Inside the only art museum on the Oregon coast

Montague mayor aims to preserve the city's small-town character

Montague is a small town of 1,200 residents in northern California near Yreka. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/66d51bf/2147483647/strip/false/crop/999x604+0+0/resize/792x479!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fdc%2F8e%2F86c30e6a4531897b9730717e9e83%2Fmontague-ca-downtown.jpg]Montague is a small town of 1,200 residents in northern California near Yreka.(https://www.siskiyou-housing.com/montague-california/) The Northern California city of Montague [https://cityofmontagueca.gov/], east of Yreka, has about 1,200 residents. Mayor Takeshi Murakami said his goal is to make it a recreation destination while preserving its small-town character. One of those efforts is the Montague Freedom Festival, a three-day Independence Day celebration featuring a carnival, parade and fireworks display. Organizing the event can be a challenge, Murakami said, because vendors often overlook a city of Montague's size. "They don't necessarily think this is a place where they can make money," he said. Murakami is also focused on preserving community amenities, including the city's public pool, which operates at an annual deficit of about $20,000 and depends on regular fundraising. He said he hopes to make Montague a recreation destination while preserving the qualities residents value. Maintaining the city's public pool and expanding community events are part of that effort. Murakami, who moved to Montague in 2009 to raise his family, said his public service is rooted in a desire to give back to the community. "I just feel the need to give back to my community," he said. "I feel like I've been supported by the community so much over the years." In addition to serving as mayor, Murakami also serves in several other local leadership roles, including police commissioner and parks and recreation commissioner. Murakami said his leadership is about ensuring Montague remains a place where people can enjoy themselves.

Northwest news: A rebuilt hatchery, a river restoration and increasing access to the outdoors

Efemmera Gendera talks with Amanda Giel, left, of Vancouver, WA during a Drag Me Outside drag nature hike at Mt. Tabor Park in Portland, Ore., on May 10, 2026. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2e06b79/2147483647/strip/false/crop/1148x793+0+0/resize/764x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F97%2F98%2F4f2755854ff4943259a8e9e29f6e%2Fportland-drag-me-outside-nature-walk.png]Efemmera Gendera talks with Amanda Giel, left, of Vancouver, WA during a Drag Me Outside drag nature hike at Mt. Tabor Park in Portland, Ore., on May 10, 2026. (Amanda Loman for OPB) This week's stories explore how communities across the Pacific Northwest are rebuilding, restoring natural landscapes and expanding access to the outdoors. Klamath fish hatchery rises from the ashes [https://www.ijpr.org/outdoors-leisure-and-sports/2026-06-11/klamath-fish-hatchery-reopens-after-two-four-two-fire] The Klamath Fish Hatchery near Chiloquin has reopened after the 2020 Labor Day fires destroyed its century-old facility. The new concrete hatchery produces about 1 million fish each year for more than 50 Oregon lakes. The hatchery raises sterile fish to support recreational fishing while protecting wild fish populations. Healing the McKenzie River corridor [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/06/15/mckenzie-river-restoration-projects/] Along the McKenzie River, a coalition is converting hundreds of acres into "connected wetland complexes" to improve water quality and create fire breaks. At the 120-acre Quartz Creek site, a $10 million project is reshaping the landscape to mimic natural flooding and create habitat for fish and wildlife. Dragging the community outdoors [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/06/14/portland-oregon-outdoors-hiking-group-drag-performance/] A Portland program called "Drag Me Outside" combines nature walks with science education to create a more welcoming outdoor experience for LGBTQ+ participants. The twice-monthly walks blend ecology lessons with community building, encouraging more people to explore the region's parks and natural areas.

Jacksonville author waited a lifetime to publish his first novel

Jacksonville, Oregon resident Thomas Withenbury is a retired journalist and educator who recently released his debut novel, "The Color of Indigo." [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2509073/2147483647/strip/false/crop/712x495+0+0/resize/712x495!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F46%2Fa1%2F6e7c93c445189a7cfe3cf197ec12%2Fcolor-of-indigo-by-thomas-withenbury.jpg]Jacksonville, Oregon resident Thomas Withenbury is a retired journalist and educator who recently released his debut novel, "The Color of Indigo." After a career in journalism and higher education, Jacksonville resident Thomas Withenbury has published the novel he says he wanted to write since childhood. "I have wanted to do that all my life, even back to the sixth grade," Withenbury said. "But I never had an opportunity to do it." "The Color of Indigo [https://jacksonvillereview.com/tag/the-color-of-indigo/]" is Withenbury's first novel. It follows multiple generations of one family, beginning on a fictional Mississippi plantation before shifting to 1972, when a Vietnam veteran and a young journalist uncover a long-buried mystery. The story explores ancestry, race, family and resilience across nearly 150 years of American history. The idea began with his own family history. Withenbury said he drew inspiration from the logbooks of an ancestor who worked as a Mississippi River pilot, as well as genealogy research compiled by his mother's family. "I was inspired mostly by my ancestors," he said. The novel's opening chapters center on Major, a skilled blacksmith, and Indigo, a laundress, who risk everything to prevent their child from being born into slavery. Withenbury said he intentionally gave his enslaved characters identities rooted in their work and relationships rather than reducing them to their legal status. "I thought it was important because he was a master of his craft," Withenbury said. "I just thought it was important to give him some identity other than just being Major the slave." Writing about slavery presented another challenge. After discussing the manuscript with an African American college administrator, Withenbury decided not to try to recreate the dialect of enslaved people. "I'm an old white man," he recalled thinking. "I can't do this." Instead, he chose dialogue that modern readers could understand while remaining respectful of the characters and the period. The novel's second half shifts to 1972, drawing on Withenbury's own experiences graduating from college and beginning a career in journalism during the Vietnam War era. Withenbury said he hopes readers come away with an appreciation for the resilience of families who preserve their history and identity through generations. "They've survived with dignity," he said. "They've hung on to their ancestry. They've hung on to their culture." "The Color of Indigo" is available at Rebel Heart Books and Art Presence in Jacksonville. GUEST * Thomas Withenbury, retired journalist, educator and author of The Color of Indigo [https://jacksonvillereview.com/tag/the-color-of-indigo/].

How one French winemaker is shaping Southern Oregon wine

Jean-Michel Jussiaume of Del Rio Vineyards handles a case of wine. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/fc9752b/2147483647/strip/false/crop/2524x1684+0+0/resize/791x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fab%2F1f%2Ffd3195c54c828afb731ed77682a1%2Fjean-michel-jussiaume-through-the-wine-glass-paula-bandy.JPG]Jean-Michel Jussiaume of Del Rio Vineyards handles a case of wine. (Courtesy of Jean-Michael Jussiaume ) As the United States prepares to mark its 250th anniversary and France celebrates Bastille Day, Oregon winemaker Jean-Michel Jussiaume says the ties between the two countries continue to shape Southern Oregon's wine industry. A native of France's Loire Valley, Jussiaume now makes wine at Del Rio Vineyards and under his own label, Maison Jussiaume, in the Rogue Valley. He said his French upbringing gave him a deep appreciation for winemaking, but Oregon has given him the freedom to experiment. Jussiaume said his career reflects a blend of French tradition and Oregon innovation. A specialist in traditional-method sparkling wines, he uses centuries-old techniques while taking advantage of the Rogue Valley's growing reputation as a wine region. Growing up in a family of winemakers, Jussiaume said wine was simply part of everyday life. "That was my life, and the life of my neighbors, and the friends of my parents, and of my grandfather," he said. "It was all around me, and that's all I knew." Seeking a different path, Jussiaume moved to the United States, eventually settling in Southern Oregon after spending time in Virginia Jussiaume said his approach to winemaking combines traditional French techniques with the opportunities offered by Oregon's young wine industry. He said the Rogue Valley allows winemakers to experiment in ways that are more difficult in France's centuries-old wine regions. "You feel like a pioneer," he said. "Like someone who can create winemaking history." While his methods are rooted in French tradition, Jussiaume said Oregon's climate, soils and spirit of innovation continue to influence his work. GUEST * Jean-Michel Jussiaume, Del Rio Vineyards

Inside the Oregon coast's hands-on marine science center

A home slug is part of many sea creatures featured at the Charleston Marine Life Center on the campus of the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology in Coos Bay. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5dd2e46/2147483647/strip/false/crop/1920x856+0+0/resize/792x353!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe2%2F01%2Fa046c16e4eb48909b896e74be501%2Fcharleston-marine-life-center-homeslug-tightcrop.png]A home slug is part of many sea creatures featured at the Charleston Marine Life Center on the campus of the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology in Coos Bay. (Charleston Marine Life Center ) Visitors to the Charleston Marine Life Center can touch tidepool animals, examine the skeletons of whales and learn about marine life found along the Oregon coast — all while getting a behind-the-scenes look at research taking place next door. Located on the campus of the University of Oregon's Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, the center opened in 2016 to connect the public with marine science through interactive exhibits and educational programs. "Our primary mission is to serve as an education resource," Director Trish Mace said. "It's a very interactive place, but it's all geared to informing people about the remarkable diversity of marine life here on the Oregon coast." The center features touch tanks, a 10-foot humpback whale skull and the skeletons of orcas and gray whales. Students from the institute also gain hands-on experience caring for animals and communicating science to visitors. The center also partners with the Coquille Indian Tribe and the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians on programs that combine marine science with traditional ecological knowledge. "We work with the Coquille Tribe and the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw on a range of education projects where we work to get youth outdoors and combine marine science and traditional knowledge," Mace said. Pictured is a Matacarcinus magister. One of many sea creatures on display at the Charleston Marine Life Center in Coos Bay, Oregon. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/519bbb5/2147483647/strip/false/crop/1920x1280+0+0/resize/792x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd3%2Fbb%2F1c046f1042fbaedd9a392118a80c%2Fcharleston-marine-life-center-metacarcinus-magister.jpg] Pictured is a Matacarcinus magister. One of many sea creatures on display at the Charleston Marine Life Center in Coos Bay, Oregon. (Courtesy of the Charleston Marine Life Center ) Admission is free for students from preschool through graduate school. Mace said she hopes to strengthen the center's partnerships and ensure it remains a long-term resource for the South Coast. "My goal would be to help make sure the center is on stable financial footing so that we can be here as a longtime resource and to broaden all the partnerships so that it really is a community center," she said. GUEST * Trish Mace, director, Charleston Marine Life Center