To keep the Deschutes River clean, ‘Two-ply’ goes on ‘Poo Patrol’
For those who have to answer the call of nature while boating down the Deschutes, Jerry Christensen’s work to clean and maintain the bathroom facilities is much appreciated. He’s even become a bit of a local celebrity for his work, earning the nickname “Two-ply.”
Latest Stories
Pretty in purple: Camas flowers begin late spring bloom in Oregon
Across Oregon, the spring camas bloom is underway. Wild camas are native to North America and found throughout Oregon in moisture-rich areas.
Meet the man who makes Oregon sunstones sparkle
Ever wonder what makes gemstone sparkle? It starts with the way a crystal reflects and refracts light. Gemstone cutters must choose a design with the right angles for that stone, so that light passes through, bounces back to the top and catches the eye of the beholder. Karl Ziltener of the Columbia Willamette Faceters Guild shows us how he turns a raw Oregon sunstone into a glittering jewel.
The robots are coming ― to pick Northwest apples
Feeling pressure from labor shortages, some farmers are betting on robots to be the fruit pickers of the future.
Oregon bonsai creator captures nature in a bowl
After a traditional apprenticeship in Japan, Oregon bonsai professional Ryan Neil is capturing the West's rugged landscape in bonsai form. We follow one tree over the course of a year, as well as venture into the wilderness with Neil to see humanity's relationship with nature through his eyes.
Grassroots group gets people of color on the slopes of Mount Hood
Open Slopes PDX is getting people of color into the historically white-dominated world of winter sports.
Portland Japanese Garden is ablaze with fall colors
The Portland Japanese Garden comes alive with color in the cool autumn months. Can’t get there on your own? Enjoy a couple minutes of lovely scenery as seen through the lens of OPB photographer Brandon Swanson.
Christmas spirit comes to life in Sumpter, Oregon
The Eastern Oregon mining town of Sumpter is officially known as a "ghost town." But every Christmas, the old steam engines of the Sumpter Valley Railroad bring the spirit of the season to life for hundreds of visitors.
Want to study how aliens might think? Look to the octopus
Octopuses are incredibly smart, yet the majority of their neurons exist in their arms and suckers, and not in their brain, making them as close to alien intelligence as we can find on Earth. It's like: what if our hands and fingers could think for themselves?

For these interns, working in Oregon wilderness pays in money and breathtaking views
Wilderness Conservation Corps internships offer young people the chance to transform trails and themselves while earning some money for college.
Oregon sunstones shimmer with mysteries
Oregon sunstones come in a variety of colors. But that's just one of the many intriguing things about our official state gemstone.