PODCAST

Think Out Loud

Oregon Public Broadcasting

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

news

All Episodes

19:37

New PSU course explores history of Portland Parks

Think Out Loud ·

2025/11/05

There are more than 150 parks, and over 11,000 acres of land maintained by Portland Parks and Recreation. Parks play a role in providing a community gathering space, an area for exercise and more for communities. And recently, Portland voters cast their ballots on whether they support an increase to the Portland Parks levy. But how have parks changed over the years and which ones have we lost along the way? To answer these questions and more, Catherine McNeur joins us. She is a

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11:21

Northwest Museum of Cartoon Arts debuts first exhibit...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/11/05

After four years in the making, the Northwest Museum of Cartoon Arts will be opening a permanent location in downtown Portland. Its debut exhibit "The Pacific Northwest in Comics” will explore and highlight the local comic industry and the notable artists, writers and others who have shaped the scene. Mike Rosen is the board chair for the museum. He joins us to share more about the only cartoon arts museum in the Northwest and the role Portland plays in the industry as a

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11:55

Salem City Council accepts business groups’ donation...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/11/05

Last week, the Salem City Council voted 6-3 in favor of accepting a $180,000 donation from the Salem Chamber of Commerce and Salem Main Street Association to address concerns about livability and crime. The donation will be used to double the size of the Salem Police Department’s Homeless Services Team from two to four officers. The team responds to unsanctioned homeless encampments and helps connect unsheltered people to wraparound services. In a letter sent to the city

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10:29

Portland begins enforcing public camping ban

Think Out Loud ·

2025/11/05

Portland’s public camping ban went into effect over the weekend. Police can now issue citations for people living in vehicles or camping in parks, streets and other public spaces if “reasonable shelter” is available. The ordinance originally passed in 2024, but Mayor Keith Wilson said in February he would pause enforcement until the city could open more shelter beds. Meanwhile, Portland voters had until Tuesday at 8 p.m. to decide on a controversial ballot

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19:21

A look at voting methods across Oregon

Think Out Loud ·

2025/11/04

In 1908, Oregon voters approved a statewide ballot measure allowing proportional representation to be used in voting across the state. More than 100 years later, Portland voters used ranked choice voting for the first time, while Oregon voters overall opposed a switch to adopt ranked choice voting statewide. A new analysis from Sightline Institute looked at voting methods across the state and found that current election methods lead to a “pattern of

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17:19

Even as SNAP is partially restored, Clark County Food...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/11/04

On Monday, the Trump administration announced that it will partially restore funding for the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program, but only at half the amount recipients of the food aid program would normally get this month. In separate rulings on Friday, two federal judges had ordered the Trump administration to tap billions of dollars in emergency reserves to continue to fund the program which 42 million Americans rely on, including 1 in 6 households in Oregon.

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16:09

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek on partial SNAP funding and...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/11/04

On Monday, the Trump administration said it would partially restore funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in response to two federal judicial rulings last Friday that ordered it to use contingency funds to pay for the federal food assistance program. Oregon and Washington were part of a coalition of 25 states and the District of Columbia that had sued to prevent the loss of monthly SNAP benefits on Nov. 1. The 42 million people across the nation who rely on

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16:53

Siltez opens first tribal housing project in Salem

Think Out Loud ·

2025/11/03

The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians recently opened its first affordable housing development in Salem. The city is the second-largest population center for tribal citizens outside of Siletz, according to tribal housing officials. As reported in Underscore Native News, the complex includes two- to four-bedroom homes, with half of the 39 units reserved for residents who make below 80% of the area's median income. Vera Vasquez just moved into a home in the development, known

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18:56

Pink Lemonade Project provides mentors and community...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/11/03

The Vancouver-based Pink Lemonade was started in 2010 by two doctors Allen and Cassie Gabriel, a plastic surgeon and an anesthesiologist. They saw a gap in non-medical, emotional support for women being treated for breast cancer in the Portland-metro area. They began offering retreats and support groups locally, eventually adding a mentorship program where breast cancer survivors who have gone through treatment mentor others who have more recently gotten a diagnosis. And 15

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17:33

How protein became a diet craze

Think Out Loud ·

2025/11/03

Demand for protein powders and shakes has soared in recent years as influencers and health gurus have touted the nutrient’s benefits for weight loss and muscle gain. But the benefits could come at a cost. A recent Consumer Reports investigation found unsafe levels of lead in many popular protein supplements. More than two-thirds of the products tested had more lead in a single serving than food safety experts say is safe to consume in an entire day. Hannah Cutting-Jones is

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35:01

2025 Oregon Book Award winner “We Were the Universe”...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/10/31

Kimberly King Parsons debut novel, “We Were the Universe” received the Oregon Book Award’s Ken Kesey Award for Fiction earlier this year. The novel explores grief, trauma and psychedelic experiences as readers follow young mom, Kit, through journeys both physical and emotional. Parsons joins to discuss Texas, motherhood, loss and more.

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16:10

After historic dam removal, salmon return to...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/10/31

After more than 100 years, Chinook salmon have made it to areas above Upper Klamath Lake in Southern Oregon. Earlier this month, a radio-tagged adult salmon was detected in the Williamson River and others were found in tributaries on the west side of Upper Klamath Lake and in the Sprague River.The return of salmon follows the largest river restoration project in U.S. history. The removal of four dams in Southern Oregon and Northern California was completed last year. Adult

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44:50

Season Two: Hush

Think Out Loud ·

2025/10/30

Eighteen-year-old Sarah Zuber was found dead in 2019 just 400 feet from her home in Rainier. The second season of OPB’s investigative podcast "Hush" focuses on her story and the ways that citizen sleuthing, declining local media, and a police department that can’t find answers led to serious rifts in rural Columbia County. We’ll listen to the first episode of the new season.

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8:23

In Sisters, welcoming tourists and managing local...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/10/30

LONG SYNOPSIS:The city of Sisters has built a strong tourism base, from its acclaimed rodeo and quilt shows to its outdoor experiences. But Sisters also grapples with economic development and big challenges, from wildfires to housing shortages. City officials are working on providing more affordable housing options for residents. And earlier this year, the Flat Fire burned as close as two miles northeast of the city. The blaze destroyed roughly 23,000 acres and five

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19:12

What a county lawsuit could mean for Oregon’s...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/10/29

Marion County filed a lawsuit this summer asking a federal court to clarify what information it could provide to federal immigration officials. Since then, 20 of Oregon’s 36 counties have voiced their support for the lawsuit, along with nearly all county sheriffs in the state. Attorney General Dan Rayfield has asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing that Oregon’s sanctuary state law clearly prohibits local cooperation in immigration enforcement. Juliet Stumpf is

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18:53

Portlander’s global health development podcast...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/10/29

In February, the Trump administration announced cuts to more than 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall assistance around the world. In July, the agency’s remaining programs were brought under the control of the State Department. Thousands of USAID staff and contractors working in the US and around the world have been fired or laid off, including Portlander Leah Petit. A global health professional for nearly 20 years, Petit was a senior

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15:12

In Oregon, food pantries prepare for delay in SNAP...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/10/29

Earlier this month, the Trump Administration said it will not tap emergency dollars to keep funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program flowing during the government shutdown. On Tuesday, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced that Oregon had joined a coalition of more than 20 states, including Washington, suing the Trump Administration for suspending the federal food assistance program. Organizations that provide groceries and other services have already

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19:48

Report shows more than 170 US citizens were detained...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/10/28

The U.S. government does not track how many citizens are being detained by immigration agents. But new reporting from ProPublica found that there were more than 170 incidents where citizens were detained by authorities at raids and protests, including people who were held for more than a day without being given the chance to call loved ones or a lawyer. Nicole Foy is the Ancil Payne Fellow for ProPublica. She joins us to share more on her reporting.

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14:27

New Washington program makes it easier for family...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/10/28

Since July, a new streamlined process in Washington allows family members of children in the foster care system to become licensed caregivers. As first reported in the Imprint, the change allows "kinship caregivers" to receive resources that were initially not available to them. The updates made by the state of Washington come after federal policy changes made under the Biden administration to allow states to come up with their own licensing standards. Ruben Reeves is the

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18:08

Should Portlanders support the parks levy? Both sides...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/10/28

Some Portlanders will be seeing a single issue on their ballot, a 75% increase in the current levy that funds parks. Under this new increase, the average homeowner would pay an extra $133 a year in taxes. The levy would help fund swim lessons, summer camps, sports programs and allows the Parks Bureau to provide free or reduced cost programs to low-income residents. However, the levy would not be used for much needed maintenance and the city still lacks a stable funding plan for

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