Podcasts about opb

Who was the badass woman who became the namesake for Portland’s only lesbian bar? Dr. Marie Equi was born in 1872 and came to Oregon at the age of 20. She became known as a radical and lived an extraordinary life. She was a fierce advocate for women’s rights and reproductive freedom as well as an activist for workers’ rights. She staged a one-woman anti-war protest during World War I. She was also a physician and lived openly as a lesbian.    You can watch the full Oregon Experience episode on Marie Equi on the PBS app.   For more Evergreen episodes 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: Timber Wars Season 2: Salmon Wars Politics Now Think Out Loud And many more! Check out our full show list here.

In Oregon, employment in the newspaper industry has fallen nearly 80% since 2000, according to OPB reporting.    And when communities lose journalists, information gaps can be exploited. The Ashland Daily Tidings closed in 2023, and the newspaper’s website was later invaded by artificial intelligence.    When a community loses a local newsroom, residents have fewer places to turn to for regional news that keeps them informed. Report for America is a nonprofit that places journalists in newsrooms across the U.S. to cover under-reported issues in communities, especially in rural areas.     Danielle Dawson is a collaborative investigative reporter for InvestigateWest and she’s based in Bend. Simmerdeep Kaur reports for the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin and covers the effects of federal policy on health and childcare access in southeast Washington. Alexander Banks reports for the Yakima Herald-Republic and covers education gaps in the Yakima Valley with a focus on solutions. And Alex Frick is a roving rural reporter covering peninsula communities for The Port Townsend and Jefferson County Leader in Washington.    They join us with details of their reporting and how their work affects people living in the Pacific Northwest.  

Joining the Exchange are OPB producer Kami Horton along with Abby Hall of the Klamath Tribes.

Starting in elementary school, students might begin learning about the epic expedition Lewis and Clark led 220 years ago to explore the newly acquired territory of the Louisiana Purchase, an 8,000-mile journey through present-day Oregon to the Pacific Ocean and back. While the names Lewis and Clark have been etched into history books, the name York is largely unknown. York , William Clark’s slave, was the only Black man on the expedition. A skilled hunter, naturalist and outdoorsman, York also helped Lewis and Clark during their negotiations and encounters with Native American tribes in the uncharted West. Yet, as a slave, York lacked the agency to tell his own story and was denied his freedom by Clark for nearly a decade after returning home.    Grammy Award-nominated Portland musician Aaron Nigel Smith is today helping bring York’s story to a wider audience in the form of an opera that blends different musical genres, from folk to classical and jazz to hip-hop. “York the Explorer” premieres this Friday at the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts in Beaverton for a weekend of performances as part of “York Fest,” a 9-day celebration of the explorer organized by the Oregon Black Pioneers.    Smith produced, co-wrote and composed the music for “York the Explorer.” He also performs in it with his friend Cedric Berry, an artist with the L.A. Opera, who plays York. Jasmine Johnson, the civic engagement and partnerships manager at Portland Opera, plays Rose, York’s mother. They join us for a discussion and in-studio performance of several songs from the opera.  Disclosure: Patricia Reser Center for the Arts and Oregon Black Pioneers are OPB sponsors. OPB's newsroom maintains editorial independence and is not informed by financial support/individuals to the organization.

Will it matter? Queen Kotax gets called out by liberal OPB for stalling on signing her massive cost of living increase tax increase:  https://www.opb.org/article/2025/10/14/oregon-governor-kotek-sign-transportation-funding-bill-tax-delay/Lars calls out Dem hypocrisy on being champions of democracy while denying voters the right to vote: https://www.kxl.com/democrats-delay-to-deny-voters-a-voicewhile-proclaiming-democracy/ Lefty former Salem mayor viciously attacks Mayor Julie Hoy: https://www.salemreporter.com/2025/10/14/former-mayor-chris-hoy-calls-for-mayor-julie-hoys-immediate-resignation-at-city-council-meeting/ Trump awards Charlie Kirk with highest civilian honor: https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-trump-posthumously-awards-the-late-great-charlie-kirk-the-presidential-medal-of-freedom SCOTUS race based congressional districts to be argued today: will impact OR https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/high-profile-scotus-case-could-outlaw-race-based-redistricting-5927887?ea_src=frontpage&ea_med=section-1 Leftist media spin on SCOTUS case today: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-voting-rights-act-redistricting-congress-louisiana-rcna237565 Dems outraged that Trump is paying military anyway: https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/1978121975080886304 R's could pick up 19 additional seats in Congress with redistricting based on SCOTUS decision: https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1978137851637182750   

A panel of federal judges heard arguments Thursday over whether the Trump administration can send federal troops to Portland.    Last Saturday, a federal judge temporarily blocked the president from mobilizing 200 federalized Oregon National Guard troops. The same judge issued another order a day later barring the president from sending any federalized National Guard members to Portland after he signaled he would send troops from California and Texas.    The administration appealed the first decision to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. OPB legal affairs reporter Conrad Wilson watched the hearing and joins us with more details.  

The Pacific Northwest has become a target for President Trump. He’s trying to send the National Guard to Portland. He also invited a group of right wing influencers from across the region, including Seattle, to the White House to talk about problems plaguing the “war ravaged” city. What’s the truth on the ground in Portland? Dirk VanderHart of OPB's Politics Now podcast breaks down what he's seeing in the Rose City. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundpoliticsnotes. Sound Politics is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Catharine Smith. Our producer is Hans Anderson. Our host is Scott Greenstone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An unprecedented weekend put Portland at the center of national headlines, as President Trump continued his push to deploy National Guard members into the city over the objections of city and state elected officials and a federal judge. After his order for an Oregon National Guard deployment was blocked, Trump turned to the National Guard in California and Texas for hundreds of federal troops he could send to Portland. Late Sunday, U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut again sided with the state of Oregon. OPB reporter Troy Brynelson joins us to catch us up.

At Fiesta Mexicana in Woodburn, joint Mexican and American flags fly in the air. Colorfully dressed Aztec dancers take the stage. And elote is everywhere.    It’s a celebration, but this year it’s become something more: an act of resistance.    “We have to continue to do this despite everything, despite the harm, despite the oppression, despite the discrimination. We must persevere because that’s la lucha (the fight), that’s what it's about,” said Juan Cervantes Morales, a Fiesta Mexicana Vendor, in Spanish.    Despite several cultural events being cancelled around the state and country, Fiesta Mexicana decided to carry on and provide a space for community members to be together and celebrate their culture.    “It is critical that our new generations learn about these cultural practices, because it is through these same practices that they will inherit so many of the cultural values that will strengthen their lives,” said Eduardo Cruz Torres Amictlan of Huehca Omeyocan in Spanish.    On this week’s episode, OPB’S Jenn Chávez and Alicia Avila share the story of Fiesta Mexicana — its history, how it represents cultura, resilencia y resistencia today, and what it means to Mexicans around Oregon.    A thank you to Alicia Avila, who produced a documentary for OPB Oregon Experience called “Fiesta y Resistencia.”    For more Evergreen episodes 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: Hush  Timber Wars Season 2: Salmon Wars Politics Now Think Out Loud And many more! Check out our full show list here.  

In June, President Trump deployed thousands of National Guard members and hundreds of active duty Marines to Los Angeles to respond to largely peaceful protests over the administration’s immigration sweeps. A judge recently ruled that the use of federal troops in LA was illegal since they performed law enforcement duties the military are constitutionally prohibited from doing.   Now, Trump has mobilized 200 National Guard troops to Portland, saying they’re necessary to protect federal officials and property. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield has sued to block the deployment. Rebecca Ellis covers Los Angeles county government as a staff writer for the LA Times. She previously covered Portland city government for OPB. She joins us to talk about how Angelenos responded to the deployment in their city and what could be in store for Portland.

OPB reporter, Dirk Vanderhart, joins the Exchange to shed light from his reporting on the special session of the Oregon legislature.

OPB reporter, Dirk Vanderhart, joins the Exchange to shed light from his reporting on the special session of the Oregon legislature.

On Sunday, the Trump administration sent a memo to Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek authorizing the deployment of 200 Oregon National Guard members in Portland immediately for 60 days. The memo says the troops will be deployed to protect federal property and personnel in Portland, which President Trump has called a “war-ravaged city.” Portland and state officials responded by filing a lawsuit and, on Monday, a temporary restraining order to block the Trump administration’s federalization of the Oregon National Guard.    Gov. Kotek, AG Rayfield and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson held a news conference on Sunday to announce the lawsuit and counter President Trump’s characterization of Portland. “To bring this narrative to Portland, to say that we are anything but a city on the rise, is counter what truth is,” Wilson said. Gov. Kotek said she had spoken with President Trump and told him that there was no public safety threat that required military intervention in Portland.    Several hundred people gathered outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland on Sunday afternoon and evening to protest the deployment of federal troops in the city. More than a dozen counterprotesters verbally clashed with protesters, several of whom were hit with pepper balls as ICE agents attempted to escort cars into the building. On Monday morning, Portland Police announced the arrest of two people on assault charges during the protest on Sunday evening.    OPB reporters Conrad Wilson and Troy Brynelson join us to discuss the latest developments.  

In October 1923, three brothers held up a train headed south from Ashland. Instead of making off with the loot, however, they killed four people and led police on a worldwide manhunt. Newspapers called it “the crime of the century.” It came to be known as “The Last Great American Train Robbery.” But it was actually a total failure. So why do people still talk and write songs about it? What was so great about this heist?   For more Evergreen episodes 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: Timber Wars Season 2: Salmon Wars Politics Now Think Out Loud And many more! Check out our full show list here.

On September 5th, 2023, Jesse Johnson walked out of jail a free man. He’d spent a quarter century incarcerated, including 17 years on death row, for a crime he always insisted he didn’t commit: the 1998 murder of Harriet Thompson in Salem, Oregon.Two years after his release, Johnson is suing the state of Oregon and the Salem police detectives who locked him up for much of his life. The lawsuit argues that flagrant racism played a key role in the investigation into Johnson that led to his imprisonment.The case against Johnson was the focus of the first season of OPB’s investigative podcast series “Hush,” reported by Leah Sottile and Ryan Haas. Today, Ryan joins us for an update.

Portland City Councilor Mitch Green is introducing a proposal that would make it easier for sidewalk food vendors to operate in the city. The ordinance would remove city requirements that prevent vendors from operating outside similar businesses, such as restaurants, and without getting consent from adjacent property owners to operate on the sidewalk.   Green says easing the regulations could give small businesses a boost, but restaurant advocates say sidewalk vendors could hurt businesses that are still struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. OPB’s Portland city government reporter Alex Zielinski joins us to talk about the proposed ordinance and more.  

Portland may not be known as a hub of hip-hop on par with New York or Los Angeles, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been a hotbed for sonic experimentation and incredible talent for decades.    We had all the elements: historic Black neighborhoods in Northeast Portland, jazz dripping out of clubs, funk bands, block parties, dances, and plenty of good ol’ fashioned youthful angst. So why isn’t Portland hip-hop bigger?   Marlon “Vursatyl” Irving, a long-time Portland rapper and founding member of the Lifesavas hip-hop group, says local nightclubs and venues discriminated against artists, denying artists access to performance spaces   “It was hard for us to get into clubs,” he says. “I think had there been more racial diversity in Portland, and just more understanding about hip-hop culture at the time that the foundation was being laid, we would've got to hear some of the greatest, we would've had recordings from the greatest, we would've seen their careers blossom.”    On this week’s episode, we hear from pioneers and new wave artists about Portland hip-hop, why it isn’t bigger and what keeps it going.    A special thank you to J Jackson, who produced the documentary “Beyond the Beats” in collaboration with OPB’s Oregon Experience, KMHD Jazz Radio, and Albina Music Trust.    For more Evergreen episodes 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: Hush  Timber Wars Season 2: Salmon Wars Politics Now Think Out Loud And many more! Check out our full show list here.  

Get grounded in energy fundamentals with our new mini-episode series: Getting Grounded. We're breaking down Oregon's energy sources. Up next: Hydropower. Guest: Joni Sliger, ODOE senior policy analyst Resources: • ODOE's website on hydropower: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Pages/Hydropower.aspx • Where hydroelectricity is generated in the U.S.: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/hydropower/where-hydropower-is-generated.php • OPB's Salmon Wars: https://www.opb.org/salmonwars/ • Nine federally recognized Tribes of Oregon: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/Data-and-Reports/Pages/Tribal-Reports.aspx • Northwest Power and Conservation Council and the Columbia River Basin: https://www.nwcouncil.org/news/2025/08/29/ninth-plan-hydro-ops-scope-columbia-river-basin/ • Bonneville Power Administration hydropower: https://www.bpa.gov/energy-and-services/power/hydropower-impact • Faraday Resiliency & Repowering Project: https://portlandgeneral.com/news/modernizing-our-hydropower-plants-pges-oldest-assets-in-the-fight • Electricity Resource Mix: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Pages/Electricity-Mix-in-Oregon.aspx Questions or topic suggestions? Write us at askenergy@oregon.gov Grounded music by PaulYudin and Oregon artist Jana Cushman

For decades, rural Oregon counties that contain large swaths of federally owned forest land have depended on a share of timber revenues from federal logging to fund schools, law enforcement and other essential public services. These payments were originally meant to offset the loss of property tax revenue that counties could not collect on federal lands. But when logging on these lands slowed drastically in the 1990s due to new environmental protections — like the Endangered Species Act — those payments plummeted.    In response, Congress stepped in with a temporary fix: the Secure Rural Schools Program. First passed in 2000, Congress reauthorized it multiple times over the years until it allowed it to expire in 2023. Congress which it enacted in 2000 and reauthorized multiple times until it expired in 2023. The lapse in the SRS reauthorization has triggered the default distribution of the significantly reduced timber revenue to counties.    The federal budget process has introduced new complications as well. President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law in July, requires federal agencies to ramp up logging. But it also includes a provision redirecting all proceeds from timber sales on lands in counties to the federal government — threatening one of the last fiscal lifelines for rural governments to fund its core services.   With counties facing budgeting shortfalls that carry big consequences, questions about how to create a long-term sustainable path forward have taken on new urgency. Lane County Commissioner Heather Buch and Klamath County Commissioner Derrick DeGroot — whose counties receive the second- and third-highest federal payments in Oregon after Douglas County — join us, along with Mark Haggerty, a senior fellow at the liberal-leaning thinktank Center for American Progress to talk about the challenges Oregon’s rural counties face and what a stable funding model for these counties might look like.   Curry County Commissioner Jay Trost declined to participate in the conversation but provided OPB with a statement:  Curry County has the second lowest property tax rate in Oregon at .59 per thousand of assessed value and like most Oregon Counties, we have not been able to keep up with the inflation over the past 4 years.  We had to endure a 31% reduction in the county budget for the 24/25 fiscal year, we were able to maintain that with no further budget reductions in the 25/26 budget because of timber revenues that came in and covered the annual employee role up costs.  These O&C timber funds allowed us to remain fairly status quo in terms of service delivery.  Going forward if those funds are not made available to us, we will most likely see more reductions in county services.  We are working diligently to think outside the box, identify alternative solutions that will maximize each dollar and become more efficient. These efforts will help and are necessary, however the reality remains the same, if we don’t receive timber revenues, and or PILT (payment in lieu of taxes)  payments we will have to make cuts.  We remain confident that the federal legislature will correct the language needed to ensure that counties like ours that rely on natural resources revenue will not be negatively impacted.    

In the U.S., there are about 100,000 monkeys, baboons, and other primates living in captivity to support scientific research. About 5,000 of them are at OHSU’s Oregon National Primate Research Center. That’s where researchers do experiments on monkeys to try to get clear data about things like cannabis use during pregnancy, and to find cures for diseases like HIV. Animal rights activists have argued for decades that the center should be closed. And they’re gaining momentum with support from Oregon’s governor and some lawmakers. In addition, scientists who oppose using animals in research argue that the practice has become obsolete and is hindering, not helping the effort to find cures.    OPB health reporter Amelia Templeton recently visited the Oregon National Primate Research Center and talked to a lot of smart people on all sides of this complex topic. She joins us to share her reporting.    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.

The cities of Gresham, Troutdale, Fairview and Wood Village are rethinking what fire service might look like in East Multnomah County. For decades, Gresham’s fire department has contracted with the other cities to provide service. But the cities have grown, and funds for firefighters have not kept up. Now, the cities are considering a new option: a fire district. Instead of Gresham having primary control of services, the municipalities would work together to offer fire support for the area. Holly Bartholomew is an OPB reporter covering Portland’s suburban communities as a Report for America Corps member. She joins us with more on how the cities plan to move forward.

Meet Irene Gilbert, a 76-year-old retired state employee, former gun store owner and avid elk hunter from La Grande, Oregon. She’s a citizen activist, who considers herself an environmentalist, and is on a mission to keep wind turbines and transmission towers from blighting the rural landscape.    She’s using regulations originally set up to address concerns about nuclear power plants in Oregon to oppose renewable energy projects. She has filed more challenges to energy projects than any other individual in the state. And some renewable energy advocates say the processes Gilbert uses could be one reason that Oregon is lagging behind almost every other state when it comes to green energy projects.    OPB investigative reporter and editor Tony Schick joins us to talk about the story he recently did for OPB and ProPublica featuring Gilbert and examining Oregon’s renewable energy challenges.    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.

Class is now back in session for students across Oregon. Schools are navigating a new statewide ban on cellphones in the classroom, as well as the growing use of artificial intelligence among both students and educators. Meanwhile, aggressive federal immigration enforcement tactics have raised fears in some communities that schools could become hotspots for arrests. Natalie Pate covers K-12 education for OPB. She joins us to talk about these issues and more.

Last Friday, Oregon lawmakers convened in Salem for a special legislative session called by Gov. Tina Kotek to pass a transportation funding bill. The special session will now likely not end until later this month to allow Democrats to muster the necessary votes to pass the bill in the Oregon Senate. On Monday, the House passed a bill that would raise gas taxes by 6 cents per gallon, hike vehicle registration and titling fees, raise costs for drivers of EVs, and temporarily double a payroll tax that funds public transit. The bill contains many elements of one introduced earlier this year by Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Gresham, who is currently recovering from surgery and is seen as a critical vote for the passage of the new transportation funding bill to avert mass layoffs at the Oregon Department of Transportation and cuts in the agency’s services. That earlier bill failed during the regularly scheduled legislative session which ended in June.   OPB political reporter Dirk VanderHart joins us for the latest developments about the special legislative session and the political rifts that have emerged as it nears conclusion.  

OPB reporter Tony Schick joins the Exchange.

Five years ago, for some Oregon residents, the world burned down. A severe windstorm and dry conditions saw out-of-control fires explode around the state on September 7th and 8th in 2020. They raged through communities like Gates, Detroit and Otis in Northwest Oregon, and Talent and Phoenix in Southern Oregon. What became known as the Labor Day Fires burned more than four thousand homes and more than a million acres of land in Oregon, making 2020 the state’s most destructive wildfire season on record.   So, what do you do? When a catastrophe strikes? When your community turns to ash? When you lose things that made you who you are? OPB environmental reporters Cassandra Profita and April Ehrlich covered the 2020 fires in different parts of Oregon, Cassandra for OPB and April for our news partner, Jefferson Public Radio. They both join us this week to talk about fire recovery: what makes it so hard, how it changes us, the ways we help each other, and what recovery even means.

OPB's Politics Reporter Lauren Drake joins the Exchange.

On the morning of May 15, 2025, officers from multiple local, state and federal agencies raided the West Coast Game Park Safari and seized more than 300 animals. The park had a wide variety of animals, including lions and other big cats, capybaras, camels and a chimpanzee. They also had chickens, sheep, llamas and goats. People had been complaining about dangerous conditions at the park for years and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cited them for violating the Animal Welfare Act numerous times. Law enforcement also found over 80 grams of meth, eight grams of cocaine, 44 guns, and $1.6 million.    Justin Higginbottom is a reporter for Jefferson Public Radio based in southern Oregon, and he joins us to share what he’s learned about the raid and what led up to it. His stories come to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.   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.

As a part of President Trump's takeover of policing in the nation's capital, he has pledged to remove homeless people and encampments from the city. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said homeless people who don’t leave the city will face punishment in the form of fines and jail time. Cities across the country are struggling  with how to regulate homeless camping, including in the Pacific Northwest. We take this moment to listen back to several conversations we had with people living on the streets of Portland and Vancouver about how they think homelessness should be regulated.    Back in 2022, then Portland mayor Ted Wheeler pledged to create several huge sanctioned homeless camps at the edges of the city and threatened to send people who wouldn’t go to those camps to jail. OPB’s “Think Out Loud” spent a day on the streets of Portland asking people how they felt about the plan.   Earlier this winter, OPB’s “Think Out Loud” spent a morning with staff and volunteers of the Council for Homeless as they participated in the Point-in-Time count in Vancouver, Washington.  The Point-in-Time count is a federally required snapshot of how many people are experiencing homelessness in a given area.   

Much of Oregon relies on our forests to generate cash for roads, bridges, law enforcement and more. But for decades, that money has faded as the timber industry has struggled. Now those problems are coming to a head in a whole new way.. On the latest episode of OPB politics now, we explore how Oregon’s timber counties are bracing for losses after the passage of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill and the complex history of logging, federal lands and politics mix. Find the show anywhere you get your podcast.

Reagan, Bryan and Dirk break down the news around the different topics in Oregon politics today. We discuss the floor debate that turned into a Rule 27 complaint against Representative Duane Yunker.https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2025/08/oregon-house-panel-dismisses-misconduct-charges-against-lawmaker-who-read-sexually-explicit-content-on-house-floor.htmlSpecial Session is coming hard and fast to add billions over 10 years to the ODOT budget… Read Dirk's article as well on OPB. Will there be a shake up in leadership in the Senate Democrat Caucus? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.crosstabs.studio

It’s the summer. The days are longer, and the nights are hotter.    It’s the perfect time to talk about romance, specifically romance novels. They’ve become so popular in recent years, with over 39 million copies sold in 2023, according to The New York Times.     That doesn’t exclude the Pacific Northwest. Here, we’ve also seen a rise in romance books being checked out of libraries. In the Portland metro area alone, we have two bookstores dedicated to romance books.   On today’s episode, OPB’s Crystal Ligori and Sukhjot Sal warm our hearts by telling us how the genre got so popular and why they love it so much.    For more Evergreen episodes 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: Hush  Timber Wars Season 2: Salmon Wars Politics Now Think Out Loud And many more! Check out our full show list here.

Oregon stands to lose more than $15 billion in federal funding for health care, food assistance and other purposes in coming years, under the sweeping spending bill congressional Republicans passed earlier this year. That’s the preliminary conclusion by Gov. Tina Kotek’s office, which in recent weeks asked state agencies to crunch the numbers for what the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act might mean for their ability to provide services. OPB political reporter Dirk VanderHart joins us to explain.

The Oregon Youth Authority is under heightened scrutiny following a wave of lawsuits alleging sexual abuse and a culture of neglect in the state’s youth correctional facilities. The agency, which has faced criticism for mishandling abuse complaints, now has a new appointed leader — Michael Tessean — who takes over from interim director Jana McLellan. That's after Gov. Tina Kotek fired longtime director Joe O’Leary earlier this year over a backlog of unaddressed abuse reports.   OPB politics reporter Lauren Dake joins us to discuss the recent lawsuits, the agency’s troubled history and what new leadership could mean for the future of juvenile justice in Oregon.  

“At Work With” is a series in which we talk to Pacific Northwesterners with cool jobs and ask them your questions about what it’s like to do what they do. In our latest episode, we bring you along as we go to work with a bike bus captain, a tattoo artist and a coastal lifeguard.   Let us know who you want to hear from next! You can also send us questions you have for our next “At Work With” interview. Email us at theevergreen@opb.org or visit our web page to submit questions.   For more Evergreen episodes 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.

Joining the Exchange to tell us more is Dirk Vanderhart, an OPB reporter covering the story.

The land where the Willamette and Columbia rivers meet has been home to dozens of different Native nations since time immemorial. For thousands of years, tribes such as the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Clackamas and many, many others created communities here. Since settlers first forcefully occupied this land in the mid-1800s, the city of Portland has failed to build trust with sovereign Tribal leaders and Indigenous residents.    In 2017, Portland created a Tribal Relations Program to bridge the relationship between Tribal governments and the city and to strengthen city government ties to its Native communities. It was a trailblazing program at the time, but in the years since it’s had three different managers and has been without a leader for months.   OPB reporter Alex Zielinski recently teamed up with Nika Bartoo-Smith, a reporter for Underscore Native News and ICT, to dig into the city of Portland’s relationship with tribal governments and Native communities. They join us to talk about what they’ve found.    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.

Public broadcasters large and small have been reacting to the unprecedented Congressional vote to pull already-approved funding for public media. In Oregon and Washington, public radio stations face an array of challenges, depending on their size and resources. Some radio stations play nationally-produced NPR content, but not all. Many are squarely focused on covering their local community news with locally produced programs. Tribal stations, rural stations, student-driven stations and classical music stations are among those  hardest hit. Joining us to tell us more are KMUN Station Manager Susan Peterson in Astoria; Northwest Public Broadcasting’s Director of Audience and Programming Sueann Ramella in Pullman, WA; KWSO's Sue Matters on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation; and KLCC reporter Zac Ziegler in Eugene. OPB is among the public media organizations affected by the rescission cuts.

The 1930s were a golden age of aviation, as famous pilots like Amelia Earhart made flights once thought impossible and inspired new curiosity about the skies. At the time, more and more women were learning to fly in the Pacific Northwest. In fact, some of the first Chinese American women ever to earn pilots licenses grew up in the same tight-knit Chinese community in Portland. On this week’s show, we learn about two of these barrier-breaking pilots: Hazel Ying Lee and Leah Hing. Their passion for flying cemented their roles in the history of a country which sought to exclude them. We’ll hear how they’re remembered today - by their loved ones, by Portlanders, by Americans - at a time when so much history is intentionally being forgotten.   Watch the OPB “Oregon Experience” video about Hazel Ying Lee, “Her Name Means ‘Hero.’”For 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: Hush Timber Wars Season 2: Salmon Wars Politics Now Think Out Loud And many more! Check out our full show list here.

Earlier this month the semiconductor chip maker Intel announced it would layoff nearly 2,400 workers in Washington County - amounting to about 10% of its overall workforce. Nonetheless, the company remains one of Oregon’s largest private employers, and the ripple effects of its contraction will be felt more broadly throughout the state economy. OPB business reporter Kyra Buckley has been following this story, and she joins us to bring us the latest.

Earlier this month the Oregon Department of Transportation announced it would need to lay off nearly 500 workers. This came after lawmakers failed to pass a transportation package to help boost the budget of the agency responsible for road maintenance around the state. Now, Gov. Tina Kotek has announced a special session will be held in late August with the hopes of finding the funds for the state’s transportation agency and has also shared she will delay impending layoffs. OPB politics reporter Dirk Vanderhart joins us to share more on what to expect from the upcoming special session.

Where do you go to find community when you’re older?    That’s a question OPB’s Winston Szeto wanted to answer, specifically for senior communities of color.    The Yat Sing Music Club was founded in 1942 by Chinese immigrants in Portland, Oregon. The club was started to raise funds for China’s defense against Japan during World War II.    Over 80 years later, Yat Sing preserves Cantonese opera through ongoing rehearsals and community outreach. The club is particularly important for the older generation. This is a space where they can be themselves and celebrate their culture.    There’s a similar experience at Ikoi no Kai, a senior meal program in Portland that opened in 1979. It offers a space for local Japanese Americans coming together over food and connection.    In Oregon, the need for social connection is more important than ever. The latest census data says the state ranks among the highest in the country for residents who report feeling lonely.    OPB’s Winston Szeto researched this topic by looking into these two groups — and why it's important to focus on those rarely covered in the media: seniors.    Check out OPB’s Oregon Experience documentary on the Yat Sing Music Club and story on Ikoi no Kai.    For more Evergreen episodes 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: Hush  Timber Wars Season 2: Salmon Wars Politics Now Think Out Loud And many more! Check out our full show list here.

If you’re drinking a beer anywhere in the Pacific Northwest, chances are it’s an IPA. Whether you’re grabbing something from the cooler at your local convenience store or choosing a pint at a pub, you’re sure to find a wide selection of this hoppy, crisp style of beer. The letters stand for India Pale Ale, but the IPAs widely available today actually have a strong connection to Oregon. Author and journalist Jeff Alworth brings us the story of how a specific variety of hops grown by breeders in Oregon changed America’s beer scene almost by accident. Also, watch the Superabundant video about Pacific Northwest hops! For more Evergreen episodes 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: Timber Wars Season 2: Salmon Wars Politics Now Think Out Loud And many more! Check out our full show list here.

*Content warning: distressing topics, death, child abuse, child sex abuse, psychological and physical violence, cultic abuse, torture, addiction, humiliation, systemic abuse, religious abuse.  Maia Szalavitz's website:  maiasz.com/ Help at Any Cost: How the Troubled-Teen Industry Cons Parents and Hurts Kids here: maiasz.com/books/help-at-any-cost/  *Sources: Asheville Academy faces $45,000 in fines after state investigation into child safety violations, Spectrum Local News spectrumlocalnews.com/charlotte/supreme-court/news/2025/06/18/asheville-academy-violations  Asheville Academy Gives Up Its License Following Two Suicides in May, Asheville News asheville.com/news/2025/06/asheville-academy-gives-up-its-license-following-two-suicides-in-may/ Asheville Academy violated NC law, will face fines after child suicides report says, Yahoo News .yahoo.com/news/asheville-academy-violated-nc-law-184725552.html  BHAD BHABIE - Breaking Code Silence - Turn About Ranch abuse Dr. Phil | Danielle Bregoli youtube.com/watch?v=GteqbsYGv1I  Bhad Bhabie Says She Was Abused at Troubled-Teen Camp She Was Sent to by Dr. Phil: 'No Sympathy', People people.com/music/bhad-bhabie-says-she-was-abused-camp-she-was-sent-to-dr-phil  Breaking Code Silence Takes On the Troubled Teen Industry, Treatment Magazine treatmentmagazine.com/breaking-code-silence-takes-on-the-troubled-teen-industry/  A Death in the Desert, Los Angeles Times latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-01-15-tm-20285-story.html  Dr. Phil Has Responded To Bhad Bhabie's Allegations Of Abuse And Then She Replied With Another Video, BuzzFeed buzzfeed.com/ryanschocket2/dr-phil-responds-to-bhad-bhabie-allegations  Dr. Phil responds to 'Bhad Bhabie' claims of abuse at troubled teen camp, News Nation facebook.com/watch/?v=2501186526842381  Cults and the Law, ICSA articles3.icsahome.com/articles/cults-and-the-law The Cult that Spawned the Tough-Love Teen Industry, Mother Jones motherjones.com/politics/2007/08/cult-spawned-tough-love-teen-industry/ Ex-Counselor Convicted of Neglect, Desert News deseret.com/1996/11/7/19275546/ex-counselor-convicted-of-neglect/ Father Sues Challenger Over Daughter's Death, Desert News deseret.com/1991/7/24/18932325/father-sues-challenger-over-daughter-s-death/  Five Facts About the Troubled Teen Industry, American Bar Association  americanbar.org/groups/litigation/resources/newsletters/childrens-rights/five-facts-about-troubled-teen-industry/  Former North Star Counselor Sentences to a Year in Jail, Desert News deseret.com/1996/12/21/19284306/former-north-star-counselor-sentenced-to-a-year-in-jail/  Here's what Paris Hilton says about Utah in her new memoir, ‘Paris', The Salt Lake Tribune sltrib.com/news/2023/03/14/heres-what-paris-hilton-says-about/  House passes bill backed by Paris Hilton to reform youth treatment facilities, AP News apnews.com/article/paris-hilton-child-abuse-youth-facilities-congress-8729a53bbf17b25ae2726040ce3cc203  Jury Acquits Cartisano of All Charges, Desert News deseret.com/1992/5/28/18986401/jury-acquits-cartisano-of-all-charges-br/  Keeping 'Cult' Out of the Case, Cult Education Institute  culteducation.com/group/1274-straight-inc/19713-keeping-cult-out-of-the-case.html  KIDS Centers of America, Breaking Code Silence breakingcodesilence.org/kids-centers-of-america/ Lawsuit claims staff at former St. George youth center abused, impregnated teenage girls, KUTV kutv.com/news/local/lawsuit-claims-staff-at-former-st-george-youth-center-abused-impregnated-teenage-girls  Nine charged after teen's camp death, Tampa Bay Times tampabay.com/archive/1994/10/20/nine-charged-after-teen-s-camp-death/  One school with an alarming death rate has its alumni fighting for answers, The Independent the-independent.com/news/long_reads/new-york-hancock-school-overdose-death-suicide-education-america-a8531006.html   Paris Hilton's Powerful Speech in DC: Ending Abuse in the Troubled Teen Industry, Paris Hilton youtube.com/watch?v=HcHXWc7N2xc    Paris Hilton testifying today in Sacramento for bill aimed at ‘troubled teen industry', Los Angeles Times latimes.com/california/story/2024-04-04/paris-hilton-sacramento-california-bill-troubled-teen-industry-residential-treatment  The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping https://www.netflix.com/title/81579761 Rebecca Ehrlich vs. Kids of North Jersey, Inc., et al law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/appellate-division-published/2001/a4975-99-opn.html Residential treatment school closes in NC after deaths of 2 girls, AP News apnews.com/article/therapy-school-closes-north-carolina-asheville-academy-9854c3ca7cda11cc06f05d9fccef4112  Romney Cans Golden Goose Over Abuse, Radar Online radaronline.com/exclusives/2008/10/mitt-romney-robert-lichfield-php   Romney, Torture, and Teens, Reason Foundation reason.com/2007/06/27/romney-torture-and-teens  Senate report says US taxpayers help fund residential treatment facilities that put vulnerable kids at risk, OPB opb.org/article/2024/06/12/senate-report-us-taxpayers-fund-residential-treatment-facilities-that-put-vulnerable-kids-at-risk/  State investigation finds licensing violations at Asheville Academy amid student suicides, ABC 13 News wlos.com/news/local/asheville-academy-state-licensing-violations-student-suicides-north-carolina-department-health-human-services-mental-health-certification-section-report-letter-buncombe-county-weaverville  Survival program charged in death of Fla. teen-ager, Tampa Bay Times tampabay.com/archive/1990/08/15/survival-program-charged-in-death-of-fla-teen-ager The Synanon Case, IRS.gov https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopicb90.pdf    Teen Torture Inc. Is the Latest Documentary to Explore Abuses at Youth Treatment Centers, Time time.com/6997172/teen-torture-max-abuse-documentary  This 1970s Cult Inspired Abusive Teen Rehabilitation Methods Still Used Today, Teen Vogue teenvogue.com/story/this-1970s-cult-inspired-abusive-teen-rehabilitation-methods-still-used-today   How the Brainwashing Label Threatened and Enabled the Troubled-Teen Industry, Journal of American Studies researchgate.net/publication/379883774_To_Use_This_Word_Would_Be_Absurd_How_the_Brainwashing_Label_Threatened_and_Enabled_the_Troubled-Teen_Industry  Troubled-teen industry oversight bill sails through Congress, NBC News yahoo.com/news/troubled-teen-industry-oversight-bill-222536418.html   The Troubled Teen Industry's Troubling Lack of Oversight, Penn Carey Law law.upenn.edu/live/news/15963-the-troubled-teen-industrys-troubling-lack-of  The Troubled Teen Industry Timeline unsilenced.org/troubled-teen-industry-timeline/ Virgil Miller Newton, Surviving Straight Inc. survivingstraightinc.com/MillerNewton/MillerNewtonTimeline.pdf  Unexpected Turn Of Events With Teen After Appearance On ‘Dr. Phil' youtube.com/watch?v=L_kiav0p5Iw  Utah Criminal Code le.utah.gov/xcode/Title76/Chapter5/76-5-S206.html What You Need to Know About the Troubled Teen Industry, The Law Offices of Lisa Kane Brown lisakanebrown.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-troubled-teen-industry  WWASP, Unsilenced https://www.unsilenced.org/timeline/wwasp/  Why has the USA not ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child?, medRxiv medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.05.24312304v2.full  Wyden Investigation Exposes Systemic Taxpayer-Funded Child Abuse and Neglect in Youth Residential Treatment Facilities, United States Senate Committee on Finance  finance.senate.gov/chairmans-news/wyden-investigation-exposes-systemic-taxpayer-funded-child-abuse-and-neglect-in-youth-residential-treatment-facilities  3 Plead Guilty to Negligence in Teen's Death, Desert News deseret.com/1996/9/28/19268520/3-plead-guilty-to-negligence-in-teen-s-death/  *SWW S24 Theme Song - U Think U by Glad Rags: https://www.gladragsmusic.com/  The S24 cover art is by the Amazing Sara Stewart

"Fair," as those who attend regularly call it, began in 1969 as a simple fundraiser for an alternative school. But over the last 56 years, it has turned into a veritable Oregon institution. Its mission is to create “experiences that nourish the spirit, explore living artfully and authentically on earth, and transform culture in magical, joyous and healthy ways.” In 2013, “Think Out Loud” went to the Oregon Country Fair and broadcast a show live from just outside the entrance gates to see how that mission was playing out. Oregon Art Beat has a new profile of the fair, which airs on OPB TV Thursday, July 10, and is now up on OPB’s YouTube channel. Our guests included fairgoers Lucy Kingsley, Geoff Silver, John Lyle and Suzi Prozanski, author of the book “Fruit of the Sixties: The Founding of the Oregon Country Fair,” as well as acoustic troubadour Brian Cutean. We also talked with Tripp Sommer, KLCC news director; Sheri Lundell, who helped plan the first fair in 1969, co-founder of the Portland Saturday Market and owner of Cafe 26; and Peter Yarrow (1938 - 2025), formerly of Peter, Paul and Mary, who performed at the 2013 fair. Production note: The 2013 live broadcast was hosted by Dave Miller, produced by Allison Frost, and engineered by Steven Kray and Jonathan Newsome. We had production help from interns Jessica Kittams, Alex Eidman, and Kathryn Boyd-Batstone.

This episode involves sexual abuse. Please keep that in mind in choosing when and where to listen. And if you or someone you know may be a victim of sexual abuse, confidential support, information and advice are available at the National Sexual Assault Hotline by calling 800-656-4673.   Description:  In November of 2024 protests erupted in the small Oregon city of St. Helens. Students and parents called for more accountability after two teachers were arrested for allegedly abusing students. A police investigation led to the arrests of choir teacher Eric Stearns and recently retired math teacher Mark Collins, who were charged with sexually abusing multiple students between 2015 and 2024. This is not the first time that a teacher at St. Helens High School has been accused of abusing students.    OPB reporter Joni Auden Land covered the upheaval in St Helens as it unfolded late last year. Around that same time, they got an email from someone who graduated from high school there in 1988. The email was from Jodie Westing, and she said that when she was a 17-year-old senior at St Helens High School, a 31-year-old teacher groomed and manipulated her into a sexual relationship with him. The teacher Westing says abused her was Gene Evans, who later became a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Education and the Department of Human Services. Westing’s email launched a months-long investigation by OPB. Joni joins us to tell the story and give us a window into their reporting process.    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.

The gavel came down on this year’s session of the Oregon legislature on Friday. Legislators failed to pass a controversial funding package for transportation and infrastructure. They also took up gun bills, civil commitment, wildfire funding and many other issues. OPB political reporter Dirk VanderHart helps us understand it all.  

At the Oregon Country Fair, there are fairies and gnomes walking around in colorful costumes. A 40-person marching band also bursts out of nowhere and plays down a path.  “Feels like you stepped into a wonderland or something magical,” one fairgoer told OPB in 2024.  The fair grew out of a 1960s vision of a better world: a paradise for hippies. But the history of the fair is complex. It takes place on a native ancestral gathering site.  “I think there's a part of hippie culture that thinks that they can take any culture from any part of the world and make whatever they want of it,” said David Lewis, PhD, Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Indigenous Studies at Oregon State University and a member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.   In this week’s episode, we sit down with OPB’s Oregon Art Beat producer Eric Slade and freelance producer Kunu Bearchum to talk about the Oregon Country Fair and how it houses hundreds of artists every year – and its history, from hippies to Native belonging.    Check out OPB’s hour-long documentary on the Oregon Country Fair.    For more Evergreen episodes 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: Hush  Timber Wars Season 2: Salmon Wars Politics Now Think Out Loud And many more! Check out our full show list here.

At the Oregon Country Fair, there are fairies and gnomes walking around in colorful costumes. A 40-person marching band also bursts out of nowhere and plays down a path.  “Feels like you stepped into a wonderland or something magical,” one fairgoer told OPB in 2024.  The fair grew out of a 1960s vision of a better world: a paradise for hippies. But the history of the fair is complex. It takes place on a native ancestral gathering site.  “I think there's a part of hippie culture that thinks that they can take any culture from any part of the world and make whatever they want of it,” said David Lewis, PhD, Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Indigenous Studies at Oregon State University and a member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.   In this week’s episode, we sit down with OPB’s Oregon Art Beat producer Eric Slade and freelance producer Kunu Bearchum to talk about the Oregon Country Fair and how it houses hundreds of artists every year – and its history, from hippies to Native belonging.    Check out OPB’s hour-long documentary on the Oregon Country Fair.    For more Evergreen episodes 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: Hush  Timber Wars Season 2: Salmon Wars Politics Now Think Out Loud And many more! Check out our full show list here.

 In early June, a federal judge found the state in contempt of a court order that requires people with severe mental illness in custody to be quickly admitted to the the Oregon State Hospital.  Now, the state is appealing that decision and has asked the court to pause the contempt ruling. Amelia Templeton is OPB’s health reporter and has been following this story. She joins us to share more on what is happening at the state’s psychiatric hospital.