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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18:23

War in Iran is affecting Oregon farmers as oil and...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/30

The U.S. led war in Iran is not just driving oil prices up. It's doing the same for fertilizer. A third of the world's supply of fertiziler passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran still has largely blocked. Woodburn farmer Jon Iverson grows grass seed, wheat, grapes and tulips, among other crops. Molalla nursery owner Jim Gilbert grows fruiting plants, among others. They join us to share how these price hikes are affecting them. We also hear from Alice Morrison, the

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21:04

How the wide adoption of Operation Inflation animal...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/30

Operation Inflation was conceived last fall when protests at Portland’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement building routinely drew counter protesters and a large law enforcement presence. Jordy Lybeck and his wife Lacy wanted to impact the nature of news coverage as Pres. Trump threatened to send National Guard troops to Portland. As Trump’s baseless assertions that Portland was “war-ravaged,” a “burning-hellhole,” where the mayor and the

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26:30

New biography explores life and LGBTQ+ activism of...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/27

Father Tom Oddo served as president of the University of Portland from 1982 until his death in a car crash in 1989. During his presidency, he helped UP transition to coed housing, oversaw construction of the Chiles Center and reversed the university’s declining enrollment.Before coming to Portland, Oddo was a key member of the gay rights movement in Boston, advocating for the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ Catholics in the church. From 1973 to 1977, Oddo served as the first

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13:03

Eugene Weekly continues to recover after embezzler...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/27

Just over two years ago, Eugene Weekly, the city’s longtime alternative-weekly newspaper, came to a shocking halt. EW’s editor announced that their beloved paper was flat broke — not because of mismanagement, but because their business manager had apparently been embezzling for years. The paper was missing $100,000, with an additional $200,000 in bills that hadn't been paid. Editor Camilla Mortenson said she had no choice but to lay off the entire staff,

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13:09

InvestigateWest reporting on child welfare system...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/27

New reporting from InvestigateWest finds it’s difficult for parents in Washington to challenge flawed reports concerning guardians ad litem, the court-appointed guardians assigned to children in custody cases, who decide where their children will stay temporarily. If parents do challenge these professionals, they risk hurting their case to regain custody of their children. In Washington, with little oversight and inadequate state-mandated training for guardians, parents

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25:15

Oregon’s land use and water laws suppress housing and...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/26

The Thornburgh Resort is a planned resort in Deschutes County that would provide 950 residential units, 380 overnight lodging units, two golf courses and a luxury hotel, among other offerings. But for more than two decades, the resort has faced continued challenges with the state’s regulatory laws, delaying its progress. A new report from the developer says the continued delays have cost the state and county hundreds of millions of dollars in potential public revenue

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13:19

New UW study looks at how rising temperatures affect...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/26

he Pacific Northwest has had an unusually warm winter. This year, Portland saw one of the warmest winters it has seen in the last 88 years. In fact, this February was one of the warmest and driest months in the nation's records. But what do these warmer winters mean for snow? A new study from the University of Washington found that warming temperatures leads to snow crusts happening more often in colder areas. This increase can pose new challenges for avalanche forecasting, ski

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13:26

Oregon files civil complaint against former Morrow...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/26

Amazon has a big footprint in Morrow County driven by tax incentives, cheap power and available land. A new complaint from the Oregon Department of Justice claims that some of those tax incentives and land sales were approved by people who benefitted from the company’s purchase of internet services from a small company called WindWave. Mike Rogoway, business and technology reporter for The Oregonian, reported the details of this story and joins us to explain.

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18:03

Oregon lawmakers among the first to pass protections...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/25

Artificial Intelligence is impacting business, government, social media — and countless aspects of modern life. Child health and safety advocates say the effects of social media and the rise of chatbots and other AI on children can be devastating and lead to depression, and in the worst cases, suicide. Oregon lawmakers passed a bill in the short session to protect children and youth from these emerging technologies, which will provide guardrails for adults using chatbots

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20:11

Oregon fails to protect residents against gambling...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/25

The Center for Addiction Science, Policy, and Research, or CASPR, released a nationwide report ranking states based on their ability to protect residents from online gambling harm. Oregon received an “F” grade — among the bottom 10 states for its lack of gambling harm reduction methods.Gambling is often regarded as an invisible addiction due to its lack of visible physical symptoms or side effects — and it has become more accessible than ever. As people

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14:19

Portland Community College strike enters third week

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/25

The two unions representing faculty and staff at Portland Community College have been on strike since March 11. It’s the first ever strike at a community college in Oregon. Instructors and staff are negotiating for higher cost-of-living and salary increases, among other issues. With the spring term scheduled to start March 30, the negotiations could delay classes, many of which have taken place remotely or been canceled due to the strike. Ben Cushing is a faculty member

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17:29

Portland comic Ash Allen brings ‘Big Feelings Baby’...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/24

Portland storyteller and comic Ash Allen is on something of a roll. She’s won the Moth’s StorySLAM multiple times. Willamette Week recently named her one of its Funniest Five and in 2025 she was a Best of Portland Comedy finalist. Allen has headlined festivals including Pickathon, Fire and Story, and Hell Yes Fest.She says this debut solo storytelling show “Big Feelings Baby" is “rooted in queer identity, grief, humor, and the act of reclaiming

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19:24

It took retirement for this Portlander to land his...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/24

Doug Lowell spent nearly 40 years in the world of advertising, from co-owning an ad agency to teaching the subject at Portland State University. But it was only in retirement that he was able to achieve his dream job of opening his own bookstore. As a third-generation Portlander, the business also allows him to play a part in the revitalization of Portland’s downtown, which he recalls once being the envy of other cities. Lowell began welcoming customers to the store, Kid

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15:36

Southwest Washington nonprofit to end after loss of...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/24

The Mt. Adams Institute has announced that it will dissolve and cease operations effective December 31st, 2026. The Southwest Washington nonprofit provides educational and career opportunities in the outdoors through partnerships with agencies such as the U.S. National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service. It pairs young adults and U.S. military veterans with internship opportunities in outdoor resource management roles, ranging from trail maintenance and construction to

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17:58

‘Everyone can and should grow their own food,’ says...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/23

Spring has sprung! And Hearth and Hollow owner Dusti Arab is passionate about helping people grow their own food. She sells what she cultivates herself in her edible-plant nursery and is also a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) grower. She says planting and growing food isn’t just for spring — it’s an all season activity. Her entire operation is run out of her home in Vancouver, essentially in her backyard. She doesn’t have a brick and mortar retail

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17:43

Multnomah County’s Preschool for All program has a...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/23

Danisa McLean has taken the helm of Multnomah County’s Preschool for All program after her predecessor resigned abruptly last summer amid an external investigation into a conflict of interest. The program is funded by a 1.5% marginal tax rate on high income earners which some, including Governor Tina Kotek, have said is having negative effects on Oregon’s economy. In addition, estimates on how many preschool spots are needed and how much money that will cost have

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17:02

Ship pilots say the Lewis and Clark Bridge is at...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/23

Leaders in the Columbia River shipping industry say there’s a growing risk that the 95-year-old Lewis and Clark Bridge will be struck by a large ship and collapse. Ships have doubled in size since the shipping channel was first put into use. Without modern sensor technology, it’s increasingly difficult for pilots to calculate clearance margins when passing through the channel. In the event of a collapse, it would be similar to the magnitude of the 2024 Francis Scott

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53:04

REBROADCAST: Author Annalee Newitz explores history...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/20

Author and journalist Annalee Newitz looks at the history of psychological operations in their book, “Stories Are Weapons: Psychological Warfare and the American Mind.” It explores misinformation, propaganda and how the stories we hear can manipulate us. The book also features a chapter on the work the Coquille Indian Tribe has done to undo damage these operations did to some Oregon tribes in the past. “Think Out Loud” host Dave Miller spoke with Newitz

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52:56

How Portlanders are navigating the ups and downs of...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/19

“Think Out Loud” wanted to hear how people are navigating the dating scene right now. So we gathered a panel of “experts” to help us break it down.Sarah Ruby Armstrong is the creator of Dating Profile Tune-Ups, Playdates and Kissing Booth Social Club. Taylor Kravitz is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the CEO of Empowered Fulfillment Therapy, and an adjunct professor at Lewis & Clark College. Margaret Bagan is a marketing specialist in

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14:36

Bend considers requiring fire-resistant materials in...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/18

The city of Bend is considering changing its building code to require fire-resistant roofs, siding and other materials in new homes. As reported in the Bend Bulletin, the proposal comes after a surge of interest in wildfire preparedness assessments after the devastating Los Angeles wildfires in early 2025. The Bend City Council is set to consider the measure at its meeting on April 1.Melissa Steele is the city’s Deputy Fire Marshal for Wildfire Preparedness. She joins us

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