Cattle ranching is hard, even without a drought. But this year, ranchers are having to truck water in to their herds and buy hay they normally would grow themselves. Anna King reports from Harney Country. Also, Eilis O'Neill of EarthFix visits a trail that has become wildly popular with Seattle hikers. Native Americans with treaty rights to hunt and gather there are getting squeezed out.

Oregon Ranchers Take Extra Measures During The Drought; Hikers Crowd Trails Traditionally Used By Native Hunters

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OPB Political Chat

OPB Political Chat - January 18, 2019

Thursday morning, federal agents began dismantling a makeshift encampment in front of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland. Protesters were able to shut the facility down for more than a week. OPB's Dirk VanderHart reports from the scene. We also visit with alfalfa farmers in Washington state, who get assistance from millions of tiny native helpers. Aaron Scott from Oregon Field Guide reports on the alkali bee's role in the cultivation of this important crop.

Authorities Move In On ICE Protest Encampment; Native Bees Help NW Alfalfa Farmers

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that state and local government workers who are represented by organized labor no longer have to pay dues if they don't want to belong to a union. OPB senior political reporter Jeff Mapes joins us to talk about how this will affect public employees in Oregon and Washington.

Supreme Court Rules Against Mandatory Union Dues

The largest psychiatric hospital in Washington state has been under scrutiny for two years, and the federal government said this week its reform efforts didn't go far enough. Austin Jenkins of the Northwest News Network joins us to explain the decision and what it means for patients at the hospital.

Oregon Ranchers Take Extra Measures During The Drought; Hikers Crowd Trails Traditionally Used By Native Hunters

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