Best OPB Podcasts (2025)

1
Sir Francis Drake’s ‘Fair and Good Bay’ was long thought to be in California. Now some experts point to Oregon 4:50

25m ago4:50

4:50

The English explorer could have careened his Golden Hind for repair at Whale Cove near Depoe Bay, Oregon, in the late 16th century, according to scholars such as Portland State University anthropologist Melissa Darby.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

1
The second Trump administration and the Pacific Northwest 15:49

34m ago15:49

15:49

What does the second Trump administration mean for the Pacific Northwest? In the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, we get a sense of what people had to say in the days before the inauguration and what happens next. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts and read our full coverage about the new administration at OPB.org.…

1
Bend first grade teacher wins national award for excellence in math and science teaching 17:13

25m ago17:13

17:13

Earlier this month, Stephanie Johnson, a first grade teacher at Pine Ridge Elementary School in Bend, found out she won a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Central Oregon Daily News first reported on Johnson’s achievement. The award is considered to be the highest national honor a K-12 educator can receive for t…

1
University of Oregon study finds link between widely used herbicide and infant health 10:31

25m ago10:31

10:31

Glyphosate is an herbicide that’s widely used in agriculture in the U.S. and around the world. It’s the active ingredient in Roundup, which is commonly applied to crops like soy, cotton and corn that have been genetically modified to withstand the weed killer. The Environmental Protection Agency maintains that glyphosate is “not likely to be carcin…

1
What fire recovery looks like in Talent, Oregon 14:27

25m ago14:27

14:27

In 2020, the Almeda Fire ripped through the Rogue Valley and it destroyed about a third of the town of Talent. Among the losses were nearly 90 homes located at the Talent Mobile Estates park. Years later, the town continues to rebuild, including a groundbreaking ceremony for the mobile home park last year. We check in on recovery efforts from Darby…

1
Checking in on the start of Oregon’s legislative session 11:33

10m ago11:33

11:33

Oregon lawmakers gathered in Salem on Tuesday for the start of the 2025 legislative session. They’ll have five months to tackle the state’s pressing challenges, including passing a two-year budget. Last month, Governor Kotek unveiled a budget proposal that boosts spending on her top priorities such as building more affordable housing, combating hom…

1
Author Annalee Newitz on new book, ‘Stories Are Weapons’ 52:28

44m ago52:28

52:28

Looking at the history of psychological operations, “Stories Are Weapons: Psychological Warfare and the American Mind” is the latest book by author and journalist Annalee Newitz. It explores misinformation, propaganda and how the stories we hear can manipulate us. The book also features a chapter on the work the Coquille Indian Tribe has done to un…

1
Woodburn braces for Trump 2.0 4:42

14m ago4:42

4:42

Woodburn braces for Trump 2.0By Oregon Public Broadcasting

1
Oregon’s 16-year-old ‘Woman Grandmaster’ on her chess goals 15:45

1h ago15:45

15:45

Oregon's reigning – and two time – state champion in chess is a junior at Westview High School in Beaverton. Zoey Tang has been playing since she was 7 years old and joined a chess club at her small charter school. She was hooked. She recently became the first Oregonian ever to achieve the title of “woman grandmaster.” She joined us to share her th…

1
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson lays out how he will end unsheltered homelessness in the city 13:04

1h ago13:04

13:04

One of Mayor Keith Wilson’s main campaign platforms was his commitment to ending unsheltered homelessness in the city. On Wednesday, he presented his $28 million “Blueprint” for how he plans to achieve that goal. OPB Portland City Government Reporter Alex Zielinski joins us to share details about the plan and the reaction of regional officials and …

1
How Oregon is responding to Trump’s crackdown on immigration 23:34

1h ago23:34

23:34

President Donald Trump has wasted no time in enacting his immigration policy. On his first day in office, he issued an executive order that aims to end birthright citizenship, the constitutional provision that automatically grants citizenship to children born in the U.S., regardless of their parents’ status. Attorneys general across the country, in…

1
January 6 pardons could lead to more political violence, experts say 4:07

25m ago4:07

4:07

President Donald Trump has pardoned or commuted sentences for hundreds of Jan 6th defendants including those in the PNWBy Oregon Public Broadcasting

1
Senator Ron Wyden calls on federal government to publish data on climate change affecting homeowners insurance 5:38

7m ago5:38

5:38

Last week following the devastating wildfires in California, eight US senators sent a letter, urging the US Treasury and Federal Insurance Office to publish data about how the climate crisis is impacting homeowners insurance. One of the authors of that letter was Oregon Senator Ron Wyden.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

1
Deschutes County citizens come together for civic assembly 23:04

3h ago23:04

23:04

Last summer, more than 12,000 of Deschutes County residents received a letter inviting them to participate in a civic assembly, convened by nonprofit groups and with support from the city of Bend and the county. Only 30 were selected in a lottery system, all coming from various ages and backgrounds. They met in the fall to brainstorm ideas to addre…

1
Marion County plans to shift some trucked waste to Wasco County 14:30

3h ago14:30

14:30

Marion County once burned its trash — and generated some of its electrical power — using the Reworld incinerator. But since that facility has previously announced it would be closing and stopped accepting residential waste, the county’s garbage is now going to the Coffin Butte Landfill in Benton County. However, as reported in the Statesman Journal…

1
OHSU expands participation in addiction medicine training program 15:14

3h ago15:14

15:14

The fentanyl crisis has taken a toll on communities all across Oregon. It has also shined a light on the challenges frontline responders face when trying to get people help for substance use disorder, especially in rural areas and jails or prisons where treatment can be hard to obtain. But a training program in addiction medicine offered by OHSU is…

1
How the Trump administration could affect the I-5 bridge replacement project 4:27

42m ago4:27

4:27

How the Trump administration could affect the I-5 bridge replacement projectBy Oregon Public Broadcasting

1
Oregon’s boom in new tattoo artists started during the pandemic 25:34

2h ago25:34

25:34

Oregon has a rich tattoo history, from indigenous practitioners to sailors. And Oregon newspapers have run stories about tattoos since the early 20th century. Within the state you can see all styles represented, from American traditional to fine lines and realism. There is no shortage of inked skin in the state, but as data obtained by OPB from OHA…

1
Aquifer beneath Oregon Cascades is far larger than researchers expected 13:37

2h ago13:37

13:37

Researchers have long known there was some kind of aquifer in the Cascade Mountains that feeds rivers like the McKenzie and the Deschutes. But they never knew just how big it might be — until now, that is. A new study found that the Central Oregon aquifer holds 80 cubic kilometers of water, roughly three times the size of Nevada’s Lake Mead. Leif K…

1
U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter on the view from D.C., working with GOP lawmakers 14:04

2h ago14:04

14:04

Democratic Representative Maxine Dexter has begun her first term on Capitol Hill, representing Oregon's 3rd Congressional District. Earl Blumenauer, who represented the region for nearly 30 years, has now joined the faculty at Portland State University. In the first two weeks of her term, Dexter has already voted on bills about immigration and tran…

1
Oregon lawmakers convene the 2025 legislative session 4:34

15h ago4:34

4:34

Oregon lawmakers convene the 2025 legislative sessionBy Oregon Public Broadcasting

1
Conversations with John Lewis and Jackie Winters to mark MLK Day 51:31

4h ago51:31

51:31

A 23-year-old civil rights activist from Alabama named John Lewis was the youngest speaker at the famous March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom led by Martin Luther King Jr, delivering a fiery speech to hundreds of thousands of marchers gathered on the Washington Mall. Lewis went on to serve on the Atlanta City Council, and was elected to Congres…

1
Oregonians share hopes and concerns as Donald Trump begins his second term 5:52

4m ago5:52

5:52

Oregonians share hopes and concerns as Donald Trump begins his second termBy Oregon Public Broadcasting

1
Providence health care strike, day 8 5:42

35m ago5:42

5:42

It’s day eight of the Providence health care workers strike. Close to 5,000 nurses and about 150 doctors went on strike indefinitely starting last week. Providence has offered to resume bargaining -- but both sides have indicated they’re not expecting a quick resolution.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

1
Hydroelectric dams on Oregon’s Willamette River kill salmon. Congress says it’s time to consider shutting them down 4:29

10m ago4:29

4:29

The newly signed legislation follows reporting from Oregon Public Broadcasting and ProPublica that underscored the risks and costs associated with a plan to migrate salmon past hydroelectric dams using a giant fish collector and tanker trucks.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

1
Oregonians buy cellphones, cars and e-bikes ahead of potential tariffs 3:50

20m ago3:50

3:50

President Donald Trump has called for blanket tariffs on U.S. trading partners, a move economists say would raise prices for consumer goods.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

1
Oregon legislative session preview 4:17

5m ago4:17

4:17

Oregon lawmakers officially convene the 2025 legislative session today.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

1
Previewing Oregon’s 2025 legislative session 22:32

1h ago22:32

22:32

We are only a few days away from the 2025 long legislative session kicking off in Salem. State lawmakers' paramount duty is passing the next two-year budget. But they likely won’t stop there. On this week’s OPB Politics Now, we will dig into how the state will fund wildfires and ease the housing crisis. Plus, will there be new taxes? How will the l…

1
How lawmakers are preparing for Oregon’s legislative session 32:55

30m ago32:55

32:55

Oregon’s legislative session is set to begin on Tuesday. Lawmakers will consider a slew of bills on issues such as housing, infrastructure, mental health care and more. House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, and House Minority Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby, join us to share their parties’ priorities for the upcoming session.…

1
New Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson says she want to build more houses and bring people back to city’s downtown 20:42

30m ago20:42

20:42

Kaarin Knudson became the mayor of Oregon’s second largest city, Eugene, on Monday. She delivered her first state of the city address shortly after being sworn in. Knudson says increasing housing capacity and revitalizing the city’s downtown are among her top priorities. But first, she faces a budget shortfall and will need to work with the city co…

1
Trump administration could test Oregon's strong protections for immigrants 4:32

23m ago4:32

4:32

Trump administration could test Oregon's strong protections for immigrantsBy Oregon Public Broadcasting

1
People with disabilities are extra vulnerable in major disasters like wildfires 5:04

17m ago5:04

5:04

A conversation with Disability Rights Oregon about how Oregon is prepared to help people with disabilities in a major disaster.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

1
Northwest writer Timothy Egan’s new book tells KKK history 52:06

43m ago52:06

52:06

By the early 1900s, the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist group founded by former Confederate soldiers after the Civil War, had all but faded from existence in the U.S. Then, in 1915, a second Klan was founded in Georgia, and soon spread across the country. By the mid-1920s, it had as many as eight million members across the U.S., including many ch…

1
OHSU scientists reveal way to turn on hibernation in rats, pointing to possible future therapy in humans 14:51

36m ago14:51

14:51

Animals such as grizzly bears and Arctic ground squirrels have evolved the ability to hibernate as a way to survive winter months of extreme cold. During hibernation, their core body temperatures drop and their heart rates and metabolic activities slow to conserve energy. They also consume less oxygen during this inactivity. But what if you could m…

1
Solitude - and its benefits - fall on a spectrum, says new OSU research 19:25

37m ago19:25

19:25

People are choosing to spend less time than ever in the presence of other people, whether in social events, one-on-one meetups or eating out. The latest cover story in The Atlantic explores some of the psychological and social implications of that trend. And a recent study out of Oregon State University goes deep into how solitude is defined and ex…

1
What’s next for Josephine County libraries after commission vote to terminate lease? 12:30

37m ago12:30

12:30

On Jan. 6, Josephine County Commissioners voted to terminate the lease of the Grants Pass central library. Commissioners have since said they simply want to renegotiate the $1-a-year lease of the county-owned building. This comes after a legal battle last year over whether residents could opt out of the library’s special tax district. It also follo…

1
City water systems are not built to battle devastating wildfires 6:30

37m ago6:30

6:30

In Southern California, fire hydrants ran dry as flames ripped through the Los Angeles area. Some critics blamed the municipal system for not meeting the demands for water. But the systems that house fire hydrants were not designed to battle major wildfires. Kylie Mohr is a freelance journalist and correspondent for High Country News. She reported …

1
Why it matters that Oregon just lost its chief forester 5:03

7m ago5:03

5:03

The Oregon Department of Forestry is embroiled in budgetary and workplace conduct issues. Now Oregon state forester Cal Mukumoto is leaving.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

1
Wildlife crossing in Southern Oregon will be first on I-5 between Mexico and Canada 14:19

2d ago14:19

14:19

Students from Southern Oregon University collected over a million photos and videos of animals attempting to cross Interstate 5 in Southern Oregon. The students were working with SOU professor Karen Mager to try to understand the best place to put a wildlife crossing to facilitate passage for wildlife in an area well-known for vehicle-animal collis…

1
How Oregon can improve the state of mental health 21:41

33m ago21:41

21:41

Disability Rights Oregon filed a motion last week, asking a federal judge to hold Oregon in contempt of court for failing to admit aid and assist cases within seven days. At the same time, a number of bills have been introduced in the Oregon Legislature surrounding mental health. Chris Bouneff is the executive director of the Oregon chapter of the …

1
Portland City Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney discusses new role 16:46

33m ago16:46

16:46

At the beginning of the year, Portland’s new city council elected Elana Pirtle-Guiney as council president in a contentious vote that revealed some of the dividing lines of the new council. Pirtle-Guiney won by a 7-5 vote after nine rounds of voting. In the new role, Pirtle-Guiney will set council meeting agendas and refer council items to a vote t…

1
'Pacific Drive' takes players on supernatural adventure in the Pacific Northwest 14:22

19h ago14:22

14:22

Last year, Seattle-based company Ironwood Studios released its debut game, "Pacific Drive." The game is set in the Olympic Peninsula and players drive around in a station wagon, exploring supernatural happenings. The production company Atomic Monster has acquired the rights to turn the award-nominated game into a TV series. Cassandra Dracott is the…

1
University of Washington lecturer-turned-DJ amplifies Indigenous music on Seattle radio show 19:13

2d ago19:13

19:13

Tory Johnston is an enrolled member of the Quinault Indian Nation and a lecturer in American Indian Studies at the University of Washington. He grew up in the Quinault Indian reservation on the Washington coast with a love for music, whether it was the loud guitar riffs of Metallica or the jazz improvisation of Thelonious Monk. In 2023, with no pri…

1
Washington legislative session begins 19:13

19h ago19:13

19:13

Washington’s legislative session begins on Monday and runs through April. Lawmakers are working on the state’s budget as Washington faces a multibillion-dollar budget gap. Governor-elect Bob Ferguson will be sworn in on Wednesday. Sentence about budget stuff He said officials should focus on budget cuts and efficiency. Jeanie Lindsay is the Olympia…

1
Bend moves forward on affordable housing 4:17

23h ago4:17

4:17

Bend moves forward on affordable housingBy Oregon Public Broadcasting

1
Portland sound engineer reflects on time with Bob Dylan 5:07

4d ago5:07

5:07

Audiences across the country are debating the accuracy of the new movie about Bob Dylan: ‘A Complete Unknown.’ For retired Portland sound engineer Dennis Darby, he doesn’t need to debate. He was there – at least for some of it.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

1
Portlander spent 15 years documenting the foods of his native Nepal 25:53

6d ago25:53

25:53

Bikram Vaidya grew up in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, and ran a pub there for years before coming to the U.S. to get a culinary arts degree at Western Culinary Institute/Le Cordon Bleu in Portland, Oregon. Vaidya later went on to teach at Le Cordon Bleu and was a founding member and lead instructor at the Oregon Culinary Institute. For the last…

1
Portland’s arts and culture institutions face financial woes 27:06

4d ago27:06

27:06

In Portland, arts organizations are facing shrinking budgets, donor fatigue and other financial struggles. The city launched the Office of Arts of Culture last year, but Portland faces a $27 million budget gap. As people move out of Portland, an arts tax aimed at boosting the region’s arts and culture offerings might yield less money. Blake Shell i…