Stephani Gordon News Today

Strawberries have a long history in Oregon, both as part of our agricultural landscape and also as part of our state's story. From arriving via the Oregon Trail, to varieties being developed to combat disease, to a century old celebration with enough strawberry shortcake to feed a city, Oregon is serious about its strawberries.

Few things unite the Pacific Northwest’s culture, economy and ecology like food. But sometimes the ingredients we eat are also divisive. Take salmon: Once these fish were superabundant throughout the region, but the arrival of western settlers — who introduced overfishing and dams — has taken a toll.

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.”

Truffles are mysterious organisms that thrive in the damp forests of the Pacific Northwest, especially in Oregon. Like their above-ground cousins, mushrooms, they are the fruit of vast underground networks of fungus.

James Lee Hansen is one of the Northwest’s most prominent and influential sculptors. His imposing bronze installations are on view at the Portland Art Museum, Maryhill Museum, Clark College and institutions throughout the region. Hansen established his own foundry in Battle Ground, Washington in the 1970s. Today, at age 97, Hansen is proud of the more than 600 sculptures he’s created. “It's a legacy,” he says, “and I think everybody wants to have a legacy.”

Tech and food have gone together since our ancient ancestors made stone hand axes. Increasingly, automated systems — you might call them robots — are part of that equation.

The purple sea urchin population on the West coast has skyrocketed, putting the coastal ecosystem in peril. If you can't beat them, eat them.

Northwest scientists are going to great distances – and great depths – hoping to help us understand our volcanic risk closer to home.

Pinot Noir put Northwest wine on the map, but chardonnay, its white-wine cousin, is having a moment. A new generation of winemakers is pushing the boundaries of what our region can do. With some key scientific advances, and a better understanding of our soils and terroir, Oregon chardonnays are breaking into numerous “best of” lists and commanding premium prices.

Northwest scientists are going to great distances – and great depths – hoping to help us understand our volcanic risk closer to home.