The Bear Cage

An Update and a Story

Today is a short two-part episode. Part 1. An explanation from me on the future of the podcast and what I've been up to in the last few weeks. Part 2. A story of a missing girl. Her name is Heather Cameron. She's a Grand Ronde tribal member, and she's been missing since 2012. For more information about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, please visit: The Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women - www.csvanw.org The National Indigenous Women's Resouce Center - www.niwrc.org

La Migra

Today we're going through two stories in one episode. The first is the story of two guys trying to make their way back to Oregon from the Mexican state of Baja California Sur, their run-ins with corrupt police, drunk drivers, and the Mexican military. The second story is about Judy and Pedro Landeros. Much of Pedro's adult life has been tangled up in the US Immigration system. After a series of deportations, one of them after he married his American girlfriend. This is their roller-coaster of a story detailing how Pedro finally gained status as a US Resident. To share your story on the podcast reach out at OregonStoryProject@gmail.com

The Bear Cage

Before podcasts and radio and tv, people passed stories down to the younger generations. A podcast listener sent in his memory of a story an old man named Arthur told him back in the 1980s. The tragic events of this story take place in the Wallowa Mountain logging scene in the 1930s. It involves a disabled former logger named Merle, his roadside bar, and a bear cub. WARNING: This episode contains some graphic imagery. It might not be suitable for everyone. To tell your story on the podcast email: OregonStoryProject@gmail.com

Oregon or Bust

Living in Long Beach, CA in 1971, my grandma was reluctant to go along with my grandpa's wish to move to Oregon. Then the 6.6 magnitude Sylmar-San Fernando earthquake struck Southern California. She'd finally had enough. Pretty much every step of their journey to Oregon was fraught with problems, peril, and restless kids. Using her phone recorder, my grandma talks about my family's trek to their new home in Oregon.

Every Beautiful Thing We Can See

Back in 2012, I had a strange couple of nights involving my accordion and the folks of Neutral Milk Hotel. Special thanks to Michelle Reed for theme music on this episode.  Want to share a story? Email the Oregon Story Project at  OregonStoryProject@gmail.com Video: Jeff Mangum and friends at McMenamin's Crystal Ballroom (2012) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCQiDv52tX8&feature=youtu.be&t=4m48s]