Catholics across Oregon are still celebrating the election of Pope Leo the 14th. In Portland, a Thanksgiving Mass was held yesterday [[SUN]] to celebrate the occasion. O-P-B's Joni Auden Land reports.

A former Washington State lawmaker is criticizing the current Legislature for excluding $7 million dollar for a foster youth program from the state budget.

The state budget passed by lawmakers zeroed out funds for a Washington non-profit that supports foster youth with education and financial needs. The organization says it will likely have to lay off employees and reduce the number of students it serves.

More from KNKX reporter Freddy Monares.

A choir teacher from the Camas (CAM-iss) School District in Southwest Washington was recognized by the Country Music Association this week ((5/6)). OPB's Erik Neumann reports, it’s just his latest education award.

[VOICER: Washington’s draft report on pumped storage hydropower finds ways to ‘do less harm’ 05095CF_PumpedStorageReport_VOICER.wav voicer 0:52 5/09/25 Courtney Flatt/JD]

Host lede: Pumped storage hydropower can help stockpile energy for when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. That will be increasingly important as Washington moves to carbon-free energy supplies. [N-W-P-B’s senior environmental correspondent Courtney Flatt has more.] [SOQ 0:52]

Finding places to put pumped storage hydropower can be … contentious. That’s why Washington lawmakers wanted to know more about the technology.

[C&C: Washington’s draft report on pumped storage hydropower finds ways to ‘do less harm’ 05095CF_PumpedStorageReport_CC.wav c&c 0:05 5/09/25 Courtney Flatt/JD]

Pumped storage hydropower has been around for decades. It acts as a battery and stores energy for when it’s needed on the grid. But Washington lawmakers wanted to know more about it. So they asked for an informational study.

The Camas (CAM-iss) School District is one of many across the Pacific Northwest that’s facing budget cuts over the next school year. The Clark County district is trying to reduce spending by around $13 million to 15 million dollars.

Former Oregon Secretary of State apologized today/yesterday ((FRI)) for what she called an embarrassing mistake and poor judgement. Lauren Dake reports.

This week the U.S. Supreme Court will consider the Trump administration’s efforts to end birthright citizenship.

[050925JV_MedfordWRAP JPR :41 May 9, 2025 Jane Vaughan/MC]

Engineers have determined why a Medford high school gym roof collapsed earlier this year. As Jefferson Public Radio's Jane Vaughan reports, snow didn’t play as big of a role in the collapse as many people thought.