PODCAST

Think Out Loud

Oregon Public Broadcasting

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

news

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20:18

Southern Oregon University faces financial crisis

Think Out Loud ·

2025/08/04

Southern Oregon University is currently facing a financial emergency. The current budget for the institution is roughly $71 million, but cuts need to be made to drop that number to $60 million. President Rick Bailey points to a number of factors contributing to the crisis, including the lack of state support and actions from the Trump administration. Bailey’s new proposal to cut costs includes declaring a financial exigency that could impact more than 60 employees and

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13:47

In Lane County, Mapleton’s water supply is affected...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/08/01

In western Lane County, the unincorporated community of Mapleton has struggled with its water infrastructure. Community leaders had stitched together funding to improve Mapleton’s system. That patchwork included federal funding from the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and FEMA, according to reporting by KLCC.While it’s been able to claw back some money with the help of lawmakers, the community has still lost funds and resources

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19:11

How community forest management can help Oregon...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/08/01

Several communities in Oregon have bought portions of their surrounding forests to more directly manage their natural resources. The “community forest” model has been used to manage for wildfire risk, drinking water quality, recreation and more. The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board recently awarded grants to six cities to protect forests around their drinking water sources. The funding allows them to purchase land, arrange for conservation easements and pay back

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19:01

Indigenous youth complete first descent down Klamath...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/08/01

A group of Native American youth recently completed the first full descent of the Klamath River since the four largest dams on the river were removed last fall. Kayakers traveled more than 300 miles over 30 days on the source-to-sea trip, which was organized by the Paddle Tribal Waters program. Julian Rogers and Kiahna Allen both participated in the trip. They join us to share more about their experience.

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17:15

Study documents wild orcas attempting to share their...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/31

Orcas, also known as killer whales, are among the most well-studied marine mammals, captivating the public and scientists alike with their intelligence, strong social bonds and complex behaviors. Scientists recently documented critically endangered Southern Resident orcas in the Salish Sea using kelp as a grooming tool. They have also been observed wearing carcasses of salmon on their heads, either as a sign of playfulness or to eat at a later date, according to marine

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10:28

Inside Mt Rainier’s most powerful seismic swarm on...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/31

Earlier this month, Mount Rainier experienced its most powerful seismic swarm ever recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey. More than 1,000 earthquakes have been detected at the mountain since July 8 — far above the volcano’s usual activity level — and the swarm is still continuing.However, despite the levels of seismic activity, the USGS’s Cascades Volcano Observatory say there’s no sign of magma movement or volcanic unrest. Instead, they believe

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15:10

OSU researcher on the potential of geothermal energy...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/31

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has recently leased out more than 5,000 acres of public land for geothermal energy in Malheur County. Leasing of the land is the first step in developing geothermal resources - specifically, the production of electricity from heat within the earth. But how common is geothermal energy in the U.S. and what potential is there for its widespread use in Oregon? Adam Schultz is a geophysics professor at Oregon State University and the president of

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10:44

Multnomah County severs ties with Gresham homeless...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/31

Multnomah County won’t renew its contract with Rockwood Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit based in Gresham, according to reporting by Willamette Week. The county stated it had stopped funding the homeless service provider after the organization double-counted costs and charged for rooms that were closed for repairs, according to Willamette Week. Rockwood CDC disputed the allegations and stated Multnomah County owed it $1.1 million in overdue payments. Anthony

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13:31

Stuppler wins national honors for classical and...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/30

Lakeridge High School senior Elaina Stuppler is no stranger to the spotlight. She performs in the Portland Youth Philharmonic, playing trombone - but she also plays tuba, piano and composes music as well. She’s regularly featured on All Classical Radio as a reporter and Artist in Residence. But the last few months have been a veritable cavalcade of honors and opportunities. Stuppler won the Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge. Her winning composition, about the life of

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11:47

Trump administration ends 988 hotline for LGBTQ+ youth

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/30

The federal government recently ended its specialized suicide prevention hotline for LGBTQ+ youth. Previously, callers could press 3 when they called the national suicide and crisis lifeline to be connected with counselors who were specifically traines to help queer youth. Now, all calls will be directed to the general 988 hotline.Lines for Life operates several crisis hotlines in Oregon, including a dedicated YouthLine. It also answers the majority of 988 calls made in the

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27:31

OSU expert on chatbots shares concerns with AI and...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/30

From students using artificial intelligence for schoolwork, to others seeking chatbots for companionship, our relationship with technology continues to change. But are the ways we use AI healthy, and what long-term effects could they have on us socially? Naomi Aguiar is the associate director of research at OSU’s Ecampus and an expert on children and adult relationships with imaginary friends and AI chatbots. She joins us to answer these questions and more.

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18:00

How Oregon scientists and oyster farmers are...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/29

In the late 2000s, unexplained mass die-offs of oysters at Whiskey Creek Shellfish Hatchery in Tillamook, Oregon helped scientists uncover a major threat to coastal ecosystems: ocean acidification. Today, Oregon’s coast remains one of the areas most affected by this phenomenon. Each summer, deep ocean waters rich in carbon dioxide and low in oxygen rise to the surface — a natural process known as upwelling — creating corrosive conditions that make it harder

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18:09

Eugene’s Lucky Enough Social Club creating community,...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/29

Rodger Deevers knows he’s a lucky man. He’s a financial advisor in Eugene with all his basic needs met — and then some. But two years ago, after he and his wife took a vacation to the island of Curaçao off the Venezuelan coast, he wanted to bring some of the sense of community and vibrant public art back to the Eugene-Springfield area — and contribute to area nonprofits. He says he didn’t know quite how to begin, so he just started with an

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16:19

Audit finds Multnomah County has work to do on equity...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/29

Unlike some other counties in Oregon and across the country, Multnomah County has remained committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts. However, a recent audit found that the county has some work to do on its DEI initiatives. Across the county Asian employees are less likely to be supervisors, Black or African American employees are less likely to pass the trial service period and are more likely to be fired, and LGBTQIA employees are more likely to quit. Multnomah

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14:15

Fourteen-year-old Portlander competes to be...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/28

Isha Marla is a 14-year-old with a love for science who recently finished her last year at Tumwater Middle School in the Beaverton School District. She is also just one of 10 students in the nation, and the only one from Oregon, who made it to the finalist round of a national science competition sponsored by Discovery Education and 3M, which manufactures a vast array of products, from Post-It Notes to stethoscopes. The 3M Young Scientist Challenge is open to middle school

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17:55

Unhoused patients recovering from surgery in Eugene...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/28

Everyone Village, a transitional shelter program in Eugene, is partnering with PeaceHealth to open 10 tiny homes where unhoused patients can safely recover from surgery. As reported by KLCC, the project will also include a medical clinic to provide primary care to all residents of the village. Patients in the recuperation cottages will have full access to Everyone Village’s suite of wraparound services during their stay. Gabe Piechowicz is the founder and executive

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20:35

Community media organizations and rural serving...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/28

Public broadcasters large and small have been reacting to the unprecedented Congressional vote to pull already-approved funding for public media. In Oregon and Washington, public radio stations face an array of challenges, depending on their size and resources. Some radio stations play nationally-produced NPR content, but not all. Many are squarely focused on covering their local community news with locally produced programs. Tribal stations, rural stations, student-driven

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12:11

Workers complain of bad management, poor conditions...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/25

Renaissance fairs have long been a place for workers and visitors alike to find community amid the trappings of a fictional medieval town. “Merchants” bring their wares to hawk, while various “guilds” provide the entertainment, from jousting to smithing to demonstrating medieval textile arts.But some longtime guild workers at the Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire have pulled out of the festival due to what they describe as bad management and poor

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32:11

Problem of overtourism comes into focus for Portland...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/25

Last October, Patrick Leonard opened Postcard Bookshop, fusing his love for literature with his love for travel. Located in Portland’s Central Eastside neighborhood, the store’s shelves are organized according to countries or regions, from Africa to Oceania and the Pacific Northwest. In addition to travel guides, phrase books and cookbooks showcasing world cuisines, novels on display provide passage to new cultures and worldly journeys. But running a bookstore geared

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20:08

Cannabis testing in Oregon shows inflated THC numbers

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/24

Many states in the U.S. have legalized cannabis either medically or recreationally, but without legalization at the federal level regulation is left to states, including testing for contaminants and THC levels. New reporting from Undark, an online science magazine, found that in some states, including Oregon, independent labs were inflating THC level numbers and providing fraudulent results. Teresa Carr, a senior contributor at Undark, joins us to share more on lab testing and

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