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Good morning, Northwest.

It’s been a difficult year (capping off several difficult years) for gray whales off the West Coast with lots of ship strikes, low calf counts and signs of malnourishment.

A small population of whales has forgone migration to feed among kelp forests off the Oregon Coast. OPB’s Stephani Gordon starts today’s newsletter with a look into why scientists have taken interest in this group of whales.

In other news, new video shows the aftermath of the deadly chemical tank rupture at a Longview paper mill.

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

— Bradley W. Parks

Top story

The unexpected connection between gray whales and kelp on the Oregon Coast

Every year, thousands of gray whales swim along the Oregon Coast as they migrate north to feed in the cold Arctic waters in the summer and then back south to breed and calve in Baja in the winter.

But a small number do not make the long journey north.

They stick around and feed off kelp forests in the shallow waters of the Oregon Coast all summer, where they do surprisingly acrobatic headstands and rolls — leading researchers to ask why.

They’re finding whales of this subgroup have different body shapes and foraging styles that may help them survive challenging conditions. (Stephani Gordon)

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3 things to know

• Bob Packwood, a longtime Oregon senator who entered national politics young and ascended to the pinnacles of congressional power before his career ended in scandal, died Saturday. He was 93. (Dirk VanderHart and Kristian Foden-Vencil)
• The Washington Department of Ecology has released footage of the aftermath of the chemical tank rupture at a Longview paper mill late last month that killed 11 people. (Joni Auden Land)
• The National Labor Relations Board has ordered management at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford to begin bargaining with more than 250 healthcare technicians who voted to join the Oregon Nurses Association union in 2023. (Justin Higginbottom, JPR)

Marking Pride with intergenerational conversations among queer people

Pride is about celebrating queer communities, and it’s also a chance to learn about queer history. This week, we’re revisiting two intergenerational conversations about the importance of history and combating queer erasure with friendship and resilience. (Julie Sabatier, Lillian Karabaic and Jess Hazel)

Listen Here

Northwest headlines

• ODOT director finalist fell through before Kotek turned to top aide (Dirk VanderHart)
• Lloyd Center ice rink hosts final showcase showcase celebration (Lillian Karabaic)
• With levee breached, Siuslaw Estuary connects to its past life as a sanctuary for salmon, lamprey, and tule (Brian Bull, KLCC)
• Park ranger from Washington state dies after falling into a crevasse on Alaska’s Denali (AP)
• Ogwumike and Hamby have double-doubles to help Sparks beat Fire 89-72 (AP)

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):

• Washington union supports workers and their families after deadly Longview mill disaster

One more look

One of the West Coast’s deadliest shipwrecks happened over 160 years ago

In July 1865, the S.S. Brother Jonathan sank south of the Oregon border in what remains one of the region’s deadliest maritime disasters.

The Brother Jonathan acted as a commuter ship, transporting passengers and goods up and down the West Coast. It sank after striking a rock similar to the iceberg that took down the Titanic.

Over 200 people and a treasure trove of gold coins went down with the ship.

For more than a century after the wreck, salvagers tried to find any lost treasure. (Kami Horton)

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/06/08/gray-whales-kelp-oregon-coast-first-look/