OPB has launched a new weekly podcast called “The Evergreen” that explores the stories of the people, places, communities and cultures that make the Pacific Northwest the unique place it is.

Each week, OPB Host and Producer Jenn Chávez will guide listeners through an audio portrait of the region, sharing stories about the place we live, the places we love, and the geography that we all feel connected to.

“The Evergreen” features audio-rich interviews with OPB producers and reporters about stories they are working on. It highlights the diversity of our region, arts and culture; regional history and policy; science, the environment and climate issues; civic engagement, and more. It also focuses on the untold and undertold stories of people in the region.

In addition to weekly episodes, the podcast will also occasionally feature multi-part series of episodes dedicated to a single story from the region. The “At Work With” series will feature stories about how and why people in the Pacific Northwest do the jobs we do.

Upcoming episodes will explore the following topics (and more):

  • Audio postcards from OPB staff and listeners about places, people and food that make us feel at home;
  • A Pendleton arts institution that’s the only print studio on a Native American reservation;
  • Changes coming to the Klamath River as the largest dam removal project in the county gets underway;
  • Oregon’s spiraling public defense crisis;
  • The history and work of Black artists in Oregon;
  • Measure 110 and how drug treatment and detox looks on the ground in Portland;
  • The history of IPA with interesting tidbits about Oregon hops and the development of the craft beer scene here;
  • The history of poor farms in Oregon and the causes and potential solutions for homelessness today;
  • And a unique event at the Tillamook County Fair, known as the Pig N Ford races.

“In journalism, an evergreen story isn’t tied to a specific news cycle. It goes deeper and helps you understand the world around you,” said Chávez. “With The Evergreen, we use this same approach to learn about each other, what makes this place what it is and the role we each play in helping it grow.”

You can listen to the first episode of “The Evergreen” now on Apple Podcasts, the NPR One app, opb.org and wherever podcasts are available. New episodes will be available every Monday.

In addition to Chávez, “The Evergreen” is produced by OPB’s Mia Estrada and Julie Sabatier. Sage Van Wing is the executive producer. Technical Director Steven Kray and OPB Audio Engineer Nalin Silva provide all mixing and mastering for the series. This and all OPB podcasts are made possible by the generous support of OPB members. For more information, visit opb.org.