Best OPB Podcasts (2025)

Small error rate on gas tax petition so far: https://oregoncatalyst.com/93263-error-rate-gas-tax-referendum.html Dems want to raise your taxes in February short session: https://oregoncatalyst.com/93250-2026-legislature-flirts-2-tax-hikes-6-weeks.html OPB hit piece on R’s who fought Dems not to raise taxes: https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/18/wi…

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Oregon’s big political stories of the 2025, looking ahead to 2026 36:00

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7d ago36:00

36:00

As 2025 comes to a close, the OPB Politics Now team is taking a look at the top political stories of the year. It was a year. We saw the Trump administration return to power, Mayor Keith Wilson and a new government enter the scene in Portland, and Democratic state officials fumble and stumble through a legislative session. On the latest episode of …

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Authors Kristen Arnett and Jess Walter at the Portland Book Festival 52:05

5h ago52:05

52:05

Sometimes laughter can be the best way to make it through difficult times. And a good joke can go a long way to connecting with another person, no matter how different they are. Those are themes in the two new books “Stop Me if You’ve Heard This One” by Kristen Arnett and “So Far Gone” by Jess Walter. OPB’s Jess Hazel talked to Walter and Arnett ab…

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Political Coffee 12-26-25: 43:11

1h ago43:11

43:11

By Jeff Kropf

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Political Coffee 12-25-25: 43:10

1h ago43:10

43:10

By Jeff Kropf

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Political Coffee 12-24-25: 43:12

1h ago43:12

43:12

By Jeff Kropf

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Leni Zumas and Cleyvis Natera in conversation at the Portland Book Festival 52:29

4h ago52:29

52:29

What does survival look like if it comes at the expense of freedom? How can we build safe places in an increasingly unstable world? These questions are at the heart of two new books by authors Leni Zumas and Cleyvis Natera. Zumas’s book “Wolf Bells” tells the story of an intergenerational group home determined to make a space for people who fall th…

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Author Emma Donoghue talks about her novel 'The Paris Express' 52:25

2d ago52:25

52:25

Irish-Canadian author Emma Donoghue is perhaps best known for her novel “Room,” told from the perspective of a 5-year-old boy held captive with his mother. Most of Donoghue’s work, however, is rooted in historical fiction. She frequently writes about characters and perspectives that are often erased from history. Her latest novel, “The Paris Expres…

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Owyhee Canyonlands protection effort remains in limbo 52:34

4d ago52:34

52:34

The Owyhee Canyonlands area encompasses millions of acres along the Owyhee River on the borders of Oregon, Idaho and Nevada. The land is rugged and remote and beautiful, and efforts to to protect it in some way have dragged out for years. There were pushes for the last two Democratic presidents to designate the area a national monument and most rec…

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OregonSaves has $430M in assets, but people keep taking money out 4:49

2d ago4:49

4:49

OregonSaves has $430M in assets, but people keep taking money outBy Oregon Public Broadcasting

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Political Coffee 12-23-25: Trump's economy booms! Newport sues to stop DHS non existent ICE detention center, Portland homeless dude mocks free drug supply handouts, GA election law violations could be ... 43:10

4d ago43:10

43:10

Trump economy booms! https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2025/12/23/trump-boom-u-s-economy-grows-4-3-smashing-expectations/ Newport sues DHS to stop non existent ICE detention center: https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2025/12/oregon-coast-city-sues-feds-to-halt-ice-detention-center.html Portland homeless dude mocks free drug supply handouts: https:…

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Under Trump, Northwest immigration detainees are traveling farther from families, legal help 3:50

3d ago3:50

3:50

The Trump administration has sent five times more people at least 1,000 miles compared to the last year of former president Joe Biden’s term.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

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Portland author's new book celebrates threatened ponderosa pine trees 52:03

3d ago52:03

52:03

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 …

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Political Coffee 12-22-25 OR D's playing rope a dope with R's by floating gas tax repeal if R's will work with them and Coast Guard only wants IBR comments from people who use the river 43:10

5d ago43:10

43:10

Dems playing rope a dope with R’s by saying they are gonna repeal Kotax’s gas tax increase if R’s will work with them: https://www.sweethomenews.com/confronted-by-a-grassroots-backlash-democrats-consider-repealing-unpopular-gas-tax-hike/ Coast Guard only wants IBR comments from people who will use the bridge for maritime traffic and not the rest of…

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Rail speeders on Oregon Coast 4:30

4d ago4:30

4:30

Rail enthusiasts use rail speeder cars to collect toys for children on the Oregon Coast.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

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Clackamas River Flooding 3:40

4d ago3:40

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Homeowners inspect the damage after Clackamas River flooding on December 18, 2025.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

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OPB’s sixth year of music holiday cheer! 8:10

5d ago8:10

8:10

JT Griffith joins OPB’s Crystal Ligori for our annual Christmas music conversation.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

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The best ‘Think Out Loud’ stories of 2025 52:16

6d ago52:16

52:16

As 2025 comes to a close, the staff of OPB's "Think Out Loud" look back on some of their favorite conversations from the past year. Producers Sage Van Wing, Gemma DiCarlo, Rolie Hernandez, Sheraz Sadiq, Riley Martinez and Malya Fass join host Dave Miller in conversation.

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Kelly Ma (Chinese Mandarin) 1:34

7d ago1:34

1:34

Kelly Ma has two children in PPS. She speaks some English but has needed the help of a Chinese language specialist for her oldest. Ma’s son, who goes to Woodstock Elementary School, is on the autism spectrum. Ma was still trying to understand the U.S. education system when she realized her family needed help.…

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Trang Nguyễn (Vietnamese) 1:10

7d ago1:10

1:10

Trang Nguyen has two children in PPS. For her, having the help of a Vietnamese language specialist was invaluable when her son was struggling with his speech. But Trang considers herself one of the lucky ones — she got support when her children were still little. She and other parents who’ve worked with the LAS team are worried about what might hap…

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Nancy (Spanish) 0:35

7d ago0:35

0:35

When Nancy’s family moved from Mexico to Oregon, she barely spoke any English. So when the youngest of her three sons was identified with a disability, she needed help. That’s when Nancy began working with a Spanish language specialist for Portland Public Schools’ Language Access Services team. But in the most recent round of multi-million dollar b…

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M110 implementation struggled due to lack of stability and coordination, audit shows 13:50

7d ago13:50

13:50

A new audit from the Secretary of State found that the implementation of Measure 110, the drug discrimination ballot initiative, faced a number of challenges with unclear results. The audit notes that despite the roughly $800 million dedicated to programs aimed at helping in-recovery and substance-use treatment, the outcomes — including the number …

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Policy expert, district superintendent weigh in on Oregon’s push to improve reading scores 19:50

7d ago19:50

19:50

In 2023, Oregon lawmakers passed HB 3198, which created the Early Literacy Success Initiative, an effort to address the state’s dismal reading test scores. The bill aimed to more fully adopt a phonics-based teaching approach — often referred to as "the science of reading" — in schools across the state. Education experts broadly agree this approach …

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Beaverton schools official on how district is supporting students and families amid concerns over ICE activity 18:33

7d ago18:33

18:33

Last Monday, hundreds of students in Beaverton, Forest Grove and Hillsboro walked out of classes to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in their communities in Washington County. The Beaverton School District has made available resources to assist immigrant and refugee students and their families, including reminders of its on…

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When cheaper isn't actually cheaper for health insurance 4:20

7d ago4:20

4:20

Insurers love to cut costs — but they’re also looking at what happens after a medication is used. In some cases, paying more upfront can reduce emergency care and hospital bills later. A life-saving - and talking - allergy injector helps explain the economics.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

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In West Linn, a tough lesson on how not to close a school 4:36

7d ago4:36

4:36

The West Linn-Wilsonville school board will take up a vote this week to move forward with a school closure plan.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

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Political Coffee 12-18-25: SOS decries $7,000 per drug addiction call, Kotax to blame for 98% food stamp fraud, Greg Smith guilty of breaking laws, voter rolls not Fed compliant, Dems to wipe out FFA ... 43:11

9d ago43:11

43:11

Governor wannabe SOS Read says ‘enough is enough’ about $7,000 drug hotline calls: https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2025/12/enough-is-enough-oregons-secretary-of-state-demands-accountability-for-the-states-failed-addiction-response.html Kotax’s failures lead to 98% of food stamp fraud is out of state: https://oregoncatalyst.com/93224-98-food-sta…

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Families, former Portland Public Schools employees fight cuts to language services 5:48

8d ago5:48

5:48

PPS dismantled the Language Access Services team last year amid millions of dollars in budget cuts. They say needed services are still provided, but some argue vulnerable families are worse off.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

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University of Oregon psychologists share tips for navigating stress during the holidays 18:46

8d ago18:46

18:46

It’s that time of year when many of us are getting ready to celebrate the holidays, whether that’s finalizing travel plans, preparing to host visitors or buying last minute gifts. But the holidays can also stir up stress, from parents struggling to maintain some semblance of routine for kids out of school to intergenerational conflicts over expecta…

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Coffin Butte Landfill in Benton County inches toward expansion. Opponents are still trying to stop it 18:12

8d ago18:12

18:12

The Coffin Butte Landfill, located about 10 miles north of Corvallis, takes in trash from around two dozen Oregon counties and accepts more than a million tons of waste every year. But its shelf life is expiring, and Republic Services, the company that owns and operates the landfill, is trying to expand it. Now, it’s one step closer. Last month, Re…

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How federal funding cuts are impacting conservation efforts in Oregon 15:21

8d ago15:21

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This fall, the U.S. Department of the Interior cancelled nearly 80 grants to organizations that focus on habitat restoration, species conservation and other ecological work. According to a social media post from the Department of Government Efficiency, the cuts were made because the organizations supported diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. M…

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Political Coffee 12-17-25: 20 hours a week to work and get food stamps? US House votes on bill to lower Obamacare premiums by 11%, 98% SNAP fraud is out of state, Ethics probe in fake union lobbying, hit ... 43:09

10d ago43:09

43:09

Able boded adults must now work 20 hrs per week to keep getting food stamps: https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2025/12/able-bodied-adults-must-work-or-lose-food-stamps-under-new-federal-rules-that-affect-37000-oregonians.html US House votes today on healthcare bill that CBO says lowers ObamaCare premiums by 11%: https://www.breitbart.com/politics…

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Portland band Karaoke from Hell has been backing up karaoke singers live since 1992 19:41

9d ago19:41

19:41

If you’ve always dreamed of singing in a band, a karaoke night might scratch the itch. But on Monday nights in Portland, you can actually sing karaoke with a live band at Dante’s pub. Karaoke from Hell is now a 33-year-old tradition featured in a new documentary of the same name. The documentary will be screened on Wednesday, Dec. 17th at the Star …

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University of Oregon Researcher shares advice on parenting in the digital age 21:37

9d ago21:37

21:37

As social media and AI advance, it can be hard to know how to best help kids navigate the ever-changing digital landscape and keep them safe online. Jen Doty, an Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling Psychology and Human Services at the University of Oregon, has studied cyberbullying since 2013 and has recently developed a program for…

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Portland may limit fuel storage on the Willamette 11:14

9d ago11:14

11:14

More than 90% of all liquid fuel in Oregon is stored along a 6 mile stretch of the Willamette River just north of downtown Portland known as the Critical Energy Infrastructure hub. Studies have shown that a major earthquake could cause the release of as much toxic liquid as the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, with oil reaching all the way to the mo…

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Washington craft flour company partners with Umatilla Tribes to open mill in Eastern Oregon 20:10

10d ago20:10

20:10

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. …

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How changes to the federal student loan program will impact borrowers in Oregon 18:14

10d ago18:14

18:14

Big changes are in store for the federal student loan program. President Trump’s tax and spending bill, which was signed into law last summer, ends a supplemental loan for graduate students and caps the amount they can borrow from the government. It also allows students in professional programs, such as law and medicine, to borrow more than student…

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What Portland’s new government looked like for the city administrator 14:48

10d ago14:48

14:48

After months of searching, Portland has officially named Raymond Lee as the first long-term city administrator. The position, which was created with the city’s new form of government, oversees thousands of city employees and the day-to-day public services including public safety, public works and city operations to name a few. But Lee isn’t the fir…

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Women’s sports could be an economic win for Portland 4:24

10d ago4:24

4:24

Women’s sports could be an economic win for PortlandBy Oregon Public Broadcasting

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Political Coffee 12-15-25: Coffee Klatch tonight with Rep Diehl, Chris Cummings and Nick Hill, Mississippi Miracle in K-12 education in OR? Rayfield sues Trump for 49th time, did political rage kill Rob ... 43:10

12d ago43:10

43:10

Coffee Klatch tonight with Rep Ed Diehl, Chris Cummings and Nick Hill from 6-8pm at Bo and Vine Restaurant Salem Only massive political change can produce a K-12 “Mississippi Miracle” in OR: https://lookouteugene-springfield.com/story/education/2025/12/13/mississippis-reading-turnaround-may-hold-lessons-for-oregon-schools/ Dan Rayfield sues Trump w…

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Celebrating the festival of lights with... glow sticks? 4:39

13d ago4:39

4:39

Assaf Mevorach is planning an unusual way to help start the Hanukkah season, a black light rave on Saturday ahead of the first night of Hanukkah.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

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At Work With: A Forest Ranger 5:59

13d ago5:59

5:59

At Work With an Oregon state park forest ranger, Rhett Wilkins, at Tryon Creek State Natural Area.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

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Ranchers in southeast Oregon helped keep sage grouse off the endangered list. Now, lithium mining could pose a new threat 4:45

13d ago4:45

4:45

An exploratory lithium mining project and a federal push for energy dominance could hurt sage grouse conservation efforts.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

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Why a Washington program for Indigenous homeownership hasn’t worked 20:38

13d ago20:38

20:38

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit’s Eventual Tenant Ownership program is meant to give people the chance to buy the home they're renting. It works by providing developers with Low-Income Housing Tax Credits for building homes that would qualify for this program in exchange. But new reporting from Underscore Native News and ICT highlights how the Wa…

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Rose City Coffee Co. in Southeast Portland moves to 24-hour service 12:07

13d ago12:07

12:07

Staffing shortages and rising labor costs have caused many 24/7 businesses to reduce their hours since the COVID-19 pandemic. But Rose City Coffee Co. is bucking the trend. The Southeast Portland coffee shop is now open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We’ll talk with owner Christie Gryphon about what it takes to run a 24-hour business in today’s…

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Three Portland-area counties launch regional climate health dashboard 20:39

13d ago20:39

20:39

Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties recently launched a regional dashboard that tracks the health impacts of climate change in the metro area. It includes data on heat and cold events, air quality, infectious diseases and the effects climate change can have on mental health. The dashboard is an evolution of the counties’ Regional Climate a…

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Political Coffee 12-12-25: Kotax metrics for Prosperity Roadmap? OR 39th biz friendly, Kotax/Dems should note 70% drop in Dope prices cause of supply/demand could work for business, renewed SNAP work rules ... 43:13

15d ago43:13

43:13

Kotax’s metrics for her Prosperity Roadmap? https://oregoncatalyst.com/93076-metrics-prosperity-roadmap.html OR is 39th of top states for business: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/10/top-states-for-business-americas-2025-the-full-rankings.html?msockid=1a272957767869f82c813a1577cb680e Kotax and Dems take note!! Law of supply and demand on full display …

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Willamette, Pacific universities announce plan to merge 5:04

14d ago5:04

5:04

Oregon’s two oldest private universities say their plan to consolidate will benefit students, the state’s workforce and help future-proof the institutions.By Oregon Public Broadcasting

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Oregon Christmas tree specialist helps protect state’s status as nation’s top producer 17:16

14d ago17:16

17:16

Oregon is the leading producer of Christmas trees in the nation, accounting for about a third of all real Christmas trees sold in the U.S. Christmas tree farmers in Oregon grew more than 3 million Noble fir, Douglas fir and other Christmas tree varieties in 2023, the most recent year for which statistics are available. Priya Rajarapu is an assistan…