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

20:16

Portland ice cream chain Fifty Licks making ends meet...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/27

Chad Draizin of Portland’s 50 Licks sold his first scoop of ice cream in 2009 at a street fair. After several years of pop-up events and selling to local grocery stores, he opened his first brick-and-mortar shop in 2013 in the Clinton Street neighborhood, but it was in 2017 that Draizin says his business transformed with the opening of the E. Burnside & 28th location - on a busy corner near dozens of restaurants and a movie theater right across the street. Business

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15:05

State and local law enforcement seize hundreds of...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/27

Last week, Oregon State Police, joined by multiple state and local agencies, completed a search of a roadside zoo in Bandon on the Southern Oregon Coast. More than 300 animals were seized and relocated to animal sanctuaries or rescue facilities. Three animals, including a camel, were euthanized because they were determined to be in such poor health they could not be transported or treated, according to OSP. The Oregon Humane Society, the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, the

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52:06

Northwest writer Timothy Egan’s new book tells KKK...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/26

By the early 1900s, the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist group founded by former Confederate soldiers after the Civil War, had all but faded from existence in the U.S. Then, in 1915, a second Klan was founded in Georgia, and soon spread across the country. By the mid-1920s, it had as many as eight million members across the U.S., including many chapters in the Pacific Northwest, and a strong base in the Midwest. Seattle writer Timothy Egan’s most recent book, “A

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33:41

Memory activism’ on display in ‘Precipice’ solo play...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/23

The new solo play “Precipice” was conceived by actor and self-described “memory activist” Damaris Webb. It’s part of the offerings of the Vanport Mosaic Festival she co-founded 10 years ago. The play, like the festival itself, centers on remembering and reclaiming history and telling the stories of people who have been marginalized or forgotten. We talk with Webb and playwright Chris Gonzalez about this new work and what they hope audiences take

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19:25

Eugene Ballet artistic director looks back on 46...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/23

Toni Pimble moved to Oregon from her home in England more than 46 years ago and co-founded the Eugene Ballet. As the company’s artistic director, she has choreographed over 60 pieces and collaborated with composers, artists and other organizations, from the Eugene Opera to the Oregon Bach Festival to the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance. Her award-winning work has also been performed by the New York City Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre and many others. We sit

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15:05

Oregon State University study finds more than 3,500...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/22

The International Union for Conservation of Nature keeps what it calls a Red List of species that are threatened with extinction due to habitat loss or exploitation such as overfishing. But a new study led by researchers at Oregon State University suggests another reason some wildlife might be at risk: climate change.The scientists analyzed nearly 71,000 wild animal species – from corals to reptiles, insects to mammals – assessed by the IUCN Red List and categorized

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13:48

How proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/22

The Trump administration is proposing changes to the definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act. The proposed changes would prohibit actions that only directly relate to hurting or killing an animal. Historically, the word “harm” has been defined broadly to include habitat loss, which is a leading cause of extinction for endangered species. Noah Greenwald is the endangered species director for the Center for Biological Diversity. He joins us to

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10:39

Oregon voters split on school funding measures

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/22

While the biggest school bond on the ballot seems to be passing in Tuesday’s special election, Oregonians appear to be split in their support of education-related bond measures that would fund school building construction, maintenance and other improvements. OPB editor Rob Manning joins us to give us a picture of how many of the education-related votes fared in this week’s election.

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13:22

Portland city councilors consider over 120 amendments...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/22

On Wednesday, Portland’s 12 city councilors stayed late considering a number of amendments to the city’s budget - both large and small. OPB's Portland city politics reporter Alex Zielinski was there and tells us what it all means.

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52:07

Oregon journalist explores New Age religion in latest...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/21

Oregon journalist and OPB’s “Hush” Podcast HostLeah Sottilehas made a name for herself investigating extremism and fringe movements in the West. Her latest book, “Blazing Eye Sees All,” explores New Age religion, including the Love Has Won movement. Beyond that, the book is a history of spirituality in the U.S. and looks at the ways fascism and metaphysical circles are intertwined. Sottile joins us in front of a live audience at the Literary Art

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13:26

Bend affordable housing provider takes issue with...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/20

Thistle & Nest, an affordable housing provider in Bend, says the city’s new tree code isn’t flexible enough and is raising the cost of building new housing in Central Oregon. At one of the affordable housing developments Thistle & Nest is currently building, the code will mean fewer homes get built, according to the organization, which is refusing to submit a tree preservation plan for the site. That challenge is currently being reviewed by a hearings officer

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13:17

How tariffs are affecting Oregon’s seafood industry

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/20

The West Coast seafood industry is caught in the crosshairs oftariff uncertainty. International orders have been canceled, which impacts Oregon workers. Industry leaders and Oregon’s Democratic Congressional delegation have asked the US Department of Agricultureto step in. Lori Steele is the executive director of the West Coast Seafood Processors Association. She joins us with details of the challenges facing the industry.

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25:59

Retired Oregon justice department lawyer says state...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/20

David Hart isn’t necessarily one of the people you’d expect to be critical of the $7.4 billion multi-state opioid settlement reached with drug company Purdue. For 25 years, he was the assistant attorney general at the Oregon Department of Justice until his retirement last month, and he headed the department’s opioid litigation and recovery/pharmaceutical fraud unit. One way or another, he’s represented the state in opioid litigation and negotiations since

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15:07

More than 20 breweries collaborate on beer project...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/19

As most beer enthusiasts know, hops play a vital role in the brewing process. The cone-shaped flowers impart distinct aromas that help distinguish, say, a pilsner from a pale ale. Oregon is one of only three states, along with Washington and Idaho, that commercially grows hops. Oregon and Washington are also the only two states that have their own USDA-supported breeding programs to develop new varieties of hops. But only Oregon can lay claim to the Strata hop, a variety that

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17:51

Oregon doctor speaks out against proposed Medicaid cuts

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/19

Congress is considering cuts to Medicaid that would affect millions of Americans. Under a current proposal, nearly half of the Oregonians enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan would be required to prove they’re working or volunteering 80 hours a month to keep their coverage. In Oregon, some fear changes to Medicaid could hit healthcare in rural communities especially hard.Evan Saulino is a family physician providing clinical care in the Columbia River Gorge. His commentary

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19:49

Oregon reports record number of student vaccination...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/19

Oregon kindergarteners are opting out of vaccinations at increasingly higher rates over the last four years. And public health officials are growing increasingly concerned. Oregon is one of just 15 states that allow parents to opt out of childhood vaccinations for nonreligious, nonmedical reasons. The current opt-out rate of 9.7% is the highest recorded in state history. Health officials say the measles and pertussis outbreaks in the state are an indication more work is needed

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16:04

Street Soccer Portland aims to reduce barriers to...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/16

Street Soccer Portland is part of a national organization that aims to expand access to playing soccer by providing a free alternative to the pay-to-play model of club soccer. The local chapter primarily serves elementary and middle school-aged children through afterschool programs currently being offered at 20 schools and community centers in Portland, Tigard, Gresham and Vancouver. Partnerships and donations from companies like Adidas and Nike help provide free uniforms and

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14:04

Behavioral health providers say Oregon Health...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/16

When someone accused of a crime is found unable to aid and assist in their own defense, they are sent to the Oregon State Hospital for an evaluation. After that, they often need to spend time at a residential treatment center until they are fit to stand trial. A new rule from the Oregon Health Authority requires residential treatment facilities in the state to accept those patients ahead of any who might be on their waiting list, setting aside their normal admissions standards

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22:28

Washington and Coos county commissioners among many...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/16

More than half of all counties in Oregon are facing budget shortfalls and cuts to programs and services. In Washington County, officials are proposing more than $25 million in reductions to the $2 billion budget that would include eliminating jobs and services.In Coos County, the sheriff’s department released some of those serving time in its jail last year. In 2024, county voters turned down two different tax levies to fund government services. Even after making cuts,

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18:18

Prairie High School esports team in Vancouver heads...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/15

Prairie High School in the Battle Ground School District is headed to a statewide tournament this weekend. But it's not for a traditional sport like soccer, baseball or football — it's for esports. Esports, like many other sports, have players compete as individuals or in a team in a video game against others. Prairie High School took home first prize in a statewide championship last fall in “Overwatch 2,” a team-based hero shooter game. On Sunday, one of the

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