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Think Out Loud

Oregon Public Broadcasting

OPB"s daily conversation covering news, politics, culture and the arts. Hosted By Dave Miller.

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11:59

Southern Baptist Convention narrowly rejects ban on...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/28

There are roughly 500 Southern Baptist churches in the Pacific Northwest, accounting for more than 44,000 members. At its annual meeting last month, the Southern Baptist Convention considered an amendment to ban women from being pastors. It ultimately didn’t meet the two-thirds majority it needed to pass, but it still had support from more than 60% of delegates. At the same meeting, delegates passed a resolution opposing the use of in vitro fertilization. Susan Shaw is an

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11:09

Semi-truck crash causes indefinite closure of Hood...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/28

On Thursday morning, a semi-truck hauling an excavator caused severe damage to the Hood River-White Salmon bridge when an excavator it was hauling struck the lift span above the traffic lanes. The Port of Hood River immediately closed the nearly mile-long bridge spanning the Columbia River until “further notice.” No injuries were reported at the time of the accident. Engineering crews are continuing to assess the damage to the 100-year-old bridge and will provide an

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15:40

U.S. Supreme Court rules in Grants Pass case that...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/28

In April, United States Supreme Court Justices heard arguments in one of the most widely watched cases out of Oregon in recent memory. The question at the heart of Grants Pass v Johnson was whether cities can regulate where and when people can sleep outside, especially if there isn’t shelter space available. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals had held that the city’s ordinance was in violation of the basic principle established in Martin v. Boise from 2018: “A

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15:28

Gray whales off the Oregon coast have been shrinking...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/27

A population of gray whales that feed off the Oregon coast have been shrinking in size over the last 20 years. New research from Oregon State University shows that whales born in 2020 grew to be more than 13% shorter than whales born before 2000. The shrinkage could bring significant reproductive health challenges for the whales, and could also be a warning sign about the health of the broader ecosystem.K.C. Bierlich is an assistant professor of senior research at OSU’s

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22:32

Neutral overseer chosen for Oregon foster care class...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/27

Oregon’s foster care class action lawsuit against the state's Department of Human Services was settled in May after five years. But the improvements to the foster care system agreed in the settlement couldn’t move forward until a “neutral” was chosen to oversee the system. This week the court picked outside expert Kevin Ryan to oversee the changes. He previously played a similar role in child welfare cases in Texas, Michigan and Oklahoma, and also served

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15:07

Eight years later, is Measure 98 achieving its goals...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/27

In November 2016, Oregon voters overwhelmingly approved Measure 98, also known as the High School Success fund. It provides targeted state funds in three core areas: dropout prevention, career and technical education and college readiness. High schools across the state can apply to access Measure 98 funds by developing individual plans on how those dollars will get used to boost graduation rates among students at risk for dropping out, for example, or provide CTE courses. Stand

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20:27

U.S. track and field Olympic hopefuls compete at...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/26

Hayward Field is once again hosting the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene which end on Sunday. The nation’s best sprinters, hurdlers, javelin throwers and more are competing for a shot to qualify for the summer games which kick off next month in Paris. Among those who’ve already punched their tickets is Ryan Crouser, an Oregonian and two-time gold medalist who finished first in the men’s shot put final on Saturday night. Also competing is fellow

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13:00

Local nonprofit aims to build community by bringing...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/26

Summer is here, and people are kicking it off by getting out into nature. But those in communities of color can often feel excluded from natural spaces and from participating in activities like hiking and camping. People of Color Outdoors (POCO) is a local nonprofit that works to build community in the Portland area through outdoor excursions. It’s recently received multiple grants to continue this work and is kicking off birding programs with the Bird Alliance of Oregon

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12:48

Protections for health care workers lead to more...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/26

Washington is just one of many states that makes an assault on a health care worker a felony offense, but recent reporting from the Marshall Project and the Seattle Times found that this law is disproportionately affecting those in a mental crisis. From 2018 to 2022, there were 151 cases of felony assault on a health care worker in King County. A little more than three-quarters of those cases involved someone experiencing symptoms of a mental illness. Oregon has tried to pass a

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8:11

Portland Fire & Rescue warns of potential increase in...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/26

Although the City of Portland passed a fireworks ban in March of 2022, Portland Fire & Rescue is preparing for a potential increase in fires started by personal fireworks this Fourth of July. Reporting by Willamette Week found that although the number of fires caused by fireworks dipped during the year the ban was enacted, the number of fireworks-related fires increased by 33% in 2023 compared with 2022. The fire department continues to urge people to obey the ban and

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24:35

How firefighter apprenticeships are helping Oregon...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/25

Fire departments across Oregon are facing staffing shortages as veteran firefighters retire and volunteer numbers drop. But the Oregon Fire Apprenticeship program has been helping departments bring in more candidates with diverse backgrounds. The apprenticeship pays a minimum salary of $3,800 a month and covers the cost of the five community college classes required for training. The program has been running in Eugene-Springfield and Clackamas, Jackson and Klamath counties. With

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12:27

How an Oregon company is tackling safety and...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/25

Outdoor recreation generates around $7.5 billion in Oregon, according to the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. Some of our most popular industries include boating, tent camping, hiking and climbing. But while the industry generates more than 70,000 jobs in the state, some of these workers face dangers that go beyond just natural elements.As reported in the New York Times, women are reporting more abuse and sexual harassment in climbing. In 2018, a survey of over 5,000 climbers

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16:29

Oregon farm real estate values outpacing national trends

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/25

The latest data made available by the USDA Census of Agriculture show that the value of Oregon farmland has increased by 23% over a five-year period, compared with just 7% nationally. Dan Bigelow is an assistant professor in the department of Applied Economics at Oregon State University. He’s been analyzing this census data to create a fuller picture of Oregon farmland, including who agricultural producers are, the size and sales of the farms and their estimated land

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23:07

Author Renée Watson on “skin & bones,” her first...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/24

Renée Watson has topped bestseller lists and won multiple awards for her children’s and young adult literature. But the author, who splits her time between Portland and New York City, recently released “skin & bones,” her first book for adults. The story follows 40-year-old Lena Baker as she navigates dating, fat-shaming, friendship and motherhood while also working to bring Oregon’s Black history to the general public. The book also deals with

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12:30

Once a retirement community, King City navigates growth

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/24

King City, Oregon began as a community for older adults in the 1960s. While the area was once an age-restricted community, the demographics of the region are starting to change. As King City expands, leaders have to navigate managing growth amid pushback from some residents. We check in on what’s next for the region with city manager Mike Weston.

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16:45

How state and federal funding could impact Oregon’s...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/24

Oregon’s urban and community forestry program has grown significantly over the last few years thanks to an influx of state and federal funding. The program’s staff has more than tripled, and it recently received nearly $27 million in federal funding through the Inflation Reduction Act. $10 million of that is earmarked for grants to Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes, and $12.5 million will go to communities and organizations across the state to help with

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30:18

Portland Safe Rest Village in Southwest neighborhood...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/21

The city of Portland’s Safe Rest Village in the Southwest Multnomah Village neighborhood is one of two city run shelters that’s set to significantly expand capacity. The Multnomah Safe Rest Village, which opened in June 2022, will go from 28 units to 100. Volunteer groups like Southwest Outreach and Clean Camp PDX have been working for years to support the people they call their houseless neighbors. One of the key pieces of successfully integrating such a shelter

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22:31

How the Dobbs decision has affected medical students...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/21

It’s been two years since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Supreme Court decision that overturned the constitutional right to an abortion in the U.S. Since then, 14 states have instituted full bans on the procedure. Now new research shows that states with these bans are seeing fewer residency applications from medical students. Katie Hansen is an administrative chief resident at Oregon Health & Science University. Ian Field is an OB/GYN and the program

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18:36

World Cup cricket matches reflect sport’s rising...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/20

Earlier this month, the U.S. national cricket team defeated Pakistan during a match at the Men’s T20 World Cup. It was a stunning upset and impressive victory for Team USA’s first outing at the World Cup cricket tournament, as the team continues to defy expectations by advancing to the quarterfinals.The international tournament is also being played on U.S. soil for the first time, a reflection of the sport’s growing popularity here. There’s also now a

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16:13

In Oregon, ‘bass bash’ events raise awareness of...

Think Out Loud ·

2024/06/20

Smallmouth bass can be found in rivers throughout Oregon. The fish is an invasive species and has a big appetite for salmon smolt. Smallmouth bass have been disturbing ecosystems and compete with other species for food and habitat. The Native Fish Society will host two events on Saturday to raise awareness about the problem. The “bass bashes” will happen on the Molalla River and the Umpqua River. Attendees are encouraged to catch as many smallmouth bass as they can,

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