PODCAST

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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14:18

Oregon Democratic Senator on transportation bill he...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/01

When Oregon lawmakers convened in January to kick off the 2025 legislative session, among their top legislative priorities was a transportation funding fix for the state’s aging bridges, highways and roads. But the Democratic supermajority failed to get a transportation package over the legislative finish line when the session adjourned on Friday night.Democrats waited until the last month to unveil HB 2025, which would have generated nearly $12 billion over the next

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15:17

What the future of the Blazers looks like after...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/01

The NBA draft started last week, and free agency just began. For the Blazers and their fans, some new faces will hit the court, and others will say goodbye. Yang Hansen, a 7-foot-1 center from China, is the Blazers’ newest rookie and was No. 16 in the overall draft. The Blazers also recently parted ways with center Deandre Ayton after a slew of “bad ways,” including tardiness, tantrums and skipping rehabilitation appointments, as first reported in The Athletic

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12:21

CAHOOTS navigates local cuts

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/01

CAHOOTS, the Lane County program that’s been a model for mobile crisis services around the country, has been facing challenges at the local and federal level. Services in Eugene came to an end earlier this year as the city managed a budget shortfall. Lane County offers crisis services that are funded through Medicaid, but CAHOOTS also specialized in homeless and community outreach. While CAHOOTS is no longer serving Eugene, its contract with Springfield has been renewed

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11:20

ODFW releases draft management plan for Southern...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/07/01

Last year, Oregon added the Southern Resident orca to the state’s endangered species list, giving it added protections nearly two decades after it was federally listed under the endangered species act in 2005. Now, a new draft management plan has been released by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to help whale numbers. Currently there are 73 Southern Resident orcas traveling in three pods along the west coast. About 48 whales within two of those pods spend time

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13:26

Housing advocates warn Oregon legislative cuts to...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/06/30

In the last two weeks of the Oregon legislative session, which ended late Friday night, housing advocates including the Community Alliance of Tenants, the Oregon Housing Alliance and the Urban League of Portland sounded the alarm and protested in Salem over funding cuts. They said the programs for emergency rent assistance and programs to prevent eviction must remain funded to prevent thousands of individuals and families with children from being evicted and becoming homeless

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15:25

What climate policies did – and didn’t – pass the...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/06/30

The Oregon Legislature wrapped up the 2025 regular session on Sunday. Lawmakers passed bills that addressed utility rate hikes, large energy users like data centers and microgrids for local electricity generation, among other environmental issues. But some advocates think lawmakers didn't go far enough in advancing the state's carbon-cutting goals. Nora Apter is the Oregon director for Climate Solutions, a regional nonprofit that advocates for climate policy. She joins us to

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23:41

Oregon legislature wraps up a busy session

Think Out Loud ·

2025/06/30

The gavel came down on this year’s session of the Oregon legislature on Friday. Legislators failed to pass a controversial funding package for transportation and infrastructure. They also took up gun bills, civil commitment, wildfire funding and many other issues. OPB political reporter Dirk VanderHart helps us understand it all.

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11:54

Multnomah County reports measles case, here’s what...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/06/27

On Tuesday, Oregon's first measles case of the year was reported in Multnomah County, joining a slew of other states who have had reported cases this year. The individual who tested positive is an adult who is believed to have acquired the disease while traveling abroad and was hospitalized in Portland. The highly contagious disease is transmitted through the air via coughs and sneezes, with symptoms including fever, cough and a rash appearing from seven to 21 days after

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17:46

Portland’s Pacific Standard and Palomar up for...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/06/27

Two Portland bars are among the top four finalists for this year’s Spirited Awards, one of the most prestigious honors in the cocktail world. Pacific Standard, located inside the KEX Hotel, is nominated for Best U.S. Hotel Bar. Palomar — a Cuban-inspired bar that recently moved from Hosford-Abernathy to Northwest Portland — is a finalist for Best U.S. Restaurant Bar. The awards, which will be announced in New Orleans on July 24, recognize excellence in bars and

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22:41

Faith-based City Team Portland will double its...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/06/27

Lance Orton is the executive director of CityTeam Portland, which offers shelter, housing and recovery services to its clients. If you hadn’t read about him or heard him tell his story, you’d never guess Orton was himself homeless and addicted to heroin just seven years ago. In addition to being the executive director of CityTeam, he also sits on the board of Central Eastside Together and the Old Town Community Association. He also serves as board chair of Shelter

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14:29

In Southern Oregon, concerns over privacy and police...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/06/26

Information for Public Use, a group that researches public records, found that the Medford Police Department has collaborated with regional and federal law enforcement agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement.Medford and other law enforcement agencies in Southern Oregon have shared surveillance technology and tactics, according to a report by Jefferson Public Radio. In August last year, the ACLU of Oregon sued the City of Medford claiming that the police broke

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18:11

What regulations for ketamine clinics look like in...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/06/26

Ketamine is an anesthetic that has been growing in use as an off-label prescription to treat depression. Individuals can access the drug through telehealth appointments and clinics in person. But new reporting from Undark shows that many of these providers face few regulations, and much is still unknown about the drug. Dawn Fallik is an associate professor at the University of Delaware and a freelance medicine and science reporter. She covered this story through a grant from the

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20:23

Oregon high school program teaches students about the...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/06/26

A new high school program in Oregon teaches students the ins and outs of seafood butchery and the state’s "blue economy." The program was in the pilot stage last year at six schools but has grown to 15 and now has a new curriculum that focuses on seafood caught in the Pacific Northwest. A major goal of the program was to get local seafood in the hands of students, as a study commissioned by the Oregon Coast Visitors Association found that 90% of Oregon-caught seafood is

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24:35

Native Oregonian Fred Grandy killed in Russian drone...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/06/25

Artist Fred Grandy grew up in Oregon with five sisters and one brother. The family also lived in Washington for a time. As an adult, Grandy moved around the country, with stints in California, Louisiana, Kentucky and Virginia. But his last days were spent in Ukraine, volunteering with a group that helped to clear up debris after Russian bombings. His sister, Bend resident Sietska Reed, says he had taken off on an open-ended trip to Western Europe but found himself drawn to

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28:53

REBROADCAST: Isaka Shamsud-Din

Think Out Loud ·

2025/06/25

Portland artist and activist Isaka Shamsud-Din has captured the lives and histories of African Americans in paintings throughout his life. He draws on his experiences growing up in Portland for his work. His exhibit, “Rock of Ages,” is currently on display at the Portland Art Museum. We spoke to him in January 2020.As reported earlier by Oregon ArtsWatch, Portland artist, educator and activist Isaka Shamsud-Din has died. The arts and education nonprofit Don’t

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14:30

How Vancouver aims to spur new housing construction...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/06/24

If current trends continue, the city of Vancouver can expect to build roughly 700 new housing units this year. That’s far less than the city’s goal of building 2,000 new housing units annually and a sharp decline from the roughly 1,100 units it developed last year. The Columbian recently reported on the drop in new construction in Vancouver and the factors contributing to it, including tariffs on steel, aluminum and lumber which are driving up construction

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14:22

Rose City roller derby is well represented at World Cup

Think Out Loud ·

2025/06/24

At least five members of Portland’s Rose City Rollers roller derby team will be headed to the Roller Derby World Cup in Austria next week. And a few more members of the local team will be competing on the world stage representing their countries of origin. Lex Zhang, who is known as Lexsanguination when she skates, will be competing with Chinese Nations Roller Derby. The players for this team come from all over the world but share a common Chinese ancestry. The Roller

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22:44

Immigration crackdown clouds outlook for sweet cherry...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/06/24

It’s peak harvest time for sweet cherries in Oregon and Washington. Growers in the Pacific Northwest are anticipating a strong crop this year, with a higher yield than last year’s harvest. But what they weren’t anticipating was a workforce shortage that’s being driven by the fear of immigration enforcement raids. KUOW reported earlier on how this issue is threatening the livelihoods of cherry farmers in Washington.The immigration crackdown is also

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17:08

REBROADCAST: Remembering Celilo Falls before a dam...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/06/23

When the gates on The Dalles Dam closed in 1957, Celilo Falls was flooded and a vital salmon fishery for Yakama and Warm Springs tribal people was forever changed. Warm Springs Tribal Elder Linda Meanus was a young girl at the time, being raised by her grandparents, Flora Thompson and Chief Tommy Thompson, in nearby Celilo Village. In that bustling community along the Columbia River where salmon provided sustenance and a way of life, she learned about the importance of first

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17:26

New digital archive explores Portland’s Jade District...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/06/23

Behind the Wok is a new digital archive from APANO that looks at the six historic Chinese restaurants that helped form Portland’s Jade District. These include Hung Far Low, Canton Grill, Chinese Village, New Cathay, Legin and Wong’s King Seafood. The archive explores how these restaurants became community hubs and how early restaurateurs leaned on one another. Suenn Ho is a principal urban designer at Resolve Architecture. Brian Liu is the community development

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