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Good morning, Northwest.

A habitat restoration program in Oregon is helping high school students clean up run-down natural spaces and build friendships in the process.

Today’s newsletter starts with a story of students planting willows along Shotpouch Creek near Philomath.

In other news, conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court suggested they may curtail mail-in voting by ruling against a Mississippi law regarding late-arriving ballots.

Here’s your First Look at Tuesday’s news.

—Bradley W. Parks

p.s. Yesterday’s subject line misspelled the word “citizenship.” Clearly the coffee hadn’t kicked in yet. OPB regrets the error.

Youth Watershed Council helps Oregon students and the environment

Student volunteers with the Youth Watershed Council have been working on a yearslong environmental restoration project in Philomath, Oregon.

Participating students have planted trees and improvised beaver dams along Shotpouch Creek, which for decades had been degraded by logging and cattle grazing.

The program aims to be mutually beneficial: The students help the environment while gaining hands-on experience and volunteer hours.

Supporters argue the watershed work has an even broader benefit, helping young people find their own community by taking small steps to improve the world around them. (Natalie Pate)

Learn more

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3 things to know this morning

• The Oregon Department of Energy came up with four dozen suggestions to help the state meet its carbon reduction goals more quickly, following a report that the state was falling behind. Its ideas were met with pushback. (Monica Samayoa)
• Campgrounds, trail systems and off-road vehicle areas in Washington managed by the Department of Natural Resources are expected to close or see reduced maintenance in 2026 because of funding cuts. (Erik Neumann)
• The Supreme Court yesterday appeared skeptical of a Mississippi law allowing late-arriving ballots to count if postmarked by Election Day. The court’s ruling, expected in June, could affect Oregon, Washington and other states. (Associated Press)

Headlines from around the Northwest

• Northwest Kaiser staff reach tentative deal after months of negotiations (OPB staff)
• Audit of Oregon juvenile prison praises staff effort, stands in contrast to recent allegations (Lauren Dake)
• Lawsuit accuses Asante of underpaying thousands of workers in Oregon (Justin Higginbottom)
• Southern Oregon dam operators face intensifying legal battles after the 2023 lamprey killing (Alex Baumhardt)
• ‘Blue envelopes’ seek to reduce Washington traffic stop risks for neurodivergent drivers (Jake Goldstein-Street)
• WNBA players unanimously approve a new 7-year collective bargaining agreement through 2032 (Doug Feinburg) 
• Portland clinches play-in spot as Trail Blazers beat Nets 134-99 (Associated Press)

Listen in on OPB’s daily conversation

“Think Out Loud” airs at noon and 8 p.m. weekdays on OPB Radio, opb.org and the OPB News app. Today’s planned topics (subject to change):

• Portland comic Ash Allen brings ‘Big Feelings Baby’ to audiences in her first solo show
• It took retirement for this Portlander to land his dream job of bookstore owner

‘Oregon Field Guide’ responds to questions and comments about abandoned boats

The “Oregon Field Guide” documentary on Oregon’s abandoned boat crisis sparked some thoughtful questions on YouTube.

In this follow-up, we’re diving into the comments — answering questions about sewage, recycling profits, turning derelict boats into artificial reefs and more.

If you watched the original story and wondered “but what about x?” this one’s for you. (Noah Thomas, Brandon Swanson)

Learn more

Original story: Oregon faces a complex abandoned boat problem

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/24/habitat-restoration-youth-watershed-council-first-look/