Southern Oregon arts picks: Music, films and live performances

Why Dunsmuir, California, claims to have the best water on earth

Dunsmuir is a historic town of approximately 2,800 residents in northern California. It features a dozen waterfalls through its canyons along the Sacramento River. It also boasts an active Amtrak rail station and a local airport for firefighting support and prevention. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/fe3d3f0/2147483647/strip/false/crop/1341x892+0+0/resize/792x527!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F2b%2Fec%2Fe77d3d874220994c5bb0fa61a847%2Fdunsmuir-waterfalls.png]Dunsmuir is a historic town of approximately 2,800 residents in northern California. It features a dozen waterfalls through its canyons along the Sacramento River. It also boasts an active Amtrak rail station and a local airport for firefighting support and prevention. (https://www.ci.dunsmuir.ca.us/explore.) A small city along the upper Sacramento River is leaning into its natural assets — from spring-fed drinking water to fly fishing — as it works to balance tourism with long-term sustainability. Dunsmuir, in northern California’s Siskiyou County, has about 2,800 residents and sits along Interstate 5 and the Union Pacific Railroad. Situated in a canyon, it draws visitors for its scenery and access to outdoor recreation. Dunsmuir boasts the "best water on earth," sourced from underground volcanic flows. "Our water comes from a volcanic tube that never sees the light of day until you turn the tap water on," Mayor Juliana Luchessi said. The untreated water is bottled at a city-owned, plastic-free facility. Water also shapes the local landscape, including nearby landmarks such as Hedge Creek Falls and Mossbrae Falls. Juliana Luchessi serves as the assistant city manager of Yreka, CA and also mayor of Dunsmuir, CA ... a neighboring town. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0b2740c/2147483647/strip/false/crop/557x561+0+0/resize/524x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd5%2F85%2F84ffe6ae45f988a4323fc6bf52ab%2Fjuliana-luchessi-yreka-dunsmuir.png]Juliana Luchessi serves as the assistant city manager of Yreka, CA and also mayor of Dunsmuir, CA ... a neighboring town. (Juliana Lechessi ) Tourism drives much of the local economy, particularly fly fishing and river-based recreation. Luchessi said the city caters to visitors looking for a slower pace, where people can “settle, enjoy the cool air and the water.” Despite its size, Dunsmuir functions as a regional transportation hub, with an active Amtrak station and a small airport used mainly for emergency services and wildfire response. The city is currently working on a safe, legal trail to Mossbrae Falls by 2030. Visitors currently reach the falls by walking along active railroad tracks, which is both dangerous and illegal. The city has also invested in wildfire preparedness, including a dedicated resilience planner and green waste programs. Luchessi said she wants Dunsmuir to remain a place where families can put down roots. "What I want for the city is to flourish and be a place where people can raise their families who can enjoy the natural beauty of the outdoors while being really close to community," she said. Local events, including Second Saturday art walks [https://www.dunsmuirsecondsaturday.com/]and the River and Rails Brewfest [https://www.riverandrailsbrewfest.com/], help reinforce that sense of community. * Juliana Luchessi, Mayor, Dunsmuir, CA

Northwest news: Snowy plovers, queer wrestling and a mammoth dig

Princesa Payaso taps out while Certified Public Asskcicker, top, has them in a hold as Clemente Danger officiates at House of Danger, a queer variety show that includes wrestling, comedy, karaoke, and magic, on April 29, 2026 at the Swan Dive in Portland, Ore. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a0fa882/2147483647/strip/false/crop/963x681+0+0/resize/747x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb5%2F5f%2F8b9a02634f72bede11187cde9d47%2Fportland-queer-wrestling.png]Princesa Payaso taps out while Certified Public Asskcicker, top, has them in a hold as Clemente Danger officiates at House of Danger, a queer variety show that includes wrestling, comedy, karaoke, and magic, on April 29, 2026 at the Swan Dive in Portland, Ore. (Eli Imadali / https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/23/southeast-portland-queer-wrestlers-performers/ ) Oregon’s seasonal partial beach closures help rejuvenate the once-threatened snowy plover [https://www.klcc.org/environment/2026-05-26/oregons-seasonal-partial-beach-closures-help-rejuvenate-the-once-threatened-snowy-plover] Restrictions on some Oregon beaches are helping a once-threatened shorebird make a comeback. Western snowy plovers nest in dry sand along the coast, where human activity can disturb nests and chicks. Since the species was listed as threatened in 1993, the breeding population in Oregon has grown from 45 adults to 546, aided by seasonal beach closures and habitat restoration efforts. Queer wrestlers and performers build community one body slam at a time [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/23/southeast-portland-queer-wrestlers-performers/] House of Danger is a monthly queer wrestling variety show in Portland. Created by local performers who wanted more opportunities to practice wrestling, the event has become a space for queer and trans wrestlers to develop characters and perform storylines. Beyond the body slams, the show fosters deep community ties, even hosting real-life milestones like a recent in-ring marriage proposal. Work on a mammoth dig site is underway [https://www.nwpb.org/local/2026-05-20/on-the-outskirts-of-the-tri-cities-work-on-a-mammoth-dig-site-is-underway] Near Kennewick, Washington, scientists and volunteers are continuing a yearslong excavation of a Columbian mammoth that died about 17,500 years ago. The Coyote Canyon dig site has become both a research project and an educational destination, where students help uncover clues about Ice Age floods, ancient ecosystems and the environment that surrounded the mammoth's remains.

After 28 seasons at OSF, Scott Kaiser completed Shakespeare's canon

Scott Kaiser leads a theatre class at Southern Oregon University. He recently released his latest book, a memoir titled, "Conquering The Canon: A Life In Shakespeare." [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d37e013/2147483647/strip/false/crop/1482x770+0+0/resize/792x411!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F46%2Fb4%2F99a2e5bf4226a279afbf76190e22%2Fscott-kaiser-osf-actor-and-author.jpg]Scott Kaiser leads a theatre class at Southern Oregon University. He recently released his latest book, a memoir titled, "Conquering The Canon: A Life In Shakespeare."(https://news.sou.edu/) Scott Kaiser's interest in Shakespeare began when he was cast in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at age 15. "It was a great way to meet high school girls," Kaiser said. More than four decades later, Kaiser has performed, coached or directed every play in Shakespeare's canon during 28 seasons at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. In his new book, "Conquering the Canon: A Life in Shakespeare [https://www.kaisershakespeare.com/upcoming]," Kaiser reflects on that experience and offers a behind-the-scenes look at bringing Shakespeare's works to the stage. Rather than literary criticism, Kaiser describes the practical challenges of rehearsing, performing and teaching Shakespeare. He also weighs in on debates over which plays belong in the canon. Kaiser defines Shakespeare's canon as 38 plays and rejects efforts to expand the list. "That's the number I've stuck with, and I'll probably go to my grave with that number," Kaiser said. Kaiser remains a defender of Shakespeare's language and rhetoric. He argues that modern productions often cut up to 30% of the text from plays such as "Love's Labour's Lost" to accommodate shorter attention spans. "Modern audiences do not have the listening ability that they even had 25 years ago," Kaiser said. Kaiser said he built his career in Ashland because the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's repertory company provided an environment where actors could learn from one another over many years. He compared the camaraderie of a repertory ensemble to the Marines, saying performers support one another onstage and off. Looking ahead, Kaiser sees opportunities to use technology to help audiences engage with Shakespeare's language. One possibility, he said, is using screens to provide real-time definitions of obscure Shakespearean words, including "honorificabilitudinitatibus," one of the longest words Shakespeare used. "I think ultimately Shakespeare is probably going to go that way," Kaiser said. GUEST * Scott Kaiser, author, Conquering The Canon: A Life In Shakespeare [https://www.kaisershakespeare.com/upcoming]

Why a Southern Oregon vineyard had to add a disclaimer to its orange wine

Two young girls sit in a lavender field at Dos Mariposas Vineyards and Lavender Farm in Southern Oregon. One girl holds a sprig of lavender while rows of purple flowers surround them. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/fc3b34b/2147483647/strip/false/crop/2560x1920+0+0/resize/704x528!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F21%2F2e%2Fafc6728144adb806c7407ce15133%2Fgirls-in-the-lavender-2019-original-scaled.jpg]Amelia and Adeline, the daughters of owners Mark and Terri Rennick-Deering, sit among lavender plants at Dos Mariposas Vineyards and Lavender Farm. "Dos Mariposas" means "two butterflies," a reference to the sisters. ( Dos Mariposas) A Southern Oregon vineyard known for its lavender fields is introducing two orange wines this summer, including a sparkling version that required an unusual federal disclaimer after regulators worried consumers might mistake it for wine made from oranges. Dos Mariposas Vineyards and Lavender Farm [https://dosmariposasvineyards.com/], located in the Rogue Valley, is releasing a still, skin-fermented sauvignon blanc and a sparkling wine called Mariposa Naranja. Unlike traditional white wines, orange wines are made by fermenting white grapes with their skins, giving them a deeper color and more tannic flavor. For owner Terri Rennick-Deering and her family, the venture began with a leap of faith. They moved from the Twin Cities and purchased the property sight unseen, hoping to find a warmer climate and a place where multiple generations of the family could live together. "We decided starting a vineyard with no experience whatsoever at owning or running a small business or doing any farming would be a great idea," Rennick-Deering said. The idea has proven successful, she said. The sparkling wine's label became an unexpected hurdle. Federal regulators worried consumers could confuse the grape wine with a fruit wine made from oranges. "We finally came upon a solution," Rennick-Deering said, referring to the lengthy disclaimer now required on the label. After extensive discussions, the vineyard and regulators settled on a label that includes a lengthy disclaimer explaining the wine is made from grapes, not oranges. Rennick-Deering said the wine has a bright earthiness and more acidity and tannins than a typical white wine. The vineyard is also known for its lavender fields, which thrive in a climate Rennick-Deering compares to Southern France. Rennick-Deering said lavender has a wide range of uses, including culinary and wellness applications, and pairs well with wine. That combination comes together in the vineyard's Mimosa-posa, made with sparkling wine and lavender lemonade. Visitors can experience the vineyard during Lavender Festival weekends in June and July. The event includes U-pick lavender bundles, live music and demonstrations of lavender oil distillation. Rennick-Deering said there is something especially relaxing about sipping wine while listening to bees buzz across a field of purple blooms. GUEST * Terri Rennick-Deering, owner, Dos Mariposas Vineyards and Lavender Farm [https://dosmariposasvineyards.com/] Rows of grapevines grow in front of the tasting room at Dos Mariposas Vineyards and Lavender Farm. Large trees and low hills rise behind the vineyard under a clear blue sky. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/cb4b218/2147483647/strip/false/crop/4096x2304+0+0/resize/792x446!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4d%2F5f%2F7fdc28074c4f8c21995c3ba176c5%2F1000005715.jpg]Rows of grapevines stretch across Dos Mariposas Vineyards and Lavender Farm in the Rogue Valley. The family-owned vineyard recently released two orange wines, including a sparkling wine called Mariposa Naranja.(Natalie Golay / JPR)

Monarch butterflies face mounting threats from habitat loss, advocates say

The Center for Food Safety is suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department to obtain protection for the monarch butterflies under the Endangered Species Act. [https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/86d0705/2147483647/strip/false/crop/488x272+0+0/resize/488x272!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F69%2Fec%2F6225e599476ea3e345496183de63%2Fmonarch-butterflies-center-for-food-safety.jpg]The Center for Food Safety is suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department to obtain protection for the monarch butterflies under the Endangered Species Act. (Center for Food Safety ) Monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles across North America each year, but their populations have declined sharply in recent decades. George Kimbrell, co-executive director of the Center for Food Safety [https://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/], said monarch numbers have fallen by about 90% since the late 1990s. Environmental groups are pushing for stronger federal protections, arguing the species faces growing threats from habitat loss and agricultural practices. Monarch caterpillars [https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Plant-Native/Why-Native/Milkweed-for-Monarchs] rely exclusively on milkweed, and Kimbrell said widespread use of glyphosate-based herbicides, including Roundup, has eliminated large areas of the plant [https://xerces.org/milkweed-faq] across the Midwest and other agricultural regions. Kimbrell also pointed to neonicotinoid insecticides, which affect insects' nervous systems and can harm pollinators. He said declines in pollinator populations could have broader implications for food production because many crops depend on pollination. Environmental groups, including the Center for Food Safety, have sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeking a final decision on whether monarch butterflies should receive protection under the Endangered Species Act. Kimbrell said efforts to secure federal protections have stretched on for more than a decade. Scientists have warned that western monarch populations face a significant risk of extinction in the coming decades without intervention. GUEST * George Kimbrell, co-director, Center for Food Safety