened its doors.  We're taking an immersive, sound-rich journey through this world-class museum. You'll hear horses rumbling across the grassy plateau, storytellers in winter lodges, ringing bells and worshipers in song and prayer. We'll sit down with Bobby Conner, director of the Institute, to talk about the achievements, aspirations and concerns of her community. And we'll explore the meaning of a phrase you'll find emblazoned on the walls of the final exhibit: Cháwna mun na'ámta–We will never fade.

Steve discusses all the news from the weekend, including Trump's pick for deputy director of the FBI, Dan Bongino. Then, Matt McCaw from the Greater Idaho movement joins the show to discuss the necessity of Eastern Oregon joining Idaho. In Hour Two, the crew is joined by Josiah Oleson and Chuck Hurley of the Family Leader to discuss a crucial bill making its way through the Iowa legislature that would protect citizens from specious applications of the Iowa Civil Rights Act. TODAY'S SPONSORS: BIRCH GOLD: Text STEVE to 989898 RELIEF FACTOR: VISIT https://www.relieffactor.com/ OR CALL 800-4-RELIEF REAL ESTATE AGENTS I TRUST: https://realestateagentsitrust.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices